Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 270: Inside a Maternity and Baby Store

Chapter 270: Inside a Maternity and Baby Store

Damien Sterling once again offered the apple to Emma Hart, but she pushed it away. "I don’t want to eat anymore!"

Unfazed, Damien took the bitten apple and put it in his own mouth. Typically fastidious to the point of obsession, Damien would never touch anything that others had eaten, but all those rules seemed to vanish when it came to Emma Hart.

"So what if it’s me?" he said nonchalantly, chewing the apple.

"I never said I’d use your money."

"And how will you solve this problem, then?" Damien’s voice was low and controlled as he glared into Emma’s eyes.

"It’s none of your business!" Emma snapped back, raising her voice in a thinly-veiled attempt to mask her uncertainty. How could she possibly find a way to borrow money?

"Will you ask that other man for help, or go to your doting grandmother to mortgage her property?" Damien spelled out both options bluntly, making it clear that he would tolerate neither.

Emma bowed her head, oblivious to how Damien’s financial pressure only reinforced her belief that the power he wielded over her came entirely from money. It fueled her desire for it even more, as she believed that was the key to someday breaking free from him.

"Stay here and I’ll pay you $100,000 a day. Three days, and we’ll call it even!" With that, Damien stood up and tossed the apple core into the trash, the lid slamming shut with a thud. He had to catch a flight for an important meeting later that night, having squeezed in this visit despite his packed schedule.

How ungrateful she was! He could have used this precious time to review documents, analyze reports, and make decisions, yet here he was, enduring her defiance.

Damien stood imposingly before Emma, expressionless but with hawk-like eyes that scanned her face. His gaze was icy and menacing.

Emma silently watched him leave, reflecting on his words. $300,000 for three days? All debts wiped clean? It seemed like a good deal, but she couldn’t take his words at face value. She knew all too well how easily he could manipulate things to his advantage, having been burned by him before.

The next day, Emma Hart wandered aimlessly around the hospital park, plucking leaves from a branch and pacing forward step by step. She walked down a path lined with towering maple trees, their crimson leaves scattering across the greyish-white trunks. As a cool, brisk breeze swept through, the leaves rustled on the ground and drifted off into the distance, giving the path an ethereal, endless feel. It was truly a perfect place to paint.

Painting! She suddenly remembered the old man from the day before and wondered if he was sitting in his usual spot, engrossed in his whimsical artwork. Emma picked up a fallen maple leaf and made her way toward the small lake. From a distance, she spotted the familiar, tranquil silhouette.

Quietly, she approached and noticed that the painting he’d been working on yesterday was now complete. He wasn’t holding a brush, just calmly admiring his own work beside the lake.

Emma gently waved her maple leaf. "Uncle, I’m back."

The old man adjusted his glasses, scrutinizing her for a moment before his face broke into a warm smile. "Ah, it’s you!"

With a playful glint, he glanced over Emma’s shoulder and teased, "Did you manage to ditch that group of hangers-on?"

Emma knew exactly whom he meant. She hadn’t exactly shaken them off—they were probably still lurking somewhere in the hospital, ready to swarm her at any moment. Sometimes she wondered if the director had put her photo in the employee handbook, making it a mandatory end-of-year assessment criterion to care for her.

The old man chuckled, "Young lady, you must be someone important. I’ve seen my share of big shots here, from celebrities to scientists, but none received treatment quite like yours."

"I’m not special," she muttered, scratching her head awkwardly. How could she possibly explain to the old man that she was just an ordinary girl?

"So, what’s your story?"

Emma shook her head. It was a difficult question to answer. She barely knew herself, let alone how to explain her newfound connection with Damien Sterling. She could talk about her own background, but when it came to her relationship with Damien, she had no idea what to say.

Inside the sleek black business car, multiple laptops displayed real-time reports of various company metrics in the spacious interior. An assistant sat nearby, briefing Damien Sterling, "The Westmore Group has launched several new real estate projects."

Without lifting his head, Damien replied, "Continue with the existing strategy."

"But these properties and lots Westmore bought aren’t in high-demand areas. There are significant developmental issues, and we’re not sure this will be a profitable project."

Damien tapped the plastic next to his seat rhythmically. "Since Westmore bought them, we will compete with them."

The evening was pleasant as Damien and his team arrived at their destination and headed for a place to eat. They entered a multi-purpose hotel with a large shopping complex inside. In the glass elevator, Damien’s gaze fell on a baby store on the ninth floor. Surprised, his assistant watched as he halted the elevator.

Looking around curiously, she realized that this level was dedicated to maternity and baby products.

In the blink of an eye, Damien had walked into the store. He picked up a tiny pair of baby shoes displayed at the entrance, which could only fit three adult fingers. He tentatively slipped his hand into the shoe and took a few steps with it on the table.

Behind him, the assistant observed this normally resolute man, who usually wore a cold expression, engaged in this childish act. She was astonished, hardly able to believe what she was seeing.

A group of waitresses quickly gathered around, drawn not only by the man’s impeccable attire and the entourage trailing him, which spoke volumes about his status, but also by his striking, commanding presence. That alone was enough to captivate them, compelling each one to draw