Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 277: Time to Rethink

Chapter 277: Time to Rethink

"So what kind of favor did you offer him?"

"The same kind you’d expect!" Emma Hart shot back sharply, her response crisp and direct.

This woman was increasingly defying him!

Alright, he wouldn’t lose his temper. Yet, in an almost casual tone, he stated, "Fine, Emma Hart, I want you to understand that apart from me, no one can help you, nor does anyone dare to."

"You..." Emma immediately grasped the implication of Damien Sterling’s words. He was warning her that someone else might suffer because of her actions.

The last thing Emma wanted was to implicate others, yet it seemed she was increasingly dragging others down with her.

"Emma Hart, the words I, Damien Sterling, speak are final!" Damien turned and sat back down in his chair, ignoring Emma who was visibly fuming in front of him.

Emma, too angry to speak, turned and ran outside.

As the door slammed, Damien remained seated, unfazed, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the desk. Where was this woman going now?

She thought she could just run off whenever she got upset, as if he had no hold over her?

His assistant’s call came through, "Mr. Sterling, Miss Emma has gone out alone. I asked if she needed a vehicle as she seemed very upset. Mr. Sterling, what should I do?"

"What to do? Follow her! See where she’s going!"

Are all his subordinates this clueless?

Damien, frustrated, stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the bustling traffic and throngs of people below, his mind anything but calm.

After what seemed like an eternity, the assistant called back, "Miss Emma went back to the hospital."

"Alright, I know."

He exhaled deeply, a habit he hadn’t had before, tossing his cellphone onto the desk with a sigh.

At the hospital, Emma approached an old man’s room. Just as she was about to enter, she heard a heated argument inside. Stopping in her tracks, she noticed a young man berating the elderly man inside.

"All these years! What have you ever done for our family? Why did mom leave back then? Have you ever thought about the reason?"

The young man’s accusations flew, hinting at deep-seated grievances, while the old man faced him with a guilty expression, tears in his eyes, saying nothing.

"You don’t need to act pitiful now! When we were struggling, did you ever care? You chased your dreams, great! Go ahead! Why don’t you have your awards and creations keep you company instead of me?" The young man’s voice cracked with emotion.

The old man, pained by the words, attempted to wipe away the tears from the young man’s face, but was abruptly brushed aside.

"Don’t try to comfort me!" The young man swiped at his face, erasing the tears in a defiant gesture.

"Please forgive me! I know you blame me, and I know I’ve let you down! I understand I can’t earn your forgiveness, but please, don’t treat me this way! I am your father, after all!" The old man’s body suddenly slumped, collapsing onto the bed beside him.

As this unfolded, the young man instinctively moved forward to assist, hinting that some bond still lingered between them.

The young man wiped away fresh tears, then turned away heartlessly.

Rushing to the door, Emma Hart quickly stepped aside, taken aback as she observed the young man.

His features bore a striking resemblance to the older man, suggesting that in his youth, the elder must have been quite handsome.

The young man’s gaze lingered on Emma’s face for a moment before he brushed past her.

Emma stood, bewildered by the unfolding drama, beginning to piece together the situation. Looking back at the room where the old man sat, tears streaking his face, her heart went out to him. She moved to stand beside him, about to speak, but the old man raised his hand to stop her. Emma remained silent, simply staying by his side, offering her presence as solace.

Elsewhere, on a verdant campus, groups of students walked together toward the dining hall as dusk fell.

Near the campus lake, where the faint lights twinkled, laughter from a group of boys broke the evening calm.

"Dude, this cigarette is a steal from my dad’s stash, top quality stuff. Try this!" boasted one boy, tossing a pack to a stylishly dressed peer.

Catching the pack, the latter boy glanced at it and scoffed, "What’s this trash?" He lit one up with a look of disdain.

The boy who had offered the cigarettes quipped, "Max, looks like you’re too good for these now. Got those designer clothes, too. What happened, did you strike it rich overnight, or did some sugar mama take you under her wing?"

Max tossed the cigarette back at him playfully, "Cut it out!"

"If this doesn’t impress you, what will?"

Max lowered his gaze to the balance displayed on his phone, taking a deep drag of his cigarette, enveloped in a cloud of smoke. The money recently sent by his sister was displayed on the screen, reminding him of the debts he incurred the last time he got involved with that stuff. Truth be told, Max was a bit scared; after all, those people were not easy to mess with, yet he couldn’t forget the allure of it.

"Dude, what are you thinking about?" A boy slung his arm around Max’s shoulder, accidentally catching a glimpse of the balance on Max’s phone.

"Holy shit! Where did you get all this money?"

Max snapped his phone shut and said to the boy, "Let me take you to try something really good."

In Oliver Westmore’s office.

The assistant came in to report, placing a stack of photos on the desk. Oliver glanced at the photos with a cold laugh, then waved his hand dismissively, "Keep monitoring."

The assistant spread out documents in front of Oliver, "Mr. Westmore, up to now, it appears that the Sterling Group isn’t planning to compete with us for that plot."

"Bring me the file for plot number four! No rush," Oliver spoke calmly, seemingly unconcerned about his assistant’s worries.

In Damien Sterling’s office.

The same file for plot number four lay spread out on his desk. Damien reviewed the documents back and forth, his index finger tapping on the paper, seemingly calculating something.

This plot was crucial for both companies, only Westmore Enterprises and Sterling Group in the entire city had the clout to handle such a big deal. Beside the main file were other documents clearly indicating Westmore Enterprises’ determination to secure this plot; they had already invested too much and could not afford to lose.

Damien’s grandfather had long instructed him not to compete for this plot, and in the past, Damien would have agreed with such a strategy.

Having more competitors was not generally beneficial for the company.

But now, it seemed Damien had to rethink his stance on this plot.