Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 281: Truly Troublesome

Chapter 281: Truly Troublesome

Late at night inside the villa, Damien Sterling was met with a respectful greeting from Mrs. Harris. "Mr. Sterling, you’re back."

"How is Emma Hart doing?" Damien inquired, glancing towards the upstairs.

"Miss Emma was quite serene today. She spent the day painting in her room, didn’t make a fuss, and ate her meals on time," Mrs. Harris reported the day’s events concerning Emma to Damien.

"Good, you can go to sleep now," Damien said after taking a sip of water, then he proceeded upstairs.

He quietly opened Emma’s room door, hearing her steady breathing, and felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had been preoccupied all day with the Michael Johnson issue and hadn’t been able to check on Emma. She was truly a handful.

The next morning, Emma rolled over and felt something hard underneath her. She opened her eyes to find Damien Sterling! She quickly withdrew her hand, only to have it caught in a strong grip. "Awake?" Damien asked with a mischievous smile.

"Yes, let go, you’re hurting me," Emma’s heart fluttered with nervous excitement, overwhelmed by such intimacy so early in the morning.

"Let’s get up!" Damien said as he lifted her from the bed.

"What are you doing?" Emma exclaimed.

"Brush our teeth, wash up, and have breakfast!" Damien replied.

Brushing teeth and washing up surely shouldn’t be this dramatic, thought Emma, her heart sending ripples through her emotions...

At the breakfast table, Emma carefully watched every move Damien made, every expression, ensuring he was in a good mood before she spoke, "Mr. Sterling, I’d like to discuss something with you..."

"What is it?"

"I want to participate in this design competition!" Emma said, raising a magazine that advertised the contest.

"No!" Damien instantly rejected.

"Why not!"

"Just no! Don’t you know your current situation? You’re carrying my child."

"I’ll be careful!" Emma insisted.

"It’s still a no!" Damien’s fist slammed on the table, his eyes glaring intensely at Emma.

Emma was so frightened that her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

The room fell silent.

"If you let me participate, I promise I won’t go anywhere else but the competition venue and will stay obedient at home," Emma wagered her last chance.

"Stay obedient?" Damien couldn’t help but smirk at the phrase.

You think you can be obedient, you little wildcat?

"If you don’t behave?" Damien Sterling queried, his voice firm.

"Then you can deal with me as you see fit!" Emma Hart straightened her posture, trying her best to keep calm.

"Fine, regardless of your motives, just behave and ensure the safe arrival of our child," Damien knew exactly what she was thinking. It was all about the million-dollar prize money, but... she still didn’t realize that the competition was sponsored by Sterling Group!

"You said it! It’s a deal!" Emma exclaimed jubilantly, her fist unintentionally hitting the table. Realizing her gesture might have been inappropriate, she quickly withdrew her hand and continued with her breakfast.

Emma Hart, you’re still too naive to play this game of life.

At the company.

"Did you hear? Emma Hart resigned."

"That figures. Such a disgraceful woman, bringing such embarrassment to Sterling Group. Mr. Sterling must have kicked her out!"

"Shameless, really!"

"Do you think Mr. Sterling is single now?"

"You wish! Even if he were, you’d stand no chance! Haha!"

"Enough chatter! Back to work!" Sophia Greenwood chided sharply.

The whole company was buzzing with the news about Emma Hart and Damien Sterling, and Sophia felt a surge of satisfaction. However, after sending Ryan Garcia out yesterday, she had also sent someone to find Michael Johnson, but he was nowhere to be found. Had he disappeared, or had Ryan gotten there first?

In the president’s office.

Damien Sterling pondered what to do with Sophia Greenwood. While he was tempted to confront her, the longstanding business ties between their families and their interconnected business interests meant that falling out with her wasn’t wise.

"Ms. Greenwood, please come to my office," Damien finally decided to summon her.

After hanging up, a profoundly uneasy Sophia wondered if she still had a chance or if her actions had been discovered.

"Look, Mr. Sterling is calling Ms. Greenwood to his office. Could it be that the two have finally...?"

"Don’t speculate!"

Rumors were swirling again in the office.

In the president’s office.

"Mr. Sterling."

"Sit down."

"How is Emma doing?"

"She’s fine. Tell me, don’t you think this office is too noisy? Working in such an environment can really influence a person, make them coarse."

"Mr. Sterling, I... I’m not quite sure what you mean."

"I believe you are very capable, but there is room for improvement. We are preparing a year-long executive training program at our Country A branch, and I want you to attend."

"Sending me?"

"Yes."

Sophia Greenwood’s face fell. She knew Damien Sterling had uncovered the truth, and now, whether she liked it or not, she had to agree!

"I understand. I’ll take my leave," Sophia said, bowing her head as she exited the president’s office.

Inside the villa.

Emma Hart was deep in thought over her first competition theme: Natural Beauty. Reflecting natural beauty in fashion—what a challenging theme. Lotus leaf sleeves, embroidery... ordinary materials would surely be eliminated...

"Miss Emma, stand up and stretch a bit. Have some milk," Mrs. Harris offered a warm cup of milk to Emma.

Every hour, Mrs. Harris would check on Emma, adding this and that, making Emma feel incredibly warm—a sense of happiness she couldn’t even find at her own home. Now completely cut off from her family, she wondered how her mother was doing... if she was being bullied by her grandmother and brother...

"Mr. Sterling is back!" Mrs. Harris noticed Damien Sterling walking down the hall.

"It’s eleven already, why aren’t you asleep?" Damien frowned.

"I’ll go now. Why are you back so late today?" Emma asked.

"So? Were you waiting for me?" Damien raised an eyebrow.

Emma remained silent, thinking, I wish you’d never come back, then I could leave this place...

"Come on, let’s go," Damien wrapped his arms around Emma and headed towards the bathroom.

"What are you doing!" Emma’s face turned red. It was one thing to enter her room, but why the bathroom together?

"I’m helping you wash today," Damien chuckled.

"Let go of me!" Emma punched Damien’s arm, but for him, it was more like a massage, utterly ineffective.

Strangely, Damien was very gentle tonight, and Emma was surprisingly obedient. Mrs. Harris watched the couple, realizing that affection could indeed be nurtured over time.

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