Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 284: You Wouldn’t Understand

Chapter 284: You Wouldn’t Understand

At the seaside, Ryan Garcia casually smoked, lost in thought. Damien Sterling gazed at the tranquil sea and spoke, "It’s getting late; let’s head back." His introspective look betrayed none of his thoughts.

"Sure, whatever you say." Ryan noted the increasing crowd at the beach, aware of Damien’s disdain for noisy settings.

They weren’t far from Green Mountain Retreat, just a few minutes away on foot.

"Aunt Brianna, thank you for today," Damien said to Brianna Baker.

"It’s no trouble at all. You and Emma visiting me is enough to make me happy. Just remember to come more often," Brianna replied with a smile towards Emma Hart. She felt genuinely pleased seeing Damien with such a sweet wife.

"Aunt Brianna, Ryan, see you next time." After bidding farewell, Damien took Emma Hart’s hand and they left Greenhill Lane. Emma, a bit shy, simply nodded and smiled softly.

In the car, Emma rolled down the window to let the sea breeze caress her face, more like a slap really. "Roll up the window, lest you get facial paralysis," Damien remarked, half-amused at how Emma, still so grown, couldn’t look after herself.

"Okay!" Emma complied obediently.

"I got a call; we need to be at the office by two tomorrow for an interview. I’ll go with you," Damien announced.

"You’re coming with me?" Emma asked, surprised.

"Got a problem with that? Then drop out."

"No, no, Mr. Sterling. It’s an honor to have you accompany me," Emma responded, her inner voice chiding, "Don’t mess this up over something so trivial, Emma! Patience is key—hold on!"

Damien’s latest model Ferrari sped along the coastal highway. Despite the speed, Emma felt perfectly at ease, which said something about Damien’s driving skills, rarely as he chose to drive.

As dusk approached, the sun dipped below the horizon. An unknown English song played softly in the background, its gentle guitar riffs intoxicating. The dying light of the sun illuminated Damien’s already striking features through the car window, casting an ethereal glow. Emma found herself staring longer than intended.

"Hey!" A quick finger snap from Damien jerked Emma back to reality.

"Seems you’ve really fallen for me," Damien said with a smug grin.

"Don’t flatter yourself. I was just noticing how bad your skin looks," Emma retorted casually.

"Humph, that lovesick look on your face..." Damien teased, continuing their playful banter.

Seeing the conversation taking an uncomfortable turn, Emma Hart quickly shifted the topic. "Your aunt is truly beautiful, with such an ethereal charm," she remarked.

"Do you like her?" Damien Sterling inquired.

"Yes," Emma admitted. Despite finding some of Brianna Baker’s behaviors peculiar, her fondness for her remained unaffected. Damien felt conflicted, unsure whether to be happy or sad. He regretted bringing Emma, as letting her grow fond of someone only to hear of their demise later felt like torture.

"Growing up, I lived with my grandfather, who was very strict. I used to sneak out to see Aunt Brianna and play with Ryan whenever the bodyguards weren’t watching," Damien shared, then paused, realizing he had said too much. He looked at Emma, meeting her curious, cat-like eyes. "Go on!" she encouraged.

"For decades, she’s remained calm and elegant, a fantastic cook, and Ryan and I became as close as brothers. The only regret is her poor marriage. Ryan’s father, now president of Garcia Corporation, was a real scoundrel. They were separated until Ryan went to college, and then they divorced. Just two years after the divorce, Kevin Garcia still harassed her occasionally. Back then, I wasn’t powerful enough to stand up to Kevin Garcia and could only watch her suffer. Even today, Garcia Corporation remains a formidable rival..." Damien recounted these painful memories calmly. He was determined to make Kevin Garcia pay one day. The only way was to help Ryan Garcia take over as president of Garcia Corporation, which was the main reason for Ryan’s return.

"...As for your affairs, I stay out of them, but I think perpetuating vengeance never ends well," Emma remarked.

"That’s because you don’t understand..." Damien replied.

"Am I wrong?" Emma challenged.

"In theory, no," he conceded.

Emma didn’t understand, nor did she want to. Her world was small, focused only on making sure her family had enough to eat and wear. Now that she was away from her family, she honestly didn’t know what she was living for. A child, maybe?

It took two hours from Green Mountain Retreat to the Sterling family mansion, but Damien could make the drive in at least an hour and a half. Emma, clutching a pillow, fell asleep in the passenger seat, while Damien talked business with his secretary through a Bluetooth headset.

Inside the villa, Mrs. Harris was busy preparing dinner. Upon hearing the sound of the car doors, she immediately went to greet them at the door. "Mr. Sterling, Miss Emma, you’re back!" she exclaimed.

"I won’t be dining at home tonight. Just prepare dinner for her," Damien Sterling said before heading upstairs to his study.

"Mrs. Harris, I’d like to rest for a bit, please wake me up later," Emma Hart said, her fatigue evident as she made her way to her room.

Inside her room, Emma didn’t bother changing her clothes and collapsed onto the large bed. Fortunately, Damien had gone straight to his study upon returning; being seen in such a state by him would have surely led to another scolding.

"Emma Hart!" A cold, deep voice echoed from the doorway, startling Emma into jumping up. "What now?" she asked nervously.

"You did this on purpose, didn’t you?" Damien had obviously caught on to her "little act."

"I... I... am just really tired," she hoped the excuse would work.

"Need help washing up?" Damien teased with a wicked smile curling his lips.

"No, no, I’ll manage!" Emma quickly grabbed her toiletries and rushed into the bathroom.

Lately, Emma had been unusually compliant, a stark contrast to her normal self. However, Damien had nothing to complain about as long as she obeyed.

Suddenly, Damien’s phone rang: "Darling Damien! My mother has fainted! She’s now at Jianghai Hospital—"

"I’m on my way," Damien hung up swiftly and ran downstairs. "Get the car ready! To Jianghai Hospital!"

Jianghai Hospital is the most upscale private hospital in Z City, catering exclusively to high-end clients.

"Huh? Where is everyone?" After her shower, Emma came out only to find Damien gone, thinking to herself somewhat regretfully that her effort to clean up had been in vain.

Inside Jianghai Hospital.

Brianna Baker was hooked up to numerous monitoring devices, receiving IV drips. Her complexion was pale, and she could only muster faint breaths.

"Mom!" Ryan Garcia was nearly heartbroken seeing his mother in such a state.

"Don’t worry, it’s okay," Brianna Baker managed to utter these words with great effort to comfort her son, frustrated by her own failing health.

Gently, Brianna stroked Ryan’s soft hair, comforting him as she had when he was a child, urging him to sleep peacefully.