Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 302: Full Moon Celebration

Chapter 302: Full Moon Celebration

Emma Hart had unknowingly fallen asleep in the nursery.

Mrs. Harris and Ella Moore, noticing how deeply she slept, decided not to wake her. Understanding a new mother’s desire to stay close to her baby, they gently placed a thick blanket over Emma as she slept beside the crib. Since there was a single bed right next to the crib, they didn’t worry about Emma being uncomfortable.

It wasn’t until the next morning that Damien Sterling returned home. The previous night, he had been tied up at the company, finalizing an eighty-million-dollar contract with an international firm, keeping him busy until dawn.

Upon arriving home, Damien hurried upstairs to check on Emma Hart, only to find her room empty. Anxiously, he rushed to the nursery, where he finally saw Emma peacefully asleep next to the children. He tiptoed into the room, careful not to make a sound, afraid to disturb his three beloveds in their slumber.

He watched the children for a moment before gently lifting Emma, blanket and all, into his arms. "Hmm? You’re back?" Emma murmured, frowning slightly as she sensed the movement.

"Yes," Damien whispered.

Damien carried Emma out of the nursery. "Did you sleep well?" he asked softly.

"Mm-hmm," Emma replied drowsily.

"Do you want to keep sleeping?" he inquired.

"No," she answered, shaking her head slightly.

Damien then carried Emma into their bedroom and laid her gently on the bed. "Oh! I didn’t shower last night," Emma exclaimed.

"It doesn’t matter," Damien murmured, pressing his body against hers and kissing her passionately. Emma responded with equal fervor.

After a moment, she asked, "Where were you last night?"

"Worry about me?" Damien teased.

"No way!" Emma retorted, blushing and averting her eyes from Damien’s gaze.

"Okay, I was working late at the office," Damien confessed.

"Oh," Emma replied, still unsure if she believed him.

Damien kissed her again, lingering for a while before reluctantly pulling away. He didn’t have a habit of making love in the mornings.

"Get up, there will be some clothing stores sending outfits for you to choose from," Damien said, pulling Emma up from the bed.

"Huh? Why?" she asked, puzzled.

"Did you forget? Grandpa is hosting a full-month celebration for Gabriel and Joshua next Friday night," Damien reminded her.

"Oh..." Emma sighed, not particularly excited, but she forced a smile anyway.

In less than twenty minutes, several high-end boutiques under the Sterling Group had neatly arranged their collections on the first floor of the villa for Emma Hart to choose from. Damien Sterling mentioned he needed to check on the preparations for the full-moon banquet and left again.

Mrs. Harris advised Emma to avoid choosing outfits that exposed her arms and legs since she had just finished her postpartum period and the weather was cold. Following Mrs. Harris’s suggestion, Emma casually selected a conservative, loose, and comfortable cashmere long dress.

With a sigh, Emma dismissed all the store staff. Over the next week, Emma spoke less than twenty sentences a day, with each sentence no more than fifteen words. Mrs. Harris noticed Emma’s unusual behavior and approached her with concern.

"Emma, you don’t seem very happy. Is everything alright?" Mrs. Harris asked gently.

"I’m fine, Mrs. Harris. Just tired..." Emma replied glumly, stirring her cooling bowl of corn chowder, her favorite, which she barely touched.

Mrs. Harris poured her a glass of juice, saying, "Dear, if something’s bothering you, you can talk to me."

Emma took the juice, forced a smile, and said, "Mrs. Harris, I’m really just tired. Please, let me be." She took a sip of the juice and quickly hurried upstairs.

With her head down, Emma rushed into the nursery, her eyes welling up with tears. She closed the door behind her, squatting at the entrance, and sobbed quietly. She didn’t understand why she felt this way, just an overwhelming sense of frustration. She longed to release all the negativity in her heart but didn’t know how.

Emma picked up the sleeping Gabriel, holding him tightly.

In the blink of an eye, the Friday evening full-moon banquet arrived. The event was held at Mr. Sterling Senior’s grand estate. The European-style mansion had its front yard filled with luxury cars, and a barricade was set up at the entrance, with reporters and photographers lined up outside, cameras clicking incessantly. This was no surprise, given that Sterling Group was among the top twenty global enterprises, and the attendees were all prominent figures from the business, political, and entertainment worlds.

Emma Hart, Damien Sterling, and their two children arrived in the latest Bugatti, entering Mr. Sterling Senior’s villa through the underground garage.

Emma Hart briefly greeted Brianna Baker and Ryan Garcia in the banquet hall before retreating to one of the rooms. The grandeur of the event overwhelmed her, and she felt a sudden urge to cry.

Meanwhile, Ryan Garcia noticed Harper Clark chatting with Mr. Sterling Senior across the room. Harper still had that innocent, girlish look that Ryan found infuriating. If it weren’t for her, Emma might not have had a premature delivery. He blamed Harper for half of that ordeal.

Ryan approached Harper, placing his hands on her delicate shoulders. "Harper Clark? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I could have picked you up!" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Harper turned to Ryan with a sweet smile. "No need to trouble you, Ryan. It was just a small matter," she replied, but her eyes shot him a warning glance.

Mr. Sterling Senior, oblivious to the tension, chuckled, "Haha! Good, you young folks should chat. Ryan, don’t be jealous of your grandpa! I’m giving Harper back to you." He patted Ryan on the shoulder and walked off to mingle with other guests.

"Ryan, what are you trying to do?" Harper attempted to shake off Ryan’s grip, but he held her tightly, pulling her close.

"I think we should have a private talk, Harper," Ryan whispered into her ear, his breath brushing against her cheek, making their interaction appear far more intimate to onlookers.

"Fine, let’s go," Harper reluctantly agreed, unable to free herself from Ryan’s hold.

Ryan’s heart raced, confused by the electric charge he felt whenever he was near Harper, despite his deep-seated disdain for her.

Leading her to the back garden, Ryan tightened his grip as Harper struggled more fiercely. Since her fall on stage, she had been under intense media scrutiny. If anyone saw her now, her plans to get close to Damien Sterling would be ruined.

The more Harper resisted, the tighter Ryan held her. Finally, Harper could not bear it any longer and bit down hard on Ryan’s arm.