Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 306: Obedience

Chapter 306: Obedience

Emma Hart dodged the cup of water as if it were her sworn enemy.

"Ahem..." Emma started coughing violently, dehydrated and feverish.

This woman... even with a fever, she’s still being stubborn!

Getting increasingly frustrated, Damien Sterling pulled Emma into his arms, propping her up. He steadied her chin with his left hand, and with his thumb and forefinger, shaped her mouth into an "O." Slowly, he poured the water into her mouth with his right hand.

Fortunately, Emma silently swallowed the water.

Seeing her finally drink, Damien felt a bit more at ease. He fetched a few cans of non-chilled beer from the first-floor bar—Emma’s secret stash. He poured them into a small basin from the bathroom, soaked a towel in the beer, wrung it out until it was damp, and gently wiped down Emma’s body.

Her limbs were fuller and her curves more pronounced than when they first met, thanks to Mrs. Harris’s daily pigeon soup. The only flaw was the slight softness around her belly, but Damien liked it—it made holding her more comforting.

All night, Damien diligently cooled Emma’s fever with the alcohol-soaked towel. It wasn’t until three in the morning, when her temperature returned to normal, that he finally held her and fell asleep.

It was early February, and with the Lunar New Year approaching, the weather remained damp and chilly.

The morning fog obscured the sun, which only managed to cast a faint white glow.

Having gone to bed early without dinner, Emma woke up feeling utterly exhausted. Her growling stomach became her alarm clock, pulling her from sleep unpleasantly.

She found herself wrapped in a strong, heavy arm and quickly guessed it was Damien. What happened last night? She vaguely remembered Damien forcing water down her throat, making her feel suffocated.

Gently, Emma slid out from under Damien’s heavy arm, inadvertently waking him from his four-hour sleep.

"How are you feeling?" Damien asked, rubbing his sleepy eyes lazily.

"How do you think I’m feeling?" Emma snapped back.

"You had a fever last night," Damien replied.

"Fever?" Emma repeated, noticing the towel and basin from the night before. The basin still smelled of beer, and a few beer cans lay scattered near Damien.

"Did you... cool me down last night?" Emma Hart felt a twinge of guilt for snapping at Damien Sterling earlier.

"Yes," Damien replied.

"I’m fine now, thank you." Emma stood by the bed, unsure of what to do.

"Come here!" Damien sighed and gestured for her to come closer.

Emma hesitated for a moment, then crawled back onto the bed, like a frightened little rabbit.

"What are you afraid of?" Damien pulled her into his arms and inhaled the scent of her hair deeply. "I’m not going to eat you!"

"Ugh..." Emma’s tears started to fall again.

Maybe it was the sight of the scattered beer cans on the carpet, or Damien’s sudden kindness, or the unexpected warmth of his embrace that touched the softest part of her heart, usually guarded like a hedgehog’s spines.

"Don’t cry..." Damien gently wiped away Emma’s tears, pinching her chubby cheeks like he was soothing a child.

Unexpectedly, Emma cried even harder.

Frowning deeply, Damien laid Emma down on the bed, covered her eyes with his hand, and kissed her.

After a while, Damien moved his hand away from her eyes, pressing his body against hers. He brought his face close to her slender neck and whispered, "When you cry like this... it makes me feel terrible..."

Emma wrapped her arms around Damien’s waist, and they stayed that way for a long time.

After all this time, Emma knew she had fallen for Damien Sterling. She couldn’t imagine life without him. With their child already born, would this man drive her away?

"Emma Hart..." Damien whispered.

"Yes?" she responded.

"Don’t leave me..." Damien hugged her tightly, as if trying to merge her into his own body.

By now, Damien was burning with desire.

Despite the barrier of their clothes, Emma could feel his intense heat matching her own.

Outside the window, the world was shrouded in cold mist, but inside, the warmth was boundless.

Afterwards, Damien Sterling held Emma Hart in his arms.

"Emma, you’re a mom now. You need to set a good example for our sons by being more obedient," Damien teased gently.

"Got it, you nag!" Emma’s face was lit with happiness.

"I’m just worried you’ll lead a rebellion with them against me!" Damien laughed, pecking Emma’s soft lips like a chick pecking at grain.

Meanwhile, at Sophia Greenwood’s house.

Last night, Harper Clark had stayed over at Sophia’s place.

"Good morning, Miss Clark." Sophia was already up and had prepared breakfast for both of them, sitting at the dining table.

"Good morning. Wow... I didn’t expect you to be such a good cook." Harper was surprised to see the lavish spread of a Western breakfast, not expecting the seemingly delicate Sophia to have such hidden talents.

"Let’s eat and continue our conversation from last night," Sophia said with a smile.

Sophia laid out her plan to Harper Clark.

"So, to sum it up, you want me to pretend to be Ryan Garcia’s fiancée, and then drug Emma Hart at the bachelor party? Will that really work?" Harper recapped Sophia’s plan.

"Of course it will. I’ll be there too, posing as an old friend and the design director. I’ll help you out! We’ll make sure you become the Sterling Group’s lady and kick Emma out," Sophia said, toasting Harper with a cup of tea.

"Are you sure you’re okay with this?" Harper felt uneasy, as Sophia could have easily taken the position for herself.

"My image in Damien’s mind isn’t what it used to be. If I can’t have him, Emma Hart, that lucky woman, certainly won’t either. Besides me, you’re the only woman I see fit for Damien," Sophia explained.

"Alright, I’ll follow your lead. To a successful partnership, Ms. Greenwood," Harper said, extending her hand for a handshake.

Sophia responded with a handshake, saying, "Keep calling me Ms. Greenwood. If Damien suspects our relationship, it could ruin the plan."

"Understood, Ms. Greenwood," Harper replied.