Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 312: It’s Him

Chapter 312: It’s Him

In the Green Mountain Retreat, under the pressure from Brianna Baker, Ryan Garcia was forced to drive Harper Clark back to the city.

"She has her own car!" Ryan protested, unwilling to take on this troublesome task.

"Then you can be her chauffeur!" Brianna retorted.

"God, are you my real mother? How am I supposed to get home?" Ryan grumbled, feeling jealous.

"You’re a grown man, figure it out yourself!" Brianna rolled her eyes at him.

Fine! I’ll do it! Ryan reluctantly nodded and urged Harper to get in the car.

Throughout the drive, Harper couldn’t stop giggling into her hand.

Ryan dropped Harper off at the Sterling Group’s underground parking lot, using the opportunity to visit Damien Sterling.

Not wanting Harper to follow him, he pretended to hail a cab outside, then sneaked back to Damien’s office once he was sure Harper had gone inside.

"Wow, Miss Long Legs, your skirt looks stunning today!" Ryan flirted incessantly with Damien Sterling’s leggy secretary. Unaware that Ryan was the only son of Kevin Garcia, the chairman of Garcia Group, she only knew him as Damien’s childhood playmate, a notorious playboy.

"Mr. Sterling is in a meeting," the secretary said indifferently before walking away with a stack of files.

Curious about the visitor, Ryan peered through the glass door. The man had his back to Ryan, but his tall, broad-shouldered frame and the classic hairstyle of a successful middle-aged man seemed eerily familiar. Ryan’s spine tingled with recognition—Kevin Garcia, the man who cast a dark shadow over his childhood.

Ryan stood frozen, his heart racing more wildly than on a roller coaster. Damien Sterling noticed the terrified Ryan outside and abruptly stood up.

Inside the office.

"Mr. Garcia, rest assured, I will find out the whereabouts of my aunt and Ryan as soon as possible!" Damien’s voice was loud, intended for Ryan to hear, signaling him to leave.

Ryan, overhearing, quickly ducked under the secretary’s desk.

"Good, I’ll be waiting for your news, Damien. Your grandfather is fortunate to have such an excellent successor!" Kevin Garcia shook hands with Damien and prepared to leave.

Damien Sterling escorted Kevin Garcia to the elevator, then returned to his office and sat on the couch, leaving the door open.

"Come out," Damien said quietly.

Ryan Garcia, with a solemn expression, stepped out and sat next to Damien.

The two sat in silence for a while, neither willing to break the tension.

Finally, Ryan couldn’t hold back. "Are you going to tell him about us?"

"No," Damien replied.

"What did he say to you?" Ryan asked again.

"It doesn’t matter," Damien said, ruffling Ryan’s tousled blond hair.

For someone in his twenties, he still dressed like a rebellious teenager.

"Don’t worry, I’ll protect you," Damien reassured. He had been debating whether to tell Ryan what Kevin Garcia had said, but decided it would only increase Ryan and Brianna Baker’s anxiety without any benefit, so he chose to remain silent.

"Why did you come here so suddenly?" Damien asked.

But Ryan had no interest in small talk. His heart and entire body were trembling.

"I... I brought Harper Clark to the office," Ryan finally answered after a minute.

Damien could see how uneasy Ryan was, and he felt the same way. No one knew what schemes Kevin Garcia, that demon, was plotting.

"Let’s have dinner together tonight," Damien suggested.

"Okay," Ryan agreed without hesitation.

That evening, they both made calls home and then headed to a seaside barbecue restaurant.

"I never thought you’d bring me to a place like this," Ryan said, feeling a strange freshness.

It was a simple barbecue joint by the sea.

"It’s winter, so not many people come to the beach. Plus, the topic we’re discussing tonight isn’t suitable for a crowded place," Damien explained.

No wealthy people would come to such a place, perhaps even looking down on it. Damien had spent a few thousand dollars to reserve the entire place for the night, leaving only the owner to prepare the food before leaving.

"You’ve got my respect!" Ryan said, making a gesture of admiration with his hands.

Under the seaside lights, they ate and discussed their plans until midnight.

At the Sterling family villa, the children were already asleep, and Mrs. Harris had retired to her room. Emma Hart was alone on the couch, flipping through TV channels with the remote.

She wanted to call Damien Sterling but was worried he might be driving, making it unsafe to answer. Only when she heard the key turn in the lock did she stand up, her heart lightening.

"Why aren’t you asleep?" Damien asked.

"I was waiting for you!" Emma replied, walking over to hug him.

"Where did you and Ryan Garcia go? Why are you home so late?" She caught the scent of barbecue on him as she spoke.

Damien said nothing, just picked Emma up and carried her upstairs.

"From now on, don’t mention Ryan Garcia and Brianna Baker downstairs," Damien said seriously.

"Why?" Emma asked, puzzled.

Damien wasn’t sure if he should tell her that their house might soon be bugged or monitored by Kevin Garcia.

"Alright, alright, I won’t mention them!" Emma said, seeing how troubled Damien looked, and didn’t press further.

Damien kissed Emma on the forehead and praised her, "Good girl. It’s late, go take a shower and get some sleep."

Meanwhile, in Kevin Garcia’s office, Kevin was staring at his computer, scrolling through old photos of Brianna Baker and Ryan Garcia. He wondered how much they had changed over the years and what Ryan was up to now.

"Mr. Garcia, the car is ready," his assistant said.

"Good! To the Sterling mansion!" Kevin said with a smile.

Late at night, the streets were mostly empty, with only the occasional pedestrian. A black vintage car sped through the streets.

Under the streetlights, a shadowy figure slipped past security and into the chairman’s office at Garcia Group.

The imposing vintage car came to a stop in front of Mr. Sterling Senior’s house.

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