Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 399: Desperate Demise

Chapter 399: Desperate Demise

She only wanted to ask Emma Hart where she was from, but the dim streetlights and the feeling of being alone flooded her with anxiety, leaving her mind in turmoil.

All she knew was that she had to leave immediately and find Damien Sterling. Without a second thought, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, leaving the three boys standing in front of her in utter surprise.

"Hey!" The boy in the school uniform tried to call out to Emma Hart, but she ignored him completely.

The streetlights ahead were broken, and Emma Hart hesitated for a moment before continuing to run forward. The boys exchanged glances, and the one in the school uniform started to chase after her. The other two initially wanted to stop him, thinking it was unnecessary, but the boy in the uniform expressed his concern that Emma Hart might be in danger. He shook off his companions’ hands and urged them to follow.

With a sigh, the two boys reluctantly followed their friend, who had a knack for heroics. The path ahead was pitch dark, making it impossible to see if there were any stones or manhole covers. Every step Emma Hart took was filled with fear, but she was even more terrified of turning back and encountering the boys again.

Seeing a light up ahead, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and stopped under the streetlamp, gasping for air.

"Emma Hart!" It was Damien Sterling’s voice.

"Damien," Emma Hart cried out as she heard his voice, tears streaming down her face.

"Where have you been?" Damien Sterling grabbed her shoulders, his eyes filled with both reproach and concern.

"Come home with me now." Damien Sterling firmly grasped her wrist, her hand turning pale from his grip, unable to muster any strength.

The chaotic sound of footsteps and breathing came from the dark path they had just traversed. The three boys stopped in front of Emma Hart and Damien Sterling, barely able to make out Damien’s face.

The boy in the school uniform, panting heavily, assumed that Emma Hart was in danger. He clenched his fists, ready to throw a punch at the man holding her.

Damien Sterling’s alertness was unmatched. He precisely intercepted the boy’s hostile right hook with his right hand.

Under the streetlight, their faces became clearly visible to each other. They stared at each other for a moment. The boy first found Damien Sterling’s face familiar, then exclaimed in surprise after a brief moment of thought, "Brother!"

Damien Sterling was puzzled by his reaction, but upon seeing the boy’s school uniform, he recognized who he was.

"Donald Turner?" Damien Sterling realized that the boy looked a lot like his young cousin, whom he had met a few times in childhood. He had heard from family that Donald went to Japan for middle school and hadn’t seen him since.

"Damien, my dear! It’s really you!" Donald excitedly hugged Damien Sterling, astonishing his two friends and Emma Hart even more.

Especially Emma Hart. So, he’s from Country H! Then why didn’t he speak English with me earlier? she wondered.

After a brief reunion hug, Donald explained the misunderstanding to his friends in Japanese, and his two buddies shrugged it off, indicating it wasn’t a big deal.

Damien Sterling pulled Emma Hart forward and introduced her, "Your cousin-in-law, Emma Hart. Emma, this is my cousin Donald."

Donald was initially in disbelief. Pointing at the awkward-looking Emma Hart, he said, "Cousin-in-law? I thought she was some foreign beauty! I called out to her, but she just ran away! I wouldn’t be this exhausted if I wasn’t worried about her!"

With that, Donald plopped down in the middle of the road.

"I’m sorry, Donald! I was so scared. I thought you were bad guys, so I just ran away instinctively," Emma Hart apologized for her immature behavior.

"Forget it, we’re all family," Donald waved it off casually, then stood up and threw his arms around his two friends’ shoulders. He looked at Damien Sterling and Emma Hart and said, "Alright! Us high schoolers need to get back to our homework! Have fun! Bye." He started to leave.

"Wait, Donald!" Damien Sterling called after him.

Donald frowned and looked back at Damien.

"Give me your contact information," Damien said coolly.

Donald stood there, conflicted.

"I won’t tell anyone," Damien added.

Reluctantly, Donald loudly recited his phone number. Without another word, he left with his friends.

The moment Donald walked away, Damien Sterling quickly entered the number into his phone and called it. Almost immediately, a phone started ringing nearby.

The call was answered.

"Got it," Donald said on the other end before hanging up, not giving Damien a chance to speak.

Emma Hart stood by, unsure of what to do.

"Your cousin is really strange," she said offhandedly.

"Forget about him for now. Let’s talk about you. Why didn’t you hold my hand after getting off the ride? And why didn’t you stay put when you got lost?" Damien Sterling slowly questioned Emma Hart.

"I-I’m sorry! I was so scared and couldn’t find my way back!" Emma Hart began to sob softly.

Damien Sterling was helpless when she cried. He couldn’t bring himself to scold her further.

He pulled Emma Hart into his arms, though still fuming inside. "I swear, I should tie you to me!"

Emma Hart suddenly lifted her head, almost bumping Damien’s nose. "That would wear you out!"

She looked ridiculous, her eyes red from crying, with snot and tears streaming down her face.

Damien found it both frustrating and funny.

"Alright, as long as you’re okay," he said, moving his gaze away from her face and pressing her head against his chest. He chuckled softly, thinking she looked like a crying kitten.

They stood under the deserted streetlight for a while, then decided to leave, not wanting to stay a minute longer in that distressing place.

On the way back, Emma Hart’s mood gradually stabilized. Damien Sterling was staring at a phone number with no name attached.

"Is that Donald’s number?" Emma Hart asked, hoping to shift Damien Sterling’s focus from her disappearance to Donald. It felt a bit unethical, but she knew she’d be in for a night of reprimands otherwise.

"Yeah," Damien Sterling replied.

"Ever since you said you wouldn’t tell anyone his number, I’ve been curious. Is something going on with him?" Emma Hart’s curiosity as a woman was piqued.

"His situation is complicated. But maybe it’s fate that we ran into each other. I might be able to help him," Damien Sterling said, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

Emma Hart couldn’t shake a sense of unease.

She glanced at the man beside her, his expression sour and silent. Something was definitely off about Donald.

They had a quick meal at a Michelin restaurant near the hotel before heading back to rest.

Emma went to the bathroom to take a bath and calm her nerves. Surrounded by hot water and warm steam, she gradually relaxed, submerging her entire body in the warm bath and feeling her heartbeat.

Damien Sterling sat at the coffee table, dialing Donald’s number.

"Hello?"

"What are you doing?"

"Come on, bro, stop asking such pointless questions like a woman."

The other end of the line was very quiet.

"Are you free tomorrow?"

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