Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 412: Checking Up

Chapter 412: Checking Up

Sure enough, a plethora of information about the "International Business Forum" held this morning in Hall C in Paris, France, popped up immediately on her phone’s browser.

"Got it! Damien, just you wait!" Emma Hart smugly thought to herself, admiring her cleverness.

After lunch, Emma Hart walked confidently toward her room, ready to change clothes and head to Hall C. As she slipped into her limited edition Chanel socialite outfit, she contemplated her exit strategy. She absolutely could not let Mrs. Harris find out about this; she would definitely try to stop her.

Suddenly inspired, Emma Hart opened her door and called out loudly, "Mrs. Harris!"

Mrs. Harris responded, hurrying up to the second floor. "What is it, Emma?" she asked.

Emma Hart cracked the door open just enough to hide her body behind it while showing her head. She whispered softly, "Mrs. Harris, I didn’t sleep well last night and I want to take a nap. Don’t call me for dinner; I’ll come down and eat when I wake up."

Without makeup, in a dimly lit room with all the curtains drawn, and speaking in a tired voice, Emma Hart convincingly appeared exhausted.

"Alright, alright, you rest well!" Mrs. Harris agreed promptly.

Satisfied, Emma Hart closed the door with a smile. Once she heard Mrs. Harris’s footsteps fade away, she hurried back to her vanity to finish getting ready. A brilliant idea for sneaking out had just struck her.

After changing, Emma Hart grabbed her handbag in one hand and her high heels in the other, then closed the door and headed to the small bedroom. She remembered how the young thief had snuck into their house through this very room the night before last. He could surely pull the same trick.

Tiptoeing into the small bedroom, she approached the window. Drawing back the white curtain, she saw a small stone wall, almost as tall as the window, come into view. Though it stood two stories high, a large sturdy tree beside it could serve as a ladder. She just needed to be careful and she could climb down its trunk.

She glanced back toward the hallway, hearing the children’s laughter and Mrs. Harris chopping vegetables downstairs. They hadn’t noticed her.

Gritting her teeth, Emma Hart opened the window, ready to climb out. The distance between the window and the wall was just an arm’s length. She first tossed her high heels and handbag to the base of the tree, then started her climb.

Everything went smoothly. Scaling walls like this didn’t tire her out at all, thanks to the rigorous training she had endured. Sliding slowly down the tree trunk, she put on her high heels, picked up her handbag, brushed the dirt off her clothes, and slipped out through the back door of the villa.

At the villa’s security gate, she used her fluent French to ask the guard to call a car for her, heading to Hall C. The entire way, Emma Hart anxiously scrolled through her contacts, hoping to glean some information about Damien Sterling.

It took about half an hour for Emma Hart to get from the villa complex to Hall C. Outside the hall, she was stopped because she wasn’t invited to the conference and couldn’t name anyone she knew inside. She just wanted to confirm if Damien Sterling was there without alerting him, so she decided to wait in a nearby dessert shop until the meeting ended.

Conveniently, there was a trendy, artsy coffee shop right across from Hall C. From a window seat, she could get a clear view of the main entrance. Feeling lucky, Emma Hart crossed the street and headed towards the coffee shop.

Even before she entered, a welcoming server opened the door and guided her to the counter to place an order. Emma ordered a freshly squeezed juice and a few macarons, then sat by the window.

The staff mentioned the meeting would likely go until the evening, so Emma settled in, playing on her phone. Time flew by as dusk approached. Soon, the doors of Hall C opened and several men and women in suits started to exit.

Media vehicles crowded the area outside, with barriers set up along the red carpet. People gradually got into cars and left. Emma quickly paid her bill and moved to the side of Hall C, wanting to see who was coming out.

She waited for a long time, even after the media had left impatiently, but still no sign of Damien Sterling. Her spirits sank—had he been lying to her? Suddenly, a very familiar figure appeared.

On the steps of the hall, Damien Sterling emerged, chatting with a man in a suit. Emma quickly hid behind a column. After a brief conversation, Damien shook hands with the man, then got into his familiar white luxury car and drove off.

Emma finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she had overthought things. She took a deep breath and exhaled, then stood by the road, preparing to catch a cab home. She needed to return to the villa before Damien did.

"Emma Hart?" A voice came from behind her.

"Mr. Taylor!" She turned around to see Matthew Taylor.

His outfit was identical to the one worn by the man chatting with Damien on the steps. It was indeed Matthew Taylor; she hadn’t recognized him earlier because the column had obscured most of his body.

"What are you doing here alone?" Matthew Taylor asked, glancing in the direction Damien had just left. "Aren’t you leaving with Mr. Sterling?"

Matthew Taylor was surprised. Why wasn’t she with Damien? Weren’t they a couple?

"I actually snuck out. Sorry, Mr. Taylor, I’m in a bit of a hurry now. Let’s catch up another time!" Emma said, anxiously looking down the road, hoping a taxi would appear soon. But at this hour, getting a cab was proving difficult.

"Tsk!" Emma was frustrated; if this continued, Damien would scold her for sure when she got back to the villa.

Sneaking out, interesting, Matthew Taylor thought, smiling slightly.

"If you don’t mind, I can give you a ride home," Matthew Taylor offered.