Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 453: Anger

Chapter 453: Anger

Matthew Taylor noticed the expression on Emma Hart’s face and wisely chose to remain silent, sitting quietly beside her in a show of support.

In the direction of the flashing lights, a figure crouched down, satisfied with the photos on their phone, and left with a smug smile. These photos were enough to ensure she would never find a foothold again.

Emma Hart clenched her fists tightly. Despite her popularity within the Sterling family, if it weren’t for that woman’s arrival, she would have been Mrs. Sterling by now.

Emma Hart sat on the bench, her face full of sorrow. She looked up at the sky; the sunset was still glaring, making her eyes sting. As she raised her hand to rub her eyes, she felt the warmth of tears. She realized she was crying, overwhelmed by the pressure—whether it was the Sterling family’s rejection or her own family’s misunderstanding.

For a long time, Emma Hart was lost in her sadness, unable to extricate herself. When the sky began to darken, she finally snapped out of it. Matthew Taylor had fallen asleep beside her. She sighed, knowing full well the rivalry between Matthew Taylor and Riley Turner, and also understanding Matthew Taylor’s special feelings for her.

However, she couldn’t respond to him. She was already Damien Sterling’s woman. Damien Sterling was unpredictable, but Emma Hart was a person of strong principles.

Emma Hart gently woke Matthew Taylor, "We need to go. Wake up, Matthew Taylor, don’t sleep."

Matthew Taylor opened his sleepy eyes and found himself very close to Emma Hart’s face. He could clearly see her long eyelashes and big, blinking eyes, which looked very cute.

Matthew Taylor smiled contentedly and leaned in a bit closer. Emma Hart was startled by his sudden move, feeling the warmth of his breath on her face, which made her blush. She immediately dodged and stood up, looking at Matthew Taylor with surprise and wariness in her eyes, even though her face was still red.

Seeing Emma Hart like this, Matthew Taylor found her even more adorable and wanted to tease her. He leaned closer again and asked, "Why are you avoiding me? Am I a big bad wolf who’s going to eat you?"

His breath brushed against her ear, making Emma Hart blush even more. She puffed her cheeks in frustration and stepped back again, trying to appear nonchalant, "I need to go home. It’s getting late."

Matthew Taylor burst out laughing. She was so shy and bashful, something he had never noticed before.

Watching Matthew Taylor laugh for no apparent reason, Emma Hart felt some of her worries dissipate with his laughter.

Inside the hospital, the sky had already darkened. Damien Sterling couldn’t hold back any longer. He was sitting up in his hospital bed, feeling irritable and unable to control his emotions. He had been waiting all afternoon for someone who never showed up. His anger had now turned into frustration.

Bold Emma Hart still hadn’t come to see him. He was her husband, lying in a hospital bed, while she was comfortably staying at home!

Initially, Damien Sterling lay with his head buried under the covers. After Riley Turner left, he felt suffocated and started tossing and turning in bed. The movement aggravated his wounds, causing sharp pain that made him sit up, leaning against the headboard.

He pulled out his phone to browse the news, hoping to distract himself. He came across a story about a couple arguing, with the man jumping into a river to win back his girlfriend... This immediately reminded him of his own car accident. Would people think he was a man trying to win back his wife by crashing his car? This thought made him even more agitated. He cursed, "What kind of nonsense news is this..."

Damien Sterling tossed his phone aside, but after a while, he picked it up again and muttered to himself, "Maybe I should just listen to some music..."

When Riley Turner entered the room, she found Damien Sterling already out of bed, pacing the floor with a dark expression on his face. A hint of jealousy flickered in her heart. She maintained a smile, raising the items she was carrying—fish soup that the Sterling family’s butler had just brought over from the old master.

Riley Turner smiled warmly, "Damien, I brought you some fish soup. It’s nutritious, and you should have a little. Come sit down; don’t keep pacing, it will worsen your injuries."

Damien Sterling, though irritated, suppressed his frustration upon seeing Riley Turner. He approached to drink the soup, though he didn’t really feel like it.

Riley Turner knew Damien Sterling hadn’t eaten properly since waking from his two-day coma. The soup from the old master of the Sterling family was timely and perfect for him.

Gently, Riley Turner ladled several spoonfuls into a small bowl, speaking softly, "I know you don’t feel like eating, but it’s good for you to have something now that you’ve just woken up. This is easier to digest, so try to have some."

Damien Sterling’s face remained expressionless, and he made no move to drink. In a cold tone, he asked, "Did Emma Hart come while I was unconscious?"

Riley Turner’s hand paused mid-air, holding the spoon. She ignored Damien Sterling’s question and smiled, "Drink the soup first, and I’ll tell you afterwards."

Damien Sterling couldn’t fathom what Riley Turner meant, but a sense of foreboding washed over him. Did the old master say something to her and chase her away? The old master had directly criticized Emma Hart in front of him; what could he have done while Damien was unconscious? Emma, small and vulnerable, was surely bullied by him.

Anxious, Damien Sterling asked, "What happened to Emma Hart?"

Riley Turner feigned surprise, "You know?"

Seeing her feigned surprise, Damien Sterling’s suspicions were confirmed. His face darkened. How dare anyone touch his people?

Riley Turner felt a secret joy at seeing his reaction, but outwardly, she put on a worried look, "You misunderstood Emma. Those photos were taken from a special angle..."

Before she could finish, Damien Sterling interrupted, "What photos?"

Riley Turner’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately apologized, "It’s nothing, really. It’s all a misunderstanding. Don’t overthink it. I misspoke. Just drink your soup."

Damien Sterling, hearing Riley Turner’s evasive words, grew more suspicious. What exactly had happened while he was unconscious? He barked out a single word, "Speak!"

Riley Turner hesitated visibly, "Drink the soup first, and I’ll explain everything. You’ve really misunderstood Emma; she’s not that kind of person."

Riley Turner’s panicked and hesitant demeanor was not lost on Damien Sterling. His expression grew even more severe, like a storm brewing on the horizon. Gritting his teeth, he forced out, "What happened to Emma Hart?"

Riley Turner looked down at the floor, seemingly contemplating the best way to explain.

"Speak," Damien Sterling demanded, his tone harsh as the conversation turned to Emma Hart.

"I..." Riley Turner bit her lip, hesitating for a moment. She then pulled out her phone from her bag, opened the photos, and handed it to Damien Sterling.

"Damn woman," Damien Sterling muttered as he swiped through the three or four photos. They showed a woman and a man in intimate poses, looking like a couple. Though blurry, it was clear who the woman was.

Damien Sterling’s eyes narrowed as he gripped the phone tightly. Riley Turner, noticing his expression, quickly explained, "I saw them when I was bringing up the soup. I recognized her and wanted to say hello, but then I saw it was her."

Damien Sterling didn’t respond, though his anger was simmering. He had thought she was comfortably staying at the villa, only to find her out here meeting some random guy right under his nose.

Riley Turner felt a mix of triumph and jealousy. Triumph because Damien Sterling believed her, and jealousy because of his concern for Emma Hart.

Fueling the fire, Riley Turner added, "I was worried she might be fooling you and keeping it from you, so I took a few photos just to be sure."

Damien Sterling wasn’t listening anymore. He edited the photos and sent them to his phone before tossing Riley Turner’s phone back to her. Then, he hurriedly walked out of the room. Riley Turner, taken aback, asked, "Where are you going?"

"Tell the butler to arrange my discharge," Damien Sterling replied, leaving Riley Turner behind. She frowned in frustration, then smiled triumphantly.

She called the butler and then left the room.

Damien Sterling’s injuries weren’t severe. If it hadn’t been for the doctors insisting on keeping him for observation, he wouldn’t have stayed in the hospital. He also wanted to see Emma Hart’s attitude towards him.

When Damien arrived at the location from the photos, there was no one there. Time had passed, and the person was long gone. His anger flared again.

He pulled out his phone and repeatedly dialed Emma Hart’s number, but each time, he was met with a gentle automated voice saying, "The number you have dialed is currently switched off."

Frustrated, Damien Sterling nearly smashed his phone but restrained himself. He decided to head back to the villa.

Upon returning, he found the villa brightly lit but Emma Hart nowhere to be seen. The servants told him she had gone out.

"Forget it. Prepare a hot bath for me," he ordered. After spending a couple of days in the hospital, he felt the need to freshen up.

After his bath, Damien Sterling found Emma Hart searching for clothes. She looked a bit stunned to see him in his bathrobe. Regaining her composure, she decided to show some concern, "How’s your injury? Feeling better?"

"Thanks to you, I’m not sure it can heal quickly," Damien Sterling responded sarcastically, glancing at her before sitting on the bed.

Emma Hart, puzzled by his hostility, furrowed her brows, "What’s wrong? Why are you in such a bad mood?"

"Isn’t it because you made me angry?" Damien Sterling looked at Emma Hart, who seemed completely oblivious, thinking she was pretending not to understand him. He said coldly, "Come here."

Emma Hart, still confused, complied and walked over to him. Once she stood before Damien, she asked patiently, "If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you so angry?"

"Then I’ll tell you," Damien’s anger flared even more, though he kept his voice suppressed. "Where did you go today?"

"I didn’t go anywhere this morning, but I went to the hospital to see you this afternoon, and then..."

"But I didn’t see you at all."

Damien interrupted her mid-sentence, his teeth clenched. This woman was still trying to deceive him.

Emma Hart sensed something was off. She furrowed her brow, but before she could speak again, Damien’s accusations left her at a loss.

"You’re still hiding things from me," Damien stood up and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her in frustration. "Just how desperate are you for a man? While I’ve been in the hospital, you couldn’t wait to find someone else?"

"What?" Emma was dizzy from the shaking, but still tried to retain some composure. Her one-word question was taken as denial by Damien.

He pushed her onto the bed. As she was trying to regain her bearings, she saw him throw a phone beside her and shout angrily, "Take a good look. Isn’t this you?"

Emma picked up the phone and glanced at the photos. She quickly recognized them from this afternoon when she was at the hospital with Matthew Taylor. He had been comforting her, and now these photos were being used against her.

"Is this you? What else do you have to say?" Damien, seeing Emma’s stunned and shocked expression, felt even more certain of her infidelity.

Emma glanced at Damien’s face, realizing what had happened, and tried to sit up to explain. Damien, still furious and in pain, raised his hand high...

"Knock, knock, knock—"

"Sir, come out quickly."

The urgent knocking and the servant’s voice came from outside, "Mr. Sterling Senior is here. He wants Mrs. Sterling downstairs."

Emma, shocked, looked at Damien’s raised hand. Damien, brought back to reality by the knocking, also looked at his hand and slowly lowered it.

"Alright, I’m coming," Emma replied to the servant, then turned to Damien coldly, "I’ll deal with this later."

With that, she walked out. Damien watched her leave, his anger slowly dissipating but replaced by a gnawing irritation. If he had actually hit her just now...