Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 455: Help!

Chapter 455: Help!

Emma Hart wandered aimlessly along the road, feeling a burning frustration that was almost unbearable. The thought of Damien Sterling’s unfair accusations only added to her sense of grievance. Kicking a small stone on the ground, she muttered angrily to herself, "Damien Sterling, you jerk!"

How could someone be so quick to scold without knowing the truth? What kind of person does that?

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t realize that someone was following her—Matthew Taylor. After dropping her off at home, he hadn’t left. He’d heard the angry shouting from inside and felt a pang of concern for Emma. Worried that something might happen to her, he stayed nearby.

Not long after, he saw Mr. Sterling Senior arrive, leaning heavily on his cane, clearly in a rage. Matthew Taylor smirked to himself—it was obvious that the old man was there because of Damien’s sudden discharge from the hospital. Suppressing his anxiety, Matthew Taylor patiently waited. He needed to be ready to step in and take Emma away if she needed him.

Soon after, he heard the sound of something crashing to the floor inside the house, followed by Emma Hart sprinting out the door, tears streaming down her face. Matthew Taylor followed her closely, keeping an eye on her as she vented her anger, kicking a bottle and cursing Damien Sterling. The sight actually made him feel a bit amused—Emma’s emotions flared up quickly but dissipated just as fast.

Meanwhile, Damien Sterling cursed under his breath when he couldn’t find Emma after stepping outside. "Damn it!" he swore, then ran in the direction he thought she might have gone. How could she disappear so quickly? He’d only taken a moment to grab his jacket, and now she was nowhere to be found.

Emma Hart continued to drift aimlessly, eventually finding herself in a dark alley. She looked up, realizing she’d wandered into a pitch-black area. A shiver ran down her spine. She’d always been afraid of the dark and would never come to a place like this unless absolutely necessary.

Her sense of injustice quickly gave way to fear, and she couldn’t help but think, *It would be great if Damien Sterling suddenly appeared right now.*

Her steps slowed as images from the horror movies she’d seen replayed in her mind. As she walked, she heard someone call her name from behind. When she turned around, there was nothing there. Feeling uneasy, she decided to take out her phone to use as a flashlight.

But her phone was dead, and a wave of despair washed over her. "If I can just get out of here safely, I’ll go straight home and never wander off like this again," she muttered to herself.

Emma Hart felt a gaze on her and turned her head to see a man lying on the ground, looking like a beggar with tattered blankets around him. He was filthy, and the sight made her skin crawl. She quickened her pace, hurrying past him.

The man grinned widely, thinking to himself that this woman was quite beautiful. And she had even looked at him—maybe she liked him? But as soon as he had that thought, he saw her speed up, and without hesitation, he jumped up and rushed at her, grabbing hold of her tightly.

Emma’s strength was no match for a man’s. Instinctively, she screamed, "Ah, help me!"

The man’s foul odor assaulted her senses, making her feel nauseous. Panicking, she slapped at the man’s hands and clawed at him with her nails.

The man yelped in pain but only became more aggressive. In retaliation, he bit down hard on Emma’s shoulder, trying to force her to let go of his hands.

Emma Hart felt the sharp pain from the bite and instinctively let go of the man’s hand. Furious, she shouted, "You lunatic, let go of me now!"

Sensing her grip loosen, the beggar grinned wickedly and reached out with his other hand, aiming for her chest. Realizing his intention, Emma began to struggle desperately, trying to push away his filthy hand.

Her efforts were in vain, and tears began to spill from the corners of her eyes. In this pitch-black alley, there was no one to save her. Was her dignity really going to be ruined by this disgusting man?

Meanwhile, Matthew Taylor had become alarmed upon hearing Emma’s voice. Something was clearly wrong, but he had taken a wrong turn. Worried about being noticed if he followed too closely, he had hesitated at a fork in the alley and chose the right path. After walking for some time without finding Emma, he suddenly heard her frightened scream. Matthew quickly turned back and rushed to find her.

Resigned to her fate, Emma closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come. In this desolate place, who could possibly save her? Just then, a pained howl broke through the air.

Emma opened her eyes to see the beggar clutching his head and writhing on the ground. Standing beside him was Damien Sterling, his face dark with anger. Sarcastically, he remarked, "Where’s all that bravado now? Why are you suddenly so compliant?"

Without a second thought, Emma threw herself into Damien’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Thank goodness, you’re finally here..."

Damien let her cry in his arms, understanding how terrified she must have been. He shot a deadly glare at the beggar lying on the ground, thinking, *This man must have a death wish to lay a hand on my woman.*

The beggar, meeting Damien’s cold, piercing gaze, felt a chill run down his spine. He knew he had messed with the wrong person.

Damien, however, had no intention of letting the man off easily. After a brief hesitation, he wrapped his arm around Emma, a fleeting tenderness passing through his eyes. Gently patting her back, he soothed, "Don’t cry. It’s okay now. I’ll take you home."

Emma’s sobs only grew louder, the terror she had felt still raw.

When Matthew Taylor finally arrived, he was greeted by the sight of Damien Sterling holding Emma Hart with a tenderness that was almost palpable. Emma, with her head buried in Damien’s chest, cried in distress, clearly shaken.

Matthew’s face darkened with frustration. How had Damien gotten there first? He had been following closely behind, so how did he take the wrong turn? He had turned back as soon as he heard her scream, but still, he was a step too late.

Matthew’s heart ached as he watched the two of them huddled together. He also noticed the beggar lying on the ground and could piece together what had happened. He shot a cold, murderous glare at the man—how dare he touch Emma Hart?

Matthew couldn’t miss the sight of Emma trembling like a leaf in Damien’s arms. He could feel the intensity of her emotional breakdown, but the one comforting her wasn’t him. He clenched his fists tightly, knowing that he had been so close—if only he had arrived a moment sooner, she would have been in his arms instead.