Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 468: The Children Are Sent Abroad

Chapter 468: The Children Are Sent Abroad

Emma Hart lay on the bed, staring at the white ceiling, lost in thought. She remembered her argument with Damien Sterling about the room’s decor—she wanted it pink, but Damien insisted on white.

To Emma, the white felt harsh, making her eyes sting and her heart ache with a strange bitterness. The stark contrast between then and now filled her with a deep sadness.

Images of Damien’s tender moments with Riley Turner flashed through Emma’s mind, accompanied by the promises he made to her. She smiled bitterly, reminding herself that their marriage was a contract, void of real emotions. Forgetting was inevitable.

Emma decided she needed to pull herself together. She had two children to care for, and she swore she would never compromise when it came to them.

As the days passed, Emma counted each one, determined to bring her children back home as soon as possible. She believed she could take care of them just as well, even without their father. Mr. Sterling Senior would ensure they were well-provided for.

After lying in bed, lost in thought for what seemed like hours, Emma finally got up. She realized she needed to take care of herself first before she could handle anything else. Mrs. Harriet, who had been diligently preparing meals for her every day, shouldn’t be let down.

When Emma finally got up, Mrs. Harriet had already prepared breakfast, greeting her with a warm smile. "Madam, are you feeling any better today? I’ve warmed some milk for you."

For the first time in days, Emma smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Harriet. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me these past few days."

Mrs. Harriet, seeing Emma’s improved mood, sighed in relief. "That’s the spirit, madam. Don’t be too hard on yourself; life goes on."

Emma nodded, feeling much better now that she had sorted out her thoughts. Life didn’t seem so hopeless anymore, and she could see that it would continue.

Mrs. Harriet said no more, and Emma sat down to eat. Perhaps it was her improved mood, but the bread tasted better, and the milk was comforting. She felt a deep sense of gratitude and realized that life didn’t revolve around Damien Sterling.

After leisurely finishing her breakfast, feeling better than she had in days, Emma told Mrs. Harriet, "Please prepare a little extra food this afternoon. I’m bringing the children home today."

Mrs. Harriet beamed. "Of course, madam. The house will be lively again with the little ones back. Don’t let things get you down."

Emma prepared to head out, planning to pick up the children today. She had already decided to give them a day off from school, treating them to KFC and maybe a trip to the amusement park.

Her daughter loved ice cream, so Emma would buy her some today. Her spirits lifted, and she looked forward to spending the day with her kids.

Meanwhile, Damien Sterling felt increasingly uneasy in the old mansion, as though he were a stranger in his own home. The girl he had passed by the other day lingered in his thoughts, something about her felt oddly familiar.

Damien furrowed his brow, wondering if he had a close female friend outside his marriage. Since waking up, Riley Turner had been by his side, caring for him. Even if he had someone before, he resolved to be good to his current wife.

However, being around Riley Turner made him uncomfortable, and he couldn’t shake the feeling. It wasn’t exactly disgust, but rather a sense that any contact with her would betray someone else.

Every night, Damien dreamed of a woman, though he could never see her face clearly. In these dreams, two children were always laughing.

When Riley Turner walked in, she found Damien sitting there, lost in thought, a deep frown on his face. She quietly approached and playfully covered his eyes with her hands. "Guess who?" she whispered.

Damien Sterling suddenly laughed. This scene felt so familiar, but who else had done something like this to him? Could it have been Riley Turner?

Suppressing the questions in his mind, Damien turned around to face her and casually said, "Last night, I dreamed of two children. I was teaching them something, and they were calling me ’Daddy.’"

Riley Turner’s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression neutral, teasing him, "Really? When did you have kids without telling me? Are you trying to make a fool out of me?"

Damien pulled Riley closer, causing her to fall into his lap. "Why don’t we make two of our own and fulfill my wish to be a father?"

Riley laughed, "Oh, come on, you’re daydreaming in the middle of the day."

She didn’t say anything more, instead standing up and saying, "Grandpa is calling us for dinner. We should go down before he waits too long."

Riley couldn’t explain why, but she didn’t want to get any closer to Damien. Living on edge every day was exhausting, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep it up.

Once they were downstairs, she felt a sense of relief. As the days passed, Riley regretted agreeing to this arrangement. The constant tension was wearing her down.

Riley reached the dining room before Damien. Mr. Sterling Senior was already seated at the table, waiting for them. After a tense meal, Damien mentioned that he wanted to go out for a while.

Riley didn’t accompany him, opting to stay at home with Mr. Sterling. As the days dragged on, Damien left with the driver.

Mr. Sterling Senior looked at Riley curiously, "Riley, why didn’t you go with Damien today?"

Riley’s face showed a trace of discomfort. "Grandpa, I have a feeling Damien suspects something. He just asked me about the children. I really don’t want to keep lying to him."

Mr. Sterling Senior’s expression darkened. "No, Riley, you and Damien are a perfect match. The children have already been sent abroad—they won’t be coming back. There’s no way he can find out."

Riley felt like a weight was crushing her, making it hard to breathe. She was utterly exhausted from pretending every day in front of Damien.

But what she hadn’t expected was that Mr. Sterling Senior had already sent the children away. And what about Emma Hart? The children were all she had left. If they were gone, Riley knew Emma would be devastated.

Unaware of what had happened, Emma was excitedly preparing to pick up her children that afternoon. She had spent the entire morning planning and was filled with anticipation and joy.

It had been a while since Emma had seen her children, and the thought of reuniting with them made her eager to leave the house. She had no idea that Mr. Sterling Senior had already sent them away.

Emma’s excitement was about to be shattered, but to her surprise, she ran into Damien Sterling downstairs.