Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 472: The Meeting

Chapter 472: The Meeting

The house felt empty without the children’s laughter echoing through the rooms. Emma Hart returned home, exhausted, tossing her bag aside and kicking off the heels that had nearly torn her heels apart. She wiped off her meticulously applied makeup; the day had been too overwhelming.

Looking into the mirror, the face staring back at her was the same, but when was the last time that face had smiled? When had she started wearing that constant look of worry? The new lines around her eyes no longer bothered her. In the past, she would have rushed to her vanity, applying eye cream over and over. But now, she could only manage a bitter smile before lying down and falling into a deep sleep.

When a woman begins to neglect her appearance and skin, it usually means she has encountered something far more important than her outward appearance.

Emma Hart wondered when Mr. Sterling Senior would arrange for her to meet him. The most troubling part was that he had lost his memory—what could they possibly talk about when they met? She knew that meeting him at this point would be futile and wouldn’t benefit her in any way. Yet, she couldn’t resist the urge to see him, just one look. It felt as though that man’s soul had fused with hers, inseparable, one with her very being.

The next day was Saturday, a day off. Emma Hart walked down the street, preparing for a trip abroad. To be honest, she was just afraid of being alone in the silent house, fearing that the solitude would drive her to a mental breakdown. She couldn’t afford to break down now; she had to stay clear-headed and rational.

Suddenly, a little girl with big eyes grabbed her hand.

"Auntie, are you free?" the little girl asked innocently, her eyes sparkling like stars.

Seeing the angelic face, Emma Hart couldn’t help but smile. She squatted down and gently pinched the girl’s cheek.

"What’s the matter? Where are your parents?" Emma Hart asked with concern.

The little girl grinned, revealing teeth that were slightly blackened around the edges—clearly the result of too much candy.

"My mom and dad are in that café, but I’m scared to go in alone. Could you come with me?" the little girl sweetly requested.

Emma Hart looked in the direction the girl was pointing and saw a quiet café, understated but upscale in its decor.

"Alright, Auntie will go with you," Emma Hart said, unable to bear the thought of the little girl being frightened. She took her hand and walked towards the café.

Along the way, the girl chattered nonstop, reminding Emma Hart of her own child. Indeed, children’s worlds are all alike—innocent, simple, and pure.

The café’s interior was anything but simple. Every detail reflected the designer’s exquisite taste and pursuit of perfection. The floral arrangements were grand yet gentle. Emma Hart continued holding the little girl’s hand.

"Daddy! Mommy!" the little girl suddenly called out, running towards her parents, who picked her up with a look of surprise.

Emma Hart shook her head with a smile, thinking the parents must have been on a date, and their child had followed them there.

But just as the smile was about to fade from her face, she saw a face that left her completely unsettled. A terrifying thought crossed her mind.

The little girl’s appearance wasn’t a coincidence—someone had deliberately arranged it to bring her to this place. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so perfectly timed.

In a booth near the window, Damien Sterling sat quietly, sipping a cup of coffee. There was no sunlight that day, and his face appeared somewhat somber. Emma Hart, perhaps too shocked, accidentally bumped into the vase next to her. The pale green ceramic vase nearly fell to the ground.

The noise caught Damien Sterling’s attention, and he turned his head, his eyes meeting Emma Hart’s as she hurriedly caught the vase.

In that instant, Emma Hart’s face flushed red to the tips of her ears.

Damien Sterling, however, smiled calmly at her and stood up, intending to walk over. Seeing this, Emma Hart took the initiative and walked towards him. After all, wasn’t seeing him the one thing she had been longing for the most?

Even in this moment of finally seeing him again, she was still a bit overwhelmed, unsure of how to face the amnesiac Damien Sterling.

"It’s you. What are you doing here?" Damien Sterling, who had met Emma Hart before, asked politely.

A pang of sadness suddenly struck Emma Hart. The man she once shared her life with had truly forgotten her completely.

"Oh, what a coincidence," she murmured, not knowing how to continue from there.

Though Damien Sterling had lost his memory, his sharp intuition remained intact. He easily noticed the unnaturalness in Emma Hart’s expression and the oddity in her words.

"Is there something you need?" Damien Sterling asked tentatively.

Unconsciously, Emma Hart tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and her gestures sparked a sense of familiarity in Damien Sterling.

"Not really. I was just walking by when I saw that little girl looking for her parents, so I brought her up here," Emma Hart answered truthfully, pointing to the little girl sitting across from them.

Damien Sterling took a step closer, and Emma Hart’s expression revealed a slight unease. The man thought to himself that this woman had a kind heart, but for some reason, she seemed to harbor a sense of hostility toward him. He recalled Emma Hart’s attitude toward him that day, and a chill ran through him.

He wasn’t sure if she would treat him the same way today, so he remained silent, merely offering a smile, as the awkwardness in the air grew.

"Why are you here alone today? Didn’t your wife come with you?" Emma Hart asked, not knowing why she had blurted out such a question without thinking.

Damien Sterling sighed softly, remembering his wife, who felt so unfamiliar to him, more like a stranger than even a casual acquaintance. He couldn’t quite grasp what he felt toward his so-called wife, but it certainly wasn’t the feeling one should have in a marriage.

"No," Damien Sterling answered Emma Hart’s question succinctly.

"Oh," Emma Hart responded, unsure of how to continue their conversation. They lacked a clear identity that would allow them to talk further—not friends, not lovers. So why were they standing here, forcing this conversation?

"Miss, for some reason, I have a strange feeling of familiarity with you. Did we know each other before, or have we met somewhere?" Damien Sterling asked, looking at the silent Emma Hart, as something indescribable flickered in his mind—an instinctive sense of familiarity that he couldn’t shake, leading him to finally ask.

He spoke plainly, and Emma Hart smiled inwardly. Even with amnesia, he was still the same Damien Sterling, never one to beat around the bush. Approaching a girl in a public setting like this would normally get someone labeled as a creep.