Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 79: Shattered

Chapter 79: Shattered

Suddenly, a voice erupted behind her, "The bride has fled, chase her!"

Emma Hart instantly realized the danger. The bodyguards nearby hadn’t noticed her yet, clearly she hadn’t been spotted at this moment.

But then, a man behind her suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

Without a second thought, Emma Hart broke into a run, not even considering if the shout was meant for her.

Her movement caught the attention of everyone behind her, prompting a unified shout of, "Stop!"

Emma Hart was running with all her might, in a desperate struggle against fate.

She darted around the church, but her pursuers were relentless.

Drained of energy and making a turn, she found herself confronted by a black sedan that screeched to a halt right in front of her.

Turning around, the road ahead seemed endlessly far.

In a panic, Emma Hart began pounding on the car window.

As the window rolled down, she was met with a handsome and dashing man, whose features could rival those of Damien Sterling.

"Save me!" With no other words at her disposal, Emma Hart pleaded incessantly, hoping the man wouldn’t think her mad.

As she hysterically begged, she kept glancing back.

"Save you?" The man’s brow furrowed in a mix of concern and skepticism.

The woman in front of him was impeccably made-up, yet her attire seemed oddly mismatched with her appearance, striking him as peculiar.

"Please, save me." Emma Hart’s plea was now a muffled whisper, seeing that the man seemed unresponsive, she was about to walk away when he suddenly opened the car door, pulling her in, and said, "Get in!"

The door slammed shut, and from outside, the noise of the crowd filtered in.

"Have you seen a woman?"

The man signaled for his butler to step out.

"We haven’t seen anyone, perhaps try searching elsewhere."

The bodyguards, however, were not convinced by the butler’s words. "Impossible, she vanished after turning the corner, and we were too close for her to have left this street. She must be involved with you."

As a bodyguard approached the car, his face nearing the window, Emma Hart trembled with fear, her lips quivering.

In the darkness, her head was firmly pressed down by the man, as if protecting her.

The butler cleared his throat and scoffed coldly, "Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Inside this car sits the future heir to the Westmore Group, Oliver Westmore. Mr. Westmore is a man whom even the patriarch of your Sterling Group would show due respect. Should you disturb our CEO, can you bear the responsibility?"

Upon hearing this, the bodyguards’ hands slipped away from the car window, their heads bowed, not daring to proceed any further. "We apologize, we were ignorant."

Exchanging glances, the bodyguards offered a sheepish smile, "We’ll be on our way now, right away."

After the group had departed, the butler tapped on the window, and Emma Hart along with Oliver Westmore finally stepped out from the car.

"Thank you," Emma Hart couldn’t stop thanking the man.

Oliver Westmore’s gaze fell upon Emma’s beautiful eyes, noticing a flicker of resilience in her pure gaze that intrigued him immensely.

"Am I right in guessing that you... are the bride from today?"

Emma Hart’s silence confirmed Oliver Westmore’s guess.

Oliver Westmore laughed heartily, "Interesting."

Suddenly, Emma’s phone rang, startling her, and the name displayed on the screen sent a shiver through her heart, "Hello? Ethan Turner!"

Those simple words anchored Emma Hart’s drifting heart, "Ethan Turner, you’re alive, you’re still here, you’re still here!" Overwhelmed with joy, Emma couldn’t stop her tears.

"Emma, come to the small pavilion behind the campus. I’m waiting for you there."

Emma Hart nodded vigorously, "Yes, I know. I’m on my way."

Ethan Turner had finally returned.

Without a chance to say goodbye to Oliver Westmore behind her, Emma rushed off towards the location Ethan had mentioned, their old dating spot from their school days.

The butler leaned in closer to Oliver Westmore, "Sir, if this girl truly is Damien Sterling’s fiancée, then this matter seems..."

Oliver Westmore waved his hand dismissively, his gaze still following Emma Hart in the distance, "It doesn’t matter."

At the campus pavilion.

Emma Hart, clutching her phone tightly, called Ethan Turner. "Ethan Turner, where are you?" she asked, breathless and tearful.

"Emma..." A voice came from behind her. Emma turned around to see Ethan Turner’s figure.

"It was you who brought me here, right?"

Ethan’s gaze darted around, seemingly evasive, as he reassured, "Yes, Emma, I will take you away."

A smile briefly crossed Emma Hart’s face, but it quickly faded as a figure appeared behind Ethan Turner.

The tall stature, the cold demeanor, and the inherent icy aura all unmistakably identified the man before her: Damien Sterling!

How could he be here?

Emma’s instinct was to retreat, but what followed plunged her into a metaphorical abyss.

Upon seeing Damien, Ethan stepped back, respectfully making way and addressing him as "Mr. Sterling" with a deference that was painfully formal.

Damien’s dark eyes were deep and seemed to overflow with a chilling intent, his aura dark and ominous.

Without sparing Ethan a glance, Damien tossed a check towards him and advanced towards Emma.

Watching the check flutter in the air, and Ethan’s greedy gaze fixed on it as if afraid it would fly away, Emma understood everything—all of it.

A cold laugh escaped her, even as her vision blurred, her lips pale and her body too weak to stand, collapsing to the ground.

Damien’s gaze was icy and bloodthirsty, his cold smirk sending a chilling sensation through Emma, making her feel instantly stiff.

She had thought she could escape his clutches this time, believed that Ethan could whisk her away. But her beliefs were just that—beliefs.

Feeling as though her heart was being pierced, crushed, and then thrown down from a great height, Emma realized that Damien Sterling’s influence was inescapable.

Everything she had was nothing but a trivial plaything in his eyes.

Tears fell helplessly, offering the only warmth and reminder that she still existed in this world. What difference was there between her and the walking dead?

Her eyes, bloodshot, watched Ethan carefully counting the numbers on the check, his greediness and repulsiveness only serving to sicken her more.

She couldn’t even muster hatred towards him.

Tears silently flowed as Emma’s mouth cracked into a laugh, unsure of what emotions she should be feeling.

Pitiful, laughable, tragic...

Damien’s towering figure loomed over her like a god of the night, bringing nothing but endless darkness.