Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 96: The Reencounter

Chapter 96: The Reencounter

Locked in a gaze with the man whose eyes radiated an ominous intensity, sharp as a hawk’s, Emma Hart felt as though she might be torn apart any second, as if she had unwittingly provoked his anger once again.

Lately, this man seemed to take particular pleasure in calling out her name.

"What would the President like to instruct?" she asked, maintaining her composure.

Damian Sterling tossed the tablet to Emma, "Pick one."

"One what?" Confused, Emma caught the tablet, only to see it displayed a selection of white wedding dresses, "For whom?"

"You!"

"Me?" Emma pointed to herself, puzzled. Why was she choosing a wedding dress again, reminiscent of that nightmarish wedding ceremony?

"I’ve decided on my condition," he stated, fixing his gaze upon her.

A sense of foreboding washed over Emma, "What condition?"

"To complete what you left unfinished," he paused for effect, "Complete the wedding ceremony!"

"But haven’t we already..."

"Already what? Surely you haven’t forgotten what you did at the wedding so quickly?"

She hadn’t forgotten; the memory was etched deeply in her mind...

Damian threw a credit card her way, its design far from ordinary with its black surface and gold-edged lines highlighting its luxury and prestige, unmistakably a no-limit credit card.

"What now?" Emma asked, bewildered.

While receiving a card might thrill any other woman, for Emma, it was far from exciting, despite it not being the first time Damian had given her one.

"Purchase what’s needed for the wedding - clothes, jewelry, bags..."

These items, usually cause for excitement among women, only served to weary Emma, "Isn’t it better to use what we have from last time?"

"Using the same things might invite a repetition of previous events," Damian expressed his concern, which Emma found unnecessary.

The previous attire was pristine, untouched, and with the lessons learned, security for the wedding would undoubtedly be heightened. Purchasing new items seemed wasteful.

"Your task for tomorrow is to bring me what I require before you return in the evening," Damian issued his command firmly.

Emma reluctantly accepted this shopping mission, resigned to the task of buying, buying, and more buying.

On a beautiful morning, the thought of having to embark on a shopping spree at the mall as her first task of the day filled Emma Hart with an overwhelming sense of fatigue.

Stretching lazily as she descended the stairs, she found Damian Sterling already seated at the dining table.

"Remember the task I assigned to you," he reminded her, his first words not the expected "Good morning."

Bleary-eyed and not quite awake, Emma sat at the table, replying, "I know!"

After Damian left for the office, Emma got ready and went downstairs, where the driver and Mrs. Harris were waiting, with several bodyguards in tow.

"Mrs. Harris, who are these people?" Emma inquired, wondering if the added security was because Damian feared she might attempt to flee.

Emma sincerely wished to convey to Damian that such heavy surveillance was unnecessary.

The wedding incident had deepened her understanding of Damian’s omnipotence, convincing her that escape was futile.

"These gentlemen were sent by Mr. Sterling to assist you with your packages," Mrs. Harris explained.

Assist with packages? Even Emma was taken aback by the extent of Damian’s preparations for her shopping expedition.

How much was she expected to buy that it warranted the assistance of several strong men?

Resigned to Damian’s arrangements, Emma decided to go along with it.

The car entered the underground parking lot smoothly, likely due to Damian’s prior arrangements, thankfully stopping short of renting out the entire mall for her.

Stepping into the mall, Emma felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of wedding-related purchases she needed to make, without the slightest idea where to begin.

Mrs. Harris handed her a list prepared by Damian.

Emma was astonished to find it detailed everything she needed to buy, complete with notes on each item.

For accessories, it suggested opting for expensive, quality items and buying multiple sets to match different outfits.

Was there really such a man? Encouraging her to shop to her heart’s content, urging her to buy as much as possible?

Emma visited store after store, following the instructions to the letter.

Eventually, she simply handed the list to the sales staff, allowing them to make selections and package everything without her trying them on.

Entering another store, the attendant looked at the list and regretfully informed, "Miss Emma, I’m sorry, but the smallest size of this dress was just purchased by another lady."

"Then let’s forget it," Emma Hart was about to dismiss the item when Mrs. Harris leaned in and whispered, "Miss Emma, this might not sit well. The sir has specifically listed what you need to purchase. If he sees you haven’t acquired everything by tonight, I fear..."

Emma conceded that Mrs. Harris had a point. Damian Sterling was obsessive enough to make an issue out of anything.

"What do you suggest, Mrs. Harris?"

"Perhaps we could ask the staff if we could offer more money to buy the dress back?"

Emma pondered for a moment, "Is that appropriate?"

"It’s better than having Mr. Sterling find fault with you later."

Reluctantly, Emma nodded, not quite adept at using money to solve such problems.

Upon hearing Mrs. Harris’s suggestion, the attendant went to negotiate, soon followed by a woman’s indignant voice, "Why should you? Does having money make you so special? I want to see who it is!"

The sound of high heels clicked closer, revealing a young, elegantly dressed woman, hinting at her affluent background.

Emma braced for trouble, assuming she had encountered some heiress.

"So, it’s you? Trying to buy my dress with money? Are you that rich?" The girl scrutinized Emma, her gaze filled with disdain upon seeing Emma’s modest attire.

"It’s not like that, let me explain. It’s because..." Emma stumbled over her words, unsure how to justify Damian’s eccentric demands.

The girl dismissed Emma’s attempt to explain with a sharp retort, her attitude clashing with the elegance of her clothes, exuding arrogance.

"Victoria?" A magnetic voice called from behind.

Emma turned around, stunned.

The man’s model height and perfect proportions, his softly chiseled features framing a perfectly sculpted face, made him the second man after Damian Sterling whose beauty left Emma at a loss for words.

"How is it you?" Both uttered in surprise.