Chapter 245

Chapter 245

If Roy were here, he would have frozen in disbelief.

Hadn't Delbert just instructed him to break Emily's leg? How could he show up so brazenly at tonight's gala?

And, ironically, his presence here was courtesy of the Patels themselves.

They'd practically marketed Charles's attendance as the event's selling point, sending out invitation after invitation to entice every notable figure in the business world. Many dismissed it as shameless promotional exaggeration and stayed home.

But those who'd taken the chance now found themselves at what was turning out to be an extraordinarily valuable evening.

From his corner, Delbert withdrew his gaze from Emily.

His fingertip traced the rim of his wine glass, an absent-minded gesture masking intentional restraint. Despite the calm posture, he kept his distance.

His appearance tonight was already a calculated test.

With Charles glued to Emily’s side, any reckless move would expose his intentions too soon.

So he remained patient, watching from afar.

To the rest of the guests, he was simply another elegantly dressed attendee, nothing about him seemed out of place.

……

As the evening wore on, the gala buzzed with energy. Emily had been caught up in endless rounds of small talk with various socialites, her feet now aching from the punishing heels.

She shifted uncomfortably, wincing slightly.

Finally, she leaned close to Charles and whispered something before turning toward the restroom.

The facilities were located outside the main ballroom—blissfully quiet, far from the crowd's din.

In the soft lighting, Emily carefully extracted her blistered heel from her shoe.

She’d snagged a band-aid from a passing server earlier. Peeling the backing, she pressed it to the raw skin, hissing as the adhesive stung.

With reluctant determination, she forced her foot back into the punishing shoe.

That's it, she decided. When I go back, I'm sitting down and not moving again.

After tending to her wounds, Emily made her way back along the pebbled garden path.

Night had fully fallen. The landscape lighting cast dim pools of illumination, and the uneven stone walkway made navigating in stilettos treacherous. She moved cautiously.

But the more careful she tried to be, the more prone to mishaps she became.

At a curve in the path, her heel landed on a perfectly smooth pebble.

She stumbled. Sharp pain shot through her ankle. Her balance gave way entirely, and she pitched sideways.

"Careful."

A low, gentle male voice cut through the quiet, laced with perfectly measured concern.

A warm hand slid around her waist. Another steadied her arm. His grip was practiced, confident, catching her effortlessly before she hit the ground.

If there'd been a slow-motion camera, it would have captured something cinematically beautiful.

Emily, however, had no bandwidth for aesthetics. Heart still pounding, she looked up into a pair of striking green eyes.

They were cold beneath the outward warmth, a soft veneer stretched over something impenetrable. The contrast made her frown instinctively.

Objectively speaking, the man was attractive—exceptionally so, in fact.

If he wanted, no one would turn away from that face.

The thin scar slashing across his brow only added to the dangerous allure.

But Emily, who'd encountered her share of truly cruel people, felt an inexplicable chill upon meeting his gaze.

This man disliked her intensely.

She could tell by the way he held her carefully, yet with a stiffness that revealed his reluctance to touch her at all.

Emily almost laughed at the absurdity. She straightened herself, taking a good look at him.

He was tall and imposing in his black suit, handsome features marked by distinct aloofness.

Yet when he spoke, his manner was remarkably gentle.

"Ms. Windsor, are you alright? You've twisted your ankle, shall we find somewhere for you to sit and rest?"

His timing was too convenient. His demeanor too incongruous with that cold, distant aura.

Emily wasn't foolish enough to simply accept his help. She stepped away, putting careful distance between them, her fingers subtly gripping her dress.

"Thank you, but I'm fine. It's not serious."

She tested her ankle gingerly, it wasn't bad enough to prevent walking. Relief flooded through her.

Her tone remained distant, her body language making clear she had no interest in conversation.

Something about this gentle stranger made every survival instinct in her body hum with warning. She wanted nothing more than to get back to where Charles was.

Delbert noticed her resistance. Something dark and dangerous flickered in his eyes before the warm mask snapped back into place. He was about to press closer when crisp, commanding footsteps approached, radiating unmistakable authority.

Charles had waited for Emily's return. When she didn't appear, anxiety gripped him. He immediately went searching.

Spotting a man standing near Emily, his first assumption was that Drew had cornered her again. Fury surged through him. He quickened his pace, practically charging forward, ready to yank them apart and unleash hell.

But when he recognized the man's face, Charles stopped cold. The rage on his tongue died unspoken.

It wasn’t Drew.

It was someone unfamiliar, yet strangely recognizable. And those green eyes… he had seen them somewhere before, though the memory danced just out of reach.

Charles reined in his anger instantly. He closed the distance quickly, pulling Emily securely into his arms, his voice immediately softening with concern.

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

"I stepped on a stone and twisted my ankle. Fortunately, this gentleman caught me," Emily explained, relaxing against him, fingers clutching his jacket.

Charles’s gaze dropped to her ankle. It was already slightly swollen. His jaw tightened with guilt and concern. Without another word, he scooped her up in his arms and turned to leave, completely ignoring Delbert.

Delbert watched their intimate interaction, cold fury blazing in his eyes beneath a veneer of composure. Still, he maintained his courteous facade, calling out just loud enough to stop them.

"Mr. Howard, a moment. Surely when fate brings two people together, introductions are in order?"

Charles halted mid-stride, his back to Delbert. The air around him dropped to arctic temperatures, his voice glacial and dismissive.

"Unnecessary. I don't need to acquaint myself with every random person I encounter."

Without waiting for a response, he carried Emily toward the parking area, never looking back.

Delbert stood motionless, watching them disappear. His fists clenched white-knuckled. His pleasant smile vanished completely, replaced by venomous malice. Violent currents churned in those green eyes.

In the car, Emily nestled against Charles, watching the tension in his jaw.

"Are you alright? You seem angry."

Charles lowered his gaze, his fingers massaging her ankle with careful tenderness.

"I'm fine. I just... didn't like that man. Can't explain it exactly. Looking at him made me deeply uncomfortable, some instinctive resistance I can't quite articulate."

He'd never been one for groundless intuition. But the moment he'd seen Delbert, his wariness and revulsion had been visceral, an instinct far more powerful than anything Drew had ever triggered.