Chapter 251

Chapter 251

Emily looked up at Charles's face. His brow remained furrowed, the anxiety in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Her heart warmed, tinged with bitterness. She reached out, gently covering his clenched hand with hers, fingertips brushing against his cool skin.

"Charles."

Her voice was soft yet unyielding,

"If Delbert dared to make the first move, he won't stop now. He doesn't know what we're capable of. He'll definitely try again."

Charles turned to her, reversing their grip, his hold tightening with forceful authority.

"I'll double the security. Twenty-four-seven protection. He won't get anywhere near you. We'll investigate slowly. Eventually, we'll uncover his motives. There's no rush."

"But staying passive like this isn't the answer."

Emily leaned forward slightly, her gaze locked with his, eyes burning with determination.

"He's buried too deep. We can't dig up his background. Why not take the offensive instead? Set a trap and catch him red-handed."

Charles's chest tightened. He instantly guessed her intention. His expression darkened, his grip on her hand clenching harder.

"What are you planning?"

"I'll be the bait."

Emily's tone remained calm, as if discussing something utterly mundane.

"Absolutely not!"

Charles cut her off immediately, his usually composed features flooded with panic and resistance.

"It's too dangerous. I won't allow it. If he could manipulate Roy into attacking you, it proves he's no ordinary threat. We don't know anything about him. If the plan goes wrong even slightly, if you get hurt—what then?"

He couldn't bear to imagine it. Putting Emily in such peril—even a one-in-ten-thousand chance was too much to gamble with.

Ever since she had repeatedly fallen into danger, he had sworn to shield her from every storm. He'd take all the hits himself. She wouldn't suffer even the smallest injury.

"I know it's dangerous, but I can't keep hiding behind you. I can't let you shoulder all the pressure alone."

Emily saw the tension and heartache in his eyes. Her own eyes grew hot, voice softening yet remaining resolute.

"Charles, we're husband and wife, aren't we? This crisis started because of me. I can't just stay safe while watching you run yourself ragged, losing sleep every night."

She raised her hand, smoothing the crease between his brows, fingers tracing the red veins in his eyes—evidence of sleepless nights spent worrying.

"Every time something happened before, you protected me. This time, I want to face it with you. I'm not being reckless,I'm being confident. As long as we plan carefully, I'll be safe. We can finally deal with Delbert once and for all. Then we can live peacefully. Doesn't that sound better?"

Charles fell silent. He pulled her tightly into his arms, chin resting atop her head, breathing in the faint scent of her shampoo. His rigid heart gradually softened.

"As long as you're safe, I'm willing to spend however much time and effort it takes."

His voice was hoarse, thick with reluctance and tenderness. His arms tightened around her, as if trying to absorb her into his very bones.

Emily nestled against him, listening to his steady heartbeat. She wrapped her arms around his waist, voice gentle and reassuring.

"I know. I know everything. But I trust you, and I trust us. As long as we're together, there's nothing we can't overcome. I want to work with you to solve this completely. Then we'll never have to worry again. Okay?"

He closed his eyes slowly. After a long pause, he nodded lightly, voice carrying the weight of reluctant agreement.

"Alright. I'll agree. But you have to promise me—you stay within my control the entire time. Not one step outside my line of sight. You follow every arrangement I make. No improvising."

Seeing him finally agree, Emily's heart leapt. She looked up at him, eyes bright with relief, nodding firmly.

"I promise. I'll listen to everything you say."

Charles lowered his gaze, meeting her eyes deeply. His reflection shone in them, along with all the affection they shared.

He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, the gesture reverent.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

Charles murmured softly, tone carrying absolute certainty.

Emily leaned back into his embrace, holding him tightly, feeling the warmth and security that belonged only to them. Her eyes filled with determination.

Whatever Delbert's purpose, he would not succeed.

 

With the plan outlined, the next steps became surprisingly simple.

They had to wait.

Initially, both were on edge, suspecting everyone might be Delbert's spy. But after a week of silence, nothing happened.

Charles's unease deepened. His brow remained perpetually furrowed. He secretly increased Emily's security detail by another ten percent, ensuring round-the-clock surveillance.

Emily, by contrast, remained composed. With Cressida shadowing her discreetly, she felt safe.

The Windsor Group had stabilized, allowing her to shift focus back to her jewelry studio.

Her newly designed collection had generated massive buzz after its promotional launch. Orders poured in. The new hires were settling in smoothly. The studio's operations were running seamlessly.

But recently, a small crisis had erupted—one that immediately put Emily on alert.

It wasn't about the studio's growth. It was because she suspected this crisis was deliberately orchestrated.

The original raw material supplier had suddenly backed out without warning, unilaterally cutting off supply. They'd also jacked up prices astronomically, claiming the materials had been "upgraded."

Their asking price was absurd. Agreeing would blow the budget completely. Refusing would halt production, delaying orders. Any delays would devastate the studio's reputation.

Given Emily's standing in the jewelry industry, she had no shortage of suppliers willing to work with her. But for someone to burn bridges so brazenly over a bit of profit? It reeked of sabotage.