Chapter 259: Heart Flutter
"I'm not teasing," Emily tilted her head, her eyes hazy as she gazed at him. "I just wanted to tell you that without clothes, you'd see even more clearly."
As she spoke, her other hand restlessly traced across Charles's chest, feeling his strong heartbeat through his shirt.
Charles felt a surge of heat rush straight to his core. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restlessness within him, and swept Emily up into his arms.
"Ah!" Emily cried out in surprise, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"
"Going home. I'll deal with you properly when we get there." Charles's voice had grown even more husky.
But Emily squirmed restlessly in his arms. "No, no! Elodie's still here. I can't just abandon her."
Charles's footsteps halted. He looked down at Emily in his arms, then at Elodie standing nearby, his brow furrowing.
Emily took the opportunity to wriggle out of his embrace, though her steps were somewhat unsteady. Charles quickly reached out to steady her.
Leaning against him, Emily looked up with concern. "Elodie's been drinking too—she can't drive. I can't leave her here alone."
Looking into her worried eyes, Charles felt torn between his urgency to take her home and knowing she was right. Elodie was her best friend; he couldn't just ignore her safety.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his desire, and pulled out his phone to make a call. "Nathan, get to Velvet Dreams in five minutes. Take Elodie home."
After hanging up, he said to Emily, "Nathan will be here shortly to take Elodie home. Now, we're leaving."
Only then did Emily relax, turning to Elodie. "Text me when you get home safe, okay?"
Elodie nodded. "I will. You two go ahead—don't worry about me."
Charles carried Emily out of the bar. Watching their retreating figures, Elodie felt a mix of envy and loneliness.
She envied Emily for having a man like Charles who loved her so deeply, and felt lonely being on her own.
She settled back onto the couch and ordered another drink. Under the influence of alcohol, her mood grew even more melancholy.
Soon, a man in a gray suit approached. He looked to be in his thirties with a gentle demeanor—Charles's assistant, Nathan.
"Ms. Garcia?" Nathan asked politely.
Elodie looked up at the refined man before her and nodded. "That's me."
"Mr. Windsor asked me to take you home. Are you able to walk? Do you need assistance?"
Elodie shook her head. "No, I can manage."
She stood up, but the alcohol made her sway. Nathan quickly steadied her. "Careful there."
His hands were steady, his movements gentle. Leaning against him, Elodie caught the faint scent of his cologne and felt an unexpected flutter in her chest.
This man... was genuinely gentle.
Nathan helped Elodie out of the bar, opened the car door for her, and carefully protected her head as she got in. Then he settled into the driver's seat and buckled his seatbelt.
"Ms. Garcia, shall I take you home? Or would you prefer to go somewhere else?" Nathan asked.
"Home."
Nathan nodded and started the engine.
The car glided smoothly through the night, the interior quiet. Elodie leaned back against her seat, watching the rapidly passing streetscape outside, her thoughts swirling.
"How did Charles know we were drinking at the bar?"
Nathan smiled slightly. "Mr. Windsor has his ways."
"He's such a control freak. The damn man not only stole my Emily away but actually has her under surveillance. She can't even go out for drinks without being monitored."
Nathan glanced at her in the rearview mirror and said gently, "Mr. Windsor just cares deeply about Ms. Johnson. You know she's been through a lot, and Mr. Windsor constantly worries about her safety."
Elodie remained displeased. "That doesn't mean he has to be so controlling. Emily's not a child—she can take care of herself."
Nathan patiently explained, "Mr. Windsor knows Ms. Johnson can handle herself. But he worries about the 'what-ifs.' If Mr. Windsor hadn't arrived in time today, that drunk might have done something much worse to both of you."
Elodie fell silent. She knew Nathan was right—without Charles's timely intervention, she and Emily might have faced real trouble.
But she was still irritated, not just because of Charles, but because of Daniel.
That arrogant jerk—who gave him the right to make decisions for her? Who gave him the right to stop her from exchanging numbers with Baron?
Elodie muttered under her breath, "Men are all the same. Self-righteous, controlling—absolutely insufferable."
Nathan noticed Elodie's sullen mood in the rearview mirror, and something stirred in his chest. He glanced at the time, then suddenly turned the steering wheel toward a different direction.
"Mr. Brown, this isn't the way to my place," Elodie noticed the change in route.
"I know. Ms. Garcia, you seem upset. I'd like to take you somewhere that's guaranteed to cheer you up."
"Where?" Elodie asked curiously.
"It's a surprise. You'll see when we get there."
Though puzzled, Elodie didn't press further. She leaned back in her seat, watching the night scenery outside, and her mood did seem to ease somewhat.
The car headed toward the waterfront and finally stopped at a scenic overlook.
"Here we are." Nathan parked the car and opened Elodie's door.
As Elodie stepped out, a river breeze greeted her face, carrying the fresh scent of water. Looking at the view before her, her eyes widened in amazement.
This was the city's famous scenic overlook, offering a panoramic view of the river and the city's nightscape. At this moment, the water reflected the lights from both shores, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.
"It's gorgeous!" Elodie whispered.
"It's not even at its most beautiful yet." Nathan checked his watch. "Good thing I drove fast—we made it with just a minute to spare."
"A minute for what?" Elodie was confused.
Nathan didn't answer, just smiled as he gazed into the distance.
Just then, the distant sky suddenly lit up.
"Boom!"
The first firework burst in the night sky, brilliant and dazzling.
Then came the second, the third... countless fireworks bloomed across the night sky, painting it in vibrant colors.
"Fireworks! There's a fireworks show tonight? How did I not know about this?"
"To celebrate the completion of the new business district, the Windsor Group arranged this surprise. They didn't announce the timing—they wanted to give everyone an unexpected treat. I happened to know when it was starting, so I thought you might enjoy it."
Elodie tilted her head back to watch the sky, the fireworks' brilliance reflecting in her eyes. Bloom after bloom burst overhead, breathtakingly beautiful. A smile unconsciously spread across her face.
Watching her joy, Nathan felt a warm sensation in his chest.
Elodie was Emily's best friend. If Elodie was unhappy, Emily wouldn't be happy. If Emily wasn't happy, Charles wouldn't be happy.
He was doing this for Charles's sake.
"Yes, that's exactly it," Nathan convinced himself.