Chapter 343: Business Trip
Carol's smile deepened as she watched from above. Giving Emily that Arcturus Runway slot had clearly been the right decision.
The celebration went on well into the evening before finally wrapping up. After seeing off the last guests and saying goodbye to Carol, Emily stepped out of the store, exhausted but deeply satisfied. She immediately spotted Charles's familiar black Bentley parked quietly at the curb, with him leaning casually against the door, looking effortlessly elegant. When their eyes met, his deep gaze instantly warmed with tender affection.
"All done?" Charles walked toward her, naturally taking her handbag while draping his suit jacket around her shoulders. "You must be exhausted."
Emily pulled his jacket closer, breathing in his familiar scent with a contented sigh. She nodded, then shook her head: "Tired, yes, but it was so fulfilling. Today was incredible!"
"I can tell—you're practically glowing." Charles opened the passenger door for her, waiting until she was seated before walking around to the driver's side.
The car merged smoothly into traffic, the interior filled with soft fragrance and peaceful quiet. Emily leaned back against the headrest, watching the neon lights blur past, her heart still racing with excitement.
"Oh, Charles," she said suddenly, "I might have to travel for work soon."
Charles's hands tightened almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel as he glanced at her. "A business trip? Where? How long?"
Emily's eyes sparkled mischievously as she deliberately kept him in suspense: "It's a secret. I can't tell you yet. Probably four or five days though."
"A secret?"
Charles raised an eyebrow. Now she was keeping secrets from him? He slowed the car, and when they stopped at a red light, he leaned closer, his warm breath tickling her ear as his voice dropping to that low, husky tone she knew meant trouble: "Emily, come on, spill it. Tell me, and tonight when we get home... I'll reward you."
Emily shivered slightly at the warmth against her ear, instinctively hunching her shoulders with a laugh: "A reward? What kind of reward? I'm not buying it."
"Oh, really? Playing hard to get?" A mischievous glint flashed in Charles's eyes as he reached out to cup her chin, his thumb gently stroking her skin. "Well then, what if I said... if you don't tell me... There might be consequences when we get home," He deliberately emphasized "punish" with that ambiguous tone.
Emily wasn't falling for his tricks. Instead, she leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips before immediately pulling back with a triumphant grin: "Nice try, buddy! Still not happening!"
Charles felt his heart skip a beat at her unexpected boldness, then found himself both frustrated and amused by her smug expression. He could see right through her—she was doing this entirely to tease him.
For the rest of the drive, Charles pulled out all the stops. He promised to buy her the latest designer jewelry, threatened to cut off her "candy allowance," and even pulled out his trump card—laying on the guilt trip, claiming he wouldn't be able to eat or sleep properly without her.
But Emily held firm, no matter what he said. She just smiled and shook her head, occasionally taunting him: "Charles, all this bribery and coercion won't make me budge, you know."
Charles finally surrendered, looking at her mischievous eyes. Any irritation had long since been replaced by overwhelming affection. He reached out to ruffle her hair, his voice filled with indulgent resignation: "Fine, fine, keep your secret. You little brat—just promise me you'll be careful on the road, and you must check in with me every day once you arrive. Every. Single. Day."
"I will!" Emily beamed, automatically reaching out to link her arm through his and planting a loud kiss on his cheek. "I love it when you can't do anything about my stubbornness!"
Charles chuckled and restarted the car, his heart feeling impossibly light. His wife was just so adorable, so full of life, always able to stir up all his emotions effortlessly. Being teased by her like this... was actually pretty wonderful.
——
Unlike Emily and Charles's warm domestic bliss, Kismet was currently hiding in a dark, damp cheap motel room, living in fear. The manhunt felt like a sword hanging over her head, preventing her from going outside or contacting anyone. The former socialite was now just another fugitive hiding in the shadows.
She huddled in the corner of the cold bed, staring at her phone screen displaying news of her wanted status, her eyes vacant and desperate. Why? Why had everything gone so wrong? All she'd wanted was Charles's love, all she'd wanted was for Emily to disappear—so why was she the one who'd lost everything?
Just as despair threatened to swallow her completely, her phone suddenly buzzed, the harsh ringtone unnaturally loud in the silent room. Kismet jumped, her whole body trembling. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number that couldn't be traced, making her heart contract with fear.
After a moment's hesitation, she answered with shaking hands.
"Kismet, how have you been?" came a raspy, eerie voice that had clearly been run through a voice modifier.
Kismet's pupils dilated: "Who is this?!"
"Forgotten me already? Let me jog your memory. Do you remember Crystal's kidnapping?"
Kismet's heart lurched violently.
She remembered now—it was the person who had taken Crystal!
"What do you want from me? I've got nothing left to lose!"
"Why so nervous? You helped me once, so naturally I want to return the favor. I can help you escape your current predicament, and even... help you get revenge."
"Revenge? On who?"
"Charles." The voice spoke the familiar name casually, but it exploded like a bomb in Kismet's mind.
Charles!
That name had once been the sweetest obsession in her heart, but now it represented only pain and despair. It was him, it was Charles! If not for his favoritism toward Emily, if not for his ruthless suppression of her, how would she have ended up in this situation? Whatever love she'd felt had long since worn away through repeated humiliations and failures, leaving only bone-deep hatred.
"Why would you help me?" Kismet struggled to control her excitement and rage, asking warily.
"Because we have a common enemy. Work with me, and I can not only keep you safe temporarily, but give you the chance to personally destroy Charles. Don't you want to watch them both burn?"
"I do!" Kismet practically screamed, her eyes blazing with maniacal fury. "Of course I do! Charles! Emily! I want them both to suffer horribly!"