Chapter 346: Farewell
"Charles... I really can't take anymore." Her voice was so weak it was barely audible.
Charles looked at her exhausted form, a wave of heartache washing over him. But he still didn't want to stop. He wanted more, needed to etch her permanently into his body, into his very soul.
He whispered in her ear, "One last time, Emily. Just one more time."
He entered her again, his movements gentle yet determined. Emily was too tired to respond, could only surrender to whatever he needed from her.
This time, Charles moved slowly, tenderly. He kissed her lips, her eyes, her cheeks, as if trying to memorize every detail of her.
He murmured against her ear, "Emily, remember this—I love you. No matter what happens, I love you."
Emily wanted to respond, but consciousness was slipping away. She could only feel Charles's tenderness, feel his love, before darkness claimed her completely.
Emily woke to deep night.
The bedroom was pitch black, only moonlight streaming through the windows casting mottled shadows on the floor. She shifted slightly—her entire body ached as if she'd been taken apart and reassembled. Remembering Charles's unusually frenzied lovemaking that afternoon, Emily frowned slightly.
Something was wrong.
Charles's behavior today had been far too abnormal.
She wasn't easily swept away by emotion. She'd indulged him that afternoon because she'd sensed his emotional turmoil—it hadn't been simple desire, but a kind of desperate possession, a finality as if he were saying goodbye to something.
"Charles?" she called softly, reaching beside her.
The bed was empty.
Emily's internal alarms went off. She sat up immediately, turning on the bedside lamp. She was alone in the bedroom, and the other side of the bed had long gone cold.
She checked the time: 10 PM.
They'd come home at 2 in the afternoon, made love until evening when she'd passed out from exhaustion, and now Charles was nowhere to be found.
Emily got out of bed. Her legs were shaky, but she braced herself against the wall and quickly regained her balance. She didn't panic or break down—she just moved with purpose into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and changed into a sharp dark business suit.
Leaving the bedroom, the entire mansion felt eerily quiet. She went downstairs where the butler was organizing items in the living room.
"Good evening, Mrs.Windsor," the butler said respectfully.
"Where's Charles?" Emily asked directly, her voice calm and emotionless.
The butler hesitated: "Mr. Windsor left."
"Out? Where to?" Emily raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp.
The butler lowered his head: "Mr. Windsor didn't specify. He only said... to let you rest well, that he'd be back in a few days."
A few days?
Emily's expression darkened. This wasn't the first time Charles had done things behind her back. But this time was different—he'd made love to her with that almost farewell-like desperation, then disappeared without a trace, not even giving her a proper explanation.
This wasn't Charles's style.
Unless what he was doing couldn't let her know.
Emily pulled out her phone and dialed Charles's number.
"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable." The mechanical voice announced.
She tried again. Still off.
Perfect.
Emily pocketed her phone, cold fire flashing in her eyes. She called Nathan.
"Nathan, where did Charles go?" Her voice was ice-cold.
On the other end, Nathan clearly hadn't expected her call, pausing before answering: "Mr. Windsor... Mr. Windsor went overseas to investigate a project."
"Investigate a project?" Emily's voice remained completely level. "Where? What project? Why wasn't I informed of any of this?"
Nathan's voice grew increasingly uncertain. "It was a last-minute thing, a very important project. Mr. Windsor said he didn't want to disturb your work."
Emily cut him off, her voice carrying undeniable authority: "Nathan, do you know what I hate most? I hate when people treat me like an idiot."
"Mrs.Windsor, I'm not—"
Emily spoke each word deliberately: "You tell Charles he has two choices: either he comes back and explains this to me himself, or I'll personally go drag him back for answers. His choice."
She hung up immediately.
The butler, having overheard the conversation, looked terrified and carefully ventured: "Mrs.Windsor, you..."
Emily calmly instructed, "Prepare the car. We're going to the Campbell Estate."
Half an hour later, Emily sat in Louis's study. Her posture was perfectly straight, expression calm—no one could tell she'd just been through intense intimacy.
Louis looked at her, a flash of admiration in his eyes: "Emily, coming to see me this late—what's the matter?"
Emily got straight to the point: "Uncle Louis, I'd like you to help me track Charles's current whereabouts."
Louis raised an eyebrow: "Did you two have a fight?"
Emily shook her head: "No. His choice to hide this trip from me means either what he's doing is dangerous, or he doesn't want me involved. Either way, I need to know the truth."
Her logic was clear, her tone calm, without a trace of emotion.
Louis studied her, then suddenly smiled: "If Scarlett could see you now, she'd be very proud."
He stood and walked to his desk: "Give me ten minutes."
Louis's efficiency was indeed impressive. In less than ten minutes, he had Charles's whereabouts.
Louis handed Emily a file: "He's going to Seraphim, The Royal Hotel. This afternoon's flight."
Seraphim?
Emily narrowed her eyes.
The Campbell family's stronghold was in Seraphim. Charles suddenly running there—it absolutely couldn't be as simple as "investigating a project."
Emily took the file, quickly scanning it. "Thank you, Uncle Louis. Also, the Arcturus runway show is being held in Seraphim too, correct?"
Louis's eyes flashed with understanding: "You want to use that as your excuse to go?"
Emily stood, tucking away the file: "Not an excuse—fact. I was already invited to participate in the Arcturus show. Going a few days early to familiarize myself with the environment is perfectly reasonable."
"Do you need me to arrange protection for you?" Louis asked.
"No need. I can take care of myself. But if you have contacts in Seraphim, you could help me keep an eye on Charles's movements."
"No problem. Emily, be careful. The situation in Seraphim is complex. Charles hiding this trip from you—I'm afraid it's connected to the Campbell family."
Emily's gaze turned cold: "I know. That's exactly why I need to go. I won't let Charles walk into a dangerous situation alone."
Her tone was calm, but Louis could hear the anger beneath—not worry, not fear, but fury at Charles for making decisions unilaterally and not trusting her.
The next morning, Emily boarded a flight to Seraphim with Kate.
In first class, Emily wore a sharply tailored black business suit, her hair pulled back in a high ponytail, her makeup flawless and cool. She held a Seraphim fashion magazine in her hands.
Kate sat beside her, looking somewhat anxious: "Emily, going there like this—won't Mr. Windsor be angry?"