Chapter 351: Gone Again
Charles reached out, gently stroking Emily's cheek with movements so tender it was as if he were touching a priceless, fragile treasure.
"Emily..." he whispered her name, his voice filled with reluctance.
He knew his secrets couldn't remain hidden much longer.
Kismet's words were of uncertain truth, the Campbell family held massive influence here, and he'd come to uncover the truth behind his mother's death. It was all too dangerous—he couldn't let Emily get caught up in it.
What frightened him even more was the possibility that the Campbell family would discover Emily and use every means at their disposal to keep her here.
That afternoon in the café, he'd promised her honesty, promised they'd face everything together. But that had been an impulsive vow.
Now, with a clear head, he realized his mistake.
He couldn't let her take this risk.
Charles carefully rose from the bed, trying not to disturb Emily. He walked to the window, pulling the curtain aside slightly to gaze at the night view outside.
Seraphim's nightscape was beautiful—lights glittering like jewels, traffic flowing like rivers. But beneath this glamorous facade, how many dangers and conspiracies lie hidden?
His mother's cause of death, the Campbell family's power... it all formed a vast web that held him trapped.
And he couldn't drag Emily into this quagmire.
Charles turned back toward the bed. He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Emily's forehead.
"I'm sorry, Emily. I have to deceive you one more time."
He pulled out his phone and sent Nathan a message: "Keep Mrs. Windsor safe. I'm going out. I'll be back before dawn."
Then he changed into black clothing, putting on a cap and face mask to disguise himself.
At the door, he looked back at Emily sleeping peacefully in bed.
She slept so deeply, so trustingly, completely unaware he was about to leave.
Charles felt a sharp pain in his chest.
But he knew he had to do this. Only by resolving things here quickly could he ensure her safety.
He quietly opened the door, slipped out, and closed it softly behind him.
The lock made a soft click in the silent night.
Inside the room, Emily seemed to sense something, frowning in her sleep and turning over, but soon fell back into deep slumber.
She was too exhausted to notice Charles's departure.
In the hallway, Charles strode purposefully toward the elevator, his steps determined, his expression cold and resolute.
Kismet, the Campbell family, his mother's death... he would get to the bottom of it all.
And quickly.
Because his Emily was here, and he couldn't keep her waiting long.
The elevator doors opened. Charles stepped in and pressed the button for the parking garage.
As the elevator descended, his expression grew increasingly cold.
This time, he would take the offensive.
He would find the truth about his mother's death.
He would confront the Campbell family and uncover the grudges of the past.
He would resolve everything quickly, then take Emily safely home.
The elevator reached the parking garage and opened.
Charles stepped out, his figure quickly disappearing into the darkness.
Meanwhile, in the room above, Emily continued sleeping.
She had a dream where Charles was calling her, his voice gentle yet urgent. She wanted to respond, but couldn't make a sound.
Then she woke up.
The room was pitch black except for moonlight streaming through the window, casting mottled shadows on the floor.
She shifted slightly—her body aching as if she'd been taken apart and reassembled. She reached out to the space beside her.
It was empty.
Emily turned on the bedside lamp and sat up.
The bedroom held only her. Charles was gone.
She checked the time: 2 AM.
She remembered falling asleep around evening, but now Charles had vanished.
Emily got out of bed, her legs so weak she nearly stumbled. Supporting herself against the wall, she walked to the living room.
Empty.
She checked the bathroom.
Also empty.
The entire suite contained only her.
Emily stood in the center of the living room, staring at the vacant space, a complex mix of emotions rising in her chest.
Anger, disappointment, but mostly... an indescribable sadness.
Charles, you lied to me again.
You said you wouldn't hide things from me anymore. You said we'd face any difficulties together.
But now you've walked away alone again.
"Charles... what the hell are you thinking?"
Emily immediately got up and left Charles's room, returning to the one she shared with Kate.
She slept deeply that night.
The dozen-plus hours of flying, the evening's exertion, plus the middle-of-the-night awakening had left her body completely drained. She forced herself to suppress her emotions, took a hot shower, and crawled back into bed.
She told herself to rest first—whatever Charles was doing, they'd deal with it tomorrow.
At dawn, she woke to faint light leaking through the curtain gaps. Her mind was still somewhat foggy, but her emotions had withdrawn from the previous night's dull ache, leaving only the clarity that comes after calm reflection.
The doorbell rang at that moment.
Kate immediately poked her head out from the outer room, whispering, "Emily, should I get that?"
Emily hummed acknowledgment, slipping on a robe and casually pinning up her hair.
When the door opened, Samuel stood outside holding a bag of breakfast, his expression clearly concerned.
He looked her up and down, then relaxed with relief. "Jane, yesterday... are you alright? I was a bit worried."
Emily accepted the breakfast he offered, polite yet composed. "I'm fine. Thank you for making a special trip."
Samuel hesitated. "Yesterday, that Mr. Windsor... did you two have a fight? You seemed a little—"
Emily cut him off. "We didn't have a conflict. Just a small misunderstanding. It's handled."
She didn't explain further, but her boundaries were crystal clear.
Samuel obviously understood her meaning and smiled. "That's good. If you need someone to show you around, or if you have any questions about the runway events, just let me know."
Emily nodded. "Thank you."
Samuel glanced at Kate. "Well, I won't disturb your rest then. Oh, there's a tournament at Lamborghini Golf Course today—several mutual friends will be there. Want to come along?"
"You go ahead. I still need to get organized."
"Alright, I'll wait for you at the course."
After he left, Kate closed the door and immediately turned around, looking both relieved and nervous.
She whispered, "Emily, Samuel seems nice enough, but don't let him steal you away... Charles is such a good man, we can't let some outsider benefit."
Emily glanced at her. "What are you doing? Keeping tabs on me for Charles?"
Kate's face reddened as she quickly backtracked. "I... I just... I want to protect your relationship! But I don't dare interfere with your friendships either, so I can only silently follow along and make sure you're safe."
Emily placed the breakfast on the table, methodically unwrapping it. "Then stop beating around the bush and tell me exactly what makes Charles so good, according to you."