Chapter 38 The CEO Who Cried for You
"Since she saved your life, there are other ways to repay that debt. Does she loves being a celebrity? Give her investments, give her money, give her resources!"
"But she can never, ever have the title of Mrs. Harrison!"
Robert's tone softened slightly as he continued, "Don't forget how Emma took care of you during that first year of marriage. Without her, your eyesight wouldn't have recovered so quickly."
He hoped Nicholas would remember this kindness, though small, it was still the bond between husband and wife.
Nicholas's eyes turned cold.
It was the specialized treatment his mentor in Novaria had found for him that led to his recovery. What did Emma have to do with it?
"This time, you must listen to me. Only by announcing your marriage can we quickly calm this storm. As for Ms. Perez, I'll have someone escort her abroad so she can start fresh."
This was Robert's maximum concession.
"I can't..." Nicholas clenched his fists, knuckles turning white.
Announcing Emma's identity would be publicly acknowledging Zoe as a homewrecker, essentially pushing her into complete ruin with his own hands.
How could he possibly do that?
"You must do this!" Robert roared. "The Harrison family cannot be destroyed in your hands!"
The sound of knocking broke through the tense atmosphere in the office.
The door opened and the secretary walked in.
"Mr. Harrison, the press conference is ready."
Nicholas shot her a cold glance. "I'm busy right now!"
He turned and left!
Behind him came Robert's furious shouting!
......
The Perez Villa.
The luxurious living room was in complete chaos.
Throw pillows had been torn apart, cotton stuffing scattered everywhere.
An expensive phone with a cracked screen lay discarded in the corner.
Zoe sat curled up on the sofa, hair disheveled, eyes swollen like walnuts, dried tear tracks still visible on her face.
She dialed that familiar number over and over, but all she heard was the cold busy tone.
She violently threw the receiver to the floor, creating a harsh crashing sound.
Her head buzzed with the echoes of her agent's cutting words.
"My God! Wake up! The entire internet is dragging you right now. Your endorsement deals are canceled, and you've been kicked out of the production!"
"You're still counting on Mr. Harrison? If he really cared about you, he would have come out to defend you by now!"
"Unless he publicly acknowledges you and gives you status, you can expect to be completely blacklisted! Do you understand?"
Blacklisted... This outcome pierced her heart like a poisoned needle.
She trembled all over, grabbed another backup phone, and dialed Nicholas's number again.
Still no answer.
Despair crashed over her like a tidal wave.
"Crying, crying! All you do is cry! You useless fool!"
Karen rushed over, pointing at Zoe's nose and cursing,
"How did I give birth to such a worthless daughter? Look at what people are saying about you online! Shameless home-wrecker!"
She stomped her foot in frustration. "I told you long ago to secure Mr. Harrison! You had to lock him down! Now look—he doesn't care at all, won't even come out to support you!"
"Shut up!" Zoe screamed in breakdown, covering her ears with both hands.
"Me shut up? If you weren't so useless, if you could actually hold onto a man's heart, would Emma be able to humiliate you like this?"
"That bitch, completely ungrateful after all those years we raised her, actually targeting you like this. Someday, I'm going to teach her a proper lesson!"
Karen's voice grew more vicious. "You need to pull yourself together right now! Go find Mr. Harrison! Beg him, cling to him! Whatever it takes, make him help you! Otherwise your career is completely finished!"
Just as they were arguing, the villa's front door was forcefully pushed open.
Zoe's father, Steven Perez, walked in with a livid expression, radiating terrifying fury.
He took one look at the chaos in the living room and Zoe huddled on the sofa, and his rage instantly peaked.
A resounding slap landed hard across Zoe's face.
The force made her head snap to the side, blood immediately seeping from the corner of her mouth, her cheek burning with pain.
She covered her face, looking at her father in disbelief.
"Dad..."
"You still have the nerve to call me Dad!" Steven trembled with rage, pointing at her nose.
"It's all because of you, you fool!"
He violently threw his briefcase to the floor, documents scattering everywhere.
"Just now, every single business partner called to terminate their contracts! Terminate! Do you know what this means?"
"The company's cash flow is about to be cut off! In less than half a month, we'll be bankrupt! Bankrupt!"
Steven's eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged lion.
"You've been chasing Nicholas for so many years, and what's the result? You're still just a mistress! Now you've dragged down the entire family!"
"You still have the nerve to cry here? What good does crying do! Useless!"
Steven's curses, Karen's accusations, Nicholas's silence, the internet's condemnation.
Each blow was like countless knives, cutting Zoe to pieces.
Her bloodshot eyes burned with insane hatred.
She glared at Steven, then swept her gaze over Karen.
Suddenly she turned and stumbled up the stairs, her retreating figure filled with madness and venomous spite.
'Emma, since you want to drive me to death, then let's destroy each other!'
......
The Hospital
Around six in the evening, Emma finally opened her eyes.
The white ceiling made her realize she was in a hospital. Her heart tightened, and Nicholas's face flashed through her mind. She quickly sat up, looking around frantically.
Evelyn pushed through the door, her face showing a complex expression.
"You're finally awake. It's only been a short while and you're back in the hospital!"
Evelyn's voice was gentle as she reached out to help her sit up.
"How did I get here?"
Emma's voice trembled slightly, feeling weak.
She clearly remembered that at noon, Nicholas had come to see her, and they'd had a fight.
"Don't you remember? The doctor said if you'd arrived any later, your brain might have been permanently damaged!"
Evelyn said dramatically.
Charlie knocked and entered. As soon as he saw Emma awake, his eyes immediately lit up.
"Ms. Rodriguez, you're finally awake. You scared Mr. Harrison to death."
Scared Nicholas to death?
Charlie caught a hint of confusion in her puzzled expression.
"Ms. Rodriguez, you had a high fever at noon, spiking to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Mr. Harrison personally brought you to the hospital. He rushed in shouting for help, his whole body shaking!"
"You don't know—he held you the entire time, even had to fend off the media and reporters, making sure they couldn't get a single photo of you."
Charlie launched into his tale.
"When you were getting your IV, he just stood there, his eyes all red."
He pointed to a corner of the hospital room, then put his hand to his mouth, lowering his voice. "I'd estimate he cried!"
"I've worked for Mr. Harrison for so long, and I've never seen him so anxious, so out of control."
Evelyn and Emma exchanged glances.
They felt like they'd just heard a comedy routine!
"Charlie, not pursuing a career in entertainment is truly a loss for the industry."
What a performance!
Evelyn rolled her eyes, somewhat speechless.
"Ms. Rodriguez, you must be hungry. Let me go buy you something to eat."
Charlie scratched his head, smiled, and retreated.
Once outside, he quickly called Nicholas. "Mr. Harrison, Ms. Rodriguez is awake, but her eyes are red. I think she... wants to see you!"
"I'm coming right over!"
Charlie clenched his fist in a gesture of self-affirmation.