Chapter 90 Mr. Moore, Romance at the Ferris Wheel
The night breeze carried a chill.
Emma wandered aimlessly down the sidewalk, her footsteps echoing in the quiet.
The streetlights stretched her shadow long and solitary across the pavement.
Suddenly, a sleek black Maybach glided silently to a stop beside her.
The door opened.
Matthew stepped out from the driver's seat.
He was tall, wearing an impeccably tailored black suit that emphasized his athletic build—broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist.
The night shadows carved sharp definition across his features, his jawline tense.
He crossed to her in a few quick strides, his intense gaze settling on her face.
"Your eyes are red," he observed, his voice low and commanding.
Emma instinctively turned her face away.
"Come on." Matthew's words were clipped and decisive. "I'm taking you somewhere."
He studied her face, then added, "It's your birthday today. Let me help you celebrate it properly."
Before Emma could react, his warm, dry hand captured her wrist, gently but firmly guiding her toward the backseat.
His touch brooked no argument.
They drove in comfortable silence.
The car eventually stopped beneath Emerald City's most iconic landmark—the towering Ferris wheel that dominated the skyline.
Neon lights flashed brilliantly as the massive wheel turned slowly against the night sky, like a dreamy invitation floating in the darkness.
Matthew led her straight to the VIP entrance. As they settled into the transparent gondola, the wheel began its slow ascent, and the glittering cityscape of Emerald City spread out beneath them—thousands of lights creating rivers of gold through the urban landscape.
It really was breathtaking.
But it was also terrifyingly high. Emma's palms grew damp as she gripped the edge of her seat.
Matthew noticed her tension immediately. His arm came around her shoulders in a natural, comforting gesture.
"Don't be afraid of heights," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.
"You have to stand tall to see far."
His voice was close, crystal clear.
"With me, you can laugh, you can cry, you can be stubborn, you can be fearless—just be yourself."
Those words hit her like a key suddenly turning in a long-locked door.
All the hurt and bitterness she'd been holding back came flooding out in an unstoppable wave.
Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Emma had thought she was beyond caring. She'd believed her emotional armor was impenetrable, but the truth was... it shattered at the first touch.
Only now did she understand how deep the wounds from twelve years ran. All her forced indifference had been nothing but self-deception.
Matthew said nothing more, just pulled her closer into his embrace, his hand gently stroking her hair. Three years—it was time to escape this hell.
His chest was broad and solid. Through his thin dress shirt, she could feel his steady, powerful heartbeat.
Emma buried her face against his warm shirt, her tears soaking a small patch of the fabric.
He simply held her, letting her cry.
The gondola reached its peak, overlooking the entire sleepless city.
Time seemed suspended.
Meanwhile, online, a new trending topic quietly climbed the rankings.
#Moore Group CEO Matthew and Emma's Ferris Wheel Romance#
The timing of this trending topic was perfectly calculated—positioned just below #Nicholas Proposes to Miss Perez#.
The accompanying photo showed silhouettes in the Ferris wheel gondola, a man tenderly holding the woman in his arms, with Emerald City's spectacular nightscape as their backdrop. The romantic atmosphere was absolutely perfect.
Matthew had played this move brilliantly.
When Nicholas saw the trending topic, he trembled with rage.
He made a single phone call, and Harrison Group immediately activated emergency PR protocols, using their global media resources to bury Matthew's trending topic while simultaneously scrubbing all news about him and Zoe from the internet.
This push-and-pull between Matthew and Nicholas sent shockwaves through media circles, leaving journalists scrambling to understand the power dynamics at play.
...
In the early hours before dawn, when darkness was at its thickest, a black sedan glided silently through the streets, stopping outside the Jackson estate.
The door opened and Nicholas emerged, radiating cold menace.
Ten minutes earlier, Charlie's report had been brief and clear, Matthew had personally escorted Emma home.
The Jackson estate's garden wasn't particularly large. Nicholas looked up at the second floor, where most windows were dark except for one room glowing with warm light.
He had no intention of ringing the doorbell.
"Emma!" he called directly toward the mansion. "Come out here! I need to talk to you!"
His voice carried far in the silent night.
"Emma, I want to see you! Stop hiding from me!"
He shouted several more times, his tone brooking no refusal.
On the second floor, two heads peeked through the curtains of the darkened master bedroom.
"I told you he'd show up," Ruby whispered with smug satisfaction. "You lost the bet—this month you're bottom, I'm top. No backing out!"
Most people wouldn't understand the implication of that statement.
Daryl's brow furrowed with concern. "Didn't we raise the perimeter wall recently? It should hold him back, right?"
Before Daryl finished speaking, a dark figure had already vaulted smoothly over the wall, landing with practiced ease.
The movement was clean and efficient, no wasted motion.
Ruby sucked in a sharp breath. "Damn, Nicholas has some serious skills."
Daryl, "..."
Nicholas sprinted to the front of the mansion, looking up to lock onto the single lit window on the second floor.
"Emma! I know you're in there! Come down here! I have something to say to you!"
His voice was even louder this time.
Suddenly, a door clicked open, but it wasn't Emma who emerged.
It was Evelyn, with a nervous-looking Nina beside her. Both girls stood on the balcony, looking down at him with obvious disdain.
Evelyn crossed her arms, pulling her lips into a mocking smile.
"Mr. Harrison, you really are shameless beyond belief!"
"You just finished that heart-wrenching romantic confession performance with Zoe, and now you're frantically showing up at Emma's doorstep?"
"This seamless transition—even if you're not disgusted by yourself, I find it absolutely revolting!"
She looked him up and down, making no effort to hide the contempt in her eyes.
Evelyn's razor tongue was in full form, making even Nina shrink back nervously.
A vein pulsed at Nicholas's temple, but he didn't rise to her bait, his voice dropping several octaves.
"Tonight was a misunderstanding. I'll explain everything to her personally. Please just ask Emma to come down."
"Explain?" Evelyn laughed mockingly. "If explanations actually worked, what would we need lawyers for?"
She elbowed Nina beside her, encouraging her, "Go ahead, tell him off! This is the jerk who hurt Emma!"
Nina immediately sprang into action, gesticulating wildly at Nicholas in rapid sign language, her small face flushed red with indignation.
Her hands moved so quickly they were almost a blur.
Evelyn, relishing the drama, immediately began her "interpretation."
"Did you hear that? She called you a total scumbag!"
Evelyn paused, her grin turning wicked. "She says you spend a year preparing under the sheets but only last three minutes on top!"
Nina's eyes went wide with horror as she clapped both hands over her mouth, not daring to make even the slightest sound.
She stared at Evelyn in shock—she definitely hadn't said anything like that!
Nicholas's expression had moved far beyond what could be described as merely dark—he looked ready to explode.
But he refused to engage in a verbal sparring match with someone like Evelyn, knowing it would only make things worse.
He took a deep breath and looked up at the second-floor window again.
"Emma! You won't come down? Fine. Then I'm coming up to find you!"
As he spoke, he began rolling up his shirtsleeves, revealing his muscular forearms. From his stance, it was clear he was serious about climbing up there.
The second-story height really wouldn't pose much of a challenge for him.
Evelyn panicked.
"Nicholas! Don't you dare!"
"Try climbing up here and I'll call the police immediately! I'll have you arrested for trespassing!"
Nicholas completely ignored her threats, stepping back a few paces as he calculated the distance and looked for handholds, clearly preparing to make his move.