Chapter 127 Hope, You Can Bury Me Yourself
The dim lighting in the room created an ambiguous atmosphere.
Nicholas tossed Emma onto the soft bed. Before she could react, his tall figure was already looming over her.
He knelt on one knee on the bed, looking down at her from above, his slender fingers slowly and deliberately unbuttoning his shirt, one button, two buttons...
In his deep eyes, dangerous signals flickered, like a big bad wolf about to devour a little white rabbit.
"Don't—don't come any closer!" Emma suddenly felt nervous, scrambling backward toward the edge of the bed with her hands and feet, wishing she could disappear into the ground and escape immediately.
Nicholas's thin lips curved into a teasing arc, his unfathomably deep eyes locked on her. "What's wrong? Already chickening out? Don't want to marry me anymore?"
His voice was low and husky, scratching at her eardrums like a feather.
Emma shook her head frantically, her face deathly pale.
Her frightened deer-like appearance actually pleased him, and the bit of displeasure in Nicholas's heart instantly vanished.
"Come here." He lazily crooked his finger, commanding her, his tone brooking no argument.
Emma shook her head vigorously, her small mouth pressed tight, looking determined to resist to the death.
Nicholas's gaze suddenly turned cold, as if tempered with ice. "You dare to hire male models? Who gave you the nerve, huh?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an oppressive feeling like a storm about to break.
Before Emma could defend herself, he had already reached out with his long arm, precisely catching her slender ankle and yanking her back forcefully!
"Ah—!" Emma screamed as her whole body was dragged back uncontrollably.
Her calf hit the edge of the bed, making her gasp in pain.
"Will you dare do it again?" Nicholas leaned down, his nose almost touching hers.
His hot breath sprayed on her face, carrying an intense masculine scent.
Emma shook her head desperately. "Never again! It was just a joke!"
Right now, she was in the weaker position, so she couldn't fight back.
A triumphant smile flashed in Nicholas's eyes, and only then did he release his grip on her.
He scooped her up horizontally again and strode toward the balcony.
The night breeze was slightly cool, tousling her hair.
He held her as they both sat on the wide lounge chair, his arms like iron clamps, tightly restraining her waist, making it impossible for her to move. Her whole body stiffened, her back pressed tightly against his warm chest, where she could clearly feel his strong heartbeat.
"Let me go..." she struggled in a small voice, feeling very flustered inside.
He lowered his head, his warm lips brushing past her ear, his low magnetic voice exploding in her ear. "Don't move."
"If you keep squirming, I really won't be polite anymore."
His tone carried a bit of laziness, a bit of threat, and a bit of indescribable ambiguity.
Emma immediately backed down and didn't dare move anymore. It seemed things between her and Mr. West had become even more ambiguous.
After quite a while, Nicholas spoke again, but his voice was incredibly gentle, as if he had become a different person, coaxing her softly. "Tell me, what happened, hmm?"
That gentle trailing tone scratched at her heart like a feather.
Emma's nose tingled, and she sniffled pitifully, her voice hoarse. "She... she was badly hurt..."
"Couldn't be saved?" Nicholas's voice revealed no emotion.
"She was saved..." Emma's voice choked up. "It's just... there was so much blood."
Thinking of Evelyn covered in wounds, her heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. It hurt!
"You know her?" Nicholas's tone carried some surprise.
Emma nodded, her voice muffled. "Yeah, she's Evelyn."
Hearing this, Nicholas's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Evelyn? He really didn't expect she would also come to Luminous City. What was she doing here causing trouble? Nicholas's brow furrowed slightly.
Nicholas gently patted her back, speaking in that tone used to coax children, his voice low.
"She'll slowly get better. Don't worry too much."
Emma responded with a muffled sound, and feeling his steady heartbeat, her mood seemed to calm down a bit.
Nicholas rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice carrying a strange, distant quality.
"Life is unpredictable. You never know which will come first—tomorrow or an accident. I heard a story once; the person who buries you with their own hands in a past life will become your spouse in this life."
His voice was very light, as if telling a legend that had nothing to do with him.
"If I die someday," he paused, his voice taking on a barely noticeable hoarseness, "I hope you'll be the one to bury me with your own hands. That way, in the next life, I can marry you!"
He spoke casually, yet it was like a huge stone thrown into Emma's heart, stirring up waves.
Emma suddenly lifted her head, staring at him in a daze.
In the moonlight, the lines of his handsome profile were distinct, his eyes so deep they seemed to draw people in.
She never would have thought such words carrying a sense of destiny would come from Nicholas's mouth.
"Mr. West... are you okay?" she asked tentatively.
Nicholas looked down at her, the corners of his lips lifting in an attractive arc, his eyes carrying a teasing smile.
"What? Weren't you always clamoring to marry me? Now I'm giving you a chance, and you don't want it anymore?"
His warm breath brushed across her cheek, carrying his unique crisp scent.
Emma suddenly coughed, trying to recover from her loss of composure.
"How can I compete with those two men?" Her raised voice was clearly covering her guilty conscience.
Nicholas suddenly laughed. "Or, you could compete with them. You have more advantages than they do. I'll let you use the back door!"
Taking advantage of his inattention, she broke free from his embrace and kicked him.
She said playfully, "Mr. West, I wonder if you've heard—there's a place in the world with a very special way of confessing. If you love someone, you kick them."
Nicholas was stunned for a moment. "Got it. I've received Miss NOVA's love!"
He smiled mischievously. "Now, I'd like to express myself too."
He stood up, his tall figure moving toward her.
Emma wasn't stupid—she ran off in a flash!
Suddenly, blood dripped from Nicholas's nose, and he rushed into the bathroom!
...
The next day, Evelyn finally woke up.
She struggled to open her heavy eyelids, and the first thing that came into view was Hawk's chiseled handsome face.
He was lying beside her, sleeping deeply, but one large hand was tightly holding her small hand, transmitting continuous warmth.
Evelyn moved slightly and felt that the pain in her body seemed much better, no longer as heart-wrenching as before.
She instinctively raised her other hand, and the blood-red bracelet on her wrist once again stung her eyes.
This wasn't a dream! Theo had really been here!
She gently moved the fingers he was holding.
Almost simultaneously, Hawk's sharp eagle-like eyes snapped open, his gaze clear without a trace of the confusion of just waking up.
He quickly sat up and reached out to feel Evelyn's forehead, his brow relaxing. "Good, the fever's finally broken."
His voice carried a trace of barely noticeable fatigue. She'd had nightmares all night, which had really worn him out.
Evelyn turned her face away somewhat embarrassed, her voice still a bit hoarse. "Where is this?"
Hawk spoke flatly. "Skywater Peak. The hot springs and air here are good for healing."
After speaking, he got up and walked straight out, leaving behind an upright figure.
Evelyn watched his retreating back, her heart a jumble of emotions.
Before long, the door was pushed open.
Emma rushed in like a gust of wind, her face showing undisguised worry.
"Emma?" Evelyn thought she was seeing things, her eyes widening in disbelief as she struggled to get up.
"Hey, don't move!" Emma rushed to the bedside in a few quick steps, pressing Evelyn down with quick reflexes. "Be careful of your wounds!"
"Emma!" Evelyn's tears came instantly, grabbing Emma's hand. "That day at the arena... why didn't you save me! I thought... I thought I'd never see you again! I almost died!"
Emma was stunned by this sudden accusation.
The arena? She had no memory of that at all!
After crying for quite a while, Evelyn finally stopped her tears with sniffles, then suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes lighting up. "Emma! I saw Theo! He's alive!"
Hearing this, Emma's heart tightened, and she urgently asked, "Theo? Where is he? Tell me quickly!"
Evelyn sniffled and told her story in bits and pieces—how she was kidnapped and then rescued by her brother.
Emma listened quietly, occasionally patting her back gently to comfort her.
When Evelyn finished, she pulled her into an embrace, softly comforting her. "It's okay, it's all over now. You're safe now. When your injuries heal, I'll send someone to take you home, and I'll go find Theo too."
"No!" Evelyn immediately objected, grabbing her arm, her eyes determined. "I won't leave alone! Emma, you have to come with me! Leave this awful place!"
Standing outside the door, about to bring in a bowl of medicine, Hawk heard the words "leave" and paused, his fingers tightening slightly around the bowl, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.
Emma went downstairs to get medicine and ran into James rushing out of the side hall, looking somewhat strange.
She ran over. "James, what's wrong?"
Looking up, she saw Mr. West buttoning up his shirt, as if he had just taken it off.
What happened? James gripped her hand, his tone somewhat urgent. "Emma, I need to go back to the lab. I'm leaving today."
He looked back at Nicholas. "Mr. West, please have someone take me to the airport."
"Okay!" Nicholas walked out. Although James didn't say anything, from his expression, he could predict that the poison in his system was quite severe.
So for now, they still couldn't let Emma know, to avoid worrying her.
Emma looked surprised. "Why so urgent? Did something happen?"
"There's no time!" He seemed a bit flustered and added, "I need to leave now. Quick, take me."
James ran out, and Emma followed. James stood not far away with Nicholas, seeming to give instructions, then took out a small packet of pills from his pocket and handed them to him, giving careful instructions.
Nicholas nodded solemnly. James came over again, said a few words to Emma, then boarded the plane and left.
Emma asked curiously, "Mr. West, what did James just give you?"
Nicholas glanced at her and said coldly, "Aphrodisiac!"
Emma was speechless.