Chapter 180 I Love Emma
A swarm of reporters surged forward, bombarding them with questions from every direction.
"Mr. Harrison, are you planning to remarry Ms. Rodriguez?"
"Mr. Harrison, is your relationship with Dr. N based on corporate strategy or true love?"
"Mr. Harrison, have you officially broken up with Miss Perez?"
Several burly bodyguards quickly stepped in, forcing the frenzied reporters back. Camera flashes exploded like bursts of lightning, threatening to swallow them whole.
Charlie swiftly opened the car door.
In the next second, Nicholas swept Emma into his arms and stepped into the vehicle.
His movements were surprisingly gentle, careful not to jostle her or cause her any discomfort.
The door slammed shut, and the car shot forward like an arrow, instantly breaking free from the media circus.
"Nicholas! What the hell do you think you're doing!"
Emma finally exploded. She struggled to sit upright, her beautiful eyes blazing with hurt and fury, glistening with unshed tears.
"Can't you show me even the most basic respect?"
Nicholas's imposing frame filled the narrow space of the car as he leaned closer, unintentionally trapping her between himself and the door.
He still held her wrist, preventing her from moving away. His jaw was tight, his expression rigid with tension.
When he spoke again, his voice had dropped to a dangerously low tone, carrying unmistakable authority.
"I don't like seeing you with other men."
"He's just a friend! We were having dinner!" Emma shot back, her voice trembling with anger. “Did that really warrant such a dramatic scene? You even kicked him..."
“You two were photographed together and the photos are trending online. Someone’s clearly pulling strings behind the scenes,” Nicholas interrupted, his voice heavy with suspicion.
He could sense it—this situation had been deliberately orchestrated.
Emma froze for a moment, stunned.
“I can’t control who takes photos of me!” she said sharply. “And regardless, I didn’t do anything wrong. So you don’t need to make such a big deal out of this!”
Nicholas watched the crystal tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, something in his chest tightening painfully.
His expression softened almost instantly. He reached out, intending to wipe away her tears—
But Emma turned her head away
"Alright, alright, I went too far." Nicholas said in a soothing tone. "I'll have Charlie send him compensation for medical expenses. Don't be angry anymore."
The words were like striking a match in a powder keg.
"This is about medical expenses?"
Emma repeated.
She finally broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"This is exactly what you always do! So self-righteous! Have you ever once considered how I feel?”
Seeing her eyes filled with tears and wounded pride, genuine panic gripped Nicholas.
His usual sense of control collapsed instantly.
"I'm sorry, I was impulsive just now. Please don't cry." He leaned closer, attempting to kiss her cheek. "I'll take you for hot pot, okay?"
But she quickly turned her head away, avoiding his lips.
Lights from passing cars flickered through the window, casting shifting shadows across her face.
“Nicholas,” she said quietly, her voice turning cold with exhaustion.
"Your love is suffocating. I can't handle it, and maybe..."
"Emma, don't push me away."
He cut her off quickly, a faint tremor creeping into his voice.
"My life can't exist without you."
She lifted her tear-streaked eyes and looked at him silently.
The anger in her expression had vanished, replaced by a deep, bone-weary sadness.
"Nicholas, I don't want compensation or material things."
“Zoe has hurt me again and again, yet you’ve always protected her—always shielded her.”
Her voice was soft, but every word landed like a blade.
"Why is that?"
He fell silent.
His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, but no words emerged.
The life debt from four years ago was something that could never repay—something impossible to explain clearly, impossible to erase.
He had once felt something for Zoe, but that truly belonged to the past.
How could he explain these complex, tangled relationships to Emma?
In the end, a thousand unspoken words condensed into a single sentence. "I'm sorry."
Those few words were sharper than any blade.
Emma fell silent, her heart aching as though it were being torn apart.
She leaned her head against the cold car window, staring blankly at the blurred nightscape outside.
"Take me home."
He continued trying to comfort her, his voice filled with urgency. “Emma, I promise I’ll never let her hurt you again because of our past. I can’t change what happened before, but from now on—you're my entire world."
His voice carried a rare sincerity.
But Emma said nothing.
In her world, it felt as though a storm had begun—relentless rain pouring down, leaving everything in ruins.
The car soon came to a smooth stop in front of the Jackson Mansion.
Charlie stepped out and opened the car door.
Emma's feet touched the ground, and her body swayed unsteadily.
She had only taken a few steps when her vision suddenly went black, and she collapsed forward.
"Emma!"
A steady figure rushed out from the main entrance, catching her wavering form just in time.
It was Daryl.
Seeing this, Nicholas felt his heart seize as he instinctively moved forward.
Daryl looked up and shot him a lethal glare.
That gaze was ice-cold and razor-sharp, filled with unmistakable fury and warning.
Nicholas froze mid-step.
At the same time, news alerts continued to bombard his phone.
#Mr. Harrison and Dr. N's Passionate Kiss#
#SHOCKING! Mr. Harrison's Public Abduction#
#Dr. N's Romance Exposed#
Each trending headline was more explosive than the last, quickly turning into the internet’s hottest scandal.
Not long after, a car screeched to a stop outside the mansion. The family doctor hurried inside, medical bag in hand.
Nicholas remained at the front gate, staring at the tightly shut door. Anxiety burned in his chest.
He sent Emma message after message and called repeatedly, but every attempt went unanswered.
Time dragged on. Every second felt like torture.
At last, just before dawn, the doctor finally came out, looking exhausted.
Nicholas strode toward him immediately, his voice hoarse with worry. "Doctor, what happened in there?"
The doctor glanced at him before answering in a calm, professional tone.
"She experienced some pregnancy complications caused by excessive emotional stress. Her condition is stable now, butshe needs complete rest."
Nicholas nodded, his mind buzzing.
A wave of relief washed over him. Instinctively, he assumed the doctor was referring to Evelyn's pregnancy complications.
Inside the Jackson family living room, lights blazed throughout the night.
Ruby stared at the trending photos and the flood of online comments, her hands trembling with fury.
She grabbed a baseball bat and headed for the door, ready to storm out.
"I'm going to destroy him! That bastard!"
"Get back here!" Daryl caught her arm, his expression dark.
"I'll handle this," he said grimly. "This is a conversation between men."
After calming his wife, he walked toward the front gate himself.
Outside, Nicholas stood rigidly in the cold night air. His suit was damp with dew, and exhaustion and anxiety were etched across his handsome face.
Daryl looked at him, his eyes completely devoid of warmth.
He didn’t waste time with pleasantries.
“Do you want to reconcile with Emma?”
Nicholas's throat tightened. He swallowed hard before nodding.
“Yes.”
"Fine." Daryl’s voice carried the authority of a man used to being obeyed, mixed with a trace of reluctant resignation. "I'll give you a roadmap."
He raised two fingers.
“First, immediately have your people suppress those trending topics online. Then issue a public statement. I shouldn’t need to tell you what it needs to say.”
He paused before continuing.
“Second, make things right with my daughter. Earn her forgiveness. Make her willing to acknowledge you again."
“Third, stop upsetting her. She's in a fragile state right now—more precious than gold. She must not cry or become emotionally distressed.”
Daryl fixed Nicholas with a hard, unwavering stare, stressing every word.
"Complete all three things, and I'll consider giving you a chance."
Given the child Emma was carrying, Daryl knew he couldn’t simply cut the father out of the picture.
"Agreed!" Nicholas met the imposing man’s gaze and nodded solemnly.
Daryl said nothing further. He turned, walked back toward the mansion, and firmly shut the door.
Nicholas remained outside the gate, standing watch through the night.
Like a silent sentinel statue.
Only when dawn finally broke over the horizon did he return to his car and drive away.
The next day, the sky over Emerald City was grey and overcast.
Yesterday’s explosive trending topics had all been suppressed.
On his official social media account, Nicholas posted a single sentence: [I love Emma.]
The message was brief, but it spoke volumes.
All the rumors linking Dr. N and Leon that had spread across the internet like wildfire were extinguished instantly, as if someone had poured cold water over the flames.
Netizens who had been frantically tagging Dr. N and Leon yesterday fell silent today, fearful of provoking Nicholas Harrison’s wrath.
At Harrison Group headquarters, in the CEO's office.
Tyler lounged comfortably on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other. Two coffee cups sat on the table in front of him—one already empty.
He had clearly been waiting for quite some time.
The office door opened.
Nicholas walked in, his presence radiating an oppressive tension. His handsome face was dark with irritation.
His gaze landed on Tyler.
“Did you get DNA samples from the White family?” he asked hoarsely.
Tyler smirked and pushed a document envelope across the table.
"When I take on a job, you can trust it’ll get done.”
"I handled this personally—completely authentic and secure."
The tight knot in Nicholas’s chest instantly loosened. A surge of fierce anticipation flooded his heart. He strode over and grabbed the envelope.
Then he pressed the intercom button.
“Charlie, come in.”
Afterward, Nicholas opened a desk drawer and carefully retrieved two sealed evidence bags.
The labels were written in bold black marker.
One read: Zoe.
The other: Emma.
Each bag contained several strands of hair.
“Oversee this personally,” Nicholas ordered coldly. “Find the most authoritative laboratory available and get the results as quickly as possible.”
His gaze was sharp as a blade.
“Remember—there is absolutely no room for error.”
"Yes, sir." Charlie accepted the bags with both hands, as if receiving military orders. He nodded firmly before turning and leaving.
Empire City, White family estate.
Zoe stared at her phone screen, trembling with rage, her beautiful face deathly pale.
[I love Emma.]
Her social media comments section had completely exploded. Fans were in chaos, wild speculation spreading everywhere.
Nicholas had publicly declared his love.
Wasn’t that the same as announcing that he was abandoning her?
What did that make her? A joke?
Just then, Mrs. White walked in carrying a bowl of bird’s nest soup. When she saw her daughter’s devastated expression, concern filled her face.
"What's wrong, darling? Who's upset my precious daughter?"
Zoe could no longer hold back. She threw herself into her mother’s arms, burying her face in her shoulder as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Mom, Nicholas... he's publicly declared his love for another woman."
"He doesn't love me anymore. I'm heartbroken..."
Mrs. White gently patted her back, her voice soft yet filled with absolute confidence.
"Don't worry. My Olivia is the most outstanding girl in the world—beautiful and capable. What right does Nicholas Harrison have to reject you?"
"Tomorrow, I'll accompany you to Emerald City. I'll personally visit the Harrison family."
"My daughter deserves any man she wants!"
Just as she finished speaking, the butler burst in with an announcement.
"Mrs. White, Mr. White has returned!"
Zoe spun around sharply, her beautiful eyes widening in shock, her heart pounding wildly...