Chapter 196 I Just Want to Win Back Emma
The news that Nicholas and Dr. N had never divorced hit the internet like a bomb, sending every lurking netizen out of hiding.
Public opinion quickly shifted, targeting Zoe directly.
[So Zoe was the homewrecker all along?]
[Even if she's Ms. White now, it doesn't change the fact that she was the other woman in someone's marriage.]
Zoe's fans fought back with fierce determination.
[Only the officially announced couple counts as legitimate. The unloved one is the real third wheel.]
[We only recognize Mr. Harrison and Zoe's official announcement. Dr. N was officially divorced—whoever wants to acknowledge her can go ahead.]
Both sides engaged in heated online battles across every platform.
Naturally, Nicholas, the male lead in this drama, became the target of collective criticism.
His indecision was the root cause of all this chaos.
Amid the torrent of criticism, Nicholas's official social media account posted an update.
[I just want to win Emma back. For the rest of my life, I will only love her.]
Two simple sentences, with no elaborate explanations, yet carrying an undeniable obsessiveness.
Public opinion exploded once again.
...
In the living room of Jackson Manor, the atmosphere was tense.
The Windsor family had barely left when Emma found herself surrounded by the four pillars of the Jackson family.
Ruby held up her phone, Nicholas's social media post glaring back at them with burning intensity.
"Do you still want to be with him?"
Emma looked at Ruby's anxious expression and shook her head without hesitation.
"No."
The suffocating tension in the room seemed to ease slightly.
Daryl exhaled a long breath of relief, and finally settled back into the sofa .
"Emma, that's the right answer."
"When a man cheats, there's never just one time—there are countless others to follow."
He looked at Emma, his eyes filled with heartache.
"His messy affairs with Zoe have been all over the internet for ages."
"Now that woman has become Ms. White, there'll definitely be more trouble ahead. We're not getting involved in this toxic drama."
Emma nodded vigorously in agreement.
Seeing this, Ruby quickly steered the conversation elsewhere,"I think that Mr. Windsor from today seems quite nice."
"His looks and background are first-rate, and Ms. Windsor said he's never even had a girlfriend. I think he's worth considering."
Emma had just lifted her water glass when she nearly choked, sensing something was off.
Evelyn, however, spoke up first with cutting insight.
"Mom, Emma is Dr. N, and the Windsor family's main business is medical. Wouldn't that be like a hungry wolf spotting a fat sheep?"
"Besides, how do you know Louis isn't here to scam her into marriage or steal her children?"
"Think about it—a man who's twenty-six and has never had a girlfriend? Does that make sense? What if he's... you know, dysfunctional too?"
Daryl and Ruby were instantly speechless.
Those words sounded eerily familiar.
Ruby quickly smoothed things over. "Well, we'll observe more then. No need to rush."
Daryl chimed in, "Right, I'll have someone investigate him. We can't be careless about this."
He made a mental note not to end up with another situation like Luke.
The thought made him shudder involuntarily.
Then Daryl pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
His expression turned serious, his tone official.
"Hello, is this the waste management department?"
"Someone's been littering outside my house. I need you to come handle it."
"Yes, that's right—Nicholas. Take him away and fine him."
Evelyn listened in stunned amazement, then gave him a thumbs up.
That move was absolutely brilliant.
Late at night.
Charlie had just finished his shower, wearing only dark blue boxers.
He yawned as he climbed into his warm bed, but before he could get comfortable, his phone started buzzing frantically.
After taking the call, he was completely dumbfounded.
Eventually, he had to crawl out of bed, hastily throw on clothes, and brave the cold wind to rush to the waste management department to pay an emergency littering fine.
Emma returned to her room.
On the balcony floor, more than a dozen paper airplanes still lay scattered.
She quietly walked over and picked them up one by one, her movements gentle.
Glancing down at the garden below, she froze.
In the darkness, Daryl was leading four bodyguards with a large cardboard box, carefully collecting the paper airplanes from the lawn.
Each plane had Emma's name written on it, and he couldn't bear to throw a single one in the trash.
Because he knew how much Emma treasured that one paper airplane Nicholas had given her—she'd kept it for fourteen whole years.
Emma's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
The next morning.
Emma woke to the fresh scent of flowers.
Opening her eyes, she saw a bouquet of budding white lilies on her nightstand that hadn't been there before.
Dewdrops still clung to the petals, and the air carried a familiar scent of cedar.
Her heart sank.
She hurried to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, finding exactly what she'd expected—a faint red mark on her pale neck.
That madman had actually come here last night...
The snow in Empire City continued falling heavily.
Luna sat beside Zoe's bed, feeling like her world had collapsed.
After learning that Zoe had been assaulted, she had held her daughter and sobbed for a long time, utterly devastated.
In the end, it was Zoe who ended up comforting her.
"Mom, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt anymore."
She said this even as her eyes were red and swollen.
"I just don't know if Nicholas will still marry me."
Upon hearing this, Luna immediately wiped away her tears, her gaze becoming determined.
"Don't worry. Your brother has already had those videos retrieved. Nicholas will never know about this."
"I will make him marry you. As long as he's willing to attend the recognition banquet, he'll definitely become your husband."
"Your father will pressure him too. Harrison Group has significant assets in Empire City, all under your father's jurisdiction."
Listening to her mother's assurances, Zoe nodded vigorously, her anxious heart settling somewhat.
Meanwhile, Luke gripped a freshly obtained report in his long fingers, his expression grave .
Without hesitation, he strode onto a private jet bound for Emerald City.
That evening, Ethan's birthday party took place in the crystal ballroom atop the Vast Star Hotel.
The rooftop garden was beautifully decorated, complete with a shimmering swimming pool.
This ballroom was never open to the public, and every face present belonged to Ethan's close friends and trusted business partners.
Just after eight o'clock, elegantly dressed men and women mingled with wine glasses, chatting in low voices.
On the nearby gift platform, birthday presents for Mr. Martinez had already formed a small mountain.
When Evelyn, Emma, and Nina appeared, the chatter near the entrance fell silent for a moment.
Nina looked like a princess from a fairy tale in her form-fitting blue off-shoulder cocktail dress that accentuated her already impressive curves.
Evelyn and Emma appeared more casual but were equally stunning.
Emma's beauty was breathtaking on its own, while Evelyn's natural bone structure made her seem like a walking clothes hanger.
Simply standing there, they looked like a living, expensive painting.
Whispers immediately rippled through the crowd.
"That's Dr. N—oh my God, in person."
"She's now the Harrison Group CEO's wife, probably the most prestigious woman in Emerald City."
"She's ten thousand times more beautiful than in photos. That cool elegance is incredible."
"The Miss Jackson next to her is gorgeous too. I heard she broke off her engagement with the Garcia family. Think there might be something with Mr. Martinez? He's been visiting the Jackson family a lot lately."
The guests murmured quietly until Ethan finally arrived.
He wore an impeccably tailored black haute couture suit, his posture straight and commanding, with broad shoulders and long legs. Each step carried the unhurried confidence of someone in power.
His handsome face was nearly perfect under the lights, though his deep eyes seemed colder than the night itself.
On his arm was a woman in a simple white dress—an unfamiliar face with a pure appearance, clean features, and the innocence of a college student.
She gazed up at Ethan with undisguised adoration and pride sparkling in her eyes.
Guests immediately surrounded them, and the scene became lively.
Ethan's lips curved in a practiced smile.
"Thank you all for coming to my birthday celebration."
His gaze fell on the woman beside him, his voice adding a touch of warmth. "This is my girlfriend, Emily South."
"Wow!"
"Mr. Martinez's girlfriend is so beautiful!"
"Congratulations, Mr. Martinez!"
Compliments rose from all around.
Nina stood frozen, watching the two of them bathed in the center spotlight like a perfect couple.
The light in her eyes dimmed bit by bit.
He had a girlfriend?
Such a beautiful, well-matched girlfriend.
"What the hell—a girlfriend?"
Evelyn was ready to explode, her voice rising several octaves.
"Then what does that make our Nina?"
She pushed through the crowd, ready to confront them, but Emma grabbed her wrist.
"Evelyn." Emma's voice was soft but carried undeniable authority. "Today is Mr. Martinez's event. Don't make a scene."
She turned to the pale-faced Nina, softening her tone.
"Let's go get something to eat over there, okay?"
The three women moved through the crowd toward the dimly lit dining area.
Nina tried to act nonchalant, staring intently at the colorful array of food.
She quickly picked up a plate of exquisite pastries and began eating voraciously.
Emma watched her with a furrowed brow.
"Don't eat too many sweets—you'll get a stomachache tonight."
Just as she finished speaking, a low, gentle male voice sounded nearby.
"Emma."
It was Nicholas, dressed casually today but still radiating nobility.
Emma looked at him, then stood and walked toward the small garden on the other side.
Nicholas quickly followed, undisguised joy filling his deep eyes.
The two found a relatively quiet corner on the terrace, where Emma turned around, coldly demanding answers.
"What's Ethan's deal? Bringing a girlfriend so publicly—doesn't he know Nina likes him?"
Nicholas's expression remained utterly cold, as if discussing something completely unrelated to him.
"He was never a good person to begin with."
"He changes girlfriends every three months. Nina would never have a future with him."
Fortunately, he was generous with every girlfriend—cars, houses, and breakup fees were always provided in full, leaving no emotional baggage behind.
Emma raised her eyes and shot him a look. "You're not exactly a good person either."
"What did you mean by announcing we never divorced? We already signed the agreement."
Hearing this, Nicholas's lips curved upward with satisfaction.
"We did sign it."
"Later, I had my lawyer add the property rights for Imperial Garden and HG Mall to a supplementary agreement. Property division was too complicated, so I tore it up."
Emma was stunned, then her expression grew even colder.
"Nicholas, stop doing these pointless, wasteful things."
He laughed, the smile not reaching his eyes, and with one swift motion, pulled her entire body into his arms, holding her tightly.
"Emma, that was my way of showing you how I feel."
He lowered his head, his warm breath tickling her ear.
"Do you like it? Is it romantic? Are you even a little bit moved?"
She pushed hard against him but he wouldn't budge an inch, only managing to spit out two cold words.
"Childish."
He flashed a charming yet dangerous smile. "Come on, let me see just how stubborn that mouth of yours really is."
With that, he lowered his head and kissed her.
Warmth spread across her lips, carrying the crisp woody scent from his body as it invaded dominantly.
"Nicholas..." Emma's mind went completely blank.
This man, in a place like this, actually...
Emma couldn't move at all—her small hands were already trapped by his large ones.
His kiss carried irresistible force, plundering the sweetness from her mouth without mercy.
He was addicted to her honeyed taste.
Passing guests who witnessed this scene quickly retreated in shock.