Chapter 73 Enough Games, I'm Done with This Charade
The scent of tobacco mingled with crisp pine cologne enveloped Emma instantly.
Seeing that Nicholas was the one who'd approached, the surrounding crowd visibly recoiled in fear, stepping back and clearing a wide space around them.
"Nicholas! What are you doing?"
Emma was both shocked and furious, pressing her hands against his solid chest, trying to push him away.
But he remained unmoved, his arms only tightening around her waist, holding her captive against his body.
He lowered his head, his burning breath ghosting over her sensitive ear.
"Tonight. You stood me up." His voice was dangerously low, carrying an edge of barely controlled anger.
Emma's body stiffened momentarily before she turned her face away with feigned indifference.
"Sorry, I forgot."
The man's chest rose and fell noticeably. He leaned closer, his lips nearly brushing her earlobe.
"Come with me."
He had so much to say, and he needed to say it now—immediately.
"Let go of me!"
Emma struggled against his hold.
Eyes from all directions fixed on them—curious, probing, speculative gazes that made her feel exposed and humiliated, a flush creeping up her cheeks.
"Mr. Harrison." A crisp, cold voice cut through the tension.
Matthew had appeared seemingly from nowhere, standing before them with an expressionless face, though his tone carried unmistakable ice.
"Stealing away my date the moment you arrive—that's hardly appropriate behavior."
Nicholas let out a derisive laugh.
He loosened his grip on Emma slightly but kept one possessive hand on her waist, marking his territory.
His gaze met Matthew's, cold and challenging.
"Mr. Moore, your habit of stealing other men's women is what needs correcting."
"Women?"
Matthew laughed as if he'd heard the most ridiculous joke, though his eyes remained sharp as they swept toward Nicholas.
"Surely Mr. Harrison's affections lie elsewhere?"
The mockery in his words was impossible to miss.
The atmosphere plummeted to freezing.
Matthew ignored Nicholas entirely, turning to Emma with gentle concern. "Emma, go find Sheryl. I'll handle this."
Emma immediately broke free from Nicholas's grip.
She practically fled, hurrying through the crowd to find Sheryl.
Nicholas remained where he stood, his dark gaze following her panicked retreat.
Only when that flash of gold disappeared from view did he look away, turning without expression and walking toward the smoking area outside the ballroom.
He lit a cigarette, the red ember glowing and fading in the darkness.
The reception finally ended, and guests began to leave in clusters.
A black Bentley sat conspicuously parked in the most visible spot outside the hotel entrance.
Nicholas leaned against the car door, his cigarette long since burned out.
He watched the hotel's revolving doors, his expression unreadable.
When Emma and Sheryl appeared at the entrance, he crushed the cigarette butt under his heel and strode forward, grabbing Emma's wrist before she could react.
His grip was so tight that she couldn't help but cry out in pain.
"Nicholas..."
She never finished the sentence. Nicholas moved with decisive force, giving her no chance to resist.
He yanked open the car door and practically shoved her entire body into the back seat.
The door slammed shut.
The engine roared to life, and the car shot forward like an arrow, quickly merging into traffic and disappearing into the night.
The entire incident happened with startling speed.
"Emma!"
Sheryl stood frozen in shock, her face pale as paper. She took a few stumbling steps after the car before frantically pulling out her phone with trembling fingers to call Matthew.
"Matthew! Something terrible happened! Emma—Mr. Harrison just... he forced her into his car and drove off!"
After Matthew hung up, his eyes flashed with a cold, dangerous light. He dialed an unfamiliar number.
"You have fifteen minutes. If you can't handle this, you know what I'm capable of. I don't keep useless people around."
......
The car raced down an unfamiliar highway.
In the back seat, Nicholas's arm was locked around her like a steel trap.
"Nicholas! What are you doing? Stop the car! Let me out!"
Emma struggled, her body twisting against his hold.
Sharp pain shot through her wound, making her wince.
"Did I hurt your injury?" Nicholas's voice carried barely perceptible concern.
"Stop moving, and I'll let go."
His tone softened, but his arm remained firm around her.
"Stop the car! Stop the car!" Emma ignored him, shouting toward the front.
The car fell into several seconds of dead silence, only the engine's roar filling the space.
Finally, Nicholas's low voice broke through, "Pull over at the bay up ahead."
The car climbed a hillside overlooking the ocean and slowly came to a stop.
The driver tactfully turned off the engine and got out, quickly disappearing into the distant treeline.
"Nicholas, what exactly do you want?" Emma pushed open the car door, cold wind immediately rushing in.
She leaned against the door frame, the ocean breeze whipping violently around her, sending her long hair streaming across her face.
"Do you have any idea how exhausting this is? How much your constant pursuit is wearing me down?" Her voice carried deep fatigue.
Nicholas followed her out of the car, the wind making his expensive suit flutter dramatically.
He shrugged off his jacket and naturally draped it over Emma's bare shoulders.
She didn't refuse or thank him, simply stared at the dark, churning waves in the distance.
"I'm sorry!" Nicholas began. "I just wanted to talk to you properly, but you never gave me the chance."
Emma turned to look at him, her gaze settling on his sharply defined features.
The streetlight carved out the straight line of his nose and his tightly pressed lips.
He was tall with an imposing frame, carrying an intimidating presence even in the dim light.
"Nicholas," she suddenly asked, "Do you even know what it means to love someone?"
The ocean wind howled as if trying to swallow her words.
He looked at her, his expression complex, his Adam's apple bobbing once.
Then he fell silent.
A long, crushing silence that felt colder than the wind.
Nicholas wasn't sure. He didn't dare answer.
Emma read everything she needed to know from his silence. She pulled at the corner of her mouth, revealing a smile so calm it was almost cruel.
"Nicholas, stop pursuing me. You're just stubborn, that's all. You can't stand the thought of a woman who once loved you so completely simply walking away."
She looked at him with eyes that were clear yet desperate, stating the facts with devastating clarity.
"But it's really not that big a deal. You get used to it eventually. I'm not actually that important."
She frowned slightly, then let out a self-deprecating laugh.
Nicholas whipped his head toward her, his deep eyes locking onto her face with laser intensity.
"Emma," his voice was rough, "Things have been confusing for me lately. I only feel at peace when I can see you."
Those words hit like a small stone dropped into still water.
She stared at him steadily.
"Nicholas, losing someone you don't love isn't frightening."
These were the same words she'd been using to comfort herself.
Emma's tone was perfectly calm, but somehow, it was heartbreaking to hear.
Nicholas watched her, feeling a sharp pain lance through his chest.
He reached out unconsciously, wanting to brush away the hair the wind had tangled across her face.
Just as his fingertips were about to touch her cheek, he froze.
"Emma, listen to me..." he began urgently. "I know everything now. All of it. I know the whole truth."
"I'm sorry, truly sorry for making you wait so long."
He spoke like a man confessing, his tone carrying a carefulness he wasn't even aware of.
Emma lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. "Nicholas, what are you saying?"
"The truth is..." He took a deep breath, wanting to tell her about what happened twelve years ago, that he hadn't forgotten her intentionally.
But a jarring phone ringtone suddenly pierced the coastal quiet, shattering the moment.