Chapter 194: Let Her Be at Ease

Chapter 194: Let Her Be at Ease

She wasn't about to waste another second on this hypocrite. Grabbing Michael's hand, she turned toward the car.

Lonnie stood there watching them drive away. The smile slowly faded from his face, his expression growing darker, more unreadable.

On the ride back, Emily's brows stayed furrowed, clearly rattled by the encounter.

Leaning against the window, she watched the scenery blur past. "Michael, I've got this bad feeling he's planning something..." Her voice dropped to a worried murmur. "I'm scared he might go after my mom..."

Lonnie was ruthless—capable of anything. With Natalie still bedridden and defenseless, Emily couldn't shake her worry.

Even though Michael had already posted several bodyguards outside Natalie's hospital room.

Michael took her cool hand in his, about to reassure her, when his phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the caller ID—Tobias.

He answered with brief responses, his expression calm except for a barely perceptible cold glint in his eyes.

After hanging up, he turned to Emily, still visibly anxious, and a slight smile curved his lips.

"Stop worrying, Emily." He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, his tone steady and confident.

"I've never let my guard down with Lonnie. The second he found out your mother was at this hospital, I had people watching him. And I've been collecting evidence on how he framed your father all those years ago."

He'd known Lonnie wouldn't give up easily, so he'd prepared in advance—to take him down completely before he could make his move.

He paused, watching Emily's eyes brighten instantly, then continued.

"Tobias just called—says the evidence is basically airtight. More than enough to put him away. Pretty soon, he won't be bothering you or your mother anymore."

Michael's words were like a beam of light, instantly cutting through the dark clouds hanging over Emily's heart.

She whipped around to face him, disbelief written across her features, her eyes flooding with joy and overwhelming relief. "Really? Michael, are you serious?"

Her voice trembled slightly, her palms breaking out in a fine sweat from the surge of emotion.

She'd felt powerless for so long—no evidence, no resources to seek justice for Ulysses or to completely escape the Caldwell family's harassment and threats.

She never imagined Michael had been quietly doing all this for her behind the scenes.

Michael nodded firmly, his gaze steady and sharp.

"Some of his projects involved illegal fundraising, commercial bribery, even more serious economic crimes. The evidence is solid. I've had everything organized and submitted to the authorities. Tomorrow at the earliest, day after at the latest, the news should break."

He'd sent people to dig into every corner of Lonnie's background long ago—from his company's financial statements to his private transaction records—gathering evidence piece by piece, all to give Emily a secure future.

He raised his hand, gently smoothing the worried crease between her brows, his tone carrying a hint of ice.

"He went after you and Mom. Now he needs to face the consequences."

He'd never shown mercy to anyone who hurt his family.

Emily clasped his hand tightly, so moved her eyes reddened.

This didn't just mean Natalie would be free from harassment—it meant the nightmare that had haunted her for years was finally ending.

The injustice Ulysses had suffered might finally see vindication.

She leaned against Michael's shoulder, tears sliding silently down her cheeks. This time, they weren't tears of sorrow or fear, but of pure relief and joy.

"Michael... thank you..." A thousand words caught in her throat, finally emerging as just those choked words of gratitude.

She knew a simple thank you could never repay everything he'd done for her.

He'd given her not just a warm home and genuine love, but had cleared away every obstacle so she could embrace a new life without looking over her shoulder.

Michael saw right through her. He gently drew her into his arms, careful of his back injury, letting her rest against his good shoulder. "Do we really need to say things like that to each other?" His voice was soft. "Protecting you and the people you care about—that's what I'm supposed to do as your husband."

He patted her back gently, his movements tender and comforting, like soothing a hurt child.

His words were like the warmest harbor, wrapping Emily in safety.

Nestled in his embrace, feeling his steady heartbeat and reassuring presence, her taut nerves finally relaxed completely.

The scenery flying past the window now seemed bright and full of hope—the blue sky, the flowers blooming along the roadside, everything brimming with life and possibility.

Sure enough, just as Michael had predicted.

The next day, both the business and news sections led with the same story—Lonnie, CEO of the Caldwell Group, had been taken into police custody for investigation into multiple serious economic crimes.

The Caldwell Group's stock price tanked at opening, plunging the company into unprecedented crisis.

Major media outlets rushed to cover the story, and online discussions exploded with people condemning Lonnie's actions.

The news detailed some of his crimes—the despicable methods, the staggering amounts involved—it was jaw-dropping.

Most importantly, it brought the Harrison family's wrongful case back into the spotlight.

Emily stared at the news on her tablet, emotions churning inside her.

She felt the satisfaction of justice served, but more than that, a sense of closure.

She closed the tablet and took a deep breath, feeling lighter than she had in years, as if a crushing weight had been lifted.

This shadow that had haunted her like a ghost for so long had finally been completely eliminated by Michael's decisive action.

With Lonnie's downfall, the last major threat lurking in her life had been removed.

Emily's life seemed to truly enter a peaceful, happy phase.

Michael's back injury healed quickly with careful treatment. Though the doctor still cautioned against overdoing it, he could handle daily activities without issue.

He gradually resumed control of the company, though he was more careful about work-life balance than before. He came home on time every day to be with Emily, no longer pulling those late nights like he used to.

Emily's pregnancy entered a more stable phase. Her morning sickness had basically disappeared, her appetite had improved considerably, and color had returned to her cheeks.

At Michael's insistence, she cut back on work, focusing most of her energy on the pregnancy and spending time with him.

Their villa gradually filled with baby items—a delicate cradle, soft clothes, adorable toys—each one carefully chosen together, full of anticipation for their little one.

Michael even hired professional childcare specialists and nutritionists to create customized meal plans and care routines for Emily's pregnancy, making sure both she and the baby would be healthy and safe.