Chapter 63: Honored Guest

Emma Johnson's POV

After changing into our matching outfits, Louis and I exchanged a knowing smile in the mirror.

"Not bad at all, Mrs. Campbell." Louis glanced at his reflection, then turned to me, his voice soft and low.

"Help me pick out a tie." Even his normal speaking voice seemed tinged with the lingering heat from our earlier encounter. My ears burned crimson.

"Sure."

I stood before the glass cabinet, looking up.

Louis had exacting standards when it came to his wardrobe. Everything—ties, watches, suits, shoes—was stored in dedicated glass cases, cleaned daily by staff.

I'd known this, of course, but seeing the seemingly endless display still left me momentarily stunned.

It was excessive, even by his standards.

A single tie style came in every conceivable color, more variety than you'd find in a flagship store.

At a glance, the sheer selection was dizzying.

"This one." I rose on my tiptoes, randomly selecting one, and held it up to him. But he didn't move.

"Do you know how to tie one?"

His dark eyes settled on me, his tone carrying a hint of expectation.

"Of course."

In my past life, after marrying Louis—despite how badly things had ended—I'd completed every etiquette course required of me, without exception.

Tying a tie was child's play.

I expertly looped the silk around his neck, mentally calculating the measurements.

"Who else have you tied ties for?"

He leaned closer, the air between us thick with the intimate mingling of our breaths.

Louis's possessiveness was so intense it made me want to laugh.

Just as I reached the final step, I tugged sharply, easily pulling him toward me.

So close we were almost kissing.

"Mr. Campbell, your possessiveness is showing."

We descended the stairs side by side. Mary, just notified of our departure, looked up and couldn't hide the dazzled admiration in her eyes.

"Ma'am, Mr. Campbell—you two look absolutely stunning together."

I smiled and nodded. "Mary, we're heading out. You rest well."

Outside, Sarah stood by the car, stomping her foot in sullen frustration.

"What if I insist on sitting in the back? You actually dare make me sit in the passenger seat!"

Louis's voice cut through coldly. "Sarah."

She spun around, ready to wheedle, then caught sight of our matching outfits. Her eyes went wide with fury.

"Louis, you two are—"

I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong? Don't we look good?"

Louis wore a charcoal gray suit while I had on a matching gray dress that perfectly accentuated my figure.

I slipped my arm through his, the picture of intimacy.

"Good my ass!" Sarah hissed through clenched teeth.

No matter how hard she tried to maintain her ladylike facade, she couldn't suppress the rage blazing in her eyes.

"Sarah, mind your language and attitude," Louis said evenly.

"Your bodyguards won't let me sit in back! Louis, you have to do something!" Sarah huffed, as if she'd found her champion, pointing accusingly at Luke and Jake, his personal security detail. She was practically grinding her teeth in frustration.

Louis remained calm, his expression unruffled.

Luke's face was equally impassive. "Apologies, Mr. Campbell gave explicit instructions—the back seat is reserved exclusively for his wife."

I felt a small jolt of surprise and couldn't help stealing a glance at the man beside me.

So that's why I'd always been alone with Louis in the back.

He'd given those orders from the start.

All of Louis's luxury vehicles shared one feature: the front and rear sections were like two separate worlds. Unless Louis pressed the intercom button, those in front couldn't hear a thing from the back.

Which meant Sarah wouldn't be able to bother us the entire ride.

"Louis!" Sarah looked ready to cry, shooting me a resentful glare. "There's enough room back there, isn't there?"

"It was my decision. You know I stick to my principles. You'll have to make do with the front seat this time," Louis said casually. "Or I can have the driver call another car for you."

I couldn't suppress my smile.

Sarah's eyes reddened. Realizing she couldn't change the outcome, she furiously turned and stormed toward another vehicle.

Jake opened our door. "Mr. Campbell, ma'am, after you."

Half an hour later, we arrived at Campbell Manor.

In the darkness, the ancestral estate blazed with light, its quiet grandeur a testament to old family power.

Entering through the main doors, the butler and servants bustled about, making the mansion livelier than usual.

"Mr. Campbell, Mrs. Emma Campbell, welcome home."

The butler wore his familiar smile, opening the door with a gesture of invitation. "Everyone's already gathered inside."

Louis gave a slight nod, then shifted my hand from his arm down to intertwine our fingers.

I had a vague sense that tonight's gathering was bigger than expected.

"Don't be nervous," Louis said, as if reading my mind. "I'm here."

I flashed him a confident smile. "I know."

We entered the main hall together. The brilliant crystal chandelier cast dazzling light across the room.

The air was perfumed with a perfect blend of fresh flowers and expensive fragrances.

Elizabeth presided from her usual seat, flanked by various Campbell family branch members—and Sarah.

The moment Sarah saw me, she didn't bother hiding her disgust, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Louis, you're here."

Elizabeth beamed when she spotted us, warmly beckoning us over.

Seated beside her were the honored guests Louis had been summoned to meet.

My gaze shifted toward them—and my body went rigid.

The man was around fifty, wearing a perfectly tailored navy suit, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His bearing was refined, his smile warm.

The woman beside him was impeccably maintained, dressed in a champagne pearl-finish gown, her chestnut hair elegantly swept up to reveal a slender neck adorned with glittering diamond earrings.

Harry and Anna!

A chill shot up my spine.

The shattered, blood-soaked fragments of memory from my past life came crashing back.

Harry Brooks had built his fortune primarily through Brooks Group. At the height of his success, he'd declared bankruptcy.

Overnight, he'd gone from celebrated entrepreneur to debt-ridden vagrant.

He'd come to Louis for help, tearfully confessing how Anna Brooks had swindled him out of everything—even the child in her belly wasn't his.

Though Louis had extended his aid, it hadn't been enough to dispel the enormous shadow over Harry's heart.

Not long after, news came that Harry had drowned himself in the river.

As someone Louis deeply respected, the tragedy had devastated him. Even Elizabeth had fallen gravely ill, her health permanently damaged.

And all of it—every bit—had been orchestrated by the glamorous woman standing before me.

Anna!

History was repeating itself!

The realization hit me like a physical blow. My body began to tremble slightly. Louis noticed immediately, lowering his head in concern.

I shook my head silently, forcing myself to stay calm.

Louis took my hand and led me forward, greeting the elders with perfect composure.

"Uncle Harry, Aunt Anna. It's been too long."