Emily closed her laptop slowly as she walked over to the window, releasing a deep breath before reaching for her cell phone to make a call. "I want to return to Kinnis tonight," she stated firmly.
As her words left her lips, a car abruptly screeched to a stop downstairs, its brakes emitting a sharp, harsh sound.
Emily, standing by the window sill, turned her head to see a man stepping out of the driver's seat, clad in a conspicuous black suit that stood out against the afternoon sun. The light seemed to favor him, casting all attention upon him, rendering it impossible to look away.
Mixed emotions surged within Emily at that moment.
Before she could process further, her cell phone buzzed.
Glancing at the caller ID, she promptly ended the call.
Her gaze then fell upon the man downstairs, and her eyes locked with Derek's dark, stern stare. In those eyes, she sensed an intense, unspoken emotion, one she dared not inquire about.
Returning to her room, Emily settled onto the living room couch and sent a message: "I won't see you; you should go back."
Almost immediately came Derek's response, "Emily, come down; I'll explain."
A faint smile tugged at Emily's lips.
Yes, Emily—that was her name too, the same name as his wife's.
Quite a coincidence indeed.
With a sigh, she closed her phone and resumed packing. But before she could proceed, a knock sounded at the door. Before she could object, the maid rushed to open it.
He stood at the entrance of the living room, his gaze fixed distantly on Emily. Gripping her cell phone tightly, she realized there was no escaping this confrontation. She knew too well that the man before her had numerous ways to track her down.
The room fell silent.
The maid discreetly withdrew, allowing Emily and Derek space. "Mr. Scott, let's move this conversation to a private setting," Emily suggested, breaking the silence.
Emily rose from her seat and briskly made her way to her room. Derek trailed behind, matching her pace. The room was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, casting an orange hue throughout.
Standing by the window, Emily gazed out coldly. "Mr. Scott, what do you have to say to me?" she inquired, her tone devoid of warmth.
"I saw the news online, but please believe me, things are never as they seem on the internet," Derek responded, his voice tinged with desolation.
Emily hadn't anticipated him addressing the issue directly; she had expected him to evade it.
She turned her gaze and offered a faint smile. "Out of curiosity, I looked up your wife's picture, and it turns out your wife and I bear a striking resemblance. So, Mr. Scott, care to explain?" she asked calmly.
At her words, Derek fell silent, a stark contrast to his usual composure when handling multi-billion-dollar projects. Now, he found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to broach the delicate matter.
Would revealing the truth trigger memories from four years ago? He grappled with the dilemma, torn between honesty and protecting her from past pain.
"I apologize, Mr. Scott. Perhaps I shouldn't pry into your personal affairs," Emily said, her smile deepening. "I just find it remarkable that the similarities of me and your wife may have drawn you to me, whether by luck or misfortune."
Derek regarded her with an intense gaze, his eyes betraying emotions she couldn't decipher. Uncomfortable with the intensity of his stare, Emily averted her gaze. "Mr. Scott, please, you should head back. I need some rest," she suggested gently.
"Emily, regardless of what you may think, there's something I need to tell you," Derek began, taking a deep breath. "I care for you more deeply than you realize."
Without waiting for her response, he swiftly exited the room.
Later that evening, Emily arrived at Kinnis Airport and took a cab straight home. Exhausted from recent events, she fell into a deep slumber as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Meanwhile, Fiona sat in the Parker family living room, her brow furrowed in concern.
She glanced at her cell phone for the hundredth time, checking for a text message. Eric had sent her four or five messages in quick succession:
"Ms. Scott and I are in Kinnis right now, let's meet up."
"Ms. Parker, did you get my message?"
"Ms. Parker, I'd like to meet you; there's something I need to ask you face to face."
"Ms. Parker, if you don't get back to me, I'll have to visit the Parker family in person."
In between these texts, several phone calls had gone unanswered. She vaguely realized that Eric was probably going to ask questions she didn't want to answer. At that moment, all she wanted was to escape.
"Fiona, what's wrong?" Simona asked softly as she walked over.
Fiona looked up at her mother.
Four years ago, her mother had run day and night to save her, aging visibly in the process.
Only after Fiona had fully recovered did her mother start focusing on her appearance, gradually taking on the demeanor of a noblewoman.
Although the Parker family still held power in Kinnis, they now faced a formidable challenge from the Scott family. As long as the Scott family made a move, the Parkers would be finished.
"I'm fine," Fiona replied, standing up and straightening her clothes and hair. "Mom, I'm going out to meet a friend."
Simona glanced at the time. "But it's already late..."
"Mom, I'm just meeting a common friend. I'll be back soon." With her bag in hand, Fiona left, unable to bring herself to tell her mother that the Parker family was on the brink of collapse.
She drove to the address Eric had given her, feeling as if her world was crumbling. Arriving at the five-star hotel, she parked her car and entered the building, her steps heavy with apprehension. She took the elevator to the top floor presidential suite and knocked gently on the door.
"Come in," came a cold, deep voice from within.
Fiona took a deep breath and pushed the door open, finding Eric seated on the couch.
"Ms. Parker, have a seat," he said, gesturing towards a chair.
Fiona entered slowly, her eyes downcast, and took a seat across from Eric.
"I've heard you've had poor health since childhood," Eric said softly, taking a sip of his coffee.
Fiona's fingers twitched, surprised he had even found out about this.
It didn't seem like it would take long at all for Derek to discover Emily.
Should she wait for him to find out, or should she take the initiative to tell everything now? But even if he did, it wouldn't change the fact that the Parker family had caused the death of Emily's baby...
"I also heard that four years ago, you almost died, but fortunately, the Parker family found a blood source, so you were able to retrieve your life, right?" Eric continued to press the question.
Fiona squeezed her fingers together and looked up. "What are you checking up on me for?"
Eric looked at her quietly. "What do you think? What am I checking up on you for?"
Fiona's heart fluttered. She was just a young woman in her early twenties; she couldn't help being tentative. All sorts of thoughts raced through her mind as she gritted her teeth. "I don't know what you're up to, but whatever it is, it has nothing to do with me!"
She got up and was about to leave.
Eric's voice sounded quietly behind her. "Ms. Parker, you have one last chance besides this one."
Fiona took a step and quickly left.
The hotel room door slammed shut.
Inside the suite, an upright and tall figure slowly stepped out — it was none other than Derek.
He spoke coldly. "She obviously knows something."
Eric nodded. "I think she should have guessed as soon as the news came out. Mrs. Scott's amnesia should have something to do with the Parker family; otherwise, she wouldn't be so scared."
"Then, we'll have to resort to some methods," Derek's eyes were sharp.