Overbearing CEO's Contract Love
Chapter 265: Then Earn It Yourself

Chapter 265: Then Earn It Yourself

Damien Sterling’s arm wrapped around Emma Hart’s neck, his body exuding a faint scent of tobacco mixed with the surge of hormones, creating a potent atmosphere as he leaned close to her neck. Emma’s body began to tremble slightly, fear creeping in as it always did in moments like these with him.

Damien’s breath was warm against her ear, his voice low and laced with a mischievous tone, "But money is a useful thing, it can do a lot of things, like..." His teeth grazed her earlobe, gently biting down, "make you listen obediently!"

Emma wriggled free from Damien’s embrace, managing to extricate herself and jump back, her body still shaking. He always seemed to measure her worth in money, seeing her as nothing more than a woman willing to do anything for it. It was clear now—he had always underestimated her, seen right through her.

But what was Emma really upset about? It seemed their relationship had always been just this way. Initially, it was money that brought her to him, and money that kept her by his side. Now his arrogance stemmed from believing she would once again bow before money, feigning pride.

Emma wasn’t particularly ambitious, but being demeaned like this was something she couldn’t even respect herself for enduring. "I don’t need your money!"

"Then whose money do you need?" he retorted sharply. "Last time, wasn’t it some other man you went to for money? Has that become your skill now, your habit?"

Emma knew without thinking what Damien must be implying with that look—he was surely bringing up Oliver Westmore again.

"I’ll earn it myself!" she declared with conviction.

Damien watched her, his gaze intense. Despite his constant efforts to suppress her, Emma’s spirit, her innate pride and stubbornness, still flickered within her. Damien felt torn at times; part of him wanted to preserve that spark in her, not let it be completely extinguished by his dominance, while another part wished she would be more compliant.

In the face of money, in the face of such harsh reality, money wouldn’t just fall from the sky because you wanted it.

No matter what Emma said, Damien took it as if she hadn’t been knocked down hard enough yet. Rather than let her stay home and sulk over ice cream, since she was so eager to try, he decided, "Fine! Show some spirit!"

"Then let’s see how you earn the money your brother is asking for!"

"Agreed! It’s a deal!"

$300,000 is certainly no small sum. Even in Damien Sterling’s company, which is performing well, it would take years to accumulate such an amount, not to mention that her brother needs to repay it within three days. Where could she possibly borrow this money and be allowed to repay it slowly?

The next day.

Emma Hart, carrying fruits and nutritional supplements, went to visit her mother and grandmother, where they resided. Since her last visit to the hospital, Emma had been swamped with work, only managing to make a few phone calls in between. Truthfully, Emma had been reluctant to visit; her grandmother and mother’s conditions were enough to leave her heartbroken, which is why she often found excuses to keep her distance.

But this time, Emma couldn’t avoid it.

Hesitating at the door, unsure of how to ring the bell, a familiar, gentle voice from her childhood reached her ears from behind. "Emma..." Turning around, Emma saw her mother, who, overjoyed by her daughter’s appearance, quickly approached and pulled her inside. "Come in, come in!"

Following her mother inside, Emma found her grandmother comfortably basking in the sun on the balcony. Hearing the noise at the door, her grandmother called out impatiently, "Why has it taken you so long to get back?"

This was always how her grandmother spoke to her mother, and Emma had grown accustomed to it. Her mother, unperturbed, hurried her grandmother along, "Mom, turn around and see who’s here."

Slowly, her grandmother turned her head, a look of surprise crossing her face upon seeing Emma. A smile quickly spread across her features, but it did not warm Emma’s heart. She knew all too well that her grandmother’s smile was not just because of her presence but also because of what Emma could provide. Without Emma, their current lifestyle would cease to exist, and with her grandmother’s health declining day by day, she depended on Emma to finance her care.

"Emma is here to see grandma, is she?" Grandma, feigning tears, spoke with exaggerated sorrow, "Emma, I thought you didn’t want me anymore!"

Emma felt embarrassed for her; Grandma truly was a master of dramatics. Those words coming out of her mouth made Emma cringe.

"Grandma, even if I didn’t need you, you wouldn’t need me either," Emma replied somberly. She had done everything she could for her grandmother, who treated her more like a human trafficker than a granddaughter, always seeing her as nothing more than a money-making machine.

"Emma..." Grandma called out, fishing for sympathy. After a pause, she turned to Emma’s mother, "Go to the kitchen and cook Emma’s favorite dishes."

Emma stopped her mother, who was already rising to head to the kitchen, "No need, Mom. Just seeing you both well is enough for me today. I have something else I need to handle."

"What is it, Emma? Tell me," her mother said as she came forward with a glass of water, handing it to Emma.

Emma took the glass, her fingers rubbing against the cup’s edge.

Her mother, sensing Emma’s reluctance, felt a deep guilt. She knew her daughter had sacrificed too much for their family. "Emma, is there something you want to say?"

Emma set the glass on the table. "Mom, I want to mortgage the house."

Her mother gasped in surprise but then thought better of it, realizing Emma wouldn’t ask such a thing without a good reason. She was about to agree when Grandma, unable to stay seated, hurried over to Emma, urgently advising, "Emma, what’s happened? Why would you mortgage the house?"

"I need money!" Emma waited for her grandmother to react, biting back the truth that it was all because of her favored grandson. She feared the words might send her grandmother back to the hospital.

Seeing Emma’s firm stance, Grandma softened her tone, "Emma, we can’t mortgage the house, it’s all we have, if not for me and your mother..." Noticing Emma’s growing impatience, Grandma paused and then grasped Emma’s hands earnestly, "Do you really think I want to keep this house just because your mom and I want to live in luxury?"

Emma looked at her grandmother helplessly, anticipating yet another sob story involving her mother. She thought bitterly that the worst thing her mother ever did was marry her father, tying her to such a mother-in-law—a real stroke of ’luck.’

"Emma," Grandma continued, her tone changing to one of concern, "to speak frankly, if one day you lose all that you have, what will you live on? Where will you go? Keep this place, for it will always be your sanctuary." Grandma patted Emma’s hand, appearing genuinely considerate.