Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 475

Night had fallen thick and heavy, ink-black and relentless, slowly swallowing up the hospital’s outline until it was just a shadow in the dark. Every minute dragged by, heavy with worry and dread. Still, there was no word from James—nothing from Brett’s side either.

Abriella glanced at her phone, heart twisting.

“Emmy, if we don’t leave now, you’re seriously going to miss tomorrow’s competition.”

She gripped Emmy’s hand tighter, trying to pull her away from that stubborn waiting.

“You’ve put everything into this. That AI system you built? It’s amazing—you’re a shoo-in for gold! Can we please just go back to the Capital already?”

But Emmy’s eyes never left the empty street below, her heart sinking further with every passing second. James wasn’t the kind of person to break a promise. He’d said he’d go with her to the competition. If he wasn’t back yet, something big—maybe even dangerous—must’ve happened.

The more anxious she felt, the harder she tried to stay calm. Emmy took a slow, deep breath and said just one word.

“Wait.”

...

Somewhere else in the city, Dean was pacing with the same restless energy. The military hospital was on lockdown—there was no way in, and he had no clue how Emmy was doing. With only a day left before the big competition, he finally gave up and headed back to the Capital.

There was no way Emmy would quit after working so hard for this. But he couldn’t even get up to her new apartment—the elevator needed a key card. So he waited outside, camped out by the flowerbeds, refusing to leave.

Finally, he saw a familiar figure come out through the lobby doors. Dean shot over, barely holding himself together.

“Ivy! Is Emmy back yet?”

Ivy startled, stepping back when she recognized him. Her expression cooled instantly.

“Mr. Sparrow? Miss Emmy hasn’t come home yet.”

Dean pushed, desperate. “Then where—?”

“She’ll be back soon—I’m sure. The competition’s tomorrow. She won’t miss it.”

Dean didn’t follow. If Teresa was calling Ivy, then she obviously didn’t know Emmy had been taken to South America. He couldn’t let Teresa or Ivy worry, too.

But anger burned in his chest, fierce and raw. If Emmy didn’t make it back in time… then Evelina wasn’t going to compete either. That gold medal was Emmy’s—no one else’s.

Dean spun on his heel and tore off into the night, racing straight for Evelina’s apartment. He pounded on her door, fists echoing through the hallway.

“Open up!”

A few seconds later, the door whipped open—but it wasn’t Evelina. It was Juan.

The moment Juan saw Dean, his eyes went dark with fury. Without saying a word, he grabbed the ceramic key bowl from the entryway and hurled it straight at Dean’s head, his anger sharp and deadly.