Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 138

Chloe paused, her eyes probing even deeper.

"So, sis-in-law, when you two meet again, are you just going to pretend all those tabloid rumors never happened?"

"That's enough," Tyler cut in, frowning. "There's no need to bring this up again. I know exactly what happened—Emilia and that man have nothing to do with each other."

"Tyler!" Chloe shot him an unhappy glare.

Nolan, who'd just been put on the spot, kept quiet, but there was an amused glint in his eyes as he watched the scene unfold.

The Ericksons were a sprawling family—ever since Parker's generation had built their fortune, the family tree had only grown more tangled. Even today, there were plenty of relatives gathered under the same roof.

Tyler and Emilia had always been the focus of family attention, so as they lingered in one corner, the younger generation gradually drifted over. Some were direct cousins, others more distant relations, but all of them shared the same curiosity.

The elders, meanwhile, kept their distance, sipping tea and playing chess on the third floor, feigning disinterest. But Emilia knew better. Tonight's dinner was nothing short of an ambush.

Her having a second child had stirred up the family's anxieties, and whether it was Chloe's sharp questioning or Nolan's attempts to muddy the waters, it was all done with the silent approval—and not-so-subtle encouragement—of the older generation.

"Tyler."

"Sis-in-law."

"Tyler, Emilia, good evening!"

One after another, cousins and their partners joined them, each with a polite greeting, but Emilia could see the glint of calculation behind their smiles.

As a small crowd gathered, Emilia decided to address the matter head-on. "Honestly, what happened back then wasn't complicated," she said, her voice calm.

"Like Chloe mentioned, Erickson Group only pursued the contract after making a technical breakthrough. Some of the resources had to be sourced from there, and certain orders had to go through them. The real point was breaking through the technology blockade."

"Feeling upset?" he teased. "I thought you and Tyler always got along. You knew he liked Emilia, yet you forced him to choose. Ouch, that must sting."

Chloe shot him a glare. "Mind your own business!"

As Tyler and Emilia walked away, Emilia turned over Chloe's words and actions in her mind. What stuck with her most was Chloe's parting comment—"Emilia, have you heard? Apparently, Mr. Kaufman's coming to Alden City soon."

Emilia's brow furrowed as she gripped her wineglass a little tighter.

Since the family patriarch had told them not to wait for him, everyone eventually found a seat at the long dining table. Emilia took her place beside Tyler, just like always.

The clink of glasses and hum of conversation filled the room—everyone talking at once, on topics both trivial and loaded.

Halfway through the meal, one of the elders suddenly turned to ask about the children.