Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 42

Tears streamed down Emilia's cheeks, as if they would never stop.

Why was it that everything she desperately wanted to hold on to always slipped through her fingers?

Her family, the man she loved, the Dennis family legacy, and… her child.

She couldn't keep any of them.

No matter how hard she tried to clutch at these precious things, they scattered like sand running through her hands—no matter how tightly she held on, they vanished all the same.

The helplessness was crushing.

Emilia pressed a trembling hand to her stomach, then slowly curled it into a fist.

She still wasn't strong enough.

She couldn't linger in anyone's life for long, couldn't depend on anyone to be her safe harbor.

She had to fight for herself.

Her career—she needed to take charge of it.

The Dennis family—she would reclaim their honor.

Her father's death—she would uncover the truth.

And her mother…

She would give everything she had, so that pain would never haunt her again.

Emilia cried for a long time, until her tears finally ran dry.

Eventually, even the ache inside seemed to numb, leaving her hollow, untouched by joy or sorrow.

Perhaps that was better.

With that thought, Emilia found the strength to keep going.

By the time Joyce and Christian returned, she had pulled herself together.

"Here, Emily, have some soup," Joyce said with a gentle smile, opening a thermos. "Try it, see if you like it."

Emilia took the offered bowl and inhaled the aroma of the hearty vegetable and meat soup.

Under Joyce's hopeful gaze, she took a sip. The warmth filled her mouth, soothing her raw nerves.

He sat up, rubbing his temples, then stood and padded barefoot across the cold floor to the bathroom.

Turning on the tap, he splashed cold water over his face, desperate to jolt himself awake.

But for some reason, what flashed through his mind was a scene from years ago. Back then, he'd pulled all-nighters for the company, and the exhaustion felt just like this.

Emilia had been by his side then—staying up with him, helping him handle business crises, weathering every storm the company faced.

He remembered, on a night just like this, he'd used cold water to snap himself back to life. Emilia had stood beside him, holding a clean towel.

When he turned around, she'd dried his face with gentle, almost playful care, then tousled his damp hair.

He'd scowled and tried to take the towel, but she'd only smiled and reached up to massage his temples with gentle fingers.

"Does that help?" Her soft voice echoed in his memory.

Hearing her, the tension in his chest would always loosen, just a little.

"Today should bring some answers, right?" she'd said back then. "Tye, what would you like for dinner? I'll make your favorite."

He'd dined at Michelin-starred restaurants all over the world, thanks to business or social obligations, but nothing ever compared to her cooking. Her meals were always what he loved most.