The Billionaire's Regret: His Secret Wife Turned Medical Genius novel Chapter 69

In Emily's eyes, Maurice—consumed by his selfishness—looked completely ridiculous. Her lips twitched as she asked, "What happens after I concede to him? Do I sell myself to him again like how I did two years ago?"

Maurice's face twisted into an upset expression. He didn't think that Emily would be so direct and force him into a tough spot.

He retrieved an item from the briefcase that he carried everywhere with him. It was a small jewelry box that was made of rosewood and had begonias carved on the surface.

The box was quite old, and its edges had turned round and smooth following the passage of time. However, it still retained its intricate quality.

Emily's eyes widened the moment she saw the jewelry box.

Her mother had left it behind, and inside it was the only letter that her mother had ever left her, along with a photo of her mother when she was in her prime.

Emily had assumed that the jewelry box had been securely stored in the safe in the Sterling residence. She had no idea how it had ended up in Maurice's hands.

When Maurice saw Emily's shocked expression, he knew that he had made the right call. The jewelry box was the only leverage that he had over her.

He intentionally lightly ran his nails over the carvings of the begonia right in front of her. "Before your mother passed, she entrusted this jewelry box to me and made me promise to pass it to you. She told me that it was her most precious treasure." He then paused for a moment.

His gaze reminded Emily of a venomous snake spitting its tongue at her.

He continued, "Beg Gabriel for mercy, Emily. I'll return this box to you as long as he's willing to leave the Sterling family alone. If you don't…"

He didn't finish his sentence, letting the words trail off into silence. However, the way he ran his fingers over the box made his intentions clear—if Emily refused to listen to him, he could destroy the box at a moment's notice, destroying her wishes along with it.

Emily stared at the box in Maurice's hands.

While Gabriel used his authority to threaten her, her own father used the one thing her late mother had left for her to deal a fatal blow.

They made her sick to her stomach.

Emily scoffed. She could ignore the Sterling family and Maurice, but she couldn't ignore what her mother had left her.

A long time passed before she slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, any light in them before was gone.

"Give me the box."

A smug smile appeared on Maurice's face. "I knew you were an obedient child, Mills. I'll give you the box once you're done with what you need to do."

…

Mallory's eyes reddened as she clutched Emily's arm at the hospital entrance. "Don't listen to your father, Mills," she said. "Let's think of something else. There has to be another way!"

Gabriel continued to swirl the wine in his glass. "You're back."

But Emily ignored the mocking tone lacing his words. She simply walked over to the vanity and sat down in front of it.

Her actions irritated Gabriel. He hated how she always carried herself with an aloof demeanor, as if she didn't care about anything.

She was the one who needed his help, and yet she was still acting all high-and-mighty around him!

Gabriel approached her, caging her against the vanity with his tall and broad figure. Waves of anger were rolling off his body, filling the air around them.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" he asked as he grasped Emily's chin, forcing her to lift her head to meet his gaze. "Aren't you here to beg me for mercy for that family of yours?"

Emily's chin was beginning to ache from how hard Gabriel was gripping it, but she didn't even frown from the pain. "I only came back to make a deal with you.

"Leave the Sterling family alone."

Gabriel tightened his hold on her. He was exerting so much force that Emily felt like he was going to crush the bones in her jaw.

"A deal?"