The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 42

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Chapter 42: Sparks and Stubborn


Hearts The moment Lucas York stepped out of the penthouse, Emelly Clus felt the weight of his absence like a physical ache.


The air, usually charged with their bickering, now felt hollow. She paced the length of the living room, her fingers twisting the hem of her sweater as her mind raced. Why did he have to be so infuriatingly noble? She scoffed at the thought. Lucas York, the man who had made her life a living hell with impossible tasks and sarcastic remarks, was now playing the protective CEO. And the worst part? It was working. Her phone buzzed—Jane. "You alive? Or has the Ice King finally frozen you into submission?" Emelly rolled her eyes and typed back. "Alive. Barely. He left to deal with Leo’s mess and refused to let me come." Jane’s reply was instant. "Ohhh, so he’s worried about you? How romantic." "Shut up.


It’s not romantic. It’s controlling." But even as she sent the message, Emelly knew she was lying. There had been something in Lucas’s eyes when he’d touched her hand—something that made her pulse stutter.


Meanwhile, across the city, Lucas stormed into the York Group’s crisis meeting, his migraine already creeping back without Emelly’s presence. The boardroom was tense, executives murmuring as reports of Brown Group’s sabotage flashed across the screens. Linda Crow, ever the opportunist, slid into the seat beside him. "Sir, perhaps if we—" "Not now, Linda," Lucas cut her off, his voice sharp. His mind was elsewhere—on a certain infuriating woman currently pacing his penthouse.


Tony Bright, ever the voice of reason, cleared his throat. "Leo’s targeting our supply chain. If we don’t act fast, we’ll lose the Singapore deal." Lucas clenched his jaw. "Then we move faster." --- Back at the penthouse, Emelly’s restlessness got the better of her. She wasn’t some damsel to be locked away. If Lucas thought she’d sit idle while he played hero, he had another thing coming. She grabbed her bag and called David. "Take me to York Group. Now." David hesitated. "Mr. York said—" "I don’t care what he said. Drive."


When Emelly marched into the boardroom, Lucas’s glare could have melted steel. "What part of stay put was unclear?" "The part where you think you can order me around," she shot back, plopping into a chair. "Now, what’s the problem?" The room fell silent. Then Tony, bless him, slid a file toward her. "Supply chain hack. We’re locked out of our own system." Emelly scanned the data, her photographic memory kicking in. "This isn’t just a hack. It’s a backdoor breach. Someone inside gave Leo access." Lucas’s eyes darkened. "Find out who." --- As the team scrambled, Emelly’s fingers flew across the keyboard, her mind piecing together fragments of code. Lucas watched her, torn between irritation and admiration. Then—her screen flashed red. "Got it!" she exclaimed. "It’s—" The lights flickered.


The system crashed. And Leo Brown’s smirking face appeared on every screen in the room. "Miss me, York?"