The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 44

[adminnovelsaudio]

Listen Audiobook Version:



The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 44: Sparks in the Dark


The emergency lights flickered weakly as York Group’s headquarters remained shrouded in darkness. The hum of the backup generators was barely audible beneath the murmurs of anxious employees huddled in clusters. Lucas York stood rigid near the shattered glass of his office window, his fingers clenched around his phone as Leo Brown’s taunting message glared back at him: "Tick-tock, York. The king always wins."


Emelly Clus, her arms crossed, watched Lucas’s jaw tighten. She knew that look—the one that meant he was calculating ten steps ahead while refusing to admit he needed help. "You’re not seriously considering going after him alone, are you?" she demanded, stepping closer. Lucas didn’t look at her. "This doesn’t concern you." Emelly scoffed. "Oh, please. You couldn’t even find your car keys without me last week." That earned her a sharp glare, but she saw the flicker of amusement beneath his irritation. Meanwhile, across the city, Bruno Halthorn paced the opulent but suffocatingly silent halls of the Jonshon estate. Serritary Jonshon lounged on a velvet chaise, twirling a strand of her dark hair as she eyed him with a smirk. "You’re stomping like a caged lion," she mused. "It’s almost entertaining."


Bruno stopped mid-stride. "We need to talk about this marriage." Serritary arched a brow. "What’s there to discuss? Your family needs money. Mine needs connections. A business transaction, nothing more." Bruno’s jaw twitched. "I won’t be treated like a pawn." She laughed, the sound sharp as glass. "Then stop acting like one." Back at York Group, Tony Bright rushed into the dimly lit conference room where Emelly and Lucas were arguing. "We traced the hack," he panted. "Leo’s planted a dormant virus in our financial servers. If it activates, we lose everything."


Lucas’s migraine pulsed behind his eyes. Emelly noticed the way his fingers pressed into his temples and, without thinking, reached for his hand. The moment their skin touched, the pain vanished. Lucas stiffened, but he didn’t pull away. Tony cleared his throat, pretending not to notice. "We need a plan." Emelly squeezed Lucas’s hand once before letting go. "First, we stop Leo. Then, we find out who this ‘king’ is." Lucas exhaled. "Fine. But you follow my lead." Emelly grinned. "Only if you admit I’m right." Before Lucas could retort, the lights surged back on—only to reveal Linda Crow standing in the doorway, her face pale. "It’s too late," she whispered. "Leo’s already moving."


The screens around them flickered to life, displaying a live feed of Brown Group’s logo alongside a countdown: 00:30:00. Thirty minutes until York Group’s downfall. --- Meanwhile, at the Jonshon Estate: Bruno and Serritary’s argument was interrupted by a phone call—Bruno’s father, demanding an update on the marriage contract. Serritary snatched the phone, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Oh, don’t worry, Mr. Halthorn. Bruno and I are very compatible." Bruno stared at her, torn between fury and reluctant admiration. She hung up and tossed the phone back to him. "You’re welcome." He caught it, his grip tight. "You’re impossible." She winked. "And you’re stuck with me."


Back at York Group: Lucas, Emelly, and Tony raced against the clock, scrambling to isolate the virus. But with every passing second, the countdown loomed larger. Then, Emelly froze. "Wait… Leo’s signature move is misdirection. What if the virus isn’t in the financial servers?" Lucas’s eyes locked onto hers. "Where else would it be?" Emelly’s mind raced. "The backup generators. He didn’t just cut power—he reprogrammed them." Tony’s eyes widened. "If they overload—" "The whole building goes dark. Permanently," Lucas finished. The countdown hit 00:15:00. Emelly grabbed Lucas’s arm. "We need to get to the basement. Now." As they sprinted toward the elevators, Linda’s voice echoed behind them. "You’ll never make it in time!" Lucas didn’t look back.