The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 46

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 46: The King’s Shadow


The emergency lights flickered in the underground server room, casting eerie shadows as Lucas and Emelly crouched behind a row of deactivated terminals. The countdown had frozen at 00:00:17, but the silence was more unnerving than the blaring alarms. Emelly’s fingers trembled around the shattered remains of the failsafe device. "If Linda was working for someone called the 'king,' then Leo Brown was just a pawn," she whispered. Lucas’s jaw tightened. His migraine, usually soothed by her presence, throbbed dully—a warning. "We need to get out before backup arrives." A sharp crackle echoed through the vents. Then, a distorted voice boomed from the speakers. "York. You’ve made this far more entertaining than expected." Emelly’s breath hitched. "That’s not Leo."


The voice chuckled. "The Clus Algorithm was never the real prize. But your little wildflower… she’s the key." Lucas’s hand clamped around hers, his grip almost painful. "Show yourself." "All in good time." The speakers hissed static. "Enjoy the hunt." Silence. Emelly exhaled shakily. "We’re being played." --- Aboveground, York Group HQ Bruno Halthorn paced his office, his phone pressed to his ear. "Serritary, this isn’t a game. If your father’s investors pull out—" "Then we lose everything. I know." Serritary’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet. "Which is why I’m at your office. Let’s talk. Properly."


Bruno froze. She’d never willingly sought him out. When he opened the door, Serritary stood there in a tailored blazer and jeans, her usual mischief replaced by steely resolve. "One year," she said. "You prove you can tolerate me. I prove I’m not just a spoiled heiress. If we fail… we walk away." Bruno’s pulse spiked. "And if we don’t?" Her lips curved. "Then maybe we stop pretending this marriage is just business."


Back in the Server Tunnels David’s voice crackled through Lucas’s earpiece. "Boss, Linda’s gone. But I found something—files linking her to offshore accounts under the name ‘Crown Holdings.’" Emelly’s eyes widened. "Crown… as in king?" Lucas swore. "We need to move. Now." As they sprinted toward the exit, a door slammed shut ahead. Tony Bright stepped into the dim light, his expression grim. "Lucas… we have a problem." Behind him, armed security poured in—York Group uniforms, but their badges were wrong. Tony’s voice dropped. "They’re not ours." The lead guard smirked. "Mr. York.


The king requests your presence."