The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 55

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 55: The Gamble of Trust


The air inside Leo Brown’s warehouse was thick with tension, the scent of damp concrete and rusted metal pressing in around them. Lucas York stood motionless, his jaw clenched as he watched Leo’s finger twitch against the trigger of the gun pressed to Serritary’s temple. Beside him, Emelly Clus barely dared to breathe, her mind racing through every possible escape route—none of them good. Bruno Halthorn, still seething from his failed attack, had been forced to his knees by two of Leo’s men. Blood trickled from his split lip, but his glare was unwavering. "Let her go," he growled. Leo smirked, his cold eyes flickering between Lucas and Emelly. "You think I’m stupid enough to believe this is the real flash drive?" He tossed the decoy onto the ground, the plastic casing cracking against the concrete. "Give me the real one, or she dies."


Lucas exhaled slowly, his fingers brushing against Emelly’s wrist in the subtlest of gestures. A silent signal. A gamble. Emelly’s pulse jumped at the contact, but she understood. She had to play her part. "You really think we’d be dumb enough to bring the real one here?" she scoffed, crossing her arms. "If you kill Serritary, you’ll never get it." Leo’s smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he tightened his grip on Serritary. "Then where is it?" Lucas stepped forward, his voice dangerously calm. "Hidden. Somewhere you’ll never find it without us." For a long moment, the warehouse was silent except for the distant hum of flickering overhead lights. Then, with a frustrated snarl, Leo shoved Serritary toward Bruno, who caught her before she could stumble. "Fine. But if you’re lying—" "We’re not," Emelly cut in, feigning confidence she didn’t entirely feel. "But if you want it, you’ll let us walk out of here. Unharmed." Leo’s lips curled into a sneer, but he waved a hand at his men. "Let them go. For now." As they turned to leave, Emelly’s fingers brushed Lucas’s, their hands linking for the briefest moment—just long enough for the warmth between them to steady her nerves. But the moment was shattered when Leo’s voice rang out behind them. "York!" Lucas turned, his expression unreadable. Leo’s smile was venomous. "This isn’t over."


Outside, the cold night air was a relief, but the danger was far from past. Bruno half-carried a trembling Serritary to the car, his face a mask of barely contained fury. "We need to get out of here before he realizes we’re bluffing." Emelly shot a glance at Lucas. "We are bluffing, right?" Lucas didn’t answer immediately, his gaze locked on the warehouse behind them. Then, quietly, he said, "Not entirely." Emelly’s stomach dropped. "What?" "The real flash drive is hidden," Lucas admitted. "But not where Leo would expect."


Bruno let out a sharp laugh. "You’re insane." Serritary, still pale but regaining her composure, gripped Bruno’s arm. "We don’t have time for this. If Leo finds out—" "He won’t," Lucas said firmly. "Not if we move first." Emelly studied his face, the familiar stubborn set of his jaw, the way his migraine-induced tension had eased the moment their hands had touched. She exhaled sharply. "Alright. What’s the plan?" Lucas met her gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "We hit him where it hurts. His business." Bruno frowned. "You mean—?" "Brown Group’s biggest deal is closing in three days," Lucas said. "We make sure it doesn’t." Emelly’s lips curved into a slow, determined smile. "Now that sounds like fun."