The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 57

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 57: Trapped


The grand ballroom of the Brown Group’s charity gala glittered under the chandeliers, the hum of elite conversation filling the air. Emelly Clus adjusted the strap of her borrowed designer gown, her fingers brushing against the hidden flash drive tucked securely in her clutch. The plan was simple: slip into Leo Brown’s private office, plant the incriminating evidence, and get out before anyone noticed. Lucas York stood nearby, his sharp gaze scanning the room for any sign of trouble. His migraine had been absent all evening—Emelly’s presence, as always, was his cure. But tonight, the tension between them was thicker than usual. Before they had left, he had pulled her aside, his voice low and rough. "If anything goes wrong, you get out. No heroics." Emelly had rolled her eyes. "Relax, Your Highness. I’ve got this." Now, as she moved through the crowd, she could feel his eyes burning into her back. Meanwhile, Bruno Halthorn and Serritary Jonshon were playing their part—badly.


Their forced marriage had turned into a public spectacle of bickering and thinly veiled insults. Serritary, dressed in a scandalously sleek red gown, had "accidentally" spilled champagne on Leo’s associate, while Bruno "apologized" by stepping on the man’s foot. Their antics were drawing just enough attention to keep security distracted. Emelly slipped away when the moment was right, her heart pounding as she navigated the dimly lit hallway toward Leo’s office. The lock clicked open under her nimble fingers—thank you, Jane’s lock-picking lessons—and she stepped inside. The office was immaculate, every surface polished to perfection. She moved quickly, locating the safe behind a painting. With practiced ease, she entered the code (courtesy of Tony’s hacking skills) and slid the flash drive inside. Too easy. She turned—only to freeze. Linda Crow stood in the doorway, her lips curled into a triumphant smirk. "Well, well. The little wildflower thinks she’s a spy now?" Emelly’s pulse spiked. "Linda. Fancy seeing you here. Lost your way to the bar?" Linda’s smirk widened. "Security’s on their way. You’re done." Panic clawed at Emelly’s throat, but she forced a grin. "You always did love being the tattletale, huh?" The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. Back in the ballroom, Lucas’s instincts screamed. Emelly had been gone too long.


He excused himself from a tedious conversation and moved toward the hallway—only to be intercepted by Leo Brown himself. "Leaving so soon, York?" Leo’s smile was all teeth. Lucas’s jaw tightened. "Business calls." Leo chuckled. "Funny. I was just about to say the same thing." Bruno, sensing trouble, nudged Serritary. "We need to cause a bigger distraction." Serritary sighed dramatically. "Ugh. Fine." Then, with a wicked grin, she grabbed a tray of desserts and "tripped," sending an avalanche of chocolate-covered strawberries onto a group of horrified socialites. Chaos erupted. Lucas used the commotion to slip away, his mind racing. If Emelly was caught— He didn’t let himself finish the thought. Back in the office, Emelly was cornered. Linda crossed her arms. "You really thought you could outsmart us?" Emelly’s fingers twitched toward her clutch—then stopped. No weapons, no backup. Just her quick wit. "Actually," she said, flashing a grin, "I was counting on you being predictable." And with that, she lunged for the fire alarm. The blaring sirens drowned out Linda’s furious shout as the entire building plunged into emergency lighting. Outside, Lucas heard the alarm and broke into a run. Emelly bolted from the office, dodging confused guests and frantic staff.


She rounded a corner—straight into Lucas’s chest. His hands gripped her arms, his eyes blazing. "What the hell were you thinking?" She grinned breathlessly. "That you’d come find me." The sound of approaching security cut through the noise. Lucas didn’t hesitate. He grabbed her hand. "Run." And they did.