The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 58

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 58: The Chase and the Confession


The blare of the fire alarm still echoed through the halls of the Brown Group building as Lucas tightened his grip on Emelly’s wrist, pulling her through the emergency stairwell. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline making her fingers tremble. Behind them, the distant shouts of security guards and Leo Brown’s furious commands grew louder. “You idiot,” Lucas hissed under his breath, though his voice lacked its usual bite. “What were you thinking, going in alone?” Emelly shot him a glare, though her breath was uneven. “I had it under control until Linda showed up!” “Under control?”


Lucas scoffed, yanking her around a corner as footsteps thundered behind them. “You were seconds away from being caught red-handed.” She didn’t argue. Because he was right. The plan had been simple—plant the flash drive with falsified documents in Leo’s office, frame him for insider trading, and let the authorities dismantle Brown Group from within. But Linda had walked in at the worst possible moment. If not for Bruno and Serritary’s perfectly timed chaos at the gala—setting off the fire alarm and causing a panic—Emelly would already be in handcuffs. Lucas shoved open a door marked Maintenance, pulling her inside and pressing her against the wall as he listened for pursuers. The dim light from a flickering bulb cast shadows over his sharp features, his jaw clenched tight. Emelly swallowed. “We can’t stay here.” “No,” Lucas agreed, his voice low. “But we can’t go out the front either. Security’s swarming.” She bit her lip, thinking fast. “The parking garage. If we can get to your car—” “David’s waiting,” Lucas confirmed. They moved quickly, slipping through the maze of service corridors until they reached the garage.


The moment they spotted the sleek black car, Emelly nearly sagged in relief—until a shout cut through the silence. “There they are!” Leo stood at the entrance, flanked by three guards. His usually polished demeanor was gone, replaced by raw fury. Lucas didn’t hesitate. He shoved Emelly toward the car. “Go.” She sprinted, Lucas right behind her. David had the engine running, the door already open. They barely made it inside before the tires screeched against the pavement, peeling away just as Leo lunged forward, his hand grasping at empty air. Emelly twisted in her seat, watching as the building shrank behind them. Her pulse still hadn’t slowed. Lucas exhaled sharply beside her, running a hand through his hair. “That was too close.” She turned to him, her chest tight. “We failed.”


His gaze met hers, dark and unreadable. “No. The drive’s planted. Linda saw you, but she doesn’t know what you left behind. As long as Leo doesn’t find it before the authorities raid his office tomorrow, we’re still on track.” Emelly wanted to believe him. But doubt gnawed at her. Silence settled between them as the car sped through the city. The adrenaline was fading, leaving exhaustion in its wake. Then Lucas spoke again, quieter this time. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” She blinked. “What?” “You went in alone,” he said, his voice oddly strained. “You didn’t tell me. You just… left.” Emelly hesitated. She had expected anger. Not this—this quiet intensity that made her stomach flip. “I didn’t want you involved if things went wrong,” she admitted. Lucas’s jaw tightened. “That’s not your call to make.” She opened her mouth to argue, but David’s voice cut in from the front seat. “Boss, we’ve got company.” A black SUV was tailing them, gaining fast. Lucas cursed, gripping the seat. “Lose them.”


David swerved sharply, taking a sudden turn down a side street. Emelly braced herself as the car lurched, her shoulder slamming into Lucas’s chest. His arm instinctively wrapped around her, holding her steady. For a fleeting second, she let herself lean into him. Then the SUV rammed them from behind. Metal crunched. Emelly gasped as the impact threw her forward, but Lucas’s grip tightened, shielding her. “Hold on!” David yelled, flooring the accelerator. The chase was on. --- ### Meanwhile: Bruno and Serritary’s Escape Across town, Bruno Halthorn dragged a giggling Serritary Jonshon through the gala’s back exit, her elaborate gown hiked up to her knees as they ran. “That,” she gasped between laughs, “was the most fun I’ve had in years.” Bruno shot her an incredulous look. “You set off the fire alarm.” “And you stole the event coordinator’s microphone,” she shot back, grinning. “We make a great team.” He groaned, but there was no real annoyance in it.


Despite their forced marriage—a business arrangement to save Serritary’s family from ruin—he was starting to enjoy her chaos. A little too much. Their hands were still linked as they ducked into an alley, breathless and exhilarated. Serritary’s eyes sparkled under the dim streetlights. Bruno swallowed hard. This was dangerous.


Back with Lucas and Emelly The car screeched to a halt in an abandoned warehouse district, the pursuing SUV temporarily shaken off. Lucas turned to Emelly, his expression unreadable. “We need to split up. They’re after me—if you go now, you can get home safely.” She stared at him. “You think I’m just going to leave you?” “It’s the smart move.” Emelly’s hands clenched into fists. “No. We’re finishing this together.” Something flickered in Lucas’s eyes. Then, before she could react, he cupped her face and kissed her. Hard. It was fierce, desperate, and over too soon. When he pulled back, his voice was rough. “Then stay close.” Emelly’s heart raced. The SUV’s headlights rounded the corner. They were out of time.