Chapter 486 Willful Once
Edward's grip tightened, his warm palm pressing against mine, his heartbeat racing. His thumb hovered over my knuckles, trembling slightly before it settled. The rough texture of his skin was both comforting and heartbreaking. These hands had once signed contracts with confidence and held mine tightly in moments of crisis. Now, they moved with a careful tenderness.
I watched Fiona's black convoy turn the corner. The sound of tires on the pavement gradually faded, but the dust they kicked up still hung in the hot air, glinting like tiny specks of gold in the midday sun. The asphalt below the steps was soft from the heat, and the passing cars made a sticky sound as their wheels rolled over it. The heat waves carried the acrid smell of exhaust, and the glare from the distant office building's glass facade was blinding. Even the scrolling court announcements on the electronic screen nearby were blurred by the intense sunlight.
"Ever since Nicholas fell, the whole business world’s been in chaos. Everyone's just waiting for their chance."
My voice was fragmented by the roar of a helicopter overhead.
Edward's Adam's apple bobbed, and I could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He suddenly pulled me into the shade, a protective instinct that reminded me of that rainy night in the abandoned warehouse when he shielded me with his body.
"I know."
Edward's voice was low, and as he turned, his movement stirred the hair at my temple. His arms encircled me tightly, as if he wanted to fuse me into his very being.
Edward pressed his chin heavily against the top of my head, his breath hot on my scalp. I could even feel the tremor of his Adam's apple as he swallowed.
"Diana, let's get out of this."
Edward's voice seemed to come from the depths of his chest, each word laden with an unshakable weariness.
"Get out?"
I stiffened in Edward's embrace, my fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of his suit. The cicadas' chirping outside the courthouse suddenly became piercing, and the shadow cast by the courthouse emblem fell precisely on our clasped hands.
"What did you say?"
I couldn't believe Edward would say such a thing. I jerked my head up, not even noticing when the back of my head hit his chin.
His Adam's apple moved again, and the heat from his palm on my back was scorching.
"These years, I've been too tired."
Edward's thumb unconsciously rubbed the knuckles of my spine.
"Just now in court, seeing the way Nicholas looked at you..."
His voice trailed off, and Edward suddenly tightened his arms around me, as if trying to crush all his unspoken fears into this embrace.
It dawned on me then that all the threats I thought Edward had brushed off were actually gnawing at him in the shadows. I realized that during those late nights when I was engrossed in business strategies, he might have been lying awake in the dark, constantly weighing the balance between protecting me and safeguarding our business. His proposal wasn't a retreat; it was a man finally confronting his deepest fears after countless sleepless nights. More than losing the business battle, he feared losing me.
"Since David is gone, why can't we find a small town abroad, open a café, and leave all this behind?"
"David wouldn't just disappear without a word."
My fingers traced the slightly open collar of Edward's suit, touching the warm skin of his neck.
"You think David had no choice?"
Edward followed my line of thought.
"David's funding chain broke, and his project was forced to halt—all orchestrated by Nicholas. You know this."
I scrolled through my phone, pulling up the bank transactions.
"Nicholas forced David to embezzle the startup funds for our joint project and then framed him with forged evidence. David's sudden disappearance was clearly a setup."
"So that's it."
Edward's voice was low, filled with intense hatred. He suddenly released me and stepped back, his shoes clattering heavily on the courthouse steps.
"So we can't leave."
I pressed down on Edward's trembling hand, my nails leaving crescent-shaped marks on his skin.
"David is our old friend and our partner in this fight. How can we abandon him?"
"You think I'm afraid of dying?"
Edward tore open his shirt collar, the veins in his neck bulging.
I bent down to pick up a blood-stained daisy, the sharp ceramic shard still cutting into my hand, blood seeping onto the petals, staining them a dark red. I gently tucked the bloodied flower into his suit pocket.
"When I took over the Cooper Group, I swore to make a mark in the business world. Now that light has been snuffed out, and you want me to turn and run?"
Edward's gaze fell on my injured hand, his Adam's apple moving violently. His movements were hesitant, as if bound by invisible chains. Finally, he slowly pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wrapped it around my fingers.
"Give me three days."
Edward's voice was hoarse, his eyes avoiding mine as he looked towards the blurred court announcements in the distance.
"I'll transfer all our assets abroad and prepare an escape route for you. But you have to promise me, if things get out of control..."
"I won't leave."
I interrupted Edward, gently cupping his tense face, forcing him to look at me.
"We'll tear through this darkness together. Either we win, or we go down together. We've seen too many shady deals over the years. Now we have a chance to establish more transparent rules."
Edward's brows furrowed, his eyes filled with worry and struggle.
"You have no idea how dangerous they are."
Remembering how Edward always said I had "idealistic naivety," I smiled wryly, my thumb brushing the dark circles under his eyes.
"Let me be reckless this time. Even if there's a chasm ahead, I want to see if we can find a way through."
Edward closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, the resolve in his eyes had been replaced by resignation. He slowly pulled me into his arms, his chin resting on the top of my head, his voice muffled.
"How could I ever let you face danger alone? Whatever you want to do, I'll be with you. But promise me, no matter what happens, the one who survives must find a way out."
I buried my nose in Edward's collar, faintly scented with tobacco, feeling the violent rise and fall of his chest. The midday sun filtered through the sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows on us. The cicadas' chirping was deafening, but the distant traffic noise suddenly seemed far away. Edward's hand slowly moved from my back, brushing over my trembling shoulders, finally resting on the nape of my neck.
Edward's thumb gently caressed the skin behind my ear, a cautious exploration. I looked up at him, seeing the turmoil in his eyes—worry, pain, and above all, unwavering determination. Edward's Adam's apple moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just leaned down slightly, pressing his forehead against mine.
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