Chapter 663 Sacrifice
"Doesn't matter!" Emma's voice was thick with emotion. "Let me go back."
"It's too late," George said firmly, pulling her towards the exit. "The helicopter's ready. We're heading straight to Lakeside Haven."
Emma clung to the doorframe, her nails breaking. "I'm not leaving! Michael's people will be here any minute to get me."
Before she could finish, a burst of gunfire erupted outside. Both of them froze, followed by the sound of agonized screams.
"Mr. Russell! Go!" A bodyguard, his face covered in blood, shielded George with his body, only to be shot dead the next second. Even as he fell, he clung to the enemy's leg, buying George precious seconds.
George's eyes filled with rage as he watched his loyal subordinate of eight years fall into a pool of blood.
The warehouse had turned into a hellscape. Bullets rained down like a storm, leaving the walls riddled with holes. The air was thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood. George's men fell one by one, but none of them retreated.
"Protect Mr. Russell!" Another shout rang out as three bodyguards formed a human shield in front of George. One of them was shot in the stomach, his intestines spilling out, but he still gripped his gun tightly.
Emma covered her mouth, retching. Her pregnant body was especially sensitive to the smell of blood. She saw a young bodyguard, barely in his twenties, with a gaping hole in his chest, struggling to get up and continue fighting.
"Stop it," she pleaded weakly, tears blurring her vision.
George grabbed her wrist. "Come with me! The helicopter is right behind us!"
"No." Emma suddenly broke free from his grip. "If this continues, everyone will die!"
She stumbled towards the thickest gunfire. George tried to grab her but missed.
"Michael! I'm here!" Emma shouted, her voice trembling but resolute.
The gunfire gradually ceased. Michael emerged from the smoke, his black coat stained with blood, yet his elegance undiminished. Seeing Emma's pale face, he frowned slightly.
"Are you feeling unwell?" He reached out to support her, but she avoided his touch.
"Let them go," Emma said, fighting her nausea. "I'll go back with you."
Michael's gaze lingered on her flat stomach for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He knew she was pregnant and why she felt so sick.
"I can't let George go," Michael sneered, but he subtly positioned himself between her and the bloody battlefield.
"Then I'll die with him," Emma said, meeting his eyes. Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning Seraphine.
In the standoff, Michael suddenly laughed.
"Go ahead."
George didn't leave. Instead, he wiped the blood from his face and aimed his gun at Michael. "Emma, come with me."
A dozen red dots immediately targeted George. Michael raised his hand to stop his men, looking at Emma with amusement. "He doesn't seem to want to leave."
Emma suddenly stepped between them. "Enough! George, get out of here! I don't want to see you again!" She turned to Michael, her voice so soft only he could hear, "I'm nauseous. I want to throw up. It's too bloody here."
Michael's eyes darkened. He reached out to support her trembling body. He could kill George now, but seeing Emma's pale face...
"That's enough for today," Michael announced, scooping Emma up in his arms. "We're leaving."
"Mr. Russell! This is our best chance!" one of his men protested.
A single look from Michael silenced him. "I said, we're leaving."
In the limousine, Michael held Emma firmly but gently fed her warm water.
"Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick?" His tone was cold, but his actions were tender.
Emma turned her face away. "Would you even care?"
Michael gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You're carrying my child. Of course, I care."
"Will you really let George go?" Emma asked softly.
Michael sneered, his fingers brushing her lips. "That depends on your behavior." His gaze dropped to her stomach.
Emma shuddered. All she could do was pray that George would leave Sunterra quickly.
In the warehouse, George knelt on the ground, holding his last fallen subordinate. The bodyguard, even in his final moments, clung to George's coat. "Mr. Russell. You must survive."
"I will avenge you," George whispered, closing the man's eyes, his voice hoarse.
As the black car pulled up to the mansion, Emma couldn't wait to push open the door and rush inside.
"Seraphine! Mommy's home!" She ran up the stairs barefoot, her voice full of anticipation.
But when she opened the door to the nursery, it was empty. The pink bed was neatly made, and the toys were put away, as if no one had ever lived there.
Emma's legs gave out, and she nearly collapsed. She shouted at the butler, trembling, "Where's Seraphine?"
"She left on a private plane to Aquilonia," the butler answered nervously. "Mr. Russell's orders."
Emma turned and ran downstairs, colliding with Michael as he walked in.
"Did you really send Seraphine away?" Her voice was raw, her nails digging into her palms. "You sent her to a foreign country alone!"
Michael frowned. "She needs a better educational environment."
"Fine, then I'm going to Aquilonia with her! We agreed, Seraphine and I would go to Aquilonia together. Now! Immediately!"
"Impossible," Michael said coldly. "You're not going anywhere."
Emma raised her hand to slap him, but he caught it mid-air. They stood there, locked in a standoff, until her tears finally spilled over. "Please. Let me see her."
Michael's expression softened slightly, but he remained firm. "No."
"I hate you!" Emma screamed, yanking her hand away and smashing a vase on the coffee table. With a loud crash, she stormed out.
The bodyguard looked at Michael for instructions. Michael shook his head. "Let her go. She can't escape my control no matter where she goes."
"Should we bring Seraphine back?"
Michael fell into deep thought. He hadn't lied to Emma about Seraphine. Aquilonia was indeed safer. But he had overlooked Emma and Seraphine's feelings.
Should he bring Seraphine back?
"Mr. Russell, I believe Seraphine being in Sunterra is more beneficial to your plans."
The night wind made Emma shiver. She wandered aimlessly through the streets, a sharp pain suddenly stabbing her abdomen.
She doubled over, cold sweat soaking her back. The pain was sudden and intense, yet strangely familiar.
She flagged down a taxi, her voice trembling. "Take me to the hospital."
In the emergency room, the doctor frowned as he finished the examination.
"What's wrong with me? Is it the baby?"
"It's hard to say right now. We need to wait for the test results."
"How long will that take?" Emma asked weakly.
"Until tomorrow," the doctor said, handing her a cup of warm water. "You can go home and rest. Come back tomorrow for the results."
Emma nodded, leaning back in the chair with her eyes closed. Just then, her phone rang.
She answered it with difficulty.
"Emma." It was Michael's voice, unusually tired. "Come back. I promise, I'll bring Seraphine back tomorrow."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
