BILLIONAIRE'S UNINTENDED BRIDE

Chapter 62: Desperate Measures

LUKE

In the silent expanse of my office, the gravity of my own words weighs heavily upon me. Mixed emotions of desperation and resolution intertwine, creating a tumultuous storm within. The thought of Emily leaving for Wisconsin, severing our daily interactions, stirs a deep-seated panic. The notion of her absence from my life, the absence of those precious, everyday moments we shared, feels like an unbearable loss.

As I reflect on the demands I made, I recognize their outrageousness. Proposing that she live with me for six months was born out of sheer desperation, a frantic attempt to cling to what remained of our bond. It was a manifestation of my deepest fear — losing her entirely, witnessing her slip through my fingers, leaving me with nothing but a hollow regret.

And the threat I made, an action that gnaws at my conscience. Suggesting that I would tarnish her reputation, paint her as a fortune-seeker in the media — it's a move that goes against everything she represents and everything I respect about her. Emily is the furthest thing from a fortune-seeker; she's genuine, honest, and full of integrity. Threatening to brand her as something so vile, something so contrary to her true nature, deeply wounds me. It was a desperate, fear-driven choice, one that I loathe myself for making. My heart, clouded by desperation, led me down this dark path.

As I witnessed the flare of anger and disbelief in Emily's eyes, a sharp pang of guilt struck me. Yet, even amidst this turmoil, a part of me clung to a sliver of hope — hope that she might see the depth of my turmoil, understand the chaotic struggle consuming me. Despite how she might hate me for stooping so low, there was one undeniable truth: I couldn't let her go back to Wisconsin. The prospect of losing her completely was something I couldn't face. So, there I stood, laying out my desperate plea before her, against all odds, hoping she might choose to stay.