Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 120

In the VIP section, Tyler's gaze lingered on the woman performing on stage, but his mind wandered far from the present. Instead, old memories surfaced—scenes from years past that refused to fade.

Transforming the Erickson Group hadn't been easy. Shifting from a traditional industry to cutting-edge technology was a leap full of uncertainty and risk. He still remembered the night he made that decision, knowing that the years ahead would be grueling.

Thank God Emilia had been by his side through it all.

The two of them spent most of their days on the move, shuttling between cities and countries, chasing opportunities, putting out fires. One winter, they traveled to Zephyria for critical negotiations—only to discover it was a trap.

They barely escaped in time, forced to flee by sea on a rickety old ferry. The boat was run-down and the weather brutal. The open water stretched endlessly, waves tossing the vessel, icy wind howling through every crack.

There was no cell signal out there. No way to call for help. For twelve long hours, their world shrank to the cramped, freezing cabin, where the only people they could trust were each other.

It was bitterly cold. Even bundled in every layer they owned, wrapped in thin blankets, they shivered uncontrollably. Tyler looked at Emilia's lips, tinged with blue from the cold, and knew he was no better off. All he felt was anger—anger at himself for walking into a trap, for being too weak, for dragging her into this mess.

She must have sensed his distress. Quietly, she reached for his hand.

"Tye, I'm freezing," she said, breaking through his spiral of self-blame. Her voice forced him back to the present. "Are you cold too?"

He met her eyes and nodded.

Emilia understood him. She knew words of comfort wouldn't help, so she distracted him instead.

Deep down, Tyler knew that if they made it to shore, everything would turn out all right. But if they didn't… the sea would swallow them whole. The waiting, the suspicion, the worry—it was unbearable.

And then, Emilia smiled and edged closer, her breath warm against his cheek. "Hold me, will you?" she whispered. "If we keep close, maybe we'll stop shivering."

He didn't hesitate. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"Can you not make so much noise?" Ella grumbled, giving her little brother a light smack.

"But it's just—so sad!" George turned watery eyes on her, voice trembling. "Don't hit me, sis, please…"

Ella rolled her eyes. "I only tapped your shoulder, you big baby."

"Oh… well, it felt like a slap," George sniffled, wiping his nose. "I heard everyone performing tonight wrote their own songs. There are guest judges, but they're just here to give a bit of advice—the main thing is what the artists create themselves."

He lowered his voice, barely above a whisper, "What must she have gone through to write something like this?"

Tyler, sitting nearby, caught every word.

He looked up at the woman singing under the bright stage lights, her voice carrying memories only the two of them shared.