Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 88

Emilia smiled at the old man before her. "Good evening, Alexander. I'm Emilia."

Alexander watched as Emilia removed her mask. His expression showed only a flicker of surprise, not the shock she might have expected.

Emilia understood instantly.

She lifted the bag in her hand—a selection of the finest tea Christian had prepared for her—and walked over to the small table where Alexander kept his tea set. Calmly, she began to unwrap the leaves.

"Christian said this is your favorite, Emperor's Reserve," she said softly. "Shall I brew you a cup?"

Alexander gave a quiet nod.

The room fell into silence, broken only by the gentle sounds of Emilia pouring water and tending to the tea. Her movements were fluid, practiced—each gesture as natural as breathing. Soon, the air filled with a rich, earthy aroma.

At last, Emilia handed the cup to Alexander.

He accepted it and took a slow, appreciative sip, savoring the flavor.

"It's been years since anyone's brewed me a cup this good," he said, eyes lingering on the rising steam. "All of his skill, it seems, was passed down to you."

Emilia lowered her gaze, fingertips lightly tracing the rim of the cup.

"He had no one else to teach," she replied quietly. "After all, I am his daughter."

They both knew who she meant—her father, long gone.

The man who had once been so full of ambition and life was now just a memory, forever tied to that rain-soaked afternoon.

"I thought you'd keep your mask on a while longer," Alexander remarked.

Emilia smiled, meeting his gaze. "How could I ever fool you, Alexander? You knew it was me all along, didn't you?"

She looked at him calmly.

From the moment she'd received the invitation, Emilia had known there was no escaping tonight. Even with the secrecy agreements she and Christian had signed, no matter how careful they'd been—some things could never withstand true scrutiny. Especially not if Alexander was the one asking questions.

Take the origin of tonight's rare gemstone, for example. Other families might have struggled to trace it, but if Alexander cared to look, he'd know in an instant. It was part of the family's own holdings, after all.

So, Emilia hadn't bothered with pretense after she walked through the door.

"Oh, Alexander, are you playing games with me now?" she teased, but chose not to push further.

Alexander's hawk-like eyes never left her, his stare heavy with pressure.

He hadn't built the Donovan Group with clean hands; in his younger days, his reputation was anything but gentle. Only after his eldest son died at sea did he rein himself in—slightly. But that ruthless streak still lingered beneath the surface.

You could see it in the way he allowed his three grandsons to fight their power struggles openly. He was never one to shy away from hard choices.

A man like this, frightened off just by hearing Tyler's name? Not likely.

"So, what game am I playing, exactly?" Alexander finally asked.

Emilia spoke softly, "You're pleased there's finally someone willing to challenge the Erickson Group, aren't you?"

She flashed a dazzling smile.

"You let your grandsons compete because you want the family to grow stronger. If you backed down every time you heard Tyler's name, decline would be inevitable."

"And besides, the Donovan Group isn't so easily manipulated. Risks like this have always been under your control."