Chapter 8: Sharing

"All units retreat! There's a variable!" the voice of an intruder echoed.

Even Emilia could hear the panic in his voice. It made sense—their meticulously crafted plan to kill Matthew had fallen apart in ways they could never have anticipated. They hadn't accounted for the sheer power Matthew possessed, nor had they ever considered Emilia's existence would pose a challenge. After all, Emilia's reputation as a genius had been buried three years ago when she left her family without a word, relinquishing her position as heir.

She had been powerless during her brother's wedding, but now she was determined to trap every one of these intruders here.

With that thought, Emilia sprang into action. Armed with her own gun and one she had taken from an intruder, she fired at their legs with precision.

The intruders collapsed to the ground, still attempting to fire back, but Matthew and his subordinates arrived, swiftly overpowering them.

Some intruders bit down on poison capsules hidden in their mouths to commit suicide. Still, others had their jaws dislocated by Matthew's men, rendering them incapable of closing their mouths, let alone taking their own lives.

The same ambush meant to kill Matthew had become a devastating disadvantage for the intruders. They were completely subdued, with no one escaping.

"Boss, did you plant someone in their ranks?" Louis instinctively asked Matthew.

The intruders also looked toward Matthew, waiting for an answer. The idea that there might have been a traitor in their team was unthinkable. But other than this possibility, there was no explanation for their failure.

Matthew, however, had indeed infiltrated the intruders' team. It was remarkable how quickly the various factions had mobilized this time. Matthew hadn't even determined whether these intruders were part of a Russian or domestic organization.

"We'll find out soon enough," Matthew said in a deep voice. He had a hunch about the answer but hoped he was wrong.

At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps drew everyone's attention. Clearly, the mysterious shooter was coming closer.

Matthew's team instinctively tensed up. They gripped their guns tightly, with some stepping in front of Matthew to shield him from potential danger.

Though the newcomer assisted them, they couldn't afford to lower their guard until the end.

Matthew suddenly pushed Louis aside and said, "No need to worry. It's someone we know."

Louis and the others exchanged doubtful looks, but as the figure emerged, they understood why Matthew had spoken with such certainty.

Emilia was a tall, slender figure in a flowing white dress paired with an unforgettable, beautiful face!

Matthew's gaze toward Emilia was deep and unreadable. Facing him, Emilia felt inexplicably guilty.

Yes, she had disobeyed him. She had left the car. Just as Emilia braced herself for Matthew's reprimand, he said, "Alright, let's leave this place first."

Then, turning to Louis, he added, "Take these intruders to the detention center. We'll interrogate them later."

Louis immediately responded with an affirmative nod, though his eyes betrayed his astonishment as they flicked toward Emilia.

At this moment, Louis couldn't help but recall the information from years ago—that the Adonis family's daughter was once considered a promising heir to the head of the Adonis family. But later, rumors spread that the Adonis daughter had lost her sharpness and left the family.

Back then, there were plenty of mockery and sneers, mainly because Emilia was a woman. Yet, after witnessing the bodies in the warehouse and the captured intruders, Louis began to doubt those rumors. He couldn't help but wonder—what was the real reason Emilia left New York and abandoned her claim to the Adonis family's power?

Now, Emilia was sitting in the car with Matthew. The subordinates outside, seeing Matthew step out, wanted to approach and check on him. However, the moment they saw his icy expression, they immediately halted.

Even a blind person could tell that their leader was furious. No one dared to approach him at this moment!

Emilia glanced at Matthew's cold profile. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. She knew that anything she said right now would seem meaningless. She didn't even understand why Matthew was so angry. Was it because she didn't stay in the car? No, Emilia felt there was another reason, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

The car quickly made its way back to Matthew's villa. They had gone out for leisure but returned with heavy hearts.

Matthew sat silently in the car, his gaze fixed straight ahead. It was impossible to tell what thoughts were swirling behind those eyes. Emilia also remained quiet, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside the car window.

"Why did you leave the car? Didn't you know the warehouse was dangerous?" Matthew finally broke the silence.

Emilia turned to face Matthew and replied softly, "I was afraid you'd be in danger. Besides, nothing happened to me. Can't you see?"

Matthew didn't respond immediately. Instead, he took Emilia's hand, slightly reddened from holding a gun, and his gaze fell to her dress, faintly dirtied by dust. Just these tiny details were enough to make him feel useless—useless for failing to protect Emilia completely. If being by his side meant she had to face such dangers, he would send her back to Italy instead!

However, there was something else that Matthew couldn't ignore. "Why did Mr. Adonis and Curtis say that you couldn't handle a gun, which was why you stepped down as heir to the Adonis family?"

Matthew had always been skeptical about this but had never found an answer. Now, after seeing Emilia skillfully wield a gun and take down the intruders, Matthew realized her departure from New York might not have been solely about avoiding an arranged marriage with the Russian mafia's son.

Emilia looked at Matthew with tear-filled eyes as if hesitating over whether to reveal the truth.

Faced with this vulnerable Emilia, Matthew felt his heart ache—an ache far sharper than being struck by a bullet.

Finally, he pulled Emilia into his arms, gently kissed the top of her head, and whispered, "It's okay. You can tell me everything."