Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1375

Hearing the word 'avenge,' Emmy's sobbing abruptly stopped. She slowly pulled back from James's embrace, her hollow gaze locking onto the lonely new grave. A bitter wind howled past them, sweeping a fresh flurry of fine snow across the sky. The flakes landed gently on Emmy's eyelashes, melting instantly into freezing drops of water.

She lowered her head, weeping in absolute silence. But this time, no broken wails escaped her lips. She simply remained kneeling in the snow, letting the freezing wind slice straight through her body. It felt as though enduring this bitter cold was the only way to marginally alleviate the crushing weight of her guilt.

James stayed quietly by her side, using his large overcoat to shield her from the brunt of the storm. Time stretched on until Emmy's lips had turned a terrifying shade of purple. Refusing to let her suffer any longer, James wrapped his strong hands around her arms and hauled her freezing, stiff body up from the ground. "Emmy, Mr. Murphy is still waiting. We need to head back."

Emmy's entire body felt rigid, her legs so numb she could barely stand. Leaning all of her weight against James, she let him guide her forward. But after only a few steps, she couldn't stop herself from halting. She turned back. That solitary mound of earth looked even more tragic against the swirling blizzard. Emmy bit her bottom lip, the overwhelming despair in her eyes slowly freezing over, replaced by a deep, marrow-deep hatred.

Her voice was raw, shredded by the wind, yet every single word bled with a terrifying conviction. "Rest in peace, Penny. I promise you, I will make them pay for what they did. I swear it."

They navigated back down the pine-flanked path and returned to the estate's rear corridor. Alastair stood beneath the sloping eaves, solemnly watching the snowstorm. As they approached, his gaze immediately caught Emmy's red, swollen eyes. Holding his hands behind his back, his voice carried a weathered wisdom. "Do not be too hard on yourself, Mrs. Nelson. Among all the patrons who have employed the Murphy clan, I have never seen anyone view one of our children as an irreplaceable partner the way you do. Most of the time, even the legitimate sons and daughters of our reclusive families are viewed by our clients as nothing more than premium-grade tools."

Emmy reached up to wipe away the icy tear tracks on her face. Meeting Alastair's gaze, her eyes, though bloodshot, were fiercely bright and uncompromising. "Mr. Murphy, in my eyes, human lives do not have a hierarchy. Just because I am the employer and I signed a check does not mean my life holds more value than hers. Every life deserves to be cherished. She had a name. She was Penny. She wasn't a code name, and she certainly wasn't just a meat shield. She gave up her life for mine, and if even I reduced her memory to a mere tool, then her sacrifice would have been entirely meaningless."

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