Chapter 95: Sent by Her Family

Emerald’s POV

As soon as Michael brought his Aston Martin to a stop in front of my dormitory building, I turned to him.

"Thank you for bringing me back."

"You are welcome."

I released my seatbelt and opened the door before he could get out to help me. By the time I stepped onto the pavement, he was already walking around the front of the car.

I reached for the grocery bags in the back seat.

"I can take those," he said.

"I can carry groceries, Michael," I said, and he gave me a look that made me smile.

Before he could insist again, a man approached us from the direction of the dormitory’s car park.

He wore a dark suit, and although I did not recognise him, the moment he stopped in front of Michael, he bowed his head deeply without saying a word.

I watched Michael’s expression remain unchanged.

The man straightened and held out his hand. A key rested in his palm. Michael took it, then turned towards me and handed it over.

I stared at the key in surprise before taking it. "My jeep?"

"It is parked in the dormitory’s car park."

I looked from the key to him with a smile. "Thank you."

Michael nodded.

The man who had approached us bowed again, this time toward me, before walking away.

I looked toward the car park, then back at Michael. My jeep had been returned. The groceries were with me, and I was back safely at my dormitory.

He had made certain of all of it.

"Do you need help carrying the bags upstairs?" he asked.

"No."

He glanced at the bags, then at me. "Emerald."

I laughed. "I mean it. Please leave before you run late for something."

"I can spare a few more minutes."

"No." I picked up two of the bags. "You might have work or a meeting. I have already taken enough of your time since yesterday."

His eyes remained on me for a moment. I did not give him an opportunity to argue. "Go."

"You are ordering me away from your own dormitory?"

"Yes."

His mouth curved slightly. I smiled at him and began walking backwards. "Thank you again, Michael."

He shook his head lightly. I turned around and started toward the entrance. Then I heard my name.

"Emerald."

I stopped and glanced over my shoulder.

"Do not forget to call me if anything happens," he said.

A giggle escaped me before I could stop it. Then I looked away and continued walking.

"I will think about it."

I heard nothing else from him, but I could feel his gaze following me until I entered the building.

---

The moment I got into my dormitory room, I set the grocery bags on the counter and began putting everything away.

The semi-perishable items went into the refrigerator first. I placed the dry goods inside the cupboards, arranged the fruit, then packed away the remaining items one after another.

It took me a few minutes to finish.

When I put away the last item, I looked around my kitchenette with satisfaction. At least I would not be eating plain bread again anytime soon.

I was just closing one of the cupboards when I heard a knock on my door. I frowned. I had not ordered anything, and I was not expecting anyone.

"Who is it?" I asked as I walked toward the door.

"It is the dormitory administration, Miss Hugo."

I opened the door, and a female administrative staff member was waiting outside, greeting me politely.

"Good morning, Miss Hugo."

"Good morning. Is something wrong?"

"There are some people here to see you. They said they were sent by the Hugo family."

My expression changed immediately. "My family?"

"Yes."

I stared at her. Something about the statement did not sit right with me. My family would never send people to pick me up without informing me first.

Then I remembered the muffled ringing of my phone during breakfast. My phone. I looked toward my room. It was still switched off, and I had not charged it since yesterday.

A strange feeling began to settle inside me.

"Who are these people?" I asked.

"I don’t know them personally, Miss Hugo. They said they were sent by your family, so we brought them to one of the offices."

I hesitated.

The administrator seemed to notice my uncertainty and inquired, "Would you like me to ask them to leave?"

"No." I shook my head.

If they had truly been sent by my family, there was probably an important reason they had come all the way to Boston.

And considering the call I had missed earlier, I could not ignore the possibility that something had happened.

"I will come and see them."

The woman nodded. I followed her downstairs.

As we walked through the building, my mind moved from one possibility to another.

I tried to dismiss the uneasiness growing inside me, but the more I thought about the strange call and the sudden arrival of people claiming to have been sent by my family, the harder it became.

By the time we reached the office, my heartbeat had changed.

The administrator opened the door, revealing three men in black suits already inside. When they saw me, all three stood up and then bowed.

"Miss Hugo."

I stared at them. Their greeting was formal, but I had seen the Hugo family’s security personnel often enough to recognise the manner.

These men were not strangers. At least not completely.

"You were sent by my family?" I asked.

"Yes, Miss Hugo," one of them replied, then he exchanged a brief glance with the others before adding, "We have been instructed to take you directly to Washington, D.C."

My stomach tightened. "Why?"

"Your family is gathering at the old family estate."

My unease intensified instantly. I thought of my grandfather in Washington, D.C., before I could control it.

I took a step closer. "Is my grandfather all right?"

The three men fell quiet. My heart began to pound harder. "Is he all right?" I repeated.

"Yes, Miss Hugo," the man answered quickly. "The Old Master is fine."

Relief passed through me, but it did not last. If Grandfather was fine, then what could have happened?

"Then why am I being taken to Washington?"

The men stayed silent a moment longer. That silence scared me more than any reply might have. At last, the man in front broke the silence.

"Miss Vera was found dead at her vacation home yesterday evening."

I paused, merely gazing at him. The words reached me, but they did not make sense.

I blinked. "What?"