《Her Mysterious Mogul Hubby (Charlotte and Zachary)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 It''s hot. Why does it feel like I''m burning up? Charlotte Windt felt like she had been aimlessly walking in the desert for a very long time. All she wanted was to quench her thirst. A man''s icy lips covered hers as he devoured her, giving her temporary respite from the heat. She reached out and flung her arms around his neck, sucking his lips greedily. Loud moans and pants soon resounded around the room. Their shadows on the wall opposite ovepped with a burning passion. As the light was dim, Charlotte couldn''t see the man''s face clearly. The only thing that urred to her was how beastly he was in bed. He savagely took her until dawn. When dawn broke, he left. Charlotte opened her eyes in a daze. She saw a blurry image of a man¡¯s back and the vicious wolf head tattoo on the small of his back. It was a tattoo of a howling wolf with its jaw wide opened, like it was going to devour its prey anytime. She felt her heart racing in fear at the sight of that tattoo. Charlotte had a dream. In it, she had turned into a vine that was entwined around a colossal tree, unable to break free. When she regained consciousness, her body was aching terribly. Charlotte sat up in bed with one hand on her head, trying to soothe her splitting headache. She saw the mess on the bed and a torn men''s shirt on the ground. Freezing in shock, she racked her brains trying to rememberst night''s events. At her engagement party, her fiance had betrayed her. She was on the verge of breaking down when her cousin, Luna White, brought her to Sultry Night to drink her sorrows away. Utterly wasted, she announced she wanted to take revenge on her fiance. Luna immediately arranged a male escort for her. Asst night''s events hit her, Charlotte clutched her chest in shock .Oh Godli lost my virginity to a stranger! She grabbed her hair in frustration. After a long time, she finally snapped out of her trance and hurriedly put on her clothes. When she rushed out of the hotel, a bunch of reporters mored around her. Apanied by the blinding camera shes were the reporters'' harsh questions. "Ms. Windt, is it true you spent the night with a male escort from Sultry Night because the Sterlings called off the engagement?" "Ms. Windt, are you aware that the male escort is a transvestite?" "Ms. Windt, did you know your father has gone bankrupt?" "Ms. Windt, we''ve just received news that your father hadmitted suicide. He jumped off his Charlotte''s mind went nk as if she had just been struck by lightning. At once, she ran out but was knocked out cold by a car. The next morning, the headlines were aze with the news of Charlotte and her father .Richest Man in H City Richard Windt Goes Bankrupt and Commits Suicide.Hector Sterling Dumps Daughter of Richard Windt - Charlotte Windt Spends Night at Club With Transvestite Male Escort. Both pieces of breaking news immediately made it to the headlines. Once a wealthy heiress, Charlotte became a despicable and immoral b*tch overnight. She had lost everything from her family to her reputation. Ten monthster, loud cries from babies could be heard in an unremarkable clinic in the countryside. Mrs. Berry held a baby in her arms as she rushed up to Charlotte tedly. "Miss, congrattions. You gave birth to triplets. Two boys and a girl!" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Four yearster, at H City''s Train Station. Charlotte arrived in the city with her kids and Mrs. Berry. The plump Mrs. Berry was holding two big pieces of luggage, heaving as she walked. Charlotte had a denim backpack slung on her shoulder as she squeezed out of the busy train station with her three kids. To others, they looked like a poor family from the countrysideing to the city to depend on their rtives. "Out of my way, country bumpkin!" A woman wearing a fur coat shoved Mrs. Berry away harshly and insulted her. Charlotte was about to reprimand that woman when a fleet of luxury cars came to a stop beside her. Before anyone could react, dozens of bodyguards alighted their vehicles and formed two neat rows. Giving a deep bow, they called out in unison, "Wee back, Mrs. Sterling!" Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Hearing the name "Sterling," Charlotte nced at the convoy and saw the Sterlings'' crest on the cars. Are they here for me? She grew excited at that thought. Could it be that Hector never betrayed me? Did he call off our engagement because he had no other choice back then? Now that he knows I''m back, he must be here to pick me up! "Miss, is Mr. Sterling here to pick us up?" A delighted Mrs. Berry was about to step forward when two bodyguards pushed them away rudely. In the next moment, a graceful woman dressed in expensive clothing walked out, nked by an entourage. Charlotte¡¯s lips parted in surprise. Isn¡¯t this Luna White? Luna was d in a designer suit. She looked more elegant than she was four years ago. Her fingers were curled around a little hand belonging to a boy around the same age as Charlotte''s triplets. "Mrs. Sterling, Timothy, this way please," the bodyguards greeted them politely. "I will never take the train again. It''s filthy and full ofmonalties," dered Luna, covering her nose with her handkerchief in disdain. "Yes, yes. If it weren''t for the weather, Mr. Sterling wouldn''t have let you and Timothy suffer." The bodyguards escorted Luna and the little boy into a car. Both Luna and her son were so arrogant they didn''t even nce around them. Thus, they failed to notice Charlotte in the crowd. "What is going on?¡± Mrs. Berry recognized Luna and blurted out. "Isn''t that your cousin? Is she married to Mr. Sterling now?" "I think so." As the Sterlings'' convoy drove away, Charlotte recalled Hector''s promise in the past. He said I¡¯ll be his only bride in this life. But now, he''s married to my cousin. They even have a son this big! Tears prickled at Charlotte''s eyes as her nose burned. "Mommy, what''s wrong?" When the kids spotted Charlotte''s red-rimmed eyes, all three of them surrounded her and voiced their concerns. "I''m fine." Wiping her eyes dry, Charlotte knelt down and pulled the three of them in for a hug. "Mommy, don''t be sad. When I grow up, I''ll buy a big car for you. Then, you won¡¯t have to suffer anymore," offered her eldest son, Robbie. He thought she was upset because someone had bullied her. "Mommy, who bullied you? Lemme beat them up!" Jamie, the second boy, waved his fists adorably and puffed up his cheeks. Ellie, the youngest of the triplets, rubbed her cheek against Charlotte''s andforted her. "Mommy, don''t cry!" "Don''t cry! Don''t cry!" Suddenly, a green head poked out of Ellie''s pocket. It belonged to a cheeky parrot that was ncing around curiously at this moment. "No, I''m not crying." Charlotte inhaled sharply and put on a smile. "Come on, let''s go home!" "Yay, let''s go!" Charlotte gave them a kiss each before slinging the backpack over her shoulder again and heading out to hail a cab. She used to be a wealthy heiress with an entourage wherever she went, but now, she had to queue up to hail a cab with Mrs. Berry and her kids, not to mention being heavily loaded with their baggage. As all of them couldn''t fit in one cab, Mrs. Berry had to take a separate cab by herself. The sky was dark, signaling the arrival of a storm. Hoping to avoid it, the cab driver was speeding anxiously along the road when suddenly, he rammed into a Rolls-Royce up ahead. The cab driver''s face turned pale instantly and got down from his cab to check the situation. Charlotte sat in the passenger seat and looked out of the window, snapping her brows together. It was a limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom. There were only three units in C Nation and thirty-five worldwide. Even if it were a minor scratch, the Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g cab driver would have topensate a substantial amount of money, which might cause him to go bankrupt. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 The conflict was going to be a hassle and would probably take a long time. Looking up, Charlotte noticed the sky had turned a gloomy grey. The storm was about to hit anytime. She didn''t want her kids to get soaked in the rain, especially Ellie, who had been physically weak since young. The little girl would definitely catch a cold if the rain got to her.- "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, stay in the car. I''ll go down and see what''s happening," Charlotte told her children before getting off the cab. "Mommy, be careful!" the kids yelled out unanimously. Fifi the parrot poked its head out of Ellie¡¯s pocket again curiously. Ellie gave it a tiny snack and petted its fluffy head gently. "Fifi, hold on tight. We''ll be home soon!" "Sir, I''m sorry. I didn''t hit your car on purpose." The cab driver was exining nervously. "It was the passenger''s fault. She has three kids and a good deal of baggage. My cab is overloaded, so I identally bumped into your car." When he saw Charlotte, he immediately pointed at her. "You''re responsible for this!" "Huh? Why?" Charlotte was about to retort when the window of the Rolls-Royce rolled down. "Forget it. The president is busy!" The man seated in the passenger seat spoke as he swept a nce over Charlotte. "Yes!" The man in suit nodded and told the cab driver to drive carefully next time before leaving. Charlotte gazed instinctively at the backseat of the Rolls-Royce when the driver opened the door. To her surprise, she saw a half-naked man with his back to her. A snarly wound snaked across his back as blood trickled down onto the wolf head tattoo on the small of his back. Wolf head tattoo?TheWolf head tattoo! Charlotte''s eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at the tattoo wordlessly as her heart jumped to her throat. The ferocious wolf was gazing at her, its eyes stained bright red by the man''s blood, looking ever so bloodthirsty. It''s himllt really is him! "Move out of the way!" The cab driver gave Charlotte an abrupt push, causing her to topple to the ground. When she looked up again, the Rolls-Royce had disappeared from sight. Charlotte felt her head buzzing as she stared at the empty road ahead. Was that him in the car just now? The kids'' father? Wasn''t he a gigolo at Sultry Night?Why was he in that expensive car with that horrible wound? "Hey, why did you push my mommy?" Jamie waved his fists angrily at the cab driver. "Brat, stop yelling at me. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have gotten this unlucky," cursed the cab driver. "You were the one speeding before hitting that car. That''s none of our business!" Robbie retorted in his bubbly voice. "As your passengers, we''re not responsible for your mistake! You vited the trafficw. We can file aint against you!" "Yes, you bullied Mommy. I will ask the police to arrest you!" Ellie pouted furiously and pointed at someone in the middle of the road. "There''s a traffic police!" Fifi, who was perched on her shoulder, chirped out instantly. "Traffic police! Traffic police!" "What a nuisance. Get off! I refuse to bring you to your destination anymore.¡± The cab driver proceeded to open his trunk and threw their baggage in the middle of the road before Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g leaving in a huff. "Hey! How could you?" Charlotte picked up her baggage clumsily and brought the kids to the side of the road. Meanwhile, the man in the backseat of the Rolls-Royce, Zachary Nacht, looked up and nced at the rearview mirror. That woman looks familiar. Where have I seen her before this? "Mr. Nacht, I''ll inject the anesthetic now!" said the doctor who was dealing with his wound. "No need." The man was reading a file in his hand. His wound was bleeding profusely, but he wasn¡¯t bothered at all. "Um, this may sting a little then. I''m going to stitch your wound up.¡± Frowning, the doctor started stitching the wound up. As there was no anesthetic involved, the doctor was more nervous than usual. The man¡¯s tanned skin glinted under the light icily. His muscles contracted from the immense pain, but his expression remained the same. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 On Monday morning, Charlotte sent the kids to kindergarten with Mrs. Berry before she went to Divine Corporation. For the past few days, she had sted her resume out to thirty-fivepanies. Seventeen of them called her for an interview, but they either rejected her or asked her to wait for their decision.- Only onepany offered her a job-the legendary Divine Corporation! Strange. The SMEs didn''t want to hire me, but why did the corporate giant in the industry, Divine Corporation, call me instead? When she arrived at the HR department, she finally realized whose n it was. "It''s you?" "Long time no see, Miss!" Wesley Holt greeted her with an evil smile. "You''re still pretty after all these years." "Wesley Holt, my father fired you from Windt Corporation and left orders that you are not to step into H City for the rest of your life. How dare you return?" Charlotte knew who he was. Wesley used to be the vice president of Windt Corporation. He tried to take advantage of her, so Richard fired him. She never thought she¡¯d see him again after four long years. "The Windt family is over the hill. Do you think you''re still the rich heiress?" Wesley snickered. "You''re nothing. I am the one who gives you this job!" Giving him a re, Charlotte spun on her heels and left. "Charlotte, this is your final chance. If you walk out from this door, I guarantee you won''t find a job in H City, unless you are willing to be a hostess in a bar!" Wesley uttered arrogantly. Furious, Charlotte stormed out of his office. I will never give in to someone like him! When she exited the building, a crowd had formed at the entrance. There was a middle-aged man with gasoline poured all over his body. He was holding a lighter, trying to threaten everyone. "Stay away. I want to meet Zachary Nacht, now!" The staff stayed away while the bodyguards were on alert. A few higher-ups tried to persuade him. "Mr. Looney, calm down. We can talk this out." "Calm down? Do you know what he did to me? I identally offended him, and he made me bankrupt overnight! How could I calm down?" Gaston Looney eximed. At his words, Charlotte was reminded of her father, Richard. I still don''t understand how Windt Corporation went bust suddenly. We were doing so well.I didn''t even get to see Father before he died.Did someone sabotage Father back then? "Mr. Nacht is here!" someone shouted. Charlotte looked up and saw a Rolls-Royce Phantoming to a stop. The bodyguards swarmed toward the car and cleared a path. Seeing that, the crowd made way for him. Gaston rushed to the car and stood in front of it. "Zachary Nacht, I demand an exnation today!" he shouted. Everyone fell silent and gazed at the ck Rolls-Royce nervously. The most horrifying and influential person in H City is in that car! Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Charlotte saw a figure in the backseat looking at his phone without a care in the world. His driver and bodyguard in the passenger seat remained seated, waiting for his instruction. A heavy silence hung in the air. The expressionless man then made a casual gesture. Immediately, the vehicle sped ahead with every intention to hit Gaston. The onlookers were dumbfounded, let alone Gaston. He froze on the spot in disbelief at the other party''s callousness. The car was about to hit him when Charlotte rushed forward and pulled him back. At that, the man in the car looked up and noticed Charlotte. Aplicated look shed across his gaze at the sight of her. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 As Charlotte and Gaston fell onto the ground together, the crowd collectively gasped in shock. Charlotte¡¯s arm was throbbing painfully. But when she looked up, the Rolls-Royce Phantom was long gone. Almost instantly, the security guards rushed over and detained Gaston. "Zachary Nacht, I curse you! You''ll die a horrible death!" he yelled desperately. Soon, the guards stuffed a cloth into his mouth to stop him from yelling more and dragged him away like a dead dog. Charlotte stared after him with sorrow. Father told me that the business world is like a battlefield. But it looks like hell to me.A careless mistake will cause one to sink into an endless quicksand. The mysterious man in the Phantom is none other than the devil incarnate who controls everyone''s fate.s, the poor have to work for the devil even though they are barely surviving. The moment Charlotte left Divine Corporation''s building, she received a text from the bank, informing her of the sessful transcation to the kindergarten, amounting to one hundred and eighty thousand. Her bnce in the ount was three thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight. Ah, it''s expensive to bring up kids nowadays. The triplets'' school fees plus meal allowance amount to one hundred and eighty thousandIThe rest isn''t even enough to buy form milk for them. What should I do? After battling with her own thoughts for a long while, Charlotte turned and entered Divine Corporation once again. It''s just Wesley. He won''t do anything in broad daylight, right?The man''s right. I''m no longer the rich heiress. I need to support my family and the kids. Pride isn''t important right now. Charlotte was waiting for the elevator in the lobby when many bodyguards appeared, escorting a man to the VIP elevator. Everywhere that man went, people would bow and greet him politely. "Good morning, Mr. Nacht!" As she was far away and not tall enough, she didn''t manage to see what he looked like. But that man was obviously Zachary Nacht, the president of Divine Corporation. Hmm, why does his figure seem familiar to me? Shaking her head, she chided herself for being star-struck. Why would I be reminded of that gigolo every time l meet a tall and muscr man?He''s the president of Divine Corporation and an influential and ruthless man. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s a gigolo at Sultry Night! "Mr. Nacht, the one who pulled Gaston Looney away was an onlooker-No, she has just registered as our new employee five minutes ago as a secretary on the thirteenth floor. Her name is Charlotte Windt," reported Ben Nacht. His boss said nothing as he scrawled his signature on a document. The man only replied with a grunt after he was done with his work. "Mm." Charlotte would be paid eight thousand monthly during her probation period, including basic insurance. Her sry would increase to ten thousand once she passed probation. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. After going through the entry procedures, Charlotte was counting silently whether her sry was enough for her family''s expenses. I''ll need to spend eight thousand every month on the kids'' form milk alone. That¡¯s not including our expenses... She was deep in worry when a few other employees came to wee her. "Hello, Charlotte. Wee to the administration department!¡± "Oh, thank you." Charlotte shook hands with them warmly. This was her first official job, so she knew how important it was to build a good rtionship with her colleagues. "As usual, we''ll have a wee party for you. Is that okay?" "Of course. Dinner''s on me!" "Ha! I like how smart you are. We''ll leave right after work." "Sure!" When it was time to get off work, Charlotte had some unfinished work, so her colleagues left and waited for her downstairs. After finishing the paperwork, she grabbed her bag and headed to the elevator. But before she could reach it, the doors closed right in front of her. At the same time, the doors to the VIP elevator parted. She scurried in without hesitation. "This is the president''s private elevator. Please leave right away," the bodyguard reprimanded her. "Huh?" Before Charlotte could react, the mysterious man in the elevator made a gesture. His bodyguard received his order and stopped driving her out. Charlotte looked back, but immediately turned away. It''s the devil incarnate, Zachary Nacht! Chapter 6 Chapter 6 All of a sudden, it felt like the surrounding temperature had dropped a few degrees. The man was tall and looked like a Greek god. He stood behind her imposingly and exuded an intimidating aura. Charlotte bit her lip hard. She was subconsciously holding her breath. Through the reflection of the mirror in the elevator, she saw the man gazing at her sharply. He looks like a lion staring at its prey.Hurry, hurry! Charlotte gazed at the number shing on the elevator screen, hoping to quickly escape this suffocating ce. Thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten... She counted the numbers silently, her heart thumping furiously. Unbeknownst to her, Zachary was inching nearer to her. Ding! Finally, the elevator reached the ground floor. Once the doors opened, she scurried out. She was in such a hurry that she tripped and fell down. St! She copsed face down like a frog. Everyone outside gasped in shock. A few employees who had just exited the normal elevator covered their mouths and sniggered. Charlotte was so ashamed that she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. She scrambled to her feet clumsily and ran out, covering her face. Behind her, the man looked at her retreating figure as a smirk flitted across his lips. Charlotte thought the wee party would be a dinner in a restaurant, but it turned out to be a drinking session at Sultry Night. To her surprise, Wesley was also there. This is the administration department''s gathering. Why is someone from the HR department here? Charlotte wasn''t happy about it, but her colleagues were present, so she wasn''t about to chase him out rudely. Wesley had already introduced himself to her colleagues. He also ordered bottles of expensive liquor, which were currently ced around the table. A male colleague spoke up. "Mr. Holt, this liquor costs over eight thousand. We shouldn''t be doing this to our new colleague." "You don''t know?" Wesley grinned. "Charlotte is an heiress. She''s rich. Back then, she could pay for everyone''s drinks here in Sultry Night. These are nothing to her." "Oh? Seriously?" A few female colleagues got curious. They surrounded Charlotte and bombarded her with questions. "Charlotte, you''re an heiress? How unexpected!" "No-" ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Of course, you are." Wesley cut her off rudely and snickered. "The only daughter of the richest man in H City, Richard Windt. You''ve heard of him, right?" "Richard Windt? The one who jumped off a building four years ago?" a man uttered. "No wonder the surname Windt sounded really familiar to me." "I think I read the news. The Sterlings called off their son''s engagement to Ms. Windt, and then she came to Sultry Night and spent the night with a transvestite gigolo. Uh, was that true?" Her colleagues were staring at her, their gazes a mixture of curiosity, excitement and amazement as they waited for her reply. Charlotte felt suffocated by them. Refusing to take it anymore, she stood up to leave. The manager of the administration department, Roy Young, stopped her and chided the rest. "What are you all doing? Is this how you treat our new colleague? We are going to work together in the future, so please stop teasing her." "Okay, sorry." They apologized to Charlotte at once. The moment Charlotte met Wesley¡¯s amused gaze, she escaped from the private room without a word. She wanted to escape the past and start her life anew, but the past kept haunting her. I can never get rid of it, can I? Charlotte took a deep breath to calm down. "What''s wrong? Was that so unbearable?" Wesley came after her and sneered. "How would you survive, huh?" "You did it on purpose." Charlotte glowered at him. "You deliberately hired me and made me treat my colleagues to dinner so I''d be humiliated. You¡¯re doing this to take revenge on me!" "That''s right," Wesley answered, nodding with a grin. "I ordered food and drinks worth a few hundred thousand just for you." Chapter 7 Chapter 7 "Hey!" Charlotte gritted her teeth in anger. I only have three thousand left in my ount. How on earth am I going to foot the bill? "Don¡¯t tell me you can''t afford to pay the bill?¡± Wesley came closer to her intentionally. "You can ask for my help. As long as you agree to spend a night with me, I''ll foot the bill. With my help, no one will dare to bully you at work and-" p! Before Wesley could finish, Charlotte gave him a tight p and yelled, "Scum!" Wesley touched his cheek. Instead of getting mad, he chuckled like a pervert. "This is the first time you''ve touched me. Your hand is so soft!" "You are a disgusting piece of shit!" Charlotte stalked off angrily. "If you fail to pay the bill today, your colleagues might refuse to befriend you anymore. Imagine them being disgusted by you so much that they start ostracizing you!¡± Wesley shouted behind her. "Do you want to risk losing this job?" Charlotte walked along the hallway in dejection. I can''t lose this job. But where can I get a few hundred thousand to foot the bill? She was deep in thought when a familiar figure appeared in a private room ahead. A man was seated on the sofa with his straight back to her. His white shirt was tied around his waist, revealing a vicious wolf head tattoo and a long scar on his back. It''s him! Charlotte froze in shock. Her heart pounded faster than ever. Thest time she saw the man in his car, she was so nervous and had held her breath dazedly. But he left before she could say a word. But now, the man who had destroyed her life was right in front of her eyes! As she gazed at his back, sudden shbacks appeared in her head. Upon waking up in the hospital back then, she failed to see her father for thest time. She could only look at her father''s stiff corpse in the crematorium. At the funeral, her rtives and friends pointed fingers at her, cursing her harshly and chasing her away. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. As she got pregnant before marriage, people looked down on her when she attended her monthly prenatal checkups at the unremarkable clinic in the countryside. When she gave birth to her babies in the hospital, she nearly died of excessive bleeding because she was pregnant with triplets. It was all that man''s fault! Fury overwhelmed her heart. She clenched her hands into fists and rushed into the room. "Hey! Get out. This is a private area." A man in ck standing in the corner spoke sternly. The mysterious man on the sofa raised his hand. At his silent order, the man in ck left the room silently. Charlotte was stunned. Oh? So gigolos are rich enough to afford bodyguards now?Looks like he has been enjoying life for the past few years! Charlotte bit back her agitation and inched nearer carefully. "Is it you?" The man buttoned his shirt and turned around slowly. On his face was a ck masquerade mask, covering half of his face. The mask exposed his thin lips. His steely and enigmatic gaze gleamed in the dark. There was a gold fire emblem on the top right of the mask, which appeared menacing and wild to her. Charlotte took a step back instinctively. Why is he so imposing? Isn''t he just a gigolo? Did I get the man wrong?No, I''m right. There''s that unmistakable tattoo. "Don''t you remember me?" Charlotte urged. "Four years ago, I was drinking in room KI 3 when my friend requested a male escort for me, who turned out to be you. We went to Storm Hotel together-" "There¡¯s a red mole on your chest." The man narrowed his gaze at her. "We did it seven times that very night-" "I''m gonna kill you!" Charlotte dashed ahead and raised her arm to give him a p. The man grabbed her arm swiftly and pushed her onto the sofa. "How dare you!" "Scum!" Charlotte leaped onto him like a wildcat, waving her arms around to scratch him. "It''s all your fault! You ruined my life!" she roared. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The man ced his hand on her head, keeping her at a distance away. She couldn''t reach him even if she waved her hands wildly. He stared at her coolly like she was nothing but a clown. "Get the facts right. You were the one who requested my service. It was consensual. You make it seem like I had raped you." Charlotte bristled. "You''re an unprofessional gigolo! You didn''t even put on a condom when you served your client. F*ck you! You deserve to be castrated!" "Mm?" The man¡¯s gaze turned dangerous. "Did you get pregnant?" Charlotte stiffened at his question. Her babies shed across her mind. Yes, I got pregnant and gave birth to triplets! But you scum! You''ve never Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. been a responsible father! "Answer me!" he demanded. "Yes, I got pregnant!" Charlotte blurted out. She immediately changed her mind and corrected herself, "But I aborted itter. I won''t give birth to a shameless gigolo''s child!" If someone else finds out the kids'' father is a male escort at a club, they''ll be ridiculed at their kindergartenINo, I must keep it a secret. No one is to find out about thisI "Good!" The man nodded in satisfaction. He reached into his pocket to retrieve something. "The cheek of you! I can''t believe you''re still working here as a gigolo. How many innocentdies are you going to harm? I''ll file aint with your manager now!" Charlotte stomped away furiously. The man''s hand holding the check froze. Furrowing his brows, he left the check in his pocket. At the door, Charlotte received a call from Wesley. "Charlotte, if you don''t show up, the rest are going to leave. Don''t bother showing up for work at Divine Corporation tomorrow." "Goto hell!" Charlotte hung up, her body shaking in rage. Why are there scums everywhere?They are both disgusting scoundrelsiWait a minute. Suddenly, something urred to her. That gigolo ruined my life. I can''t give up just like that. I can''t let him live luxuriously when my kids and I are suffering! At that thought, Charlotte''s jaw hardened. She barged into the private room again and demanded, "Stupid gigolo, you ruined my life. You must bear the responsibility!" The man was sipping on his wine when she made that announcement. Looking up icily, he replied, "Oh? How do you propose I do that?" "Bypensating me!" Charlotte dered sternly. "If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn''t have been this miserable!" If it weren''t for him, I would''ve met Father for thest time before he died.If it weren''t for him, my reputation wouldn''t have suffered such an irreversible damage.If it weren''t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have be a single mother.But my kids are still adorable to melWait, I''m demanding money from him now. Be stern and forceful! "How much do you want?¡± The man lounged on the sofa arrogantly as he buttoned his shirt up. His sexy abs were gleaming alluringly in the dimly lit room. Charlotte was momentarily dazed by his abs. She swiftly regained herposure and cleared her throat, then held up three fingers. "Three hundred million?" "Ha! If you can pay me three hundred million, I''d wake up smiling in my dreams!" Charlotte scoffed. She continued, "You''re just a gigolo. Why are you so cocky? Listen, I demand three months of your sry. From today onwards, give me half of your nightly earnings!" After all, I can''t even afford to buy form milk for the kids now.Luckily, I bumped into this gigolo when I have nowhere to turn toil need to fleece him to make him pay for what he had done to me.Also, he needs to bear some responsibility as the kids'' father. Three months will be enough to get me through this hurdle. After my probation period, my sry will increase to ten thousand. We will be able to survive then. By then, we will go our separate ways. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 "How much do you think I can earn in one night?" The man twirled his ss lightly and shot her an amused nce. "What if no one requests for me?" "You''re quite good-looking. If you¡¯re willing to work hard, you might end up as Sultry Night''s top male escort." Charlotte scanned his figure carefully before her gazended on his groin. "I hear normal escorts get paid four to five thousand for each round of service, and eight to ten thousand for overnight service. You can earn at least ten thousand per night, right?" "So, I just need to give you five thousand every night?" The man¡¯s smirk deepened. "You''re easily satisfied, huh?" "Of course not!" Charlotte retorted hurriedly. "I mean, at least five thousand! At least five thousand every night! To make up forthat mistake you did that night, you need to work hard topensate me, got it?" "Money isn¡¯t a problem," said the man carelessly. Curious, he inquired, "But how did you recognize me?" "Through the wolf head tattoo on your waist. I won''t get it wrong!" Charlotte was afraid he might deny it. "So you don''t know what I look like?" The man''s gaze was prating. "Duh!" Charlotte replied in exasperation. "I was so drunk that night that I didn''t even know what you looked like." The man sipped on his wine and smiled, saying nothing. "Don¡¯t try to shirk your responsibility. Otherwise, I''ll file aint with the manager.¡± Charlotte added, "Oh, I heard you¡¯re also a transvestite. If they find out about that, you''ll lose your job for sure." The man stiffened and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Transvestite?" Charlotte harrumphed. "Are you scared?" She took a pen from her bag and wrote out a simple contract. "Here, I¡¯ve made it all clear. From today onwards, you need topensate me with half of your daily sry for three months. Sign here, and stamp your thumbprint here. It''s a done deal!" She stuffed the pen in his hand. "Am I the only gigolo you got?" The man gazed at the scrawny words on the contract and raised a brow. "Don''t tell me you have a stack of these contracts at home?" "Are you crazy? Do you think I''m that desperate? Sleeping with you was an ident. You were the only man I¡¯ve ever slept with!" Charlotte blurted out angrily. When she realized what she had just said, her face flushed in embarrassment. The corners of the man''s lips lifted in a smirk. He signed on the contract without a word, but his signature was an illegible squiggle at the bottom of the page. Charlotte thought that wasn¡¯t enough and pulled his palm to her. She bit on his thumb, hard. When a drop of blood trickled out, she stamped his finger on the contract immediately. "Ha!¡± Now, the contract was valid and Charlotte was chuffed. "There''s no going back on your words now. Alright, give me your sry for today!" "I haven¡¯t started working for tonight yet." He pulled her into his embrace and wrapped his arm around her slender waist. Brushing his lips across her cheek, he breathed, "Why don''t you be my first client for today? I¡¯ll give you a 50% discount." "Don''t even think about it!" Charlotte struggled out of his embrace and pushed him aside. "Stay away from me. From now on, your job is to work hard and pay your debt!¡± "Are you that willing to let me sell my body?" the man inquired, staring deep into her eyes. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "You''re just my cash cow. Why wouldn¡¯t I be willing?" Charlotte whipped her phone out. "Let''s exchange numbers to stay in contact." The man took her phone and entered his number. He was about to save his name when Charlotte snatched it away from him, saving his name as "Gigolo In Debt." Upon seeing that, his brows snapped together in displeasure. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 "I¡¯ll send you my back ount. Remember to bank in your sry before 12 a.m. every day, got it?" reminded Charlotte as she typed furiously on her phone. Ding! The man received a text. He clicked into the text and saw the ount number she had just sent him. He smirked. This is interesting! Right then, Charlotte¡¯s phone began to ring. Seeing it was Wesley, she answered it and yelled in frustration, "Stop pushing me. I don¡¯t have money to foot the bill. I don''t want the job at Divine Corporation anymore. Will that do?" She hung up promptly, her face flushed with anger. As she had just lost her new job, she slumped onto the sofa in dejection. Spotting the wine ss in front of the man, she grabbed it and finished the wine in one gulp. Charlotte let out a burp andined, "It''s all your fault. I''ve just lost my job because of you. It''s hard to find a job nowadays. I can''t believe that despicable man did that to me." "Mm?" the man asked. "Did someone at Divine Corporation frame you?" "You won''t understand." Charlotte was about to ignore him when something urred to her. "Oh, can you pay a bill around a few hundred thousand here?" "Sure!" N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. "Great!" Charlotte told the man to pay the bill, which was over one hundred and eighty-three thousand. Her heart was aching over the ridiculously expensive bill, but she had to keep her job. After all, she still had to support her kids. "Thanks. I''ll deduct the amount from yourpensation." She went to her colleagues and informed them. "I''ve settled the bill. Did you have fun tonight?" "Yes, yes. Thank you, Charlotte!" her colleagues cheered. "Did you seriously foot the bill? I heard it was over one hundred and eighty thousand!" A colleague inquired in disbelief. "Yes, it was pretty expensive. I maxed out a few cards to pay the bill. I''ll be eating bread for the next few months." Charlotte let out a bitter chuckle. "But it''s worth it as long as you had fun tonight!" "Well..." A few other colleagues felt bad for her and nced at Wesley. "Charlotte¡¯s being humble. The money isn¡¯t even enough for her to buy a bag. There''s no way she''d maxed out her cards." Wesley snickered. "But anyway, thank you. Next time, it''s on me." Charlotte was upset at how despicable the scum was, but she couldn''t retort as she needed this job. Ignoring him, she sent her colleagues off. "Charlotte, I drove here. Let me give you a ride back." "It''s alright. I can take a cab. Thank you, though." When Charlotte came out of the private room, the man was no longer at the bar. He must be with a client now.He just can''t stay idle, huh? She sent him a text: I''m leaving now. Work hard and earn more money. The faster you pay your debt, the faster you''ll be set free. In the room, when Zachary received her text, the corners of his mouth turned up. What a foolish yet adorable woman! "Mr. Nacht, Pardus has just shown up." Ben, his bodyguard, came in and reported. "I¡¯ve sent someone to keep an eye on him. We''ll find out who he''ll contact." "Remember, don''t alert him." "Got it!" As Charlotte didn¡¯t receive a reply from him, she panicked. Is he trying to go back on his word?l''m still nearby. If he seriously has that intention, I can go back and look for him. She immediately called that number. Zachary was about to leave when his phone rang. He smiled subconsciously when he saw who it was. "Hello?" "Why didn''t you reply to my text? Are you trying to escape?" Charlotte demanded. "I''m busy earning money to pay my debt," exined Zachary, all immersed in his role. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 "Someone asked for you?" Charlotte asked excitedly. "For one round or one night? How much did you earn?" "You seem really experienced at this." Zachary sneered. "How many times have you hired gigolos?" "You''re the only one!" Charlotte retorted. Embarrassed by her sudden outburst, she coughed a few Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. times before her voice grew stern. "Stop changing the topic. How much did you earn?" "One night. Ten thousand," replied Zachary, arching his brows. He was at the peak of his business career, where everything felt dull to him. This stupid woman was giving his in life more color and making it much more entertaining now. Standing aside, Ben was confused. Is Mr. Nacht discussing a new coboration?What does he mean by "one night?"ls ten thousand a code phrase or something? "Great! Transfer five thousand to me now!¡± Charlotte was ted. Money! Iing money! "I don''t ask for payment in advance. I¡¯ll do that tomorrow morning," replied Zachary. The call was then disconnected. Charlotte was upset at how rude he was. Why did he hang up abruptly? Is he trying to go back on his word?Never mind. Since he signed the contract, answered my call, and even reported his earnings, I think he won''t go back on his word. I''ll just wait and see. Perhaps when I wake up, there will be money in my ount! For the entire night, Charlotte tossed and turned in bed. She kept ncing at her phone. Nope, no new transfer. Nope, not yet. It''s just 2 a.m. Wait a bit more... Charlotte had just fallen asleep at 6 a.m. when a text arrived. She grabbed her phone underneath her pillow. It was a text, informing her that a transfer of five thousand had been made to her ount. She immediately leaped up in excitement. Awesome! The first payment is in! She then quickly sent a text: I just received the money. Good job! Work harder tonight!" Gigolo In Debt: I just remembered I paid the billst night. You said you''ll deduct it from my debt. Charlotte: I''m afraid you''ll spend the money elsewhere. Just transfer me the money daily and I''ll deduct the one hundred and eighty thousand from your debt. Don''t you worry. Gigolo In Debt: Okay! Charlotte: Work hard tonight, too. If you do a good job, I''ll buy you some supplements! Gigolo In Debt:... After receiving the money, Charlotte was so overjoyed she couldn''t go back to sleep. They had just moved from the countryside, so they stillcked a number of household supplies. As it was the weekend, she wanted to bring Mrs. Berry and the kids out shopping. Charlotte used to be a spoilt child, too. Her father adored her and brought her up like a princess. s, life was hard to predict. After the downfall of the Windt family, Charlotte ended up as the mother of triplets. As a mother, she would keep tabs on thetest promotions to get the best deals when shopping for daily necessities. They arrived at Grand za soon. Charlotte was dressed in a casual denim shirt. She kept her phone in her bum bag and rolled her sleeves up in preparation for "war." "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, I''m going shopping. Stay with Mrs. Berry at the yground, alright? Don''t wander off alone. I will be back soon." "Okay!" the kids replied in unison. Right then, the onlookers started taking videos and photos of the kids. A few youngdies were tittering and squealing, "Oh, are they mixed-race babies? How adorable! So cute!" "Yes, look at their curly hair and bright eyes. Ah, they look like two princes and a princess in a fairytale! I''ve never seen such good-looking kids." "There''s a parrot on the little girl''s shoulder. Oh, it''s nodding off. Haha! That''s so cute!" The kids would attract attention wherever they went, so every time they had to go somewhere crowded, Charlotte would make them wear face masks and hats to avoid too much attention. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 "Please don''t take photos and videos of us. This is an infringement of our image rights," Robbie reminded coolly. "I can take selfies with prettydies. No selfies with boys, though." Jamie smirked. "Only prettydies!" "Shh, you''re disturbing Fifi!" Ellie put a finger up to her lips. Fifi was nodding off on her shoulder. "Ah, how adorable! Can we take a selfie with you?" A few youngdies surrounded them. "Nope, sorry. We don''t do that." Robbie kept his cool. "Okay, Robbie, Jamie, Ellie. I¡¯ve bought the tickets. We can enter now." Mrs. Berry returned with the tickets and brought them into the yground. Charlotte went upstairs to a children''s clothing brand on the third floor. There was a sale happening there. She rushed in and grabbed a cart before squeezing into the crowd at the sales section. Right then, a team of men in ck marched in authoritatively and ordered everyone to make way. The young mothers who were busy shopping immediately stopped. They nced at the scene and discussed. "Who is that? What a grand entrance." "Wow, these bodyguards are all tall and hot. Any of them could be the top male escort at Sultry Night!" At their words, Charlotte¡¯s heart sank. A male escort at Sultry Night. Is it Gigolo In Debt? "You''re wrong. They are the bodyguards working for Divine Corporation''s president," a mother with neat bangs answered smugly. "My husband is working at Divine Corporation. The president has eighteen bodyguards with a golden S logo on their shoulder." She added, "I think the president is here, judging by the number of bodyguards." "Wow!" another mother chimed in dreamily. "The bodyguards are hunks. I wonder how hot the president will be!" "Normally people who hire handsome and tall bodyguards are short and ugly." "That''s right." Zachary''s strikingly handsome features popped up in Charlotte''s mind. Short and ugly?He is neither short nor ugly. The men in ck set up a defense line in front of the Italian restaurant right opposite the shop and straightened their backs on alert. Soon, a tall and imposing man walked into the restaurant. Charlotte stared at his back from a distance. Indeed, it was Zachary Nacht, the president of Divine Corporation. For some reason, his back looked familiar to her. Where have I seen him before? Meanwhile, the kids were having a lot of fun in the yground. Mrs. Berry stayed with them the entire time. A few parents came to her, and they started chatting animatedly. Jamie went to the restroom to pee. He was exiting the restroom with his hands in his pockets when he saw a trail of blood on the ground. His eyes immediately widened in surprise. Huh? Why is there blood on the floor? Curious, Jamie followed the blood trail and arrived at the storeroom where a wounded man in ck was resting. Jamie came to a stop cautiously. The man in ck was wearing a mask and cap which hid his entire face. But blood was trickling out of his wound nonstop. When he heard the footsteps, he immediately raised the knife in his grip viciously. Upon seeing that it was just a young boy, he rxed visibly. "Sir, do you need help?" Jamie inquired politely. "Get lost, brat!" the man growled. Pouting, Jamie took out a cartoon band-aid from his pocket and handed it to the man. "Here you go." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The man rolled his eyes. He was bleeding badly, so this band-aid wouldn''t be of help. "You''d die of excessive bleeding. You should go to the doctor now!" said Jamie before turning to leave. "Jamie! Jamie!" Fifi pped its wings and flew toward Jamie. Jamie raised his hand, allowing Fifi to perch safely on the back of his hand. As the pair walked out, they attracted everyone''s attention. "Hey, what a cute boy!" "He has a cute parrot, too. Aww!" Chapter 13 Chapter 13 "Go, search!¡± Suddenly, a team of men in suits rushed in and started searching the area. Jamie swiveled his head and stared at the restroom. Could it be rted to that man? He was in a daze when the man in ck rushed out from the restroom and extended a bloodied hand. Then, he slipped something into Jamie''s pocket and whispered in the boy''s ear, "Brat, I''lle back for it!" Soon, the man disappeared into the stairwell. The team of men in suits immediately went after him. Jamie was stunned. Wow, was that a scene from a crime film?That was so cool! Snapping back to reality, he took out a small box from his pocket. When he opened it, there was a tiny golden chip about the size of a bean. Studying it carefully, he wondered, what could this be?lt doesn''t look like gold. I think it''s some electronic stuff like the kind Robbie is obsessed with. "Seed! Seed!" Jamie was deep in thought when little Fifi''s beak parted and ate the chip, thinking it was a seed. Jamie was dumbfounded. He immediately patted Fifi''s green head and shouted, "Fifi, spit it out! Spit it out!" Fifi shrieked immediately. Instead of spitting it out, it swallowed the chip out of shock. "Ah!" Jamie freaked out at once. He tugged Fifi''s tail and swung it around. "You can''t eat that. Spit it out! Spit it out, now!" Fifi was seeing stars from Jamie¡¯s rough action. It rolled its eyes while its tongue lolled out weakly. "Ah! Jamie! What are you doing?" yelled Ellie. She rushed over and took Fifi from him. Cradling it in her arms carefully, she demanded, "Why did you bully Fifi? I''m going to tell Mommy!" "No, Ellie-" "Jamie, it''s wrong to bully Fifi," said Robbie sternly. "I... Fifi..." Jamie pointed at himself before pointing at Fifi helplessly. Fifi''s head was spinning as ity in Ellie''s arms, panting heavily. Looks like none of them will believe me. Jamie had no choice but to keep it a secret. Zachary was sitting with his back against the door of the VIP room he was in, sipping on his wine elegantly in the Italian restaurant. His figure was imposing under the dim light. Ben rushed in to inform him. "Mr. Nacht, Pardus has escaped!¡± The man''s hand paused briefly as he icily uttered, "Useless!" "Yes," said Ben, lowering his head guiltily. "Chip X holds the secret to our corporation¡¯stest technology. If it gets leaked, the consequences will Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. be horrible. We must get it back!" "Yes,¡± Ben answered. "I¡¯ll find Pardus within three days!" Zachary stood up to leave, his majestic figure stunning everyone. A heavy silence hung in the air as all held their breaths. When he and his entourage arrived at the underground car park, he got into his Rolls-Royce Phantom without a word. The driver was about to drive away when Zachary called out, "Wait!" The driver hit the brakes immediately. Ben followed Zachary''s gaze, spotting a little girl running past the rear of their car. She was nearly knocked over earlier. He immediately alighted the car. "Girl, why are you alone here?" "My Fifi flew downstairs. I''m going after it. Fifi! Don''t run! Stop!" Ellie was about to pounce on the bird, but it flew into the car instead. She crawled into the car at once. Looking up, she was shocked to see a pair of cold eyes staring at her. He seems scary. Is he the bad guy Mommy always talks about? Ellie gazed at Zachary in fear and instinctively inched backward. Zachary was also gazing at the little girl, his heart softening. His stare was no longer as stony as it always was. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 What a cute little girl. She looks like a pretty doll with her puffy cheeks. Look, her eyes are shining like stars.Strangely, she feels familiar to me. I can feel myself softening up at the sight of her. Fifi was circling in the car, shrieking, "Ellie! Ellie!" "Come over here at once!" A frowning Ellie stretched her hand out and demanded. "If you keep acting up, I''ll get mad!" s, Fifi didn¡¯t perch on her little hand. Itnded on Zachary''s shoulder instead. Zachary¡¯s brows snapped together as he reached out to grab Fifi. Fifi immediately struggled and pooped on Zachary''s zer in fright. A few feathers floated around, apanied by shocked silence. Ben froze. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Even the bodyguards paled instantly. They knew what a clean freak Zachary was. The bird''s dead meat! Indeed, Zachary''s expression darkened. His grip on little Fifi tightened. Fifi''s body stiffened from the increasing force. Its eyes rolled upward as it lolled its tongue out. "Ah! Let go of Fifi!" Ellie leaped on the man and tried to pry his hands off Fifi. "Let go! Let go!" "Kid." Ben tried to pull her away. Staring at Ellie''s flushed face and doll-like eyes, the menace in Zachary¡¯s gaze faded away. He slowly released his grip on the bird. Fifi pped its wings frantically and returned to Ellie''s embrace. Ellie caught the bird and red at Zachary angrily before escaping from his car. "Hey, kid!" Ben yelled after her, but she merely ignored him. Worried, he told a bodyguard, "Go after her and make sure she reunites with her family safely." "Yes!" The vehicle then slowly drove away. Zachary took off his zer and patted the feathers away before wiping his hands with a piece of wet wipes. Ben scanned his boss'' expression. He still looks stern, but that murderous glint in his gaze is gone. He couldn''t help butment, "What an adorable little girl." "She has an innocent gaze," Zacharymented, which was rare of him. "Yes. I wonder what kind of mother she has to give birth to such a lovely girl like her." Ellie was riding the esctor when she heard Charlotte calling her name. "Ellie! Ellie!" "Mommy, I''m here!" Ellie ran over with Fifi in her arms. Sheunched herself into Charlotte''s embrace like a rocket, causing thetter to stumble from her weight. "You gave me a scare." Charlotte hugged Ellie tightly and caressed her head anxiously. "Are you hurt? Did you meet any bad guys?" "I''m not hurt, but.." Ellie recalled that man in the car. Is he a bad guy? He looks like one!But... Fifi pooped on his shoulder. He was angry, but he didn''t kill Fifi. That means he¡¯s not a bad guy, right? "But what?" Charlotte urged. "Fifi pooped on a man," exined Ellie, gesturing with her chubby hands. "But that man didn''t hurt Fifi." "I''m d you¡¯re both fine. Don''t wander around next time, get it?" "Okay." Not far away, the bodyguard waited until the little girl left with her mother before he walked away. As he was too far away, he only saw her back and her faded denim shirt. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Monday was a busy day. The moment Charlotte arrived at the office, she buried herself in work and only got to stop when lunchtime arrived. She followed her colleagues from the administration department to thepany''s cafeteria on the twenty-first floor. They had just exited from the elevator when they bumped into Zachary. The man strode out of the elevator in an imposing manner, causing the air to solidify. The rest of his employees retreated to one side and looked at the ground silently. Charlotte peeked at him and met his icy re without warning. She immediately looked down in a panic. Was Devil staring at me? "Don''t mind me. Carry on," uttered Zachary. The employees were pleasantly surprised by their president''s words. This was the first time they had heard him speak directly to them, so they were very much thrilled. Zachary sat down at a seat by the window. Two bodyguards stood watch behind him as Ben left to order his meal. Charlotte peeked at him once again. The sunlight reflected off his body, encasing him in a golden glow like a Greek god. If only this man is the father of my triplets. Just as the thought shed across her mind, Charlotte brushed it off immediately. She took her tray of food and followed her colleagues to their usual table. When she sat down, the annoying Wesley showed up. "Hello!" Charlotte rolled her eyes and shifted sideways to keep a distance from him. "How could you eat so little?" teased Wesley. "Eat up. Ourpany''s cafeteria serves a luxurious buffet for free. It''s better than the ones at five-star hotels." N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Ignoring him, Charlotte lowered her head and focused on her food. "Hey, why is Mr. Nacht eating in the cafeteria today?" Charlotte''s colleague, Fiona, asked. "I''m curious, too. He neveres to our cafeteria," said Lily, another colleague. She peeked at the table opposite theirs and lowered her voice. "Due to his presence, we¡¯re all tensed up. Look how silent the whole cafeteria is now." "Yes, my hands are shaking." Ynda dared not look up at all. "Ah, don''t be nervous." Wesley seemed unfazed. "He might seem cold, but he''s actually quite friendly." "Mr. Holt, you seem to know Mr. Nacht well." A male colleague voiced his curiosity. "I saw you greeting himst time." "Of course. The president and I are close...¡± replied Wesley. His voice trailed off, as if hinting at a deeper meaning to his words. "No wonder you got promoted so quickly in six months. Turns out you''re friends with Mr. Nacht." The male colleagues hurriedly buttered up to him. "Mr. Holt, please take care of us in the future." "Don''t worry. As long as you''re doing a good job, you''ll get a promotion in no time," said Wesley smugly. Charlotte couldn''t take it anymore. She took her tray and rose to her feet to leave. Wesley went after her. "Charlotte, hold up!" Annoyed, Charlotte''s footsteps quickened. Wesley chased after her and stood in front of her. "Why are you in a hurry? Let''s walk together." "Mr. Holt, I don''t know you well-" Before Charlotte could finish, someone bumped into her. She lurched forward from the force while her unfinished Bolognese pasta sttered on Wesley''s face. As the pasta streamed down his face, everyone gasped. Wesley stiffened, utterly stunned. He promptly regained his senses and wiped at the Bolognese sauce on his face clumsily in anger. Charlotte burst outughing. It seemed like a rude reaction, so she immediately apologized. "I''m sorry. I didn''t do that on purpose. Someone bumped into me and...¡± When she whirled around to take a look, she realized that the person who had bumped into her was none other than Zachary! Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Zachary''s expression was icy as he brushed past her. Charlotte stared at his back in a daze. Was he the one who bumped into me earlier?This is such a wide space, and with four bodyguards by his side at all times, how could he have bumped into me?Don''t tell Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g me... he did it on purpose? "Don¡¯t you watch where you''re going, Charlotte?" Wesley roared at her, getting all worked up. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" Charlotte pointed to the direction Zachary had disappeared and exined meekly, "It was the President who bumped into me, that''s why I identally..." "You''re even pushing the me onto..." "Mr. Holt," Ben interrupted Wesley and asked coldly, "Are you saying that it''s Mr. Nacht¡¯s fault?" "No, no, no. I wouldn''t dare..." Wesley hastily exined, "I meant her... no, I meant myself. I¡¯m the one who''s blind." "That''s more like it." Ben nodded with satisfaction, then solemnly reminded, "Watch where you¡¯re going next time, especially in a restaurant. It''s not good to waste food!" "Understood!" Wesley lowered his head in submission. Seeing the look of embarrassment on Wesley''s face, Charlotte cheered silently in her heart. This prick has finally run into a snag. He probably won''t dare to harass me again from now on! When Zachary spied the way Charlotte was secretly rejoicing, his lips formed into a faint smile. His phone rang just when the elevator doors closed, and he picked it up immediately. "Speak." "Mr. Nacht, we¡¯ve caught Pardus, but he doesn''t have the chip with him. He''s probably hidden it somewhere else. I''ve used every method to force him into confessing, but he''s remained tight-lipped thus far. We may have to resort to more extreme measures!" "A man like him has undergone hellish training. Torture won''t work on him." Zachary ordered, "Check the surveince footage at the Grand za and see if he passed it to his aplices." "Yes. I''ll look into it immediately!" By the time Charlotte got home from work, a scrumptious meal had already been prepared by Mrs. Berry. Soon, the family of five enjoyed their dinner together. Fifi pped its wings and perched on Ellie''s shoulder, rubbing its head against Ellie''s chubby cheek. Ellie fed it a melon seed, but it didn''t happily eat it like it usually did. Instead, it shook its head, struggling through a round of hups. Ellie looked at its food tray. Noticing that the food waspletely untouched, she anxiously said, "Mommy, Fifi hasn''t eaten anything sincest night and keeps having hups. Is it sick?" "What¡¯s wrong?" Charlotte stroked Fifi''s furry little head, but it lookedpletely listless. "Maybe Fifi hasn''t recovered from the shock it went through at the mall the other day?" Mrs. Berry suggested, "Bring it to see the doctor tonight." "Mm, we¡¯ll do that." Charlotte nodded in agreement. Jamie looked at Fifi and furrowed his brows, hesitating for a while. Finally, he couldn''t take it anymore and blurted out, "Mommy, actually, Fifi ate a gold thingy. That¡¯s why it feels ufortable." "Gold thingy?¡± Charlotte blinked in surprise. "Yeah. It was this big..." Jamie indicated with his fingers. "About the same size as my pinky finger." "I don''t think we have a piece of gold like that in our house." Charlotte was puzzled. "Not in our house. When we were at the mall, a masked man in ck gave it to me..." Jamie exined. "Have you been watching too much cartoon?" Robbie rolled his eyes at Jamie in an adult-like manner. "It¡¯s true..." Jamie quickly recounted the events of that day in detail. By the time he was done, everyone had dumbfounded looks on their faces. "Hahaha..." Mrs. Berry cackled withughter. "Jamie, your story is really entertaining." "See? Too much cartoon." Robbie rolled his eyes again and continued eating. "Why don''t any of you believe me..." Jamie¡¯s cheeks were flushed red with anxiety. "Do you believe me, Mommy?" "I do!¡± Charlotte filled his te with more food. "We''ll bring Fifi to see the doctor after we''re done eating, okay?" "Yeah, let''s bring Fifi to see the doctor first." Ellie was only concerned about her parrot and not the truth. Jamie pouted, feeling greatly aggrieved. After dinner, Charlotte and her three children brought Fifi to the vet. The doctor checked Fifi and said that it was indigestion, probably due to eating something wrong. Hence, the doctor prescribed some medicine to improve its bowel movement. Jamie pouted and thought to himself, Hmph! When that gold thingyes out of Fifi, all of you will know that I was telling the truth! Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Back at home, by the time Charlotte fed Fifi the medicine and tucked her children into bed, it was already past nine. Shey on her bed after taking a shower and sent a text to Gigolo In Debt: How is business tonight? He replied: Not good. No one picked me. Charlotte became worried and typed a long message, teaching him how to flirt with rich women and talk business. Don''t always wear a mask and pretend to look cool. Even though some rich women dig cold and aloof men, there are also some who like bright and bubbly men. You need to adapt and change your style ording to the situationlAlso, when those rich women start choosing their guy, you should wow them with your charm! Take off your shirt so that your abs and chest muscles are on full disy, then grind with your hips a little. Those rich women won''t stand a chance, they''d be drooling all over themselves.Then, you have to tell them that you have good stamina and canst for ages...Good N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. stamina and canst for ages... It seems like you remember that night very vividly! Charlotte¡¯s face turned crimson red upon reading his reply, and she sent an angry emoji back to him. I''m teaching you how to do business and make money, but you''re talking about useless things instead. If you don''t hit your target tonight, you have to make up for the difference tomorrow. I¡¯ve told you before that you must pay me at least five thousand every day. Gigolo In Debt replied to her with a sweating emoji. Work a little harder, put in a little more effort. The night is still young. Who knows? Maybe business will Don''t be picky. Who cares if those rich women are skinny or obese? As long as they take a liking to you, you shag ''em..." Gigolo In Debt was speechless. Forget it. I''ll head over to Sultry Night right now and bring you some supplements, and maybe teach you some skills too while I''m there! Being a boss meant spending effort winning over the workers instead of blindly squeezing them dry. A boss had to lead with virtue and sentiment, otherwise the workers would eventually leave. Charlotte recalled the business lessons her father had taught her in the past and decided to treat this Gigolo In Debt better from then on. After Charlotte informed Mrs. Berry where she was going, she had a change of clothes and went to the pharmacy near her neighborhood. She kept her head low and scanned her surroundings first, before walking toward the counter to ask the salesperson, "May I know if you have supplements... for improving... sex drive?" "For a man or a woman?" asked the salesperson. "For a man," Charlotte lowered her voice to a whisper. "These are what we have. Which one would you like?" The salesperson pointed at the row of ss cabs behind the counter. "I want the cheapest one," Charlotte answered without hesitation. "This one then." The salesperson took out a bottle of supplements. "It''s buy three get one free." "How much is three bottles?" "Three thousand three hundred and eighty!" "It''s too expensive. I''ll take just the one!" Rendered speechless, the salesperson checked out one bottle for her. Charlotte stuffed it into her bag and left in a flurry. The salesperson then sidled over to a colleague and gossiped, "Thatdy just now is quite pretty. It''s too bad she doesn''t have a conscience." "Huh? Howe?" "Just think about it. She squeezed her husband dry, so she came here to buy him some supplements, but she ended up buying only one bottle. I mean c''mon, you can¡¯t have your cake and eat it too!" "Hahaha! What a vicious wife!" After leaving the pharmacy, Charlotte took a cab to Sultry Night and searched for Gigolo In Debt. She directly went to the private room where the two of them previously met. Sure enough, he was there. As usual, his face was hidden behind that mysterious mask. d in all ck, he took up a lofty posture as he leaned back against the sofa and sipped on his drink, emanating an insufferably arrogant and unapproachable aura. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Look at that attitude. No wonder no one picked you." Charlotte chastised him as soon as she stepped into the room. "Those rich womene here to seek pleasure, not to be at the mercy of a masochist. Who do you think you''ll seduce with that grim face of yours?" "Well, it''s take it or leave it!" Zachary swirled the ss in his hand and continued sipping on his drink. "How can you be sessful by just making do with whates your way?" Charlotte was exasperated. "You need to think big and strive to create a better life for yourself!" "Even a gigolo needs to think big?" Zachary questioned. "Of course. You gigolos have different levels too, right?" Charlotte continued educating him earnestly. "If your performance is good, you can be the top gigolo here. Others may only earn ten thousand a night, but you''ll earn a hundred thousand. When that happens, you''ll be able to retire after just two years. You have to make the most out of your youth in this line of work. If you don''t work hard now, how are you going to get by once you¡¯re old?" "It makes sense!" Zachary nodded. "So, you have to work hard to improve your performance." Charlotte took out the bottle of supplement from her bag. "Here, I bought this for you. Take it and close a big clientter tonight..." "There¡¯s no need for that. My sex drive is very good." Zachary nced at the bottle and his lips arched into a wicked smile. "Didn''t you experience it first-hand?" "Well, it used to be good, but after doing it for so many years, you probably have some problems now, don''t you?" Charlotte gazed at him with pity in her eyes. "Everything excessively used will wear out with time...¡± Her gaze fell on his groin and she released a sigh. Zachary narrowed his eyes dangerously and pinched her chin to level their gazes. "Are you doubting my abilities?" His eyes gleamed with an innate kind of dominance, making her heart flutter nervously for some reason. Charlotte scooted back slightly and kept a distance from him. "I''m just worried about your physical condition. I even bought you some supplements. You should repay me for my effort..." "How do you want me to repay you?" Zachary abruptly closed in on her and exuded a dangerous aura, resembling a wild beast stalking its prey. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 "Well of course by earning more money and clearing your debt to me sooner..." Charlotte¡¯s mind was in shambles by then and she began to stammer, "A-A-And also..." She pointed at the expensive bottle of red wine on the table, trying to diffuse the sexual tension in the air. "Don''t spend excessively! Don¡¯t falsify bank statements!" "This was paid by a client," Zachary replied casually. "Ah, I see. That makes more sense. I was wondering how you could afford to buy such an expensive bottle of wine." Charlotte continued shifting away. "Has that client ced an order with you?" "I rejected her." Zachary deliberately teased her, "Fifty-eight years old and two hundred and eighty pounds. I¡¯m too young to die in bed!" A snort ofughter escaped Charlotte¡¯s lips at that, and she reached out to squeeze his arm. "You''re strong and packed with muscles. There''s no way you''d die that easily!" Zachary caught her wandering little hand and jerked her into his arms. "Why don''t you try me out first?" "No..." Charlotte was so bbergasted that she blurted out barely coherent words, "Don''t try anything funny! If you touch me, I''ll report you!" "Go ahead..." Zachary gently bit her earlobe, which sent a ripple of electricity through her entire body, making her tingle all over. "If I get fired, I won¡¯t have money to pay you back anymore!" "You..." Charlotte couldn''t formte a response to refute him. Zachary''s lips travelled downward before brushing a feather-light kiss on her corbone. Then, he trapped the button on her shirt between his teeth and nuzzled her chest tantalizingly. "Don''t..." Charlotte thrashed against him in panic, but she couldn''t break free from his hold no matter how hard she tried. "You''re really sensitive..." Zachary was very satisfied with her reaction and nned to continue teasing her, but a woman¡¯s loud and pompous voice came from outside, interrupting the peace. "I''m tired of those male escorts from earlier. Don''t you have any new ones?" "I want the best in Sultry Night. The best of the best!" "That''s right. We want the finest you have here. We can afford it!" With that, the door burst open with a loud bang. Three wealthy women with plump figures who reeked of alcohol barged in and were taken aback when they saw the unfamiliar private room. "Huh? Where are the eighteen escorts we ordered?" "Why is it so quiet here? Did wee to the wrong room?" "You went the wrong way. Your room is on the opposite side!" Beyond the door, the bodyguard whom Zachary had sent away was about toe in and handle the situation. However, he immediately backtracked when Zachary shot him a meaningful look. Charlotte pushed off the sofa and tidied her clothes with her back to the door. "Hey! There''s one here!" The three women spotted Zachary and gathered around him excitedly, undressing him with their eyes. "His body and looks are top-notch! He''spletely on a different levelpared to the boring ones out there!" "Domineering and ruthless. Just my cup of tea!" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "Hey handsome, you''re also an escort here, right? Name your price. We have the money!" Zachary nursed his drink and didn''t spare them a nce. His cold and domineering temperament made the three women hunger for him all the more. Upon noticing this, Charlotte jumped at the opportunity to make a fortune and deliberately provoked the three of them. "Oh, do you now? You don¡¯t look like you can even afford a drink here!" "Where did this bratty girle from? How dare you speak to us like this?" The women shot hostile res at Charlotte. "Don''t you know who we are?" "I don''t give a crap about who you are." Charlotte clung onto Zachary''s arm and warned, "I saw him first!" Zachary''s brows raised a little as he studied her with intrigue. One of the women took out a stack of banknotes from her bag and threw it onto the table. "Little girl, there are tons of escorts out there. This money is more than enough for you to hire at least seven of them. Give this one to us!" "No!" Charlotte tilted Zachary''s chin and smashed her lips onto his icy ones, then wrapped her arms around him and snapped, "I spent a hundred thousand today just to have this legendary gigolo god all to myself. I won¡¯t be giving him up to anyone. So get out! Go, go, go!" Zachary''s brows shot up to his hairline, then he pursed his lips, craving more than just a kiss from her. But gigolo god? Seriously?ls this some sort of upgrade? Chapter 19 Chapter 19 "A hundred thousand? Look at your cheap clothes. How could you afford to spend so much money?" One of the rich women questioned. Having her dignity get trampled on, Charlotte almost blew her cover, but she recovered quickly and kept up the act. "I''ve been saving up for this for a long time. Just to have a passionate night with this gigolo god, I took out my entire annual sry!" "Your annual sry is only one hundred thousand?" The womenughed mockingly. "You can barely scrap by in life, yet you came here and hired a gigolo. Aren''t you embarrassed?" "Why should I be? He''s mine for tonight anyway.¡± Charlotte caressed Zachary¡¯s chiseled pecs, purposely provoking them. "Look at this perfect body. One hundred thousand? Hah! I''d even spend one million if I had to!¡± The three woman scanned Zachary''s body from head to toe, practically salivating at the thought of whaty beneath his clothes. Zachary stared at Charlotte as a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. Charlotte didn¡¯t dare to meet his gaze. In fact, she was flustered on the inside, but for the sake of money, she went all out. "Fine. One million it is." One of the women filled out a cheque and threw it at Charlotte. "You can get lost now!" "It''s ten times the amount you spent." Another woman sneered. "For someone who lives at the bottom of society, I doubt you can make a million even if you were given a lifetime. Well, looks like you hit the jackpot today, so get lost." "That¡¯s right. Take the money on the table too. Then hurry up and get lost!" The three women urged her, wanting so badly for Charlotte to leave that very second so that they could get on with their night. Charlotte examined the cheque and kept it once she confirmed its validity. Then, she opened her bag and quickly stuffed the banknotes on the table into it. "I''ll go now, I''ll go now. Have fun!" With that, she got up and was about to leave. However, the hem of her shirt was grabbed from behind, holding her in ce. She looked back and saw that Gigolo In Debt was holding onto her shirt and ring at her. "You¡¯re dead if you leave!" "Be a good boy and work hard!" Charlotte pried his fingers off her shirt. Hugging her bag that was full of money to her chest, she scurried away without looking back once. As Zachary watched her flee, his eyes gradually darkened and his hand tightened around the ss wine. After escaping from the private room, Charlotte leaned her back against the door as a hint of guilt rose in her heart. Those three rich women probably weigh about seven hundred pounds in total. Can Gigolo In Debt handle it?l should''ve bought a few more bottles of those supplements for him! Charlotte opened the door a crack to peek inside and saw the three women approaching Gigolo In Debt like hungry wolves. Their fleshy backs were blocking Charlotte''s line of sight, so she couldn''t see Gigolo In Debt''s expression. She imagined him to be quaking on the sofa at the moment, begging in a fearful voice, Please, let me go! She sighed softly, then closed the door and ignored her guilty conscience, quickening her steps to leave. "Here wee, gigolo god. Hahaha..." The three womenunched themselves at Zachary with excitement coursing through their veins. Zachary showed no reaction, but when he lowered his gaze, the three of them copsed to the ground at the same time. Due to their heavy weight, the ground shook as if being hit by an earthquake, almost shattering the coffee table in the process. The ck-clothed bodyguard pushed open the door and entered the room, asking cautiously, "Are you okay, Mr. Nacht?¡± "Clean this up." Zachary stepped on the coffee table to leave, not wanting the soles of his shoes to get dirtied by the three women on the ground. Charlotte stepped out of Sultry Night and hailed a cab. On the ride home, she guiltily sent a text message to Gigolo In Debt. Are you okay? There was no reply. She sent another message. If you really can''t handle them anymore, just run away. Don''t foolishly force yourself to bear with it! There was still no reply. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte called him, but no one answered. She felt even more uneasy. Shit. Could something have happened to that guy?Or maybe he''s serving his clients and wants to keep things professional! For some reason, Charlotte''s chest constricted slightly at the thought of this. After all, he was her first man. Now that he had ended up in this situation, she found it to be rather tragic. But on second thought, this was his job. She had only happened toe across thosedies today. If she hadn''t, he would have been serving rich women anyway. Forget it. Being soft-hearted will ger me nowhere. I''d be better off focusing on being a dutiful creditor! Chapter 20 Chapter 20 The next morning, Charlotte made sure her triplets safely boarded the bus before rushing to the Because she was going to bete, she carried her heels and ran non-stop. Upon reaching the of slowing down. Charlotte couldn''t avoid the car in time, falling to the ground in fright. The car, on the other hand, came to a screeching halt just an inch away from her. A little further and Charlotte would have been meeting either God or Satan in person. She was so scared that her heart threatened to fly out of her chest, but the people in the car looked The security guard came forward to help Charlotte up, but unexpectedly reproached her, "Don''t run around like a mad hatter. You almost ran into the President¡¯s car." "They were obviously the ones who almost ran into me." Charlotte''s anger spiked and she turned her head to re at the people in the car. The bodyguards were rocking their poker faces, not showing an ounce of remorse. As for Zachary who was seated in the back, he was staring unblinkingly at Charlotte with a frosty gaze. Charlotte was stunned. What''s going on?l''m obviously the victim here! Zachary made a gesture, and the Rolls-Royce Phantom zoomed past Charlotte, just a hairsbreadth away from her. Fury ignited in Charlotte, but she could only massaged her bruised wrists and sore bum before limping into thepany. In the elevator, she recalled the look in Zachary''s eyes just now and became more perplexed than ever. When did I ever offend the Devil?Since joining thepany until now, I''ve been nothing but a diligent worker. I haven''t done anything wrong. The only time she hade in contact with him was when he bumped into her, causing her to get spaghetti all over Wesley''s face. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. She even thought that he had intentionally done it to teach Wesley a lesson. Now, it seemed like she had been overthinking it. Just now, his driver had almost run her down, causing her to fall and bruise herself. She didn''t even kick up a fuss, but he had red at her with such a terrifying look in his eyes. How strangelMaybe he was just born a brooding devil and there¡¯s no reasonable exnation behind it! Following this train of thought, Charlotte''s nerves rxed considerably. A few scrapes were nothing she couldn''t handle. She was fine as long as she didn''t offend that devil, otherwise, her life from then on would be a living hell. Little did she know that her run of bad luck had only just begun. On level 13, before Charlotte could settle down at her desk, Roy, the manager of the administration department immediatelymbasted her, "You''ve only been here for a few days but you¡¯re already "I..." "The President came down to personally check the attendance in each department. We were severely criticized because of you. Our bonuses for this quarter have all been deducted!" "I''m sorry, Mr. Young, I was..." "Don''t give me excuses." Roy cut her off and roared angrily, "Put your work on hold and go clean the swimming pool on level 68 now!" "Huh? Clean the swimming pool? Why?" Charlotte was dumbstruck. "What do you mean ''why''?" Roy put on a stern face. "This is your punishment. Or do you want your sry to be deducted instead?" "No, no, no. I don¡¯t want that." The moment Charlotte heard about a possible sry deduction, she immediately caved in. "I''ll go clean the swimming pool right now." On level 68, the highest floor of the building, was a luxurious infinity pool. The clear blue sky was reflected in the pool. Hence, swimming here would be like wading across the fluffy white clouds in the sky. This is obviously for the Devil''s personal use! The ce was spotless, without a speck of dust in sight. The tiles could even be used as mirrors. Charlotte couldn''t understand why she had been ordered to clean it. However, she would do it as long as her sry wasn''t be deducted. In the blink of an eye, she had worked for three hours. The floor was scrubbed clean and the pool water had been reced. Charlotte was about to gather her things and head downstairs. When she turned around, she was met with a man seated on an ivory-colored recliner chair, scaring the living daylights out of her. "Mr. Nacht, how long have you been here?¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Zachary was wearing a pair of shades and d in an off-white casual suit, looking cold and overbearing. He did not answer Charlotte¡¯s question, but took off the ck-gold ring on his index finger instead, before throwing it into the pool. With that same overbearing aura around him, hemanded, "Retrieve it!" "Huh?" Charlotte was stunned, unable to fathom why Zachary was doing this. "Mm?" Zachary cocked an arrogant brow. "Mr. Nacht, have... have I offended you in any way?" Charlotte asked nervously, "If I have done ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . something wrong, I apologize to you!" "Are you going to retrieve it or not?" Zachary kept things straight and concise. "I..." Charlotte wanted to say something, but she was afraid she might lose her job. Thus, she had no choice but to suppress all her grievances and take off her leather shoes to retrieve his ring from the pool. The moment she entered the pool, her teeth began chattering from the cold. It was earlier winter, so the water in the pool was freezing, especially when the wind blew past. Charlotte shivered, but could only steel herself and lower her head into the water in search for his ring. On the recliner, Zachary''s lips tugged into a smug smile upon seeing this. Finding such a small item in a huge swimming pool was basically looking for a needle in a haystack. Charlotte hugged her arms as she shivered violently. After more than half an hour, she finally caught sight of the ring. She frantically dived below to retrieve it. By the time she stood back up, her whole body was soaked. She tossed her long hair over her shoulder and wiped the water off her face, yelling with joy, "I found it!" The sunlight reflected off the ring, making it dazzle beautifully, and her smile looked especially bright as well. Zachary''s lips curved into a frosty smile as he beckoned her with a finger. Charlotte hastily got out of the pool and handed the ring back to him. "Here''s your ring, Mr. Nacht!" Zachary lifted his eyes to look at her, and burning desire gradually filled his gaze. Even though Charlotte had no makeup on, her pure and natural beauty, as well as her inherent noble temperament was more than enough to make up for it. Because she waspletely drenched, her white blouse and ck skirt hugged her body, disying her perfect curvy figure, making her look as alluring as ever beneath the brilliant sun. "Mr. Nacht!" Charlotte was still trembling from the cold and failed to notice the change in Zachary''s expression. Zachary withdrew his gaze and took the ring from her. Before walking away at an unhurried pace, he left her with a single instruction. "Change the water again, then clean up before leaving." Charlotte watched his retreating back and gnashed her teeth in anger. What the hell is wrong with this Devil?He purposely threw his ring in and had me retrieve it all just to torment me?What did I ever do to him?Achoo... achoo... A gust of wind blew past, causing Charlotte to shiver in her clothes and sneeze several times in a row. Left with no choice, she repeated the process of cleaning up the ce and changing the pool water. After she was done, she picked up a bathrobe from the recliner and wrapped it around her almost- frozen body before hurrying back downstairs. She was dripping with water and sneezing continuously in the elevator. All she wanted to do was hurry to the locker room to dry her clothes as soon as possible. Unfortunately, she ran into Wesley just as the elevator doors opened. Wesley was waiting for the elevator with a document in hand. Upon seeing Charlotte look as if she had juste out of the shower, his eyes immediately lit up. "Well, what do we have here?¡± Charlotte ignored him and fast-walked to the washroom. Meanwhile, Wesley trailed after her without a second thought. The washroom in the changing room was small and rarely used by anyone. Just when Charlotte was going to close the door, Wesley barged in and even locked the door behind him. "What the hell are you doing?" Charlotte shouted in rm. "Well, well, well, Charlotte." Wesley looked at her bathrobe and jeered, "I never knew you were this ambitious. You even set your sights on Mr. Nacht!" "What?" Charlotte was baffled. "You came down from level 68 and you''re wearing Mr. Nacht''s bathrobe. Not to mention, you have the look of a licentious woman set free, so don''t deny that you went up there to seduce Mr. Nacht.¡± Wesley''s sharp eyes roamed across Charlotte''s body, burning bright with lust. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 "I think you should give up. Mr. Nacht ispletely out of your league. He will never fall for a secondhand toy like you." "You''re crazy!" Charlotte wasn''t interested in dealing with a scumbag like him. "Get out!" "You''re just a secondhand toy that Hector got tired of ying with. Stopping acting so noble!" Wesley unbuttoned his shirt and stared at her with a perverted gaze as he approached her. "Snagging Mr. Nacht is impossible, so why don''t youe to me, hmm? I''m now a member of Divine Corporation''s upper management with an annual sry of one million. It¡¯s your honor to be favored by me!" "You disgust me." Charlotte red at him with resentment. "I''m going to shout if youe any closer." "Go ahead!" Wesley chucked evilly. "Don¡¯t you know that it''s already past working hours now? Everyone on level 13 is long gone, and we are the only two left. If I wanna take you right here and now, there''s nothing you can do to stop me!" With that, he took off his shirt and pounced on Charlotte. "Get away from me!" Charlotte screamed and put her hands in front of her to fend off Wesley. But Wesley still managed to pin her down on the sink and was about to rip the bathrobe off her body. Suddenly, the sound of a cell phone ringing came from her pocket. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Immediately afterward, the door to the locker room was kicked open with a bang. The next moment, Wesley was kicked away, hitting the wall before sliding down to the ground. "Ahh..." He clutched his stomach and shrieked in pain. Before Charlotte could even react, her chin was forcefully grabbed and lifted upward. A broody and arrogant face came into view, shocking her to the core. "M-Mr. Nacht..." "Messing around with a man at work? Do you want to be fired?¡± Zachary stared at her with a prating gaze. "N-No..." Charlotte quickly exined, "I only came here to dry my clothes. Mr. Holt was the one who barged in and even tried to sexually assault me... You can check the surveince cameras outside if you don''t believe me." "No, that¡¯s not what happened, Mr. Nacht. She''s the one who seduced me..." Wesley mbered to his feet and frantically exined. "Mr. Nacht, you might not be aware of this, but Charlotte has always been a frivolous sl*t. Four years ago, her fiance broke off their engagement, so she messed around with a gigolo, causing her father to Bang! "Ahh!" Wesley was kicked to the ground by Zachary again before he could finish his sentence, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Zachary rubbed the sole of his shoe on the carpet, as if kicking Wesley had dirtied his shoe. "Please let me exin, Mr. Nacht..." Wesley clutched his chest and rasped out, "Charlotte and I have known each other for five years, and she''s been seducing me..." "If he says one more word, cut off his tongue!" Zachary ordered with a murderous look on his face. "Yes, sir!" Ben hauled Wesley up and pinned him against the wall with a hand around his neck. As Ben choked the life out of him, his eyes widened with terror and his entire body trembled. Charlotte was stunned as well. She didn¡¯t expect Zachary to be so ruthless, or to actually believe her. Just then, Zachary stalked toward her and engulfed her petite body with his towering self. It was like a lion trapping its prey beneath its ws. Charlotte''s eyes widened to look at him in astonishment, and her heart pounded in her chest. She did not dare to move a muscle. Bit by bit, he inched closer. Just as his lips were about to graze her forehead, she instinctively closed her eyes, her body quivering with anxiety. However... He did not touch her. Instead, he took something out from the pocket of the bathrobe she was wearing. She opened her eyes, and when she saw a customized cell phone in his hand, she was utterly stupefied. So he was looking for his phone! It turned out that he had put his phone in the pocket of this bathrobe, which she had taken down with her after putting it on. The ringtone from just now had alsoe from his phone. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 "Arrange him to be a guard at the parking lot!" After taking his phone, Zachary turned and left. "Yes, sir." Ben patted Wesley''s face. "You should be grateful that Mr. Nacht is a kind and generous person. Getting an annual sry of a million by being a guard? You won''t be able to find such an opportunity anywhere else!" "Yes, yes, yes. Thank you, Mr. Nacht. Thank you, Ben. Thank you so much." Wesley¡¯s mouth was bleeding profusely, but he still forced a smile onto his face and nodded incessantly. Disgust washed over Charlotte as she looked at Wesley. At the same time, she sighed inwardly. This punishment is absolutely ingenious! From this moment on, Wesley will never be able to lift his head up highlThis is the way of the Devil! Charlotte made a silent note to stay as far away as possible from this dangerous Devil. Now that she thought about it, she felt that her Gigolo In Debt was still the best. He was obedient and good-natured, and had even earned her more than one million in just two nights. With this thought in mind, Charlotte quickly dried her clothes and made her way to the bank. Since time was of the essence, she ran all the way there and made it there before they got off work for the day, rushing in to cash in the cheque for money. To her dismay, the bank clerk told her that the cheque had been stopped early this morning! Charlotte was flummoxed. Those three rich women bought Gigolo In Debt from me with one million, but once they got him, they revoked the cheque?Are rich women nowadays so unprincipled? Charlotte immediately dialed for Gigolo In Debt, but he didn''t answer even after she called him three times in a row. Thrown into a frenzy, she sent him a text: Call me back ASAP. It''s urgent! There was no reply. Charlotte held her phone as she turned everything over in her head. Could something have happened minute?So the women got mad and canceled the cheque?That seems possiblelYeah, that must be it! Coming to this conclusion, Charlotte immediately got into a cab and headed straight for Sultry Night. On the way there, she started sneezing violently with snot running down her nostrils. It was clear that she caught a cold while cleaning the pool this afternoon. That was the least of her worries now though. All she cared about now was finding that gigolo. Soon, she arrived at Sultry Night. Because it was still early, they were not open for business yet, so outsiders were barred from entering. Charlotte slipped in through the back door and went to the same private room. Oddly, the room was empty. The sofa, coffee table, wine cabs, and even the carpet were all gone. Several waiters were meticulously cleaning the ce, while the manager was taking some measurements, mentioning about getting newly customized furniture. Charlotte grabbed a waitress and asked in a hushed tone, "What happened here? Everything was still fine yesterday." "I''m not really sure either. The manager instructed me to clean the ce up, so I''m just following orders.¡± The waitress then impatiently said, "How did you get in? Get out now..." "I''m just a curious passerby. I won''t interfere with your work, I promise." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte took out three hundred in cash and stuffed it into her hand. The waitress immediately took the money and stuffed it into her pocket. Then, she checked their surroundings before cupping her mouth to whisper into Charlotte''s ear, "When I came in today, there was a lot of blood on the carpet. I think someone died here. Stuff like this, I''m sure you know what I mean..." "What?" Charlotte''s eyes had gone wide, her body stiffening entirely. The words ''someone died here'' was on yback in her mind. She recalled what Gigolo In Debt had said to her yesterday. Fifty-eight years old and two hundred and eighty pounds. I''m too young to die in bedlHe had rejected a two-hundred-and-eighty-pound rich woman who wanted to book him for a whole night. Andst night, there were three of them. He couldn''t possibly have vomited blood and died from overexertion, right? If a life was really lost here, it''s entirely possible that the women canceled their cheque in order to dissociate themselves from this incident... Charlotte¡¯s heart clenched hard in her chest. She silently med herself for being greedy, which cost the gigolo his life in the end. Besides, he was also the father of her children. A scene emerged in her mind. It was fast-forwarded to a decade in the future, where her children would pester her about their father¡¯s identity. With tears of repentance in her eyes, she would say... Your father was a gigolo. I sold him to three rich women who weighed about seven hundred pounds In total for one million... After that, he went missing, and I have no idea if he''s dead or alive! Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Charlotte shuddered at that thought and frantically sent a text message to Gigolo In Debt. My dearest gigolo, are you still alive?I''m sorry. I was too greedy. I was wrong and I shouldn''t have sold you to those three women. I''m so sorry. I regret it now. Please forgive me... She sent more than ten consecutive texts to him, only to receive radio silence. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte then called him a few times, but still, no one answered. She stayed there from evening untilte into the night, hauling her frail and shivering body all around the ce to hunt for any sign of her Gigolo In Debt. To increase the air of mystery, all the staff in Sultry Night were wearing all sorts of sexy masks. But most of their masks were exaggerated andpletely different from Gigolo In Debt''s mysterious and cool mask, so she could still easily differentiate them. After doing a round of searching, there was still no sign of Gigolo In Debt. Charlotte''s cold was worsening. Her nose was runny from sneezing so much, and she felt weak and dizzy too. The poor venttion here made it even more unbearable for her. She was about to leave, but after squeezing through the crowd, she inadvertently spotted a man wearing a ck half-mask sitting at one of the booths. His figure, clothes, and mask were all simr. She rushed over to grab him. "There you are! I was looking for you everywhere." The man looked at her in confusion and was about to speak, but the woman beside him whose face had obviously gone under the knife shouted angrily before he could, "What are you doing? This is the escort I booked!" "He''s mine!" Charlotte pulled the gigolo toward her. "You don''t need to work today. Follow me!" With that, she was about to pull him along. "You stop right there!" Ms. stic Face jumped up from the sofa and grabbed the gigolo¡¯s other arm. "I''ve already booked you for two hours. You dare leave?" "Jenny, I''m not trying to leave. It''s this prettydy who''s..." the gigolo tried to exin. Charlotte was stunned when she heard his slightly ented high-pitched voice. It''s not him! "I... I... I think I got the wrong person..." "B*tch! How dare you touch what belongs to me? Blind fool! I¡¯ll beat you to death!" Before Charlotte could exin, Ms. stic Face hurtled over and pushed her onto the sofa. Charlotte iled her hands in front of her as she fought her off. They were initially fairly matched, but three of the woman''s friends rushed over to help her. Soon, a full- blown catfight broke out. Charlotte shielded her head with both hands, curling up like a tortoise. Even so, she still suffered a good beating and a lot of her hair had been ripped off too. Standing by the side, the gigolo yelled anxiously, "Stop fighting! Stop! Don''t fight over me!¡± He whimpered slightly at the sight of the women. "Strip this b*tch naked and let''s see just how smutty she is to have the nerve to steal my man..." The women gave a war cry and started tearing at Charlotte''s clothes. One of them was even holding her throat, preparing to give her a tight p. Charlotte instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, but the p didn''te, and the women who were pulling at her clothes were gone. A few shrieks pierced through the air. Charlotte slowly opened her eyes and saw that the gigolo she had mistaken as hers was sent flying through the air, mming into the women. Sprawled out on the floor, the few of them looked miserable. Charlotte raised her head and from her supine position on the sofa, she saw another Gigolo In Debt lookalike. He was wearing a mysterious half-mask, his slender figure looking cold and indifferent under the lights. Even in such a dimly-lit space, his bottomless eyes still glowed with charm and radiance. He stretched out a hand toward her, making her freeze in ce. Before she knew it, his strong arm pulled her up and right into his arms. The moment Charlotte''s cheek was pressed against his powerful chest, the sound of his steady heartbeat filled her ears. She raised her head, and the shock on her face was reflected in his fathomless eyes. "How could you mistake someone else as your debtor? Where is your brain?" Zachary gave Charlotte''s head a light knock, giving her an usatory look. "You''re finally here. Are you okay?" Charlotte''s shocked gaze shifted from his face to his body and came to rest on his manhood. "Are you really okay?" Zachary grasped her chin, raising her face to his. "Would you like to test it out?" Chapter 25 Chapter 25 "Stop fooling around!" Charlotte pulled on his arm and looked at him with worry lining her features. "I went to your private room and when they said that someone died, I thought that it was you! Also, the cheque that those three women gave me have been canceled. What on earth happenedst night?" "Let''s go somewhere else to talk!" With that, Zachary led her out through the back door. The bodyguards of those rich women wanted to go after them, but they were easily incapacitated by Ben. Once out of Sultry Night, the sound of heavy metal music faded and the world became quiet once again. Charlotte hurriedly apologized, "Yesterday was my fault. I shouldn''t have given you to those three women. What exactly did they do to you?" Zachary did not answer, but made a gesture to his bodyguards that were not far behind. They immediately retreated upon seeing his signal. "Are you still mad at me? I won''t treat you this way ever again..." Charlotte tugged on his sleeve. "Gigolo, you''ll forgive me, won''t you?" "Call me something else!" Zachary frowned. "Well, I don''t know what your name is." Charlotte was pushed forward by him. "Where are you taking me?" Zachary gave another signal behind him, to which Ben instantly tossed the car keys to his Aston Martin toward him. Zachary caught it midair and smoothly opened the door before shoving Charlotte into it. "Is this your car?" Charlotte was astounded. "This car probably costs tens of millions, right? Howe you own such an expensive car? Don''t tell me you''re actually a wealthy heir and came out to work part- time as a gigolo out of boredom?" "Can you think like a normal person?" Zachary rolled his eyes at her. "Then what is it?" Charlotte''s curiosity was piqued. "Does it belong to a client?" "Mm, it''s a client¡¯s." Zachary was fretting overing up with an excuse, but it turned out that he didn''t have to. "So, does this mean that besides working as a gigolo at Sultry Night, you also have a sugar mommy?" Realization dawned on Charlotte just then. "No wonder the other time..." She was about to say that she saw him inside a Rolls-Royce once, but fortunately, she held her tongue in time. She had brought her three children out that day. He probably didn''t see her, but it was better not to mention about it, so that she could continue keeping the children''s existence a secret from him. "Mm?" Zachary started the engine and drove away. "How many sugar mommies do you have?" Charlotte probed. "One is enough. How many did you think I need?" Zachary raised his brows. "Well she seems to be a very, very, very rich woman." With both the Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin in mind, Charlotte did a mental calction, concluding that this sugar mommy of his probably had a very extraordinary identity. "What¡¯s going on with you?" Zachary took in the miserable state she was in with a look of disdain. "Cough, cough. Sorry." Charlotte hastily took out a handful of tissues to wipe her nose before airing her grievances. "Today was such an unlucky day for me. I was almost run over by a car at work this morning. I fell and now there''s a big bruise on my butt, and my hands were scraped too. Later on, I had to clean the swimming pool on the top floor as punishment, and got myself soaking wet in the process. Then, I was almost harassed by a pervert. And just now, I got into a fight and a handful of my hair was ripped off my scalp..." She wailed pitifully. "That''s called karma." Zachary was gloating at her misfortune, thinking that she deserved all of this for her evil deedsst night. "What?" Charlotte argued. "It''s all because I have a devil as a boss. You don''t know what a psychopath he is! His driver almost ran me down, but instead of apologizing, he red at me like I owed him or something!" "After that, when I was cleaning the pool, he threw his ring into the water and asked me to retrieve it. I almost froze to death doing that!" "The point is, I didn''t even offend him, so I can''t figure out why he''d do that to me. Maybe he suffered some kind of childhood tragedy and was traumatized by it, that¡¯s why he grew up to be so cruel..." While listening to her, Zachary''s face gradually darkened. Then, he abruptly floored the elerator before sharply turning the steering wheel. The car swerved to the side, causing Charlotte''s head to m against the window with a bang...ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Chapter 26 Chapter 26 "Argh!" Charlotte held onto her head as the pain brought tears to her eyes. Zachary smirked. "Continue, what happened with your boss?" "It hurts. The pain is killing me. Boohoo..." Charlotte pursed her lips and answered with an innocent tone, "Are you taking revenge for what happenedst night? I know I was wrong..." "Why were you wrong?" Zachary asked. "I shouldn''t have sold you to the three richdies..." Charlotte replied in remorse. "Luckily, you escaped. Or else, you may have puked blood and died." "That¡¯s unlikely!" Zachary grunted coldly. "Why not? The threedies put together weigh over seven hundred pounds. Their weight alone is enough to kill you." Charlotte seemed to have found her conscience. "If you''re dead, who is going to earn money for me? I won''t force you next time. Let''s just do this slowly in a more sustainable way..." "I''m d you''ve found your conscience." Zachary was finally satisfied. "Erm, how much did your sugar mommy give you a month?" Charlotte asked nosily. "Given that she gifted you such an expensive car, I''m sure she must be very generous." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Why are you asking?" Zachary had a bad feeling about it. "I¡¯m just curious." Charlotte probed, "Is it one million?" Zachary ignored her. "Eight hundred thousand?" Charlotte guessed again. Zachary furrowed his eyebrows. "Five hundred?" Charlotte became desperate. "She can''t be that stingy, can she?" "What do you want?" "Do you still remember the contents of our agreement?" Charlotte leaned closer with a grin. "The agreement states that you have to pay me half your earnings within three months. And the earnings don''t just include those from Sultry Night..." "I knew it!" Zachary squinted his eyes in displeasure. "You are both greedy and a nymph. You just can''t change..." I shouldn''t have softened my stance against her. When she sold him to the three richdies yesterday, he was outraged. Hence, the first thing he did in the morning was to teach her a lesson. However, she did send him a message expressing her regretst night and sounded sincere. Also, he heard from the manager of Sultry Night that she had waited for him from evening tillte in the night... Therefore, he couldn''t help but go to Sultry Night to check on her. He then saw her fighting with a few otherdies over him. That was when he saved her again. He thought she had sincerely regretted her actions. But little did he expect that she just wanted to make money for the long term using him as a gigolo. "That''s part of our agreement." Worried that he would be upset, Charlotte tugged his arm and persuaded, "Actually, it''s good to have a sugar mommy to take care of you. The stable ie is definitely better than the individual clients at Sultry Night. However, it would be even better if you work at both ces. That way, you can earn even more...." As she rambled on, she didn''t notice that Zachary¡¯s face had darkened significantly. "You can get a few sugar mommies. If every one of them gives you five hundred thousand, ten of them means you will get five million. Ah! I will then receive two and a half million..." Before she could finish, Zachary suddenly ced his hand on the back of her head and pulled her towards him. He snapped, "Does it not hurt anymore?" "Huh?" Charlotte was briefly stunned before she began to feel nervous. They were only an inch away from each other. She could feel his breath and the beast-like dominance he was exuding. The atmosphere became tense and dangerous. Noticing something was amiss, Charlotte quickly apologized, "Don''t be angry. I was just making a suggestion. If you think my demands are too much, we can split your allowance sixty forty. Sixty for you; forty for me...." "I think you haven''t suffered enough today." Zachary pinched her chin and rubbed her lips with his thumb. He looked as if he was considering how to devour his prey. "Thirty Seventy?" Charlotte quickly suggested. "You can''t expect twenty eighty!" "Get out!" Zachary suddenly stopped the car by the side. "Gigolo, please don¡¯t be angry..." "Get out!¡± Zachary yelled as a sudden chill fell upon the car. Charlotte was so terrified that she frantically unbuckled her seatbelt. Having run out of patience, Zachary kicked her out of the car. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Charlotte sprawled onto the ground like a frog. Scratched and cut, her palms and knees were burning in pain. Behind her, the Aston Martin sped off and left her in the dust. Charlotte shivered in the cold as she pitifully picked herself up. She then realized she was alone on an elevated bridge. And her phone had run out of juice. She was at the brink of copsing into tears. Why are all men so cruel! The boss she met in the day was like that and so was the gigolo at night. None of the cars that passed by her slowed down. After being out in the cold for an hour, she managed to stop a taxi. Charlotte quickly stopped it by jumping in front with outstretched arms. That night, Charlotte caught a cold and slept so soundly that even the rm couldn''t wake her. When morning arrived, Mrs. Berry woke her up. As she dragged herself to wash up, her body ached all over. When Mrs. Berry knew that she had caught a cold, she quickly made her some hot tea. Robbie went to the medical kit and found some cold medicine. He also brought Charlotte a ss of warm water. "Mommy, once you finish breakfast, you will need to take your medication." "You''re such a good boy, Robbie." Charlotte used a tissue to cover her nose. "I got upte today and am runningte. Mrs. Berry will take you to the buster, alright?" "Mommy, don''t worry. I will take care of Jamie and Ellie." Acting like an adult, Robbie¡¯s expression showed that he was eager to shoulder the responsibility. "Mommy, you shouldn''t go to work. Instead, take the day off and see the doctor." Ellie felt bad for her mom as she helped Charlotte clean her nose with her chubby hands. "I''ll be fine after taking some meds. Don''t worry." Charlotte kept drinking water as she also had a sore throat. "I''ll pour you some water," Ellie offered. When Charlotte finished the water, Ellie took the empty ss and poured another one. "Mommy, this is the cold medicine I have prepared for you. You should bring them to work." Robbie put the cold medication into a small box and ced it in Charlotte''s handbag. "Thanks Robbie and Ellie." Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte was proud of her children. They were only three but already so sensible. At that moment, she realized Jamie was gone and quickly asked, "Where''s Jamie?" "Jamie is watching Fifi poop." Ellie pointed her chubby arms toward the balcony. Jamie was standing on a small bench and staring intently at Fifi, who was in a cage. He was holding a stick in his hand and no one knew what he was up to. Inside the cage, Fifi stood there without moving. As its eyes darted around, it stretched its neck and tried hard to poop. "He woke up twice in the middle of the night to check whether Fifi pooped. And this morning, he did the same too," Mrs. Berryughed as she rted. "Perhaps he thinks Fifi is going to shit that piece of gold out." "I think I''m inclined to believe Jamie..." Robbie furrowed his eyebrows and looked serious. "Perhaps, his story is true." "Jamie,e and have your breakfast!" Mrs. Berry called out. Jamie ambled towards Charlotte, "Mommy, Fifi has pooped." "Is there any gold?" Ellie sounded anxious. "No, I''ve checked through it with a stick." Jamie was still filled with hope. "Perhaps, it wille out next time." After that, he instructed Mrs. Berry with a serious tone, "Mrs. Berry, help me check if Fifi poops any gold while I''m out." "Alright, alright, I''ll watch over him for you. If there really is gold, I will keep it for you." Mrs. Berry replied with a smile. "Now, eat your breakfast." After breakfast, she sent the three children off while Charlotte hailed a taxi to work. In the taxi, she sneezed non-stop while mucus kept dripping from her nose. She felt very sick at that moment. When she recalled how she suffered yesterday, she gritted her teeth in anger. She was quietly cursing both Zachary and the gigolo, wishing they would be forever impotent. Inside the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Zachary sneezed twice and the image of Charlotte shed across his mind. Damn it, did I catch a cold from her? "Mr. Nacht,¡± Ben reported, "The result of Bruce¡¯s investigations is out." "Go on!" Zachary''s attention was still on his documents. "Pardus has given the chip to a child at Grand za," Ben exined with a frown. "From the security footage, the child is around three to four years old..." "Search the city for the child!" "Yes." Chapter 28 Chapter 28 When Charlotte arrived at the office, she realized everyone was looking at her differently. Her usually genial colleagues were all avoiding her today. It made her feel uneasy. Did they find out about the incident with Wesley? Do they have some misunderstanding about me? Just when she was pondering about it, the head of the administration department, Roy, informed her that she had been transferred to a new department. Hence, she needed to report to the HR department. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. When Charlotte asked her for the reason, Roy just turned and walked off. Feeling puzzled, Charlotte wanted to find out from her other colleagues about what happened. However, everyone avoided her like the gue. Hence, she had no choice but to proceed to the HR department alone. After receiving her transfer notice, she was dumbfounded when she learned of her new position. Security!Security?ls there a mistake? Yesterday, when Wesley tried to rape her, he was beaten up badly by Zachary. After that, he was reassigned as a security guard at the car park. She thought she had escaped the matter unscathed. After all, she was a victim. But now, the shocking news blew her into a state of devastation. What kind of logic is this? Why is the victim being punished along with the perpetrator?This is just so unfair! Charlotte couldn''t contain her anger as she vowed to seek rification from the president. The new HR manager just made a scornful remark. "You''vemitted a big mistake. But, you should count yourself lucky only your position has changed and you still get to keep your old sry." "What did I do wrong?" "Enough with your questions. If you''re not satisfied, then just leave!" "You..." Charlotte was speechless. Fine, thepany belongs to the Devil so he can do whatever he wants. Is there a point in reasoning with him?lmpossible. Fuming, Charlotte collected her uniform and headed to the security department to report for duty. There, a group of burly security guards surrounded her and joked, "Hey, the sun is rising from the west. The security guards at Divine Corporation have always been male. Today, we actually have our first female guard." "She''s beautiful too." "How did such a beautiful goddess end up being punished here?" "She must have offended the Devil." Charlotte felt depressed. She was now sure that she had gotten on the Devil''s nerves without her knowledge. Or else, why would he keep punishing me repeatedly? "Enough. It¡¯s time to work," the captain of the security guards barked at the group of young guards. He informed Charlotte, "Your uniform looks big on you, so just bear with it for the time being. The HR department has already tailored a few sets for you which will arrive next week." "Thank you!" Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. "Do you have a cold?" the captain asked her in a friendly manner. "Today is your first day at work so you''re probably unfamiliar with your station. Just follow David on his rounds at the parking lot. There''s usually not much going on there.¡± "Thank you!" Charlotte was extremely grateful. "Let''s go!" David handed Charlotte a security cap and led her towards the car park. As the uniform Charlotte was wearing was oversized, she looked like a kid in adult clothes. And it looked utterly hideous. If not for the belt, her pants would have dropped anytime. When they arrived at the car park, a white Bentley arrived. David pulled Charlotte along to wee it. Charlotte asked softly, "Why do the security guards have to do this? Don''t we have the doormen to do it?" "The doormen are responsible for the car park''s entrance." Charlotte was speechless and had no choice but to follow him. When David opened the Bentley''s door, a tall and dashing man emerged from the car. Charlotte was shaken when she saw him. It''s him! "Thank you." Hector was just as gentle and elegant as he was four years ago. His white suit entuated his tall figure and made him look especially dignified. Charlotte quickly turned away so that he wouldn¡¯t recognize her. "Move aside!" Hector''s bodyguard pushed Charlotte aside as he escorted Hector toward the elevator. Wearing her cap low, Charlotte hid behind a pir and watched Hector discreetly. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 He was still wearing the silver-rimmed sses and had a faint smile on his face. Anyone who saw it would be mesmerized. However, he looked to have lost some weight. Charlotte wondered how he had been over thest few years. As the past came rushing back, the beautiful and innocent memories from that time flooded her mind. Feeling the burn in her nose, Charlotte¡¯s eyes turned red. I used to be so madly in love with him... She had given him all the passion in her youth while he had promised to marry her and protect her unconditionally. He had given her the world... s, people change. As if he felt something, Hector turned around to look. Charlotte quickly hid behind the pir with her heart pounding rapidly. Did he see me? Behind her, she could hear footsteps approaching. She was extremely nervous as she didn''t want him to see her under such dire circumstances. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. The closer the footsteps got, the faster her heart pounded. When they were right behind her, she panicked and started running. "Hey, why are you running?" David called out to her from behind. Stopping in her tracks to check, Charlotte realized it was just David. Hector had entered the elevator and was headed to the sixty-sixth floor, where the president''s office meeting room was located. Only then did Charlotte heave a sigh of relief. However, a wave of disappointment set upon her. He didn''t recognize me. It seems he has truly forgotten me. "Don''t worry, I felt the same way when I first met someone important. In fact, I was even more nervous than you. You will get used to it after some time.¡± David assumed Charlotte was scared because of herck of exposure to the world. "Thank you." Charlotte was grateful and felt her colleagues at the security department were generally friendly. "Let''s patrol over there." As David led Charlotte on their rounds, he also exined what she needed to look out for when doing patrol. Just as they were chatting, a Rolls-Royce Phantom drove towards them. "It''s the president''s car." David approached it and yelled at Charlotte to do the same. "Quick, follow _ _ 99 me. Knowing that the Devil was the reason she fell into such undignified circumstances, anger swelled up within her. All she wanted to do was to tear him apart. However, since they were going to see each other, she wanted to question him as to what she had done to offend him. Or else, working as a security guard just wasn''t right. Holding that thought, Charlotte followed him. "Good morning, Mr. Nacht!" David greeted the president respectfully as he opened the door. Good morning his ass, it''s already ten thirty. Charlotte cursed in her heart. As Zachary stepped out of the car, his ck suit made him look mysterious and dashing. Together with his handsome yet frosty face... He really looks annoying. "It seems working as a security guard doesn''t suit you." When Zachary saw Charlotte¡¯s resentful expression, he rubbed salt into her wounds. "Perhaps, being a cleaner would be a better fit?" "Err..." Charlotte was briefly stunned before quickly standing at attention. "Good morning Mr. Nacht! It''s wonderful to see you here... have you had your breakfast? Do you need me to get you some?" "Sure, why not." Zachary smiled smugly as he shot Ben a nce. Ben walked up to Charlotte and instructed, "Get him the pizza from Mario''s, the beef sandwiches from Le Cordon Bleu, the hand-brewed coffee from St. Laurent''s... That should do for today, it''s a lot lesser than usual." "Err..." Charlotte widened her eyes in shock. "Thank you for the trouble." Visibly holding back hisughter, Zachary shot her a nce before leaving with his bodyguards behind him. "Send them to the meeting room on the sixty-sixth floor in half an hour." After instructing Charlotte, Ben caught up with Zachary. Charlotte stood there stupefied. She offered to buy breakfast out of courtesy and didn¡¯t expect the Devil to take her up on it, let alone making such demand. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Those few restaurants are among H City''s most famous and one has to make a reservation half a month in advance. How is it possible to get all those items within just half an hour?He is obviously messing with me. "By the way..." Ben turned around to add, "If you don¡¯t get them within half an hour, please be prepared to be transferred to the janitorial department.¡± Charlotte felt the urge to clench her fists and scream, "I quit!" Just when her lips moved, the words were stuck in her throat. At that moment, Zachary had entered the elevator. When he turned around, he smiled deviously at her. "I..." Before she could say anything, the elevator door closed. Shutting her eyes tightly and gritting her teeth, she screamed at herself for being useless. "Charlotte, Charlotte!" David''s voice broke her train of thought. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine." Charlotte felt like crying. "I should have just shut up. Why did I offer to buy the Devil breakfast?" "The Devil? Do you mean Mr. Nacht?" David became nervous at once. "Don''t let anyone catch you saying that or you will be finished. Next time, you shouldn''t call him that." "Now what do I do?" Charlotte was on the brink of tears. "To buy all those items in half an hour is just impossible." "I haven''t even heard about those things before." David gave her a sympathetic look. "I have not been to such high-end ces before. Usually, we eat at the restaurant on the seventh floor." "Is there a canteen on the seventh floor?" Charlotte was surprised. "Before this, I only ate at the one on the twenty-first floor." "The restaurant on the seventh floor serves local food while the one on the twenty-first floor serves international cuisine. Most of the white-cored staff like you flock to the twenty-first floor while blue- cored workers like us go to the seventh floor..." "I know what to do." Charlotte rushed into the elevator as she knew there was no time to waste. After all, she only had half an hour. When she arrived at the restaurant on the seventh floor, she got the chef to prepare pizzas, beef sandwiches, and a few other items. After that, she went to the twenty first floor to get coffee. After all, she got the food ording to the items listed by Ben. Since they were simr, she didn''t believe that the Devil could taste the difference. As of then, she had used up twenty-one minutes and only had nine minutes left. As Charlotte dashed into the elevator with the food, she realized her security guard badge wasn''t granted ess to the sixty-sixth floor. Only then did she recall that it was Roy of the administration department who granted her ess to the Original content from N?velDrama.Org. sixty-eight floor with his card. She was there to clean the swimming pool yesterday. What am I going to do now? She had started out with enough time, but now she had been dyed. Charlotte did consider asking for Roy''s help. But when she recalled how he was avoiding her, she felt it would be a waste of time. As she tried to press the other buttons, she realized the card granted her ess to the fortyeight floor. Once she arrived, she continued going up by using the stairs. It was an eighteen story climb from the forty-eight floor to the sixty-sixth. Still having a cold, Charlotte struggled up the steps with her legs trembling and head covered in sweat. Nevertheless, she persevered and reached the sixty-sixth floor at the veryst minute. When she exited the stairwell, her knees buckled and she almost fell down at the entrance of the meeting room. At the crucial moment, a pair of hands grabbed onto her. "Thank you..." When she turned around panting, she saw a familiar face. Her body froze in shock. The moment Hector saw Charlotte, he too was stunned. The chivalrous smile on him turned awkward. "Mr. Sterling!" The bodyguard beside him reminded softly. Having heard the bodyguard, Hector regained his senses. He quickly let go and retreated half a step. His actions devastated Charlotte. She could feel her heart in turmoil and tears welling up in her eyes. Realizing that Hector was looking at her, she was at a loss with what to do with her hands. One hand was holding tight to the food while the other was wiping the sweat off her brow and tidying up her messy hair. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 "Mr. Sterling, we have to go as we still have a meeting at one," the bodyguard reminded again. Hector gave Charlotte another nce before passing her and leaving. He didn''t say a word the whole time. Standing still, Charlotte listened to Hector''s footsteps as he left. Her heart felt like a piece of ss being smashed into pieces. Does he not recognize me anymore?Or did he choose not to?Perhaps, I am just a shadow in his heart. A blot in his life. He doesn''t want to bring it up or have anything to do with me. Holding that thought in mind, Charlotte felt as if a knife was slicing her heart. "You¡¯rete!" Zachary¡¯s voice rang out from behind her and as if the Devil himself was giving her a warning. Charlotte brought the food into the meeting room looking sullen. "Is this the breakfast you bought?" Ben took over the food from her hands and ced them on the table one by one. Pizzas, beef sandwiches, coffee...It is what I had requested.However, something doesn¡¯t seem right. "Where did you get them from?" Ben asked. "The canteen." Charlotte was expressionless as her thoughts were still swirling around Hector. She had often fantasized about how it would be like when they were reunited. However, this wasn¡¯t what she expected. Hector must have looked down on me when he saw me in such miserable circumstances. The fact that he recoiled half a step and the indifferent look in his eyes, made her feel as if he didn''t know her at all. "How is this eptable?" Ben reprimanded, "I have told you that Mr. Nacht wants pizza from Mario''s, the beef sandwiches from Le Cordon Bleu, the hand-brewed coffee from St. Laurent''s..." "He is a human just like anyone of us. If we can eat it, why can''t he?" Charlotte could no longer endure it anymore and began to vent her frustration. If Zachary hadn''t asked her to get breakfast, she wouldn''t have bumped into Hector. Zachary, who was sitting on a leather revolving chair, raised his gaze from the documents in his hand and red at Charlotte. "This is absurd!" Ben snapped, "How dare you talk to Mr. Nachtthis way?" Charlotte ignored him as she turned to leave. "Report to the janitorial department tomorrow," Ben dered from behind her. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte stopped in her tracks and turned around. She took off her employee tag and threw it on the table. "I quit!" This time, she finally said it. There was no need to gather any courage nor to overthink the consequences. "Erm..." Ben was stunned. "What did you say?" Zachary squinted his eyes and gazed deeply at her. "I said... I quit!" Charlotte raised her head and looked straight at him. She ranted emotionally, "I''m not going to entertain your vtile and irregr emotions anymore!" Surprisingly, Zachary was not angered. Instead, a faint smile emerged on his face as he looked at her with interest. Ben and the other bodyguards were stunned. This was the first time someone dared to talk back at Zachary. Is this woman mad? "I suggest you go and see a psychologist. You should cure your illness as soon as possible." After shooting Zachary an angry re, Charlotte stormed out with her head held high. At that moment, she felt that was the coolest thing she had ever done. The moment she stepped out of the meeting room, Charlotte received a call from Mrs. Berry. "Miss, something terrible has happened." "What is it?" Charlotte anxiously asked. "The kindergarten teacher called and said that both Robbie and Jamie got into a fight. They even broke someone''s car window and the owner is asking us topensate eighty thousand." "What? Eighty thousand?" Charlotte''s heart dropped. "Are they trying to scam us? I''ll head over now." "Mmm-hmm. I''m on my way, I''ll see you there." After ending the call, Charlotte returned to the security department to get changed. After that, she left hurriedly to Apple Kindergarten. When she called Ellie¡¯s teacher, the teacher instructed her to head for the principal''s office. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Charlotte hurried there quickly. When she arrived at the door, she heard a haughty voice. "These two children not only beat Timothy up, but also broke my car window. I will not let this matter slide." Chapter 32 Chapter 32 "Mrs. Sterling, please don''t be mad. I will help you find a solution." "Solution? What solution? Until now, the parents involved aren''t even here yet. Do they not teach their children anything?" Charlotte''s frowned as she pushed open the door to enter. Robbie and Jamie were facing the wall with their hands behind their back. A well-dresseddy was sitting on the sofa with her back facing Charlotte and her legs crossed. Behind her were two bodyguards dressed in ck suits, looking aloof. Beside her, sat a young boy in a tailored ck suit, and his hair slicked back. With his pouting lips and chin held high, his face was filled with arrogance. Charlotte felt as if she had seen the child before but couldn''t remember where. "Ms. Windt, you''re finally here!" When Ms. Zane, the children''s teacher, saw Charlotte, it was as if she saw her savior. She quickly introduced her to the principal. "Ms. Horner, this is Robinson, Jamison, and Elisa''s mother." "Mommy!" Robbie and Jamie called out to her in unison, with a pitiful look on their faces. "Ms. Windt, you''re finally here." Ms. Horner frowned and demanded, "Your children broke the school rules by beating up another student. They also broke the window of the parent''s Bentley. How do you think we should resolve this?" "Ms. Horner, hold your horses. Let me find out what''s going on first." Charlotte quickly stepped forward and wanted to ask the children what happened. "What¡¯s there to understand? Your two barbaric sons beat up Timothy." The woman sitting in the chair "Please watch your mouth!" ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Who do you think you are..." The woman turned around angrily. When she saw Charlotte, she was stunned. "It''s you?" Filled with shock, her eyes widened in disbelief. Charlotte was equally stunned. She didn''t expect the haughty woman to be Luna. The same cousin who always followed her and fawned over her since they were children. She was excellent at being superficially close to Charlotte but lost contact after she fell into dire circumstances. "I really didn''t expect to meet you here." Luna quickly regained her senses and maintained her haughtyposure. She sneered, "Are both these boys yours?" If not for the fact they grew up together and Charlotte was extremely familiar with Luna, she would not believe that the person in front of her was Luna. The Luna that used to be timid was now a different person. "What''s wrong? Don¡¯t you dare admit it?" Luna mocked with augh. "What''s there to hide? The whole city knew about your disgraceful act and your reputation has long been destroyed. Even if you bore two, oops, I¡¯m wrong, three bastards, it''s not anything surprising at all..." "Luna!" Charlotte cut her off and yelled. "How dare you speak to me like that in front of the children. Don¡¯t make me p you silly!" "You..." Luna was outraged. But when she saw the ferocity in Charlotte''s eyes, she decided to stay silent. "That''s right, they are my children," Charlotte replied as she turned her attention to the arrogant-looking child. "Is that your son with Hector?" "Of course!" Luna raised her eyebrow smugly. "After you left for a month, Hector and I got married. Now, I''m Mrs. Sterling." "Is that so? Congrattions." When she saw the hypocritical look on Luna''s face, memories from the past flooded back into Charlotte¡¯s mind. At that time, Hector¡¯s mother had made an announcement saying that the engagement had been called off on the day of the ceremony itself. Hector was shocked and Charlotte stormed off. After that, Luna brought Charlotte to Sultry Night, where she told her that she could forget about her troubles there. As Charlotte was furious with Hector, Luna told her that Hector was on his way and she should look for a man to get even with him. By making him feel jealous, she would be able to even the odds at home. After that, Charlotte dered that she wanted a gigolo and Luna arranged one for her. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 As the past shed before her, Charlotte understood what had happened then. She had fallen into Luna''s trap for she had taken over her ce now. However, it was toote for regrets. Other than ming herself for being stupid, there was nothing else Charlotte could do. Others had set the trap but she was dumb enough to take the bait. "Thank you," Luna smirked. "Despite the fact that we are rtives, we still need to settle the score. Your son beat up my son and even broke my car window. Tell me, how are you going topensate for it?" "So it appears both of you are rtives." Ms. Zane tried to salvage the situation. "In that case, why don''t you resolve this in private...'' "Resolve this in private?" Luna interrupted Ms. Zane and retorted, "My son is a distinguished boy. Now that something has happened to him in your kindergarten, are you trying to shirk from your responsibility?" "No, no, that''s not what I meant..." "I have already called my husband and he will be here shortly." Luna arrogantly pressured the principal, "Ms. Horner, if today''s matter is not resolved to my satisfaction, you can close down the kindergarten soon!" "Huh?" Ms. Zane was so shocked that her expression drastically changed. "Keep your mouth shut." Ms. Horner reprimanded Ms. Zane before reassuring Luna, "Mrs. Sterling, please don''t be mad. I will definitely resolve this to your satisfaction." After that, she remarked coldly to Charlotte, "Ms. Windt, your children have been disobedient. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Please apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Sterling together with your children and pay the necessary "Ms. Horner, I have not gotten to the bottom of the matter. Isn''t it too early for you to make such a conclusion?" "You..." Ms. Horner was speechless. "I think it''s important to understand what happened first." Charlotte approached Robbie and Jamie. "Robbie, Jamie, tell me what happened?" "It¡¯s him." Robbie pointed at Timothy and exined angrily, "He was the one who colored Ellie''s hair with paint, causing her to cry. I warned him not to do that but he scolded me instead." "Nonsense, my son won''t do something like that," Luna defended her son immediately. "Please let him finish." Charlotte scrutinized Timothy and noticed that there were still traces of paint on his hands. Furthermore, he didn''t deny what Robbie said. All he did was show his arrogant face. "Yes, that was what happened." Jamie clenched his little fists as his chubby face was flushed red with anger. "I asked him to apologize to Robbie and Ellie but he refused. He even threw the crystal ball on the table to hit me. Luckily, I ducked in time so it missed me. But it flew out of the ssroom and hit the window of a car downstairs..." "Therefore, you didn''t hit anyone and the car window was smashed by him. Is that right?" Charlotte hugged both the children sympathetically. "That''s right." Robbie and Jamie nodded in unison. "The other students in ss saw it too. They can be witnesses," Robbie suggested cleverly. "Did you inform the teacher about what happened?" Charlotte asked again. "We did." Robbie looked at Ms. Zane with an aggrieved expression. "I told her many times and the other students corroborated my story too. Ms. Zane knows about it." Charlotte turned to look at Ms. Zane. Ms. Zane had a remorseful expression on her face. She had wanted to say something but decided against it when Ms. Horner shot her an angry nce. All she did was look at her toes cowardly. "Can we even believe them?¡± Luna sneered. "It''s obvious that they beat up my son." "I trust my children because they never lie and won¡¯t beat anyone up without reason." Charlotte looked at Timothy, "Besides, your son''s clothes are still tidy and his hair isn''t even messy. He doesn''t look like he was roughed up at all." Chapter 34 Chapter 34 "Do we have to wait till he is grievously hurt?" Luna retorted. "Since we each have our own versions of the story, why don''t we check the security footage.¡± Charlotte stood up. "The ssroom is fully monitored by the security cameras. Wouldn''t we know the truth once we review them?" "Erm..." Ms. Horner was in a dilemma. "Ms. Horner!" Charlotte was angered by her attitude. "You didn''t even check the security footage. So on what basis do you use my son of damaging the car? Since there''s no evidence, why are my children being punished? Just because the other party is someone important? Does your kindergarten only serve the rich?" "Ms. Windt, how can you say that?" Ms. Horner coldly replied. "If you''re unhappy with our kindergarten, you can choose to leave with your children." "That''s right," Luna scoffed. "On the ount that we are rtives, I will let this matter slide if your children leave this school. I will treat the eight hundred thousandpensation as a donation to charity." "Compensation? Whatpensation?" Charlotte rebutted angrily. "Your son broke your car window, so why do we have to pay for it? I have not even settled the score with you over your sons coloring my daughter''s hair, and yet you want my children to leave? I think you should be the one to leave." "When did you see my son color your daughter''s hair?" Luna stood up angrily. "Why don''t you ask your son?" Charlotte stared at Timothy. Timothy was raising his head arrogantly. However, when he saw Charlotte''s sharp gaze, he began to waver. "Timothy, tell her you didn''t do it!" Hugging her son, Luna angrily dered, "Don''t worry, Mommy is here. No one can falsely use you." "Mommy, I..." Timothy hesitated. At that moment, the office door opened and Mrs. Berry entered with Ellie in tow. "Mommy!" When Ellie saw Charlotte, she threw herself into her mother''s embrace. Tears were streaming down from her almond-shaped eyes while the sound of her sniffling could break anyone''s heart. "Mommy, Timothy colored my hair with paint. I still can''t wash it off even with Mrs. Berry¡¯s help. Do I need to cut my hair now?" Just as she spoke, tears gushed out like a waterfall. "I don''t want to cut my hair. I want to keep it long." Charlotte hugged Ellie tofort her. "Ellie, don''t worry. Mommy will help you wash it off when we get home, it will definitelye out." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Mmm-hmm." Ellie pursed her lips as she sniffled pitifully, with tears strewn all over her face. "Elisa, please don''t cry anymore..." Timothy quickly slid down the sofa and walked towards her. "I was just ying with you. I didn''t really mean to bully you..." "Timothy!" Luna quickly covered his mouth and stop him from talking further. "Hmph!" Charlotte scoffed and turned towards Ms. Horner. "Did you hearthat?" Ms. Horner''s face was visibly perplexed. She was at a loss for words. Ms. Zane added timidly, "I did ask the other students and they admitted that Timothy did color Ellie''s hair. However, he didn''t do it on purpose. He just wanted to y with her but she ignored him. That''s why he tried to get her attention that way..." "Shut up!" Ms. Horner interrupted her and barked, "Mr. Sterling is on the school board. Therefore, his son is a distinguished guest of the school. If we anger him, our school will have to close." "I''m d you''re aware," Luna sneered. "After all, only one of us will remain her. I¡¯ll leave if she stays. Your choice!" "Mrs. Sterling, of course, I hope that you will stay." Ms. Horner made her stand clear, "Ms. Windt, I''m sorry. I¡¯ll refund the school fees that you have paid. You will have to find your children another kindergarten." "Ms. Horner..." "No." Before Charlotte could finish her sentence, Timothy suddenly freed himself from Luna''s hand and rushed toward Ms. Horner. "You can¡¯t let Elisa leave!" "Timothy..." "If Elisa leaves, I won''te to school!" Timothy yelled at Luna emotionally. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 "Timothy, why are you disobeying me?" Luna became desperate. "There are so many other children here and many pretty girls too. Why must it be her..." "I don¡¯t care. It has to be her." After he finished screaming, Timothy dashed out. "Timothy..." Luna and her bodyguard gave chase. Now, there were only Ms. Horner, Ms. Zane, and Charlotte''s family left in the principal''s office. All of them were equally stunned. "Erm..." Ms. Horner stated awkwardly, "Ms. Windt, why don''t you head home with the children first and let me discuss the matter with the Sterlings. After that, I''ll give you a call?" "Sure, but please give me a copy of the security footage." Charlotte smiled smugly. "In case it disappears, the truth will be buried again." "Ms. Windt, is that necessary? Since Timothy has requested not to let Elisa leave school, the matter can be resolved easily..." "Ms. Horner!" Charlotte interrupted the principal. She asserted solemnly, "Let me be clear. From what Timothy said, it''s obvious he is the one who has bullied Ellie and damaged his family''s car too. My children did nothing wrong and yet they were criticized and humiliated by you and the other parent. To the extent we were being kicked out of school." Charlotte continued, "Now, it isn''t a matter of whether they will look past this. Instead, it¡¯s up to me whether I want to let go of this matter. If you don''t hand over the security footage, I will then make a police report and let the policee for it." "You..." Ms. Horner began to panic. She assumed everyone was just as afraid of the Sterlings as she was and would choose to take the humiliation quietly. Little did she expect Charlotte to be someone that''s not easily cowed. "Ms. Windt, please don¡¯t be angry," Ms. Zane tried to salvage the situation. "Let talk this over. I''m sure we cane to an amicable solution." "That''s right, let¡¯s talk this over." Ms. Horner grinned widely, "It''s just a small conflict between children. Let''s just resolve this internally. I''m sure there''s no need to get the police involved." Charlotte sneered, "If only the other party was reasonable and you handle it fairly, it would have been a trivial matter and not escted to this extent. Luna was rude and intimidating to my children, and yet you wrongly used them without any basis. In fact, you even punished them." She added, "When the truth was revealed, you chose to bow to their status and influence. You even force us to leave school. Since you are unable to mete out justice fairly, I have no choice but to seek rpense for my children another way." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "What do you want?" Ms. Horner asked impatiently. "Simple!" Charlotte quipped. "Firstly, hand over the security footage to prove my children''s innocence. Secondly, get Mrs. Sterling and Timothy to apologize to my children. Thirdly, you and Ms. Zane will also have to apologize too. In fact, you will have to announce it to the whole school." "Ms. Zane and I can apologize to you. But it would be impossible to get Mrs. Sterling and Timothy to do the same." Ms. Horner exined matter-of-factly. "Your family lives in H City too. Hence, offending the Sterlings does you no good. A word from Mr. Sterling is enough to get you cklisted. You won''t be able to find a job or get them into schools. What are you going to do when that happens?" "If I can''t even protect my children, I''m not fit to be a mother!" Charlotte was further infuriated by the principal''s words. "Since that''s your stand, I''ll just make a police report. I want to see how powerful the Sterlings are." Just as she spoke, Charlotte took out her phone to call the police. "Ms. Windt, please don¡¯t!" Ms. Horner was desperate and tried to grabbed Charlotte''s phone. "What are you doing..." "Stop!" A loud voice barked from behind. At the same time, a pair of hands pushed Ms. Horner away and pulled Charlotte into its embrace. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 When Charlotte turned around, she saw Hector. He held her tightly in his embrace, just like her protector. She could see the longing and pain in his eyes. At that moment, Charlotte felt emotions swell within her, as if she had returned to the past. "M-Mr. Sterling..." Ms. Horner widened her eyes in shock and thought that she was seeing things. "Your hand..." When he saw the cut on Charlotte¡¯s hand, Hector furrowed his eyebrows and barked at Ms. Horner, "What gives you the right to touch her?" "Erm..." Ms. Horner was so frightened that she felt a chill down her spine. "Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling and Timothy just left." Ms. Zane meekly reminded him as she assumed Hector had mistaken Charlotte for Luna. Hearing those words, Charlotte regained her senses. That''s right, Hector is married to Luna now and they even have a son. I shouldn''t have any more fantasies. With that thought in mind, Charlotte pushed Hector away immediately and stepped to the side. "I know, I asked them to head home first." Hector recovered his usual elegant demeanor. Looking at the two children in front of Charlotte, a sudden mix of emotions engulfed his heart. Robbie and Jamie had rushed to protect their mother when Ms. Horner confronted her. It was just that Hector beat them to it. At that moment, they stood guard in front of Charlotte with their fists clenched, just like little lions looking at Hector warily. "Mommy!" In a corner, Ellie who was being held by Mrs. Berry widened her watery eyes and stared in fear. "Are they... your children?" Hector looked at Charlotte knowingly. "Yes!" Charlotte averted her gaze. Will he hate me for my impulsive actions then? Despite his calm exterior, Hector subconsciously clenched his fists. After a brief silence, he told the principal, "Ms. Horner, I have seen the security footage and it was indeed Timothy''s fault.¡± "Yes, yes." Ms. Horner had lost track of what was going on. She could only nod and agree to whatever Hector said. Hector knelt down and gently asked Ellie, "Little girl, did Timothy color your hair with paint?" "Yes." Ellie grumbled with a pout, "He was the one who bullied me and my two brothers only warned him about it. They didn''t hit him. It was he who threw the crystal ball out the window in a fit of anger..." "Yes, I know." Hector apologized to her sincerely. "On behalf of my son, Timothy, I would like to say sorry to the three of you and also to your mother." Seeing the scene that had just unfolded before her, Ms. Horner and Ms. Zane were equally shocked. As for Mrs. Berry, she heaved a sigh of relief. Mr. Sterling hasn''t changed. As Charlotte looked at him intently, she realized he was just as gentlemanly and chivalrous as always. "Mommy," Robbie tugged at Charlotte¡¯s sleeve and asked softly, "Do we forgive Timothy''s dad?" Before Charlotte could reply, Hector added, "When I return hometer, I will punish Timothy ordingly. I will also tell Mrs. Sterling to personally apologize to all of you." "Erm..." Ms. Horner was stupefied to the extent she felt her head buzzing. She wondered if Charlotte had a powerful background or perhaps the three children were Hector''s illegitimate kids. "Furthermore..." Hector turned toward Ms. Horner. "I have called the school board and told them that you are not suited to manage this school. It''s better they look for someone else." "Mr. Sterling..." "Ms. Horner!" Hector interrupted her. "I heard everything that you have just said to Ms. Windt. You are right that I can destroy one¡¯s future with a single word. However, that person isn''t Ms. Windt but you instead." "You''d better apologize to them sincerely and leave quietly. Maybe, I will consider showing you some mercy," Hector threatened.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 "Yes!" Seeing through the situation, Ms. Horner bowed towards Charlotte and her children to apologize. "I''m sorry, it''s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have offended someone of your stature." "Until now, you still don''t know where you went wrong." Charlotte realized the principal had a deep- seated issue. "Mr. Sterling has dealt with this issue fairly because he is a principled man, not because I have any influence. You are just being sycophantic to those in power and have no decency at all." "Yes, you are right." Ms. Horner lowered her head and didn''t dare utter another word. Charlotte just look away and didn''t have any more to say. To her, it was pointless to further exin to someone like that. "Just leave," Hector growled. "Please have mercy, Mr. Sterling..." Ms. Horner pleaded before leaving with her head hung low. As for Ms. Zane whose face was already pale in shock, she asked, "Mr. Sterling, l-l..." "You will be suspended for one month and sent for retraining. Once you have the necessary values ingrained in you, you can return to your post," Hector ordered. "Thank you, thank you." Realizing that she had gotten off with just a p on the wrist, she quickly thanked him and apologized to the children. "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, I¡¯m sorry. I failed to protect all of you..." "Ms. Zane." The children watched as their teacher left. Meanwhile, the bodyguards of the Sterlings remained at the door. "Mrs. Berry, it''s been a while. How are you?" Hector asked in a very sincere tone. "Good, very good," Mrs. Berry nodded. "It''s a wonder you still remember me." "I do. I have always remembered..." When Hector said those words, his eyes nced towards Charlotte. He wanted her to know that he had never forgotten her. And that he remembered everything about her. Charlotte lowered her head as she didn''t dare to face him. "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, let¡¯s go to the ssroom to get your bags,¡± Mrs. Berry instructed the three children. "Mommy needs to talk to Mr. Sterling about the teachers. She will join us soon." "Mommy..." The children looked at Charlotte. "Be good, go with Mrs. Berry." Charlotte gave each of them a hug. "After getting your bags, wait for me at the school entrance. I''ll be there soon." "Mmm-hmm." The children nodded obediently. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. With that, Mrs. Berry led the kids away. When he was sure they were out of earshot, Hector asked, "Who is the father?" Charlotte frowned as she felt a massive burden weighing on her heart. She knew that he would ask her that question. How should I answer?The gigolo from then?What would he think of me? Although they were fated to be apart, she still hoped to leave a good impression in his heart. "Don''t worry." Hector¡¯s voice was visibly calm. "It¡¯s been so many years. Furthermore, it was me who wronged you first. Hence, I have no right to question you. I just... just want to know who he is." "Their father is just an ordinary person." Charlotte toned down the truth. "We were already separated." "Did you know him after you left H City?" Hector continued his questions. "I heard that you stayed in the countryside the whole time." "Yes, I knew him then." Charlotte might as well lie. "When one is in despair, one always hopes to be protected by someone..." "Fine." Hector''s eyes darkened as he didn''t want to hear the details. "Are you taking care of them alone?" "I''m not alone. I still have Mrs. Berry." Charlotte looked up to him and sneer, "In fact, I want to congratte you. In less than a month, you married a hot wife. Now, you even have a son!" Hector lowered his head and didn''t dare look into her eyes. He didn''t even know how to exin himself. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 His reaction made Charlotte feel worse. She really wanted to know why he married Luna soon after they broke up. Based on her understanding of Hector, she was sure he wasn''t someone impulsive. There had to be a reason behind his actions. Or perhaps, Luna''s trap was a long timeing. However, it was toote to change anything. Luna was now Mrs. Sterling and they even had a child. Hence, she didn''t see the point in asking any further. Holding that thought, Charlotte changed the topic, "You don''t have to get your wife to apologize as I don¡¯t want a conflict. Also, if it''s possible, you should transfer your son to a different kindergarten. If we don''t see each other, there won¡¯t be any interaction. "I will arrange it." Hector nodded. "What other requests do you have?" "How would I dare demand anything of you?" Charlotte sniggered. "After all, I''m just an ordinary citizen while you are the mighty Mr. Sterling..." "Lottie..." "Don''t call me that." Charlotte interrupted him and coldly asserted, "It sounds too intimate. We are no longer rted in any way so we should keep our distance going forward." "Do you still hate me?" Hector looked at her with a frown. "I know it was my family''s fault but I was trying to salvage it then. Why didn''t you give me more time and chose to do something so impulsive?" When she heard the past being brought up, emotions filled her heart while tears welled in her eyes. It was obvious how devastating her actions were for him. "It... it was my fault," Charlotte replied remorsefully. "I''ve made a mistake so let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. What¡¯s done is done." With that, she turned to leave... "Lottie," Hector grabbed her hand and stuffed a cheque in it. "You should start a small business and not work as an employee anymore." "Hmph!" Holding the check in her hand, Charlotte scoffed. "Thirty million. It''s a lot of money indeed. It seems our memories are worth a lot to you." "Lottie..." "Although money is useful, I don¡¯t like to receive it in such a shameless manner." Charlotte stuffed the check back into his pocket. "Both of us made a mistake then. There¡¯s no need to me each other. Even if we bump into each other next time, we should just pretend that we don''t know each other." "Are you angry with what happened at Divine Corporation?" Hector furrowed his eyebrows. "The situation then was..." "No, I''m not ming you and don''t have the right to do so." Charlotte smile wryly. "I understand that our statuses are different and you need to mind your reputation." "In that case, you should ept my help." "I don''t want it!" "Can you not be so stubborn?" Hector chided her. "You used to be so dignified. How can you take such a menial job? That aside, how much can you make from it? Is it even enough to raise three children?" "At least the money I makees from my ownbor," Charlotte retorted angrily. "Even if I''m broke, I rather work as a hostess in a nightclub than take your money!" "You..." "Your concern isn''t appreciated here. You should save it for your wife instead." Charlotte swept his hand away and stormed off. Watching her back as she walked away, Hector''s eyes were filled with sadness. When she reached the exit, she suddenly thought of something and turned around. "By the way, if it''s possible, please keep it to yourself that I have children. I don¡¯t want outsiders to know about their existence." "Sure, I know what to do." Hector understood what she was thinking. "I will remind Luna not Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. to shoot her mouth off." "It seems you understand her well," Charlotte scoffed before leaving. Hector watched her leave with a gloomy expression. Meanwhile, his subordinate Owen came in andmented, "I didn''t expect Ms. Windt to now have three children after not seeing her for a few years. Life is really unpredictable..." Hector shot him a fearsome re. Owen frantically lowered his head and didn¡¯t dare say anything further. "Go and find out who the father is." Hector felt that the three children had good genes. Therefore, their father cannot be an ordinary country bumpkin. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 On the way home, Charlotte praised Robbie and Jamie. "You boys did the right thing protecting your sister while maintaining a cool head. I am proud of you guys." "Mommy, Ellie is our sister so it¡¯s normal for us to protect her.¡± Robbie beat his chest to show what a brave boy he was. "If not for the fact Robbie was holding me back, I would have beaten Timothy up." Jamie held up his Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g little fist angrily. "Timothy loves to bully Ellie even after I have warned him a few times, he just doesn¡¯t listen." "He acts with impunity in school because the principal and teachers protect him while the other students fear him. Hence, he thinks that whatever he does is right," Robbieined indignantly. "That''s why we have to protect ourselves. We don''t bully others and can''t allow ourselves to be bullied too. Alright?" Charlotte lectured them solemnly. "We understand, Mommy." Robbie and Jamie nodded in unison. "Ellie, you must also learn how to protect yourself." Charlotte hugged Ellie and gently advised, "You have your brothers to protect you now, but what if they are not by your side?" "I know." Ellie pouted her lips and frowned. With a feisty expression, she dered, "Next time, I will be more fierce. I can''t just let anyone color my hair as they please." "Ellie, it isn''t just about having your hair colored." Mrs. Berryughed. "As long anyone bullies you, you need to put a stop to it." "Mmm-hmm, I understand." Ellie nodded in earnest. "Good girl!" Charlotte tousled Ellie''s hair to ease the tension in the air. "Today, our family had gone through a battle together. By being united, the matter was perfectly resolved. Why don''t we go somewhere to celebrate?" "Yeah!" the three children jumped in joy. "Mommy is the best!" Mrs. Berry feltforted when she saw the children''s smiles. Charlotte was someone who had been pampered since she was young. Her father taught her to always be upright and kind. To have a good character and grow up to be happy and healthy. She had passed on this legacy to her children. No matter what happened, she would always protect them. The five of them enjoyed their favorite pizza and fried chicken meal. The three children had so much to eat that they burped on the way home. By the time Charlotte and Mrs. Berry helped the children wash up and put them to bed, it was already nine at night. Charlotte took a bath and blow-dried her hair before preparing for bed. Mrs. Berry then brought her some cold medication and warm water. She warmly reminded, "Don¡¯t just focus on caring for the children, you should take care of yourself too." "I almost forgot until you mentioned it." Charlotte quickly took her medicine. "Thank you, Mrs. Berry." "Miss, did Mr. Sterling tell you why he married Luna?" Mrs. Berry couldn¡¯t help but ask. "No, he didn''t." Charlotte shook her head. "Why didn¡¯t you ask him?" Mrs. Berry asked anxiously. "I feel that Luna has changed, or perhaps she has finally shown her true colors. Even then, I always felt that she was fake..." "That''s all in the past now." Charlotte smiled wryly. "No matter what, she is Mrs. Sterling and even bore Hector a son. They are now a family." Hearing those words, Mrs. Berry''s expression darkened. She lowered her head and sighed deeply. "What a pity, Mr. Sterling and you were meant to be together..." "It''s just fate." Just as she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but get jolted by her own words. She never liked hearing anyone say those words as it sounded like an excuse for losers. But now, she actually said it. Perhaps after going through trial and tribtions in life, she had started to ept the unpredictable nature of life. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 "No matter what, you have three beautiful children now. They are a gift from God." Mrs. Berry consoled her. "If you manage to meet someone in the future, your life would then beplete." "Where am I to find so many..." Before Charlotte could finish, she received a notification on her phone. It was five thousand sent by Gigolo In Debt. "He is such a good man!" Charlotte eximed in joy. "Huh? You already met one?" Mrs. Berry couldn''t conceal her excitement. "Mrs. Berry, you should rest early, I¡¯m heading back to my room now." After bidding Mrs. Berry good night, Charlotte returned to her room and sent a message to Gigolo In Debt. Charlotte: Have you started work today? Gigolo In Debt: Mmm-hmm. Charlotte: Did someone booked you for the night? Gigolo In Debt: Mmm-hmm. Charlotte replied in glee: Not bad, not bad. You''re smart enough to pay up. You have to continue to work hard. It''s been a few days and you have only paid me twice. It isn''t enough to buy milk... Charlotte quickly deleted the word "milk" and changed it to "food" instead. Gigolo In Debt: You have to work hard too. Charlotte: Don''t even bring it up. I handed my resignation today. Gigolo In Debt: ? Charlotte: My boss is just crazy and making my life difficult on purpose. I don''t even know what I did to offend him." The moment she thought about the Devil, rage swelled within her. He had tormented her terribly today, to the extent her leg was still hurting from climbing the steps. However, the exertion seemed to have caused her cold to improve. Gigolo In Debt: Are you nning to rely on me for your living expenses then? Charlotte: Of course not. With your mediocre sales, what you earn isn''t enough for me. I will look for a job tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry. Gigolo In Debt: But the job market is bad right now. Charlotte: That¡¯s true. Charlotte recalled how she had previously sent out thirty resumes and interviewed at seventeen strings for her. Hence, she began to worry if she could really find a job. Charlotte: Sigh, I''m not sure if I can still go back to Divine Corporation. Since I have not sent in my resignation letter, the HR department might not be on my case yet...¡¯ Gigolo In Debt: You can try. Charlotte: However, I scolded the boss when I left. I''m sure he won''t allow me toe back. Charlotte held her chin as she was now regretting that she quitted her job in a fit of rage today. Although being a security guard was a tiring and lowly job, at least her sry stayed the same. Furthermore, there isn''t any otherpany that is better than Divine Corporation. Gigolo In Debt: Scolding the boss was a big mistake. You really deserved it. Charlotte: What do you know? Do you know how crazy my boss it? Gigolo In Debt: As crazy as you? Charlotte was rendered speechless by his question. As his boss, she realized she was equally crazy too. She forced him to serve three fatdies who weighed a total of seven hundred poundsbined. She also demanded he look for a few more sugar mommies so that she can increase her cut. Despite that, she only bought a single bottle of virility supplements for him. As his boss, she was both cruel and vicious. Compared to the Devil, her behavior had put him to shame. With that thought in mind, Charlotte suddenly felt that the devil wasn''t so bad after all. However, she felt she had to stand by her word. Since she rage quit in front of him, there was no going back for her. She didn''t believe that she couldn''tnd a single job in the whole of H City. Unknown to her, that was the unfortunate reality. The next day morning, Charlotte flooded all thepanies in H City with her resume. After waiting for three consecutive days, she didn''t even get a single interview. Feeling anxious, she called them one by one. Finally, the answers she got were they either didn''t receive it, not hiring, or she wasn''t qualified enough. Finally, she decided to lower herself and look for a job in the mall or retail shops. However, no one wanted to hire her still. She was even rejected to work as a waitress. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g It felt as if everyone was ganging up on her. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Charlotte began to worry as the bills on her living expenses started to pile up. Currently, her only ie was from Gigolo In Debt and it was going to run out soon. If she didn''t get a job, she wouldn''t be able tost through next month. What should I do? That night, Charlotte sent Gigolo In Debt a message. "Why haven''t you transferred me any money recently? Is business bad?" Now, Gigolo In Debt was her only source of ie, causing her to tighten her grip on him. Charlotte: Even if they don''t take you for a night, you can ept individual sessions. If that doesn''t work, you can try drinking or dancing with them. As long as you make some money... Gigolo In Debt replied after a long time: Have you gone mad because you''re broke? Charlotte: Yes! I am broke and I am without a job, I can''t put food on the table. At this rate, I can''t even pay the rent and would be evicted soon. I don''t have a problem with that. But what about my family? I still have little mouths... Gigolo In Debt: Little mouths? Charlotte quickly deleted the message but the gigolo had obviously seen it. She had no choice but to exin: I have four pets at home... Gigolo In Debt: So where did you get the courage to quit your job? Charlotte: It was just an impulsive decision. Gigolo In Debt: It was a stupid move indeed. Charlotte: I know it was a mistake. Although he is crazy, I can still pay my bills. I''m already regretting it now. If God were to give me another chance, I am willing to take back my words. I''m willing to do anything as long as I can get my job back at Divine Corporation. Gigolo In Debt: Are you really willing to do anything? Charlotte: That''s right. Next time, no matter how he torments me, I will obey him without question. As long as I can keep my job. Just as Charlotte sent the message, she looked at the bill that Mrs. Berry had passed to her. Today, she had bought a box of milk powder for the children and also sent Fifi to the vet. In total, it cost four thousand three hundred... When she saw how little she had left, tears welled up in her eyes. Morality and dignity no longer mattered to her. Gigolo In Debt replied: That should be the way. Charlotte: I should have the same attitude as you. After all, I realized I have not treated you well but didn''t you bear with it? Although you kicked me out of the car once, you''ve never go on strike nor quit... With that thought in mind, she felt Gigolo In Debt was a lot more dedicated to his work than she was. With her eyebrows still furrowed, her phone suddenly rang. It was from an unknown number. Puzzle as to who it was, she answered, "Hello?" "Hello, are you Charlotte Windt? I am Mr. Collins, manager of the security department at Divine Corporation." "Oh hello, Mr. Collins." "Your new uniform is here. Remember toe to work tomorrow." "Huh? I..." Charlotte almost wanted to bring up the fact that she quit but decided against it in time. She probed, "I was sick that day and there was an emergency at home. So, I had to leave early and didn''t apply for leave. Did the boss fire me?" "It''s understandable given that it was an emergency. Divine Corporation is apany that cares for its employees. Hence, we won''t fire you over such a small matter. However, you have to remember to stick to the rules." "What did the boss say?" "Do you mean Mr. Nacht? He has a thousand things on his te and has no time for trivial matters such as this. Don''t worry, juste back to work tomorrow.¡± "Alright, alright. Thank you very much. Thank you!¡± After ending the call, Charlotte was overjoyed. She quickly sent Gigolo In Debt a message: Just now, the manager of Divine Corporation''s security department called. He asked me to go back to work tomorrow. Hahaha, it''s really wonderful! I am not Original content from N?velDrama.Org. unemployed anymore! Gigolo In Debt: Congrattions! Charlotte: You''re really my lucky star. Not only do you make money for me, but you also even bring me good luck." Gigolo In Debt: How are you going to thank me? Charlotte: Thank you? This will be used to offset the time where you kicked me out of the car. We are now even! Charlotte was still angry about the time he chased her out of the car. Charlotte: How dare you abandon your boss on the top of an elevated bridge like that? It''s just cruel and unforgivable! Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Gigolo In Debt: Are you back to being arrogant just because you got your job back? His response sounded exasperated. Charlotte sure knew when to quit and not take it too far. Her job at Divine Corporation pays eight thousand a month while Gigolo In Debt can pay her five thousand on a good night. Although she needed to maintain her authority as his boss, she knew that she couldn''t be unreasonable. In the event he quit, she would be left with nothing. Although there''s a contract, I don''t think it''s going to stand up in a court ofw.I should still cate this God of Wealth, no wait, I meant Gigolo of Wealth. With that thought in mind, Charlotte quickly appeased him: I''m just kidding. I''ll see you in another two days and buy you some supplements. However, you mustn''t kick me out of the car again. Do you know how terrible it felt that night? Gigolo In Debt: Have you learnt your lesson? Charlotte: Yes... Gigolo In Debt: In that case, you should behave next time. Charlotte was speechless. Did he read too many romance novels?This gigolo is slowly getting more domineering.Does he think he is acting in a movie called "The Domineering Gigolo Falls In Love With Me?"Wait...Falls in love? Charlotte suddenly remembered the time at Sultry Night where she sold him to three richdies. At that moment, he was tugging on her sleeve when he dered, "You will regret it if you leave." He is supposed to be used to pleasuring richdies and should feel like a fish in water. But why was he so reluctant that night?ln the car the other day, when I asked him about being taken in by a sugar mommy and how we were going to split his earnings, he actually became angry and kicked me out. And yet I thought he was angry because I wanted too much. Now that I think of it...I think he must have developed feelings for me and was jealous. That''s why he was so angry. Or else, why would he obediently report his ie and keep paying me as requestedDespite having signed a contract, there is no way I can really use it to threaten him. No matter what, he has to be a willing participant for the arrangement to work. The more she thought about it, the more anxious Charlotte became. Oh no! I''m in trouble! What am I Original content from N?velDrama.Org. going to do now that a gigolo has fallen in love with me? It seemed she had no choice but to be professional and keep a distance from him. At the same time, she endeavored to work hard in Divine Corporation to further her career. So that when she loses her ie from the gigolo, she would still be able to support her family. It was imperative for her to win the acknowledgment of the Devil. Only then would her job at Divine Corporation be secure. Holding that thought, Charlotte took a deep breath and made a firm decision. From tomorrow onwards, she would endure whatever the Devil threw at her. Probably because of the repeated reminders she gave herself, Charlotte dreamt of something shocking in her sleep. In her dream, the Devil was kneeling in front of her, holding nine hundred and ny nine roses. He dered passionately, "Charlotte, will you marry me!¡± All the employees at Divine Corporation were cheering for her while her colleagues were urging her on, "Say yes to him!" Feeling emotional, Charlotte was about to agree before the gigolo appeared in his mask with the three children in tow. In a pitiful voice, he pleaded, "Darling, don''t abandon me." When she turned to look and saw a pitiful sight. There were three milk bottles hung around his neck while his backpack was filled with milk powder. He was holding a bunch of dolls on his left hand and diapers on his right. He looked like the epitome of a poor babysitting father. The three children were crying with snoting out of their nose. "Mommy, Mommy..." Behind her, the Devil''s longing expression changed into one of rage. He grabbed her hand and threatened viciously, "Charlotte, you already have a husband and children. And yet you are trying to cheat me of my feelings? I''m going to kill you..." Charlotte was suddenly awoken from her dream. As she opened her eyes, she was panting heavily from the frightening experience. Luckily, it''s just a dream. As she wiped the sweat off her forehead, she checked her phone. It was six thirty in the morning and Gigolo In Debt had just transferred her five thousand. When the thought of him pleasuring a rich and fatdy cross her mind, she felt bad for taking half of his hard-earned money. In fact, she began to feel like a heartless person. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 The next morning, Charlotte rushed to her office and was d she wasn''tte. Mr. Collins brought her uniform personally and encouraged her to work hard. After getting changed and putting on her cap, she looked smart and alluring at the same time. The whole group of young security guards were mesmerized, especially David, who blushed at the sight of her. "Today, you will follow David on his rounds around the car park as usual. Go quickly, the president''s car is almost here," Mr. Collins instructed. "Yes!" Charlotte brought along an exquisitelooking bag as she followed David. "What is that?" David asked. "You will find outter." Keeping an eye on the car park¡¯s entrance, Charlotte finally saw the Rolls-Royce Phantom and quickly hurried to wee it. "Good morning, Mr. Nacht." David opened the door. "Good morning, Mr. Nacht!" Charlotte raised up a bag with a smile. "Your breakfast is ready." "Hmm?" Zachary raised his eyebrow and looked at Charlotte with interest. "Pizza from Mario''s, beef sandwiches from Le Cordon Bleu, hand-brewed coffee from St. Laurent''s... everything exactly as you ordered," Charlotte cheerfully reported. "Mr. Nacht, I have reflected on my ipetence thest time. Last night, I called a few restaurants to order the food and picked them up in the morning. Don''t worry, these are all the real stuff. I even left the receipts inside." Just as she spoke, Charlotte looked for the receipts inside the bag. "You finally understand what''s your priority." Zachary smiled smugly. "Haha..." Charlotte grinned mischievously. "I was ignorant before this. I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold it against me. Please give me a chance and I promise I will change for the better." "I''ll reward you based on your performance." Zachary received the bag and handed it to David. "Huh?" David was stunned as he took it. Meanwhile, Charlotte''s expression froze. Before she could regain her senses, Zachary had turned to leave. Ben softly remarked, "Mr. Nacht''s breakfast is different every day. The menust time was for Thursday, but today is Friday. He will be having something different." "In that case..." "I''ve already sent someone to get it, so don¡¯t worry. Just focus on doing your job." After he was done, Ben quickly caught up with Zachary. Staring at Zachary¡¯s silhouette, Charlotte muttered under her breath, "Damn you!" At that moment, Zachary entered the elevator and turned around. Charlotte put on her best smile and waved at him respectfully, "Mr. Nacht, I wish you a wonderful day!¡± As her expression changed instantly just like a chameleon, she filled her tone with as much enthusiasm as she possibly could. Lowering his gaze, Zachary smiled smugly as the elevator door closed. When Ben checked Zachary¡¯s expression, he heaved a sigh of relief. It looks like today is going to be a wonderful day. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Charlotte, do you want to share the breakfast that Mr. Nacht gave me?" David carefully probed. "Sure, let''s go." Charlotte didn''t want them to go to waste as she spent three hundred and eighty-eight on them. After spending so much effort to impress him, he actually gave it to someone else. He''s really insensitivelForget it. At least I get to eat them with David. Hence, they''re not wasted. While both of them were having breakfast, David asked excitedly, "I have never eaten such an expensive breakfast before. It''s so beautiful and exquisite that I don''t feel like eating them.¡± "Eat it while it''s hot, or else it will go to waste!" Charlotte handed him a beef sandwich. While both of them were enjoying breakfast happily, little did they realize they were being watched. Wesley, who had been demoted to guard the car park entrance, was like a rat in the shadows. He was hiding in a dark corner and spying on Charlotte. There was a malicious look in his eyes. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 She caused me to be beaten up by Zachary. Because of her, I was removed from my glorious job as manager of the HR department and relegated to just a security guard at the entrance. Whenever his colleagues saw him, they would look at him in a condescending manner. His friend and subordinates who used to be close to him avoided him like the gue. While his rivals seized upon the opportunity to trample on his dignity. To him, it was all Charlotte''s doing. "It''s delicious." Charlotte finished thest beef sandwich and licked her lips to savor everyst bit. "No wonder the Devil orders food from them. He really has good taste." "Shh..." David quickly reminded her. "Thest time you went missing for three days, the HR department wanted to sack you. It was Mr. Nacht who stopped them. Not only are you ungrateful, but you also even call him names. That isn''t right." "Huh?" Charlotte was surprised. "Did you say the Devil... I mean Mr. Nacht saved my job?" "That''s right." David exined in earnest what happened that day, "After you left and didn''te back, Mr. Collins called you but you didn''t answer. The next day, he had no choice but to inform HR. HR decided that you had to be fired for leaving your station without permission." David continued, "When Mr. Collins requested me to get a case form from HR, I bumped into Mr. Ben, the president''s assistant, there. He instructed the HR manager to retain your position and ssify it as if you were on leave." "Erm..." Charlotte was extremely shocked to hear that it was the Devil who saved her job. "Next time, don''t call him names anymore. Or else he might fire you for real when he gets angry. Where did you go look for a job? I¡¯ve worked in a few differentpanies before and realize Divine Corporation offers the best pay and benefits. Furthermore, there''s career progression too..." David continued to ramble on with a serious face. However, Charlotte only had one question in her mind. Why did the Devil help me?Does he intend to keep me as a toy? So that he can continue to torment me?That has to be it... he really is crazy.But it''s okay since I have his attention, it means I''m still of some use to him. Just when she was pondering about it, a car rm rang out from afar. Charlotte was given a fright but David was a lot calmer. "Perhaps, one of the bosses scraped another car while parking causing the rm. I¡¯ll go take a look." "Wait, let''s go together." Charlotte quickly packed up the leftovers. "You take your time cleaning while I head there first." David was extremely responsible and he dashed toward where the sound wasing from. After packing up everything and preparing to bin it, Charlotte suddenly felt something like an evile from her back... She turned around subconsciously. Before she could react, a stake of crates from behind her toppled towards her. "Lottie..." Along with the shout, a white shadow shot toward her and pulled her into his embrace, shielding her from the crates. When she felt his muscr chest, a familiar sense of warmth and security greeting her. Opening her eyes, she saw Hector''s dashing face and her heart almost melted instantly. "Lottie, are you alright?" Hector''s eyes were filled with gentle concern. Despite his furrowing eyebrows showing the pain he felt, he was more worried about Charlotte''s safety. "Hector..." When she regained her senses, Charlotte realized that Hector was hurt by the crates because he protected her. There was a cut on his forehead and blood was slowly oozing out. His left arm seemed to also be injured as he could hardly move it. She became extremely anxious. "You''re injured. Did you fracture anything?" "I¡¯m fine..." "Mr. Sterling!" A few of his bodyguards rushed over. "Get the doctor, quick!" "No!" Hector stopped them. "We are at Divine Corporation, not Sterling Group. We mustn''t cause Mr. Nacht any rm..." "But you..." "Mr. Nacht!" Owen eximed. Charlotte looked up and saw Zachary standing in the middle of the corridor, looking at them from afar with an awkward smile. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g His gaze was as frosty as ice. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 When Charlotte felt the animosity, she grew inexplicably anxious. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. After Hector released Charlotte, he stepped to one side and maintain his distance, as if he wanted to avoid any gossip. "Mr. Sterling, are you alright?" Zachary strolled over casually. Behind him, Ben has instructed the bodyguards to investigate how it happened. "I''m fine, it¡¯s just a scratch.'' Despite sweating profusely, Hector maintained hisposure with a faint smile. "I''m impressed that you have rescued a damsel in distress." Zachary smiled. "Although she isn''t much of a beauty, I have to thank you on her behalf as her employer." Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows as she felt strange hearing what Zachary said. "Please don''t say that. It''s nothing at all." Hector nced at Charlotte before saying to Zachary, "I was just looking for you. Are you..." "I''ve something on so I''m heading out." Zachary was polite but aloof. "Sorry for wasting your time." "Erm..." Hector froze briefly before replying with a smile. "No worries. I''lle again when you''re free..." "Mmm-hmm," Zachary grunted in acknowledgment before getting into his car. Hector stood still, feeling extremely awkward. Owen asked softly, "Didn''t you have an appointment with him?¡± "Ignore him, he always behaves this way." When Charlotte saw how Hector was treated, she felt bad for him. "Let''s go to the hospital..." "Mr. Sterling!¡± At that moment, Ben came cover and politely exined, "Mr. Nacht has an urgent matter to attend to today. Shall we make another appointment for next time?¡± "Sure, I''ll let you know." Hector nodded with a smile. "Are you injured? I''ll have someone send you to the hospital." Ben waved for the bodyguards toe. "I''m fine. I''ll manage this myself." Hector replied politely. "You should go on. Mr. Nacht must be waiting for you. "In that case..." "Mr. Ben," Charlotte used the opportunity to ask Ben, "Mr. Sterling was injured trying to save me. I''ll like to send him to the hospital, is that alright?" "Erm..." Ben turned to look at Zachary before nodding. "Sure!" "Thank you." Charlotte immediately supported Hector. This time, Hector didn''t refuse. "What happened?" David arrived in a huff. When he saw what happened, he was shocked. "Just now, some crates fell down and almost injured me, but Mr. Sterling saved me instead," Charlotte exined. "Mr. Ben has given me permission to send Mr. Sterling to the hospital. David, please help me report this to Mr. Collins." "Okay, sure." David nodded. "Be careful, don''t hurt your arm." Charlotte helped Hector into the car. As the Rolls-Royce Phantom passed them by, Hector looked up and saw Zachary giving Charlotte a cold stare. "Owen, you drive. The rest of you, take the other car," Hector instructed. "Yes, sir." While driving the white Bentley out of the parking lot, Owen couldn''t help but reminisce the old times with Charlotte. "Ms. Windt, it¡¯s been such a long time. Do you still remember me?" "How can I forget?" Charlotteughed and remarked, "When Hector and I were dating, you were always behind us. He would always scold you for being the third wheel." "Hahaha..." Owenughed heartily. "I thought you have forgotten." Hector¡¯s voice was as gentle as it was in the past. He looked longingly at Charlotte. Charlotte was jolted and lowered her head. "But that''s all in the past now." The atmosphere began to feel awkward. Clearing his throat, Owen focused on driving and didn¡¯t dare to say another word. "Do you and Mr. Nacht know each other?" Hector was a smart man. Just by observing them, he knew that Zachary was somehow interested in Charlotte. "He is my boss. Why wouldn''t I know him?" It seemed that she didn''t think that way. "Are you here to talk business with him? With the Sterling Group¡¯s current status, you don¡¯t need to depend on him, do you? Even if it''s a business deal, he should treat you with respect. You don''t have to put up with his attitude." Chapter 46 Chapter 46 "It seems like you don''t know Mr. Nacht well enough." Hector stared at her. "Do you only have a professional rtionship with him?" "What else then?" Charlotte frowned. Hector was silent for a moment before he said in an unusually deep voice, "He¡¯s a dangerous man. You should keep your distance from him." "How can a formidable man like him get close to a small fly like me?" Charlotte dismissed. "You''re overthinking this." "Good to hear that." Hector seemingly sighed in relief. "Didn''t I tell you not to work anymore? Why are you now a security guard?" "Don¡¯t intervene in this," Charlotte warned. "If it weren¡¯t for you saving me, I wouldn''t havee out with you alone." "All right. I won''t continue talking about this then." Hector changed the topic. "My son hasn''t been going to school recently. He''s been in a foul mood because of the transfer. He''s young, but he''s got a temper. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s protesting by going on a hunger strike." "Huh?" Charlotte was surprised by his words. "You''d better take care of him." "Well, I''ll just let him be. He''ll eat when he can''t stand the hunger anymore," Hector sighed. "I''ve been busy with work in recent years, and I don''t have much time to keep himpany. He''s been spoiled by the rest of the family, and that''s why he''s such a bossy kid now. I really have to teach him a lesson this time." "Take it slow. You can''t change him in a day." Charlotte felt bad for the boy. "Don¡¯t rush him about the transfer, and be gentle in your approach. If he really can¡¯t take it, it¡¯s fine if he doesn''t transfer schools. However..." "He said he''s fine with everything but the transfer," Hectormented. "I know what you¡¯re worried about, and I''ve talked to Luna. I''ve told her not to go to school from now on, so the two of you won''t be in any conflict anymore." "All right. I have no issues, then." Charlotte mainly did not want to be in any conflict with Luna; the others were less of a concern for her. After all, he was but a three-year-old. How bad can he be? "You''re as considerate as ever." It was a gentle look Hector gave her. "We''ve arrived," Charlottemented. "Is this your private hospital?" "Yes. This is where Mr. Sterling usually goes for his checkups." Owen drove the car to the entrance, and the security guard was swift to walk over. "Mr. Sterling." After Charlotte came down from the car, she helped the injured Hector down. "Be careful of your elbow." "Darling!" All of a sudden, a familiar voice traveled into Charlotte¡¯s ears. Turning around, she locked eyes with Luna''s surprised ones. Immediately, she retracted her arm from Hector. "Charlotte Windt, it''s you again!" Luna flew over and cursed, "You b*tch. You know Hector''s already married. Why are you still clinging to him? Aren¡¯t you a shameless one?" "Luna, you¡¯ve misunderstood the situation." Charlotte frowned and exined, "He''s injured at our "What have I misunderstood?" Luna was extremely agitated. "I knew nothing good will happen the moment you''re back. You must be doing this on purpose. You must have arranged for your kids to be in the same kindergarten as my son, and now you''re seducing my husband. How can you be such a b*tch? You know nothing but to steal from others!" "Luna, shut up," Hector roared. "What are you trying to do in public?" "Darling, you''re shouting at me?" Luna was starting to tremble. "Don''t you remember what she''s done to you back then? She hired a gigolo from Sultry Night on the day of your engagement, and she embarrassed you in front of everyone. Now, she even has three bas*ards with another man. She''s nothing but a promiscuous woman...¡± "Shut your mouth!" Hector pped her. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The p dumbfounded Luna. She held onto her reddened cheek as she stared at him, incredulous. "Did you just p me? Did you just p me because of this promiscuous woman?" Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Even Charlotte was stunned by his action. She had never thought the gentle Hector would hit someone. "Owen, send Mrs. Sterling back," Hector ordered in an icy tone. "Sure." Owen hurriedly persuaded, "Mrs. Sterling, don''t be angry. You can continue the conversation when you''re both at home. Everyone''s watching us now." The onlookers had crowded around them, and some were even recording videos. The onlookers adored watching the rich fight. If they were to post their videos online, they would even get followers in their ounts. "Why should I leave? I''m not the one who''s an embarrassment," Luna cried out. "Hector, I can''t believe you''re still defending her until now. Who is your wife?" "Are you done?" Hector interrupted before snapping at Owen, "What are you waiting for? Help her into the car." ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . "Yes, Mr. Sterling." Turning to Luna, Owen muttered, "Mrs. Sterling, let¡¯s head back first." "I¡¯m not leaving. Why should I?" Luna refused to relent as she smacked Charlotte with her leather bag. "B*tch, you''re trying to steal my husband, but I won¡¯t let you win." Hector promptly stood in front of Charlotte to protect her. At that, anger coursed through Luna''s veins even faster. She swung her bag around Hector to hit Charlotte, who was behind him. Meanwhile, Charlotte, who did not wish to waste her time on Luna, turned to leave. "B*tch, don''t go!" Luna had wanted to continue beating Charlotte, but she identally swung her bag on Hector''s injured arm. Hector groaned as his face instantly drained of its colors. Droplets of sweat rolled down from his forehead. "Darling, w-what¡¯s wrong?" It was only then Luna realized her husband was injured. She anxiously asked, "Are you hurt? How did this happen?" "A heavy object hit Mr. Sterling''s arm. Let''s go to see a doctor first," Owen voiced. Luna then quickly helped Hector into the hospital. A myriad of emotions washed over Charlotte as she looked at them from the cab she was in. In the past, she did not understand the significance of marriage, but now it seemed like she did. This was what marriage was all about-no matter how badly the couple was fighting a moment ago, they would still walk side-by-side in the next moment. Hector and Luna were the perfect examples; neither of them could cut ties with each other anymore. On the other hand, she should stay away from them. Soon, lost in her thoughts about Hector, she reached the office. Charlotte only realized she did not have her phone with her when she got off the cab. Fortunately, she had cash with her, so she could pay for the fare. I must have dropped my phone at the desk in the underground parking lot. Hence, Charlotte went to the security department to look for David. David handed her the phone as hemented, "You''ve got your head in the clouds. I can¡¯t believe you didn''t take your phone with you when you left the house. No one can contact you if anything happens." "Thank you. I was worried I lost it." When Charlotte took her phone, she realized the battery had died, so she was quick to charge it. What she did not know was that she had missed out on something major because of it. In the principal''s office at Apple Kindergarten. Robbie looked at the few mysterious men in suits without a hint of fear on his face. In fact, he even tilted his chin up and scoffed, "It''s illegal to kidnap children." Ben could not help butugh as he turned to Zachary behind him. "Mr. Nacht, this boy is quite like you." "Be serious." Zachary lowered his eyes as he sipped on his tea. "Of course." Ben then crouched in front of Robbie and gently said, "Boy, don''t be scared. We¡¯re not bad guys. Otherwise, your teacher and principal won''t bring you to us, right?" Robbie stole a nce at the trembling principal and teacher, who had just started working in the kindergarten recently. He lifted a brow and uttered, "Speak. What do you want?" "This is what we want..." Ben trailed off, realizing he should speak in a simpler way with the child. Hence, he raised his pitch and murmured, "Did you mommy and daddy take you to Grand zast Sunday?" "What are you trying to say?" Robbie furrowed his brows as an impatient look crept upon his handsome face. "I¡¯m not a two-year-old. You don''t need to talk to me as if I¡¯m a baby. It sounds horrible." "I-" Ben was rendered speechless as the corner of his mouth twitched. Beside him, the bodyguard could not help but snort at the boy''s words. What a crafty boy. Finally, Zachary, who was behind the screen, raised his head to look at them. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 He was short but he carried himself with great pride. The boy''s handsome face made Zachary wonder Original content from N?velDrama.Org. where he had seen this face in the past. The boy''s clear eyes, full of wariness and wit, were fixed on Zachary. "Who is he?" Robbie pointed at Zachary. "He''s our boss." Ben then said, "Boy, did you meet a man in ck at the yground in the basement level of Grand za? Did he give a pretty silver box to you? Like this one." Ben unlocked his phone and was about to show Robbie the photo when Robbie huffed, "No." He did not even look at the photo, choosing to turn his head to the side. "Hold on. Look at it first.¡± "It¡¯s a no even if I look at it." Robbie folded his arm and asserted, "I have a great memory, and I never forget anything I see. I have never met anyone in ck, and no one gave me anything. You''ve made a mistake." "Kid, it''s not right to lie." Ben had now put on a stern look. "That man in ck is a thief. He stole something from us, and that something is very important to us." Robbie raised his brows as he replied calmly, "You should look for the cops if you''ve lost something." "The man in ck gave it to you. If you give it back to me, I''ll reward you but if you don''t..." "I said, nothing like this ever happened." Robbie interrupted. He questioned the man instead. "If it''s something so important, why would the man give it to a kid? This isn¡¯t logical at all." His words rendered Ben speechless. The man took in a deep breath before he clicked onto the security footage on his phone. "Look. This is you, right?" Robbie peeked at it, disinterested. He looked away, but his gaze returned to the screen. Registering what was on the screen, he froze. In the video, a man in ck rushed out of the restroom and knocked into the child in front of him. The child''s hands were in his pocket, and he was strolling. On his shoulder was a small green parrot. Isn''t that Jamie and Fifi? Although everything happened in less than a minute, Robbie noticed the man shoving something into Jamie''s pocket. "You might not see it clearly. Let me slow it down for you." Ben then adjusted the speed of the video and zoomed into the man''s hand. In the video, the man''s hand slowly ced a small silver box into the boy''s pocket. "You don''t need to slow it down. I can see it clearly." Robbie nimbly changed the video back to its normal speed. Then, several men in suits rushed after him, and the man in ck escaped. The boy stood rooted to the ground for a while before he took out the small box from his pocket. When he opened it, he took out a small golden chip. Just as he was observing the chip, the parrot on his shoulder suddenly swallowed the chip. He promptly hit the parrot, wanting it to spit it out. Right then, Ellie rushed to him. "So Jamie was telling the truth,¡± Robbie mumbled as he held his chin. "What?" Ben did not hear his words clearly. He hurriedly asked, "Kid, you¡¯re the boy in the video, right? Where''s the golden chip now?" "That isn''t me..." Robbie nearly told him it was his younger brother. However, the gears in his head turned, and he warily questioned, "How would I know if you''re not bad guys?" "Kid, if you''re not going to cooperate with me, I''m going to talk to your parents." Ben nced at Zachary behind him and knew his boss was running out of patience. "I''d say you¡¯ll be better off talking to the cops," Robbie reasoned. "If the cops show me the papers, I''ll help you look for the chip." "The boy is mature for his age," one of the bodyguards sighed. Ben stood up and asked the principal beside him, "Ms. Longman, have you contacted his parents?" Chapter 49 Chapter 49 "I¡¯m sorry. I''ve been calling over ten times, but her phone is switched off. I''m still trying to call her," Ms. Longman nervously uttered. "I''ve just been transferred here, and I''m not familiar with the students yet. But I''ll give you my full cooperation." Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g "Mr. Nacht, can you show me the video?" Lexie asked tentatively. Ben then handed her the phone. After looking at the video, Lexie remarked, "This boy isn''t Robbie; it''s Jamie. Although they look identical, they carry themselves differently." "Jamie?" Ben was stunned. "Are they twins?" "They''re triplets," Lexie exined. "The oldest is Robbie, and the middle child is Jamie. These two look the same. The youngest is a girl called Ellie." "Ellie should be the kid who came up our car chasing after the parrot thest time." Ben finally realized what was going on. "I was wondering why both kids have parrots. Theye from the same family." "Hurry up and bring Jamie here," Ms. Longman instructed Lexie. "Jamie''s is in the field now. I¡¯ll look for him right away." Lexie hurried out. Ms. Longman then crouched down and patiently said to Robbie, "Robbie, trust me. They''re not bad guys. If you know where the chip is, just tell them, all right?" Robbie was already hesitating by now. If the man in ck really gave the chip to Jamie, that meant these people were not lying. If they were not lying, that meant they were not evil. "Kid," Ben started. "The blueprint for ourpany''s new technology is in that chip, but the bad guy has stolen our chip. If we can''t get it back, someone will use our blueprint. Not only will ourpany suffer a loss, but it''ll also cause trouble in the public." "All right." In the end, Robbie chose to believe them. He raised his head and uttered seriously, "Fifi ate that chip, but it hasn''t pooped it out yet. When it poops it out, I can give it back to you." "What do you mean? Can you say that again?" Ben urged. "Who is Fifi?" "You''re dumb. Fifi''s our pet parrot." "You''re dumb. Fifi''s our pet parrot." Those words were spoken at the same time, just in different ces. Those were the words Jamie said to the man in ck at a corner of the field. "Do you mean your pet parrot ate the chip?" The man''s brows were knitted. "That''s right." Jamie nodded. Then, he continued in great detail. "It lost its appetite after eating the chip, and it¡¯s been depressed too. Moreover, it keeps plucking its own feathers. Mommy, Mrs. Berry, Robbie, Ellie, and I brought it to the vet, and the vet said it has indigestion. So, he gave Fifi some medication and said it''ll be all fine once it poops. That¡¯s why I''m watching it poop every day. I wonder if it''ll poop that golden thingy out." "Well, has it poop it out?" the man questioned. Jamie took out a box from his bag and handed it to him. "Take a look for yourself." The man then took it and opened the box. In it was a beautifully wrapped package. Delighted, he promptly tore the package... It was anotheryer beneath the firstyer. Sweating buckets, he continued to tear through theyers until there were none left. When he pulled thestyer away, he found a pile of poop. What? "This..." The man stared at the pile of feces as the corner of his mouth twitched. "I''m scared it''ll poop it out while I''m not home, and Mrs. Berry will throw the poop and the golden thingy away, so I''ve been wrapping its poop every morning. Then, I¡¯ll check the poop when I''m in school." As he spoke, Jamie grabbed a stick from under the tree and crouched down. He then started checking the pile of feces. "Move aside. I¡¯ll do it." Looking at Jamie''s slow actions, the man snatched his twig and started stabbing the feces. In a few seconds, he broke the stick. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 "What?" The man''s jaw hung ck. "You¡¯re troublesome." Now, Jamie had to look for another twig. Unable to wait any longer, the man started digging through the feces with his bare hands. Other than several undigested seeds, nothing else was in the feces. Immediately, the man''s expression was as dark as a stormy sky. He red at Jamie and snarled, "Are you messing with me?" "Oh no. It looks like it hasn''t pooped it out yet," Jamie sighed as he leaned his plump chin on his palm. "Come again tomorrow. I''ll bring Fifi''s fresh poop to school tomorrow. Remember to bring tongs. It''s much better than twigs." The man''s entire face was twitching as if he was having a stroke. He clenched his hands into fists. If the boy in front of him was not a three-year-old, he would have strangled him there and then. "What''s wrong?" Jamie asked in an innocent voice. He waved his hands in front of the man''s eyes and queried, "Did you get overwhelmed by the smell of poop?" The man breathed in deeply, tamping down the murderous aura that threatened to spill from him. Trying his best to look friendly, he asked, "Boy, where''s the parrot? Bring me to it." "Of course it''s at home," Jamie blurted out. Then, he stared at the man in front of him. "Wait. You''re not the man from earlier." This man in front of him looked ferocious, like a viin. However, he looked simr to that man, and he was in the same clothes. Furthermore, he recalled the incident in great detail, and that was why Jamie thought they were the same person. "Pardus'' been caught. I''m his brother, Tigris." The man grabbed Jamie and started striding toward the back gate. "Don''t worry. As long as you give me the chip, I won''t hurt you." "Let me go!" Jamie started struggling and kicking. "I can''t bring you home." "Brat, stop making a fuss," Tigris growled. Just then, he spotted the Nacht''s car. It looks they''re already here. I have to find the chip before them, or else it¡¯ll be disastrous for me. Tigris hurriedly sped toward the back gate with Jamie in his arms. "Jamie," came a sudden soft voice. When Ellie saw Jamie grabbed by a man in ck, she rushed after them. "Ellie, run. Run quickly." Jamie waved at her, gesturing for her to stop following them. "Evil man, where are you bringing Jamie to? I''m going to tell the teacher!" Ellie stomped her feet onto the ground and spread out her arms to stop them. On her baby face was a Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g fierce expression. "This is troublesome." To make sure he would escape unnoticed, Tigris took Ellie along as well. In each of his arms was a child, and it was as though he was stealing chicks. "Let me go! Let me go!" The two kept struggling and yelling. To ensure no one heard them, Tigris taped their mouths and brought them out of the kindergarten. When he reached his car, he shoved the two children into it. After locking the door, Tigris undid the tape on Jamie''s mouth and threatened, "As long as you bring me to the parrot, I''ll let you two go. Otherwise, I¡¯ll feed your sister to the sharks." "You..." Jamie gritted his teeth, but when he looked at Ellie''s tearful eyes, he nodded. "Fine. I¡¯ll bring you to Fifi." At Divine Corporation''s security department. After patrolling with David, Charlotte could finally switch on her phone. When the screen lit up, she saw dozens of missed calls from the kindergarten. Shocked, she hurriedly returned the call. "Hello." "Hello, is this Apple Kindergarten? I''m Robinson, Jamison, and Elisa Windt''s mother. You''ve been calling me many times. What happened?" "Ms. Windt, it''s about..." "Bad news!" Before Ms. Longman could finish her words, Lexie rushed in and said, "Jamie and Ellie have been kidnapped!" Chapter 51 Chapter 51 "What?" Ms. Longman shrieked in astonishment. Charlotte, who had heard Lexie''s words, flew into a panic. She cried out, "What happened? What happened to my kids?" "A tall man in ck in a mask and a cap kidnapped them and escaped from the back of the school. The Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. security guards have already run after him." "Get them quickly," Zachary bellowed. "Yes, Mr. Nacht." Ben promptly ran after the man with his subordinates. Charlotte''s mind was in a mess. Her hand on the phone was shaking, and she was yelling into her phone. "Hello? What¡¯s going on?" "Ms. Windt, don''t be anxious. Listen to me." Then, Ms. Longman exined what had happened to Charlotte. After hearing the story, Charlotte''s legs went weak, and she slumped onto the ground. She did not know when her call ended. All she did was holding her chest as she reminded herself to stay calm. As Charlotte rushed home, she called Mrs. Berry. However, Mrs. Berry was not picking up her call. She thought of calling the police, but she did not know who the kidnapper was. Will calling the cops aggravate them and make them kill my children? Just as thoughts raced through her mind, Mrs. Berry called. "Yes, Miss." "Mrs. Berry, where are you?" "I''m at home. Miss, let me tell you some good news. Fifi-" Before Mrs. Berry could finish her sentence, a loud thud traveled out of the speaker. Then, the call ended. "Mrs. Berry? Mrs. Berry!" Charlotte was on the verge of a mental breakdown as she roared the cab driver, "Mister, please hurry up!" "W-What are you trying to do?" Mrs. Berry pointed the broomstick at the man in ck with trembling hands. "What have you done to my Jamie and Ellie?" The man threw the two tied-up children onto the couch. Jamie was shaking his head vigorously as he groaned, trying to get Mrs. Berry to escape. On the other hand, Ellie was sobbing, but her mouth was covered, and her sobs were quiet. "Where''s the parrot?" Tigris¡¯ re was outright murderous as he strode toward Mrs. Berry. "W-What?" Mrs. Berry stuttered as she took shaky steps back. "What are you trying to do? Don''t do anything absurd! There isn''t much money here. You''re robbing the wrong ce." She thought the man was a robber. "I''m asking you, where is the parrot?" Tigris questioned. "l-l-lt''s-" "Bad guy! Bad guy!" Before Mrs. Berry could speak, Fifi on the balcony voiced. Tigris rushed to the balcony at once. "Jamie! Ellie!¡± Mrs. Berry tossed her broomstick aside as she hurriedly untied the two children. The moment Jamie''s tape came off, he reminded, "Mrs. Berry, call the cops now!" "Right, right." Mrs. Berry anxiously grasped her phone. Just as she was about to call the police, she heard Fifi shrieking, "Help!" "Fifi!" Without hesitation, Ellie rushed over with the broomstick as she yelled at the man, "Let go of my Fifi!" "Ellie!" Jamie rushed over with his tiny fists. With a ferocious expression, he red at the man and shielded Ellie. Tigris rolled his eyes. These children were not even worth his attention. He grabbed the parrot''s cage, about to open it, when Ellie swung the broomstick to his leg. "Let go of my Fifi! Let it go!" Tigris grabbed the broomstick mid-swing and snapped it in half easily. He then shot a menacing re to scare the girl. Ellie burst into tears, frightened, and her plump face turned as red as a tomato. Tears welled up in her big eyes before they rolled down her cheeks. "Meanie, how dare you bully my sister?" When Jamie saw his sister crying, he grabbed a bat and started swinging it at Tigris. "Brat. You''ve got quite the strength." The boy¡¯s swings made Tigris take a few steps back. The man then roared, "Move aside, or else I''m going to get you.¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 "Let go of my babies!" Mrs. Berry flew over with a kitchen knife. Her heavy stomps seemed to make the entire house shake. Right as Tigris was about to make his move, he realized the Nachts'' car was downstairs. No longer having the luxury of time, he kicked Mrs. Berry aside before shoving the two children. With the parrot cage in his arm, he was about to run. Unexpectedly, Jamie tripped him. He supported himself against the wall in time and didn''t fall, but the cage in his hands had crashed onto the ground. The collision opened the cage, and Fifi flew out in a hurry. "Hey!" Tigris tried to grab the bird, but he only got one of its feathers. "You''re all in my way!" Tigris bellowed as fury exploded in him. He was about to attack them when he spotted the small silver box in the cage. It was the box that had the chip. Like a present, the box even had a round of pink ribbon around it. Tigris shook the box, and he heard the noisesing out of it, indicating that there was something in it. Thrilled, he beamed, "It was as easy as ABC to get this." "No! You can''t take that." Mrs. Berry lunged toward him. "Get lost. This is mine from the start." Tigris took out a dagger and pointed it at her. Shivering, Mrs. Berry stood frozen in her spot. Just then, a group of people barged into the house. Holding tightly onto the box, Tigris jumped down from the balcony. "Stay right there!" When Ben saw Tigris escaping with the box, he swiftly ran after him with his subordinates. Meanwhile, Ellie was wailing on the balcony floor. Her face was still red from her crying, and her tears kept falling. "Fifi. My Fifi!" "Ellie, look. Fifi''s back." Jamie pointed at a nearby roof. Indeed, Fifi was pping its wings as it returned. Itnded on Fifi and rubbed its little green head on her tear-stricken face. "Ellie! Ellie!" Ellie quickly embraced Fifi as she used her damp hand to gently tap its head. She asked as she sobbed, "Why are so many people trying to get you? Are you a mythical bird?" "It¡¯s because Fifi swallowed an important chip." Jamie furrowed his brows as he solemnly exined, "They''re here for the chip." "Robbie! Jamie! Ellie! Mrs. Berry!" Charlotte rushed into the house. When she saw the broken door and the messy state of her house, she thought something horrible had happened to her family. She was so frightened that her legs went weak. "Mommy!" Both Jamie and Ellie ran out of the balcony and jumped into Charlotte''s arms. "Mommy, I was so scared. A bad guy kidnapped me and Jamie." Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Ellie then told Charlotte what had happened earlier, through words and gestures. Anxiously, Jamie added, "Mommy, that man stole the chip!" "What chip?" Charlotte inquired. "The one Fifi swallowed," Jamie exined. "They¡¯re here for the chip." "That isn¡¯t important. The only important thing is that you''re safe." Charlotte hugged the two tightly. "Where''s Robbie?" "Robbie''s not here?" Mrs. Berry panicked. "Oh no, don''t tell me they have kidnapped Robbie? "What?" The color drained out of Jamie''s face as he suggested, "Why don''t we call the cops?" Tears brimmed in Ellie''s big eyes again. The corners of her lips tilted downward, and she looked as if she were about to cry again. "Yes, we should. I''ll call them now." Charlotte promptly took out her phone. Right then, a familiar voice sounded from behind her. "Mommy!" "Robbie!" Charlotte whipped her head around to see her oldest son, and tears nearly escaped her eyes. "I¡¯m d you¡¯re back. You have scared me." "I am fine." Like a tiny adult, Robbie started checking over his siblings. "Are you alright? Ms. Cheney said you were kidnapped, and it scared me. I was going to follow the bodyguards from Divine Corporation to save you, but they refused to take me along. Ms. Cheney was the one who sent me back." "What? The bodyguards from Divine Corporation? How do you know the people from Divine Corporation, Robbie? What happened?" Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Charlotte swiftly asked Robbie to exin what was going on. "Some mysterious men came to ask me about the chip today, and I was confused by their questions. I only found out that they thought it was Jamie after seeing the surveince footage." Robbie then told what had happened to him in detail to the others. Charlotte was in disbelief. She never thought the chip Jamie was talking about was real, and it was actually the chip Divine Corporation had lost. "Wow. So that chip has all the secrets of their new technology. No wonder they''re all fighting over it." Jamie felt as though he had done something incredulous, so he grinned and rather pleased. "I''ve done great protecting the chip for so long." "What do you mean? You led the wolves into the sheep''s pen." Robbie¡¯s brows were knitted as he reprimanded, "You don''t even know that man in ck, so you shouldn''t have taken his things. We''re lucky that nothing happened to us today. What are we to do if anything happens to you and Ellie?" "I didn''t even react until he shoved the thing into my pocket." Jamie pouted, unhappy with his brother¡¯s words. "Also, I told you Fifi swallowed the chip, but none of you believe me." "This is my fault. Mommy didn''t think it''d be such a grave matter," Charlotte apologized to Jamie. "If Mommy were to pay more attention to it, something like this wouldn''t have happened." "The bad guy has already stolen the chip, and the people from Divine Corporation are going after him. This has nothing to do with us anymore," Robbie concluded with his head tilted to the side. "Not necessarily," Mrs. Berry abruptly mumbled. "Why?" Charlotte cast confused a look on her. Mrs. Berry then walked to the doorway to look around, making sure there was no one near their house before she hurriedly shut the door. It was only then she returned and whispered to them, "The chip isn¡¯t in the box." "What?" Everyone was now staring at her in surprise. "The chip isn''t inside? What is inside then?" "It''s..." Mrs. Berry trailed off as she looked at Fifi in Ellie''s arms. Fifi buried its head under its wing, seemingly embarrassed. "Mr. Nacht, Tigris ran off with the chip. We''re after him right now," Ben reported as he brought his men to pursue Tigris. "You rubbish!" Zachary roared, "If you can''t retrieve the chip, don''te back." "Yes, Mr. Nacht." With a wave, Benmanded to the bodyguards, "Even if we die tonight, we have to get the chip back." "We''ll get it back even if we die!" The Nacht family''s bodyguards continued tracking him and setting up traps. Tigris'' escape was tough. Several times, the grim reaper was close to taking him away. However, no matter how difficult it was, Tigris continued. He held tight to his goal-to give the chip to the person who hired him. The moment he seeded, he would get a hundred million. He and his brother would not need to worry about their finances for the rest of their lives. At two in the morning, Ben led his subordinates and cornered Tigris at Southcastle Shore. Multiple spotlights, as well as guns, were aimed at Tigris. The second he resisted, he would gain numerous unwanted holes in his body. Ben bellowed, "Tigris, give us the chip, and we¡¯ll let you go." In the face of danger, Tigris decided he would take the risk of swallowing the chip and leaping into the sea. With that thought in mind, he took out the silver box and hurriedly pulled off the pink ribbon. He then opened the box to take out the chip. But he froze when he saw the content. At that moment, his expression changed from a dumbfounded one to shock before his facial features twisted. His lips twitched, and his eyes feared up. Jamie''s cheeky face surfaced in his mind. Tigris growled under his breath before he cursed out loud, "Damn it. His entire family is a bunch of devils!"Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Bang! At the echo of a gunshot, Tigris'' arm was shot, and the silver box fell into the sea. He wailed in agony, and before he came to his senses, a group of bodyguards had dived into the sea for the chip. Tigris froze for a split second before an evil grin grew on his lips. "Zachary, you want the chip, don''t you? Enjoy your search for the needle in a haystack.¡± "This is ridiculous." Ben''s face was red from rage. "Tigris, you''d rather throw the chip into the sea than to give it to me. I''m going to kill you!" "Send divers to get the chip." "Yes, Sir!" ** The family of five widened their eyes as they crowded around Fifi and stared at it. "Mrs. Berry, do you mean Fifiid an egg?" Jamie kept blinking and staring at Fifi¡¯s bottom. "How can it "Not only chickensy eggs." Robbie was searching on theputer with his sses on. "All birdsy eggs." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "But don''t you need a male and a female toy eggs? We only have one parrot at home." Jamie was astounded by the news. "She''s a single parrot. How can shey eggs?" "Did Fifi get a boyfriend without telling us?" Ellie held up Fifi¡¯s head and interrogated it, "Fifi, confess. Did you get a boyfriend without telling us?¡± "Boyfriend! Boyfriend!" Fifi repeated. "Now I remember. The neighbor on the opposite block has a parrot too. Fifi always flies over to y with it,¡± Mrs. Berry remarked. "Mrs. Berry, when did you realize Fifiid her egg?" Charlotte asked. "This was what happened," Mrs. Berry started. "I cleaned Fifi''s cage this afternoon. When I saw that egg, I was stunned. I learned from a television program that if I don''t keep the egg, it''ll eat it. So, I took the egg out, cleaned it, and kept it. After that, I thought of giving you all a surprise, so I kept the egg in a pretty box and tied it with a pink ribbon. I never thought the bad guy would steal it, thinking it''s some chip." "That box used to store the chip," Jamie eximed as he raised his arms. "I ced it on the table in my room previously. When I saw it in the cage, I thought the chip was in it too." "What a turn of events," Charlotte mumbled as she patted her chest. "If not for the man thinking the box has the chip, he wouldn''t have left so quickly. I''m afraid he''ll do something to you all." "In that case, we should thank Mrs. Berry and Fifi." Ellie lovingly caressed Fifi''s head. "Mrs. Berry, did Fifi poop the chip out?" Charlotte asked the most important question of the day. "No." Mrs. Berry frowned as she shook her head. "I''ve been watching it, and it hasn''t pooped out the chip yet." "That''s bad news then." Charlotte''s expression turned grave. "What¡¯s so bad, Mommy?" Ellie asked curiously, cocking her head to the side. "Don''t you get it?" Robbie''s expression turned simr to his mother''s as he waggled his finger. "That bad guy thought the box had the chip, and the people from Divine Corporation thought he stole the chip, so they went after him. However, they''ll soon realize the chip isn¡¯t in the boxter, so..." "So they''lle after us again?" Jamie and Ellie yelled in unison. In the next second, Ellie rushed into Charlotte''s arms and buried her face in her mother¡¯s shirt, shivering from fear. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Mrs. Berry bolted to the doorway to block the door with a table, fearing someone else would try to barge in again. At the same time, Robbie darted into the kitchen to bring two knives for Mrs. Berry. With one knife in each hand, Mrs. Berry stood by the entrance like a battle angel. Meanwhile, Jamie grabbed the broomstick, mop, and everything that could be turned into weapons for the rest of the family. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He then took out nun chucks and started swinging them, copying the moves from the man he saw on television. The family was geared from head to toe in preparation for battle. However, time ticked away, and no odd noises came from the outside. Ellie was pouting as she shook, herrge eyes full of tears. "Don¡¯t be scared. Mommy will protect all of you." Hugging Ellie, Charlotte discussed with Mrs. Berry, "Mrs. Berry, why don''t we call the cops?" "That''s a great idea." Mrs. Berry quickly went to grab her phone. "Right now, our priority is to let Fifi poop out the chip." Robbie¡¯s eyes narrowed as he analyzed like a detective, "Otherwise, the cops will take Fifi. In fact, they might even open up Fifi¡¯s stomach to find it." Hearing Robbie''s words, Ellie burst into tears. "No! Don''t let them take Fifi away. Don¡¯t let them open up its stomach." "Don¡¯t be scared, Ellie. I''ll protect you and Fifi." Jamie promptly reached out to wipe Ellie''s tears away. "Robbie''s right. We should let Fifi poop out the chip first," Charlotte muttered. Then, she pursed her lips. "But it''s been many days, and Fifi still hasn''t pooped it out. What are we going to do?" "Why don¡¯t we try this?" Mrs. Berry took out a small green bottle from the room. "What''s that?" Everybody turned to look at it. "I always have constipation, so the doctor gave me this," Mrs. Berry exined, feeling a little embarrassed. "It works very well." "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s hurry." "We have to give it a smaller dose, or else Fifi can''t take it." "We''ll give it one-tenth of the usual dose." Half an hourter, the entire family waited for Fifi poop. Fifi drooped its head and called out miserably first before it started pacing in the cage. At that, Ellie frowned. "Can Fifi''s stomach take it? It looks unwell." "I feel unwell before I poop too." Jamie rubbed his stomach as he looked at Fifi pitifully. "Fifi, hold on for a little while. You''ll feel better when you poop. Otherwise, those bad men will open up your stomach-" "Stop it!" Ellie shrieked as she interrupted Jamie. She had always been a scaredy cat, and she was frightened after hearing Jamie¡¯s words. "Okay, okay. I''ll stop." Right as Jamie¡¯s words left his mouth, Robbie cried out, "It''s pooping! It''s pooping! Look!" The whole family then returned their focus back on Fifi; they stared at its butt, waiting for the results. "God, please let Fifi poop out the chip." As Ellie prayed, Fifi finally pooped out a pile of watery poop. This time, they did not even need to use a twig to search through the poop. With one nce, they could see the golden chip. The entire family was cheering as they gave each other high-fives. They were thrilled as if they had won the jackpot. Mrs. Berry quickly took out the chip and cleaned it before giving it to Robbie. Robbie then ced the chip into a ck box and handed it to Charlotte. "Mommy, you can call the cops now." Taking the box, Charlotte was about to call the cops, when some knocking noises came from the door. Almost everyone in the house jumped in shock. Instantly, Mrs. Berry sprinted to the door with the kitchen knives. Meanwhile, both Robbie and Jamie were both standing behind the door with weapons. At the same time, Ellie was hiding behind Charlotte, her hand grabbing her mother''s shirt as she trembled. "Don''t be scared," Charlotte consoled. She then sucked in a deep breath and said, "W-Who is it?" Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Other than the knocking, no other sounds came from the outside, and it scared the children even more. Even Mrs. Berry¡¯s knife-holding hands were trembling. Holding a small knife, Charlotte slowly walked over and looked through the gap of the broken door. At the same time, an eye was staring into the gap from the outside. When the two eyes spotted each other, both parties started screaming. "Ahhhh....!" The children screamed along with their mother. "Call the cops! Quick!" Charlotte hurriedly tried to grab her phone. "Hold on. Wait a minute. I think it¡¯s Zak." Looking through the gap, Mrs. Berry realized it was indeed the security guard, Zak Jones. She promptly opened the door for him. "Mrs. Berry, you''re at home." Zak was about to call for backup through his walkie-talk when he saw Mrs. Berry and stopped. "You scared me. I thought something happened to your house." "Something did happen. There was a..." "There was a thief who barged into our house trying to steal something earlier, but together we managed to get rid of him." Charlotte interrupted Mrs. Berry on time. She did not want anyone else to know about the chip, or more troubles might arise. "What? Have you called the cops?" Zak asked as he got worried. "Let me check if I''ve lost anything before I decide if I''d call the cops or not," Charlotte said with a smile. Then, she changed the topic. "Zak, does yourpany offer any service for door fixing?" "I think you''d need to change a new door." Zak briefly checked the condition of the door. "We have new doors at the price of four thousand eight hundred. Locks are included too." "Four thousand eight hundred?¡± Charlotte could feel a headacheing on upon hearing the price. "Are you interested?" Zak queried. ''TH give you a ten percent discount." "Twenty!" Mrs. Berry bargained. "Since we''re neighbors." Looking at the kitchen knives in her hands, Zak shuddered and agreed, "All right. Twenty percent off it is." "Let''s change the door now, or else we won''t be able to sleep tonight," Mrs. Berry urged. "All right." Zak then told his colleagues toe to Charlotte''s house to change the door. When they came, Mrs. Berry stood at the side as they worked on the door. Meanwhile, Charlotte made a simple dinner for the three children before she watched them wash up and sent them to bed. Once the children were settled, Charlotte held onto her phone as she mulled over the day on the couch. Should I call the cops?lf I call the cops, they will ask me to rify everything that has happened. When that happens, that Devil will find out that the kid who has the chip is mine. Will he think that I''m the one who told my kid to steal the ch ip? I might lose my job, and he might even sue me for theft. I can''t tell when the Devil will be furious. If he really wants to me me for this, I won''t be able to escape unscathed.Moreover, once this matter is revealed, my kids'' identity will be revealed too. Will that gigolo try to take my kids from me then? With those thoughts in mind, Charlotte dismissed the notion of calling the police. However, she also realized that the men in ck mighte after them again if the police were not involved. Although nothing had happened to them today, they could not possibly live the rest of their lives like today. "They''re done with the door. They''ve earned over four thousand just by changing the door. What an easy life they have. I should''ve haggled for a better price." After sending the men off, Mrs. Berry closed the door and turned on the television. She then lowered the volume as she cleaned. This was a habit of hers. The channel was currently airing thete-night news. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Breaking news. At half-past two in the morning, a shooting incident has urred at Southcastle Shore. A man involved in the shooting is also suspected to be involved with the theft of Divine Corporation''stest chip. He has now been apprehended by the police. Before the man was caught, he had thrown the chip into the sea. Divine Corporation is now working with the police to find the chip." Hearing the news, Mrs. Berry hurriedly walked to the front of the television with the broom in hand. At the same time, Charlotte''s eyes widened. She promptly increased the volume as she glued her eyes on the screen. A man in ck was arrested by the police and escorted into a police car. Before the door closed, the man grinned maliciously and hissed, "Have fun finding it. I''ll admit I lost when you find it." Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Hearing those words, Charlotte lowered her gaze to look at the chip in her hands. In a daze, she mumbled, "The chip is with me. Why are they...Do they..." "That horrible man threw Fifi''s egg into the sea, so what they''re looking for in the sea right now is a parrot egg!" Mrs. Berry concluded excitedly. "Miss, I''m right, am I not?" "Yes." Charlotte watched the screen, speechless, as officers and men from Divine Corporation sent divers and submarines to look for the chip. Will they explode when they found out the chip is still with me, and the thing they''re looking for with much effort is a parrot egg? An image of the Devil losing his temper emerged in her mind, and a chill ran down Charlotte''s spine. "Miss, what do we do now? Do we still call the cops?" Mrs. Berry anxiously inquired. "Let me think for a bit." Charlotte patted her chest in an attempt to calm down her racing heart and collect her thoughts. "Firstly, it seems like that man in ck has found out he didn''t steal the chip. Otherwise, he wouldn''t Original content from N?velDrama.Org. have said that. Secondly, since Divine Corporation is spending much of their resources searching for the chip in the sea and involving the police, it means they think the chip is really in the sea. In other words, they have no idea the chip is with ¡ª n me. She paused before continuing, "Even if that man has already found out about the chip, he¡¯s been caught. He won''t tell them about it because he wants to make it difficult forthem." At that thought, Charlotte''s panicking heart calmed down, and her knitted brows rxed. She raised her head and announced, "I''ve decided not to call the cops." "Huh? Why not?" Mrs. Berry queried. "Because I''m working in Divine Corporation now," Charlotte exined. "If I call the cops, they might think I¡¯m the thief. I might lose my job or even face worse consequences." "I understand," Mrs. Berry muttered. "Miss, no matter what you do, I support you." "Although I won''t be calling the cops, I have to give this chip back to them." Charlotte gripped the ck box tightly and made a decision. "When I go to work tomorrow, I¡¯ll sneakily hand this chip to the president. That way, all the problems will be solved." "That''s a great idea! Miss, you''re too smart.¡± "Mrs. Berry, I''ll be heading to the office earlier tomorrow. Please tell my kids to keep this a secret and they can''t tell anyone about it." "Of course." Charlotte only slept at four in the morning. The next morning, she had dark eye circles as she rushed to work. On her way there, she held her pocket tightly, fearing she would lose the ck box with the priceless chip in there. If so many people are trying so hard to steal the chip, and Divine Corporation would spend so much to get the chip back from the sea, the chip must cost a fortune. When she reached the office, Charlotte changed into her uniform at the security department first. After keeping the chip in her clothes, she went patrolling with David. Oddly, until her shift ended at noon, the Devil''s Rolls-Royce never appeared. Charlotte kept staring at the entrance, waiting for him, but he never showed up. She was starting to get anxious. If he''s noting, how am I going to give him the chip? "Charlotte, what''s up with you? You seem distracted." David sensed something amiss about her. "Is Mr. Nacht noting in today?" Charlotte inquired, feeling baffled. "It''s already noon, but I still don¡¯t see his car." "He''s the president; he gets to choose whether or not he wants toe to the office. You''re just a security guard. Why are you so concerned about himing to work or not?" David felt exasperated by her question. "I''m not. I was just asking..." Before Charlotte could finish her words, the Rolls- Royce drove in, and she quickly dashed over. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 "Good morning, Mr. Nacht." Charlotte was opening the door for Zachary herself today. Once upon a time, this was an action she scoffed at. Zachary then got off the car and nced at her before he headed straight to the elevator. Meanwhile, Ben and the bodyguards followed him closely. "Mr. Nacht." Charlotte was about to run after him when she realized Zachary was wearing a Bluetooth earpiece, and he was on a call. "Interrogate Tigris. Maybe what he threw into the sea is just the box. The chip might not be inside. He might have hidden the chip somewhere else." Hearing those words, Charlotte''s heart skipped a beat. Oh god, the Devil actually managed to guess what happenedlHe''s really not one to mess with.If I don''t give him back the chip as quickly as possible, I can''t imagine what will happen next. Just as Charlotte was caught up in her thoughts, Zachary had already entered the elevator. She touched the chip in her pocket as she thought. How am I going to find an excuse to go to level 68? How can I give this chip back to Zachary without him noticing? Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Charlotte had no opportunity to go to level 68 today; he had not asked her to send him breakfast nor clean the swimming pool. Can I mail it to him, or can I send him the chip along with the documents from another department?But the chip is so important. How can I be so careless with it?l''ll be in deep trouble if I lose it. "Charlotte." David''s voice broke Charlotte''s train of thoughts. "It''s time to change shifts. Let¡¯s have lunch." "Okay," Charlotte mumbled as she followed David to the cafeteria looking rather distracted. Right then, she recalled Zachary''sst visit to level 27 for his meal. Maybe he''ll be there today too. Without wasting a second, she promptly dragged David to the cafeteria on level 27. The sudden appearance of two security guards among the crowds of office workers was quite a misfit. David felt ufortable standing in the cafeteria. On the other hand, Charlotte was peeking around, looking for signs of Zachary. Her old colleagues in the administration department were all in a hurry to avoid her. None came up to chat with her. At that, disappointment filled Charlotte''s heart. She did not understand why they were treating her this way. "Charlotte!" Right then, a voice traveled into her ears, and Charlotte lifted her head to see Ynda walking over with a tray. "Can I sit here?" "Of course. Please take a seat." Charlotte quickly gave her some space. After Ynda sat down beside Charlotte, she handed her a pack of yogurt. "I took one for you." "Thank you." Charlotte was immensely moved by her gesture. "No problems. You were nice to me when you were in the administration department," Ynda replied with a smile. "How are you now, Charlotte? Are you used to your job in the security department?" "It''s not bad. My colleagues are nice to me." Charlotte then introduced David to her. "This is David. We are in the same shift." "Hello, David. I''m Ynda." "Hello, Ynda." Both Ynda and David greeted each other. Then, Ynda murmured to Charlotte, "Charlotte, did you know about this? Mr. Holt¡¯s been reassigned to a guard position at the parking lot." "I know." Charlotte nodded. She had been working in the parking lot recently, but she had not encountered Wesley. She thought of it as something lucky, for she did not want to see that man ever again. "Do you know why?" Ynda wondered. "I''m not sure." Charlotte did not wish to mention it, as she did not think of it as something to be proud of. "Oh." Ynda did not continue the topic. "I was just curious, and that¡¯s why I asked. I hope you don''t take it to heart." "It''s all right." Charlotte turned to look at the entrance of the cafeteria. It¡¯s already half-past twelve, but he''s still not here. I don¡¯t think he''ll being today. "Charlotte, I have to leave first. There¡¯s an important board meeting, and I have to send the documents to level 68." Ynda then stood up with her tray. "Can Ie with you?" Charlotte blurted. In the next second, she added, "I¡¯m scared it''ll be too tiring for you, so I want to help you take the documents up." "Sure. Let''s go." Chapter 59 Chapter 59 "Remember to stay by my side after we arrive at level 68. Do you understand?" Ynda reminded Charlotte. "Understood," Charlotte muttered as she racked her brains for a way to sneak into Zachary''s office. "Hey, Charlotte..." Ynda said all of a sudden. "Were you involved in Mr. Holt¡¯s case?" Charlotte took a while to register what Ynda had been saying. "Well...I''m just an intern, so there¡¯s no way I''ll get myself involved in such cases." "So you''re innocent?" Ynda asked, staring straight into her eyes. "Yeah. What''s wrong?" Charlotte asked, raising an eyebrow. Why is she so interested in this case? "Nothing," Ynda said with a grin. "There''s been rumors going around that you were the one who got Mr. Holt into his current situation, since you were assigned to the security department just days after his reassignment.¡± "Alright...so? What''s the issue?" Charlotte asked. Ynda froze and forced a smile onto her face. "I''m concerned about you. Youngdy like you aren''t suited to be security guards." "Oh..." Charlotte said. Before she could say another word, the door to the lift opened on level 68. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte rushed out with the documents as Ynda stepped out of the lift and gestured to the corridor beside them. "This way, please." They delivered the documents to the meeting room for the president''s secretary to collect, and Charlotte managed to sneak out when Ynda was talking to the secretary. Ynda pretended not to notice her quick escape. It was lunch time, and there were hardly anyone roaming the corridors on level 68. Charlotte managed to find the president''s office in no time, and she raised her hand to knock on the door, only to stagger backwards when a man inside bellowed, "Get out!" She shivered and pressed her ear against the door to eavesdrop. "Please, Mr. Nacht, please forgive me! I''ll do whatever it takes to stay..." That was Wesley Holt¡¯s voice. Charlotte froze. What is he doing here? "Mr. Holt, you tried to rape a female employee! You could have gotten a punishment worse than what you got! What made you think plotting against others in the carpark you''re assigned to is a good idea? The President would never forgive you for this!" That was Ben''s voice. "N-No, that''s not true..." "Destroying the security cameras in the carpark won''t hide your crimes! Every car in the carpark has a video recorder, so all your despicable actions were still caught on camera." "I...I just want to take revenge on Charlotte Windt! She has ruined my life! Hurting others or troubling Mr. Nacht was never part of my ns..." "Is that your confession?" Ben scoffed. "Ben..." "Ben! Get this filthy piece of trash out of my office!" Zachary yelled. "Yes, Mr. Nacht," Ben replied. "The police officers are on their way, Wesley Holt. I hope you¡¯ll turn over a new leaf after you¡¯re released from jail!" "Y-You called the police?" Wesley stammered. "I''m literally begging you right now! Why can¡¯t you just let me go?" "You have no right to set foot in level 68!" Charlotte shivered when she recalled how Hector had swooped in to save her from the falling crates in the carpark. I wouldn''t be able to stand here and witness this showdown if he weren''t there that day... It seemed like a freak ident at first nce, but the neat stack of crates suggested otherwise. So...it had been Wesley all alongll bet he didn''t expect Zachary to catch him in the act a second time! Just a few days after the incident, Zachary¡¯s subordinates have gathered enough evidence to nail Wesley for the incident. Zachary had threatened to kick Wesley out of Divine Corporation, and thetter had sneaked into level 68 in a desperate bid to plead for his forgiveness. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 The sound of someone being dragged across the floor roughly reached Charlotte''s ears just seconds Wesley refused to give up. "Mr. Nacht...please...I''m your most loyal worker!" Charlotte panicked when the footsteps approached the door, and Ynda swooped in to save her at that very moment. "Charlotte! What are you doing here?¡± Charlotte grabbed Ynda by the arm and tried to make a run for it, only to freeze in ce when the door to the office opened behind her. "What are you doing here?" Ben asked, surprised. Charlotte turned around to see Wesley, d in the security guard uniform, kneeling on the ground with Ben yanking on his cor. Wesley''s hair was in a mess, and he looked like a shaggy, abused dog. "Charlotte Windt!" Wesley screeched. ¡°Are you here to watch me suffer after ruining my life?" "Mr. Holt?" Ynda said, taken aback by the scene. "What are you doing, Mr. Ben?" "That¡¯s none of your business! Get out of the way!" Ben barked, dragging Wesley along with him. Ben grimaced and tugged at Wesley''s cor to drag him away. "Charlotte Windt! I''m going to kill you!" Wesley suddenly yelled, pulling a dagger out of nowhere and charging towards Charlotte. Charlotte tried to sidestep his attack, but someone pushed her from behind, making her fall to the ground. Wesley took this chance to pin her down and drive the de of his dagger into her shoulder, making her scream out loud. Blood began to pour from her wound onto the ground as Ben rushed forward to subdue Wesley. "Go away!" Wesley yelled, locking Charlotte in a chokehold and pointing his dagger at Ben. "Come any nearer and I''ll turn her into a corpse!" "Calm down, Wesley!" Ben said. "You don''t have to do this. You''ll just get yourself into even more trouble!" "Yeah, Mr. Holt! Put down your dagger, and everything will be fine,¡± Ynda added. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "What trouble?" Wesley snapped. "She''s nothing but a slut! You''re the ones beating me up, sending me to guard some forgotten ce and making me suffer! All I wanted was revenge, and you''re handing me off to the police for that? Why? Just why?" "You deserved it!" a loud voice boomed from behind, dousing the mes of Wesley''s anger. Zachary''s backlit figure emerged from the office, as though he was a deity descending from the heavens. Wesley fell to his knees and pleaded, "Mr. Nacht, please don''t hand me over to the police...I''ll make sure to stay out of your way from now on!" "Just agree to his requests, Mr. Nacht," Ynda said. "Charlotte''s already injured. She''ll die if this drags on!" Zachary narrowed his eyes as he gazed at Charlotte. By then, Charlotte was already shaking like a leaf. Her face was as pale as a sheet, but she forced herself to stay quiet by biting down hard on her lip. The blood from her would had long since soaked through her ck uniform, and Wesley''s dagger had already carved a bloody streak into her snowy-white neck. "Haha! I think I know why you''re treating me like this. It¡¯s because of her, isn''t it?" Wesley scoffed. "Rest assured that I haven''t touched her yet. If you let me go, she''ll be yours forever." Charlotte looked up to meet Zachary in the eyes with a start. No way... "You have no right to threaten me like that!" Zachary snapped, his voice colder than ice. "No one does!" No one expected him to say that, and an eerie silence settled over the corridor. "So you want her to die?" Wesley growled, pressing the dagger deeper into Charlotte''s skin. She kept her chin up and forced herself to stay still, though the scent of death had already filled her nostrils. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 "You''re the one who¡¯s going to die!" Zachary said coldly, as though he was the Grim Reaper himself. "W-What are you talking about?" Wesley asked, almost dropping his dagger in fear. Zachary had not moved an inch from his position at the door, but Wesley''s hand holding the dagger was already trembling uncontrobly. Before Wesley could react, Zachary squinted and snatched the dagger out of his hand, then pinned him down onto the ground in the process before he could even react. With a loud ''snap'', his wrist broke into two. The loud scream that followed could almost tear the ceiling of the building apart. "How dare you threaten Mr. Nacht!" Ben bellowed as he dragged Wesley away like a dying dog. Charlotte, on the other hand, was on the verge of copse. Just seconds before her head hit the ground, a pair of hands steadied her and pulled her away from the cold, hard floor. Through her half-lidded eyes, she managed to make out the handsome features of Zachary Nacht just before everything went ck. "Call the doctor!" "Yes, Sir!" After what seemed like ages, Charlotte woke up in a daze, only to notice that she was lying on a stiff bed in a room that barely had any decorations. There was an ''S'' symbol on the light hanging from the ceiling, and realization hit her like a truck the moment she saw it. That''s Zachary''s symbol! Am I in his room? She pushed herself up into a sitting position with much effort and realized that her clothes were gone, reced by a thin white robe. It was as though a bomb had gone off in her head, making her head spin. Oh no! Where''s the chip?Did Zachary find out about it? "You¡¯re awake?" A gentle voice made Charlotte jump in shock. She looked up to see a female doctor walking into the room with a cart of medical supplies. The doctor proceeded to check her temperature and the wounds on her body. "The wound isn''t infected, which is a good sign. I''ll have to monitor you for a few more days before you can go, though." "Who are you?" Charlotte asked, confused. "I''m Raina Langhan, the family doctor of the Nacht family," she replied with a smile. "Mr. Nacht told me to take care of you for the time being." Charlotte froze, unustomed to Raina''s respectful tone. She recalled how everyone had treated her in a simr way back when she was dating Hector. Back then, the Windt family also had a private doctor to take care of her whenever she fell sick. She nced at her uniform, which was ced in a neat pile on the cart that Raina had been pushing. "Wait...I''m just a security guard!" she yelled all of a sudden as she tried to get out of bed, only to hiss in pain and copse onto the bed again. Her neck was tightly wrapped up and secured in ce by a neck guard, while her left shoulder was rendered immobile by the thickyer of bandages on it. "Don''t move!" Raina said, rushing over to help her. "Your jugr vein was still intact, but the wound is deep. You need to rest." "My clothes..." Charlotte said, reaching out and grabbing her uniform. "I''ve asked someone to wash it for you," Raina said, putting the clothes and a small stic pouch by her pillow. "Your personal belongings are here as well. Is there anything that we missed out?" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte noticed the tiny ck box in the pouch and grabbed it immediately. "Did you check my belongings by any chance?" "Of course not," Raina said, chuckling. "We won¡¯t invade the privacy of our esteemed guests.¡± "Then, what about Devil-1 mean, Mr. Nacht?" she asked as her heart pounded against her chest. He''s going to think that I''m one of those chipstealing bandits...I''ll be dead meat! "Mr. Nacht left as soon as he dropped you off here," Raina said with a respectful smile. "He¡¯ll return at night." Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief and almost jumped when she heard someone approach the door. "Wee back, Mr. Nacht!" Chapter 62 Chapter 62 The door to the room opened and a cold draft rushed into the room. A tall figure walked in, its shadow spilling across the bed menacingly. Charlotte could feel her heartbeat speeding up as she stared at him like a startled kitten. "Wee back, Mr. Nacht!" Raina greeted. Zachary waved his hand and Raina left the room with her eyes on the ground. The moment the door closed, Zachary began to close in on Charlotte, making her flinch and burrow into her sheets. "W-What do you want?" "Are you scared of me?" he asked, sitting down on the couch by the window. Charlotte resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Who isn''t? "Why did you bring me here?" she asked in the end, trying her best to look calm and collected. "You were injured during work hours, so I am obliged to make sure that you''re recovering well," Zachary said. His voice was frigid and emotionless, but his gentle gaze gave away his true feelings. "How are you doing? You''re not dying, are you?" "Shut up!" Charlotte yelled impulsively, only to regret it immediately. "I won''t be sitting here talking to you if I had died, Sir!" She emphasized the word ''sir'', as though she had resigned herself to fate. "Wesley Holt has been detained by the police," Zachary said as he poured himself a cup of wine. He swirled the wine around as he continued, "So, what rewards would you like to have for your heroic acts?" "Money!" Charlotte said without hesitating. "Just give me some money." "That''s all you care about?" Zachary asked disdainfully. "I have my elders and...pets to take care of, and my sry isn¡¯t enough," Charlotte protested. "Besides, I don''t suppose you¡¯re going to deduct that from my sry? You''re not going to force me to pay for my own medical bills, right?" Zachary red at her and stood up to leave. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Thanks for visiting me, Mr. Nacht! Have a nice day!" she chirped after him as he walked out of the room. She heaved a huge sigh of relief when the door closed behind him. I don''t think he has found the chip yet!I can''t give him the chip yet...he''ll think that I''m the culprit...I have to leave this ce before anything bad happens! She nced at the little ck box that contained the chip. Was it actually untouched? Charlotte buried herself in the sheets and opened the box. Phew! It''s still inside. She nced at her phone and realized that the battery was t. Stuffing the chip under her pillow, she called, "Hey! Anyone here?" Raina walked into the room just secondster. "Yes, Ms. Windt?" "I want to go home. Can you get a cab for me?" Charlotte asked. "Apologies, Ms. Windt, but Mr. Nacht has requested that you stay until your injuries have healed," Raina said with a slight bow of her head. "Do you need anything? I can help you get it." "My family is waiting for me. They''ll be worried if I don''t return soon," she said. It was gettingte, and Charlotte''s phone could not be turned on. Mrs. Berry and the kids must be worried sick... "Would you like to make a call first?" Raina suggested. "I presume that there isn''t anyone around at home to take care of you?" Charlotte nodded slowly in agreement. Mrs. Berry must be exhausted from taking care of the kids. I can''t be yet another burden on her shoulders! Besides, I don''t want to scare the kids... She asked for a phone charger from Raina so that she could give Mrs. Berry a call. "Hello? Mrs. Berry?" "Miss, where did you go? I couldn''t get in contact with you...¡± Mrs. Berry''s panicked voice came through. "My phone ran out of battery just now," she exined. "I¡¯ll be busy for the next few days, so I won¡¯t be home." She did not want to lie, but neither did she want Mrs. Berry to worry for her. "What''s going on?" Mrs. Berry asked. "Just tell me. The kids aren''t around." "I got injured, so I need some time to recover..." "What? What happened? How bad are your injuries?" "I¡¯m fine," Charlotte said hurriedly. ¡°it''? jU?t ? few scratches." "Which hospital are you staying at? |''|| go and visit you." "My boss assign a private doctor to me, so I can''t go home for the moment. Sorry for burdening you..." "It''s fine. I''ll take care of the kids, and you should take care of yourself. Just give me a call if you need help," Mrs. Berry said. "Thank you, Mrs. Berry." Chapter 63 Chapter 63 After ending the call, Charlottey in bed and was getting bored. Then, she started texting Gigolo In Debt. Why aren''t you reporting on your recent progress? Can''t you be more enthusiastic about this? She had to be as docile and obedient as possible in front of the Devil, and that was why she enjoyed bossing Gigolo In Debt around. Business has been slow recently, the Gigolo In Debt replied. Slow? Haven''t you been visiting Sultry Night? What have you been doing? Charlotte typed. The Gigolo In Debt did not reply. She sighed and gave him a call, and it took several rings before he finally picked up. "What''s up?" "Are you keeping your sugar mommiespany these days?" Charlotte asked. The man in the neighboring room swirled his wine around the ss as he rxed in the bathtub filled to the brim with warm water. His lightly-tanned skin shimmered under the light, and his well-defined muscles seemed to give off a strangely dominant aura. "I''m staying with a certain Stupid Woman," Zachary said calmly. "What Stupid Woman? I¡¯m your boss!" Charlotte barked. "You will never seed if you don''t change this disgusting attitude of yours and serve me!" "I¡¯m just a gigolo. I don''t need sess," Zachary said, wiping the water off his face. "What¡¯s that sound?¡± Charlotte asked. "Are you swimming?" "I''m just taking a bath," Zachary said, taking a sip of wine. "Why did you answer my call then?" Charlotte¡¯s mind wandered to how he would look like in the bathtub. She could almost see the enticing curves of his muscles and lean body glistening with water as he emerged from the bathtub. He''ll look like a full-course meal! "What are you thinking of?" Zachary teased. "You jerk!" Charlotte yelled as her heart skipped a beat. "I vaguely remember that there was a horny girl back at Sultry Night who molested me..." Zachary could feel his body heat up as he recalled the event of that night. "I just wanted to poke fun at those sugar mommies!" Charlotte exined hurriedly. "You should be messing around with your clients, not your boss! I won''t pay you for doing weird things to me!" "It''s fine, just take it as payment." "No way!" Charlotte said, cutting him off. "No way am I getting intimate with my subordinate!" "What about your own boss?" Zachary asked with a light grin. "My boss is tall, handsome and rich, but he''s a pervert too. He''s been pretty nice to me recently, though. Maybe he''s scared of me?" Charlotte said. Zachary rolled his eyes skyward. Looks like I''ve been too nice to you!Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "My boss is a strange person, to be honest. He never smiles or looks at me in the eye, but when I got injured, he took me back home and assign his family doctor to take care of me..." "You should thank him for treating you so well." "No! Don''t you know how dangerous my situation is right now?" "Huh?" "Think about it! Which boss would bring their injured employee back home instead of sending them to the hospital?" "Maybe you''re just...special?" "That''s the problem!" Charlotte blurted. "I run into him almost everywhere I go, and I don''t think it''s by chance...in fact, some of my colleagues have never even met him! He¡¯s definitely seeking me out!" "Why would he do that?" Zachary asked out of curiosity. "Isn''t it obvious? He has a crush on me!" Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Zachary did not know what to say. "Oh no...what do I do now?" Charlotte said, panicking. "Would he barge in in the middle of the night?" "Who knows?" Zachary said with a chuckle. "Hey! Can''t youe and help me?" Charlotte pleaded. "You''re the only person who can help me now..." "You sound like your boss is going to devour you or something..." Zachary said. "Shouldn''t you be grateful for his attention?" "Hey! Don¡¯t forget who your boss is!" Charlotte growled. "Enough. Rest well." Zachary hung up and smirked as he thought about the idiot lying next door. It won''t hurt to prank her for once! He stood up from the bathtub and walked out barefoot, wrapping a bathrobe around his body on the way. Next door, Charlotte was drowning in her own thoughts when the door opened all of a sudden. Zachary''s tall figure cast a long, invasive shadow on the bed, and his hair was still dripping wet. The white robe on his body failed to hide his well-defined muscles and domineering aura. Charlotte stared at him in confusion and swallowed. "W-Why didn¡¯t you knock?" she questioned as she looked away. "This is my house," Zachary answered as he approached her, making it difficult for her to breathe. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Charlotte tensed up and continued to avoid his gaze. "W-What do you want?" Without another word, Zachary walked over to her bedside and leaned over to look at her. "Hey! What are you doing?" Charlotte whispered, shivering in fear. Squinting, Zachary stared into her eyes intently and pressed his body against hers. He was like a feral beast that could melt her with his mere presence. She tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but her wounds made her entire body stiff like a stick. I''m really in danger. Zachary¡¯s handsome, smirking face inched closer to her. "Are you scared of me?" "H-Hey! Get away from me!" Charlotte pleaded, her voice shaking. "You may be the boss, but that doesn''t mean that you can have your way with ¡ª n me... She cut herself off when she noticed that Zachary''s lips were just a few millimeters away from making contact with her own. Her eyes widened and every muscle in her body seized up, rendering her immobile. God help me, I am done for... She could feel Zachary''s lips brushing against her cheeks and her earlobe as his hands moved over to grab her... Charlotte closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable with bated breath. However, instead of advancing any further, Zachary simply grinned and took a book from the bedside table before standing up to leave. Charlotte felt him disappear from her side, prompting her to open her eyes tentatively. A strange sense of disappointment washed over her the moment she confirmed his absence. He¡¯s just here for the book...How dare he mess with my feelings! Charlotte red at him, only to notice something eerily familiar. I''ve seen that figure somewhere...It looks so familiar! The four-year-old memory of that gigolo changing his clothes with his back turned shed across her mind. Zachary was covered in a robe rather than the towel that the gigolo used, but everything else felt exactly the same to Charlotte. Could he be...No...no way.''lt can¡¯t be him! Charlotte stared at Zachary''s back. Didn''t that gigolo have a wolf head tattoo on his back? Chapter 65 Chapter 65 However, before she could get out of bed to tear the bathrobe off Zachary''s body, he had already disappeared from the room. She tried to sit up and yell his name, only for a maid to close the door behind him. Charlotte copsed onto the bed in disappointment. Guess I''ll just take the time to rest and recover for now. Everything else can wait. Meanwhile, Zachary smirked when he returned to the safety of his own room as his lips curved into a bewitching smile. She''s so adorable when she''s being an idiot! Charlotte struggled to fall asleep that night, though it was nothing rted to the pain from her wounds. Her mind raced as she thought about the chip and Zachary, even though they werepletely unrted matters. Nheless, both troubled her immensely. When can I pull myself out of this mess? The next morning, Charlotte woke up abruptly to the sound of her phone ringing. It was a call from her kids, and she calmed them down with a few quick words before hanging up. Thest thing she wanted was for someone else to find out about her kids. Considering the number of enemies the Windt Corporation had before their fall from grace, exposing her kids would spell disaster for her. A few minutester, Raina and her assistant walked in to change her bandages, and Zachary happened to walk by the moment the door opened. Charlotte managed to catch a glimpse of him looking like a deity in his ck suit and the morning sunlight. He had been talking to someone on the phone when he walked by, and he nced at Charlotte when he passed by her door. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. They made eye contact, and his calmness contrasted greatly against her panicked gaze. Zachary left in a hurry just secondster, but she followed him with her eyes, trying her best to figure out if he had been the person she was with four years ago. He doesn''t seem like someone who would willingly be those sugar mommies''pdog... "Ms. Windt, I''m going to change your bandages. It might hurt a little, so be prepared," Raina said in a tender tone. "Sure, go ahead," Charlotte said. She did not think much about the process until Raina began to peel the bandages off her neck. The pain was so immense that she started to scream her head off. "Ouch! It hurts!" Zachary, who had been descending the spiral staircase, froze when he heard her screams. "Tell her to be gentle!" he ordered. "Yes, Mr. Nacht," a maid said before scurrying off to Charlotte''s room. Raina and Charlotte heard his voice too, and Raina bowed her head apologetically. "I''m so sorry, Ms. Windt!" "It''s fine..." Haha! He definitely has a crush on me! Charlotte had always dreamt of a paradise where she could spend her days doing nothing but enjoying herself, but she had her three kids to take care of. She did not expect her dream toe true so quickly. She loved the feeling of being pampered by a doctor and the maids, and the fact that the maids in Zachary¡¯s house were professional and well-trained made her experience ever better. Charlotte looked at the window and sighed happily. "It''s so bright and sunny today!¡± Without wasting a single second, the maids helped her into a wheelchair and took her out for a morning walk. Charlotte admired the exterior of the vi as the maids pushed her around the garden. Even though it had a predominantly nd color palette and was designed to be minimalistic, every detail was carefully thought out and well-executed. In fact, the furniture in the house were all limited edition designs produced by famous designers that could fetch a few million if sold in an auction. As the daughter of the former richest man in H City, she was used to seeing grand andvish items, but Zachary''s home was on a totally different level. In fact, the front garden of Zachary''s home made her jaw drop in shock. This looks like something I could find in a royal residence! She thought back to Hector''s words. ''You don''t seem to understand Mr. Nacht''s true abilities...'' Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Charlotte picked up her phone and did a simple online search for Zachary, and she was surprised to find tons of information on just how powerful he was. Divine Corporation was just one of the many tinypanies under Zachary''s name, and there was no telling just how manypanies he owned in total. No wonder the Sterlings wanted to establish ties with him! Suddenly, Charlotte¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from Mrs. Berry, and she picked it up immediately. "Hi, Mrs. Berry." "Miss, we have a guest," Mrs. Berry said, sounding anxious. "Guest?" Charlotte asked, confused. Since when did anyone bother to visit us? "I''ll talk to her..." another voice rang. "Charlotte! It''s me, Aunt Amanda!" "Aunt Amanda?" Charlotte said, her heart sinking into her stomach. Amanda was her cousin Luna''s mother, and she was thest person Charlotte expected to appear at her house. "Charlotte, Luna told me that you''re back, so I came to visit you and the kids. Your Uncle Simon misses you, you know..." "Aunt Amanda," Charlotte said, cutting her off. "I¡¯m not at home. Do you need help with anything?" Charlotte never liked Amanda, for money and power was all she cared about. Her uncle Simon Windt married into the White family years ago and cut off contact with the Windt family after that. When the Windt family rose to the top, Simon practically begged Charlotte''s father Richard to spare him a position in Windt Corporation, to which thetter agreed out of brotherly love. Simon and his family treated Richard and Charlotte well, but everything changed after the fall of Windt Corporation and Richard''s death. Simon and his family did not even bother to attend Richard¡¯s funeral, and Charlotte lost contact with them shortly after. After a while, she heard that Simon started apany called Grandeur Group and lived afortable life. There were rumors that Simon had been living off Windt Corporation and the Sterlings'' coattails, but none of that mattered to Charlotte. All she wanted was a peaceful life away from him and his wretched family. That was why Amanda''s visit came as a total surprise to her. "I''m just here to visit you and the kids," Amanda said with a fake smile. "Your uncle prepared a feast back home. Besides, aren''t they ssmates with Timothy? They can have a y date too!" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "There''s no need..." Charlotte said, only to be cut off by Amanda. "Hey, it''s fine! We''re family after all," Amanda said with a chuckle. "The shareholders from Grandeur Group miss you, you know? They used to be part of Windt Corporation..." Charlotte loathed her every word, but she forced herself to let Amanda finish. "Oh, by the way, the media seems pretty interested in your whereabouts," Amanda said. So she''s been beating around the bush the whole time... "The Windt family may have lost its glory, but your poprity hasn''t waned a single bit. I''m sure everyone wants to know who the kids'' father is, right?" "What the hell do you want?" Charlotte growled. "Tsk, how rude," Amanda said, feigning disappointment. "All I ask is that you ept my invitation. Is there anything wrong with reaching out?" "Just tell me when and where it is. I''ll be there on time.¡± Charlotte knew that she did not have a choice. If she rejected the invite, Amanda would expose her kids to the public and make a mountain out of a molehill. Thest thing Charlotte wanted was for herself and her kids to suffer from cyberbullying. "It''s at the former Windt family mansion," Amanda said with a proud smirk. "Don''t you know? The mansion belongs to us now. We¡¯ve been living there for the past four years." Chapter 67 Chapter 67 "Oh, really?¡± Charlotte said, forcing herself to stay calm. "Congrattions, Aunt Amanda!" "Haha! Thanks,¡± Amanda guffawed. "Dinner''s at six o'' clock tonight. Luna, my son-inw and my grandson will be there, so don''t bete! Oh, as for my son-inw..." "Yeah, Hector, I know him,¡± Charlotte said, pretending to sound nonchnt. "I¡¯ll be there on time." "That''s great!" Amanda chirped. "Do you need me to send a car to pick you up?" "No need, we''ll go there on our own," Charlotte said coldly. "It''s about time you get going, Aunt Amanda. My house isn''t exactly in the best state to have you around." "No worries. I''m taking my leave now," Amanda said. "I won¡¯t disturb you or your family as long as you behave yourself!" Charlotte''s expression was rather glum as she hung up the phone, and she started to reminisce about her past. Her father had built Windt Corporation from scratch, and they shared a tiny apartment back when he first started. Richard Windt spent most of his time taking care of thepany, and it had been Mrs. Berry who looked after Charlotte. As she aged, the houses she lived in grew bigger as well. When she turned sixteen, her father became the richest man in H City, and they moved to a beautiful vi in the southern mountains. You''re my little princess, Charlotte. I want you to live happily ever after, her father had told her on the day they moved. Charlotte never got to meet her mother, but she was a happy little girl nheless. However, her father had been way too protective of her, and when everything started to crash and burn around her, she could only stand by and watch helplessly. If not for her kids, she would have followed her father''s footsteps andmitted suicide too. Going to Sultry Night that year was a huge mistake, but she vowed to be a responsible and nurturing mother to her kids. The best thing she could wish for was for her kids to grow up healthy and safe from everything that had happened in the past, but the reality was far from ideal. Are they bullying me just because I''m alone and helpless? "Are you alright, Ms. Windt?" Raina asked anxiously. "Did something go wrong?" "I''m fine," Charlotte said, a little distracted by her thoughts. "I need to go out at six tonight. Can you give me some pain killer?" "It won''t work," Raina said with a smile. "I''ll follow you there so that you can have peace of mind." "Would it be too much trouble for you?" Charlotte said, moved by Raina''s caring nature. "Mr. Nacht told me to take care of your wounds and every need," Raina said, bending over to feed her the medication. "I''ll get someone to dress you up and we''ll leave at five o'' clock." The stylist that Raina called overdressed Charlotte in afortable yet beautiful dress as well as a Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. white scarf that covered her wounds. Her naturally curly hair spilled over her shoulders gracefully, and the stylist applied a thinyer of makeup on her face to enhance her features. When the stylist was done, Charlotte looked like a literal goddess, and she herself found it difficult to get used to her new look. For the past four years, she had not bothered to take care of her looks, since she cared more about earning money than anything else. She almost forgot just how beautiful she could be. "Let''s go!" Raina said, helping Charlotte onto the car outside the vi. "Wait!" Charlotte eximed. "Rolls-Royce Phantom...isn''t this Mr. Nacht¡¯s car?" "It just came back from the repair shop yesterday," Raina said. "Mr. Nacht says that you''re free to use it anytime." Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Charlotte stared at the Rolls-Royce Phantom and recalled how a simr car had run into the cab she was in with her kids when she first arrived from the rural areas. The man in the Rolls-Royce had been severely injured, and the blood from his wound had covered the wolf head tattoo on his back. Charlotte knew that he was the man from four years ago, but the car and the man disappeared before she could take a closer look at him. She had neglected to take note of the car te number, but she knew that there were only three of this model in C Nation and only thirty-five worldwide. Could Zachary be that gigolo? "Ms. Windt? Is everything alright?" Raina asked. "I-I''m fine! Charlotte said, startled by her voice. "I''m honored to be able to ride in such a luxurious car." "Take it as a treat from Mr. Nacht," Raina said, grinning. "Shall we go?" "Alright." Even as she took her seat in the car, she continued to rack her brains in an attempt to recall the car te number of the Phantom she saw that day. "Um, Dr. Langhan?" Charlotte asked tentatively. "Was Mr. Nacht injured not too long ago?" I''m sure she knows the answer! She''s his private doctor after all. "No, Ms. Windt," Raina answered. "He''s the only heir of the Nacht family, and his safety is of the utmost importance. He has eighteen highly-trained bodyguards to protect him wherever he goes to make sure that he doesn''t get injured." Charlotte nodded slowly. He''s not injured?Was I wrong? She recalled how Zachary had been swimming in the infinity pool on the office roof thest time she bumped into him, and he lookedpletely fine. Surely an injured person won''t be well enough to go swimming...Maybe I got the wrong person? "Why do you ask?" Raina asked. "Oh, I was just wondering if his bad temper was because of some kind of injury..." Charlotte stammered, trying her best not to sound suspicious. "I see...Mr. Nacht is actually a really nice person, you know," Raina said. It sounded like a passing remark, but Charlotte failed to notice the strange glint in Raina''s eyes. She fell silent and stared at the scenery outside. How am I going to deal with the Whitester on? Forty minutester, they arrived at the Whites'' residences, formerly the Windt family residence. Charlotte caught sight of a group of familiar figures from miles away. Huh...looks like Aunt Amanda is right...Dad''s former subordinates are all here! Simon and Amanda stood at the entrance, dressed to the asion and extending their warmest wees to the guests, who came prepared with expensive gifts. Charlotte could not help but sigh. Isn''t this how it used to be back when Dad was alive?People would there''s nothing different here... Simon Windt used to be amongst the guests, but he had since be the owner of the residence. Suddenly, a loud honk rang from behind, jolting her out of her trance. She looked up and noticed a white Bentley belonging to the Sterlings behind them. "Hey! Why did you do that?" Hector asked the chauffeur angrily. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "I''m sorry, Mr. Sterling," the chauffeur apologized, lowering his head. "Why are you angry?" Luna asked, visibly annoyed. "This is our home, so we have the right of way." "That Phantom looks like the one Mr. Nacht owns," Hector said, winding the window down. "Did your parents invite Mr. Nacht?" "Mr. Nacht?" Luna said, poking her head out of the window to take a closer look. "Do you mean Mr. Zachary Nacht from Divine Corporation?" "Go and take a look, Owen," Hector said. "Yes, Sir," Owen said, hopping off the car. After a while, he gestured to Hector, who sat up in surprise. "It''s really him!" Hector eximed. "Stop the car!" "Yes, Sir," the chauffeur said as the car slowed to a halt. Hector alighted from the car and walked over to the Phantom as quickly as he could, while Luna struggled a little with her high-heels just a few steps behind him. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 "I''ll go in myself, Dr. Langhan. You may take your leave after you drop me off,¡± Charlotte told Raina. The feast is nothing but an excuse to humiliate me...That''s thest thing I want someone like Raina to seelBesides, I don¡¯t think I should let her know of my kids'' existence and my past... "I can''t let you go in on your own, Ms. Windt..." "It''s fine," Charlotte insisted. "Just drop me off at the front door." "Alright then." When the car slowed to a halt, Raina and the medical assistants alighted first and rushed to the back to help Charlotte out of the car. At that moment, Hector appeared before them and greeted, "Wee, Mr. Nacht!" "Greetings, Mr. Nacht. I''m the young mistress of the Sterlings, Luna..." Before Luna could finish her sentence, her eyes widened in shock as Charlotte''s gorgeous face appeared before her. "C-Charlotte??" "Lottie?" Hector said, also confused by her sudden appearance. "Why are you here?" "Aunt Amanda told me toe," Charlotte answered, raising her hand. Two medical assistants rushed forward to help her up while Raina pushed a wheelchair over. "Since when did you get to ride in a Rolls-Royce Phantom?" Luna scoffed. "Did you rent the car and your maids?" Raina red at her in silence. "Ma''am, this is indeed the Nacht family¡¯s Phantom," Owen whispered. "The driver is one of Mr. Nacht''s personal bodyguards. I''ve met him before!" "How could this be?" Luna said, confused. "Why would the Nacht family chauffeur Charlotte to this party? It¡¯s not like she¡¯s important or anything..." "Mrs. Sterling," Raina said, unable to keep her cool any longer. "Ms. Windt is Mr. Nacht¡¯s esteemed guest..." "It¡¯s alright, Dr. Langhan," Charlotte said, cutting her off. "Thanks for sending me here. You can go home now." "We¡¯ll be waiting for you in the carpark," Raina said. She figured that Charlotte did not want to drag her into her personal matters, so she got onto the car and told the driver to leave the scene. "Wow, I wonder what you did to pique the fancy of Mr. Nacht?" Luna snickered. "Looks like you''re a pretty talented wh*re!" "Shut up!" Hector yelled. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Hey! Why are you yelling at me?" Luna shrieked, her face beet red. "Did I say something wrong?" "No one has the right to talk about Mr. Nacht like that!" Hector warned. "You''re going to get us all into trouble!" Luna fell silent upon hearing his words, visibly disturbed by them. "I got injured during work hours, so my boss told assigned a private doctor to chauffeur me here. That''s all," Charlotte exined. She did not want to associate herself with Zachary more than what was necessary, since it would do more harm than good in the long run. She saw herself as an ordinary woman living an ordinary life, and sucking up to some rich man was the Besides, Zachary Nacht was a pretty difficult person to deal with. I''ll suffer if I became a nuisance to him! "I see...¡± Luna said, sighing in relief. "You''re just riding on his coattails! How shameful!" "Can''t you shut up for a moment?" Hector bellowed. "Why are you being so impatient with me?" Luna yelled, stomping her foot. "Look who''s here!¡± a voice rang all of a sudden. Charlotte turned around to see Amanda walking over with the fakest smile she had ever seen. "You''re still as beautiful as ever. Oh! What happened to you? Why are you in a wheelchair?" "She''s injured. Take her inside,¡± Hector said, gesturing to Owen, who rushed forwards and helped Charlotte push her wheelchair into the courtyard. Luna pulled her mother to the side with a frown. "Mom! Why did you invite her of all people! You¡¯re just creating more trouble for me!" "No, sweetie, I''m taking revenge for you!" Chapter 70 Chapter 70 "You silly child, I''m trying to stand up for you!" Amanda pulled Luna closer to her and said in a low voice, "It took you so much effort to marry into the Sterling family and produce a son for Hector. How could I let someone else destroy this happiness for you when you didn''te by it so easily in the first ce?" "Mom, do you mean..." "Tonight, I''m going to force Charlotte to face reality. Someone has to teach her to know when to back off." Amandaughed coldly. "Just you wait and see!" "You love me the most, Mom." Luna threw her arms around Amanda and nted a kiss on her cheek. "Mom, do you know that Hector has been treating me coldly ever since he returned from Charlotte''s ce? My head hurts from thinking about it..." "As long as you don''t speak up directly about this, your rtionship with Hector will not be harmed." Amanda patted her hand and continued, "Just continue ying your role as the good-hearted young mistress of this family. As for everything else, Mom will sort it out for you." "Alright," Luna said, nodding her head, "I¡¯ll do just that." "Let''s go in first. Where''s Timothy?" "He fell asleep in the car." As Owen pushed Charlotte into the vi in her wheelchair, everyone in the room turned to look at her. The older ones in the room recognized her immediately. Exchanging scandalized looks with each other, they put their heads together and started murmuring anxiously. Someone asked in a hushed whisper, "Why is she here?" "She did something so outrageous back then that she managed to anger her own father to death! How does she have the guts to show up here now? If I were her, I would''ve escaped to somewhere else a long time ago.¡± "Oh, be quiet! Don''t talk anymore." "Why can''t I talk about this? If she could do something like that, it¡¯s well within my rights to judge her for it." "Charlotte!" Simon walked over and greeted her enthusiastically. "We finally meet. I''ve been looking for you all these years. Have you been well?" He sounded so concerned, as though he was a rtive caring for his young charge. "I¡¯ve been well. Thanks for asking, Uncle Simon." Charlotte looked up at him and smiled ndly, wishing that she could see what was going on in his mind right now. The man had worked alongside her father all these years, earning himself a reputation for being loyal and hardworking. Because he was mild-mannered by nature andcked any opinions of his own, his wife ordered him around as she pleased. Hence, he never had his big break in his career. Instead, he followed Richard around as his loyal retainer-one that was unassuming and reliable. However, she never understood why Simon had hidden himself at home after her father died, refusing to show up at his wake. "What''s the matter with you, anyway? Why are you in a wheelchair?" Simon asked anxiously. "Are you injured?" "Yes," Charlotte said, nodding her head. "It''s just a little injury-nothing to be worried about." "If I knew you were injured, I would have gone and picked you up from your ce..." Simon looked extremely guilty. "Where are you living now? Why don''t you move back here to live with the rest of us? Amanda and I can take care of you in the future." "Exactly!" Amanda''s shrill voice sounded from behind them. "I¡¯ve already told the servants to clean up the guest room. Charlotte, you can move back in with your child whenever you want to. I¡¯ll go with Simon to help you move your things." "Child? What child?" Her husband was evidently in the dark about the whole matter. Everyone else who had been watching this exchange quietly widened their eyes in shock and started murmuring to each other again. "Oh, I have an awful memory!" Amanda patted her head and said in a troubled voice. "Simon, I forgot Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. to tell you that Charlotte now has three..." "Aunt Amanda!" "Mom!" Charlotte and Hector opened their mouths at the same time, startling the woman enough to stop her in the middle of her sentence. Charlotte and Hector looked at each other, their expressions ratherplicated. "Hector..." Luna walked over immediately and grabbed hold of his arm, leaning affectionately onto him. "Timothy has fallen asleep. Why don''t you carry him upstairs to his bedroom?" Hector shot a nce at his wife before he turned to Amanda and said, "Mom, why don''t youe with me? There''s something I need to discuss with you anyway." "Oh, ask your father to go with you! Here, ask him." Amanda shot a frantic nce at her husband. Simon obeyed his wife instantaneously. Rushing up to his son, he tugged at his sleeves and said, "Hector, I''ll go with you." Although he felt a little helpless, Hector had no choice but to leave with him. "Ugh, why are we all standing around?" Amanda cried jovially. "We''re family! Come on, have a seat. Luna, don''t stand there looking so foolish. Wheel your cousin sister to her seat." "Alright." Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Amanda had discreetly arranged for Charlotte to sit between Luna and herself. Although they painted quite a happy picture of a wholesome family, in reality, the set-up was meant to trap Charlotte between them so she couldn''t escape. When they were finally seated, one of the aunts, Aunt Leigh, turned to Charlotte and smiled at her as she gave her the once-over. "We haven¡¯t seen you in years! You look so much more mature now, Charlotte." "You looked like a girl thest time we saw you, and now you look like a woman!" Another aunt, Aunt Geraldine, chimed in on purpose. "Amanda, what were you saying about Charlotte''s kids? Do you mean that she''s already married with kids now?" "Yes, she already has three children. Time has flown by, hasn''t it? We''re all getting old." Amanda This time, Charlotte didn''t interrupt her. Instead, she allowed her aunt to finish saying what she wanted to say. From the moment Luna bumped into her and her child at the kindergarten the other day, Charlotte knew that her secret was out. The news of her child would have spread like wildfire among the Whites and the Windts. From what she knew about Amanda''s personality, the older woman had probably fed the other aunts all sorts of vile stories about Charlotte to taint her reputation. Charlotte was sure that Amanda had invited her over tonight to make a mockery of her. Thetter probably wanted to embarrass her in front of Hector so that he would end their rtionship forever... "Oh gosh..." Everyone at the table was extremely stunned. It had been four years since theyst saw Charlotte, and she had returned with kids-three of them! A few of the uncles started to frown. Their expressions had clouded over, and the look in their eyes as they gazed at Charlotte seemed to turn rather usatory. Aunt Leigh asked excitedly, "Charlotte, when did you get married? We didn''t even know!" "How old are your kids?" Aunt Geraldine asked. "What does your husband do for a living? Why isn''t he here with you?" Amanda and Luna looked at Charlotte and smiled, looking as though they were grimacing instead. The two of them waited gleefully for her answer. How was Charlotte going to tell everyone that she had hooked up with a gigolo at Sultry Night and now had three of his children? After a pregnant pause, the woman finally spoke up, "That''s my business. I don''t suppose you think you have a right to know, do you?" Immediately, the entire room fell silent with shock. Nobody had expected her to reply to their questions like this. One of the uncles growled angrily at her, "Of course we have a right to know! We¡¯re your elders! Don''t we have a right to ask you about your marital situation?" "Look how wishy-washy you''re being. Did you get pregnant out of wedlock?" another uncle asked. "Who¡¯s the father of your children?" "Why aren''t you saying anything?" The others chimed in anxiously, "Did you get together with a married man and give birth to his illegitimate children?" "Haha!" One of her aunts burst intoughter beside him. "A married man is already the bestcase scenario. It would be much worse if she doesn''t even know who the father is." "How could you have done something so awful? You''ve brought nothing but shame upon all of us!" One uncle was so angry that he mmed down on the table and left the room. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Charlotte, this is simply preposterous," Aunt Geraldine said crossly. "Four years ago, you did something so outrageous that your father threw himself off the building andmitted suicide in anger. We thought you would stop embarrassing yourself after that, but you¡¯ve only changed for the worse!" "Exactly! As your elders, we can''t condone such behavior anymore..." Aunt Leigh heaved a sigh and continued, "If your father-bless his soul-knew how you''re behaving right now, he would be rolling in his grave." A few of Charlotte¡¯s aunts put their heads together and started whispering loudly, "She used to be so obedient as a child. What happened to her? She must have been possessed by the devil." "When all¡¯s said and done, her poor behavior probably stems from the fact that she didn''t have a mother to guide her when she was young. Take a look at Luna-she would never behave like Charlotte..." "Exactly! Luna is such an innocentss. She got married like a normal person would and had her husband''s children. As for Charlotte, however..." Hearing this, a smile of satisfaction appeared on Luna''s face. "Oh, Leigh, my dear, you mustn''t say that!" Amanda eximed, humbling herself as much as she could. "I''ve kept a firm rein on Luna since she was a child. Charlotte, the poor thing, lost her mother when she was very young. That¡¯s why she''s gone off the beaten track now. As her elders, we should do our best to educate her..." Charlotte couldn''t stand it anymore. "Have you all said enough?" Chapter 72 Chapter 72 "If I remember correctly, none of you here have Windt as your surname," she said baldly. "What has the reputation and honor of the Windt family got to do with you lot?" "You..." "When my father was still around, and the Windt family was at the height of its power, and all of you sucked up to us like a bunch of dogs. But when the Windt family went through difficult times, all of you were nowhere to be found. And now you have the gall to discipline me as my elders? I call that muck." She then let out a coldugh. "Aren''t you scared that God might strike you down?" Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. At that point, her uncles were so furious that their faces had gone red. "Is... Is this how you should be talking to us?¡± Another one of her distant rtives, Thomas, was boiling with rage as well. Pointing a finger at Charlotte, he snarled, "When your father was around, he never spoke to us like this! Well, what did I expect of a bastard child who never had a mother around to teach her how to behave?" The moment she heard this, a ball of rage welled up within Charlotte. She lunged forward and picked up the ss of water in front of her, which she promptly flung at Thomas¡¯s head. Bang! The ss flew past the man''s head and shattered against the crystal chandelier behind him. A shower of crystal shards rained down on the table, causing a huge racket as they did so and causing the women to yelp in fright. Luna jumped up from her seat and ran to hide behind her mother. Amanda quickly used her arm to shield her face from the shards, but the crystal shards sliced open her arm, causing her to bleed profusely. "Argh!" The injured woman let out a huge, exaggerated scream. Upon hearing his wife scream, Simon dashed downstairs in panic immediately. "What''s wrong? What''s going on?" "This bastard, this wench! She has disgraced the family enough as it is, and yet she dared to... to..." Aunt Leigh was about to wail about the injustice that had been done to her, but she caught Charlotte''s eye and zipped her mouth immediately. "You incorrigible fool!" Thomas roared as he pointed a finger at Charlotte. "How dare you injure a member of your own family?" "You were the ones who said those disrespectful things to me first!" the going to nder my parents as well, don''t me me for being too harsh on you!" "You..." "Alright, alright," Simon said, trying desperately to salvage the situation, "we''re family, after all. Let''s calm down first, shall we?" "Who wants to be her family?" Thomas snapped angrily. "She acts like a whore, but she won''t let anyone criticize her for it! And when someone does, she goespletely crazy and starts behaving like a dog!" "Thomas, don¡¯t say that..." "Simon, I''ve lost my appetitepletely, so forgive me if I leave in the middle of this meal. I''ll drop by and visit you and the missus another day." At that, Thomas stood up and stalked out of the room with his wife in tow. Another rtive tugged at Simon¡¯s sleeve and whispered loudly, "Simon, I know you''re a kind man, but I must warn you to leave people like her alone. They''ll bring you nothing but trouble." "Martin..." "We''ll get going now, too. Mr. Windt, Mam, Luna, we''lle by and visit you another day." The rest of the rtives left, afraid to cause any more trouble for themselves. "Hey, you can''t all leave yet! None of the dishes have been served!¡± Amanda called anxiously after them. However, not a single person turned around to acknowledge her. "Oh, it''s alright, let them leave," her husband said, pulling her back. "Go upstairs and bandage your wound. I''ll clean up here." "Bandage my wound?¡± Amanda''s expression changed into one of unbridled fury. Pointing at Charlotte, she hollered angrily, "Thanks for breaking up what was supposed to be a happy family asion! Go and think about what you''ve done!" Charlotte met her gaze coolly and asked, "Weren''t you the one who invited me here, Aunt Amanda? You put in so much effort to put up a show for the rest-how could I, as the lead actress, disappoint you by not turning up?" "What are you talking about now?" Luna snapped, "My mother invited you over for a meal out of the goodness of her heart. It''s one thing for you to ruin the asion and another for you to speak ill of her like that! Were you even brought up properly?" "Haha! Out of the goodness of her heart?" Charlotte picked up a rag from the table and wiped away the ss shards and blood on her own hands. "You invited so many extras to join us today-weren''t you just trying to make a fool of me in front of Hector?" "Make a fool of you? You were born a fool to begin with!" Amanda screamed with fury. "Back then, your mother left right after she gave birth to you. Your father coddled you and treated you like a jewel, and you chose to disappoint him by turning out to be such a shameless wench!" Chapter 73 Chapter 73 "That''s enough, Amanda..." Simon warned in a low voice. "You shouldn¡¯t speak of Charlotte like that." "Why can''t I do that?" the woman scowled, her eyes wide with indignance. "I''m telling the truth, aren''t I? Why do you keep trying to stand up for her?" "You..." "Dad, don''t stick your nose into this! Go upstairs first," Luna said, pushing her father away. "Mom will discipline this wench on behalf of all of us!" "Who¡¯s the real wench here? Who¡¯s the one who has no shame?" Charlotte challenged. "You know perfectly well what happened four years ago, don''t you? Don¡¯t you dare act stupid!" "You... What nonsense are you spouting now? What happened four years ago?" Luna asked, looking a little panicked. "It was your foolish idea to go down to Sultry Night and hire a gigolo, and you were the one who made the choice to have his children! Why are you ndering me now?" "Who was the one who dragged me to Sultry Night? Who was the one who told me to find another man to make Hector jealous so he would go up against his family and marry me? It was you, Luna! You tricked Hector and I into breaking up before turning around and marrying him instead! And you still insist that you had nothing to do with it? What rubbish!" "Shut up!" Amanda rushed forward and gave Charlotte a p across the face. Thetter''s head jerked sideways with the force of the p as blood gashed out of a wound on her lip. She looked down, her eyes glinting with a wave of savage anger beneath her mop of untidy hair. "Excellent! I hope that knocked some sense into you," Luna said, gritting her teeth. Amanda wasn''t finished. She raised her hand to strike Charlotte across the face again... "Amanda," Simon said hurriedly as he held her back, "what are you doing? Talk things out nicely. Why Original content from N?velDrama.Org. do you need to resort to violence?" "Oh, get out of my way!" She threw him aside and pointed at Charlotte, her chest heaving up and down with rage. "You made the choice to do something so shameless and disgusting, and now you want to me it on my daughter? I''ll have you know that I invited you here today so you could face reality¡ª Luna and Hector are already married with kids. If you dare to seduce Hector again, I''ll give you a good beating!" "Amanda White..." Charlotte whispered, gritting her teeth angrily, "I''ll make sure you pay the price for your words today!" "Wow, that''s funny. Are you trying to threaten me?" The woman rushed forward to p her again. At that moment, an angry roar erupted. "Stop right there!" "Hector..." When Luna spotted her husband, guilt washed over her. She wondered if he had overheard her heated conversation with Charlotte just now. The man gazed deeply at Charlotte, pity written over his face. However, he didn''t make his way over to her-instead, he turned to his driver Owen and said, "Owen, send Charlotte home." "Yes, sir." Owen wheeled Charlotte out of the room as instructed and left with her. Simon hurried after them to send them off to the car. Soon, only Amanda, Luna, and Hector remained in the house. The tension in the air was thick. Luna grabbed hold of Hector''s hand and pleaded in a whiny voice, "Hector, you have to believe me. What Charlotte said isn''t true..." "Luna!" Her mother snapped warningly, telling her to shut up. That made the woman fall quiet immediately. "Hector, I wasn''t trying to make things difficult for Charlotte on purpose," Amanda exined soothingly. "Those rtives of ours were concerned about her and tried to inquire after her situation, but she threw a tantrum and smashed things around. She even injured my hand, look..." She shoved her arm in Hector''s face and continued, "As her elder, I was merely trying to discipline her..." "Is that how an elder disciplines his charge?" the man retorted politely. "Whenever you disciplined Luna, you always took care to be respectful and restrained with your punishments. But when you spoke to Charlotte, you made sure that every word cut deep in her heart! Don''t you think you were doing a little too much?" "Hector, what do you mean by that?" Luna asked shrilly. "Are you going to start a fight with my mother because of Charlotte?" "I was only discussing appropriate punishments with my mother-inw," Hector replied coolly. "Mom, don''t you think I''m right?" "Yes, of course you are." Amanda was an intelligent woman, and she knew when to admit defeat. Changing her attitudepletely, she said, "I wasn''t thinking straight just now. I must have done that because Charlotte smashed some things, ruined dinner for everyone, then proceeded to nder my daughter..." "Was she really ndering Luna?" Hector asked, shooting a dark look at his wife. "What''s the meaning of that? Are you suspecting me now?" Luna was so angry that she was practically shaking. "I''m your wife and the mother of your son. Why do you always believe other people instead of me?" Chapter 74 Chapter 74 "Precisely! Hector, you can¡¯t treat Luna like this. Back then, you were the one who..." "Alright, that''s enough," Hector interrupted her. "Let''s consider this matter closed. I don¡¯t care who was in the wrong-1 don''t want to investigate it any further." "As the both of you have said, Luna is my wife and the mother of my son. I want to lead a peaceful, upright life, and I give you my word that I won''t do anything that might jeopardize the harmony of this family. In the future, I hope you won''t harass Charlotte anymore." "Are you doing all this because of that wench?" Luna asked, her voice shaking. "Luna, for heaven¡¯s sake..." Amanda grabbed hold of her immediately to shut her up. Turning to Hector, she said, "Hector, you misunderstand me. I never wanted to harm Charlotte in any way. I invited her over today for the sole purpose of having dinner with the rest of us. I didn¡¯t think it would turn out like this. Everything''s my fault-1 should''ve nned it out better. If I get the chance in the future, I''ll make sure to apologize to her. As for you and Luna, please don''t let this matter get in the way of your rtionship..." "Good. That''s what I wanted to hear." Hector turned and headed upstairs after speaking. "Mom, what the hell were you thinking?¡± Luna hissed angrily. "He only refused to stop investigating the incident because of Charlotte..." "And what about it?" Amanda retorted in a low voice. "As long as he knows what he has to do and stops hanging around that woman, we will have achieved our goal! Who cares about the reason behind it?" "What do you mean?¡± her daughter asked in confusion. "Are you sure you''re my child? How could you be so stupid?" Amanda asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "You can''t be so idealistic about love. There isn''t a single man on earth who can remain loyal to one woman for his entire life. You can¡¯t control the fact that Hector may have someone else in his heart. "However, the further you tighten your grip on him, the more annoyed he''s going to be with you. Your Original content from N?velDrama.Org. rtionship will get even more strained. However, if you turn a blind eye to his actions and act the part of a generous wife, he''ll feel sorry for the way he treats you. You need his guilt to solidify your standing within this family." "I don¡¯t want his guilt; I want him to love me!" "If you want him to love you, you should learn how to be more obedient and subservient to him. That¡¯s the only way you can keep your position as Mrs. Sterling. Once the image of Charlotte in his heart is destroyed, he''ll turn around and fall in love with you again... Owen pushed Charlotte out of the vi. In the distance, the Nacht family¡¯s car was driving slowly towards them. Thetter turned to him and said, "Owen, please head inside first. There are a few things I want to say to Uncle Simon." "Alright." Owen bowed towards her and left. Simon looked guiltily at the woman in the wheelchair. "Charlotte, does it hurt? Aunt Amanda has a pretty bad temper-please don''t take it personally, alright? I''ll make sure to yell at her lots when I get home." "Uncle Simon," Charlotte said as she looked up at him, "how did my father die?¡± "Huh?" Simon''s expression froze. His eyes darted about shiftily as he stammered, "W-why are you asking me about this now? Everyone knows your fathermitted suicide by jumping off a building..." "Yes, but why did he jump off a building?¡± she pressed. "The Windt Corporation was doing extremely well at that time. Why did hemit suicide when he had everything going for him?" "The business world isplicated, and there are lots of things you don''t understand," Simon said distractedly. "Come to think of it; I don''t fully understand much of it either..." "Why didn''t you attend my father''s wake? Why did you disappear during the funeral?" Charlotte continued to ask. "There must have been a reason forthat, right?" "I don''t know, I really don''t know anything," the man answered in a panicked voice. "Don''t ask me anything anymore. Just live your life peacefully." He then took out a bank card and stuffed it hurriedly into Charlotte''s hand. "I''m giving this to you now- the password is your father''s birthday. Please ept it as a sort ofpensation from your me." As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and ran back into the house. As she watched him leave, Charlotte felt her suspicions grow. There was something suspicious about her father¡¯s death, and she had to find out what it was. Does it have something to do with Simon or Amanda, perhaps? However, upon seeing Simon¡¯s attitude, he didn''t seem to have been involved in it. Besides, Amanda would never have been capable of killing her father. So what exactly was going on? Chapter 75 Chapter 75 "Ms. Windt..." Raima''s voice startled Charlotte out of her reverie. When she finally snapped out of her daze, Raima and her medical assistant had appeared in front of her. When she spotted the deep red mark on Charlotte¡¯s face, the woman frowned and asked immediately, "What happened to your face? Who did that to you?" The medical assistant who had tagged along let out a gasp of horror as well. "Look! Ms. Windt''s arm is bleeding, too." "Come on, let¡¯s get into the car first." Raima helped Charlotte into the vehicle. When they got into the car, the former helped her to remove the tiny shards of ss that had been lodged in her hands. In a quiet voice, she told Charlotte, "Ms. Windt, Mr. Nacht has put us at your disposal. If you need anything done, we''re the ones for the job!" Her words held a deeper meaning to them. The moment the words fell from Charlotte''s mouth, Raina would be ready to go up against everyone who ever bullied her. Charlotte felt a little surprised. She was merely a lowly security guard at Divine Corporation. Why does Zachary insist on treating me so well?Does he really have a secret crush on me? "Ms. Windt, don''t be discouraged by the power the Sterlings wield. Mr. Nacht''s influence far exceeds theirs. You do not need to fear," Raina added reassuringly. "Thank you," Charlotte said, speaking up for the first time, "but I think I''ll settle this matter by myself." She didn''t want to get someone else involved, particrly when he was never part of the issue, to begin with. After all, that would simply be another debt she would need to pay off. "Alright then..." The family doctor didn¡¯t say anything else. However, as she looked at the injuries on Charlotte''s face, her expression was extremely serious. It was just as she had feared... Raina reported everything that had happened that night to Zachary, whose face turned ck with fury when he heard about it. His eyes, which were as deep as the ocean, had a steely glint to it that the woman hardly ever saw. He rounded on Raina and her medical assistant. "What the hell were the two of you thinking? I told you to stay by her side. How could you allow her to be bullied?" "Yes, it was my fault." Raina bowed her head and didn''t say anything else. "There must have been a reason why Ms. Windt didn''t let them into the house with her," Bruce N?velDrama.Org (C) content. guessed. "Does she have a family secret that she doesn''t want others to know, perhaps?" "Should we investigate it further?" Ben asked carefully. "There¡¯s no need for that," Zachary ordered, putting down the wine ss in his hands. "Tell Hector Sterling to show up as an invited guest at the charity g in three days!" "Yes, sir!" Over the next few days, Charlotte enjoyed a period of rtive peace, during which her wounds healed back to normal. Raina was an excellent doctor, so the wounds had closed up in no time under her charge. Every morning, the kids would give her a call. Charlotte would curl up in bed and hide under the covers as she chatted with them, afraid that someone might overhear their conversation. Mrs. Berry was very worried for her, and the kids missed her very much. Charlotte knew that she couldn''t afford to stay here any longer. That afternoon, after Raina helped her to remove her neck brace, Charlotte insisted that she was going to go home. This time, the other woman didn''t stop her. She simply called Charlotte a cab and packed her off with bags of medicine and vitamin supplements. Charlotte didn''t want the doctor to see her children, so she asked the driver to stop at a road near her house. She nned to walk the rest of the way back. Raina passed the bags of medicine to her and said respectfully, "Ms. Windt, I''ll be here to pick you up tomorrow at three in the afternoon." "Huh? Where are you fetching me?" Charlotte felt a little perturbed. "Mr. Nacht has invited you to the charity g tomorrow night,¡± the woman replied, smiling brightly at her. ¡°I''ll get your gown and essories ready for you, but we''ll need some time to get you ready." This was news to Charlotte. No one had ever mentioned a charity g to her. These two days, Zachary had left the house early in the morning and returnedte at night after he got off from work. She hadn¡¯t managed to see him at all. Why was he suddenly inviting her to his charity g? Oh no, she thought in a panic. Zachary has probably fallen in love with me... She could only me her own charisma for this. Upon seeing Charlotte frozen and in a daze, Raina asked with a smile, "Do you need me to help you carry anything upstairs?" "No thanks, I¡¯ll walk home myself. Please drive back safely." Charlotte bid her farewell and ran home with the bags of medicine dangling wildly from her arms. As she ran, her head was full of jumbled thoughts. What now?lt isn''t always a good idea to dance with the devil. When Zachary eventually finds out that she has three children, would he me her for tricking him? She might die of heartbreak if he did. She soon recalled the dream she had a few nights ago and felt a shiver run down her spine... She couldn''t let that happen. She had to tell him as early on as possible so that he would kill the idea of ever getting together with her. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 The moment Charlotte entered the house, Fifi flew into her arms and knocked the wind out of her. "Mommy, Mommy!" "Miss, you¡¯re finally back!" Mrs. Berry flung down her mop and ran over to her. She grabbed Charlotte''s arm and said with tears in her eyes, "Oh, my poor dear, let me see where they injured you!¡± "It was just a few injuries, nothing serious... Ouch!" Charlotte had made to hug Mrs. Berry, but a dizzying pain in her shoulder prevented her from doing so. She looked down and winced. "Mommy, hang in there!" Fifi flew tond on Charlotte''s hair, nudging the woman''s head with her green one tofort her. "Fifi, my darling!" Charlotte reached up and patted the parrot gently on the head. "Have a seat,e on!" Mrs. Berry steered Charlotte towards the sofa and made her sit down. "Poor girl. It''s been so many days! Why haven''t your wounds healedpletely?" "It''s fine. They''re starting to heal." Beads of sweat appeared on Charlotte''s forehead. "Mrs. Berry, these are the medicine and vitamin supplements that the doctor gave me. Could you help me put them away? I''ll go and change my clothes in my room." "Are you sure you can manage by yourself? I can help you change." The housekeeper looked uncertain. "No, it¡¯s alright! The school bus should be reaching soon. Why don''t you go and pick up the kids?" "Oh, right. My memory sure is getting worse by the day. I¡¯ll go once I put away these bags of medicine." Mrs. Berry helped Charlotte back to her room before she went and put everything away. Afterward, she headed downstairs with Fifi to pick up the kids. Charlotte put on a set of home clothes with much difficulty. Just as she was about to take a sip of water, her kids ran into the house and started chirping noisily, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" "Hello, my darlings!" she cried. The three meatballs ran into her arms, knocking into her wound in the process. She had to bite down hard on her lip to make sure she didn''t cry out in pain. "Oh my goodness, children, be more gentle!" Mrs. Berry admonished. "Your mother..." "It''s alright, it¡¯s alright." Charlotte shot a look at Mrs. Berry, warning her not to bring up her wounds to her children. "Mommy, why are you sweating so much? Are you feeling ufortable?" Robbie, her oldest, had excellent observation skills. He frowned when he realized that there was something off about his mother. "Robbie, Mommy is fine..." Charlotte reassured him as she caressed his hair. "Mommy, are you sick?" Jamie quickly poured her a ss of water. He ran towards her, causing some of the water to ssh out of the ss. He quickly caught the droplets with his hand, afraid that they might ssh onto Charlotte. "Mommy, have some water!" "Thanks, Jamie.¡± The woman felt extremely touched by her sons¡¯ kind action. "Here, Mommy! Ellie will help you wipe your sweat." Her youngest stood on her tiptoes and wiped Charlotte¡¯s sweat away with her sleeves, worry written all over her cute little face. "Thanks, my dears. Have all of you been good while Mommy was away?" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Yes!" the three of them replied instantaneously. Charlotte felt very happy. No matter how difficult life got for her, she was always reminded once again that life was worth living every time she saw her kids. "Alright, kids. Mommy will be resting now. Go and y with Mrs. Berry for a moment, won''t you?" Mrs. Berry soon managed to cook up an excuse to lure the kids away. "I''ll make you guys chicken nuggets for dinner tonight. Do you want toe and help me?" "Okay..." The three of them skipped out of the room after the housekeeper Charlotte locked the door of her room behind her after they left. When she looked down at herself, she realized that her clothes werepletely soaked in sweat. She had no choice but to head into the bathroom and wipe herself down before changing into another set of clothes... At that moment, a loud m sounded as someone banged violently on the front door. "Who''s there?" Mrs. Berry called. When she opened the door to see who it was, she let out a huge gasp. "It''s you! What are you doing here again?" "Why can''t I be here?" It was Amanda''s voice. Charlotte hurried to put on her clothes. However, because of her injuries, lifting her hand took a lot of effort. She managed to put on her shirt after a long while of struggling. "Mam, please leave. We don''t want any trouble around here." "Who the hell do you think you are to talk to me like that?" Amanda hollered, an arrogant expression written all over her face. "Where''s Charlotte? Tell her toe out and speak to me right now." "Mam..." The children dashed out of the kitchen when they heard themotion. Upon seeing Amanda standing at the door with fury written all over her face, they yelped, "Who are you? Why did you barge into our house, and how dare you behave so impolitely?" Chapter 77 Chapter 77 When she spotted them, Amanda burst intoughter. Rather mockingly, she said, "Oh my, so these are the bastard children that Charlotte is raising! They do look a lot like her. I wonder who''s their loser father..." "You''re the most impolite witch I¡¯ve ever seen," Jamie sneered, seething with rage. He picked up a broom and started chasing Amanda with it. "Get out!" "Get out, get out! Fifi pped around the room indignantly, copying the way Jamie had yelled. "Well, you''re quite something! Aren''t you, you little beast? How dare you try and hit me with a broom?" The woman avoided Jamie''s broom deftly and cursed Charlotte out at the same time. "Charlotte Windt, you little wench,e out right here now!" "How uncivilized of you," Robbie said, frowning as he red at Amanda. "Didn''t your parents teach you to be polite to other people?" "I know who she is! She''s Timothy¡¯s grandmother," Ellie pointed usatorily at Amanda and said, pouting. Looking rather exasperated, the girl continued, "Please leave now, or we''re going to call the Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. police on you." Robbie picked up the phone and called the security department immediately. "Hello, is this the security department? There''s an evil witch in our house. Pleasee over here and fetch her away immediately." "You bunch of no-good, fatherless little brats..." "Shut up!" Charlotte had finally changed and emerged from her room. Angrily, she snapped, "Amanda, you must think I''m an easy target. This isn''t the first time you''ve shown up to cause trouble at my house. Don''t think I won''t have the guts to hit you!" As she spoke, Charlotte lunged towards the fruit knife on the coffee table... "Charlotte! You-you¡¯ve finally decided toe out, I see," Amanda said with a sneer, although she was visibly panicked. "You witch! How dare you swindle your uncle of his money behind my back? Return the bank card to me right now!" That made Charlotte freeze for a moment. The other day, Simon had stuffed a bank card into her hand. Before she could even turn him down, he had left. That was what Amanda hade looking for her for. "Get your facts straight. I didn''t ask him for it-he was the one who gave it to me," Charlotte said coldly. "I would never touch a cent of the White family anyway." "Then give the card back to me! Stop pretending to be all high and mighty. If you didn''t want the money, you would never have epted the card in the first ce!" Amanda yelled loudly. She shot another nervous nce at the knife in Charlotte''s hand and backed away a little. "I''ll go get it now," Charlotte said, pointing the knife at her. "Get out and wait for me." "Get out!" Mrs. Berry shoved Amanda out of the door and mmed it shut behind her. "Mommy..." The three children ran over and crowded around Charlotte. "Who''s that witch outside our door? Why is she so mean?" "Her parents didn''t teach her to behave properly, so she went off the beaten path," their mother replied, squatting down to look her children in the eye. "Don''t waste your breath with this sort of people, or even listen to what she has to say. If you see her in the future, run far away!" "Got it." The three children nodded obediently. "Alright, run along to the kitchen with Mrs. Berry now." Charlotte patted the children on their heads and gave Mrs. Berry a look, silently asking her to look after the kids. Thetter nodded and ushered the children back into the kitchen. Charlotte soon found the bank card in her bedroom and went outside with it to meet Amanda. "Here''s your card-take it and get out of my sight. If youe here and harass my family again, I''ll make you regret it." "Ha!" The other woman took the card from her andughed mockingly. "Make me regret it? How do you think you¡¯re going to do that? Look at this lousy house you''re living in. If you can''t even take care of your own needs, don¡¯t bother making such nonsensical remarks! Do you think you''re still the rich heiress you once were?" "Are you done?" Charlotte snapped, interrupting her. "Yes, I have nothing now. But that''s precisely the reason why I have the guts to do whatever I want..." She suddenly lunged at Amanda with the fruit knife in her hand. Aiming for the woman''s heart, Charlotte inched closer and closer to her,ughing her head off as she did... "But you''re different, aren''t you? You have all the money and power you could possibly want. Your life and your face are probably priceless to you!" Chapter 78 Chapter 78 "What... What do you think you''re doing?" Amanda was so frightened that she backed up against a wall. "Don''t worry. Even if I wanted to kill you, I wouldn''t do it right here..." Charlotte forced her against the wall with the knife. Her eyes narrowing into thin lines, she said icily, "All I wanted to tell you is that the poor and downtrodden will never fear those who live in luxury. Don''t force my hand, Amanda, or who knows what I might do to you!" As she spoke, she suddenly thrust the knife... "Ahhhh!" Amanda let out a blood-curdling scream. However, the knife never pierced her skin. Instead, it got lodged in the wooden door behind her. The woman had already been scared out of her wits. Taking the bank card from Charlotte, she turned and fled immediately... Charlotte watched her leave, heaving a long sigh of relief as she did. Just as she was about to enter the house, she found Mrs. Berry standing in the doorway, looking at her with tears in her eyes. "Miss, I¡¯m so sorry for the trouble..." The housekeeper felt extremely sorry for Charlotte. Thetter had been coddled her entire childhood, with servants always bustling around to attend to her every need. Now, she had to resort to frightening an intruder off with a fruit knife to keep her family safe. "Mrs. Berry, what''s up with you?'' Charlotte didn''t care much. All she wanted was to lead a happy, peaceful life with Mrs. Berry and her children; she wouldn''t allow anyone to spoil it for her. "Mommy, Mommy...¡± Fifi flew out of the house and pped around her head. "Dinnertime, dinnertime.¡± "Ooh, are you hungry, Fifi? Let''s go inside." She put an arm around Mrs. Berry and said amusedly, "Mrs. Berry, you must be aging backward into a child again. Why are you crying your eyes out over a matter like this?" "I just feel bad for you, my girl." Mrs. Berry sniffed violently and wiped away her tears, hoping that the children wouldn''t find anything amiss. "Mrs. Berry, Mommy, it''s time for dinner!" The children quickly helped to set the table, and all of them settled around for a happy meal together. Just as Charlotte picked up her chopsticks, she received a notification on her phone: Gigolo In Debt has just transferred you eighty thousand. Charlotte was overjoyed upon seeing that. Immediately, she picked up her phone and texted him: So much money? ''Gigolo In Debt'' replied: We received a few huge orders. She quickly sent another text: Wow, that''s amazing! I thought you werezing your time away these past few days. I shall be the most hardworking gigolo you''ve ever seenIHaha! Look how self-aware you are. I''m proud of your improvement! Are you happy because my business has improved? Of course. Doesn''t that mean I earn more money? Keep up the good work! After that, ''Gigolo In Debt'' stopped replying to her messages. "Mommy, have a chicken wing." Ellie grabbed a chicken wing with her chubby fingers and ced it on Charlotte''s te. "Thanks, Ellie." She put away her phone and devoted her attention to having dinner with her kids. However, her mind couldn''t stop churning with thoughts. Now that Amanda and Luna had spread the news about her children, everyone she knew was bound to hear about sooner orter. When that happened, ''Gigolo In Debt¡¯ might also find out about it... As she thought about this, Charlotte felt a wave of anxiety creeping up on her. She decided to schedule a meeting with ''Gigolo In Debt'' after her injuries healed-the sooner they ended their rtionship, the better it would be for both of them. As for Zachary, she had to find a way to return the chip to him as quickly as she could. She didn''t want to see him again either. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. At ten minutes to two the next afternoon, Raina called her punctually on the phone. "Ms. Windt, we''re waiting for you at the ce we agreed on yesterday." "Got it. I''ming down now!" After informing Mrs. Berry that she was leaving, Charlotte put on some casual clothes and left the house. Raina had driven a Rolls-Royce over to pick her up. The entire street was astir-everyone who walked past it on the street stopped for a few seconds to admire its sleek design. Charlotte hid her face behind her hands, afraid that people might recognize her. "Ms. Windt! Come on in." Raina opened the door for her and ushered her into the car politely. When she got into the car, she couldn''t help but ask, "Dr. Langhan, why are you picking me up in this car?" "We are simply following Mr. Nacht¡¯s orders," the woman exined with a bright smile. "Oh, alright then," Charlotte replied, feeling a little nonplussed. "Let''s go then." The car slowly made its way down the street. On the opposite street, her three children, who had just gotten off the school bus, were staring after the Rolls-Royce, their eyes asrge as saucers. Ellie fluttered her long eyshes in confusion. Afraid that she might have seen it wrongly, she asked, "Was that really Mommy who got into the car?" "Yes, I think so," Jamie replied solemnly, rubbing his chin. "She was even wearing that set of greycolored casual clothes that she got on discount at the department store." "And those little white shoes!" Robbie added in awe. However, a momentter, he said with the serious air of an adult, "Alright, we shouldn''t be such busybodies about this. Everyone has their own private life, and we should respect Mommy''s privacy." "Yes, yes." "It''s National Day today, so the school let us off early. I bet Mrs. Berry has forgotten about this "Yeah! Let''s go home!" Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Raina brought Charlotte to Princess Consort, a private boutique that was located in the heart of a shopping za. The woman appeared to have booked the entire ce just for Charlotte. More than ten staff members and a team of three internationally recognized makeup artists stood waiting to attend to Charlotte''s needs. Charlotte was stunned by the grandness of everything. Tugging Raima''s sleeve nervously, she whispered, "Don''t you think this is a bit of an overkill?¡± "Don''t worry! I have arranged everything for you." Raina helped Charlotte into a private room and helped her to clean up her wounds and bandage them. Afterward, the former told the makeup artists to start working on thetter. Charlotte had a vague memory of experiencing this sort of treatment before. Back in the day, her father had hired a professional makeup artist for her. During an important event, she would ring up the makeup artist and have here over to do her makeup. The makeup artists at Princess Consort, who were now attending to Charlotte, were extremely difficult to hire. They would only agree to be hired for someone¡¯s birthday, and even that appointment had to be booked six months in advance. Today, however, Zachary had booked the entire boutique for her and ordered everyone to attend to her and her only. This meant that the man''s power and influence stretched much farther than she had imagined. Here, she felt even nervier about the whole thing. She shouldn''t get close to men like him-once she offended him, it would be over for her. She spent the rest of the time entertaining her nonsensical worries... An hour passed. The makeup artists were still crowding around her, touching up her makeup and fluffing up her hair. However, she had already dozed off on the sofa. The makeup artists exchanged smiles with each other at the sight. They thought she looked rather cute. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Be a little more gentle, would you? Ms. Windt has injuries on her neck and right shoulder,¡± Raina whispered urgently to them. "Yes, got it!¡± The makeup artists immediately made sure to make their actions more much gentler. Suddenly, one of them let out a gasp. "Oh, Mr. Nacht!" Raina and the other makeup artists turned around in shock. None of them had noticed Zachary when he walked into the boutique, but there he was, standing in a corner. He was wearing a ck western suit that elongated his tall body; the dim lights of the boutique entuated the sharp edges of his face, reflecting off his eyes and giving one the impression that mes were dancing in them. He was watching the sleeping woman in the mirror quietly... Charlotte had chosen an excellent time to doze off. "Good afternoon, Mr. Nacht!" Everyone bowed, greeting him frantically. Zachary raised his hand, signaling to everyone to remain quiet and not wake Charlotte up. Everyone fell silent at once. The makeup artists resumed their job, working as quietly as possible. The man walked over and sat down on the ottoman next to the sofa. He rested his elbow on the armrest and perched his head on his hands as he gazed at Charlotte, observing her quietly. How strange. All these years, he never had a shortage of women who gawked openly at him and threw themselves into his arms. However, for some strange reason, it was this woman who had stirred something in him... When she mistook him for a gigolo online, he had felt very amused and decided to continue ying along with her. When she ordered him to entertain rich olddies as a gigolo, he had red up immediately-so much so that he wanted to strangle her to death. When she tried to trick him out of his money, he had felt rather scornful of her. But when he saw her being bullied by Wesley, he hadn''t been able to contain his rage, exploding with anger. Consumed with murderous intent, he had decided to put the man to death. When he heard that she had been humiliated by the Whites, there was only one thought in his mind -to make them pay for what they did by tenfold! Hence, he had arranged for this setup tonight. Meow... Suddenly, a white ragdoll cat strolled out from another room. The sound was loud enough to wake Charlotte from her slumber. She opened her eyes blearily. Feeling a little dazed, she mumbled, "Is it morning already?" The makeup artists burst intoughter beside her. Immediately, however, they shot frightened looks at Zachary and fell back into silence. "Ms. Windt, you¡¯ve been asleep for half an hour," Raina said, smiling. "Your makeup is nearly done." "Ah!" Charlotte finally recalled that Raina had dragged her to a boutique and that she was at Princess Consort. She stared at herself in the mirror and let out a gasp of amazement. "Is that really me? I look beautiful-Ah!" Before she could even finish speaking, she noticed Zachary gazing at her in the mirror and let out a cry of shock. He had a ss of wine in one hand, while his head was perched on the other. He looked at her with an expression of perfect calm andposure, his facepletely empty of expression. However, his eyes were swirling with aplicated mix of emotions... She looked really beautiful. It wasn''t the sort of beauty that had been crafted out ofyers of makeup, but the sort that seeped naturally out of one''s skin. She looked quite like an angel that had fallen down from the heavens... Chapter 80 Chapter 80 "When did you arrive here? Why didn¡¯t you inform me earlier? You nearly scared me to death!" Charlotte patted her chest as it heaved up and down. Her heart still felt like it was racing a mile a minute. Before he could help himself, Zachary''s gaze shifted to her chest. Her breasts, which were creamy- white under the dim lighting, looked round and firm... What a lovely sight! He waspletely captivated by them. However, the next moment, his brows knitted into a frown, and he snapped, "Go and change into another dress!" "Huh? Why should I?¡± She gazed at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a luxury gown that waspletely white in color, making her look like as pure as an angel. "Yes, sir. I''ll get another dress ready immediately." One of the makeup artists turned and instructed her assistant to bring more gowns to the room. "Why do I need to change out of this? I think this dress is perfectly fine!" Charlotte looked in the mirror again. "It looks alright, doesn''t it? It just shows a little cleavage, that¡¯s all..." Zachary signaled with his hand that everyone should leave; all of them obeyed immediately. A few secondster, only he and Charlotte remained in therge room. The woman hadn''t realized it yet. She was still seated on the sofa, preening in front of the mirror. He got up from his seat and walked towards her. Although he hadn''t done anything yet, she felt her skin prickle with a sudden sense of danger. Her head snapped up immediately as she gazed at him. "What... What do you think you''re doing?" She resembled a cat that had been injured as she curled herself up on the sofa and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes full of fear. Zachary reached down and gave her chin a little pinch. Lifting her head up so she was looking directly into his eyes, he said in a low voice, "Remember this-l''m the only person who can see your body!" "Um..." Charlotte felt her heartrate speed up again. A bunch of exmation marks appeared in her mind, but she was too afraid to make a sound. He ran a thumb over her plush lips, his eyes quivering a little with desire. However, she never found out what he was about to do because he released her at that moment and called to the person behind the folding screen, "We''re leaving in ten minutes." "Yes, sir." The man then left the room. Instantly, the tension in the room dissipated, and she could finally heave a sigh of relief. A horde of female staff members crowded around Charlotte as they helped her into her new gown, praising her shapely body as they did so. She went along with them quietly, all the while trying to calm her beating heart. What the devil did Zachary mean by that?Has he really fallen in love with me?l have to corner him tonight and make sure he knows I have no intention of ever getting together with him. When he finds out I have three children, he might strangle me to death... After changing into a luxury Hepburn-style ck dress, the makeup artists tied ace ribbon around her neck to hide her injuries. After that, they slid a few diamond rings onto her fingers, transforming her into a princess instantaneously. Charlotte gazed at herself in the mirror. She had never tried this style before, but it seemed to "Ms. Windt, let''s go! Mr. Nacht is waiting for us outside,¡± Raina said in a soft voice. "Oh, right." Charlotte lifted her dress by the hem and walked carefully out of the room. Ben, who was standing by the car, gawked when he saw her. He couldn''t shift his eyes from this beautiful angel in front of him, much less reconcile her with that lowly security guard at Divine Corporation. Were they really the same person? Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Look at her again, and I''ll gouge your eyes out and feed them to the pigeons," Zachary warned him darkly. "Yes, sir." Ben quickly shifted his gaze away from Charlotte. He looked down at the floor, too afraid to look at her again. "Here, Ms. Windt!" Raina helped the woman into the car. After that, she removed herself from the scene tactfully and got into the car behind them. The car finally started to move. Zachary and Charlotte were alone in that space. The atmosphere started getting a little tense again. Since the man refused to speak, Charlotte didn''t dare to open her mouth either. She sat primly and quietly in her seat, trying not to move as much as she could. However, as she nced at the tter of fruits and snacks that had beenid out before them, she couldn¡¯t help but swallow a little. She shot a look at him and carefully popped a grape into her mouth. It was nearly six in the evening, so she felt quite peckish. He looked at her and shoved the te of cake towards her with a look of contempt on his face. After that, he leaned back against his seat and promptly fell asleep. Seeing that he was knocked out, she grabbed a slice of cake and stuffed it into her mouth. She was so famished that she nearly choked in her attempt to swallow it. After scarfing down the cake, she rounded everything off with a long sip from a ss of juice. Zachary opened his eyes slightly. As he watched her wolf down the food through the reflection in the mirror, his lips curved into a devilish smile. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 The both of them didn''t exchange a single word throughout the entire journey. Soon, the car finally pulled up outside an extravagant vi. Charlotte pressed her nose to the window as they rolled up to the gates. There were all sorts of luxury cars parked there, and that was how she knew that the event tonight was going to be a huge one. Immediately, she asked, "What sort of event is this?" "It''s just a normal charity g," Zachary replied inly. "Don''t get nervous. Just stay beside me." "Why did you choose me toe with you?" she asked, feeling rather confused. "I''m just a lowly security guard, and there isn''t anything I can do for you..." "You''re full of rubbish, you know that?" he interrupted her nastily before he got out of the car. She pouted unhappily, following him out of the vehicle. As she did so, she nearly tripped and twisted her ankle, but Raina caught her in the nick of time. A man in a suit came forward with his assistant to wee them. "Mr. Nacht, the guests have all arrived!" When he saw Charlotte, he bowed deeply towards her and said respectfully, "Good evening, Miss." "Good evening," Charlotte replied courteously. She was a little surprised at how respectfully everyone was treating her. Zachary followed the man into the vi. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Charlotte struggled to keep up with him in her heels and decided to follow him from a distance away. Suddenly, she spotted a white Bentley among the crowd of cars. That''s Hector''s car. Is he here tonight, too? A few stepster, she spotted a Porsche that definitely belonged to Simon. She frowned worriedly. This event sure had a long guest list. As long as Simon was here to attend this g, Amanda was sure to be around as well. Oh no. Will Amanda tell Zachary about the fact that I''m the mother of three children? If I get into an argument with Amanda because of this, I would probably embarrass Zachary to death. It spelled nothing but trouble for her... As Charlotte''s thoughts wandered further and further, she suddenly bumped into something very tall and hard. She was so shocked that she jumped a little. Putting her hand up to shield herself, she looked up and saw that she had bumped into Zachary, who had been waiting for her in front. However, as she struggled with her thoughts, she had walked straight into his rock-solid chest! "Why do you look so distracted?" he asked, his low voice sounding very enigmatic indeed in the night. "No-nothing..." Charlotte felt a little panicked. "I¡ªI suddenly feel a little unwell. Why don¡¯t I return home first..." Before she could finish speaking, he grabbed hold of her arm and steered her into the vi. She tried to shake herself free, but it was to no avail. Finally, she gave up and let him drag her into the house by her hand. Feeling the warmth of his hand, her heart beat even faster. She could feel her face turning red. His legs were very long, so he sped ahead very quickly. She had to jog in order to keep up. In the end, he conceded defeat and slowed down for her, which allowed her to catch her breath for a brief moment. The moonlight shone down on the two of them, making the atmosphere extremely romantic. When they arrived at the ballroom, the champagne-colored doors swung open. Immediately, they could hear the dulcet sounds of a string quartet from inside the room. The numerous chandeliers shone down so brightly that she felt momentarily blinded. She quickly shut her eyes immediately. At that moment, however, apuse rang out from every corner of the room. Zachary pulled her arm around his waist and forced her to walk into the room with him. When she finally got used to the light, Charlotte opened her eyes slowly and found a room full of people who were smiling respectfully at her. She felt as though she had entered into a separate world. She thought she had been transported back to her childhood. Back when her father was still alive, her family used to throw parties like this once in a while. All of them had been just as grand as this one was. She had fallen from heaven four years ago and suffered all sorts of earthly trials. The world seemed so cold and ghastly to her, and she feared that she would never return to her glorious past again... However, the man next to her had bestowed upon her the highest honor again! Deep in the crowd of people, Amanda rubbed her eyes and asked Luna, "Are my eyes ying tricks on me? That woman next to Mr. Nacht is Charlotte, isn''t she? I think my eyes are failing me." "I think my eyes are failing me, too..." Luna pushed forward and got a good look at the woman. When she saw who Zachary had his arms around, the color drained from her face. "Mom, it''s her! It¡¯s that little b-" "Be quiet!" Amanda mped a hand over her daughter¡¯s mouth immediately. "Don''t you dare go shooting off your mouth today. If someone overhears you, you''ll get into a lot of trouble." Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Simon, who was shocked to see Charlotte, asked Hector anxiously, "Hector, w-what¡¯s going on? Why''s Charlotte with Mr. Nacht?" However, thetter was so focused on looking at Charlotte that he did not hear whatever Simon was saying. There was an unfathomable gaze in the man''s eyes, one that was a mixture of heartache, regret, and a sense of impending loss. "Hector..." Amanda walked over with Luna and said to the man softly, "Luna and I will be heading back first." "Alright.¡± That was what Hector had been hoping for. "Everyone, please keep quiet!¡± The emcee announced on stage, "Mr. Nacht, our host, has arrived. I shall now dere the start of the charity auction. Everyone, please take your seats!" All the guests proceeded to sit down in an orderly manner. Hector and Simon took their seats while Amanda led Luna towards the exit discreetly. Just then, the door was suddenly shut, and the spotlight shone on the two women. Caught in the act, both women looked awkward and embarrassed. The rest of the guests were all looking at them with contemptuous looks on their faces. Someone even asked in a low voice, "Which family do they belong to? Where are their manners?" "Obviously, they¡¯re just bumpkins. If that''s the case, they should have stayed at home instead of being such an embarrassment." "Exactly!" Hector immediately covered his face with his hands, feeling extremely reluctant to let the others know that those two women were his family members. Simon smiled awkwardly at the other guests as he took quick strides towards Amanda and Luna. "Why are you two still standing here? Quick, return to your seats now." "We wouldn¡¯t havee if we had known this would happen," Luna mumbled to herself, feeling annoyed at the situation. "Keep quiet. Isn''t this already embarrassing enough?" Amanda had experienced her fair share of ups and downs in life, so she was not particrly fazed. She bowed apologetically and said, "My apologies, everyone, this girl isn¡¯t feeling well. We wanted to leave quietly to not create any disturbances to the event. We did not realize the auction had already started." "Mam, we have a lounge where you can rest," a waiter informed Amanda softly. "Oh, she''s fine now. We''re good. Haha... Thanks!" Amanda dragged her daughter back to their seats, and the both of them sat down soon after, their faces flushing. Luna noticed that Hector had been staring at Charlotte, who was seated at the front row, all the while. In contrast, he did not seem to care about her predicament. She was boiling with anger. Just as she was about tosh out at him, Amanda stopped her from doing that. "No matter what happens tonight, you must control yourself. Do not let your emotions take over. Otherwise, we won''t just be embarrassing ourselves - we¡¯ll be bringing shame to both the Whites and the Sterlings. Even worse, you might incur Hector''s wrath, and he might not take you out anymore if you get on his bad side." "I can''t ept this," Luna said through gritted teeth. "All Charlotte Windt did was cozy up to a man. Who does she think she is..." "Rx and stay calm. We don¡¯t know that for a fact yet, so don''t get angry and jump to conclusions!" Amanda reprimanded Luna while trying to suppress her voice. "Do you think a high and mighty man like Mr. Nacht would be interested in a second-hand good? Especially one who has already given birth to three children? She''s merely attending an auction with him. That doesn¡¯t mean anything." "You have a point," Luna replied as a twinkle suddenly appeared in her eyes. "I bet Mr. Nacht isn''t aware of her background yet. I should tell him..." "Stop right here!" Her mother quickly held her back. "I really wonder how I gave birth to a stupid girl like you. Can¡¯t you use your brain a little?¡± "What''s wrong?" Luna replied indignantly. "Are you really asking me that?" Amanda frowned. "We¡¯re not supposed to be the ones alerting Mr. Nacht to such information. If we do that, he wouldn''t have a good impression of us." "What shall we do then?" Luna was confused. "Don''t worry, I have a n." Amanda turned to look at the two men beside her. One of them was her husband, while the other was her son-inw. Both men had their full attentions on Original content from N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte - they could not be bothered with her and Luna. Amanda felt a flicker of irritation at that observation, but she knew that she shouldn''t let her personal feelings spoil the grand scheme of things. "Let''s just watch the auction quietly first and go with the flow.¡± The woman stared at Charlotte''s figure as the corners of her lips curled up into a cold and wicked smile. "When did Charlotte get so chummy with Mr. Nacht?" Simon asked Hector again. "She''s working at Divine Corporation and is Mr. Nacht''s employee," thetter answered as he finally retracted his gaze. However, he was still feeling bothered. "I''m going to the washroom." The man got up and buttoned his suit before casting a stern look at Luna and warning her, "Don''t stir up any trouble!" He stalked off after saying that. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 "Am I his wife, or is she?" Luna''s face turned ashen with anger. "Stay calm," Amanda held her daughter''s hand,forting her. Meanwhile, Charlotte could not sit still as she was worried that Amanda and Luna would be creating trouble for her again. At that moment, Zachary gave her hand a light squeeze. It was a subtle action, but it strangely had a calming effect on her. She turned to look at the man. He was focusing on the stage and did not have any kind of expression on his face, but the warmth of his hand set her heart at ease. She could feel something tugging at her heartstrings; it was a funny feeling... Dinner was served a whileter. That night''s charity auction had a special arrangement where guests could dine and participate in the auction at the same time. Guests were seated as family units - each table only had guests from the same family. Charlotte subconsciously licked her lips when a French dish was served to her table. The small piece of cake she had eaten in the car previously had not been enough to make her feel full. Zachary took over the cup of red wine from the waiter and raised his ss towards her. She raised a toast to him as well and took a sip of the wine while saying casually, "It''s really generous of you to serve such fine wine to your guests!¡± "Huh?" he cocked his brow and asked, "You know what wine this is?" "How could I not know?" She continued cutting her steak and without looking up, she said, "Aubleener nc from S Winery in Arkfield. There''re only 78 barrels in the whole world. Don¡¯t you think it''s a waste to serve such exquisite wine at a function like this?" "I didn''t know you were familiar with wine," he replied as his lips curled up. "I''ve actually acquired the entire batch of Aubleener nc. By right, no one would have tasted it. How did you know?" "I visited S Winery with my dad eight years ago and tasted it in the wine cer. My dad was intending to buy a few barrels of it, but it was a pity that someone snatched all of it before we could buy any. I never expected the person to be you." Charlotte was feeling slightly emotional as she recalled the past. When her dad was still alive, he had brought her along on his travels around the world and taught her a lot... "It''s impressive that you remembered it after tasting it just once." Zachary looked at her and asked, "What else do you know apart from red wine?" "Jewelry, oil paintings, piano, fashion design..." Charlotte listed while counting on her fingers. "I know a bit of all those. I usually go with the flow when ites to learning new things." "Such things are usually picked up by heiresses to impress others," Zacharymented with a slight scoff. "It would be useful if there''s in-depth learning of a particr subject matter since that could be applied at work, but if it''s superficial knowledge, it''s pretty useless!" "Hehe, you¡¯re right about that," Charlotteughed. "That was what I told my dad, but he said that he only wanted me to be happy. I could marry a capable man and let him run the family business... It Perhaps it was because of the wine, but she thought about her dad a lot that night... "You seem to have a really good rtionship with your dad," Zachary looked at her andmented, feeling slightly envious at the same time. "Now I know why you¡¯re always so silly. It¡¯s because your dad was always pampering you!" "Well, you sure have hit the nail on the head!" Charlotte smiled embarrassingly. "I''ve always been pampered by my dad, so I¡¯ve never experienced the vicissitudes of life. Never would I have expected the greatest tribtion of my life to be..." Her expression darkened as she spoke. If she had been slightly smarter four years ago and was not easily influenced by Luna, she would not have made such a grave mistake... If she had shown more concern for her dad and understood the situation of thepany, she might have been able to prevent that tragedy from happening... N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "The business arena is just like a battlefield - it can be very unpredictable." The man had heard a little about her family matters and knew that she was likely referring to her dad''s bankruptcy and suicide four years ago, which resulted in her losing everything she had. "Until now, I''m still not able to figure out why my dad''spany had suddenly run into problems. Everything was going well..." Charlotte could not wrap her head around it. "Besides, my dad was a strong and positive person. Even if thepany had problems, it''s not like him to choose death as the way out. I had a feeling things were not as simple as it seemed to be..." "What''s the name of your dad''spany?" Zachary asked while swirling his wine ss. "Windt Real Estate Corporation. In short, Windt Corporation," she answered. Zachary suddenly froze when he heard that name. An unfathomable glint shed in his eyes. However, he recovered very quickly and looked down at his ss, continuing to taste his wine gracefully... Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Just as Charlotte wanted to share more about Windt Corporation, she suddenly received a text on her phone. Hector here. I''ll be waiting for you at the parlor! When she saw the message, her heart skipped a beat. How did Hector get my number?He even messaged me...Could someone who''s pretending to be N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Hector trying to lure me over? Charlotte turned around and looked at where the Sterlings were seated at. Simon, Amanda, and Luna were dining at the table, but Hector wasn¡¯t there. The number from which the text had been sent was indeed Hector''s. He was still using the same number from before, so Charlotte was rather certain that it was really him who had texted her. However, she did not wish to be involved with him again. As such, she replied: You can text me if there''s anything you want to say. It''s not appropriate for us to meet in private. A reply came shortly after: I need to talk to you face to face. I only need five minutes of your time. Take the exit on your right - you''ll be able to see me there. I won''t leave until youe! Charlotte felt conflicted when she saw that message. It reminded her of an argument she had with Hector years back. He had said the same thing - that he would wait for her outside her house and would not leave until he saw her. Back then, she had refused to see him out of spite. It had poured heavily at night. She had assumed that he would have left, but he had waited in the rain the entire night. Because of that, he ran a high fever the next day which developed into pneumonia. He was even hospitalized for one whole month. Charlotte felt uneasy as those memories surfaced in her mind. She put down her utensils and said to Zachary, "I need to go to the restroom." "Sure," the man replied, darting a nce at the woman''s phone. A frosty glint shed in his eyes, and an indecipherable expression appeared on his face simultaneously. Raina helped Charlotte out of her seat. After exiting from the right side of the hall, thetter saw Hector immediately. He was smoking at the end of the corridor and his lonely figure seemed deste. Noticing that Raina was with Charlotte, Hector looked down and walked into the restroom next to him. "You can wait for me here," Charlotte said to Raina. "Sure," the woman replied and stood outside the restroom. Charlotte entered thedies¡¯ and was about to text Hector when she saw a white figure sh past in the mirror. One secondter, someone hugged her tightly from the back... "Ah!" Charlotte jumped and let out a shriek before trying desperately to struggle out of Hector''s embrace. "Let go!" "Don''t worry. I''ve checked and ensured that there''s no one else around," the man said in a whisper and tried to hug the woman again. However, she retreated a few steps instinctively and crossed her arms in front of her chest in a defensive stance. "Mr. Sterling, please have some self-respect!" "Charlotte, why are you so guarded against me?" He was feeling pained. "Could it be that you''ve really gotten together with Zachary Nacht?" "That¡¯s none of your business," she replied with a frown. "Please remember that you are a married man now." "I regret it so much..." The man downcast his eyes, feeling frustrated. "What happened back then was a mistake. It''s my fault for not protecting you well. Please give me another chance. Let''s start anew." "Do you even know what you''re saying?" She widened her eyes in shock as she could hardly believe the words that had juste out of Hector''s mouth... Even though what happened back then had indeed been a mistake, no matter what, it was a fact that he had already be someone else''s husband and should be acting appropriately. In fact, Charlotte was extremely disappointed with Hector¡¯s behavior. "Charlotte..." "Mr. Sterling,¡± she interrupted the man before carrying on in a stern voice, "Did you call me out just to say all these?" "Why are you so cold towards me?" He was unable to ept the way she was treating him. "I don''t want to be associated with a married man." The crease between her brows deepened, and she said, "I shall get going if there''s nothing else." The woman then turned and walked away after finishing her sentence... "You will definitely regret it if you get together with Zachary Nacht!¡± Hector suddenly eximed. Charlotte stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Why do you say so?" "Because..." Just when Hector was about to exin, a woman''s voice sounded outside. "Why can¡¯t we go inside? I''m looking for my husband." It was Luna. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 "This is thedies''. Why would your husband be in there?" Raina replied politely. "Since it¡¯s thedies¡¯ room, why am I not allowed to enter?" Luna threw the question back to Raina. "Ms. Windt is injured and should not be disturbed. You can go in once shees out." Raina did not want to let Amanda and Luna in for fear that they would pick on Charlotte, so she blocked them from entering the washroom. "Luna, let¡¯s head back first. We shouldn¡¯t be kicking up a fuss at an event like this..." Amanda tried to persuade her daughter to let it slide, but her words fell on deaf ears. Once Luna knew that Charlotte was inside the toilet as well, she grew even more agitated... "I knew it! That slut Charlotte is trying to seduce my darling again." Luna tried to barge in as she yelled, "Get out of my way!" "Please respect yourself!" Raina shot a sharp and cold nce at the hysteric woman. "A servant like you does not have any right to speak to me," Luna said in an arrogant tone as she extended her hand, intending to push Raina away. However, Raina caught her hand swiftly and pushed her away instead. The woman staggered and almost fell onto the ground. Luckily, Amanda held on to Luna in time, preventing her from falling. But thetter ended up spraining her ankle, and her face went pale. Furious, she yelled, "You b*tch! How dare you push me? Do you know who my husband is?" "Why would I care who your husband is? If you carry on raising a ruckus here, don''t me me for being harsh," Raina bellowed. "Who exactly are you? What an arrogant b*tch!" Amanda could not help but feel agitated as well upon seeing how her daughter was injured. She dashed forward, about to strike Raina. Thetter narrowed her eyes dangerously as she prepared herself to make a move to defend herself... "Stop it!" someone yelled. Amanda and Luna stopped their actions abruptly. Just then, Hector walked out of the gents and frowned at his wife. "What trouble are you stirring again?" "Hector, are you having a rendezvous with Charlotte..." "Let''s not talk about such matter first," Amanda interrupted her and pointed at Raina. "Hector, this woman tried to hit Luna just now!" Hector turned to look at Raina but did not chide her for anything. Instead, he bowed and apologized, "I''m so sorry, Dr. Langhan. My wife was being rude." Amanda and Luna were shocked by Hector''s gesture as they did not expect the man to respond in such a manner. "There''s no need for such things, Mr. Sterling." Raina smiled politely and replied, "It''s best not to create any unwanted attention at the auction venue. It wouldn''t be pleasant if Mr. Nacht gets upset by it." "Of course." "Hector, why are you..." "Keep quiet," The man cut Luna off and lowered his voice as he reprimanded her, "Why did you pick a fight with her when you know that she''s working for Mr. Nacht?" "She''s just a servant..." Luna felt immensely insulted and was so upset that she burst out in tears. "Am I worse than a servant of Mr. Nacht?" "You are." An arrogant voice suddenly sounded, and the atmosphere turned so chilling that it felt as if the temperature had dropped a few degrees. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. When Luna looked up and saw Zachary, she felt instantly threatened by hismanding aura. Feeling flustered, she curled up into her mother''s arms and held her breath. Amanda was also feeling very nervous as she hugged her daughter while retreating behind Hector. "Mr. Nacht,¡± Raina bowed, greeting Zachary respectfully. The man beckoned her to look behind by pointing with his chin. Raina turned around and realized that Charlotte had alreadye out from thedies¡¯ and was witnessing the scene by the door. The doctor quickly stepped towards the woman and supported her. "I''m so sorry that my wife has disturbed you, Mr. Nacht. When we go back, I''ll definitely teach her... some proper manners." When Hector was in the midst of apologizing, Raina and Charlotte approached Zachary''s side. Hector paused for a moment while he looked at Charlotte with a mixture of emotions stirring in his eyes, but very quickly, he diverted his gaze. "Mr. Nacht, it was a misunderstanding just now. We all had a misunderstanding," Reading the situation well, Amanda immediately rified with a smile, "We didn''t know that this..." She pointed at Raina before continuing, dy works for you." The next instant, Amanda lowered her head towards Raina and apologized. "Dr. Langhan, we¡¯re so sorry. We offended you without knowing who you are. Please ept my sincere apologies!" "Mom..." Luna was trembling with rage. Seeing Amanda lower herself to apologize in such a situation, Charlotte couldn''t help but apud the woman silently in her heart. This woman sure knows when to give in. With this quality, it wouldn''t be a surprise if she manages to achieve great things! Chapter 86 Chapter 86 "You guys should be apologizing to Ms. Windt instead,¡± Raina stated coldly. Amanda''s expression turned grim when she heard that; she was extremely reluctant to apologize to Charlotte. However, after noticing Hector¡¯s silence and Zachary''s domineering aura that reminded her of Hades, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and apologize. "Charlotte, I¡¯m sorry for..." "Mom, don''t apologize to her," Luna quickly interrupted her while pointing at Charlotte. She then said in an agitated manner, "Mr. Nacht, there¡¯s something you might not be aware of. Don''t be deceived by this woman''s innocent looks. She''s in fact a slut who drove her dad to his grave after hooking up with a gigolo at a nightclub four years ago. She even gave birth to that gigolo''s..." Charlotte was startled and was about to stop her... "Shut up!" Hector growled anxiously. At the same time, a hard pnded on Luna''s face. It wasn''t Hector who had hit her, but Amanda instead. With one hand covering the side of her face that was hit, the woman looked at her mom incredulously. "Mom, you... why did you p me?" Hector was shocked by Amanda¡¯s actions as well. He knew she had all along been extremely protective of Luna and pampered her with no boundaries. Why would she p her? Charlotte sneered when she saw that, realizing that she had really underestimated Amanda... What a smart woman! She knows how to read a situation urately and act ordingly without reservations! "Behave yourself in front of Mr. Nacht!" Amanda chided Luna and turned towards Zachary while bowing deeply to him. "Mr. Nacht, we¡¯re really so sorry for spoiling your good spirits today. Please don''t take it to heart and forgive us for our wrongdoings!¡± Without sparing her a nce, Zachary held Charlotte''s hand and turned to leave... Hector had aplicated and indescribable gaze in his eyes as he looked at Zachary and Charlotte walking away hand in hand. He swiftly collected his thoughts and frowned at Amanda, saying, "Mom, I''ll get Owen to send the two of you back." "That won''t do. The auction just started. How can we leave now?" Amanda smiled and said, "Why don¡¯t you go in first? I''ll talk to Luna andfort her first. We won''t take long.¡± "Sure." Not wanting to waste his time and his breath of them, Hector left hurriedly. "Hector..." Luna wanted to grab her husband''s arms, but her mother held her back. "Stop your tantrums and listen to me." "Mom, why? Just why?" Luna was furious and trembling all over. "Why are you behaving like that?" "Silly girl..." Amanda hugged her daughter affectionately, feeling bad for the p a while back. "Mom did such a thing for you. Think about it. What do you think the consequences would be if you had exposed Charlotte in front of so many people?" "What consequences would there be?" Luna was unable to understand as she carried on, "Charlotte is hiding the fact that she''s already a mom from Mr. Nacht. After we tell him about it, he will teach her a good lesson and chase her away. I''m sure he will not want to have any further associations with her after that. He''ll be thanking us for it. What other consequences could there possibly be?" "Why are you so dumb..." Amanda could not help but feel extremely disappointed with her daughter. "All men value their pride, especially a distinguished man like Zachary Nacht! If you expose Charlotte in front of so many of us, it''s as good as telling everyone that Zachary Nacht is a bad judge of character, N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. which is a clear p to his face!" After hearing her mom''s exnation, Luna fell into a daze. Well, that seems to make some sense... "By then, Charlotte would not be the only one who¡¯s in trouble. The both of us; even the Sterlings and the Whites might be implicated,¡± Amanda borated urgently. "I''ve heard a long time back that Zachary Nacht is like Hades in the business arena. As long as he''s determined to crush apany, nopany would be able to survive the next day! Besides, he''s known for his ruthlessness and unforgiving ways. So, remember to never get onto his bad side." "Fine, I know..." Her daughter pursed her lips and felt indignant. "Even if that''s the case, you didn¡¯t have to p me. You could have just told me to keep quiet." "If I didn¡¯t do that, Hector would have done that himself.¡± Amanda frowned and continued, "A p from him would be way more painful than what you received from me." Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Amanda''s words upset Luna even more, and the woman started crying while burying her face in her hands. "Hector doesn¡¯t love me at all. he only has eyes for Charlotte. He does not have any real feelings for me..." "Alright, hush, hush, stop crying..." Amanda embraced her daughter with her heart aching. "Silly girl, I will definitely stand up for you when the opportunity arises. Let¡¯s go to the lounge to check if you''re hurt." Meanwhile, the auction was about to begin. Loud music was being sted in the venue. "I feel like heading home," Charlotte told Zachary. However, thetter did not hear her. So, she leaned in closer to his ear and repeated herself, "Mr. Nacht, I feel like heading back first." "It¡¯s still early," Zachary put his arms around the woman¡¯s slender waist and pulled her into his arms. He brushed his cold and thin lips against her cheeks and whispered into her ears, "Was it fun to hook up with a gigolo? Huh?" "Pfft!" Charlotte was speechless and flustered by his question. She panicked even more when she met his wicked gaze and tried to exin, "Actually, what happened back then was..." "That wasn''t the first time someone told me about such a matter," Zachary said in a seductive whisper as he bit her earlobes yfully. "It seems like you''re famous for hooking up with gigolos." A numbing tingle ran across Charlotte''s body; she felt as if she was being electrocuted. She shuddered. Her heart was thumping so fast that she thought it was going to explode out of her chest. She hurriedly distanced herself from him as she shifted a little to the side. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Zachary couldn''t help but smile faintly upon seeing how flustered the woman was. A woman''s sensitivity represented either her passion or purity. No matter which one it was, he was equally happy! Hector was observing their interactions from a distance. He could feel his heart tightening, and his tightly clenched fists were trembling... At that moment, he had an impulse to charge over and snatch Charlotte away. "Hector, where¡¯s Luna and your mom?" Simon asked, interrupting the man¡¯s thoughts. "They''re resting at the lounge," Hector replied with a frown. "What happened just now? You don''t look too good," the man probed further. "Can you ask them yourself and stop bothering me?" Simon was taken aback by that reply. Over the years, Hector had always gentlemanly, polite, and well- mannered. He had never shown his temper, and even if there were problems, he wouldmunicate his thoughts rationally. What¡¯s wrong with him today? Simon wondered. "I''m so sorry..." Hector apologized as he realized that he had lost hisposure. "Dad, I''m sorry for letting my emotions get the better of me." "No worries, it¡¯s fine." Simon smiled. "I know how tormenting it can be handling those two women. Even I''m not able to stand them sometimes. Don''t be angry, yeah? I''ll go look for them to make sure they don¡¯t stir up any trouble again." "Alright." "Ladies and gentlemen, I shall now officially announce the beginning of bidding for tonight''s charity auction." With the emcee''s announcement, a tform was elevated from the center of the stage. A ruby ne, which was ced on the crystal table, dazzled under the bright spotlight. "Mom, I want that." Luna saw the ne the moment she returned to the banquet hall and immediately took a liking to it. "Don''t be in a hurry," Amanda said softly. "Seven jewelry items that will be auctioned tonight. Every single one of them is a prized treasure of F Nation¡¯s royalty and extremely expensive. Besides, given the rarity of these items, their closing bids would definitely be at exorbitant prices..." "So what if they are exorbitantly priced? It''s not as if my darling is not able to afford it." Luna limped towards the Sterlings'' table with her sprained ankle and deliberately extended her foot in front of Hector. She began to choke on her words as sheined, "You don''t even care about me even though I¡¯m injured. Even Timothy would know how to show concern for his mom." At that remark, Hector frowned. Even though he really wanted to ignore Luna, his heart softened after she brought up their son. So, he said, "Which do you want? I''ll buy it for you." "I want that ruby ne." Luna pointed at the stage. "The starting bid would be ten million, and each bid increment needs to be at least a million," the emcee announced. "Do you like that?" Zachary leaned towards Charlotte''s ear and asked. "It''s not bad." That ruby ne reminded the woman of her father. She had been penniless after her dad passed away, and as ast resort, she had sold the sapphire ne her dad had given. It looked somewhat simr to the ruby ne. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 "Ten million, Mr. Sterling ced his bid for ten million..." The emcee announced. "Eleven million, Mr. Cole has ced a bid for eleven million." "Thirteen million, Mr. Ziegler has ced a bid for thirteen million..." Charlotte turned around and looked at the guests. The bidding situation was intense; all the businessmen present were actively cing their bids. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Even though there was a distance between her and the gemstones, Charlotte could tell that they were highly valuable... "Do these belong to F Nation''s royalty?" Even though she was not an expert, she could still recognize the authenticity of those gems. "How were you able to tell?" Zachary asked. "From the magnified images on the screen, we can see that the tinum engravings on the sides of the gemstones are symbolic of F Nation''s royalty..." She examined in detail as she borated, "Judging by the handiwork, it should be crafted by a craftsman from F Nation''s royalty during ancient times. As such, I¡¯m quite sure that these jewelry are prized treasures of F Nation¡¯s royalty." "Well, it seems like you''re not that ignorant after all," the man praised the woman with a look of admiration in his eyes. "I know a little about it mainly because this ne looks very much like the one I had sold off," Charlotte sighed. "It feels like they are from the same collection. It''s just that mine is a sapphire ne instead of a ruby ne..." "Are you talking about the ''Heart of the Ocean''?" Zachary looked slightly startled. "Yes, it was called the Heart of the Ocean," Charlotte nodded. "You''ve heard of it?" "How did you have that ne?" "My dad gave it to me. He might have gotten it from an overseas auction," she replied casually. "I sold it for one million and two hundred thousand four years back when I was down and out because I ran out of options!" Zachary was speechless when he heard that. "What''s wrong?" Charlotte pressed on. Ignoring her, Zachary signaled to Ben, who was seated next to him. Immediately after, thetter raised his bidding paddle and shouted, "Thirty million!" Suddenly, the atmosphere in the hall grew tense. When the rest of the guests saw that Zachary was also interested in the item, they did not dare raise the bid any further. "You''re the host. Is it appropriate for you to do this?" Charlotte leaned in closer to Zachary''s ear and asked, "Who else would dare to up the bid after you raised your paddle?" He rolled his eyes at her and made a hand gesture. The emcee said cheerfully, "Everyone, there''s no need to be so tensed up. Mr. Nacht is just joining in the fun. Please feel free to raise the bid if you really like the item. No matter what the oue of tonight''s auction is, it will definitely not affect your business rtions." Even though the emcee had given his reassurance, no one dared to make any further move. That was until the Sterlings'' bidding paddle was raised... "Thirty-one million!" Luna announced her bid personally. "What are you doing?" Amanda immediately pulled her daughter towards her seat. "Are you crazy?" "They''ve already said that the auction would not affect business..." the woman pouted and continued, "I really like that ne. It matches my ck evening dress very well." "But..." "Mom," Hector interrupted Amanda and said softly, "Since Luna likes it, let her bid for it." "Huh?" The That was one of the rare asions where Hector had shown any support for Luna. "I knew it! My darling is the best!¡± Luna beamed and gave her husband a peck on his cheeks. Simon frowned. He was very well aware that Hector was doing that for the sake of his dignity and pride as a man. Charlotte turned around instinctively after hearing the Sterlings¡¯ bid and met Hector¡¯s unfathomable gaze. A surge of emotions rose within Hector as he looked at her. He would be willing to spend thirty-one million just for her to take one nce at him... "What''s that b*tch looking at?" Luna stared at Charlotte. Thetter retracted her gaze and just when she was about to tell Zachary to stop bidding, Ben suddenly raised his paddle and eximed, "One hundred million!" "Wow..." Everyone gasped in shock. The rest of the guests were all stunned. Such a deration was expected of Zachary Nacht indeed. Once the man had his mind set on something, other people would not stand a chance. As such, even if Hector had a hundred million, he did not dare to up the bid any further. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 "Is he crazy? One hundred million for one ne?" Amanda was dumbstruck. "What''s the big deal about one hundred million? My darling can afford that as well," Luna scoffed as she raised her bidding paddle again. "Put it down..." Simon swiftly pulled her hand down and said, "Are you trying to ruin Hector?" "Dad, what are you doing..." "Listen to your dad. Don''t do anything stupid," Amanda reprimanded. Even though Luna was outraged, she had no choice but to ept her fate. "One hundred million going once, one hundred million going twice..." "Are you mad? You''re paying one hundred million for one ne?" Charlotte lowered her voice, hardly able to calm down. "Don''t you find it a waste of money?" "Money is just a number." The man remained unmoved. "But..." "And the ruby ne is sold at one hundred million!" The emcee banged the lectern to end the bidding. A concierge dressed in an evening gown delivered the ruby ne cautiously from the stage to Zachary. The man took over the ne and handed it to Charlotte at once. "This is for you!" She was shocked. He purchased the ruby ne at one hundred million, and he''s giving it to me?ls he sure about this? There was an uproar among the guests. Most of them were engaged in hushed discussions with their families, trying to figure out Charlotte''s identity. They were wondering which rich or influential family the woman was from to be chosen by Zachary. Most of the guests present did not know who she was, except for three of them. Those three people did not dare to make a sound while they turned to look at Amanda, who shot them a look, beckoning them to expose Charlotte''s real identity. Two of the three guests were hesitant to do that. The other woman was Mary, the wife of Thomas, a distant rtive of the Windt family. Previously, Thomas had tried to lecture Charlotte at the Whites¡¯ residences but had been retaliated by the woman. Thomas and Mary still had not gotten over it yet. When Thomas saw Charlotte entering the auction hall earlier that night, he cursed a little under his breath before finding an excuse to smoke backstage. As such, Mary was left alone in her seat. Initially, she was not keen to stir up any trouble, but Amanda rang her cell and kept repeating what had happened at the Whites'' residences that day. All the while emphasizing how Charlotte had disrespected them. In addition, Amanda had also said, "Mr. Nacht is still kept in the dark. He''spletely oblivious to the kind of woman Charlotte is. I''m sure Mr. Nacht will be very appreciative of whoever exposes her now..." With that thought in mind, Mary stood up and started walking towards the front row... Amanda knew that her ploy had seeded when she saw the woman approaching Zachary. The corners of her lips curled up into a smug sneer. "Mom, what''s Mary doing?¡± Luna tugged at Amanda''s sleeves and asked, "Is she intending to..." "Shh!" Amanda immediately covered her daughter''s mouth with her hands to stop her from talking. She gritted her teeth and growled, "Shut your mouth!" "Mm, Mm!" Luna nodded continuously, unable to hide the excitement in her eyes. "What are you two plotting again?" A crease appeared between Simon''s brows. Hector had also noticed the mother-daughter pair behaving strangely but chose not to ask anything. He just wanted to look at Charlotte quietly. The woman was currently at the center of everyone''s attention, looking just like a shining star. It was the dream of countless heiresses to win the favor of Zachary, to marry into the Nacht family and be his woman! No doubt, that was the greatest aplishment of Charlotte''s life... Media was usually not invited to any of Zachary''s functions - there was usually a rule to ban the distribution of any photos taken. If that were not the case, that night''s event would have definitely been the hottest topic in town. Charlotte''s mind was in a state of chaos as she stared at the ruby ne that was worth one hundred million. She kept crossing and uncrossing her arms in front of her chest, and her breathing became quick and uneasy, apanied by an increase in her heart rate... "Do you want it or not?" Zachary frowned, looking impatient. "I''m going to throw it away if you''re not taking it!" As the man spoke, he pretended as though he was about to toss the ruby ne away... "I want it! I want it!" She snatched the ne from him anxiously, and due to her state of panic, she lost her bnce and fell into his arms. He smiled and whispered into her ears in an intimate manner, "I like that you''re behaving so N?velDrama.Org (C) content. enthusiastically." "I... I didn¡¯t fall on purpose..." She turned red from her cheeks to the tip of her ears as she spoke, but her voice was drowned out by the round of apuse which erupted from the guests. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 "I have something to tell Mr. Nacht. Let me go over!" A voice suddenly sounded, disrupting their romantic moment. Charlotte looked up from Zachary''s arms and saw a familiar face. Isn''t she Thomas'' wife, Mary? Her heart did a double somersault as she anxiety rose within her instantly. Thomas and Mary were rather ignorant and easily influenced. As such, she could easily guess that Amanda must have instigated the woman toe over and expose her... "You need to make an appointment with Mr. Nacht''s secretary to speak to him." The bodyguard stopped Mary expressionlessly and stated, "Please leave now." "I''m not here to discuss business matters with Mr. Nacht. I''m here to tell him a secret..." Mary panicked and started yelling over the heads of the guests, "Mr. Nacht, Mr. Nacht! You have been deceived. This woman, Charlotte Windt, is not as innocent as she seems. She has a tainted reputation and..." "Take her away," Zacharymanded coldly. "Understood." The bodyguard covered Mary¡¯s mouth immediately and dragged her away. The woman whimpered as she struggled to speak but was knocked unconscious by the bodyguard before being dragged away like a dead dog. It was pin-drop silence in the auction hall after that. The rest of the guests were all terrified - no one dared to make a sound. After Thomas heard themotion, he hurried back to join the crowd and was shocked when he saw what had happened. Just when he was about to inquire about the situation, Simon held him back forcefully and said, "You shouldn''t associate yourself with the situation right now. Otherwise, thepany might be implicated." "But, my wife..." "Nothing will happen to her," Simon reassured. "When you pick her upter, say that you didn''t know anything about what she was nning and scold your wife. They will at most give you a verbal warning and won''t make things any harder for you." "Alright then..." Thomas answered while pulling a long face. "But what on Earth happened? How did my wife offend Mr. Nacht?" "Maybe she couldn''t stand that b*tch Charlotte and wanted to stand up for you." Amanda pretended to be fuming over the situation as she continued, "Oh dear, now that Charlotte has such a strong backing, we can¡¯t afford to offend her anymore. It''s so unfortunate that your wife has to suffer because of that b*tch!" "Keep yourments to yourself," Simon growled. Amanda red at her husband while fanning herself with her handkerchief. Sighing continuously, she headed back to her seat... "Mom, how did it go? Did Mary manage to tell him?" Luna asked immediately. "She was dragged away before she got to say anything." Amanda put a hand to her chest. Just thinking about what happened sent a shiver down her spine. "It seems like that b*tch, Charlotte, is very important to Mr. Nacht. Looks like we¡¯ve underestimated her. Luckily, we didn''t do that ourselves. Otherwise, we would be the ones suffering right now." "She got lucky to be favored by Mr. Nacht. Let''s see how long she canst." Luna was boiling with anger. "He''ll get sick of her sooner orter!" "Stop talking about it for now. We should head home first. Judging by the situation tonight, I have got a feeling that something else might happen..." Just when Amanda and Luna were about to leave, the emcee suddenly announced that they would be continuing with the second round of auction. The second item was a pink diamond ring. Even though it was only a twelve-carat diamond, natural pink diamonds were extremely rare. In addition, the diamond had been embedded wlessly into the ring. Besides, there was a special significance behind that pink diamond ring. It had a history of 99 years and had three previous owners altogether. Each owner had experienced a beautiful love story. As such, that ring signified perfect love and was named "Beloved!¡± "I want it.¡± Luna could not take her eyes off that pink diamond ring. At once, she tugged at Hector''s arm, requesting in a coquettish manner, "Hector, buy that for me please." "You can call for the bid yourself.¡± The man had lost interest in the auction and was intending to leave. "Owen will be staying and making paymentter. I just need you to keep one thing in mind. No matter Original content from N?velDrama.Org. what you do, don''t offend Mr. Nacht!" "Yes, yes, I understand." Luna nodded eagerly and added, "Don''t worry." After Hector gave some orders to his subordinate, he stood up and left. "Luna, listen to mom. Don''t buy that." Amanda tried to cajole her daughter into leaving as well. "So much has happened tonight. We should y it safe and leave before anything else bad happens..." Chapter 91 Chapter 91 "It''s exactly because the night has been so eventful that I should treat myself to a present for having a hard day,¡± Luna disagreed. "It''s not every day Hector is so generous. Since he''s allowing me to bid for anything I want, I should take the chance to showcase myself in front of everyone. Otherwise, those richdies will always look down on me at socialites'' parties!" After hearing her daughter''s perspective, Amanda stopped insisting as well... She could understand the reasons for Luna feeling that way. Even though the Sterlings enjoyed a high Original content from N?velDrama.Org. status, her daughter was never popr among the socialites'' circle. Whenever she attended one of their gatherings, she would always go home feeling hurt and in tears... It might actually be a good opportunity for the woman to be seen. That way, those people would stop looking down on her in the future. "The bidding starts now. The starting bid would be nine million with each bid increment being five hundred thousand!" the emcee announced. The guests started raising their bidding paddles when they were certain that Zachary was not interested in the item. Luna was one of them. In order to unt the Sterlings'' generosity, the woman bid in an increment of one million instead and managed to catch the attention of the rest of the guests very quickly. She was feeling secretly delighted. The time had finallye for her to make a name for herself. Charlotte was in no mood to carry on watching the auction and was about to try requesting Zachary again to leave... However, before she could speak, he had already stood up and offered his hand to her. "Let''s go out for a walk." "Sure." She ced her hand on his palm and allowed him to lead her towards the exit of the hall. Just like that, they had be the center of attention again. Even the auction was temporarily halted... The event only carried on after the two of them left the hall. Luna was extremely upset. She had to spend so much money to bid for an item, while Charlotte easily grabbed the attention of everyone without doing anything! How unfair was that! "Don''t let that b*tch ruin your good spirits," her mother reminded softly. "Let''s leave after you win the bid for this item." "The Browns have ced a bid of thirteen million..." "Thirty million!" Luna raised her bidding paddle and instantly became the focus of attention once again. Consecutive bids during an auction would usually be in slight increments. However, Luna had straight away increased the bid by more than twofold, which was very generous indeed! She had done so not only for the pink diamond ring but also because the person bidding against her was Helena, a socialite from the Brown family. Everyone knew that Helena had fervently pursued Hector once upon a time. Even though Luna did not dare to offend Zachary, she would never allow herself to lose to the Browns. "Mrs. Sterling has ced a bid of thirty million. Thirty million going once, thirty million going twice, thirty million so..." Luna had a conceited smile on her face, thinking that she was finally going to win the bid. "Fifty million!" Helena suddenly eximed. "You..." Fury coursed through Luna''s veins when she heard that and raised her paddle immediately in retaliation... "Mrs. Sterling!" Owen stopped the woman immediately and said, "Mr. Sterling has given orders that the highest we can go is fifty million. If it''s anything above that, we have to give up the item." "Why?" Luna asked, feeling exasperated. "It¡¯s not as if we can¡¯t afford it." "It''s not about money," Owen lowered his voice as he exined. "It¡¯s mainly because Mr. Sterling had considered that if anyone raises the bid to fifty million and above, that would mean that the person really wanted that item. If we outbid them, it might affect business rtions." "But..." "Fifty million going once, fifty million going twice, fifty million..." Seeing that the emcee was about to bang the lectern, Luna turned frantic and immediately raised her paddle. However, Owen forcefully pulled her hand down at once. "Mrs. Sterling, you can''t... u "Get lost!" Luna pushed the man away furiously and yelled, "How dare you stop me! You lowly servant!¡± Then, she raised her paddle again... "Sold!" The emcee banged the lectern to end the second round of auction. Her hand was frozen halfway in the air - she had be the butt of the joke once more... A round of apuse came from the crowd, congratting Helena for winning the bid. The woman smiled graciously at the rest of the guests while epting their congrattions. At the same time, she turned around and shot Luna a provocative look. Luna turned enraged, trembling with anger. She had made a fool out of herself even before the auction officially began. Then, she was humiliated by Zachary''s subordinate outside the toilet. Now, back in the auction hall, all she wanted was to bid for an item to regain some of her lost dignity... But she was being oppressed again. She scanned the surroundings and saw that the socialites and wives of rich businessmen were all staring at her with mocking smiles on their faces. It was as if she was a clown! Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Luna waspletely disheartened and went berserk. She red at Helena furiously like a livid wild cat, wanting to pounce on her and tear her into pieces... "Forget it, Luna, let¡¯s go home. It''s just not our lucky day today," Amanda epted the reality of the situation and tried to coax her daughter into leaving. "We will have plenty of opportunities in the future. We''ll be back again next time!" "That''s right, Mrs. Sterling. Let¡¯s head off first..." Smack! Before Owen couldplete his sentence, a tight p from Lunanded on his face. Everyone was shocked, including the other bodyguards from the Sterling family. Owen was Hector¡¯s most trusted subordinate; the two men had grown up together. The man was considered half a Sterling. As such, not to mention the rest of the subordinates and servants in the Sterling family, even Hector and his parents had never reprimanded Owen before. As such, it came as a shock that Luna had pped him in front of everyone. That was a huge taboo! "Are you crazy?" Amanda widened her eyes, looking stunned beyondprehension. "How can you lose yourposure so easily over such a small matter..." "Mom, stay out of it!" Luna bellowed and pointed at Owen. "If you didn''t pull me back, I wouldn¡¯t have made a fool out of myself! You lowly bastard, I''ll definitely ask Hector to fire you!" The man lowered his head and kept quiet, but a frosty glint had appeared in his chilling eyes... "This child! You''ll be the death of..." Amanda was shaking with exasperation and was about to scold Luna. Just then, Helena walked over with that pink diamond ring, "Beloved." Beaming brightly, she said provocatively, "What''s this? You''re taking out on a subordinate because you couldn''t afford it? Luna, if I were you, I would have already dug a hole and hid in it. Look at you; you''re such an embarrassment! I bet Hector left early the event because he couldn''t stand you." "Shut up!" Luna yelled through gritted teeth. "Helena Brown, you¡¯re just an old hag no one wants to marry. I don''t understand how you can be so smug!" "Well, I''m still better than you even though I¡¯m single," the other woman sneered. "Even though you had married Hector, so what? He doesn''t love you at all. His eyes were not even on you right from the start of tonight¡¯s event. He only feels disgust and contempt for you. If my guesses are correct, he doesn''t even want to sleep with you..." "You..." Luna was trembling with rage and reached forward to give Helena a tight p. Smack! Thetter was unable to dodge in time; a red mark appeared on her face instantly. At the same time, the pink diamond ring fell out of her hands and was soon nowhere to be seen... "Woah!" Gasps of shock could be heard from the rest of the guests as they witnessed the show. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. No one had expected Luna to have the audacity to p Helena in front of so many people. Everyone knew that the Brown family was catching up with the Sterling family to be the next richest family! Hector was well aware of that fact, so he treated the Browns with respect when it came to business dealings. However, all his efforts came to naught because of what Luna had done! "Luna White, how dare you hit me!" Helena was shaking with fury. "Ms. Brown, please calm down. Luna acted on impulse and made a foolish mistake. Please allow me to apologize to you on her behalf..." Amanda immediately stepped forward to apologize, but Helena could not hear a single word of what she was saying. At a wave of the woman¡¯s hand, two bodyguards stepped forward at once and held Luna down. "What are you trying to do? You darey a finger on me?" Luna yelled arrogantly. "My husband is Hector Sterling!" "How arrogant!" A cold voice reverberated throughout the hall, and everyone quietened down at once. Zachary had returned with Charlotte, just in time to watch the good show. The woman sensed that everything that happened that night seemed to be targeted at Amanda and Luna. Could it be that... someone had deliberately arranged for it? Everyone moved aside to clear up a path for Zachary. The man moved forward slowly, and just like the Fates, who were in charge of assigning individual destinies to mortals at birth, he said, "You must have quite the nerve to stir up trouble at my function!" His piercing stare was so overpowering that made it difficult for anyone to breathe. Luna was trembling in fear, not daring to utter a single word. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Realizing the gravity of the matter, Amanda flew into a fluster as she tried to exin, "Mr. Nacht, my daughter acted too impulsively. She did not intend to create trouble for you. We''re willing to apologize andpensate you in any manner you want." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. "Yes, that¡¯s right. Mr. Nacht, you¡¯re a big-hearted man. Please just forgive her this once," Simon pleaded after he heard what had happened. Zachary could not be bothered with them and looked at Helena instead. "You''re the victim here. What do you think?" "This is the first time anyone has humiliated me like that ever since the day I was born.¡± Helena was fuming mad, but she tried her best to control her emotions. "But as this is Mr. Nacht¡¯s function, I won''t kick up a fuss..." She then paused and asked respectfully, "Mr. Nacht, may I hand her over to the police? I intend to get mywyers to sue her." "Please don¡¯t, Ms. Brown..." Amanda pleaded anxiously. "We canpensate you however you want. Please don''t alert the police. Everyone here is either rich or powerful. Besides, this function is hosted by Mr. Nacht. It wouldn''t look good on anyone if the matter is being blown up." Amanda was clear that Luna was the wife of Hector Sterling and represented the Sterlings. No matter how the woman embarrassed herself that night, it would still be kept within the inner circle. After all, it was Zachary''s function and a closed-door event. No one would dare to circte gossip about what had happened. However, it would be a different situation altogether if the police got involved. If Helena approached the media and exaggerated the story, Luna would definitely hit the headlines of major newspapers and be the top search on the inte. The woman would be the butt of the joke of the entire country... By then, it wouldn''t just be Hector - the other elders of the Sterling family, too - who would hate Luna! No matter how dumb the woman was, she still understood that. As such, at that moment, Luna dared not even breathe loudly. She was waiting for her parents to settle the problem for her. That had been the case ever since she was born... "Well, that reminds me." Helena arched her brows and continued, "The auction is still ongoing. How can we spoil everyone''s moods? However, how should I punish you other than going to the police?" "We can apologize and offerpensation..." Amanda immediately suggested. "What a joke! Would I need yourpensation?" Helena bellowed. "All you are going to do is apologizing after pping me? If that¡¯s the case, can I p you ten times and say ''sorry'' ten times too?" "I... " "I think that''s a good idea," Zachary suddenly spoke up. "An eye for an eye!" With the man''s support, Helena said right away, "If you don¡¯t want me to go to the police, fine! Then I''ll have to p you back. For every one p you gave me, I''ll p you ten times. That sounds fair to me!" "Helena Brown, don¡¯t go overboard..." Before Luna could finish her sentence, the first p from Helena had alreadynded on her face. Luna''s cheeks flushed red immediately after being hit. Shaking with anger, she red at the woman in rage. Amanda no longer dared to speak. Even though her heart was aching for her daughter, she could only surrender to the situation... "This is one p," Helena counted and raised her hand, preparing to strike again. "Why are you doing such a thing yourself? Doesn''t it hurt your hand?" Zachary suddenly asked. "Oh, right! Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Nacht." Helena turned to Amanda, saying sweetly, "Aunt Amanda, I¡¯ll have to trouble you, please!¡± The woman looked at Helena incredulously and replied, "You... You want me to do it?" "Why? You can''t bear to?" Helena cocked her brows and said, "If that''s the case, I guess I''ll have to ask my bodyguards to do it instead. Don''t say I didn''t warn you, though. They are quite ruthless. They won''t go easy on her just because she¡¯s ady..." "Where are my bodyguards! Come here now!" "Wait a minute..." Amanda stopped Helena at once and said, "Fine, I''ll do it! I''ll do it!" She then lifted her trembling hand as she spoke and pped Luna gently... "That one¡¯s not counted!" Helena shouted angrily. "I have to hear the pping sound and see the red mark on her face. Otherwise, the p will not be counted." "You..." Even though Amanda was fuming with rage, she had no choice but to p her daughter with all her might. "Mom!" Luna burst into tears. "Why are you crying? Your mom isn¡¯t dead yet!" Helena beamed with delight. "Good job, Aunt Amanda! Carry on!" Amanda shut her eyes andnded another p on her daughter''s face. "Two!" "Three!" "Four!" Helena carried on counting. Simon also felt agonized as he helplessly watched the scene. However, he could only keep quiet and lower his head in submission, praying for the whole ordeal to be over soon. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 The guests gathered around to see what all the fuss was about. "Why would he marry such a woman?" one said. "What a disgrace!¡± said another. People started to gossip about them. Meanwhile, Charlotte remained silent. She knew Zachary was avenging her. Amanda''s hand was tingling from pping Luna repeatedly across her already swollen face. The mother-daughter duo hugged each other as they burst into tears. Shortly afterward, Amanda wiped off her tears and asked, "Ms. Brown, are you happy now?" "Off you go." Helena waved her away. Simon went up to help them, but Zachary stopped them from leaving. "Did I say you can go?" he asked in an icy voice. Luna shuddered. "What else do you want from me?" she wept. "Zip it." Simon tried to stop her from making another scene. "Fine." Amanda took a deep breath, approached Charlotte, and executed a deep bow. "Ms. Windt, I''m sorry for raising my hand at youst time. Please, let me atone for my rudeness." She pped herself continuously as punishment. "Mom!" Luna bawled as Owen grabbed her hand. "Mrs. Sterling, stay out of it. You''ll make it worse." She could only watch and weep in despair at her mother''s suffering. Charlotte''s eyebrow knitted into a frown. Although she had no wish to see Amanda in such a plight, she couldn''t forget how the woman had mistreated her children. "Enough!" Simon couldn''t bear to see his wife in pain. "Charlotte, do me a favor. I''m pleading for your mercy. Please spare her." His earnestness somehow appealed to her. "I think we should just let it slide," Charlotte uttered softly. "All this time, did she ever have mercy on you?" Zachary shot her a re to shut her up. A loud thud punctuated the silence. Simon gasped in shock when he saw Amanda lying on the ground. "Amanda!" He hurriedly pulled her into his arms. "Mom! Wake up! Mom, don¡¯t scare me!" Luna shook her shoulder to wake her up. "Send her to the hospital!" someone shouted. Simon immediately picked Amanda up with Luna following closely behind. "Mr. Nacht, Ms. Windt, please excuse me." Owen left. There Amanda goes again! ying the same, old disgusting trick whenever she is in unfavorable conditions. Charlotte turned around. The bystanders looked at her. They seemed to me her for what happened. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. It suddenly dawned on her. It was human nature to feel empathy for the weak, even Luna, despite her rudeness and arrogance. They med Charlotte because she had talked Zachary into punishing the mother-daughter duo which put a strain on Amanda and caused her copse. People would have rebuked her, saying she was the wicked witch and Zachary was not to me forthat incident. The auction was still ongoing. Everyone returned to their seat. As Zachary and Charlotte prepared to leave, she saw the pink diamond ring under her feet. She bent down, picked it up and passed it to Helena. "Thanks," said Helena with a smile on her face before she returned to her seat. Charlotte stared at her while she walked away. It reminded her of how they used to fight over Hector back then. Helena was utterly fearless and bold, which sometimes would get on her nerves. However, Charlotte had never hated her. After all those years, they finally met. Although they didn''t have a chance to catch up, Helena hadn''t uttered an unkind word to Charlotte. On the other hand, her cousin, Luna who was more like a sister to Charlotte tried to set her up repeatedly. I guess that''s human nature. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 An extended Rolls-Royce crawled away from the building. Charlotte sat in the backseat, admiring the ruby ne. It was almost the same as the one she sold, except for the gemstone color. "Aren''t you sick of staring at that?" Zachary looked at her while swirling the wine in the ss elegantly. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. His gaze traveled from her porcin skin, up her wless face and rosy lips that would make a grown man lose his mind. He teased the hem of her dress with his leg. When she lifted her head and their eyes met, he asked her to sit closer. Zachary''s casual seduction pulled Charlotte¡¯s mind away from what had urred at the auction. She blinked at him and mustered her courage to speak her mind. "Mr. Nacht..." Her words stuck in her throat. After witnessing how he ruthless he was when dealing with those who had offended him, Charlotte began to hesitate. I guess no woman has ever rejected the advances from a man of such a high social status. What if he chokes me to death on the spot just because I turn him down? She trembled at the thought of what might happen to her if she said no. "Yes?¡± Zachary teased her again with his leg. "This... Take it back." She handed the ne to him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the essory. The excitement gradually wore off and his N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. expression turned cold. "What are you doing?" "Mr. Nacht, I''m just a mere security guard at yourpany. I can''t ept this; it''s too valuable," she said cautiously. "Why didn''t you say anything when you jumped into my arms?" He looked pissed. "If I rejected your gift earlier, I would be dishonoring you in front of your peers." Charlotte a smile on her face. "Mr. Nacht, I don''t deserve you. You are too good for me." The words finally escaped her mouth. She made herself clear. He leaned back and red at her. "What do you mean?" Gosh! Why can¡¯t he read the situation? Do I have to spell it out? His response really irked her, but she put a bright smile on her face and said, "Well, you are very kind to me. You sent me home to treat my injuries, gave me precious gifts and even stood up for me. I really appreciate it and I will surely repay your kindness. But I just can¡¯t ept your love, because..." He was listening carefully and patiently. "Because I am not worthy of your love," she continued. "I''m not from a prominent family; I have no money, no status... Nothing. All I have is the past that was too unbearable to even mention." "That doesn¡¯t matter. Is that all?" She was stunned for a moment. He didn''t even flinch. What do I do? Should I tell him I have three kids? Wait, that would probably put me in trouble. What if he gets angry and harms my kids? He is so unpredictable that nothing is impossible. What should I say? "Yes?¡± He started to lose his patience. "And I... I slept with a-a gigolo!" she blurted out those words in a panic. Her intelligent response surprised her. "Are you fine with that?" "How many times?" He furrowed his brows and gave her a serious face. She raised her index finger and said carefully, "One. Just once. And it was on the news. I bet everyone saw that.¡± "That was all in the past now. You can stop doing it from now on." He squeezed thest bit of his patience. "Anything else?" Chapter 96 Chapter 96 He didn''t buy it. Does he really like me to that much? Charlotte panicked. She was worried that Zachary might grow to hate her because of his unrequited love. On the other side, he had enough. He grabbed her and pinned her down underneath him. "Mr. Nacht, wait! Calm down!" Her heart was pounding. Nevertheless, she found the courage to stop him. "I know you are perfect, and I admit I do like you. I''m just not very sure that we should take things further." He cupped her chin and said, "Cut the chit-chat, or I''ll drop you off at the side of the road. And stop being so melodramatic." When his lips were about to touch hers, she squeezed her eyes shut and roared, "I have a boyfriend!" The rest of her words were lost in his mouth. Time stopped and their lips remained sealed. He exuded such hostility, like a beast pounding on its prey, that Charlotte shuddered when he pressed his powerful body against hers. After a while, Zachary pulled away and leaned back in his seat. He put an end to the aggression, but the tension lingered in the air. She opened her eyes very carefully and sneaked a peek at him. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Thoughts crowded her mind, but she couldn''t string them together coherently to exin to pacify him. "Boyfriend? How long have you been together?¡± "A while," she mumbled. He reached for the winess and downed its content without any hesitation. Then he set the ss aside and looked at her with eyes as cold as ice. "I think you''re taking this the wrong way." Huh? I''m wrong? B-But... he just... Zachary waved his index finger at Charlotte. "First, you are my employee, and you were stabbed in front of me. I didn''t want that ident to cause a bacsh to thepany, so I sent you home and cared for you. "Second, I gave you this ne on a whim. A hundred million may sound like a substantial fortune for some people. To me, it''s just a number. "And finally, I stood up for you from that wicked mother and daughter not because I have feelings for you. I just stood up for what I believed to be right." She was dumbfounded. His exnation made sense to her. She wondered if it was just her delusional thinking. "So, you are delusional! Just don''t be so full of yourself!" He answered the questions on her mind. "You thought I have feelings for you? No way! I''m not blind." The corners of his lips curved into a sneer. Charlotte was at a loss for words. She hung her head low, unable to meet his eyes. She wished a hole would open beneath her and swallow her immediately. "Take onest look." Zachary held the ne over his hand and swung it back and forth. Before she could react, he threw it out the window. "Are you mad? That''s worth a hundred million!" she roared. Her eyes budged with shock. "Pull over." Zachary ordered the driver to stop the car. The car stopped at the side of the road. "Get down!" he said to Charlotte. She didn''t dare breathe a word as she slowly gathered up her dress and alighted. Her tardiness frustrated Zachary, so he kicked her in her hip and sent her sprawling on the pavement. A sharp pain surged through her whole body. Ben and Raina were stupefied, but they turned a blind eye. "Go." Zachary asked the driver to drive and left Charlotte behind. "Yes, sir!" The Rolls-Royce sped off. Charlotte got up, brushed off the dirt on her scraped palms and gently touched the wounded area. She immediately turned back to find the ne. It should be here somewhere. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Charlotte bent down to look for the ruby ne by the roadside. It waste at night and even though there were street lights on the road, the lighting was somewhat dim. After around forty minutes of searching, Charlotte finally found the dazzling ruby ne in the shrubs. ted, she quickly picked it up and dusted it before putting it in her bag. As she took out her phone to call a cab, she noticed that her phone had only five percent of battery left. As a result, itgged as she scrolled through her phone. If she called a cab in such a situation, the driver might not be able to reach herter. In addition to that, Charlotte had no idea where she was at all, and she doubted that the GPS could pinpoint her location urately. Charlotte could only look through her contacts to seek help from others. Nevertheless, other than Mrs. Berry, there was only "Gigolo In Debt¡± in her contact list. Charlotte had no choice but to call him. Beep... In a Rolls-Royce... Zachary was drinking his wine disconstely when he heard the vibration of his phone. He nced at it with his eyebrows furrowed. The screen showed that it was a call from "Stupid Woman". Such was what Zachary had saved Charlotte''s name as. Staring detachedly at the blinking alert on the screen, Zachary was fuming. This ungrateful wretch! I¡¯ve just kicked her off the car and now she''s calling this other man who¡¯s actually my alter ego. What is she trying to do? His phone was still vibrating but he declined the call directly. He was infuriated and did not want to see her at all. Very soon, he received a location from "Stupid Woman¡± along with a voice message. "Gigolo, I''m left on the roadside and my phone is out of battery soon. Help!" It turns out she''s asking for help now.She''s exactly what her name suggests- As stupid as a donkey! Zachary gritted his teeth with contempt at the thought of that ungrateful wretch and decided to ignore her. However, on second thought, how could he just let such an irritable woman off the hook so easily? It¡¯s only right that I give her a taste other own medicine... With that thought in mind, he asked the driver to stop the car, changed into another outfit, put on his mask, and drove a different car to pick Charlotte up. Raina stood by the roadside and watched as the Aston Martin sped away. In puzzlement, she asked Ben, "What is Mr. Nacht doing?" "Cosy," Ben replied in a mystical manner, "Mr. Nacht in daylight and Mr. Gigolo at night!" "Huh?" Raina''s eyes widened in bewilderment. "I didn¡¯t say anything. Nope, it wasn''t me..." Ben hastily pped himself lightly on the mouth. How dare I ridicule Mr. Nacht! I must have gone crazy! While driving, Zachary changed Charlotte''s name on his phone from "Stupid Woman" to "Ungrateful Wretch". He even drove slowly on purpose to make the ungrateful wretch wait. Meanwhile, Charlotte was waiting at the roadside with her chin resting on her palm, looking expectantly at the cars passing her by and eagerly waiting... Out of the blue, a Porsche in dashing green stopped in front of her. Four fashionably dressed young boys got out of the car and approached her with smirks and cheeky grins on their faces. "Wow, is this a fallen angel from heaven? How pretty!" "Pretty angel, are you lost or are you waiting for someone?" "Why don''t youe with us? Let''s have some fun at the bar!" Charlotte nced at these little brats dispassionately and rolled her eyes. "My boyfriend ising to pick me up soon. He''s known for his foul temper so you better leave now." "Hahahaha..." the young boysughed aloud. "It seems like our pretty angel here has had a fight with her boyfriend. Don''t mind a man who makes you angry. Be my girlfriend instead. I can buy you branded bags!" One of the boys with a hip-hop outfit and Korean hairstyle leaned over andid his hand on Charlotte''s shoulder. Original content from N?velDrama.Org. "Get lost!" Charlotte jerked his hand away but had inadvertently irritated her own wound so she gasped in pain. "Oh! What happened to you? Are you hurt? Were you beaten by your crappy ex? This is no way to treat women." Again, the boy drew himself closer shamelessly. "Come, let me pamper you!" Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Right then, two dazzling rays of lights shed directly at them and the boy was blinded by its brilliance. Charlotte closed her eyes unwittingly and then she heard the screeching sounds made by the emergency brake of a car alongside the cusses of the boys. "What the f*ck! That scared the sh*t out of me. Who the hell is looking for trouble here?" Followed by that were punching and fighting noises along with the boys'' screaming... She could feel the wind gusting by her ears and the slight shakes caused by someone copsing nearby. All these happened in an instance... Charlotte panicked and by the time she opened her eyes and saw what happened in front of her, she was stupefied. The four boys were rolling and crying out in pain on the ground. Especially the boy whoid his hand on her just now. Both his hands were fractured and he was bellowing and struggling beside her... Blocking the light, a masked man dressed in ck stood tall in front of her like a wild lone wolf. Looming over those defeated around his feet, he spat out indifferently, "Garbage!" Charlotte froze looking at him. The figure of Zachary shed across her mind inexplicably. Although the dressing styles of the two men werepletely different, at that moment, his domineering aura, his pair of aloof and distant eyes, and even his voice were peculiarly identical to that of Zachary''s! "What are you thinking?" Zachary knocked lightly on Charlotte''s head and carried her to the car. Then, the car whizzed off in the gloomy night. shes of what just happened were still ying repeatedly in Charlotte''s mind. Indistinguishable, they''re just too alike! "Are you dumb?" Zachary berated her in fury. "Did you just stand there stupefied after being harassed?" "Then what should I do? It''s not like I can beat them." In an aggrieved tone, Charlotte added, "And I''m still injured...¡± "Useless!" Zachary lowered his voice as he rebuked. "Anyway, I didn''t suffer any losses," Charlotte uttered casually, "But don''t you think you were a little too ruthless to them?" "Why?" Zachary''s face turned murky instantly. "Are you feeling sorry for them? It seems like I might have disturbed you and the boys, huh?" "What are you babbling about..." "Do you want me to send you back to have fun with those little hooligans?" Zachary sounded like he was in a state of frenzy. "What''s the matter with you?" Charlotte pped the back of his head abruptly. "How dare you talk to me like this! Do you want to die?" "You..." "Get your facts straight! I¡¯m your boss here; you''re only a gigolo!" Zachary was about tosh out when Charlotte splurted these words haughtily which reminded him of his current identity. I''m not Mr. Nacht now; I''m Mr. Gigolo! "You better not test my limits!" Charlotte stared at him aggressively and warned, "It seems that I''ve been too kind to you, which makes you grow more overbearing by the day. How dare you ridicule me?" "That''s enough, stop running on this..." Zachary bared his teeth as he uttered those words and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. Ungrateful wretch! She has just rejected me and now she''s beating me. If it''s not for concealing my identity, I would have dealt her a blow. "Hmph!" Charlotte shot him a dagger and took out her phone to be charged. She was pondering secretly in her mind. It can''t be that he''s actually Zachary, can it?A pre-eminent man like Zachary would definitely jump and choke me to death if I were to beat him. But other than his face turning gloomy, this man over here dared not do anything after being beaten and reprimanded by me.Still, when this gigolo came to my rescue just now, his voice and the aura he emanated was so identical to that of Zachary. Now that Ie to think about it, it sounded all the more identical...Besides, both of them like to chase people off their cars halfway through the journey and kick people in the ass from behind. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Thinking of this, Charlotte was overwhelmed and she asked tentatively, "Why are you always wearing a mask? We''re not in Sultry Night now and you''re not being picked by some wealthy women. Aren¡¯t you tired of this mask?" And as she said that, she reached out to take off his mask... Chapter 99 Chapter 99 "Hey!¡± Zachary pushed her hand away and shouted, "Don''t touch it!¡± "Why?¡± Charlotte was yet more suspicious. "Why can''t you let me see your face?" "Of course not!" Zachary replied indifferently, "If you see my face, I''ll be threatened by you for a lifetime. There''ll be no end to this!" "Hmm..." Charlotte was rendered speechless. Since she recognized the tattoo on his waist and forced him to sign the debt repayment agreement, he had to pay her fifty percent of his ie every day. Half of the agreed period had passed and he would soon be free. After all, since she didn''t know what he looked like, she wouldn''t be able to recognize him even if they did meet each other again the next time. However, if she had seen his face, they might be blockaded forever in this tangled mess... What he said seems to make sense...Maybe I''m thinking too much. "If it wasn''t for that night over four years ago and the fact that I''d caused you to experience a miscarriage, I would never get involved with you!" Zachary added genuinely. He was drugged that night and had sex with her in a trance-like state. Plus, he was like a beast in bed that night, without the slightest tenderness... He could still remember the pitiable way she cried for mercy underneath himself. Everytime he thought about that, he could feel his blood boiling and he would be incredibly guilty... "Well, at least you''ve got some conscience." The doubt within Charlotte was somewhat cleared. On second thought, how could such a prestigious man like Zachary pretend to be the gigolo at Sultry Night and cosyed with her? Furthermore, he just chased me off his car. It wasn''t really possible for him to change a car and into another outfit just to pick me up. Even if time allowed, his temper wouldn''t. "Don''t call me for such matters anymore next time." Zachary changed the subject. "I''m not your bodyguard; why should Ie when you ask me to?" "I didn''t want to trouble you either but other than you, I have no one else whom I can seek help from." Charlotte looked helpless. "Where''s your boyfriend?" Zachary asked in a detached manner. "I don¡¯t have one." Charlotte rolled her eyes. "No?" Zachary was suspicious. You can never tell truths from lies when ites to dealing with this woman. "Your question reminded me..." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Charlotte remembered that she had lied to Zachary that she had a boyfriend. If he found out that she was bluffing, she would be screwed. Hence, I have to make this act a real deal... Thinking of that, Charlotte tugged at Zachary and said, "Gigolo, be my boyfriend!" Zachary was speechless. He was utterly baffled. What in the world is happening?Just an hour ago, this ungrateful wretch rejected me- The prominent, distinguished man that I amlAnd now she''s taking the initiative and wants a gigolo to be her boyfriend? Is she crazy or just stupid? "Don''t be anxious. I mean ''pretend'',¡± Charlotte exined. "Someone has been pursuing me recently and to put him off, I told him that I had a boyfriend..." Zachary squinted dangerously. Very well, this ingrate of a woman was bluffing me? "Gigolo, do me another favor, won''t you?" Charlotte tugged at his sleeves and fawned. "I''ll buy you more supplements..." "There''s no need!" Zachary cut her off. "Who is courting you?" "You don''t need to know the details," Charlotte answered casually. "You''re only pretending; it isn''t real after all." "That''s not fair." Zachary was taking advantage of the situation and continued, "What if that guy is a vicious man and seeks revenge on me?" "He''s my boss." Finally, Charlotte answered honestly. "How can that be possible? Your boss likes you?" Zachary shot a scornful nce at her. "With this stunted look of yours, is he blind?" Charlotte was at a loss for words. She was convinced then that she had really overthought because Zachary would never give her such a remark. "Besides, you should be very grateful to have such an exceptional admirer like your boss. Why are you rejecting him?" Zachary asked her on purpose. "I can¡¯t handle such a big shot..." Charlotte heaved a sigh. "He''s only looking for novelty now. Once the m wears off and he grows tired of me, I''ll be abandoned. To whom should I cry andin then? Plus, with his unpredictable and fickle mood changes, he''s just like a creep. Who knows what kind of fetish he''ll have? It''s better that I keep away from him. I''m still too young to die!" Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Zachary was tongue-tied. He didn''t know what was running in her mind all day. "That''s it, it''s been decided. I¡¯ll call you when I need your help. Don¡¯t worry, if you be my fake boyfriend for a day, you can be exempted from paying me that day.¡± "Shut up. Give me your address!" "32 Happy Avenue..." Charlotte felt that she had been disdained by him. He was stern and paid no attention to her since then. When she reached home, Mrs. Berry was watching the television quietly and waiting for her in the living room. As soon as she saw that Charlotte was back, she served a bowl of kale soup to her. Charlotte had a bowlful and reached out her uninjured right hand to hug Mrs. Berry. Then, she went back to her room and turned in after removing her makeup. It''s Monday tomorrow and I have to work in the office. Charlotte had been keeping her mission in mind. She had to find a way to return the chip this week. Charlotte had a good sleep that night so she woke up early the next morning. After kissing her three children, she went downstairs carrying her breakfast bag and took the bus to go to work. After recuperating for so many days, returning to her normal routine made Charlotte feel more at ease and secure. Only life made up of concrete realities is reallThere are no such things as a morous auction, a hundred million worth of ruby ne, and a detached and domineering Devil president...All those were only some unrealistic dreams. You have to get back to reality after waking up from dreams. Charlotte arrived ten minutes earlier to change her clothes at the security department but the manager of the security department informed her, "Charlotte, you''ve been reassigned. Go get your transfer letter from the HR department and report yourself to the new department." "What?" Charlotte was astonished. What a familiar scene! Not long ago, she was transferred from the administration department to the security department. It was just the same as what''s happening now. However, at that time, I was implicated by Wesley and was punished together. What is it for now?ls it because I''ve turned down the president?What? She should have been mentally prepared for this... That cruel and ruthless Devil must have never had a taste of rejection beforelWith such impudence from me, how can he ever let me go? Charlotte was paled. A scene from the tragic y shed across her mind. She could roughly guess the department that she had been transferred to. The janitorial departmentIThe Devil, no, the jackass has been threatening me with this.He has finally found the reason to do itIWhat''s the big deal?Worste to worst, I can just leave. Even if I have to wash the dishes at some bistro, I can still raise my kids. Why should I suffer through being bullied by the jackass? "Charlotte, Charlotte...¡± David''s calling interrupted Charlotte''s thoughts. Coming to her senses, Charlotte took in a long breath and answered rather sadly, "David, Mr. Collins, thank you for taking care of me all this while. Goodbye!" With that, she bowed to them, and soon, she left with tears in her eyes... "Huh..." Both Mr. Collins and David were puzzled. What¡¯s happening here?Why is she making it like a separation by death? Coming out of the security room, Charlotte was very dispirited at the thought of cleaning up the ce, including the washroom, after she was transferred to the janitorial department and worked as a janitor. She was cursing at Zachary in her mind. He''s taking revenge on me just because he was rejected. What a jackass, jackasslAchoo, achoo! Zachary sneezed twice in the elevator. Hence, he covered his mouth and nose with his ck and gold handkerchief. Is someone cursing me? Ding! The door of the elevator opened. Zachary stepped out of the elevator and happened to bump into Charlotte who was walking into the elevator next to him. He nced over her indifferently and found that she was staring at him with animosity in her eyes. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He almost couldn''t believe his own eyes. The door closed lento and he turned around to ask Ben, "I didn¡¯t misinterpret anything, right? Was she staring at me just now?" "Cough..." Ben cleared his throat and replied carefully, "It seems that... you''re right!" Zachary frowned and his eyes were lit with a fiery glint. "So I''ve been sneezing because she was cursing at me!" Chapter 101 Chapter 101 When Charlotte arrived at the HR department on the thirteenth floor, the manager handled the handover procedures for her. The manager hadpletely changed his arrogant attitude! Charlotte couldn¡¯t help but wonder what brought about the stark difference. Why is the jerk acting so different suddenly? After handing over the employee transfer letter to her, the manager said, "Charlotte, please take care of me after you''re promoted!" "Eh?" Charlotte was at a loss when she took the employee transfer letter from him. The next moment, she was stunned after reading the letter. The president''s office?l''m being transferred to the president''s office?ls this real?Am I seeing things now? "Charlotte!" At this moment, David patted her shoulder and congratted her. "Mr. Collins asked me to bring the belongings to you. He initially wanted to congratte you, but you left earlier. Anyway, congrattions on your promotion!" "Thank you..." Charlotte replied instinctively and asked, "Am I seeing things now? Am I really transferred to the president''s office?" "It¡¯s true. Mr. Ben made the order himself." The manager continued, "Charlotte, your good luck has "Hehe..." Charlotteughed awkwardly and brought David to leave the office. "Charlotte, how''s your injury now? It seems that your shoulder hasn''t recovered yet. Besides, your neck is still bandaged. Does it still hurt?" David asked caringly. "I''m much better now. Thank you, David." Charlotte felt that David was the most kind-hearted man in the wholepany. As such, she could fully N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. trust and befriend him. "Thank God you''re fine. I''ll help you carry your belongings. Take your new work pass to scan at the elevator." "Okay." Finally, she didn''t have to climb the stairs to work as she could go up to level 68 with her own work pass. As the elevator was moving up, she felt a special sense of pride. It was as if she made a little progress in her life when the elevator moved up a floor. When she arrived at the president''s office, a staff weed her and brought her to her desk. It¡¯s the reception counter in front of the elevator on level 68! Charlotte was startled when she was her desk. She knew that there was a reception counter in front of the elevator on every floor. The job scope of a receptionist was to confirm the identity of guests and their purpose of visit. After that, she had to inform her relevant colleagues to liaise with him. To put it nicely, she was a junior secretary. However, in essence, she was only a guard on level 68! In other words, she was an entry-level secretary in the president¡¯s office! "Charlotte, congrattions! I''ve to get going. All the best!" David patted her shoulder and left smilingly. Since he was an innocent man, he truly believed that it was a position of honor. On the other hand, Charlotte felt dejected somehow. After all, the only difference between her job and a guard was that she didn¡¯t have to walk that much! "Charlotte, wee!" The executive secretary in charge of training new staff was Lucy Wright. She looked brisk and experienced, probably in her forties. Furthermore, she exuded a sense of friendliness even though she spoke sternly. She came up to Charlotte to exin some basic tasks to her. "I''ll instruct a colleagueter to teach you about your job scope since you are a neer in this position. Keep an open mind in learning. I hope that you''ll be familiar with your job quickly." "Since your role is changed, your sry will be raised from eight thousand to eighteen thousand. When you have passed your one-month probation, your sry will be twenty-five thousand. It starts from today..." "What?" Charlotte couldn''t help but yell, "Did you say that my sry will be twenty-five thousand? Am I hearing things?" "No, you''re not." Lucy Wright continued smilingly, "Since you¡¯re a neer, be patient in learning new things, and your sry will increase gradually. Mr. Nacht treats his employees very well!¡± "Understood. I''ll work hard and learn. Thank you!" Charlotte clenched her fist as a gesture to motivate herself and put on a bright smile. At this moment, she didn''t feel that Zachary was a devil or a jerk anymore. Instead, he was Zachary the Cute! Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Charlotte learned about her job the whole day and could only take a rest at four in the afternoon. After that, Lucy led her to hand over some documents to the meeting room. While they were on the way, Lucy reminded, "Leave the room once you put down the documents and don''t disturb the board members while they are in the meeting." "Be gentle in doing everything and don''t make a noise." "Also, don''t irritate Mr. Nacht because he hasn''t been in a good mood for several days. Otherwise, everyone in thepany would get into trouble!" "Understood." Charlotte followed her while carrying the documents with one of her hands. Lucy knocked on the door gently when they arrived. After receiving permission, she entered the room with Charlotte. Charlotte was stunned as soon as the door was opened. The room was six-meters high and painted in cold colors, thus exuding an imposing and overpowering atmosphere. The board members sat on both sides of the long table. While most were middle-aged, two of them looked rtively younger. She saw that all of them wore a solemn expression. They were either reading their documents seriously or discussing with others in a low voice. It appeared that all of the seats were taken except for the president''s seat. Zachary isn''t here yet! After Charlotte and Lucy put the documents on the table, the other executive secretaries immediately distributed the documents to every board member. One of the executive secretaries instructed Charlotte to clean the unwanted documents and trash on the table. After that, she was also asked to distribute the documents together. When Charlotte was cleaning the table, one of the board members behind her said softly, "If we still can''t find Chip X, thepany might have to postpone theunch of our new tech products." "Aren''t we cooperating with the police all the while to search for the chip? No progress so far?" another board member asked. "Sigh, our problem will be solved if there is progress..." A board member with grey hair heaved a sigh and continued, "We have spent dozens of millions every day on the search but still haven''t received any news after seven to eight days..." Charlotte was shocked once she heard it. My goodness, the search costs dozens of millions! Does it mean thepany has spent more than a billion after several days? "Mr. Martin, Mr. Dixon, don''t worry. Since the president is handling it by himself now, I''m sure we can find the chip," the younger board memberforted them. "That''s right. When I reported my work to Mr. Nacht, I heard that he instructed Ben to investigate a baby. So, I think he''s going to investigate it from another perspective..." "A baby? What does it mean?" Meanwhile, Charlotte was too shocked to continue listening to it. If Zachary reallyes to my house to find it, I''ll be doomed... I have to return the chip today! "Charlotte, Charlotte!" Charlotte was startled when she heard Lucy¡¯s voice. As her hands shivered, she identally knocked over a cup. Bang! Everyone in the room could hear that a cup was broken. "I¡¯m sorry. I''m sorry..." Charlotte nervously squatted down to clean the broken pieces. Meanwhile, several board members turned around and knitted their brows at her in displeasure. "What have you done?" the senior executive secretary who was in her fifties yelled, "Get out." "I''m sorry, Ms. Snyder. She''s a neer. I''ll provide more training to her," Lucy apologized immediately and ushered Charlotte out of the room. Charlotte bowed before everyone to apologize and hastily followed her. However, the door suddenly opened when they were approaching it. Two bodyguards entered first to make way for Zachary, who was in a ck suit. Instantly, everyone in the room was stunned by his sturdy figure and imposing manner. When Charlotte saw him, she immediately felt guilty and nervous. "Mr. Nacht!" Lucy greeted him politely and dragged Charlotte to stand aside. At this moment, Charlotte¡¯s heart was thumping non-stop. She looked up slightly to peek at Zachary Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. while wondering if he had checked her house. On the other hand, Zachary seemed ice cold and didn''t take a sideways nce at anyone, including her. He entered the room and walked straight towards the president''s seat. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 "Mr. Nacht!" The board members greeted him courteously. Moreover, all of the staff who stood on both sides of the room lowered their head to bow at him. Zachary nodded in response and sat on the ck president''s seat. After that, Lucy immediately held Charlotte¡¯s hand and left. Nheless, the moment Charlotte walked out of the meeting room, she heard Zachary say, "All board members, please rest assured. I¡¯ve identified the location of the chip and will retrieve it by tomorrow morning!" "Wonderful!" The board members pped their hands and cheered. Charlotte instantly felt a chill run down her spine. My god, it looks like Zachary''s underlings have found my three babies. Under such circumstances, their identities will be revealed...Damn it! What should I do? "Charlotte, what are you doing?" Lucy yelled sternly in a low voice, "Why do you always look lost during office hours? If you don''t recollect yourself, you can''t stay in the president¡¯s office even for a day!" "I¡¯m sorry. I..." "Go to the washroom and wash your face. Calm yourself down and see me in the training room." "Okay. Thank you Ms. Wright." Charlotte quickly rushed to the washroom. After making sure that no one was around, she took out her phone hastily to call Mrs. Berry. "Hello, Miss!" "Mrs. Berry? How is everything at home?" "Huh? What do you mean?" Mrs. Berry was confused. "I''m cooking red bean paste for your dessert tonight...¡± "No, I mean...¡± When Charlotte was about to be more specific, she thought that everything was fine at home since Mrs. Berry was in the mood to prepare dessert. As such, she stopped asking about it and said, "Okay, I''ve to get going." "Okay." Mrs. Berry didn''t realize that something was wrong with Charlotte because she was busy cooking. Given that Mrs. Berry was fine and the kindergarten teacher didn''t call her, Charlotte believed that Zachary¡¯s underlings hadn''t found it. Nevertheless, they could also be on the way or preparing to move. No matter what, she still had time as long as they hadn''t arrived. Charlotte touched her chest and heaved a sigh of relief. The chip inside the ck box was still in her shirt. Now that the board members were having a meeting and the staff waited outside the meeting room, she had to grab the chance to return the chip as soon as possible. After making up her mind, she left the washroom and walked sneakily toward the president''s office. Everything went smoothly as she nned so far. Although she met two colleagues who were on duty, they only nced at her and didn''t say much. In less than a minute, she arrived at the president¡¯s office. However, when she reached out her hand to push the door, the infrared sensor of the digital door was triggered. The next moment, the little screen read that a fingerprint was needed to open the door. She cursed herself silently for being so stupid. How can I easily enter the president''s office? "Please key in the password!" She suddenly heard a voice prompt from the sensor. "Password?" Wishing to try her luck, she keyed in Zachary''s phone number. Beep... Beep! "Wrong password!" The voice prompt stunned her. Damn it! If it isn''t his phone number, could it be his birthday?When she pondered over it, the rm bell of the door suddenly set off. Charlotte jumped in shock and nervously ran away. Unfortunately, two bodyguards blocked her way as Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. soon as she wanted to escape. "Hehehe..." Her heart thumped wildly while her whole body sweated. She let out an embarrassingugh, hoping to conceal her guiltiness. "Well, if I say that I passed by and identally touched the digital lock, would you believe me?" The two bodyguards shook their heads emotionlessly. "I... I really..." Unexpectedly, before she could finish, the bodyguards made their way and lowered their heads courteously. "Ms. Windt, please!" Charlotte was startled. Am I hearing things?Why don''t the stone-faced bodyguards arrest me but treat me courteously instead? "What''s going on?" A man asked in a familiar voice. The next moment, she realized that it was Ben. H| 99 "Ms. Windt, Mr. Nacht is in a meeting." Ben nced around to make sure that no one was around. Then, he lowered his voice and said, "Are you looking for him? Come tonight!" Chapter 104 Chapter 104 "Hmm..." Charlotte realized finally that all of them saw her as Zachary''s girlfriend. "You can ask for my help privately if you are faced with any problems at work." Ben reminded gently, "But it''s better to keep your rtionship with Mr. Nacht as a secret from other colleagues!" "There is nothing between us..." Charlotte had mixed feelings when she left hastily. Damn it! Everyone around Zachary thinks that I''m his girlfriend now. Wait, I think even those who attended the auction will think the same. In that case, Zachary''s reputation is at stake. If the fact that I have children is exposed, he will be everyone''sughing stock!Besides, if he knows that the chip is missing because of me and my children...Then, he won''t just wish to strangle me. He might even cut me into pieces and turned me into ashes. Will my three children be dragged into it? Charlotte was overwhelmed with anxiety when she pondered over it. Since they found out that she tried to sneak into the office, she couldn''t use the same strategy anymore. As such, she had to find another way to return the chip to him. But how should I do it? "Hey, you!" All of a sudden, someone rushed toward Charlotte and yelled. Charlotte instinctively took a look and asked, "Are you calling me?" "Yes, you! Come over here!" The senior executive secretary who was in her fifties waved at her. Charlotte came up to her timidly. The nametag on her chest read: Melody Snyder, Senior Executive Secretary. "Take this cup of coffee into the meeting room for Mr. Nacht!" Melody handed over the tray with the cup of coffee on it to Charlotte. "Me?" Charlotte was astounded. After all, Lucy taught her that a low-level secretary like her couldn''t N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. enter the meeting room randomly. Why did Ms. Snyder instruct me to do such an important task? "Yes, you. Enter the room quickly," Melody bellowed. "Okay." Charlotte took the cup of coffee and walked toward the meeting room. Another senior secretary pulled Melody''s arm gently asked, "How can you let a new staff do this?" "Mr. Nacht is losing his temper now. I must be tired of living if I go in now." Melody covered her chest in fear and said, "Thest time when Mr. Nacht lost his temper, he threw a cup and identally hit Lucy¡¯s head. She had to undergo seven stitches as a result. I don''t want to be disfigured." "In that case, this new staff..." "She had broken a cup earlier on. An ipetent secretary like her will be fired sooner orter. I''m giving her thest chance to be productive before leaving thepany." The senior secretary was a little startled. When Charlotte arrived at the corner, she looked around to check if no one was around her. Then, she immediately took out the chip from her shirt and put it into the cup of coffee. The clock is ticking, and I have to give it a try to return the chip to him. After all, if he wants to investigate it, he wouldn¡¯t doubt me because I didn''t make the cup of coffee. After making up her mind, she knocked on the door and entered the meeting room with the cup of coffee. "The press conference of our new productunch will be held on Friday as scheduled. There is no need to postpone it.¡± After making the announcement, Zachary asked, "Any objections?" "Mr. Nacht..." An elder board member with grey hair was sitting in the first row on the right side of the meeting table. He said slowly, "I think we should postpone it until we''ve retrieved the chip. If we make the announcement now, the whole world will be aware of our n. It will be embarrassing if we postpone it!" "Mr. Sterk, you don''t believe me?" Even though Zachary¡¯s lips curved into a smile when he spoke, he stared at Mr. Sterk with his piercing eyes. "I wouldn''t dare," Mr. Sterk said slowly with a seemingly caring smile on his face. Nevertheless, he was very insistent on his opinion. "I''m only offering a safer piece of advice!" Zachary didn''t reply to him. Although he still kept his smile, his gaze looked a lot colder. The rest of the board members fell silent as they dared not to make a sound. Meanwhile, Charlotte came in and put the cup of coffee with trepidation before Zachary. "Give the cup of coffee to Mr. Sterk!" Without sparing him a nce, Zachary stared at Mr. Sterk and said intently, "Since you''re used to having tea, it''s time for you to try a different type of drink!" "Okay..." Charlotte gave the cup of coffee to Mr. Sterk. My goodness! Chapter 105 Chapter 105 "I¡¯m d to ept Mr. Nacht''s kind act." Mr. Sterk took the cup of coffee smilingly and gulped it down. Charlotte was gob smacked. She actually wanted to tell the elder that he couldn''t drink it because there was a chip in the coffee. Nheless, as the words stuck in her throat, she didn''t even utter a word. After Mr. Sterk gulped down the cup of coffee, he suddenly felt that something was stuck in his throat. He couldn''t help but let out a retch. The next moment, he immediately covered his mouth to prevent himself from puking. He had to hold his vomit in because Zachary gifted the cup of coffee to him. Zachary leaned back on the president''s leather chair in an arrogant posture and looked at him amusedly. It was as if he was ready to watch a good show! The other shareholders wished to help him because he didn¡¯t look well. However, none of them dared to speak before Zachary said anything. "You... You don''t have to hold your vomit in..." On the other hand, only Charlotte dared to say it out and grabbed a rubbish bin nervously. "Just vomit here..." At this time, everyone inside the room was bbergasted. Who recruited this slow and blunt secretary?How can someone as stupid as her work in level 68? Zachary''s eyes squinted and rage pulsed through his veins. Was I out of my mind when I decided to promote her? Why did I bring the stupid wench to level 68 to irritate myself? "Bleurgh..." Mr. Sterk vomited non-stop to spit out all the coffee he had just gulped down. At this moment, Zachary''s face turned a lot grimmer, as if dark clouds were looming over before the storm. Meanwhile, everyone sweated in fear, while some of them even began to wipe away their sweat with their handkerchiefs. They nced at Zachary for a while and shifted their gaze toward the pitiful Mr. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Sterk. "That''s right. Just puke it all up." Charlotte held the rubbish bin in one hand and patted his back in the other, hoping that he could puke the chip out. However, after quite some time, Mr. Sterk only puked the coffee up but not the chip. "Charlotte, what are you doing?" At this moment, Melody happened to enter the meeting room and witnessed it. She yelled at her in a low voice, "Get out of here now!" "I..." "Get out." Charlotte initially wanted to say something, yet she had no choice but to leave after Lucy shot her a look. After only a few steps, she suddenly heard a bang behind her. The next moment, many of them screamed, "My God, Mr. Sterk..." She turned around and saw that Mr. Sterk had fallen to the ground, squeezing his neck with both of his hands. His face turned purple, eyes widened, and tongue stuck out... He looked exactly like Fifi when it swallowed the chip! My goodness, the chip must be stuck in his throat now... She instantly regretted her decision and couldn''t forgive herself if something terrible happened to him. "Call an ambnce. Call an ambnce now!" The meeting room became a mess in no time at all. Although Zachary was a little worried, he still saidposedly, "Ask Raina toe here!" "Yes sir!" "How could it be?" The board members were frightened. "Mr. Nacht, as stubborn as Mr. Sterk might be, you can''t do this to him." An elder board member said in a trembling voice, "We''re all elders who fought alongside your grandpa for decades and helped the Nacht family prosper throughout our lives. How can you poison him merely because he is in disagreement with you?" "Indeed, Mr. Nacht. You can''t treat Mr. Sterk like this. This is too much..." Another two elder board members shot him an usatory nce with tears. "We know that you''re ruthless in doing everything, but how can you do this to people in your ownpany?" "I have to call old Mr. Nacht..." An elder board member was emotional and wanted to make a phone call. Meanwhile, Zachary felt increasingly furious. What on earth is on their mind? I merely gifted a cup of coffee to Mr. Sterk, yet they suspect me of poisoning him? "Who made the coffee?" Zachary bellowed. "It was her. She made the coffee." Melody immediately pointed at Charlotte. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 "Me?" When Charlotte was about to exin, Mr. Sterk began to roll his eyes and foam at the mouth. Considering that time was of the essence, she immediately rushed toward him to rescue him. "What are you doing? Get lost!" Melody wanted to push her away but was stopped by Lucy. Charlotte quickly spread Mr. Sterk''s arms and pinched his chin. The next moment, she put her slender fingers into his mouth to get the chip out. "Hey, what are you doing? Don''t do anything stupid." The elder board members were scared to death. "Drag her away from him!" The bodyguards immediately looked at Zachary, waiting for his order. "Let her try." Zachary stared at her. "Bear with it for a little while..." After a while, she could reach the chip with her finger. Nevertheless, she dared not to pick it up with her fingers, worrying that she would tear his throat. Meanwhile, he struggled and pushed the people around him non-stop because he felt extremely ufortable. As such, he identally hit Charlotte''s injured shoulder. Biting her lips, she forced herself to bear with the pain and continued to pick up the chip. Suddenly, Mr. Sterk hit Charlotte''s injured shoulder forcefully with his moving arm. Because it was rather painful, her hand shivered but unexpectedly pushed the chip down into the throat. "Bleurgh..." Mr. Sterk threw up for a while but quickly calmed down. He gasped for air but apparently wasn''t as ufortable as before. Moreover, his eyes and face gradually looked normal. "Mr. Sterk, are you alright?" Two elder board members came up to him emotionally. "Much better." Mr. Sterk was still gasping for air when he continued weakly, "Just now... something was... stuck in my throat... I was almost suffocated!" "Luckily... thisdy... saved me!" he pointed at Charlotte and continued, "Thank you!" "You''re wee." Charlotte forced out an awkward smile. "Mr. Sterk, how do you feel now? Does any part of your body feel ufortable now?" Since Mr. Sterk swallowed the chip identally, she knew that he would have the same fate as Fifi soon. On the other hand, Zachary seemed to have mixed feelings when he looked at her. "No, I feel much better now." Mr. Sterk shook his head. "Why was there something in the cup of coffee? What on earth was that?" a board member questioned. "All board members, I will investigate this matter thoroughly and exin everything to you!" Zachary announced, "Ben, blockade thepany now, check the surveince video, and give me an answer in one hour!" "Yes, sir!" Ben immediately left the room to execute his order. This doesn¡¯t look good! Did the surveince camera record the moment when I put the chip into the cup of coffee? At this moment, Raina finally arrived at the room with other medical personnel. With Zachary''s permission, he checked up on Mr. Sterk and reported, "A sharp object was probably stuck in Mr. Sterk¡¯s throat when he drank the coffee. However, since he has swallowed the object, we can only ascertain what it really is after undergoing an x-ray examination." "Take Mr. Sterk to the hospital for x-ray examination and treatment," Zacharymanded. "Yes, sir." Raina nodded. The medical personnel brought a wheelchair and helped him sit on it. As the two elder board members were worried about him, they wished to follow him to the hospital. Before leaving the meeting room, Mr. Sterk turned around and said to Zachary, "Mr. Nacht, thisdy..." He pointed at Charlotte and pled, "She''s my savior. Please don¡¯t give her a hard time." "Rest assured!" Zachary''s lips quirked coldly. However, Charlotte shuddered because she felt that his smile was terrifying. An hourter, Ben yed the surveince video with theputer in the meeting room and announced, "We''ve figured it out. It was Melody Snyder who made the coffee. However, worrying that she would be scolded because Mr. Nacht was in a bad mood, she instructed Charlotte to bring the cup of coffee into the room..." "What was in the cup of coffee?" the board members questioned. "As for this question..." "It¡¯s the Chip X that we lost!" Zachary lifted Mr. Sterk''s x-ray film that Raina gave him and announced, "As I said earlier, Chip X woulde back today!" "What..." Everyone''s jaw dropped once Zachary finished. What the hell? In the hospital, a nurse was persuading Mr. Sterk to take thexatives. "Mr. Sterk, please do as I say. Drink it, and the object will be passed in your stool soon." Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Johann, please drink it. The Divine Corporation and the entire Nacht family are waiting for your stool!" Mr. Sterk''s lips twitched as he felt helpless... Chapter 107 Chapter 107 In the principal''s office at Apple Kindergarten. "Mr. Nacht, are you here because of the kids again?¡± Principal Ruby was terrified when she saw the men in ck suits. "I''ll ask the teacher to bring them..." "No need," Bruce interrupted. "Kids are innocent. What would they know? Even if there was a problem, it''s the parents'' problem." "You mean?" "I want the information on the kids'' parents." "Understood. Give me one moment." In the president''s office of Divine Corporation. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Zachary sat in a ck leather chair, looking at Charlotte with a piercing gaze. "Be honest, else there would be no mercy." Charlotte dared not say anything and kept her head down. Her heart rate was skyrocketing as she tried to squeeze an idea out of her brain. What do I do? What do I actually do! I was the one who served the coffee that choked Mr. Sterk. I was the one that got him to throw up too! With little thought put into it, anyone could easily figure out that Charlotte was the one that put the chip in there in the first ce. Even if there was no proof, it was still obvious that she knew the chip was in the coffee. How do I exin this? She could just make something up and lie her way out of it, but Zachary already knew that Jamie identally left with the chip. How do I exin my rtionship with Jamie? Her phone was still quiet at the moment, which meant that everything was fine at the kindergarten. Or did they stop because the chip was found? "Talk!" Zachary eximed. Charlotte jumped, and slowly raised her head to look at him. His murderous intent overwhelmed her as she felt her knees weaken and everything in her head jumbled up. She had lost the ability to think properly. "So you''re not talking?" Zachary was losing his patience. "Hand her to the police and sue her for theft," he ordered Ben. "Understood!" Ben immediately approached Charlotte. "I didn''t do it! I didn''t steal anything!" she said abruptly. "Tell me then, why was the chip in the coffee?" Zachary tapped rhythmically on the chip, his brows knitted. "I¡¯m getting really fed up here, so you have one minute!" "I..." Charlotte was all over the ce at the moment, unable to organize her thoughts into a simple sentence. "Ten seconds left!" The tapping sped up, indicating Zachary''s impatience. "Ten, nine, eight, seven,..." What do I do? While Charlotte''s thoughts were in disarray, her phone suddenly rang. It was from Apple Kindergarten''s Lexie. Oh no! His men is at the kindergarten! She got even more nervous, but one thought immediately popped up. The childrenes first... "Three! Two! One!" "I picked it up somewhere!" Charlotte blurted out at the count of one. The tapping stopped. "You... picked it up?" Zachary raised an eyebrow. "Y-yes..." She gulped, carefully fabricating the lie in her head. "My pet got sick so I brought it to the vet. I spotted the chip from a pile of poo there. There''s an "S" marked on it and I remembered that thepany''s missing one. I assumed it was the one that you people were looking for, but I wasn''t sure. I thought that if I returned it face to face, I would bebeled the thief. So I figured sneaking it in was the only choice. Coincidentally, I was asked to send the coffee in and I decided to put it in the coffee because you''ll definitely find it. But..." Charlotte finished everything she wanted to say in one breath. "This is what happened, I swear!" Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Zachary stood quietly in front of Charlotte, staring at her with his cold gaze. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She was still unsettled, so she dared not look at him nor utter another word. In her head, she was going through everything she said just now. This is a thorough story and I didn''t miss anything out, right? "Mr. Nacht," Ben quietly interrupted. "The chip was, in fact, swallowed by the kid''s parrot. And they did say that the parrot was sent to a vet. Maybe Ms. Windt and the kid visited the same vet, and found it after the parrot discharged it from its systems.¡± "That''s too much of a coincidence, no?¡± Zachary questioned. Ben immediately lowered his head and backed away silently. Charlotte''s mind was in a mess right now. What do I do? If they really investigated the kids, they''ll find me out. Will they think I plotted all this? "Ms. Charlotte Windt!¡± Zachary squeezed her chin as he picked her head up. He looked her in the eyes, "If you lied to me, you''re dead!" "I didn''t..." Charlotte held her breath, it felt like her heart skipped several beats from the shock. She forced herself to stay calm, met his gaze and replied with the utmost sincerity, "I really did not lie to you!" Charlotte paused for a second, andined. "If I knew this would happen, I would''ve just gave it to you directly. You¡¯re always so unpredictable and moody. I was afraid you might doubt my intentions, that''s why I came up with this n. Logically, I found your chip and returned it to you. I even saved Mr. Sterk''s life! You should be rewarding me right now. But instead, you used me of stealing and threatened to send me to jail. How am I being med for all this..." As she uttered thosest few words, Charlotte forced some tears out of her eyes, feinting innocence. Her lips shivered as though in fear. Her beady eyes shimmered as her face flushed bright pink from the usations. Zachary¡¯s forehead creased as his heart softened. He caressed Charlotte''s lips with his thumb for quite a while before letting her go. "Leave!" Her lips twitched as she wiped away the tears before walking away. Internally, she was ecstatic. Thank god! When she reached the door, she heard Zachary giving out an order. "Contact Bruce. Let him know we¡¯ve recovered the chip, and there''s no need to find the parents anymore." "Yes sir.¡± Ben immediately took out his phone. At the kindergarten, Ms. Longman had the parental information in her hand and was about to hand it over to Bruce when the phone rang. Bruce picked up the phone while reaching out to take the papers. "The chip''s recovered. No need to look for the parents anymore. Come back!" It was Ben''s voice. "Alright, I''ll head back right away." Bruce pulled his hand back and ended the call. "Thank you, Ms. Longman." He looked towards the principal. "Our stolen good has been retrieved. There''s no more need for the information. Thank you for your time and help me apologize to the kids. Good bye." "That¡¯s good to know. Farewell then." Before the principal said anything else, Bruce was long gone. "Thank goodness it was found!" The principal let out a sigh of relief as she slid the papers she had into a shredder. On the other hand, Charlotte went to the washroom and called Lexie. "Hello, Ms. Cheney. Were you looking for me just now? Did something happened to the kids?" "Nothing happened, don''t worry. The kids are fine," Lexie replied. "Ms. Longman just came to retrieve the kids'' parental information, so I thought I should let you know." "Huh? Why did she want my information?" Charlotte was stumped. "It looked like the people from Divine Corporation came back for it, but Ms. Longman said that when she got them the papers, they told her that they already found what they needed and left." "Did they take the papers?" "No. She said they left without even looking at it." "Okay, thank you so much." Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Since the chip was recovered, Charlotte''s lie was able toe full circle. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. It was as though a significant weight have been lifted from her shoulders. What she needed to do next, was to cut off all ties with Zachary and halt his pursuit. That way, even if the children''s identity were revealed, it would be none of his business. When she saw Zachary walking over with his men, Charlotte quickly took out her phone and called Gigolo In Debt. She wanted to show off her rtionship to Zachary and anger him. As she called the number, a phone rang in Zachary''s direction. Charlotte was stunned, and looked at him in confusion. Is this a coincidence? Or... Zachary kept his poker face going and quietly ended the call with his hand in the pocket. However, he was actually panicking inside. Why is she calling that number right in front ofme?ls she suspecting something? "Hello?" Ben, who knew what was going on, was quick to respond and took out his phone. "What is it?" "Yes, the chip has been recovered," Ben continued. At the moment, Charlotte heard her call being ended, but Ben was still on the phone and this lifted some of her suspicions. Just a coincidence it seems. But why does Ben have the same ringtone as Gigolo In Debt? Are they the same person? Charlotte locked her gaze at Ben and made a mentalparison, dismissing it immediately after. Ben¡¯s shorter and their build is totally different. It''s definitely not him. However, she shifted her gaze over to Zachary and it matched her image of Gigolo In Debt. All their features were uncannily simr. Zachary was entering the elevator at this point with two of his men with him. Charlotte decided to redial the number. This time, she even got close to the elevator to see if she could hear anything. If it rings again, Zachary is definitely suspicious! In the elevator, just as Zachary switched off the ringtone for his phone, a call came in. He did not pick it up immediately. In fact, he waited for the elevator to descend a few more levels before he took the call. "What are you doing? Why didn¡¯t you pick up just now?" Charlotte did not hear any ringing from the elevator and thought she was overthinking things again. "What''s going on?" Zachary knew she was suspicious now. "Didn''t we have a deal? You''re acting as my boyfriend right?" "What do you want me to do?" Zachary asked. "Come pick me up after work," Charlotte paused. "Get me a rose bouquet as well. I''ll pay for it!" There''s definitely something going on if he refuses. "What if your boss attacks me?" Zachary asked intentionally. "He won''t. My boss''s an educated man, he won''t go around attacking people for no reason," Charlotte answered. "I want you here so that he sees I have a boyfriend. For someone as prideful as him, seeing you would definitely make him give up." "Alright, I¡¯ll be there after work, send me the location." "Right away." When she got off the call, Charlotte was excited. He actually agreed! That means he''s really not Zachary Nacht. Or maybe, it¡¯s Zachary trying to throw me off! In her mind, nothing could be proven unless Zachary and the gigolo met face to face. "Mr. Nacht, Ms. Windt seems to be on to you," Ben reminded softly. "Chris ising to H City, right?" Zachary asked out of the blue. "Ask him toe see me." "Yes..." Ben took out his phone, but was concerned. "Mr. Chris and you look almost identical. Impersonating you won''t be a problem, but you know, he''s kind of a yboy. What if..." "He wouldn''t dare." Zachary raised his eyebrows. "Understood." Chapter 110 Chapter 110 During lunch, Charlotte was still wondering whether Zachary and Gigolo In Debt were actually the same person. If he was, why is he doing this sort of role y with me? He even promised to pick me up. Wouldn''t that just expose himself? But if he''s not, why do the look so simr? Borderline identical! While she was deep in thought, a soft voice suddenly startled her. "I heard that you''ve been transferred to Level 68, Charlotte. Congrattions.¡± "Thank you." Charlotte looked up. It was Ynda. Charlotte recalled the incident where Wesley attacked her. Even though she could not find anything, something still felt really off with Ynda. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. It had been quite a while since it happened so Charlotte could not recall the details, but seeing Ynda still made her weary. "Really sorry aboutst time." Ynda sat opposite of Charlotte with her food tray and said with an apologetic tone. "When Mr. Holt attacked you, I really wanted to rush to the rescue, but I froze up in fear! I''m so useless!" "Don''t say that. It''s okay," Charlotteforted. "As long you forgive me. We''re still friends right?" Ynda asked. "Of course." Charlotte nodded in response. From an objective standpoint, Ynda was totally in the clear. All Charlotte had was a gut feeling, and she did not want tobel Ynda with baseless usations. "Great!" Ynda smiled. "I got took two cups of fruit juice by the way. Have one!¡± She handed the cup to Charlotte, and even ced a straw for her. "Thanks." Charlotte saw that Ynda had a cup as well so she did not think too much about it. She took a few sips and continued with her meal, not noticing the sh of contempt from Ynda''s gaze. For the whole afternoon, Charlotte was upied with work. After what happened with Mr. Sterk, Melody wasid off. Lucy had reced her as the new executive secretary, so they had to redistribute the workload in the afternoon. Charlotte was diligently learning everything she could in order to get ustomed to her work as soon as possible. In the blink of an eye, it was time to get off work so she sorted out berthings and got ready. For some reason, Charlotte felt really hot and thirsty the whole afternoon so she drank a lot of water. She kept going to the pantry for more. In the elevator, a few past colleagues walked in when it stopped at the thirteenth floor. They all congratted Charlotte on her promotion to Level 68. She thanked them with a smile. No one besides Ynda looked me in the eyes back when I was demoted to the security department. Now we¡¯re suddenly friends again?How realistic. While she was in her head, Charlotte''s phone suddenly rang and she immediately picked it up. "Hi, are you here?" "I''m just around the corner." "I''m in the elevator right now." Charlotte wanted to show off her rtionship to the colleagues present, so she used a cute voice. "Be careful while you''re driving, okay? I''ll be right there." "Okay." After the phone call, the female colleagues immediately surrounded her. "Charlotte, who''s that? Boyfriend?" "Yeah, hising to pick me up," Charlotte said in a bashful manner. "Oh! Then we definitely have to take a look. With your looks, the man must definitely be rich and handsome!" The females started gossiping. Ynda looked profoundly at Charlotte in the corner. "Charlotte, since when did you get a boyfriend?" she asked all of a sudden. "Quite a while ago," Charlotte replied cheerily. "You should treat everyone then! You all agree?" Ynda teased. "Yeah! You should!" A few of them chimed in. "Last time, Sydney¡¯s boyfriend got everyone a bunch of good food." "My boyfriend got everyone chocte too!" "Hahaha, Charlotte. There¡¯s no escaping this!" Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Charlotte gave it a thought. If Zachary found out that so many colleagues knew about my boyfriend, he''ll definitely get annoyed and distance himself from me. "Alright, dinner''s on me!" Charlotte nodded with a smile. "Let''s just skip dinner, let¡¯s head over to Sultry Night for drinks!" Ynda proposed. "Wedies need to cut down our weight, so no dinner tonight! We celebrate with alcohol!" "Yeah. Mr. Holt''s not here anymore, we won''t do what he did for sure," one of the male colleagues spoke. "You''re right! Last time Mr. Holt ordered so many expensive liquor and it costed Charlotte a fortune! Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. We''re not gonna do that." Hearing those words, Ynda¡¯s gaze turned cold for a moment before returning back to normal. "I have some coupons here, so we can get loads of discounts." "That works too. Sultry Night it is then!" Charlotte agreed heartily. As the flock came out of the elevator, they kept Charlotte surrounded and chattered nonstop, singing praises of her every step of the way. Charlotte had an awkward smile the whole time and did not know how to reply besides thanking them. Only Ynda was acting normally and not as pretentious. At that moment, Charlotte thought that Ynda might be the best colleague out of all of them there. "Huh? Isn''t that Mr. Nacht?¡± one of them rmed everyone. "Quick, stop talking and step aside." Everyone there immediately went quiet and lined up at the side. As Zachary walked by, they lowered their head and greeted him, "Mr. Nacht!" Zachary took a glimpse of Charlotte as he walked by. Charlotte looked at his back and that gut feeling came floating back up. So simr... Ring! Ring! Her phone interrupted her thought process. It was Gigolo In Debt. "Hello!" Charlotte picked up the phone. "You out yet?" While he was talking, Charlotte looked towards Zachary. He did not have his phone with him and was giving out orders to Ben quietly. Is it really not him? Charlotte wanted to confirm it once and for all, so she hurried out the building. Zachary''s Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked right in front of the entrance. The body guards opened the door, and kept an eye out as Zachary got in. Charlotte was spacing out for a moment before she heard a familiar honk. She looked towards the direction of the honk and saw the Aston Martin that Gigolo In Debt always drove, parked beside a flowerbed not far away. Before Charlotte could go over, the Aston Martin immediately sped towards her as the Rolls-Royce left, stopping right in front of her. The window came down and the gigolo popped his head out. "Hey!" he smiled. Charlotte was stumped. Something felt weird but she could not pinpoint what it was. His clothes, his figure, and even the eyes. Everything was the same. No, wait! His eyes! The Gigolo In Debt she knew was not as cold as Zachary, but his eyes still had that intense vibe to it. His eyes would never shine like how the man in front her did, with a smile no less. "Daydreaming?" While Charlotte was deep in thought, a suggestive voice snapped her back to reality. The gigolo had a huge bouquet of Champagne Roses with him as he got out of the car. "I missed you so much, Baby!" He pulled her close and attempted a kiss. "What are you doing?" Charlotte evaded him and gritted her teeth. "You wanna die?" "You''re the one that wanted me to act as your boyfriend, right? I¡¯m just making it look real," he said with an evil grin. "But..." Before Charlotte could say anything, her colleagues had surrounded her once again. "Wow! Charlotte¡¯s boyfriend really is rich and handsome!" "Expensive car and a handsome face. I''m jealous!" "Why the mask though?" "My baby here likes it. Are all you prettydies here my baby''s coworkers? Nice to meet you all." The gigolo''s charming greeting immediately got everyone''s approval. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Charlotte looked at the Gigolo In Debt in front of her. Something just feels wrong. He was right when saying that she wanted him to act like her boyfriend. Naturally, he would need to do his best. Can I me him for an outstanding performance? However, one thing was for sure. Zachary and the gigolo were not the same person. She just watched Zachary got in a car, and Gigolo In Debt was standing right there with her. Unless he knew how to clone himself, there was no way Zachary could make this happen. Even now, she still thought they look almost identical when put side by side. Nevertheless, suspicions were cleared up and she could confirm that it was just her head ying tricks on her. "What''s going on in there?" The gigolo gave Charlotte¡¯s forehead a light knock. He opened the door and cushioned her head. "Get in!" "Charlotte¡¯s boyfriend is such a gentlemen." Charlotte got in the car while everyone sung praises of the gigolo. The gigolo''s phone vibrated, so he took a look at who called. A grin appeared on his face as he left it unanswered. "Charlotte, can I tag along?" Ynda went over and asked. "Of course. There''s space for three more at the back,¡± Charlotte invited. "Hop on." "Alright. Thank you." Ynda pulled two more female colleagues over and told the others to get another car. "Let''s meet at Sultry Night." "Okay!" The Aston Martin sped off like a gust of wind. Gigolo In Debt was driving a lot faster than usual, zipping through the traffic and overtaking cars whenever possible. "Slow down," Charlotte reminded. "We''re not actually going that fast here," he said as he got close to her. "You look so beautiful." "You just noticed?¡± Charlotte rolled her eyes at him. She got close and whispered in his ear, "Drinks are on you tonight, go at it as much as you can. I''ll pay you back afterwards." "Pay me back?" The gigolo was amazed when he heard that. "If you want to use your own money, be my guest," Charlotte replied. "You make more than me anyway." "Hahaha! Interesting!" He burst out inughter. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Why are you acting so weird today?" Charlotte''s brows knitted. "I''ve never seen youugh before today. Really happy about something?" "Why wouldn''t I be happy? I get to be your boyfriend!" He got close to her ear again. "Aren''t you happy?" He asked in a flirtatious manner. "Stop it!" Charlotte face was bright pink. "Tsk tsk. Disying your affection for each other right in front of us? Do we need to look away?" the "I should have never tagged along. This love is blinding! Hahaha." "Quick, let''s just keep our eyes shut and pretend we saw nothing,¡± Ynda chimed in. "He''s not usually like this." Charlotte smiled awkwardly. All of a sudden, the gigolo''s phone vibrated once again. He took a nce at Charlotte and picked it up with his Bluetooth headset. "Hello!" "Looks like you got carried away!" Zachary''s cold voice came from the other side of the call. "Yeah, I''m fetching my girlfriend from work," Gigolo In Debt gave him an irrelevant response. "If youy a finger on her, you''re dead!" A smoldering rage could be heard from Zachary¡¯s tone. "Hehe..." Gigolo In Debt replied with an evilugh. "Anxious already? I thought you said it was just a game?" Charlotte was left there confused at who he was talking to. Is it the richdy that gave him this car? "Chris Broid!" Zachary was about to explode. "Alright. Okay. Don''t worry!" Chrisforted before things get out of hand. "Leave immediately when it''s over!" Zachary warned. "Understood!" Chris ended the call and winked at Charlotte. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 "Something wrong? Is your work affected because you came here today?" Charlotte softened her voice and asked bashfully, "Was it your boss just now?" "My boss?" Gigolo In Debt shifted his gaze for a brief moment before answering, "Yeah, it¡¯s my boss." "Did she find out that you came to pick me up? Is she mad?" Charlotte got nervous. "Why did you let her find out? This will affect your work for sure." "You know who I was talking to?" He was a bit confused. Charlotte took a look at the back and got close to his ear. "Weren¡¯t you talking to the richdy that''s been supporting you?" "Pfft... Hahahaha!" Gigolo In Debt burst outughing, as if he just heard the funniest joke ever. "Hey, you two better watch how you flirt. There are still people at the back!" the colleagues teased once again. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Sorry! So sorry." Charlotte immediately apologized and gave the man beside her a p on the thigh. "Stop it! Eyes on the road!" However, he keptughing as he was unable to hold it in. Charlotte had to give his arm a full forced pinched and stared at him before he slowly calmed down. Not long after, they arrived at Sultry Night. Charlotte took Ynda¡¯s vouchers and was about to get beers with the discounts. However, Gigolo In Debt took her by the hand and walked straight towards the VIP area. "What are you doing?" Charlotte anxiously tried to stop him. "You''ll need to spend a lot in this area!" "It¡¯s okay! Tonight¡¯s on me, so don¡¯t worry. You don''t have to pay me a cent. You''re treating your colleagues after all. Let''s go all out, no need for these silly discounts," the gigolo proposed. "But..." Charlotte had more to say, but her colleagues had caught up to them. "Are we going to the VIP rooms? I''ve never gone there before." "Me too! Charlotte, your boyfriend¡¯s really generous!" "Thank you, Charlotte!" "Thank you!" All of them were expressing their excitement and gratitude. Charlotte''s smile froze as she was screaming internally. She grabbed Gigolo In Debt by the arm and gritted her teeth. "You''re spending all the money you made from selling your body just like this? Don''t you want to get out of that industry?¡± He could not help butugh once again. Pulling her towards him by the shoulder, Gigolo In Debt spoke into her ears. "As long as you''re with me, I can stay in there forever." "You..." "We''re here!" Before Charlotte couldplete her sentence, she got dragged into the room. The manager of the Sultry Night was waiting there with an assortment food and alcohol. Charlotte suddenly realized that this was the room they always met up in. The liquors on the table costed at least tens of thousands, each. Oh my god! Has he gone insane! She quickly pulled him to the side. "Are you crazy? Where would you get the money for all those expensive drinks?¡± "They''re all paid for by my boss," Gigolo In Debt smiled. "And of course, you don¡¯t have pay anything too." "Won''t she get angry at you?" Charlotte felt unease. "You¡¯re using her money to entertain me and my colleagues. I highly doubt she''ll be happy about this." "It''s fine. Everything¡¯s taken care of. So don''t you worry." He gave her cheek a light pinch and proceeded to wee the colleagues in. At the moment, Charlotte was still concerned, but it''s toote for her to voice out anymore. Everyone cheered as they got in the room. "Wow! It''s beautiful!" "Oh god! These are all expensive liquor!" "Charlotte, thank you! Your boyfriend too!" Ynda raised her wine ss. "Everyone! A toast! To Charlotte and her boyfriend!" "Alright!" Everyone gathered towards the couple for a toast. "I don''t drink...¡± Charlotte wanted to refuse, but sumbed in the end to their enthusiasm as she epted their toast one after another. On the other hand, Gigolo In Debt was very weing, downing sses after sses of alcohol. He immediately gotfortable with everyone there. However, after only two sses of alcohol, Charlotte felt woozy and unusually feverish. Chapter 114 Chapter 114 It felt so hot that Charlotte actually wanted to take her clothes off. She figured it was because she had too much alcohol and decided to go to the washroom. "Are you okay?" Gigolo In Debt wanted to go with her, but Ynda was one step ahead of him. "I''ll go check on her." At the same time, the other colleagues were eagerly trying to engage in conversation with the gigolo. Thus, he did not put too much thought into it and continued speaking with the others. "Charlotte, you okay?" Ynda came in the washroom and looked at Charlotte nonchntly. "I think I drank too much, it¡¯s so hot right now." Charlotte tried to cool off by washing her face with the cold water. "I got you some water." Ynda took out a bottle of water and uncapped it for Charlotte. "Take a sip." "Thank you!" Charlotte''s mouth felt dry at the moment, so she epted the bottle and finished it instantly. "Better?" Ynda narrowed her eyes. "Still feeling feverish?" She asked coldly. "A bit better." Charlotte touched her forehead. For some reason, she felt even thirstier after finishing the bottle of water. "I''ll take a break in here for now, you can go have fun. Don''t worry about me." "You can''t rest here! The others would need to use the washroom too you know?" Yndaughed. "Besides, it''s not really convenient since there are men here too." Then..." "Looks like the room next door is empty. Let¡¯s take you over there." Ynda helped Charlotte walk and spoke in her ear. "We should go out from the side door, else the guys are just going toe up to you for a toast again." "For sure. I can''t drink anymore." Charlotte''s consciousness was slowly fading. Not being able to think properly, she let Ynda bring her out. "Hey Charlotte!" Lily called out when she saw them. "Where are you bringing her, Ynda?" However, her voice was drowned by the ring music and all the talking in the room. She looked over to Charlotte''s boyfriend and saw that he was happily ying some party games with the other men. Well, Ynda''s with her, so there should be nothing to worry about. Truth be told, Ynda did not bring Charlotte next door. She actually went around a few corners and got to an abandoned room quite far away. The equipment in the room had malfunctioned so it was sealed off from all usage. It was pitch ck in the room. No lights nor music. The only light source avable came from the window on the door, faintly shining on Charlotte¡¯s pretty face. "Water," Charlotte moaned as she shifted around after Ynda tossed her on to a sofa. "I need N?velDrama.Org (C) content. water..." "You want water?" Ynda picked up a bottle of expired beer from the table and poured it straight down Charlotte''s face. "Drink up!" "Ugh..." Charlotte shook her head in panic, trying to evade. Nevertheless, she was too weak to even move. At that moment, Charlotte was barely conscious. She did not know what was going on besides the feeling of the liquid in her face. "You b*tch!" Ynda tossed the bottle aside, and lunged at Charlotte, squeezing Charlotte¡¯s head between her hands. "It¡¯s all your fault!" Ynda gritted her teeth. "Mr. Holt had a bright future ahead of him, and you made him lose his job! You even got him in jail! Everything''s your fault! He was an outstanding individual, the first man to ever get into a prestigious university from our vige! He was our pride, the person that I looked up to and admired..." Ynda was breathing heavily. "I followed in his footsteps and came to Divine Corporation. I worked hard and did my best to showcase my abilities, all in the hopes of getting noticed by him. But you were the only one in his eyes. So be it! If you loved him and cherished him, I would''ve gave you my blessing. But no! You had to ruin him, my guiding light! I¡¯ll never forgive you for this!" Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Ynda stood up and took out her phone. "Hello. Everything''s ready. You cane in.¡± "The abandoned room, you imbeciles. Hurry up!" Silence ensued. In the meantime. Gigolo In Debt did not find Charlotte in the washroom, so he went to rooms next door, but to no avail. He tried calling her as well but it did not go through. "Have you guys seen Charlotte?" he turned off the music and asked. Everyone started shaking their heads. "Is she in the washroom?" "No, I''ve been there." Gigolo In Debt frowned. "Who''s the girl that helped Charlotte to the washroom again?" "No idea..." Everyone was oblivious. "It¡¯s Ynda," Lily said aftering back from the washroom. "I saw her going out with Charlotte. What happened? Are they not back yet?" "Call her immediately," Gigolo In Debt urged. "Quick!" "Okay." Lily quickly took out her phone and called Ynda. She even put it in speaker mode, but the call never went through. "Is it because the signal is bad in here?" The colleagues was not as concerned. "Ynda has always been a thoughtful person. Maybe she''ll be back with Charlotte soon." "Yeah. Maybe Charlotte drank too much and Ynda brought her out for some fresh air. They''ll be back soon. Don''t worry about it." "Who¡¯s this Ynda? "Gigolo In Debt was still very much concerned. "Is she new? How''s her rtionship with Charlotte?" "Ynda has been in thepany for two years now. She''s considered a senior in the administration department. Among the people here, she''s the closest with Charlotte." Gigolo In Debt felt a little better after hearing that. He figured that everything was alright and wanted to N?velDrama.Org (C) content. continue where he left off. All of a sudden, his phone rang. It was Zachary, so he immediately went out to pick up the call. "Hello!" "You brought her to Sultry Night?" "Her colleagues wanted me to treat them!" "Quit fooling around," Zachary scoffed. "Get out of there right now." "Huh? You''re alreadying?" The gigolo was disappointed. "Can you at least let me finish the night in character?" "Do you want to die?" "Alright! Okay! I get it. Let me find your girl first. Call me when you get here." "What? Where is she?" "She drank a little too much and a female colleague helped her outside for a breather. Now both of their phones are unreachable." "Chris Broid, if anything happens to her, you''re dead!" In the dark and abandoned room, three wretched men with floral shirts walked in. "Why the f*ck is this ce so hard to find? All these twist and turns!" "Yeah! I didn''t even know Sultry Night had an abandoned room like this." "Shut up ande here!" Ynda demanded. "You''re not even paying us a lot, quit nagging already." The men stopped as soon as they saw the woman on the sofa. "This is what we''re here for? That''s awesome!" Their eyes widened. On the sofa, Charlotte''s coat had already been taken off as she shifted around with her exquisite figure. Her face looked incredibly seductive under the faint lighting avable. The three of them drooled in excitement. "This body, this face, it''s way better than any women out there." "I actually thought it was going to be some olddy! That''s why I was reluctant." "You should have told us earlier that it was going to be someone like this! We''d be here waiting!" The men spoke as they took their pants off. "It''s quiet here. No one''s going to interrupt you and no one''s going to find out." Ynda tossed them a stack of cash and snickered. "You men have fun. Be sure to let her have the time of her life." Chapter 116 Chapter 116 "Don''t worry. We will definitely service this fine youngdy to the best of our abilities. Hahaha..." The drooling men surrounded the sofa, overjoyed at the sight of Charlotte. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Ynda walked out of the room and gave Charlotte an icy stare as she closed the door with a sinister grin on her face. "Don''t worry, Charlotte. I''ll go get your boyfriend right now. Maybe he''ll love you even more after seeing what happened here." "Oh baby, I¡¯m gonna enjoy this!" One of the men with a crew cut reached his hand towards Charlotte. "Wait!" A bald man pped the hand away and took out his phone. "For someone like this, it''d be too bad if we could only do it once, right? Let''s record everything so we can use it as leverage! She''ll be dancing in the palm of our hand." "Boss, you''re smart!" the other two praised. The bald man set up his phone for recording and took out masks for the three of them. "Wear these. That way, no one will know who we are even if the video gets on the inte." "You really thought about everything, boss!" "Now step aside! I¡¯ll be the first!" "Huh? Okay then... Hurry up!" "I canst really long! Hehehe." The bald man slowly closed in on Charlotte. "Prettydy, I''ming!" Ynda was on her way back to the room where everyone was but out of nowhere, she bumped into Zachary! No amount of colorful lights there could cover his raging presence at the moment. As he got closer, the killing intent of a beast could be felt intensifying. "Where is Charlotte Windt?" "Mr. Nacht..." Ynda gave him a stiff smile, forcing herself to calm down. "Charlotte h-had too much liquor." She was shivering. "So I brought her out here for some fresh air. But she suddenly disappeared when I went to get her... ugh..." Zachary had his hand on her neck before she could finished. Ynda was suffocating, as though a monster had her neck tightly in its hand. Her mouth wide open and eyes flooded with terror. The man in front of her was no longer human. He was death incarnate, here to decide her fate. If he wanted, she would be dead. "Where. Is. She?" Zachary''s teeth ground like a beast would with its prey beneath its ws. Ynda raised her trembling hand, and pointed towards the direction of the abandoned room. Two ck suited bodyguards immediately rushed over. Zachary did not let Ynda go. In fact, he grabbed her hair and dragged her along. "Ahhh!" Along the way, quite a few customers were terrified by what was going on and some screamed in fear. "Please! Please let me go. I don''t know anything!" Ynda was in disarray, kicking her legs with immense fear in her eyes, begging for mercy. "Ah!" A horrific scream came from the room. A man was caught off guard and got kicked away by Ben. Thud! The man''s fat body mmed into the wall, and fell to the ground. He was out cold. The other two men wanted to escape, but was quickly subjugated under the bodyguards'' feet and were now on their knees. Zachary slowly walked in and flung Ynda in front of them. "It''s her!¡± The men pointed at her. "She paid us to do this!" "No! I didn''t!" Ynda denied, violently shaking her head. Zachary did not bother himself with them. He took off his coat and covered it on Charlotte before carrying her out. As he was leaving, Zachary gave out an order without even turning his head. "Whatever you were paid for, do it on her." The two were stunned for a split second and immediately nodded. "Yes sir!" "N-no! Don''t! Please no!" Ynda¡¯s howl could be heard from corridor, but no one did anything about it. "Suffer the consequence of your own malice," Zachary said and left. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Zachary carried Charlotte out from the back exit. Chris was anxiously waiting on the car. When he saw them he immediately approached Zachary and apologized, "I''m so sorry man. I would have never known..." Thump! Zachary kicked him aside. "If you weren¡¯t my aunt''s son, I would have crushed your throat by now!¡± Chris face turned pale from the pain, but did not say anything about it. On the contrary, he apologized, "It was all my fault. Is she okay?" Zachary paid him no heed and carried Charlotte into the Aston Martin. At the moment, Charlotte had totally sumbed to the effects of the drug Ynda gave her. She entangled herself on Zachary''s body and buried her face into his neck, indulging herself with the familiar smell. "It''s you..." Charlotte murmured. She wrapped her hands around his neck and gave him an endearing kiss. "Goddammit!" Zachary''s forehead creased. "So, you''ve been drugged." No wonder you justid there like a fool without even resisting. Charlotte continued to shift about in Zachary''s arms, like a ball of fire trying to light up his desire. At the moment, Zachary had one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding on to her. He had no choice but to let Charlotte have her way with his body as he suppressed his sexual urges. He needed to focus on driving. However, as Charlotte got even more audacious, her movements were wilder than ever before. Unable to calm himself down, Zachary drove the car into a forest near Southcastle Shore where he proceed toy her on the seat. "You asked for it," he rasped as he bit her earlobe. He kissed her savagely, like how predators enjoyed their prey. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Charlotte was burning with passion and yed along, making it even more irresistible for Zachary. Under the alluring moonlight that sipped through the windows, their silhouettes intertwined. It was a passionate night filled with ecstasy. In the morning, Charlotte was awakened by the sunlight in her eyes. She was still a bit woozy when she opened her eyes and saw a familiar figure. Zachary was sitting on the bo of the car with a cigarette in hand. His hair shifted as the wind blew. His white shirt was unbuttoned and danced in the wind, revealing his wolf head tattoo on the waist from time to time. Charlotte looked at him in shock and looked at herself. She was naked with only Zachary¡¯s long coat covering her. Moreover, she felt an intense soreness in the groin area. Her mind went nk for quite a while before realizing what happened and her heart rate skyrocketed. "Ahhh!" Charlotte''s terrified scream pierced through the calm of morn. Zachary knitted his brows and put out the cigarette. He went and got two bottles of water from the trunk, uncapped one and passed it to Charlotte. "What¡¯s all this?" Charlotte grabbed his arm as she was at a loss for words. "What happenedst night? We, you and me... What did you do to me?" "What do you mean by that? You''re the one that kepttching on to me," Zachary spoke in a stern manner. "Be grateful that I had the decency to help you out." "You''re lying! You filthy scum!" Charlotte raised her hand to hit him, but Zachary caught it. "So you''re attacking people now after the enjoyment? That''s not right!" "Don''t you mock me with your nder, I''m not that type of person!" Charlotte roared in rage, her chest heaving from the heavy breathing, a seductive sight to behold. Zachary stared at her smooth and perky breasts, his body showing some reaction. However, he did not do anything besides turning on the onboard recorder''s monitor. "Take a look for yourself!" "Take me..." A moan came from the screen. The resolution was not good, but Charlotte was able to recognize herself, riding on Zachary while kissing and hugging his face. It was even more intense than the movies! "I..." Charlotte was bbergasted. She could not believe what she was seeing. How? Why? How did I be like this? This isn''t like me at all! Chapter 118 Chapter 118 "Still can''t remember anything?" Zachary asked. "Even what happened at Sultry Night?" "What happened at Sultry Night?" Charlotte''s head was aching, trying to recall what happened. "I remember youing to pick me up, my colleagues coaxing me, asking for you to treat them. And then we went to Sultry Night for drinks..." She briefly paused. "They came to give toasts, I drank two sses full and got drunk. Then, I was in the bathroom, Ynda gave me some water and... Nothing. I can¡¯t remember anything after that." At this point, Charlotte suddenly realized something. "You bastard! You took advantage of me when I was drunk!" "Look at it again..." Zachary tapped on the screen. "Who''s actually the one being taken advantage of here?" On the screen, Charlotte teared open his shirt and kissed him non-stop. "Shut it off." Charlotte covered her eyes. "This really isn''t me. Why would I do this?" "You were drugged, you idiot." Zachary turned off the recorder and deleted the footage. "Drugged?" Charlotte gave it some thought, and noticed that things in fact, did not add up. Even though she was not good at drinking, two sses should not have been able to almost knock her out like that. Wait. I was already quite feverish in the afternoon. The liquor at night only made it worse. And it felt just like how it was four years ago... "Figured it out?" Zachary continued to remind her. "Your conditionst night was way worse than four Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. years ago. That''s because you took double the dosage." "No way! Who would do something like this?" Zachary''s words sent shivers down Charlotte''s spine. "I don''t think I did anything to anyone." "Just listen." Zachary yed the recording that Ben sent him on his phone. It was the conversation between Ynda and the three men. "I¡¯ll pay you guys a hundred thousand to defile someone for me." "You''re asking us to do that for a mere hundred thousand? What if we get caught? The punishment is really heavy for crimes like these." "Don''t worry. I''ll handle everything. You guys just have to gang up on her when I send her over." "Hehehe... That woman must be ugly. That''s why you actually need to pay money for her to getid." "Au contraire, she¡¯s actually more beautiful than you can imagine. You''ll see." Charlotte was gob smacked. "Oh God! Is this Ynda?" Ynda had a unique voice that was soft and slow. Even when talking about such sinister deeds, her tone remained the same. "You understand now?" Zachary shook his head in exasperation. "The juice you drank yesterday afternoon was spiked. Same goes for the water she gave youst night. She was out to get you, but you treated her like your best friend. If it weren''t for me..." Zachary did not finish his sentence. If those men even touched Charlotte, he would have med himself the most. I should never have let Chris impersonate me! All he wanted was to clear Charlotte''s suspicions; who would have known Chris was that yful? Thank god I got there in time. "This is horrifying." Charlotte got goosebumps from the thought ofst night. "T-the men, did... d-did they..." "Of course not." Zachary pulled her into his arms. "I would never let anyone hurt you." She could feel the beating of his powerful heart, and it gave her a firm sense of security, just like a guardian angel looking after her. Wait! Another question suddenly popped into her head. She instantly pushed him Zachary away, and snapped, "You stupid gigolo! Tell me, did you use a condomst night?" Zachary went silent. He was stumped, and it dawned on him that he put his mask onst night when he got in the car. At the moment, he was Gigolo In Debt. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 "You obviously didn''t then!¡± Charlotte was mad. "You¡¯re disgusting! ying around with richdies everyday and sleeping with me in their car..." Zachary''s forehead creased and clenched his fist. God knows Charlotte was the only woman he ever slept with, but she was ndering him, even disgusted by him. Zachary was ready to just snap her neck then and there, but he figured he was the one that started the game with that alter ego. Now''s not the time to reveal myself. Just bear with it! "What''s done is done. What do you want me to do?" He put down the bottle of water and started the engine. "Who knows what diseases you might have?" Charlotte stared at him angrily. "Don¡¯t you use condoms when you''re with your customers? Why is it always me that¡¯s..." "B*tch, you better stop nagging, else I throw you out right now!" Zachary gritted his teeth in anger. If it were anyone else, he would have exploded. This ungrateful wretch! It took everything he had to control his rage. Charlotte had tears in her eyes and pouted in fear, her petite figure trembling profusely. She knew the man beside her did not back down on his words. Being left in the wild with no clothes on like that would definitely spell her demise, so she kept quiet. Zachary gave her a nce and saw how miserable she was. Once again, he got soft and passed her the bottle of water. Charlotte took the water from him and drank slowly. Her throat was burning, her head was aching and even her body was in pain. She was aching everywhere. As she thought about it some more, she started crying. I made a mistake four years ago, and four yearster, the same mistake once again. With the same guy! Why am I like this? "What are you crying for?" Zachary got annoyed. "You make it seem like I sexually assaulted you!" "If you knew I was drugged, why didn''t you take me to the hospital?" Charlotte was in shambles. "Why did you have to take advantage of the situation?" "How''s the hospital going to help you in that situation?" Zachary rebut. "Besides, do you want to get on headline news once again?" Charlotte was left speechless. It was true that if what happenedst night was publicized, she would be aughing stock again. "It''s not like we''ve never slept together before, what¡¯s there to cry about?" Zachary had a ball of rage stuffed in his stomach at the moment. Is sleeping with me that much of ? humiliation to you? "You''re right!" Charlotte took a deep breath. "I''ll just treat it as being possessed by a ghost!" Zachary kept quiet as he flung his fist on the car window out of rage. Bang! ss shards flew everywhere. Charlotte closed her eyes and curled up in terror. Zachary showed no emotion whatsoever as he kept his piercing gaze on the road, silent ever since. With the speed that the car was going, they reached a pharmacy in the city center soon after. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Zachary got out and headed in. Charlotte did not know what was going on. She desperately wanted to leave, but her condition right now would not let her. Some passerby took notice of her so she immediately covered her face with the coat. Zachary did not take too long and came back with a white pill. "Swallow it!" "What¡¯s is?" Charlotte was confused. "Contraceptive," he replied in cold manner. "Unless you want to go through pregnancy and miscarriage once again." Charlotte instantly took the pill and swallowed it with the aid of water. Zachary then made a phone call before driving to the back entrance of Storm Hotel. The manager was already awaiting his arrival when he got there. When the manager saw Zachary, he wanted to bow to greet him. However, Zachary stopped him and asked him to lead the way. "Understood!" The manager immediately guided in front of them. Zachary used his long coat, covering Charlotte as tightly as possible and carried her into the elevator. They went straight up to the thirty-ninth floor where the presidential suite was. The exact same room they slept in four years ago. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 "Mr. Na--" the hotel manager blurted, but immediately held his tongue at a sharp, warning look from Zachary. Realizing that he had almost spilled the name "Mr. Nacht", the manager let out a brisk cough before continuing, "Everything you asked for is ready, sir! Please have a good rest. Let me know anytime if there''s anything else you need." At this, the manager retreated and even closed the door behind him. "Why did you bring me here?" Charlotte demanded as her eyes darted around in a panic. "What are you still trying to do... Ahh!" Before she could finish, her feet were swept off the ground abruptly. With a rough haul, Zachary threw her into the round bathtub filled with water. Ssh! She iled around for a moment as she struggled to sit up, and coughed out some water which she had choked on. Wiping water off her face with a hand, she grabbed onto the edge of the bathtub with the other. She panted heavily for some time before finally steadying herself, ring at him and yelling, "You darned gigolo! How dare you..." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. "Shut up!" he interrupted fiercely and pointed at her. "From this minute on, you better clean yourself up quietly. I''m gonna do you again if I hear another word from you!" A suppressing atmosphere filled the bathroom at his menacing re and authoritative voice. Charlotte felt subdued by the air of dominance emitting off him. Frightened, she immediately held a hand over her mouth and stared quietly with widened eyes. "Bathe!" hemanded as he chucked a bathrobe at her, then walked out of the bathroom. She pursed her lips tightly, not daring to make another sound. Nevertheless, she really did want to clean herself up. Last night had been a long tiring one. She couldn''t help feeling grungy and filthy all over. She slowly eased herself into the bath, letting her body unwind in the warm water... The bath was rxing as she immersed herself in it. However, she flinched when the wounds on her shoulder and neck started to sting as they came into contact with the water. Meanwhile, Zachary had taken a shower in the other bathroom. With only a towel wrapped underneath his torso, he hastily rubbed his hair as he came out and called Raina on his phone. "Send a female doctor over to the Storm Hotel, now! One whose face is fresh to the public!¡± he ordered. Not wasting a millisecond, he hung up and reached out a hand towards his mask. In that instant, Charlotte emerged from the bathroom. He quickly turned away. He cursed in his mind. The mask was still lying on the bed, where he¡¯d have to turn around and walk over a distance before he could reach it. Of all times, that Ungrateful Wretch now stood right behind him. "You''re done so quickly?" he asked purposefully. He had to figure out something to say to direct her away. "Mmhm," she murmured. She was about to say more, but immediately covered her mouth at the thought of his threats earlier. This gigolo had sounded so scary just now. What if he really were to act on his threats? Her entire body still felt sore and her legs had barely recovered enough strength to support her own weight. After an excruciating night, receiving more "punishments" from this man would be thest thing she wished for. "That''s not clean enough. Go bathe one more time!" he forced a demanding tone, hiding his desperation as much as possible. "I..." she resisted, and then held her tongue again just before more words could spill out of her mouth. Not wanting to get herself into more trouble, she begrudgingly turned back towards the bathroom. Now is the time! Zachary made a dive towards the mask on the bed. His fingers were barely an inch away from reaching it when Charlotte came back to the room all of a sudden. He withdrew and turned away in a split second. The towel wrapped around his lower body almost slipped from the impulsive movement. "I''m not bathing anymore!" she grimaced as she held a hand over her painful, swollen neck. "I think the wound on my neck''s starting to ooze pus. It hurts! I''m going home..." She then proceeded towards the door as she spoke. Now or never! Zachary made a lightning-speed dash and grabbed hold of the mask. Just as he prepared to put it on... "Oh, right!" Charlotte made a sudden turn and faced him. "You know, I think it''s better if we don''t see each other anymore..." Her voice trailed off slightly as she looked down on the floor. She mustered up her courage again after a second. She finally looked up as she continued, "Let¡¯s put an end to that contract between us. From this day on, you don¡¯t have to pay yourpensation anymore. Go and live your own life in peace..." At this time, Zachary had finally slid his mask on. He could feel his heart palpitating. It felt as if it had almost leaped out of his chest just now. If she hadn''t lowered her head the whole time in guilt and abashment, he could''ve blown his cover just a second ago. "I''ll burn that piece of agreement and delete your number once I go back. Let''s not trouble each other anymore from now on." At that, she reached for the door handle and began to make her leave. "You¡¯ve slept with me from the start, and now you''re thinking of leaving just like that?" his cold voice rang from behind. "You wench!" Chapter 121 Chapter 121 "What do you want?" Charlotte gave an irked frown. "If you''re not happy, I can return all the money to you. You''ve paid me over a hundred thousand, right? I''ll reimburse every single cent!" "I''m fine with the money, but what about my body?" He closed in on her with an icy re. "You think you can do whatever you want to me and then leave everything behind while forgetting all about it?" "You... Don''t you dare try anything funny!" she stammered and took a few steps backward, nearly tripping herself. "If you touch me again, I''ll call the police!" "I''m the one who should call the police," he refuted coldly. "Anyone would believe that I¡¯m the real victim if they see the recording fromst night." "You scoundrel!" she snarled. "You recorded us on purpose to use it against me?" He was speechless at how dim-witted her thoughts were, letting out an almost inaudible sigh under his breath. "What on earth do you think I can threaten you for with a video recording?" "You..." she argued, but her voice broke off into an abrupt pause. He''s right... Even if he threatens me, what else can he get out of me besides my body, which he already did? Everybody knows I''m broke. There''s nothing for anyone to rob me of...Ding! Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She jumped at the sudden ring of the doorbell. Zachary walked over to the door. Thinking that he was going to touch her, Charlotte quickly evaded him and retreated to a corner. He yanked her head with a hand to keep her still and turned the door handle with the other. "Mr. Na--" a female''s voice echoed as the door swung open. Just like the hotel manager earlier, she had almost blurted out his name before freezing at Zachary''s intense re. "Ahem... Good day sir, I''m the private doctor the manager has requested for." "Come in." He pointed towards Charlotte as he continued, "Check on the injuries on her neck and left shoulder." "Yes sir," she answered respectfully. The doctor seemed to be in her forties. Her uniform and the medical kit in her hands added to the air of professionalism around her. "What''s going on?" Before Charlotte could digest the situation, Zachary forcefully pressed her down onto the couch. "Behave yourself and stay still! I''ll send you home once the doctor has treated your wounds." She had no choice but to give in and obey. The doctor crouched on the floor as she tended to Charlotte''s wounds and reced her soaked bandages. "Ms. Windt, there''s some pus on your wounds. I''ll dress them as I can for now. You''ll need to take some antibiotics today. If they''re still worsening by tomorrow, you''ll have to get them treated at the hospital." "Understood. Thank you." Charlotte nodded. After prescribing the medicine, the doctor left with a curtsy towards Zachary. "That''s weird. Why was she acting so reverent towards you?" A look of confusion cast upon Charlotte¡¯s face. "Whoever has the money is the boss!" he said in a matter-of-fact tone as he began to put on his clothes in front of her. She turned away hastily. "Wh-what are you doing? Can''t you be a little more modest?" "Your clothes are in the wardrobe. Go put them on yourself,¡± he replied indifferently. "Otherwise, feel free to go home in the hotel''s night robe if you wish." She shot daggers at him as she pulled out the pile of clothes and walked to the bathroom. There was a white dress that came along with a set of pre-sanitized innerwear. Amazed at every detail taken into consideration, she changed into her new clothes obediently. Much to her surprise, they fit her perfectly! It''s as if each piece was specifically tailored for her. Not only that, but the fabric also felt sofortable against her skin, and they slid onto her body so conveniently... "Are you done?" Zachary''s voice rang from outside. "Yes, I am!" She stepped out of the bathroom and asked, "Whose clothes are these? They fit me perfectly! They feel sofortable." "Why are you even asking? Of course they''re yours!" He walked towards her and ruffled her dripping wet hair. He then seated her down in front of the dressing table, retrieved a dryer from the drawer and began blowing her hair. She sat there quietly, staring at herself in the mirror before shifting her gaze to the man behind her tending to her hair. A warm feeling blossomed in her heart. Come to think of it, this gigolo''s actually pretty nice... Indeed, he has always deposited his monthlypensation so dutifully as agreed, without a single dy. He¡¯s been so loyal and was at her every beck and call despite his arrogant attitude. On top of that, she didn''t expect him to have secretly arranged for a doctor to treat her worsening injuries and even prepared a perfect change of clothes for her. If it weren''t for his shady job as a gigolo, perhaps it would be a good option for them to unite as a family... Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Just as the thought shed across her mind, Charlotte brushed it off immediately. No, Charlotte Windt! You shouldn''t soften uplOnce a gigolo, always a gigolo! It would be impossible for him to clear the stains on his name as someone who had been doing such a dirty job for years. Even if she herself were to ignore his past, what about the kids? If they were to be a family, what if they bump into a client who recognized him while on the streets? How would the kids feel? Her children would be aughing stock because of their biological father''s identity. They would never be able to face society with their heads held high. The more she thought about these, the more her fears tugged at her heart. She reminded herself again and again to never let her guard down, no matter how gentle this gigolo seemed to be... Never! "It¡¯s done!" With a smooth flick, Zachary switched off the dryer. He ruffled her soft hair as if he were petting a little puppy. "That''s enough.¡± She nudged his hand away and kept a distance from him. "You don''t have to send me home. I''ll take a taxi!" "Are you sure about this?" There was no resistance in his tone this time. He reminded coldly, "Once you step out of here on your own, I''ll nevere to your aid anymore!¡± "That''ll be the best!¡± she replied instantly. "Once I transferred the money back to you, we''ll cut ties. Let''s not meet again." He frowned as he stared at her quietly. After a brief moment, he nodded. "Alright!" "Also, you have to delete that recording..." "It¡¯s already deleted earlier this morning, didn''t you see that?" His frown deepened as he spoke. "That''s fine then. Goodbye." At that, she turned and scurried off. He stood as he watched her back disappear into the distance. His face paled with anger, his fists clenched tight. This time, he would teach this woman a lesson... He would surely make her Charlotte exited the lift and hailed a taxi as soon as she stepped out of the lobby. She nced back at the Aston Martin not far away through the car window. Her heart throbbed with a sudden twinge of sorrow. She reminisced on the madness they went through the night before, and on his gentle and caring demeanor today. And how they''ve cut ties with each other just like that. It felt like everything was gone with the wind in the blink of an eye. It was like a dream, as if nothing had actually happened sincest night. Lost in her thoughts, the taxi arrived in front of her house before she knew it. It was afternoon. The kids had left for kindergarten. Mrs. Berry showed up at the door and hurried over to her. "Goodness me... Where have you beenst night, Miss? I¡¯ve tried calling you so many times but you didn''t answer. I was so worried!" "I went out with a colleague and drank too much, so I crashed at her ce," Charlotte excused sluggishly. "I''m tired, Mrs. Berry. I need a nap." "Alright. I¡¯ll make something to eat after you''re rested." "Okay." She dragged her feet back into her room. Just as she attempted to make an online transfer to the gigolo, her fingers froze atop her phone screen. A sudden realization dawned on her - she didn''t even know his bank ount number! Besides, there would only be seven hundred left in her credit card if she transfers the money back to him! How many more days could she survive with only seven hundred? N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Oh no... What do I do now? She was racking her brain when her phone suddenly vibrated and rang. It was Hector who called. At that name, she hung up immediately without answering. She couldn''t be bothered about that man at a time like this. Without further hesitation, she sent a text to the gigolo. Give me your ount number. I''ll transfer the money now! She waited for a few minutes, but there was no reply. Does he not want his money back? She thought that she should return the money regardless, to avoid any trouble with him in the future. However, if he doesn''t want the money back right away, she could at least wait until her next paycheck... Just then, her phone vibrated with a new iing message. The "Gigolo In Debt" replied with his bank ount number. C National Union Bank, XXXXXXXX, Danny Grant. "Heh... Men will be men after all!¡± she let out a mockingugh as she read the name. What an old-fashioned name for a gigolo. No wonder he never brought that up. She sighed at the thought of transferring out a huge sum of money. It''s alright... I guess it¡¯s better to sever ties as soon as possible. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 With a tap on her phone, Charlotte transferred a lump sum to his ount. To give herself additional peace of mind, she dialed his number. "I''ve transferred one hundred and seven thousand in total. Please check if you have received it." "Okay," the familiar voice answered inly. "Goodbye!" Within a second after hanging up, she erased his number from her contact list. She couldn''t help but feel irritated. What''s with that cold attitude? Wasn''t he so gentle and passionate just a while back at the hotel? Was it all a pretense? Where did all his manners disappear to? Not even a "thank you" after she returned his money! Wretched gigolo! Apart from that, she stared nkly at the remaining bnce shing on her screen. There was only seven hundred left, it wouldn''t even be enough to buy milk for the kids... Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. It hasn''t even been a month yet since she started on her current job. She was at a loss on how to manage until payday. She fumbled through her closet and drawers, hoping to find something valuable that she could possibly sell or pawn off for some quick money. s, there was nothing else besides the ruby ne. Zachary Nacht had gotten it for her back at the charity auction. She felt miserable. The ruby ne wasn''t something she could use right now although it''s worth a hundred million. She had to return it to the Devil himself one day. Come on, is there really no other way? She rested a palm on her head and let out a helpless sigh. Her brows were tightly woven in a deep furrow when her phone suddenly rang again. Puzzled at the unknown number, she hesitated briefly before picking it up. "Hello?" "Charlotte! It¡¯s me, Lily. Are you okay?" a high-pitched voice echoed from the other end. "Lily?" It took her a while before she recalled that name. Lily was the other girl from the administration department. "I''m fine... How did you know my number?" "I got it from the HR department. I heard that you took emergency leave today, so I just wanted to check up on you." "I''m fine, thank you." Charlotte was wary despite sounding as polite as she could. After what had happened yesterday, she couldn''t trust anyone enough to let her guard down. Until now, she was still in the dark as to why Ynda had ambushed her like that. She couldn''t remember having done anything that could''ve offended her... "What happenedst night? You disappeared without any notice after you left the suite with Ynda! Your boyfriend never came back either after he left to search for you," Lily responded. "Everyone thought you lot were trying to escape from the bill, but Sultry Night''s manager told us that your boyfriend had already paid for the entire session." "I''m okay... I guess I just drank too much," Charlotte avoided the question. "I''m sorry for leaving you guys just like that yesterday." "Don''t worry about that. By the way, Ynda hasn''te into the office today as well. Thepany had just announced that she was involved in some criminal activity with Mr. Holt! Apparently they''ve been handed over to the police. We''re all shocked! It''s so scary..." Lily answered. So Ynda had been Wesley''s partner in crime! No wonder things seemed so fishy. The way Ynda had repeatedly confronted her about Wesley all this while was suspicious. And on that night when Wesley was about to stab her, she had undoubtedly felt a push from behind. She thought she must''ve been imagining, but at Lily¡¯s exnation, she was now certain that Ynda was the person who had tried to push her to death. "Charlotte, I wanted to apologize as well... I should''ve stopped you when Ynda led you out of the suite. I had no idea things would turn out like this! Everyone in the office was discussing about it today. They were talking about how Ynda tried to harm you, but fortunately Mr. Nacht rushed to the scene and rescued you. I can''t imagine what would''ve happened if he hadn''t shown up in time..." Lily rambled on. "Did you just say... Mr. Nacht?" Charlotte was startled. Wasn''t it the "Gigolo In Debt" who had rescued her? How could it be Zachary Nacht? "Yeah, Fiona said it was Mr. Nacht who carried you away in his Aston Martin," Lily said as her voice began to quiver. "I''m really sorry, Charlotte! Please don''t ever bear any grudge against me. I really didn¡¯t mean to let you get hurt..." she sobbed. "Don''t worry, Lily! I know it¡¯s not your fault. You should get on with your work. I''ll see you tomorrow, okay?" Charlotte dropped the topic and hung up. There''s something she couldn''t fathom... Didn''t the Aston Martin belong to the gigolo? How could it be Zachary Nacht again? Perhaps Fiona had mistaken the gigolo for Mr. Nacht. They both looked so simr from behind after all. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 A headache began to brew as multiple thoughts overwhelmed Charlotte¡¯s mind at once. I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about this right now. How I can afford my next meal is more important than men... She had to figure out a way to earn some quick cash. A sudden knock at the door snapped her out of her jumbled thoughts. "Miss, you haven¡¯t slept, have you?" Mrs. Berry¡¯s voice resounded from the other side of the door. "No, I haven''t. Come in, Mrs. Berry," Charlotte answered promptly. The door swung open as Mrs. Berry entered with a few papers in her hand. "Miss, the kids will be leaving for the Sunflower ss¡¯ spring trip tomorrow. We''ll have to sign this consent form and invoice, and make the payment at the kindergarten today. Are you going to do this yourself, or should I go instead?" "You do it, please. My wounds still hurt, I need some more rest..." Charlotte grabbed her phone and was about to transfer money to Mrs. Berry. "How much is it?" "It''s eight hundred per pax, so the total for all three of them is two thousand four hundred," Mrs. Berry replied as she handed over the invoice. Charlotte gaped at the papers before her eyes. What sort of kindergarten is this? Eight hundred per child for a mere school trip?Do they intend to bring the kids on a tour to outer space or something? "Oh, this reminds me!" Mrs. Berry chirped as she saw the bnce in her phone. "I still have a remainder of three thousand from the furniture expenses you gave mest time. I can make the payment with this money first." "Did I...?" Charlotte looked up in confusion. Mrs. Berry didn''t seem to hear her mumble. "I should go to the kindergarten now then. Rest well, Miss. I''ll make dinner once Ie back." At that, she walked away hurriedly and left the house. Charlotte stared as the plump woman''s back waddled off and disappeared from view. She felt guilty for having given only a thousand to Mrs. Berry to purchase some furniture earlier. Mrs. Berry hade home with an old shoe rack and a simple bookshelf from the thrift store. She even returned with a bnce of three hundred... Where did the extra three thousande from? Mrs. Berry must have sold her own jewelry to help fund the household''s expenses. She sighed at how useless she herself had be. Mrs. Berry had been so faithfully looking after her and the children all these years. In addition to dying the housekeeper''s sry, she even had to ask Mrs. Berry for help with money these days. Charlotte couldn''t live with this remorse for much longer. She flipped herptop open and began searching for a part-time job. There¡¯re certainly loads of opportunities out there. As long as she strived harder, there wouldn''t be a need to starve. E-hailing driver, food delivery person... She scrolled on in dismay. Most of the vacancies listed required her to have her own mode of transport. She no longer had a car, and couldn''t even afford a bike with the amount of money she had at the moment. Come on, is there any other job I can take? Her eyes lit up when she came across an advertisement for a bar singer. Good looks, appealing figure, adept at musical instruments... She scanned through the job requirements eagerly, then saw thest sentence where the sry was stated. Two hundred and eighty per hour! It seemed like the bar had just recently opened its doors. The bar appeared to be the more sober type of ce where customers would go to unwind themselves in the music, have some drinks, socialize and y games, and perhaps also to do a little bit of flirting around. It couldn¡¯t possibly be on the same level as a nightclub as grand and mboyant as the Sultry Night. These kinds of bars would most likely have less nonsense inparison. Besides, she wouldn''t bump into shady people like the "Gigolo In Debt" in a bar like this. I can give this a shot! She quickly wrote up a resume and submitted it with a click. As someone who had taken piano lessons since young until the highest grade and even won multiple international awards, she was confident that she could pull off the job. Music had only been a hobby for her as a child. She''d never thought that she would one day need to feed herself with this skill. Desperate to obtain the position before it was snatched up by anyone else, she dialed the number stated on the employer''s advertisement. The phone was answered almost right away, as if the hiringpany was indeed in urgent need of someone to fill the vacancy. "You cane for an interview at 8 p.m. tonight if you wish. If you pass, we might even consider letting you start work tonight itself." "Alright. May I know if I''ll get paid on a daily basis?" she enquired. "That''s definitely possible. The payment form is negotiable as long as you have the looks and talent we''re looking for," the voice on the other end replied. "Great! I¡¯ll be there at 8 p.m. sharp tonight. Thank you!" She hung up the call with relief and excitement. Just then, her children''s voice echoed through the house, "Mommy, are you home?" "Robbie! Jamie! Ellie! Fifi!" She hurried out of the door to greet them. "Mommy!" Her three kids immediately plunged themselves into her arms. Fifi circled around in the air above them while chanting along, "Mommy! Mommy!" "Ellie, did you bring Fifi to the kindergarten again?" Charlotte nted a kiss on Ellie¡¯s chubby, rosy cheek. "She flew into my bag. I only found her hiding inside when I was at the kindergarten..." Ellie exined as her pink lips pressed into a tiny pout. "But the teachers didn''t scold me for that!" she continued eagerly. "Fifi behaved herself today. She didn''t disturb anyone during ss, and everybody had fun ying with her. They all loved Fifi!"N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 "Yes, Timothy said he would ask his father to buy him a talking parrot.¡± Then, Jamie took out a gold invitation card. "Mommy, he also invited us to his birthday party." N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Uh..." Charlotte was taken aback. Both of them were at each other''s throats thest time they met. When did they develop such a close rtionship? "Mommy, Timothy does not bully Ellie anymore." With a serious expression on his face, Robbie continued, "Every day, he brings different types of food for Ellie. For lunch, he even gave her his chicken wings and strawberries." "Exactly, he isn¡¯t as rude as he was before," Jamie agreed. Then, he started to mimic punching motions and boasted, "Recently, he even asked me to spar with him, and I taught him a few tricks." Ignoring her brothers, Ellie tilted her head and asked innocently,¡± Mommy, can I forgive him and ept him as a friend?" "Of course." Charlotte nodded her head with a smile. "I will not intervene with the people you want to make friends with." "If so, can we attend Timothy¡¯s birthday party then?" Jamie did not hesitate to ask. "Well..." Charlotte pondered then came up with an excuse. "His family members will probably be at the birthday party too. Although all of you have cleared the misunderstandings and developed a new friendship, his family members may think otherwise. I think it will be best if all of you don''t attend his party. Anyway, you can celebrate with him in the kindergarten." "I thought so too." Robbie, the most mature one, nodded in agreement. He added, "Timothy''s mother and grandmother are so fierce. We should skip the party instead." "Okay." Disappointed, Jamie pursed his lips and looked down. I won¡¯t be able to see the Transformers figurines at Timothy''s house anymore. On the other hand, Ellie seemed unaffected. In a serious tone, she stated, "I will draw a picture and send it to him as a birthday gift. Will that be alright, Mommy?" "Of course! All of you are such wonderful friends!" Charlotte pecked on each of their cheeks. "Mommy! You are a girl. Please do not me all the time," Jamie pouted and ran away. "Oh?" Charlotte was surprised by his reaction. In the past, he was always jealous of his sister and of kisses each time. What''s wrong with him now? "Jamie likes a girl," Robbie snitched. Squeezing his chin as though he knew everything, he divulged, "He is always peeking at her." "Is that true? Who is it?" Charlotte curiously questioned. Inching to his mother''s side, Robbie whispered, "He likes our new music teacher." "Haha, really?" Charlotte chuckled. "Well, do you like her too?" "Of course not!" Her eldest child immediately puffed his chest and patted it. "I am only interested in my studies." "Haha, you have the right priorities, Robbie," Charlotte praised and gently ruffled her son''s hair. "Mommy, Timothy also gave this to me..." Ellie took a bracelet out of her bag. "He gave me this because I helped him to eat the strawberries that he hates." "This..." Charlotte took a closer look at the bracelet and frowned, "Ellie, you should not ept such gifts from others in the future, okay?" "Why?" Her daughter widened her eyes and queried. "This bracelet is expensive, and it is their family heirloom..." Charlotte trailed off before she thought of a simpler way to illustrate her point. "In any case, you should not ept such presents in the future unless your friends made them personally. Do you understand?" "Okay, I understand," Ellie reluctantly nodded and agreed. "Mrs. Berry," Charlotte called out and instructed, "When you send Ellie to school tomorrow, will you pass this bracelet to her teacher? Tell the teacher to return it to the student who gave this to her." "Alright." Mrs. Berry acknowledged while cooking. Charlotte was about to continue, but Fifi was making noises to signal that it was hungry, so the children rushed to feed their pet parrot. At that moment, the security guard knocked on their door to remind them to pay their utility bill. He also threatened to cut off their electricity if they did not pay. Instantly, Charlotte lost her trail of thought. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 After dinner, Charlotte hurried to Bar DTT for an interview. Since she wanted to be a singer, her appearance was important. Therefore, Charlotte dug up a ck dress that she bought years ago and wore it. She even put on some red lipstick. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she thought the lipstick was too much, so she wiped it away. Pairing her dress with a pair of sports shoes, she headed straight to the bar. Although she was dressed rather casually, her looks still attracted attention from the people in the bar. The ce was quite empty, with only three tables upied. There was also only a handful of staff... With Charlotte''s arrival, the boring atmosphere in the bar suddenly came to life. Guests sitting at those three upied tables suddenly straightened, and their eyes lit up, ready to strike up a conversation with her. Meanwhile, at the table in the corner, the bar owner, Peter, patted the shoulder of a young man next to him. "Our fresh prey has arrived. You will surely like her.¡± "Pft, your bar is so lousy and does not even have a pretty hostess...¡± The young man in the ck leather jacket jeered but suddenly paused when he saw Charlotte walking in. His disdainful gaze turned into a surprised one, and his eyes looked like they were about to fall out. "Sir, do you like her?" Peter gave him a sneaky smirk. "I will get her number for you." "Stop it.¡± Chris immediately stopped him and warned, "Don''t you dare touch her." "You know her?" Peter asked. "We are more than just acquaintances..." Chris narrowed his eyes and studied Charlotte with an odd expression. Compared to the innocent look she had yesterday, he preferred her wild and sexy look today more. "I''ll get her toe over," Peter fussed. "I told you not to touch her!" Chris emphasized withsers shooting out of his eyes. "Okay, I got it," Peter surrendered while nodding his head vigorously in shock. "Boss, the new singer is here for an interview." One of the waiters brought Charlotte over. Instantly, Charlotte spotted Chris and stopped in her tracks. Is he...the Gigolo In Debt?His figure, clothes and he looks exactly the same from the back... Chris turned his head, and his gazended on Charlotte. There was aplicated expression in them. Did she recognize me? "You..." Charlotte looked at the handsome yet slightly childish-looking young man and regained her Chris'' heart skipped a beat. She recognizes me? Does she regard me as her older brother? "Danny Grant?¡± Charlotte called out, thinking he was "Gigolo In Debt". "Huh?" Chris was puzzled. What is going on?Did Zacharye up with such a dull name for his alias? "Sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else?" Charlotte uttered, feeling uncertain about the situation. I''m sure he is that gigolo. Well, I should y along and pretend we don''t know each other since we have already cut off our ties. "You?" Peter cheerfully gleamed at Charlotte and confirmed, "You are here for an interview as a singer?" "Yes." Charlotte nodded. "What instruments do you y?" Peter questioned. "I y the piano," Charlotte answered as she nced at the stage to see a white piano. "You can go up the stage and y something for us," Peter offered while gesturing towards the instrument. "Okay." Charlotte stole another look at Chris before she walked up the stage. She started with an easy nocturne before moving on to a challenging song, the theme song of "Pirates of Caribbean". Instantly, everyone gave her a round of apuse. All the young people in the crowd cheered for her. When she was finally done with the song, she left the stage and approached Peter. "Was that alright?" "It was passable. However, peoplee here to drink, and it¡¯s not a high-ss western restaurant. Therefore, you may have to sing while ying the piano, and preferably, you have to perform fastpaced songs,¡± Peter smiled as he gave hisments. Immediately, Charlotte butted in, "No problem, I can y a few more..." "There¡¯s no need to. I''ll give you some time to prepare, and you shall start your first performance at nine," Peter stopped her mid-sentence. "I''ll pay you two thousand per hour. Each shift willst two hours, and you will have toe by on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Is that okay with you?" Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Surprised, Charlotte paused momentarily before she cautiously confirmed, "Two thousand for an hour? Is that right?" "If you think that it¡¯s too low, there is still room for discussion..." Peter exined. "No, it¡¯s alright. I''ll take it." Charlotte was overjoyed. "I thought I would have to show you my certificates before you would offer such a price..." "I don''t need a certificate because I can tell how good you are from what I¡¯ve heard thus far." Peter chuckled, "Okay, you should head backstage to prepare." "Yes, of course. Thank you so much," Charlotte thanked him and promptly headed backstage with another waiter. Meanwhile, Chris swirled the liquid in his ss while his gaze followed Charlotte. "Who is the man sitting beside our boss?" Charlotte whispered. "That is Mr. Broid!" The waiter eximed and continued, "He is our boss'' friend and a shareholder of this bar." "What does he do?" Charlotte enquired. "I think he is the heir to a rich family. Besides that, I have no clue." Then, the waiter advised, "Charlotte, you look like a simple woman, so I will like to give you a piece of advice. Mr. Broid is a yboy and very flirtatious. His girlfriendse and go as often as he changes his clothes. If money is your priority, you can go ahead and have fun with him. Otherwise, you can forget about anything else because he will not take any rtionship seriously." "I was just curious. Don''t worry. I don''t have any funny ideas..." Charlotte awkwardlyughed it off. It seems like he was not the "Gigolo in Debt" because thetter was not some heir to a wealthy family. Just as Charlotte was about to leave, a group of sexy and good-looking women rushed into the bar enthusiastically towards Chris. "Mr. Droid! We all miss you so much." "Mr. Droid, what took you so long toe here? How heartless!" "Yes, Mr. Droid. Why did you not visit Sultry Night today?" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Shut up!" Chris frowned and scoffed, "All of you are making too much noise." Oddly today, he felt like those women could not hold a candle to Charlotte. One is an angel, while this bunch is just colorful birds... "Mr. Broid, you have a big appetite today. After ordering so much, can you stomach it?" Peter raised his brows and joked in a low voice. "It''s too much," Chris spat, then ordered the women, "Wait outside for me." "Huh? Why?" The women were unhappy that their client seemed different today. "Get out!" Chris fumed. "Oh..." the women obediently left. The men at the other two tables were salivating and lusting over those beautiful women, unable to tear their gaze away from them. "What''s wrong with you today?" Peter asked. "I''ll leave first," Chris stated before he got up and put on his jacket. "Take care of thedy from earlier." "Understood!" Peter obliged. By the time Charlotte returned from backstage, the man she had mistaken for the "Gigolo In Debt" was gone. She did not overthink it and went to Peter to go over the details of her contract. "Sir, can I change into something else? I think these clothes are too revealing." "Sure, you can wear whatever you want." Peter shrugged. "Thank you. Additionally, I think nine is toote for me. Is it possible to change it to eight-thirty instead? If so, I will be able to take thest train home." "Sure, eight-thirty is fine," Peter readily agreed. "Thank you so much! You are so easygoing." Charlotte grinned. "Haha, of course." To the bar owner, he had to take care of her after his biggest customer ordered him to do so. At eight-thirty, Charlotte was preparing to go on stage when she saw a familiar figure walking in. Slender and tall with a domineering and mysterious aura, he exuded the vibe of a king. As he entered, the people indoors grew silent. Zachary NachtlWhat is he doing here? Shocked, Charlotte turned around instantly. Oh dear! If he knew I was working here part-time, would he fire me? "It''s time for you to go up on stage," the waiter reminded. "Give me a moment." Charlotte rushed to the dressing room and grabbed a ckced mask from the bunch before slowly walking up the stage. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 "Mr. Nacht!" Peter walked over and weed him. He respectfully bowed and greeted, "What are you doing here today?" Instead of replying, Zachary sat down in a corner without a word. His aura was so strong that even the flickering lights that were projected on him seemed to fade. Meanwhile, Peter was still crouched over, waiting for Zachary¡¯s order. The young man lit up a cigar and took a puff before he asked, "Did Chrise by earlier?" "Yes, he did," Peter promptly replied. "He invested three hundred million in you?" Zachary raised his brows. "There were several branches..." Peter cautiously answered. "They all made money." "You mean a shitty ce like that has the ability to earn money?" Zachary sneered, "You can y around with that few hundred million. However, if I find out that you are up to no good..." He wagged his finger, and Peter hurried over immediately. Then, he coolly jabbed the cigarette butt into thetter''s palm. Psh! An ugly expression appeared on the bar owner''s face. He did not dare to make a sound, so he gritted his teeth in pain. Charlotte had just sat down, and after watching this scene, her face turned pale. What is happening?Why is he making trouble for someone else again?What did the bar owner do to him?Why does he have to treat my boss like that? "You can start," the DJ reminded her. Snapping out of her daze, Charlotte began to focus on her performance. She started singing "Love Story" by Taylor Swift, which drew everyone''s attention instantly. Even Zachary peeled his attention away from the bar owner and projected it to the stage. On the stage, there was ady in a ck dress and a ckced mask. She had a sexy figure and had a carefree attitude. How peculiar! At the sight of her, his thoughts drifted to Charlotte. Would that stubborn woman have such a side to her? "Mr. Nacht, would you like to try some wine that I have specially kept?" Breaking Zachary''s train of thoughts, Peter''s injured hand shook as he brought his treasured wine to the young man. "No need." Zachary waved him away and got up to leave. Ben and the rest quickly followed after him. Peter followed behind to send them out, looking as pitiful as an abandoned dog following his owner around. While singing, Charlotte watched Zachary walk away. Was he here to torture my boss?Whatever, it is none of my business! After only an hour of performing, she had received good feedback. Although there were not many customers, those that were there were full of praises for Charlotte. They even told the bar owner that they would bring their friends over to hear her sing. By ten thirty, Charlotte ended work, and Peter gave her five thousand in hard cash. She was touched, but when she saw his injured hand, she could not help but blurted out, "Who was that guy from earlier? Why did he do this to you?" She casually left out the part that she knew who Zachary was. "Problems in the real world areplicated, so there is no need to ask further." Peter then chuckled, "Oh yes, you can call me Peter." "Sure, Peter," Charlotte chirped. Grinning, Peter waved her off and nagged, "Alright, you should head home soon. Remember to report at eight-thirty tomorrow. For the first week, you have toe every day so we can test out the response." Charlotte nodded. Then, she carefully ced the money in her bag. Initially, she wanted to take the train home. However, a few young men surrounded her and demanded she give them her number. Therefore, she had no choice but to wave for a taxi and hurry home. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. On the trip home, Charlotte was thrilled. With this part-time job, she could earn five to six thousand each day, which was more than what the "Gigolo In Debt" would give her. She did not need to rely on anyone else and could support her family. While daydreaming, the taxi stopped at a red light, and she spotted an Aston Martin beside her. Isn''t that the gigolo''s car te number? Unfortunately, she could not see the driver from her angle. The traffic light turned green, and when her taxi moved forward, Charlotte turned to see the man who visited Bar DTT earlier. He is that gigolo? Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Immediately, Charlotte took out her phone and tried to find the contact, "Gigolo In Debt". However, she realized that she had deleted his number. She rummaged through her text messages, but when she finally found the number, the car beside them already sped off. Letting out a sigh, she could onlyfort herself. Forget it. We cut our ties, so why do I care? That night, she dreamt of many things. One moment, she dreamt about Zachary, and the next moment, she would dream of the "Gigolo in Debt". Then, she would start dreaming about the young man... She had no idea who was who. Maybe because she was tired, she overslept. She only woke up when Mrs. Berry nagged, "Your children already boarded the school bus. If you don''t get up, you are going to bete." Instantly, Charlotte climbed out of bed and brushed her teeth. Without washing her face, she ran out of her room. When she reached the door, she turned back again and pushed the money from her bag into Mrs. Berry''s hands. "Mrs. Berry, this is the money I madest night." "How did you make so much moneyst night? Miss, why are you running? Have some breakfast before you leave..." Mrs. Berry shouted in concern as she chased after Charlotte with a rice ball in hand. However, thetter already got into the elevator. Looking down at the money in her palm, Mrs. Berry grew worried. Momentster, Charlotte was trying her best to squeeze into the train. When she finally arrived at her stop, she ran like a madwoman to her office. By the time she arrived at her level, she was covered in sweat. "What''s wrong with you? Mr. Nacht does not like employees who don¡¯t look after their image," Lucy scolded. "Quickly go to the restroom and wash up." "Okay." Charlotte went to the restroom to wash her face and tidied herself. She was about to leave when she heard two female colleagues whispering. "Did you know that someone named Charlotte was employed at level 68? I heard she pulled some strings." "Who is backing her?" "I''m not sure, but I heard from someone on level 13 that something happened to her in a bar, and Mr. Nacht saved her. I think she has a special rtionship with him." "How is that possible? Mr. Nacht has such a high status, so what does he see in a mere employee like her?" "Well, you never know..." "Whatever, let''s not go on. If Mr. Nacht finds out, he will fire us." Hearing footsteps that followed, Charlotte immediately fled from the toilet. She was puzzled by what she heard. Did Fiona from the administration department see it wrongly? Was it Zachary who saved me? While she was pondering over the matter, she felt a strong aura from the opposite side. She raised her head to see Zachary walking before her with his eyebrows knitted together. He had a dark expression on his face. Instinctively, she lowered her head and stood in a corner. Without making eye contact, Zachary walked past her. Only after she heard the door opening and closing, she let out a breath of relief, knowing that he had entered the president''s office. Discreetly, she made her way back to her table. "Mr. Nacht is in a bad mood today. Watch out and don''t make any mistakes," Lucy reminded her in a low voice. "Of course," Charlotte noted. "There will be a few visitorsing to our office today. Their information is all here. Do take note of the time..." "Okay," Charlotte cut her off and opened the file to see the first visitor, Hector. While she was still in a daze, the elevator door opened, and a familiar figure walked out. He looked around and was momentarily stunned when he saw Charlotte. "Mr. Sterling!" Owen softly reminded from behind him. Hector snapped out from his thoughts before he smiled and greeted, "Hello, I am here to visit Mr. Nacht. I have an appointment with him." "Mr. Sterling, good morning! Pleasee this way." Charlotte responded professionally and promptly Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. led him to the office, handing him over to a more experienced secretary to make further arrangements. Hector''s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he walked into the office. Charlotte returned to her table and continued with her work. Recalling Zachary''s unhappy expression from earlier, she wondered if he would make things difficult for Hector. While pondering over the questions, a secretary suddenly rushed over. "Ms. Wright, pleasee over here! Mr. Nacht lost his temper and threw an object that hit Mr. Sterling''s head!" Chapter 130 Chapter 130 "Quickly fetch the first-aid kit!" Lucy immediately ordered. Calmly and steadily, she quickly walked to the president''s office. Charlotte''s heart thumped wildly in her chest. She wanted to see what happened but could only wait. Besides, if she went there, she might make things worse for Hector. "Mr. Sterling, you are leaving already? I have a first-aid kit with me. I''m sorry for Mr. Nacht''s behavior. He is not in a good mood today. Let me send you to the hospital..." Lucy trailed on. "It¡¯s okay." Hector turned a corner and disappeared into the restroom. "Owen, this is the first-aid kit. There is some medicine in it." cing the box in Owen''s hands, Lucy continued, "Maybe you can use it?" "Thank you." The other party took the kit and said, "I will take care of it. You should get back to work." Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Nodding, Lucy returned to her desk and instructed the other secretaries, "I want all of you to be busy with work. When Mr. Sterlinges out, don''t stare at him." "Okay." The secretaries hadmon sense and understood that he left the president''s office because of his pride. The more they stared at him, the more embarrassed he would feel. While at her desk, Charlotte was frowning and felt ufortable. She did not understand why Hector had to give in to Zachary¡¯s requests and bow down to him when the Sterlings were so well-off. Isn''t it better for him to manage his own business? Is Zachary the only client in the world? At that moment, the injured man emerged from the restroom with a handkerchief covering his forehead. Owen followed behind him. Charlotte could not help but steal a nce. His forehead was still bleeding, and his white shirt was soaked with blood. He looked miserable. Feeling bad, she sped her hands together tightly. All she wanted to do was to show concern, but she did not dare to. Till Hector entered the elevator, she did not make a move. However, she caught him raising his head and looking at her with bloodshot eyes, along with an inexplicable expression. Her heart ached and tears welled up in her eyes. Finally, Hector left as the elevator door closed. Charlotte lowered her head, overwhelmed. "Charlotte, go to the president''s office with Dani to clean up,¡± Lucy ordered. "Huh? I..." Danielle trembled in fear. "Ms. Wright, I''m afraid..." "What is there to be scared of?" Lucy growled, "Do a good job and don¡¯t sprout nonsense or look around unnecessarily. If you don''t step on his toes, Mr. Nacht will not eat you up." "Noted." Charlotte quickly brought the necessary tools to the president''s office. Danielle could only follow obediently. She tugged Charlotte¡¯s arm and muttered, "Charlotte, can I clean the outsideter while you clean the inside?" "Sure." In contrast to Danielle, Charlotte was unafraid. She even wanted to confront Zachary about why he hit Hector. Did he have to resort to violence like that? After they knocked on the door and entered the president¡¯s office, Zacharymanded, "Tell the others that no one shall allow Hector to step into Divine Corporation without my permission from now on." "Yes!" Ben immediately heeded his order. Danielle lowered her head and timidly picked up the ss shards by the door. On the other hand, Charlotte walked to Zachary''s desk and squatted down to tidy the documents that had been scattered on the ground. There, she found Hector''s blood stains all over the ce. Once again, she felt bad and felt a wave of anger. "You don''t have to clean up. Get out," Zachary ordered. "Yes..." However, Charlotte stopped Danielle midsentence, "Mr. Nacht, are you not afraid of the stench of blood?" She coldly continued, "Otherwise, are you used to such violence?" Ben held his breath. He wanted to remind Charlotte not to argue with Zachary at that moment, but he did not dare to speak. Meanwhile, Danielle was taken aback. Is Charlotte out other mind? How dare she talk back to Mr. Nacht like that?Even if she doesn''t care about the consequences, at least she shouldn''t drag me down! "Are you questioning me?" Zachary red at Charlotte, with a cold stare. Trembling in terror, Danielle''s legs turned jelly. "Get out of here," Zachary told Danielle, with his eyes still fixated on Charlotte. Immediately, Danielle scurried away. Gauging the situation, Ben followed behind. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Charlotte did not continue. She quietly tidied the documents and ced them on the desk. Then, she cleaned up the bloodstains with a cloth. With every wipe, she felt like she was wiping her own wound... "Do you feel hurt because Hector got injured?" Zachary uttered. Charlotte did not respond and continued to clean. Losing his patience, Zachary frowned and seethed, "Are you a mute? Talk to me!" With that, Charlotte finally stopped cleaning and looked up at him. "Why do you resort to violence? Why can''t you talk it out? Do you have to hurt others?" Without a word, Zachary gazed at her with aplicated expression. It took a while before he got up and slowly walked towards her. Sunlight shone on his body. Although it gave his figure a warm hue, it somehow made him seem colder. While he gradually approached her, Charlotte started to feel afraid. Unconsciously, she stepped back, and even the stubborn look in her eyes disappeared. Her eyes shifted, and she guiltily tried to exin, "Well, I just thought you shouldn''t resort to violence..." He continued to walk towards her while she continued to retreat. Although she was terrified, she still mustered up her courage and confronted, "Mr. Sterling wants to discuss a partnership with you. If you don''t want to work with him, you can always turn him down. Why did you have to throw something at him?" His ck leather shoes appeared within her sight, and she drew a sharp breath. He is right in front of me. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "If you act like that, everyone in the office would be afraid of you. Your existing and potential partners would be scared of you too..." "Only you are not afraid of me," Zachary growled in a dangerously low voice. He forced her to retreat until her back was against the wall and she had nowhere else to go. Then, he ced one hand on her shoulder while his other hand pinched her cheek to force her to look into his fiery eyes. "I..." Charlotte stammered. She panicked and did not know what she could say to get out of the situation. "Do you think you can attract my attention by resorting to such tricks?¡± Zachary mocked. "Or else, do you think I like you, so you have the right to act like a spoiled princess?" "I never thought you were interested in me..." Charlotte blurted, "A person like you will never be interested in anyone else but yourself anyway." "Good!" Zachary let out a burst of icy coldughter, like a beast showing mercy before his prey. It made Charlotte uneasy, and she realized that her words earlier only added fuel to the fire. "I...have to go..." She wanted to escape, but the man''s tall and strong frame was like a cage around her. Therefore, she bent down and weaseled her way out beneath his arm. Zachary did not stop her but snapped his fingers instead, and the infrared sensor on his door started to sh. The door was locked and Charlotte could not open it. She tried to twist the doorknob in several ways, but it would not budge. There was only an automated voice prompt. "The door is locked. Please use your fingerprint or enter the password." At that moment, Charlotte was flustered, and she turned back. "What do you want? Let me out right now." Silently, Zachary twirled his ck leather chair and leisurely lit up his cigar. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Mr. Nacht..." Out of ideas, Charlotte rushed to him and pleaded, "I apologize for whatever I said earlier. I should not have been so disrespectful. Please forgive me and let me go." Still, her boss stayed quiet and took another puff from his cigar. "This is an office. If you don''t let me out, what would others think?" She was desperate and tried to persuade him with another method, "Some people were already specting about our unusual rtionship. If you do this, others may think you are a boss that harasses his female employees..." "Haha!" Zacharyughed. "Do I even need to harass female employees?" "You..." "There is something I¡¯m curious about..." Zachary puffed out some smoke before he continued, "Who were the people that were talking about us? How did rumor that start?¡± "They said..." Charlotte timidly asked, "Were you the one who saved me when something happened to me at Sultry Night?" Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Zachary did not reply and stared at her coldly while the corner of his lips curled up. His attitude only scared Charlotte even more. "You were really the one who saved me?" She asked him carefully. "You didn''t even know who saved you?" Zachary retorted. "I..." Charlotte wanted to tell him that she did not know what happened then because she was drugged and was in a semi-conscious state, but she stopped herself. It was not something glorious after all. If he was not the one that saved her, she was just going to be setting herself up. "Forget it. I''ll never get an answer from you." She tried to change the topic andined, "Mr. Nacht, please let me out. I still have to work." "I saved you," Zachary suddenly returned to the previous topic. "How do you want to repay me?" "It can''t be you..." Charlotte was rmed. "If you are the one who saved me...how is that possible?" "I was out for a drink, and coincidentally, I was there." Zachary let out another puff of smoke then nced at her arrogantly. "Even if someone bullied my dog, I will step in to help. It is an act of charity to me." "How is that possible..." Charlotte was confused. "The one who saved me was..." She thought she saw the "Gigolo In Debt". What on earth is going on? "You were drugged and clearly very thirsty. Also, you kept moving in my arms..." Zachary teased. "You even wanted me to..." "That''s not possible..." Charlotte fervently denied. There were a ton of questions at the back of her head. "The man who saved me was my boyfriend. After it happened, I woke up to him. How can it be you..." Before she could finish, Zachary pulled her into his arms. She wanted to resist but was locked in his arms without the space to move at all. "What are you trying to do? Let go of me right now." Charlotte struggled as much as she could. However, the more she did that, the more it aroused Zachary''s desire for her. "That day, you were not like that..." The man slurred. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. He lifted her chin to look at her wless face and beautiful eyes. The sight sent his blood pumping and his body burning with desire for her... "That day, you took the initiative to kiss me. It was like this..." He whispered huskily and nibbled on her earlobe. Instantly, the fiery touch threw Charlotte''s sanity out of the window. She froze and stood nervously. Her voice sounded like a moan as she croaked, "No..." "You also did this..." He slowly moved towards her cheek, pressing his lips against it before he moved to her neck, chin and rosy, red lips. The moment Zachary''s lips touched hers, Charlotte felt a wave of warmth rise within her body. She was slowly losing control. "No...mmm..." She seemed like a helpless kitten, shaking uncontrobly. Her previously stiff body seemed to slump over, melting into his arms. Regardless, there was a voice in her head reminding her repeatedly. No, no, no... Meanwhile, Zachary was enjoying this side of her, fragile and delicate. His movements became more intense, and his hand moved to the bottom of her skirt. "Oh..." Charlotte shuddered and instantly snapped to her senses. She pushed him away in panic. However, she did not manage to push him away. As she used too much strength, the wound on her shoulder split open again. The pain was so intense that her face turned pale, and she started to sweat. Reluctantly, Zachary loosened his grip on her. He licked his lips longingly, with desire still burning in his eyes. Charlotte took the chance to back away and straighten her clothes. Looking at her pained expression, he knew that she aggravated her wound again, so he went over to check on her. Instead, Charlotte warned, "Don''te over here.¡± Zachary frowned butpromised, "Okay." Following that, he snapped his fingers again, and the lock on the door opened again. Charlotte ran as fast as her legs could carry her, like she was running away from the devil. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 In the washroom, Charlotte was sshing cold water onto her face in a desperate attempt to calm herself down. As she recalled the incident that night, she was utterly bewildered by what had happened. She fiddled through her phone and identified the contact number saved as "Gigolo in Debt". Hesitating, she ruminated about whether to call him. After all, she had to stay firm with the decision that was made that day. Since then, she had never contacted him anymore. If I were to contact him now, that will amount to a tight p to my face! Besides, it took an insurmountable effort to cut ties with the gigolo. If I contact him now, I''ll be entangled in this messed-up rtionship again! Eventually, she decided to heed her rational senses. The burning issue was with Zachary. He had be immensely possessive over her. Sooner orter, something bad would happen. Perhaps I should leave Divine Corporation. Currently, the ie from DTT was sufficient to feed the family. Once her ie source has stabilized, she would tender her resignation letter to the Divine Corporation. Charlotte felt relieved after making that decision. She kept her phone in her pocket and returned to work. Suddenly, Danial came over and asked anxiously, "Charlotte, did Mr. Nacht fire you?¡± "Why would I be fired?¡± Charlotte was puzzled. "The way you talked back to him just now, are you not in trouble for that?¡± Danial scrutinized his surroundings cautiously and said, "He was fuming with anger. It was a terrifying sight!¡± "Yes, he was indeed furious," Charlotte feigned her frustration, "additionally, hembasted me and chased me out of the room." "He merely reprimanded you?" Danial was surprised. "What did you think happened?" Charlotteughed bitterly. Danial replied, "Good to know. You''re so lucky..." After that, Danial did not say anything further and returned to work. Charlotte thought to herself. I should avoid that Devil in the future. Or else, rumors will start cirction in thepany again. After work, Charlotte''s colleagues invited her to join them for dinner but she rejected their kind invitation. Her priority was her children back home. With the scarce time that was avable, she treasured the invaluable family time and wanted to spend time with her children. Not to mention, she would need to work at the barter at night. Charlotte was heading towards the subway when she unexpectedly received Mrs. Berry''s call. "Miss, there''s an issue again. It¡¯s best if you head to the kindergarten now." Charlotte rushed towards Apple Kindergarten, feeling a sense of Deja vu. In the principal''s office, Luna and Amanda were seated on the sofa. The ambiance in the room was eerily hostile. On the other side of the room, Ms. Longman and Ms. Cheney were standing worriedly in front of them like servants who made a mistake. Meanwhile, Ms. Berry and Ellie were at the corner of the room. However, Robbie, Jamie and Timothy were absent. "We don''t have time for this. If her parents are not going to show up, we shall leave this to the police." Amanda''s instruction was absolute. "Alright, Mam..." thewyer immediately took out his phone and was ready to call the police. Ellie broke into tears and waved her chubby hands in protest. "I don''t want to go to prison, I don''t want to go to prison..." she repeatedly begged. "Ellie, don''t be afraid. Mommy will be here soon enough," Mrs. Berry quickly tried to calm her down. "Hey, kid, don¡¯t be afraid," Luna smirked. "You''re only three and a half years old. Even if you''ve made a mistake, you won''t go to prison. Nheless, the person that will actually be imprisoned is your guardian, who is your Mommy!" "I don''t want, I don''t want Mommy to be imprisoned...¡± Ellie''s cries resonated even louder. Ellie''s shrieking cries of agony echoed throughout the room. Her eyes were swollen and her cheeks flushed red. It was heart-wrenching for a young girl like her to disy such despair and mncholy. "Ellie!" Charlotte rushed into the room and lovingly hugged her child. "Mommy!" Ellie embraced her hug. She was crying out of breath. "Mommy, I''m sorry..." "Ellie, don''t worry about it. Mommy is here. It will be fine." Charlotte tenderly patted her on the back. "Now, tell me what happened?" "Mommy,. I lost the bracelet..." Ellie shakenly replied. Her voice was obscured by the excessive crying. "Let me exin the situation." Amanda scornfully looked at Charlotte. "She lost my grandson''s Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. diamond bracelet that was passed down for generations. It costs about thirty million. Now, don''t you think that we should bepensated?" "Mom, why are you being courteous to them?" Luna eximed in agitation, "clearly, she stole it!" Chapter 134 Chapter 134 "Mind your words!" Charlotte rebuked her. "That''s the truth," Luna slyly replied. "Shut up," Amanda interjected and gazed intensely at Luna. Then, she turned and looked towards Charlotte. "Be it that the bracelet was stolen or lost, that is not important. Nheless, it is undisputed that your daughter is the culprit of this unfortunate event. We''re reasonable people and do not intend to be hard on the child. Hence, we invited you here to resolve the situation. Now, how do you suggest we solve this?" Ever since she was punished by Zachary during thest auction, Amanda had adopted a different strategy. Now, she was pretending to be reasonable and courteous towards Charlotte. This way, even if Zachary were to find out, she would not be reprimanded. "Please give me some time to figure this out," Charlotte urged. Charlotte was a reasonable person. It didn''t matter that the mother-daughter duo were nasty and absolutely despicable. If Ellie did lose the bracelet, she would have to bear the responsibility. "We''re rushing back home to celebrate my grandson¡¯s birthday." Amanda checked the time on her watch. "Is ten minutes sufficient?" "That works.¡± Charlotte carried Ellie in her arms and calmed her down. Later, she asked Mrs. Berry softly, "Mrs. Berry, didn''t I ask you to apany Ellie to return the bracelet?" Mrs. Berry''s frustration was apparent. "That¡¯s true. However, when I was sending off the three babies to the school bus, Ms. Cheney was not there. Therefore, I instructed Ellie to hand it back personally to Ms. Cheney. I didn''t expect this to happen... I''m all to me!" Mrs. Berry med herself for it. "Don¡¯t me yourself for it. I''ll try to make things clear." Charlotte turned towards Ellie and gently touched her face. She then asked, "Ellie, can you tell me what happened?" "When I reached school and wanted to return the bracelet to Ms. Cheney, I realized that the bracelet was gone..." Ellie whimpered. "Mommy, I¡¯m sorry..." "No worries." Charlotte swiftly hugged her. "Ellie, you''re still young. It''s normal to make mistakes. Mommy is here to help you solve it. Don''t be afraid, alright?" "Mommy, will you go to prison?" Ellie''s arms were wrapped around her mother¡¯s neck. Her grip was so tight, it was as though her mother would disappear if she were to release her grip. "Mommy will be fine. Ellie will be fine too! Trust me." Charlotte gently assured. She patted her on the back again and signaled at Mrs. Berry. Mrs. Berry hastily attended to Ellie. "Ellie, let¡¯s go to your brothers. They¡¯re still helping you to look for the bracelet. We''ll go help them!" "Sure," Ellie released her arms and followed Mrs. Berry. After taking a few steps forward, she looked back at Charlotte and said, "Mommy, we''ll return once we find the bracelet." "Okay. Go ahead." Charlotte nodded and smiled. "Hey, how can you let the child leave like this? Now, who''s going to be responsible?" Luna immediately stood up. "What can you get from the child?" Charlotte asked coldly. "Didn''t you mention it just now? I as her guardian shall take responsibility for this matter." "We don''t have time to fool around with you," Luna was extremely impatient. "Give me back my bracelet, orpensate me for my loss. Otherwise, I will sue your child for theft." "You¡¯re so grumpy and impatient. You should learn from your mother!" Charlotte gawked cially at her. "You..." Luna was speechless yet infuriated. Charlotte decided to ignore her. Following that, she invited Ms. Longman and Ms. Cheney to a corner of the room and asked for more information. Yesterday, Ms. Cheney saw Timothy pass the bracelet to Ellie. However, she was oblivious to what happened subsequently. Also, she tried to look for the bracelet at the school field and in the ssroom. However, her efforts were futile. Ms. Longman summoned a group of teachers to look for the bracelet as well. Additionally, she N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. instructed the school worker to inspect the CCTV footage for possible clues. Therefore, they would be informed if there were any new findings. "We''re already here for an hour." Amanda broke the silence. "Our time is very valuable. This can''t go on anymore, call the police!¡± "That''s the way to go. Besides, inform the media!" Amanda stroked her head in exasperation. "It will be a big Problem if someone loots it and sells it off! Chapter 135 Chapter 135 "Hold on," Charlotte stopped them before they could do anything. Her facial expression instantly changed. "I understand that calling the police is necessary. However, why the media as well?¡± "That''s my decision to make." Amanda snarkily responded. "You..." Charlotte was speechless. "Mr. Williams," Amanda instructed authoritatively, "inform all the media outlets in the country about the missing bracelet. If someone finds and returns it, the reward will be five million. However, if it was sold in the ck market, I will take necessary legal action." "Noted, Mrs. White." thewyer acted ordingly. "Also, circte the evidence that was taken just now. The photos and the videos..." Amanda added. Charlotte instantly plunged into a state of trepidation. If the media were to be informed, the identity of the children will be exposed... "Let''s settle this privately!" Charlotte promptly said. "What do you want? Be frank with your demands!" "Privately?" the corner of Amanda''s lips lifted upwards. "p yourself two hundred times." Luna gritted her teeth and stared ferociously at her. Charlotte was dismayed. Nheless, she had earlier anticipated that the mother-daughter duo was here to take revenge upon her. "Luna..." Amanda was putting on an act. "She''s our rtive. How can we do that?" "Mom..." Luna appeared to be aggrieved. "Besides, she''s with Mr. Nacht. We can¡¯t make an enemy of her!" Amanda gazed at Charlotte with a "I..." Charlotte had no idea. Thirty million was not an amount that she could afford. "I knew it, you don''t have any solutions for this." Amanda crossed her arms in discontent. "On one hand, you refuse to let us call the police. On the other hand, you refuse topensate us. Come on, you can''t expect us to lose thirty million without getting anypensation. This is preposterous!" Amanda looked the other way. "Ms. Longman, Ms. Cheney, please be our judge. How can she treat us like this!" "Yes, that''s true..." Ms. Longman awkwardly nodded. Nheless, Ms. Cheney truthfully answered, "Ms. Windt, since Ellie was the one who lost the bracelet, I think you shouldpensate them..." "Hey, finally Ms. Cheney uttered a proposition that is fair to us!" Amanda felt wronged. "Since you''re not able to provide a solution, I guess we don''t have a choice..." Amanda stood up from her seat... "Hold on." Charlotte recalled something and took it out from her bag, "I¡¯ll use this then..." Amanda stared at the ruby ne held firmly in Charlotte''s hands. Shockingly, it was casually wrapped with mere tissue papers. There was no packaging nor any sort of protection to safeguard the treasure. Nevertheless, the ne radiated captivating shine and beauty. "Isn''t this the ruby ne that was auctioned off that day?" Luna¡¯s eyes shimmered with desire and jealousy. "Is this fake?" "Let me have a look." Amanda retrieved the ruby ne and scrutinized it meticulously. Shortly after, she confirmed, "It''s real!" "This ruby ne is priced at a hundred million," Charlotte was very reluctant to have pledged it. "It''s more than enough to cover your losses. Once I manage to find the ne, I''ll be back to redeem the ne.¡± "If you don''t manage to find it?" Luna pestered her further. "Then, this ne will rightfully belong to me!" "That''s not going to work. The value of both items are not the same," Charlotte replied anxiously, "if I can''t find back your bracelet, I''ll find other ways topensate you. However, you can''t lose the ne as I intend to redeem it!" "There must be a time limit for this." Amanda smirked. "Within seven days, if you can find the bracelet, I''ll return this to you." N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. She proceeded to stipte her conditions. "If you failed to find the bracelet, you''ll need to bring thirty- eight million topensate us. If you manage to do so, I''ll return this ne back to you. However, if you don''t have the bracelet nor the money, then this ne will belong to me!" "This..." Charlotte was hesitant. "If you don''t agree, then I¡¯ll call the police and the media over..." Amanda used her leverage against Charlotte. "I agree." Charlotte''s back was pressed against the wall. "Alright, then we shall enter into an agreement. Ms. Longman and Ms. Cheney can be our witnesses," Amanda replied. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 After they signed the agreement, the motherdaughter duo left contentedly with the ruby ne. Ms. Longman and Ms. Cheney proceeded to the security room to inquire about the situation. When Charlotte was ready to look for her children, a familiar voice sounded from her back. "Why don''t you ask for my help?" Charlotte turned over and was startled by who she saw. It was Hector gazing at her with his sculpted and gorgeous face. Worryingly, he shed a few pounds and hisplexion was haggard and ghastly. That afternoon, he was injured by Zachary in the Divine Corporation. Although the wound was bandaged and he changed into a new set of clothes, the sadness and dejection still lingered... "I''m sure you know I can help you solve the problem. Why do you always bear everything on your shoulders every time? Hector frowned. "I must be independent." Charlotte smiled bitterly. Hector''s heart ached for her. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms. She subconsciously took a few steps backward to avoid him. Consequently, his hand hung hopelessly Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. mid-air and he was forced to swallow the rejection. "I forgot. You no longer belong to ¡ª A 99 me. Such pernicious words and his deste actions deeply touched Charlotte''s heart. If he had behaved unreasonably and crudely as before, she would definitely resist and resent him. However, the way he restrained himself and the disappointed look on his face changed things. Her heart pained at the sight of his distress. Past memories started to surge within her mind. As she vividly recalled, their first hug when they were sixteen was in a simr fashion. Likewise, the urge to embrace one another was met with an opposing force to restrain themselves. It was a futile attempt just like their rtionship. Eventually, everything fell apart. "It¡¯s my own matter and I can deal with it myself," Charlotte replied softly. "On the other hand, why are you doing this to yourself? Your prestigious business consists of other clientele apart from Divine Corporation!" "I can take care of this myself..." Hector didn''t want to discuss the matter. "Don''t talk back to Zachary because of me. Remember, it''s not worth the risk." "You''re thinking too much. I''ll not do that." Charlotte intentionally distanced herself from him. "Mr. Sterling, your wife and mother-inw just left a moment ago and they should not have gone too far. You should leave now to avoid any sort of misunderstanding." "The bracelet was a gift from Timothy to Ellie. Hence, there''s no need for anypensation. I''ll deal with this..." Hector responded. "The best way for you to deal with it is to distance yourself from me." Charlotte interjected and reminded him strictly. "As long as you express your feelings towards me, the two of them will keep causing me trouble..." Hector heard what she said and the conversation went into a stalemate. The silence went on for a long time before he decided to turn away and leave. Charlotte sighed as Hector''s figure slowly disappeared from sight. She regretted how things panned out, but it can never return to how it used to be... "Mommy..." her children called out to her. Charlotte turned around and Ellie hopped into her arms. Her cheeks were buried deep in Charlotte¡¯s chest when she asked in distressed, "Mommy, we can''t find the bracelet. What are we going to do?" "Mommy, Timothy''s mother said that the bracelet costs thirty million! Is that true? Robbie frowned and asked with a straight face. "How much is thirty million?" Ellie scratched her head and looked worriedly at her brother. "Dummie, that''s an amount that Mommy can never earn in her lifetime.¡± Jamie inadvertently blurted out. He quickly covered his mouth and guiltily looked at Charlotte. "Mommy, don''t worry about it. I can earn that amount when I grow up." "My innocent children." Charlotte gently rubbed Jamie''s hair and touched Robbie''s cheeks. She held Ellie in her arms and said, "Don''t worry about it. Mommy alreadypensated them. The matter has been solved!" "Is that true?" The three children were shocked. "Yes, it is. Recently, Mommy''s work performance is outstanding and I earned a lot of money. Therefore, I canpensate them for the bracelet!" Charlotte pretended to be relieved. "Yay! That''s great!¡± the three children celebrated joyfully. Charlotte then instructed. "Alright. You all should follow Mrs. Berry back home. Mommy still has some matters to handle right now and I''ll be back home slightlyte!" "Yes, Mommy! Robbie, Jamie, and Ellie will be good children!" They responded cheerfully. Chapter 137 Chapter 137 After Mrs. Berry left with the kids, Charlotte immediately ran back to the ssroom and searched high and low for the bracelet... She looked everywhere. The ssrooms, the school field, the school bus, the toilets, and every single corner in the schoolpound. With no choice but to persevere, she started to scavenge through the garbage bins. As a consequence, her clothes wereter soiled full of dust and dirt. As the sky darkened, the teachers and school workers left one after the other. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Ms. Longman tried to persuade her," Ms. Windt, I suggest you go home in the meantime. All of us will look for it tomorrow. Additionally, I¡¯ve sent out a notice informing all school personnel about the bracelet. If anyone finds it, it will be passed to me." "I n to search for it longer." Charlotte was overhauling the garbage tin. "Ms. Longman, don''t mind me. I''ll search for it until eight at night and I''ll leave after that." "Truth be told, we''ve looked around in these ces..." Ms. Longman wanted to convince her further. Nheless, she changed her mind after she saw Charlotte''s determination. "Alright then. I have to go. Take this torchlight with you, just in case you need it." "Thank you." Charlotte retrieved the torch light. "I needed this." Ms. Longman turned and walked away. Later, she met Ms. Cheney at the school entrance and the two immediately discussed the incident. "A woman trying to raise three children is not easy,"mented Ms. Cheney, "where is the children''s father? He''s such an irresponsible parent..." Ms. Longman replied, "She should be a single mom..." "Today, Mrs. Sterling had gone overboard by obnoxiously reprimanding the three children. It was atrocious for her toment that the alleged theft was the result of insufficient familial education by their parents. I tried to calm her down but she threatened to have me fired instead! What an obnoxious woman!" Ms. Cheney eventually disclosed her grievances. Ms. Long was uneased. "Mrs. Sterling is infamous for her arrogance and domineering behavior. Try not to mess with her." Ms. Cheney felt that it was extremely unfair for Ellie. "Clearly, Timothy intended the bracelet to be a gift for Ellie. However, his mother now turns around and uses Ellie of theft. Such a repugnant act!" "Unfortunately, thew is against Ms. Windt and Ellie. Minors do not possess the legal capacity to bestow gifts, especially something that is so valuable. Therefore, the Whites have the upper hand in the situation!" Ms. Longman was clearly against the Whites'' conduct. Ms. Cheney replied, "I understand. Therefore, I dared not to speak up during the argument just now. Nheless, Mrs. Sterling shouldn''t have scolded the children in such an unscrupulous manner. When it happened, Ellie was crying and shivering with fear, it pains me to see her terrified look..." "Indeed, she''s a very mean and cold-blooded woman. Only when Ms. Windt arrived, did she restrain herself from scolding Ellie further!" Ms. Longman agreed. Ms. Cheney eventually visualized the potential catastrophe that would befall her by having Timothy in her ss. "True. A parent like this is horrifying. I have to pray to God that nothing bad happens to Timothy during my ss. Otherwise, I''m doomed!" "Not just you, but the whole kindergarten will also be done for..." Ms. Longman shivered at the thought of it. Finally, Ms. Cheneymented, "It''s extremely unfortunate to be involved with a family like this!" While the two teachers tried their best to speak softly, they were unable to remain inaudible during the quiet and peaceful night. Inevitably, Charlotte managed to eavesdrop on the whole conversation. She held onto the torchlight firmly and her eyes emanated intense fury and wrath. Although she knew very well that the motherdaughter duo were insidious and heartless, she underestimated their level of atrocity. They have the audacity to hurt my children with such barbarguage! Suddenly, her phone started ringing. Mrs. Berry was calling Charlotte. She immediately took a deep breath to calm herself down. After she managed to recalibrate her emotions, she answered the call. "Mrs. Berry!" "Miss, are you still at the kindergarten?" Mrs. Berry asked. Charlotte replied, "Yes. I''m searching for the bracelet. What''s wrong?" "Ellie is having a fever..." Mrs. Berry broke the bad news. Charlotte instantly panicked. "What? I''lle back immediately." Charlotte grabbed a ride and rushed back home. Ellieid down semi-consciously on the bed. One would notice that her chubby cheeks were flushed red. Beside her, Mrs. Berry tried to lower her temperature by sponging her with a cold towel. Furthermore, Robbie applied an ice bag on her forehead using his right hand. Meanwhile, his other hand was measuring her temperature with a thermometer. At the other side of the bed, Jamie was trying to feed her some water. He patiently scooped the water bit by bit and put it in her mouth. While doing that, he routinely wiped off the remaining drops of liquid on the side of her mouth. "Ellie, Ellie, it''s Mommy..." Charlotte called out to her. She held her hand over and touched Ellie''s forehead. Needless to say, it was zing hot! "Mommy..." Ellie mumbled indistinctly, "Mommy, I have a daddy right? I''m not a b*****d, I''m not..." After hearing what she said, tears uncontrobly streamed down Charlotte''s cheeks. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 "It was Timothy''s mother." Jamie clenched his fist forcefully. He was all riled up and continued to utter, "She rebuked us for not having a father, and even said that we are..." Jamie gritted his teeth to stop himself from finishing the sentence. What came next was something he dared not mention. Consequently, his eyes started to turn red. "Don¡¯t bother. She did it on purpose!" Robbie tried to remind his brother. However, red streaks were evidently visible in the corner of his eyes as well. Charlotte bit her lips and remained quiet. Nevertheless, she knew the impact of those derogatory words towards the children... Previously, she bit the bullet when they bullied her inhumanely. Nheless, this time, she wouldn''t let them off the hook anymore... "Karma will catch up to them." Mrs. Berry was infuriated. "What''s her temperature?" Charlotte changed the topic of conversation. "101.3 degrees Fahrenheit!" Robbie frowned. "Mommy, I think we should let Ellie have some fever medicine." Jamie swiftly raced towards the living room to retrieve the first aid kit box. "I''ll get the medicine." Mrs. Berry fiddled through the box and found the fever medicine. Immediately, she gave Ellie some of the medicine ording to the rmended dosage. Worryingly, Ellie was coughing profusely. Much to their dismay, she vomited most of the medicine and only managed to ingest a small portion of it. Charlotte was perturbed with Ellie¡¯s condition. Ever since she was born, her health and immune system were far from inferiorpared to that of her two brothers. Therefore, Charlotte had always provided her with delicate care and attention. After years of meticulous care and rehabilitation, Ellie''s health improved dramatically. Regrettably, the sudden fever must be caused by the inmmation of the tonsils due to her excessive crying. After feeding Ellie with the medicine, it was already eighty-twenty at night. While changing her shirt, Charlotte told Mrs. Berry, "Mrs. Berry, I''ll need to head to work now. May I trouble you tonight to take care of Ellie? Please remember to keep her hydrated and to frequently perform sponging for her. If the fever doesn''t subside when I return from work, I''ll bring her to the hospital." "Miss, it''s alreadyte at night. Where are you going?" Mrs. Berry was concerned. Charlotte replied, "I found a side job from eightythirty to ten-thirty at night. Heck, I''m almostte." Charlotte hurriedly put on her clothes and left with her handbag. "Mommy, please wait for a second." Robbie pursued her hastily and passed her a bag. "You haven''t had dinner yet. Bring this bread along." "This as well." Jamie ran out of the house with a box of milk. "Mommy, don''t worry about Ellie. We''ll take care of her." "Alright." Charlotte started to tear up. "Thank you, everyone. Mommy¡¯s got to go now!" "We will do so, Mommy!¡± Jamie and Robbie replied with innocent smiles on their faces. Charlotte took a ride towards Bar DTT. In the car, she mindlessly munched on the bread and gulped on the milk. All she could think about was her children and the hardships they had to go through. Unable to hold it together, she burst into tears. She was willing to endure all sorts of hardships and suffering. However, her children were off-limits. The mother-daughter duo were detestable. Also, they were rich and had ample time at their disposal. On the flip side, Charlotte didn¡¯t have the energy to be siphoned into a never-ending feud with them. Perhaps I should consider transferring the children to another kindergarten... Be that as it may, she needed money for the transfer. Hence, her only goal at the moment was to make as much money as possible. When the clock hit eight-thirty sharp, Charlotte was still on her way. At the same time, an unsaved number was calling her. As expected, it was a call from DTT. Hence, she immediately answered the phone. "Hello!" "Charlotte, what¡¯s the matter with you? Are you noting today?" It was Peter from Bar DTT. "I''m sorry. There was an emergency back at home and I departed from my house slightlyter than usual. I''m on my way but I might need another ten minutes..." she shakingly replied. "Alright. I''ll ask the other singers to rece you for the moment. You''ll start at nine-thirty!" Peter suggested. "Sure, thanks Peter.¡± Charlotte was grateful for the gesture. As Charlotte put down the phone, she could finally catch a breath. Fortunately, her boss was a Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. reasonable man. If it were someone like the Devil, perhaps she would be fired already. At nine-ten, Charlotte arrived at the DTT anxiously. Meanwhile, there was a male singer on stage singing a rock song. Although he was very professional, the crowd remained unsatisfied with the performance. "We want to listen to the gorgeousdy from yesterday!" "That''s right! We''re here specially for her. Where is she?" Charlotte sneaked in from the back and headed straight towards the changing room. At the corner of a room, Peter restlessly signaled for her to put on makeup and head onto the stage. Charlotte obediently nodded. In the meantime, she noticed a man who looked exactly like the Gigolo In Debt and was sitting beside Peter. His posture emanated overwhelming haughtiness and arrogance. Delicately, he swirled the wine ss and smiled fondly at her. One look at his eyes and she was instantly electrified by his burning affection. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Charlotte immediately shifted her line of sight. At that moment, doubts as to the identity of the man were brewing in her mind. Is he really the Gigolo In Debt? Nevertheless, she didn''t have much time to think about it. In a swift motion, she put on the ckced mask and proceeded on stage. Without further ado, she immediately started singing "Style" from Taylor Swift. The crowd cheered thunderously and gave her a big round of apuse. The atmosphere lifted at a stroke and it was zing through the roof. As the performance went on, the audience started to grow bigger. Some even recorded the performance and uploaded it online... When she finished her first song, the atmosphere peaked and showed no signs of receding. There were even a few customers who went on the stage and wanted to have a toast with her. Charlotte was taken aback by the sudden encounter. Fortunately, Peter was there and he courteously escorted the customers away from the stage. Also, a few security guards stood authoritatively by the stage to prevent simr incidents from happening again. Charlotte took a deep breath. Later, she gratuitously looked towards Peter, only to discover that the man who looked like the Gigolo In Debt was making the OK gesture. He nodded in satisfaction and continued chugging down more alcohol. Charlotte came to the realization that everything was nned by the man! Nheless, she had to brush away her concern and continue with her performance. Midway, she noticed that the man was staring at her again. While his gentle stare showed signs of appreciation, the devilish smirk on his face suggested otherwise. When the man noticed that Charlotte was looking at him, he lifted the ss and made a toast to her. Meanwhile, he winked flirtatiously at her. Charlotte shivered at the sight of his behavior. Nheless, she hurriedly looked away and continued with her performance. The Bar was engulfed with boisterous cheers vying to reward her. Shortly after, the huge screen beside the stage disyed a QR code together with a leaderboard for rewards to the Night Queen. Without dy, the customers took up their phones and scanned the QR code. Charlotte was engrossed in her performance and paid no attention to the screen. After her performance, the security guards escorted her backstage. When she saw the leaderboard, a deep sense of aplishment and jubtion flourished within her as the reward that night amounted up to forty-eight thousand! The news came like a bolt from the blue... "The reward isn''t too bad, right?" Peter''s cheeky voice can be heard from behind her. "Oh my gosh! What are we going to do with all this money?" Charlotte eximed. "ording to our rules, all these rewards belong to you." Peter''s smile was bright as the sun. "You brought a lot of customers to our bar, I should thank you forthat!" "Forty-eight thousand, it all belongs to me? Did I hear it correctly?" Charlotte couldn''t believe what she heard. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "That''s right. The other singers are treated the same way. All rewards belong to them." Peter pointed towards the leaderboard. "That''s great to hear! I''m rich!" Charlotte leaped for joy when she heard the confirmation. "From now on, you''ll be known as the Night Queen from Bar DTT." Peter pointed towards the screen again. "I gave you the name in a hurry. Do you have any problem with that?¡± "That''s an ugly name.¡± she responded. Charlotte instantly thought of Zachary. As Raina addressed him as Mr. Nacht, being named the Night Queen would give a false impression that Charlotte was Zachary''s partner. "Naha, I''m an uncultured old man who is clueless when ites to these sort of things. I suppose you can use it temporarily since it''s just limited to our bar." Peter scratched his head awkwardly. "Can you lend me this mask?" Charlotte pointed towards the mask on her face. "If I happen to meet anyone I know, it¡¯s best if they don''t know my true identity. I''ve thought about it and I feel that I should wear it every time I''m at the bar.¡± "Of course, feel free to use it." Peter readily agreed. Coitantly, the bar''s ount received another transaction. The amount was ny-nine thousand nine hundred and ny-nine! "Oh my god! I''m really rich!" Charlotte was enraptured. "It was from Mr. Broid." Peter smiled after checking the ount number. "He''s just outside. Do you want to have a drink with him?" "Is he the friend that was sitting beside you?" Charlotte was intrigued. "What does he work as?" "He''s the heir to a rich family." Peter scornfully teased. "Don''t you guys know one another? Stop trying to pretend in front of me." Charlotte was startled. Is he really the Gigolo In Debt? Chapter 140 Chapter 140 "Let''s go? We shall have a toast with him." Peter passed Charlotte a ss of red wine. "I don¡¯t think that''s necessary." Charlotte shook her head. "I¡¯ll need to rush back home. Please help me to thank him." With that, she carried her backpack and wanted to leave from the backdoor... Peter saw her leaving and the corner of his lips lifted into a mysterious smile. "Hey, gorgeous woman. I''ve been waiting for you. Let''s have a drink together." A young man stopped Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. her in her tracks. Their eyes met and she immediately felt the intensity from his gaze. "I''m sorry. You''ve got the wrong person.¡± Charlotte lowered her head and wanted to go around him. However, his bodyguards stopped that from happening. "You had the audacity to ignore Mr. Hammond!" The bodyguard was furious. "Shut up!" The young man rebuked the bodyguard. "How could you speak to the gorgeous woman in such a crude manner." After that, he walked towards her and sincerely rified. "Don''t worry. I''m not a bad person. Actually, I just want to be your friend." "I need to head back home right now." Charlotte avoided him and took a different path. "ying hard to get?" The young man lost his patience. "Then don''t me me for using force." He grabbed Charlotte by her hair and dragged her to the car. "Let me go..." Charlotte struggled in vain. Honk! The sharp honk was quickly followed by a dazzling sh of light. It shined right into the young man¡¯s eyes and blinded him temporarily. "F*** who¡¯s the busybody?" The young man raged. His bodyguard aggressively walked in the direction of the car. However, he was terrified and shivered with fear when he returned. "Mr. Hammond, it''s Mr. Broid!" "Which Mr. Broid?" the young man was still puzzled. Meanwhile, a slender figure exited the car and approached them. With his squinted eyes, the young man tried to identify the dark figure. What followed suit was a menacing howl. "Leave her alone!" Charlotte turned her head around and was taken by surprise... She recalled the night of the previous auction, left alone on the streets when a group of men tried to take advantage of her. Gigolo In Debt''s grand arrival was in a simr fashion. "Mr. Droid..." Just when the gigantic security guard wanted to speak, Chris forcefully twisted his wrist into a delicate arc. A loud crack was heard amidst the silent night. He copsed on all fours and screamed in agony. His facial expression provided a clear visualization of the pain he was suffering. "Mr. Broid, please forgive me. I don''t know that she''s one of yours..." Mr. Hammond¡¯s face was pale as paper. He quickly apologized to Charlotte. "I''m literally blind for doing this to you! I''m very sorry to have offended you, please forgive me..." "Hey...." Charlotte was dumbfounded. Who is this Mr. Broid? "Get out of here!" Chris howled in a cial tone. Mr. Hammond and his subordinates scrambled for their lives. Charlotte first looked at the group running away, then she turned over and stared and Chris. "You..." "What? You don''t recognize me anymore?" Chris let out a burst of mysteriousughter. "It''s only been a few days and you''ve forgotten me. That hurts!" "This can''t be true. You really are..." Charlotte was astonished. Even his voice was extremely identical to the "Gigolo In Debt". Is he really him? "How''s the injury on your shoulder?" Chris noticed that her jacket was pulled off from her during the scrimmage. Thus, he was concerned that her injury would be affected. "It¡¯s really you?" Charlotte sought for confirmation. "You, why are you..." "First, get on the car." Chris helped her into the luxurious ride. Initially, Charlotte was able to keep her emotions in check. However, the sight of the Aston Martin on the seat belt and adjusted her seat. "I thought that you can¡¯t recognize me anymore..." Chris teased her. "It appears that I have caused quite an impression thest time we met. I believe my brother..." However, Chris couldn''t finish the sentence. Out of the blue, Charlotte pped him right on his cheek. She gritted her teeth and rebuked him. "F*** you pathetic gigolo! How dare you make a fool out of me!" "Hey..." Chris was stunned. He was under the impression that Zachary had exined everything to her, including his identity. Therefore, he was about the end the sentence with... "I believe my brother told you everything." Unexpectedly, she misunderstood him as Zachary¡¯s alter ego... Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Nheless, she can''t be med for this. After all, the two of them looked identical. Be it their height, body, voice, and eyes... they looked exactly the same! The only noticeable difference between them was the heightened arrogance of Zachary and the childish behavior of Chris. Before this, the "Gigolo In Debt¡± was wearing a mask all the time and he only appeared during the night. Also, Chris only impersonated him once and as a result, he was aware of the secrets between them, including Charlotte''s situation. Hence, it was perfectly reasonable for her to have mistaken him for Zachary. "Speak, what''s going on?" Charlotte admonished him. "What?¡± Chris heart was racing. He was hesitant to utter the truth. "You''re just a gigolo. Why is everyone saying that you''re the heir to a rich family?" "Also, why did you take off your mask and expose your true identity?" "Why are you here at Bar DTT every day? What¡¯s your rtionship with Peter?" Charlotte bombarded him with tons of questions. "Actually..." Chris paused before continuing. Eventually, he decided to provide an obscured answer. "Think about it this way. It was a misunderstanding all along. I was never a gigolo!" It was the truth. Previously, Zachary merely exined the situation in brevity. Hence, it was her own Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. assumptions that led to the misunderstanding. "You''re saying that...¡± Charlotte recalled the night when they first met. He was alone in the VIP room and was surrounded by security guards. Clearly, this should not be a privilege enjoyed by a gigolo. Furthermore, she had never witnessed him courting any clients before. At most, they briefly spoke about it during their conversations on the phone. It was my imagination after all? "That can''t be right.¡± Charlotte was suspicious. "How would you exin the incident four years ago?¡± "Four years ago, I went in the wrong room.¡± Chris casually replied. "Fate must have brought us together." "I see..." Charlotte was finally convinced. "Then, your real identity is..." "I''m just a rich yboy that does nothing." Chris was well aware of his character. "That''s better than a gigolo, right?" "At least you have some self-awareness." Charlotte rolled her eyes at him. Later, she asked, "Why did you impersonate a gigolo and sign the loan agreement with me? "For fun." Chrisughed mischievously. "I''m sick of a boring life where everything goes my way. I crave challenge and adventure. Hence, when you mistook me as a gigolo and forced me to enve myself, that was exhrating!" Hence, he decided to y along with her. Since it was just fun and games, there shouldn''t be a problem so long he didn''t cross any boundaries. Charlotte was stupefied by his puzzling smile. However, she couldn''t exin why. Then, she thought about Zachary and interrogated him further. "If that''s the case, who''s the person that saved me that night?" "Why do you ask?" Chris'' reaction was speedy. "Did someone tell you about it?" "My boss said he saved my life," Charlotte uttered the truth. "Your boss?" His heart sank. Don''t tell me that... "It''s the pervert boss." The mere utterance of Zachary''s name was sufficient to trigger her fears. "My colleague told me that he carried me out from the backdoor. Today, I asked him again and the answer was the same... However, the person I saw the morning after the incident was clearly you..." Charlotte blushed and she squeezed her eyes shut to avoid eye contact. Chris looked at her expression and recalled what happened that night. When Zachary carried her out from the backdoor, she was clearly drugged... Hence, that night, they... Chris was unrattled by the thought. It felt as if his woman was tainted by another man... "Speak. What''s going on?¡± Charlotte pestered him. "Initially, he was indeed the person who rescued you. Later, I arrived and snatched you away..." Chris replied. Chris was a veteran womanizer. He was familiar with all the tactics and tricks to get the woman that he wanted. Hence, a lie was nothing to him. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 "So that was what happened..." Charlotte finally pieced the puzzle together. However, another doubt was quick to surface in her mind. "But, the Devil is such an aggressive and domineering person. How did you manage to snatch me away from him?" "After all, you are my girlfriend," Chris answered confidently, "as domineering as he is, he would not have sacrificed his customers and business just for a woman." "That''s true." Charlotte believed what he said. Indeed, she knew how Zachary was when ites to work. His mind would be engulfed by business and nothing else. She then recalled Zachary''s behavior today. If it were him who saved her that night, he would also be the person who slept with her. However, he did not mention any of this. Unless...He''s the real gigolo, and the person in front of me is a fake! Charlotte looked towards the self-proimed "Gigolo In Debt". However, she quickly dismissed her doubts. It''s impossible. That day, I saw Zachary leave with my own eyes. Then, this dude beside me drove this exact same car to fetch me. The two events happened in less than a minute. It would be impossible for the "Gigolo In Debt" would not be in two ces at once. Therefore, Zachary was in fact his true self. On the flipside, this dude beside me is the real "Gigolo In Debt". That must be the truth! "What are you thinking about?" Chris tenderly approached her. "Are you surprised that I''m not a gigolo?" "A bit." Charlotte gave him aplicated stare. She gave him aplicated look. Since he¡¯s not a gigolo. Should I let him reunite with the children?At the end of the day, the children need their father... "If you wish, it''s not toote for me to be a gigolo." Chris put up a straight face and proposed. Charlotte burst intoughter. "You finallyughed." Chris pinched her cheeks. "Do you know that you look good when you¡¯re smiling? Smile more!" Charlotte suddenly realized that Chris wasn¡¯t that bad after all. Whenever she was in trouble, he would be there to rescue her. Besides, he was honest with her. Every day, he would religiously transfer the money into her ount and report his earnings. Now, he was trying to make herugh and feel happy... In her opinion, he was a perfect person. Before this, she was concerned with his upation. However, now that she found out that he was not a gigolo, there wouldn''t be any negative influence on the children. Perhaps, it is possible that... As she was contemting bewildering thoughts in her mind, Charlotte snapped back into reality and noticed that the car was taking the wrong route back home. She nervously asked, "Where are you driving me? Why am I further from home?" "We''re going for supper. It''s too early to go home." In actual fact, Chris had no idea where her house was. However, he was quick on his feet and told a lie without breaking a sweat. "No can do. I need to go home now. Please send me back." She quickly urged. "Hmm..." he hesitated. "Did you forget my address?" she assumed. "No..." He tried to wiggle his way out. Suddenly, Charlotte''s phone rang and it was from Mrs. Berry. "Miss, Ellie''s fever is now at 103.1 degrees Fahrenheit..." "I''ming back immediately." Charlotte panicked. "Mrs. Berry, can you please prepare the medical card and a water bottle? We''ll head straight to the hospital when I reach home." "Alright." Mrs. Berry then put down the phone. Chris managed to locate her address from the navigation records. He immediately made a U-turn and eximed, "32 Happy Avenue, am I correct? We''ll be there in ten minutes!" "Thank you." Charlotte was delighted that he remembered her address. "I''ve deleted your contact number. Call me again so that I can save it." Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "My phone..." Chris''s heart sank. Previously, Zachary lent Chris his phone for the sole purpose of impersonating him. However, the phone waster reimed at Sultry Night! Although Chris could furtively borrow the car, he could never gain ess to Zachary''s phone. "Why? You don''t want to give it to me?" Charlotte was displeased with his hesitant look. "No..." Chris''s eyes glistened as he found an excuse. "I¡¯ve stopped using that number. I''ll give you my new one." Chapter 143 Chapter 143 "No... I''ve stopped using that phone number. Here, you should have my new one," exined Chris. As he was saying that, he passed his phone to Charlotte after unlocking it... "Why did you change your phone number?" asked Charlotte. "Oh, I know... I bet a lot of girls must''ve had your old number," she added. "Hey, the past is in the past. I''m a different man now. I''ll only be yours in the future!" Chris promised solemnly. "Hah! Only a fool would believe you." Charlotte feigned a smile. "I swear!" Chris raised his hand. "From now on, if I¡¯m ever seen fooling around with other girls, then I shall be forever cursed with erectile dysfunction." "Don''t give me that bullsh*t!" said Charlotte. Seeing Chris being so sincere and honest, Charlotte finally budged and dropped the subject. Hmm, what should I set his name as in my contacts, though? Chris took a nce at her and knew exactly what she was thinking about. Hence, he frivolously said, "Just put my name as the child''s father." A trickle of sweat was flowing down Charlotte''s forehead the moment she heard that. "You like kids?" asked Charlotte anxiously. "I''ll love them as long as you''re their mother. I¡¯ve got a suggestion... Why don''t we start making one tonight?" Chris grabbed her hand tightly. "Stop fooling around! I have things to do at home." Charlotte withdrew her hand and was quite flustered. "Aww... Then how about we pick this up tomo-" "Bye! Drive safe." Charlotte was still preupied with Ellie''s illness, so she wasn''t in the mood for a lovers squabble. That being said, she was touched by the fact that the attractive Chris really liked kids. This was because her kids, who just went through a lot today, would always nag on and on about meeting their father. Should I let them meet Chris? Will I ruin it in the future if I do? "Just stop the car here. I''ll go up by myself," said Charlotte after arriving at her block. "I''ll walk you..." Chris was getting ready to unfasten his seatbelt. "Nah, it''s ok." Charlotte opened the car door and rushed to her apartment. However, Chris still made sure that she made it inside before he drove off. As he was making a U-turn, he realized that Charlotte¡¯s purse was still in the car. After making the turn, he parked the car by the roadside and took out his phone to call her. Before he could make the call, he saw Charlotte carrying a young girl while running out. Behind them was a plump woman trudging behind, doing her best to keep up with them. Three of them went in a cab and sped off in the opposite direction... Chris was stunned. As he watched the cab drift away, his mind was flooded with a plethora of questions. However, he was still able to keep his sangfroid when he tried to ess the situation calmly. Curious, he opened Charlotte''s purse, and her ck wallet caught his attention. Chris opened the wallet and saw a family photo being kept in it. In the photo, Charlotte and the plump woman he saw earlier were sitting beside each other. In their arms were three babies while a green parrot was standing on top of Charlotte''s head. Six of them, yes, All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. including the parrot, were beaming with smiles, and they looked really happy. Chris was shell-shocked, yet, he was able topose his mind and came up with a bold assumption. Even so, he wasn''t intrepid enough to confirm it himself... During this mental crisis of his, his phone rang, and that brought him back to reality. "Hey, bro!" He answered it. "Where the hell is my car? Where did you take it to?" Zachary impugned him. "I was only borrowing it out for a quick drive. Since my car is still in E Nation, I had no choice..." replied Chris in a furtive manner. "Well, you can use all the other cars, all except for this one. Come back with it right now!" yelled Zachary. "Okay, okay, jeez... I''ll send it home right now. Calm down. There''s no need to be so mad." Chris conciliated him. After hanging up the phone, Chris called Peter and asked, "Is the bar still open?" "Yes, it still opens for another half an hour." "Okay, wait for me. I''ve got something to deliver to you there." Chris drove back to Bar DTT and handed Charlotte''s purse over to Peter. "Don''t let her know that I was the one who brought her purse back. Just tell her that she left it here." "No problem!" Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Charlotte, apanied by Mrs. Berry, rushed to the nearest children''s hospital to get Ellie immediate medical attention. It was already twenty minutes to midnight, yet there was still a long line at the hospital. Then, Charlotte left Ellie with Mrs. Berry and quickly get in line with the other registrants. She was extremely anxious and worried for her sickly daughter. "I didn''t even get to check on Robbie and Jamie when I rushed out of the house with you. I wonder how they¡¯re doing right now." Mrs. Berry was still perturbed about the vexatious ones at home as she was feeding Ellie. "Those two can take care of themselves, so there''s no need to fret about that." Charlotte was feigning to be unconcerned, but she was more worried than anyone else about Robbie and Jamie. Both of them are still toddlers. Although their bodies aren''t as frail as their younger sister, still, how can I not worry? Please be okay. "I¡¯ve told Fifi to keep an eye on them," said Mrs. Berry. She then rambled on, "Fifi was acting weird today too, though, ensconcing herself inside that little cage of hers all day long. She only came out to y with Ellie at night right after you left." "Yeah. With Fifi by their side, they¡¯ll be happier." At the same time, Charlotte was getting more and more distressed by the minute as there was still a long line of registrants ahead of her. Come on... If this keeps up, Ellie would have recovered on her own before we even get to see the doctor. "In my days, getting a family doctor would have done the trick. There''s no registration whatsoever..." Mrs. Berry sighed. The moment Mrs. Berry brought that up, Charlotte reminisced about her days back in the Windt family. They had a personal doctor. Even if the illness were chronic, they would just go to a private hospital to get treatment immediately, without the need to wait. Even if things remained the same, people would have changed. The past would be nothing but a distant memory... Out of the blue, Charlotte recalled that she had Raina¡¯s contact number and that she was told to call her if she had any health-rted issues. Charlotte was a bit conflicted, however, as calling Raina also meant making her current situation known to Zachary... Forget it. Let''s just keep waiting. "Mommy..." Ellie had just opened her mouth for a bit, and a stream of fresh vomit came out from her mouth. "My god..." Mrs. Berry quickly helped her clean her mouth. "Ellie!" Charlotte hurried over to Ellie''s side and wiped her face with one hand while patting her back with the other one. "Ellie, don''t be afraid. Mommy''s here, okay? Mommy''s right here." "Mommy, this is unbearable..." sobbed Ellie. Ellie''s face was pale white. Her whole body was soft as butter, and all the food she ate before was all over Mrs. Berry. Her usual shiny bright eyes were then filled with poignance and overflowing with tears... "Ellie, it¡¯s gonna be okay. We¡¯ll go see the doctor soon, okay?" Having done wiping the stains on Ellie''s clothes, Charlotte carried Ellie to the side to call on the nurse there. "Miss, my daughter can¡¯t seem to handle it anymore. Can you please let the doctor have a look at her first?" "Because of the season change, it¡¯s usual for children to get infected by themon flu. Many kids have fallen ill, just like yours, and they all have to wait for their turn unless it¡¯s an emergency like asphyxia. Or else, you''ll have to wait for your turn just like everyone else." The nurse was so upied with her job that she didn¡¯t even spare anytime lifting her head to look at Charlotte. "But..." "Excuse me." Right at that moment, Charlotte was pushed away by the other parents to the other side. Now what?Seriously, what do I do now? "Miss, why don''t we go to the other hospitals and test our luck there? We''ve already waited for about half an hour, and the line is still as long as the start. If we keep on dawdling this way, I''m afraid Ellie can''t hold on anymore," suggested Mrs. Berry as she wiped the stains on her clothes with a wet towel. Looking at her unconscious daughter''s pale white face, Charlotte was left with no other alternatives but to ask Raina for her help before things exacerbated any further. Raina answered her phone almost instantly. "Ms. Windt?" "Dr. Langhan, my uh, my friend¡¯s daughter got sick. However, the children''s hospital was full of people, and they''ve waited for hours, but it still isn''t their N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. turn yet. Unfortunately, the girl¡¯s condition is getting worse by the minute. Do you suppose that you can..." "Okay, Ms. Windt, calm down. Just bring your friend here. I''ll treat her personally.¡± "Okay, thank you so much. May I have the address?¡± "I''ll send it you right now." After hanging up the phone, Charlotte and Mrs. Berry called for an Uber and headed towards the address. Fortunately, the hospital was less than two miles away from where they were. On their way there, Charlotte whispered, "Mrs. Berry,ter when we meet Raina, just tell her that Ellie is your granddaughter." Chapter 145 Chapter 145 "What?" Mrs. Berry was bewildered. Charlotte gave a terse exnation to her, and she nodded. When they arrived at the private children''s hospital, Raina was already standing at the entrance with her assistant waiting for them. After that, Mrs. Berry carried Ellie to the entrance while Charlotte carried her purse and followed them. "What¡¯s wrong with her?" Raina saw that the girl was experiencing severe mise and quickly asked for an exnation. After exining her condition to Raina, Charlotte added, "This little girl is Mrs. Berry¡¯s granddaughter. Mrs. Berry¡¯s daughter, along with her husband, are currently working outstation, so she asked for my help instead and told me about the little girl''s condition. I apanied the two of them to the children''s hospital, but it was filled with a surfeit amount of people. We had been waiting for too long, so we had no choice but to resort to your help..." "It¡¯s okay. Let''s focus on treating the girl first." With Raina tending to Ellie personally, there''s no need for any registration or the other specific procedures to be done. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. There were no qualms about Raina''s skill as the exclusive doctor of the Nacht family. She was able to identify the problem in the blink of an eye and immediately prescribed medicines for Ellie. "It''s just influenza that was messing with her body. Anyway, I''ve prescribed some medication for her, and it''s best if she could get some rest. After that, she''ll be as good as new." "Besides, Ms. Windt, since you¡¯re here right now, I might as well help you with the wounds on your neck and your shoulders." Raina prescribed some medication for her. "Okay, thanks.¡± Charlotte then signaled Mrs. Berry with her eyebrows. "Dr. Langhan, thank you for everything you''ve done for my granddaughter. I¡¯ll take her home to get some rest now," said Mrs. Berry, after taking the hint. "You''re wee. I''ll get someone to send both of you home safely," Dr. Langhan offered. "It¡¯s fine. There''s no need to trouble you with that. We can take a cab home, but thank you for the offer." Mrs. Berry carried Ellie and hurried towards the exit. Before they could reach the exit, however, Ellie regained her consciousness and started yelling dazedly. "Mommy, mommy..." "Ellie, Mommy will be back home soon. Let''s go home first." Mrs. Berryforted her. Charlotte then sent them off with her gaze. "Ms. Windt," called Raina. "Coming..." Charlotte walked inside. Raina helped her reapply bandages for her wounds and gave her some ointment and medicine. After that, she mentioned some important precautions to her and offered to drive her home as well. Adamant, Charlotte continuously rejected her offer, and she sidled away when she had the chance. Having exited the hospital, she saw Mrs. Berry waiting at the side of the road with Ellie in her arms. They called a cab and left as quickly as they could. From a distance, Raina witnessed all of it and was baffled by what happened. Charlotte sure is acting weird tonight...Everything should be fine. If there was really something Charlotte wanted to hide from me, she wouldn''t havee here seeking my help. Feeling justified, Raina dropped the thought and continued on with her work. It was already half-past three at midnight when Charlotte arrived home. Together with Mrs. Berry, they fed Ellie the medicines and sung her to sleep. Even though Mrs. Berry was exhausted, she still made something for Charlotte to sate her appetite. After seeing how tired Mrs. Berry was, Charlotte told her to prioritize her body and get some sleep while she kept watch over Ellie. Dawn came, and Ellie''s fever was finally going down. Feeling relieved, Charlottey down beside her daughter and fell into a deep slumber until halfpast six in the morning. The rustling wind and chipping of birds outside then woke her up. "Sh*t, I''m gonna be marked tardy again." Nicole woke up with a jolt and jumped off the bed. "Miss, you only had about an hour of sleepst night. I couldn''t bring myself to wake you up..." Mrs. Berry said as she prepared breakfast for the kids. "You still have to wake me up nheless. I''ve got a job I need to be on time for." Not wasting any more time, Charlotte quickly brushed her teeth, washed up, and then headed out to work. "Mommy, your breakfast." Jamie ran to her with a bun and a bottle of soy milk. "Thank you, Jamie." Charlotte grabbed her breakfast and darted towards the elevator. "Be a good boy, okay?" said Charlotte, without looking back. "Affirmative!" Jamie responded. "Robbie and Jamie, do finish your breakfast before it gets cold. Later on, I''ll be seeing both of you off when the school bus arrives. After that, I need toe back home immediately to look after Ellie since she''s still not fully recovered. You two behave in school, okay?" "We will, Mrs. Berry..." As Charlotte was dashing towards the subway station to catch her train, a blue Lamborghini came out of nowhere and stopped beside her. Startled, she took a few steps back away from the Lamborghini. A handsome man with a charming smile got out of the car and stood before her. "Babe, apologies for beingte. But I''m here now to escort you to work, shall we?" He said. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Charlotte was stunned for a moment and hurriedly got into the car. Everyone around was watching her. Several women who lived in the same neighborhood were gossiping around. "Isn¡¯t this Mrs. Berry''s daughter? Look, she has a boyfriend now." "He looks rich and handsome. Mrs. Berry lucked out!" "Quick, close the convertible." Charlotte covered her face since she did not want to be seen by her acquaintances. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "What are you afraid of? I have nothing to be ashamed of." Chris closed the convertible and even waved at the women. "Bye,dies!" "Bye!¡± They were overjoyed. "Why did you wave at them?" She could not understand him. "Don''t you think you''re being too shy?¡± "They''re your neighbors, aren''t they? So we will know each other eventually," Chris said cheekily, "When do you n to let me meet your family?" "Stop messing around." Although Charlotte spurned, a smile appeared on her face. "Why are you driving in a different car today? Where''s the Aston Martin?" "That car broke down, so I took it to repair." Chris sped away in his car. "Broke down? It was fine yesterday." Charlotte was shocked. "It broke down on the way back." He was not lying. He deliberately crashed it on the way back and brought the car with a deformed front hood to Zachary¡¯s garage. Early this morning, Ben arranged for someone to send it for repair. That way, Zachary would not be driving that car, and Charlotte would not meet the real Gigolo In Debt anymore... After doing all that, Chris felt a little uneasy as this was his first time ying tricks on Zachary since childhood. He was hesitant and felt anxious for a moment, but in the end, he did it anyway. He knew that he had protection, so Zachary would not actually do anything to him. "Drive carefully next time." Charlotte exhorted and started feasting on the buns and soy milk. Chris nced at her and pretended to be pitiful. "How rude. I drove to pick you up, but you won''t give me food." "Fine. Just one bun¡ªthe one I''ve started eating." She handed him a half-bitten bun. Surprisingly, he did not mind and leaned closer to take a big bite. "Mmm, so delicious!" "The buns made by Mrs. Berry are delicious, indeed." She stuffed the remaining half into his mouth. "Bring a few more tomorrow." He licked his lips. "I can eat ten of such delicious buns in one go." "You will make me poor." Charlotte smiled and wiped his mouth for him. "I personally drove to pick you up, yet you use me of eating too much of your food." Chris totally enjoyed his close interaction with Charlotte. Although I have dated many women, I have never shared a bun with a girl in a car like this. This is the most blissful thing in the world. "All right, all right. I will bring ten for you." Charlotte was worried that he could not ept her current state of living, but she did not expect him to be so down-to-earth. It seemed like her worries were unnecessary. I will observe for a little bit longer. Then, if he continues to behave this well, I might consider taking him to meet Mrs. Berry and the children.The children need a father, after all... A speedy drive meant that it only took ten minutes for them to reach the street across from the office. "Let''s stop here. I don''t want to be seen by my colleagues." Charlotte was very cautious. "All right." He parked his car by the road. "I will be busy this afternoon, so I can¡¯t pick you up after work. I''ll see you at the bar tonight!¡± "Sure.¡± When she was about to get out of the car, he suddenly held her and leaned in intimately. "Goodbye kiss!¡± Charlotte blushed and closed her eyes nervously. Chris curled up the corners of his lips and leaned in even closer. When his thin, sexy lips were about to make contact with her forehead, a Rolls-Royce suddenly passed by... He hurriedly let go of her and teased, "Let''s leave it there. We''ll get back to it tonight!" Opening her eyes, Charlotte nced at him bashfully. She then quickly got off the car and ran towards thepany building... Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Charlotte was still blushing when she walked into the office building. She soon noticed all her colleagues lined up neatly in two rows. They bowed toward her and greeted, "Mr. Nacht!" She was taken aback and froze on the spot. It was not until Lily, who stood beside her, kept winking at her that she reacted with hindsight and turned around... Zachary¡¯s tall and slender figure walked in with rays of sunshine behind him, exuding amanding presence. Charlotte hurriedly retreated aside; she bowed her head nervously while holding her breath. Zachary stared straight ahead and strode forward. As he walked by her, he suddenly stopped and coldly reminded, "Since you''rete for thirty-five seconds, your punishment is to clean the swimming pool!" "I..." Charlotte wanted to exin but then nodded humbly instead. "Yes, Mr. Nacht!" Charlotte slowly lifted her head when his steps were farther away and stared angrily at his domineering back. Although he looked like her boyfriend, she loathed him. I just want to kick him!!! When Zachary was entering the elevator, he turned around and nced in her direction... Her bitter and hateful expression instantly became a fake and respectful smile. When the elevator door closed slowly, Charlotte sighed in relief... "Charlotte, Charlotte..." A voice came and interrupted her thoughts. Recovering her senses, Charlotte smiled and greeted, "Lily!" "Are you all right?" Lily tagged her along to ride the elevator. "You don¡¯t look good." "No big deal." Charlotte shook her head. "Maybe I didn''t sleep wellst night." "No wonder you are so out of it today. You didn''t even realize that you were in Mr. Nacht''s way." Lily smiled and teased, "Luckily, it was you. Mr. Nacht only punished you for cleaning the swimming pool. If it were someone else, that person would be doomed." "Stop kidding..." Charlotte rified in a low voice, "There¡¯s nothing between Mr. Nacht and me." "Impossible. Mr. Nacht hugged you so tightly that day..." "Impossible, you''re mistaken..." "Here¡¯s the elevator. Let''s go." Charlotte reached level 68 anxiously. When she was about to go to work, Lucy came to inform her, "Don''t go to work yet; leave it to Dani. You should clean the infinity pool. Report to me after you are done." "Okay." Charlotte pitifully came to the infinity pool. Although it was sunny today, it wasn¡¯t hot and the pool water still felt chilly. Charlotte took off her shoes and socks, rolled up her pants, and started cleaning the pool. Given she had prior experience, she felt much more proficient doing the cleaning work this time. She was also not as frightened when she turned around to realize that someone had appeared beside her. She only froze for a brief moment before greeting respectfully, "Hello, Mr. Nacht!" Zachary sat on the recliner and was spinning the ultra-thin mobile phone in the palm of his hand. Charlotte worked silently; she was afraid of provoking him. "How much is your monthly sry again?" Zachary suddenly asked her. Charlotte was mopping the floor when she heard his question. She immediately stopped her work and looked at him timidly. "It was eight thousand when I was in the administration department and the Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. security department. Now that I''ve transferred to the president¡¯s office, it''s twenty thousand..." "Do you want to make money?" Zachary looked at her. "I do." Charlotte nodded. Zachary hooked his finger and motioned her toe closer. Charlotte cautiously walked over to him. Zachary gave her an X-ray report. "Go to the hospital and persuade Mr. Sterk to take thexative and get the chip out. I will give you one million if you seed!" Charlotte was shocked. She almost forgot about this and hurriedly asked, "The chip hasn¡¯te out yet?" "No, he took thexative twice but it still didn''t work." Zachary scowled. "The stubborn old man didn''t want to take it anymore. Tomorrow is Friday. If you can send me the chip by today, one million will be transferred to your ount immediately." "Yes, Sir!" Charlotte could not hide her enthusiasm. "I''ll go right after I finish cleaning." "You don''t have to clean anymore. Go right now." Zachary motioned her to leave immediately. "Your mission today is to get the chip!" Chapter 148 Chapter 148 "Yes, Sir. I''ll do it right away." Barefooted, Charlotte hurriedly rushed out but returned shortly afterward to retrieve her shoes and smirked awkwardly at Zachary. I¡¯m so happy that I can make money! Zachary looked at her back with a mocking sneer. What a greedy woman! After Charlotte reported to Lucy briefly, she put on her shoes and hurriedly went home. As soon as she walked in, she called out, "Mrs. Berry, do you still have thexative that you gave Fifi "Whatxative?" Mrs. Berry did not understand at first. "Noxative, noxative!" Fifi shouted in the cage. "Shut up!" After shouting at it, Charlotte said to Mrs. Berry, "I mean, that greenxative that helped to get the chip out of Fifist time..." "There is still half a bottle left. Why? Do you have constipation?" "No, an old man from the office needs it. You can help me make a pot of vegetable beef soup and some pot stickers. Prepare a fruit basket, too. I will take them to the hospital to visit the patient." "All right." Charlotte went back to the room to stay with Ellie, who had been sick for a while. At half-past one in the afternoon, Mrs. Berry had finished preparing the food and found thexative. Charlotte immediately rushed to the hospital with everything. In the car, she saw that the medicine was branded "Dulcx". This is a good brand; it really does what it says! Upon arrival at her destination, Charlotte realized that this was the same ce where Ellie saw the doctorst night-Sacred Heart Hospital! Sacred Heart Hospital was the best private hospital in H City. It provided one-stop services for all treatments, saving the trouble of requiring patients and their families to register multiple times for separate procedures. Furthermore, each patient had an assigned nurse and doctor. Since the hospital provided quality services and exceptional expertise, the charges were also sky- high. Raima waited at the door for Charlotte; the former was to take thetter to Mr. Sterk. The poor old man was lying alone in the luxurious ward and staring at the ceiling nkly. In just two days, Mr. Sterk had be extremely skinny and very resistant to drugs. Whenever the nurse wanted him to take hisxatives, he would lose his temper. "Go away. I won''t take it... I would rather die than takexatives..." The nurse stepped back helplessly, shook her head, and said to Raima, "Dr. Langhan, we are out of ideas. Mr. Sterk is not being cooperative." "I can''t me him. Mr. Sterk has already taken thexative five times and had be so weak. It''s only natural that he refuses to continue taking it." Raina frowned and sighed. "Besides, even if he takes it, there is no guarantee that we can get the chip in a short time." "I have axative here; I can get it out if he takes it." Charlotte took out the Dulcx, shook the bottle, and smiled mysteriously. "I can personally vouch for its effectiveness!" "Uh..." Raina blinked. "From my professional point of view, this is not a realxative... But if Mr. Nacht wants you to try it, you can." "Yeah." Charlotte walked into the ward with the food and fruit basket prepared earlier. "Get out-" Mr. Sterk was about to lose his temper, but he was stunned when he saw Charlotte. "It¡¯s you?¡± "Do you still remember me?" Charlotte was a little embarrassed. "Last time..." "Thank you forst time. If it weren''t for you, I would''ve died already." Mr. Sterk''s attitude became cordial. "You are wee. I brought you lunch; try and see if you like them. My father used to like eating these." Charlotte served the delicacies made by Mrs. Berry on the table. Seeing the food, Mr. Sterk could not help tearing up. "I haven¡¯t had a good meal for two days. Those Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. b*stards, they tried to take away my food if I didn''t take thexatives!¡± "Quick, take a bite!" Charlotte scooped a bowl of vegetable beef soup for him. "Mrs. Berry herself made this. I''ve loved it since I was a child." "Thank you." After Mr. Sterk took a bite, his tears almost ran down. "It''s so delicious.¡± "You can eat slowly. There is more." Not only did Charlotte assist Mr. Sterk with his meal, but she was also friendly to him and even massaged his legs. Within an afternoon, the two became good friends who would talk about everything under the sun. Mr. Sterk told her warmly, "Charlotte, don''t just stand there. Have a seat." "It''s okay." Charlotte did not want to beat around the bush anymore. She immediately took out the bottle ofxative. "Actually, Mr. Sterk, I came with a mission. I know you are very repulsive to taking Mr. Sterk frowned. "Did Mr. Nacht send you here?¡± "Yes.¡± Charlotte nodded honestly. "But I got this "All right, I''ll go for it!" Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Mr. Sterk closed his eyes and drank up the small bottle in one go. Charlotte quickly brought him warm water to rinse his mouth. "What the hell is this? It''s bitter, smelly, and astringent!" The taste of the solution had Mr. Sterk frowning with a twisted facial expression. "It¡¯s just axative to treat constipation..." As soon as Charlotte finished speaking, Mr. Sterk started to look odd and he shouted, "Quickly, help me to the toilet!" "Hurry, hurry!" Raina hastily notified the male doctors outside. Several male doctors came in to help, and Raina took Charlotte outside to wait. Charlotte paced around the corridor anxiously like a father waiting for his wife to give birth. Half an hourter, a male doctor walked out and announced emotionally, "It came out!" "Huh? The chip is purged?" Charlotte asked excitedly. "Yes..." The male doctor took the chip with tweezers and held it up high. "It''s finally out!" "That''s great!" Charlotte almost jumped up in excitement. Forty minutester, Charlotte took the chip to the president''s office on the 68th floor... Never before had Charlotte beamed so proudly that she almostughed out loud thinking of the one million that would be paid imminently. "Mr. Nacht, I have the chip!" Standing before the office desk, Charlotte held out the box in a ritualistic gesture. Inside the box was the golden chip which had cost billions to locate. Finally, it was returned in good condition... After a while, Zachary looked away from the tablet and up at Charlotte. His nce was rather cold; it was not a look of surprise and gratitude Charlotte had expected. "What¡¯s the matter?" Charlotte felt uneasy. Zachary did not speak but coldly made a gesture. Ben stepped forward and took the chip. He then skillfully installed the connector and linked it up to the The white wall behind Zachary suddenly turned into a projection screen showing the S-shaped logo that represented Divine Corporation. Right after that, a circle was seen spinning... Charlotte craned her neck and looked over curiously. What exactly is inside this priceless chip? However, after spinning for a long time, the circle did not go away. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Beep-Bang! A loud noise sounded, the screen flickered, and finally, smoke starteding out of the Charlotte was startled and quickly backed away. Ben stepped forward to turn off the power and took out the chip that was now scorched and deformed. "Wh-what¡¯s going on?" Charlotte asked in astonishment. Ben looked at Zachary, and after receiving approval, he exined, "In order to prevent someone from stealing the secrets in the chip, we have added a self-destructing feature to it. Once the chip has been stolen for ten days, it will automatically destroy itself." "Huh?" Charlotte opened her eyes widely and was stunned for a while before recovering her senses. "It¡¯s been almost a month since the chip was lost. So...you know that it is useless to get the chip back. Why do you still put in so much effort to find it?" "If we don''t continue searching, how will our opponents lower their guard?" Ben asked back. "Just because of this?¡± Charlotte could not understand. "Then why make me go to Mr. Sterk..." "As long as the chip is in his system, Mr. Sterk will be under surveince," Ben exined, "Mr. Nacht is only protecting him." "Th-then tomorrow¡¯s event..." Charlotte asked in a panic, "The chip is now destroyed. What are you going to do?¡± "On the seventh day after the chip was stolen, I made a new chip to rece it." Zachary took out the new chip from his phone, which was precisely the same as the previous one... "So that''s why you firmly said during Wednesday¡¯s meeting that the chip would be back before dark today..." Charlotte suddenly came to a realization. "But the new chip has always been in your hands! Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Charlotte had to admire Zachary for his thoughtfulness and intelligence. Everything was under his control...Looks like I''ve never truly understood Zachary before. He has been nothing but a cruel and moody devil to me. However, I admire his capability now.He''s really amazing! It took a while for Charlotte''s mind toe back to reality. She sighed. "The purpose of spending so much manpower and financial resources to salvage the chip is to lower our opponents'' guard. Seems like this chip is far more valuable than I thought!" "You finally got it." Zachary''s lips curled up slightly. "Then..." Charlotte bit her bottom lip and asked courageously, "There''s no issue with my one-million reward?" "Of course not." Zachary waved his hands. "You brought back the chip so soon; I should double your reward!" "Two million?" Charlotte was ecstatic. "Thank you, Mr. Nacht, thank you!" She immediately took out a note on which she had written her banking information long ago. She stretched it out neatly and handed it to Ben. "Please transfer the funds into this ount, hehe!" "Uh..." Ben took the note and looked at Zachary cautiously. "I will transfer two million without leaving out a single penny, but..." Zachary pushed the tablet in front of her. "Exin this to me first..." "What?" Charlotte took a look at the tablet and became horrified... A piece of trending news appeared on theputer screen¡ª Luna, the youngdy of the Sterlings, participated in the 9th Haven G and became the center of attention with a long-lost ruby ne from F Nation!!! In the photo, Luna beamed with a bright smile with the ruby ne gleaming on her chest... Charlotte hurriedly closed this link. She did not expect so many media outlets to be covering this matter. Thanks to the ruby ne, Luna has by now be the center of everyone''s attention! "Th-this..." Charlotte lowered her head and stammered; she was at a loss for an exnation. She did not even dare to look up at Zachary because she could feel he was looking at her like he was about to eat her up. "Mr. Nacht, I shall get going first." Ben had cleverly chosen to leave the room at this time. Charlotte panicked even more. She opened her mouth and tried to exin but she did not know where to start. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. How should I put it?Should I tell him that the children have lost the Whites'' ancestral bracelet and that Amanda and Luna wanted me topensate them by threatening to report the incident to the police and media otherwise? Should I tell him that since I''m unable topensate them, I could only use the ruby ne as colteral... If I tell him all this, the children will be exposed...Zachary will use me of lying, and I won¡¯t be able to leave this office alive... "You have one minute." Zachary arrogantly leaned back on the leather chair and lighted his cigar slowly. "I..." Since she could not give him an exnation, she could only make a fool of herself. "In the car that day, you threw the ne away yourself. Someone probably picked it up, or..." "Try lying to me again?" Zachary raised his brows with a murderous vibe. "I..." Charlotte trembled with fright and dared not to talk nonsense again. "Seeing how greedy you are, you''ll definitely return to pick up the ne after you got off the car..." Zachary stared at her coldly. "Now, why is the ne in that woman''s hands?" "I don''t know..." Charlotte''s voice had been reduced to the size of a mosquito by now. "You gave it to her?" Zachary questioned. Charlotte did not dare to speak, let alone look at him. Running out of patience, Zachary got up and slowly approached her... "Wh-what are you doing?" Charlotte backed away anxiously, feeling that she would be torn apart by him... Chapter 151 Chapter 151 "What do you think?¡± Zachary squeezed her chin, raised her face, and looked into her eyes. "No one has ever dared to give my things away to others-you are the first!" "No, I..." Charlotte wanted to exin, but didn''t know where to start. "It seems like you are hiding something," Zachary sneered, "So, how are you going to exin it to me?" "I''m sorry..." Charlotte bowed her head and apologized, "It is reasonable that I shouldpensate, but Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. this is a hundred million. I won''t be able to afford it even if you sell me off..." "All right, we''ll do what you just said!" Zachary interrupted her and turned around to return to his seat. He then picked up a pen and paper and started writing. "Uh..." She was dumbfounded. "What are you doing?" "You asked me to sell you off to repay your debt." He quickly drafted a simple debt repayment agreement and handed it to her. "Sign, and press your fingerprint!" U 99 Charlotte took a look and could not help being stunned. Debt Settlement Agreement: Charlotte Windt owes Zachary 100 million. Deducting 2 million in bonuses, she now owes 98 million and voluntarily coteralizes herself to Zachary Nacht. From now on, Charlotte shall obey all of Zachary''s orders and always be on-call... "You can repay me 98 million now, or return my ruby ne, or sign this debt repayment agreement. Decide for yourself!¡± He tapped on the agreement with a pen as if he were a judge pronouncing her fate with a gavel. She suddenly felt thunderstruck. Her world was spinning so fast that she almost fainted... How could I have forgotten that the Devil is inherently cruel and greedy?How dare I mess with him?Do I have a death wish? "Hmm?" Zachary was losing his patience. She had countless countermeasures shing through her mind like a barrage. Soon, she chose the simplest one- "You gave me this ne and many people can testify that. Since it¡¯s mine, I can do whatever I want with it. So why should you make me pay for it? You can''t justify it even if you go through the legal process." "Very good." Zachary''s lips curled up. "Are you discussingw with me?" "Th-That¡¯s how it was..." Charlotte pretended to be calm. "I did give it to you, but you gave it back to me." He started to exin, "Since you gave it back to me, it''s not yours anymore-it''s mine to throw away. However, you ran back to get it and then gave it to someone else without my permission..." He immediately called Ben, "Call Mr. Williams." "Yes, Sir." "W-wait a minute." She panicked immediately. "Mr. Nacht, let''s discuss this properly." "Weren''t you confident a minute ago?" Zachary raised his eyebrows. "I don''t understand..." Her legs became feeble and she wanted to cry. "You lost a ne worth 100 million just like that, which means you don''t care at all. So why should I pay?" "I can give you a ne worth 100 million or throw it away, but I don¡¯t allow other women to wear it on their necks. That is an offense to me!" Zachary solemnly warned, "You must pay for your irresponsible behavior!" Charlotte was speechless. I shouldn''t have underestimated his maniptiveness.I shouldn''t have overestimated Luna''s IQ, eltherlThat stupid woman actually strutted around with the ruby ne. She doesn''t know that she is bringing trouble to herself and me. "I don''t have the patience to argue with you." Zachary checked his watch. "If you don''t sign, I''ll leave it to thewyer." "I..." She was flustered. After thinking about it, she said tentatively, "Please give me some time. I will return the ne to you, all right?" "Fine, I''ll give you a chance." He nodded. "You tell me the time." Chapter 152 Chapter 152 "Seven days?¡± Charlotte asked tentatively. Zachary did not speak but frowned slightly. "Th-three days?" She immediately flinched. "If I can''t return your ne within three days, l-l will sign this agreement." "You promised this yourself; I didn''t force you to." He leaned on his seat gracefully, looking generous. "I will wait for you here at the same time three dayster!" Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Okay." Charlotte did not know how she got out of the building. It was already 7:40 p.m., and all her colleagues had got off work. She called for a cab and was on the verge of crying when she was in the vehicle. Why is everyone forcing me?First, it was Luna and her mother. Now it''s Zachary. They just keeping for me, one worse than the one before...I just want to live a peaceful life. Why won''t they let me go... "Where are you heading?" the taxi driver asked. "I..." She was startled and said, "Bar DTT." After thinking about it carefully, she decided to confess these things to the Gigolo In Debt, to discuss it with him and face it together. Zachary forced me into this because he likes me and wants me for himself. If I tell him the truth, take my boyfriend to see him, and exin my situation clearly, Zachary will no longer have such thoughts. And then I will find a way to return the ruby ne to him. That will resolve everything. Thinking of this, she texted Gigolo In Debt: I''m reaching the bar soon. Are you there yet? There was no reply from him. Charlotte then recalled her chat history with the "Gigolo In Debt". Although the number in her phone''s contact list had been deleted, the messages were not. Thus, she sent a text message to his old number. Thinking that his old number had been deactivated, she sent the same text message to his new number, and saved it under "Gigolo In Debt 2". Soon, Gigolo In Debt 2 called, "Baby, I¡¯m on my way to the bar. Where are you? I''ll pick you up." "It''s fine. I got a cab," she said, "Gigolo, I want to talk to you after the show tonight." "Sure." Chris was overjoyed. As long as I can spend more time alone with her, our rtionship will improve. "We''ll talkter. See you at the bar." "See you there." After hanging up, Chris made a call and gave his instructions. "Send nine hundred and ny-nine red roses to Bar DTT. And bring me my ten-carat ring." An extended Rolls-Royce Phantom appeared... Zachary could not help but feel puzzled when he received Charlotte¡¯s text message. She firmly broke up with me before and returned the money to me. During this time, she hasn''t contacted me at all. Why did she suddenly send me this text? She doesn''t seem to be testing waters, nor is she requesting to make up. On the contrary, the tone of her message...it''s like how we used to contact each other every day..Besides, I haven''t been to Sultry Night for a long time. Why is she suddenly asking me to go to the bar? Something about this message made Zachary feel as if he and Charlotte had been keeping in touch... Thinking of this, he told Ben, "Check and see if Charlotte has gone to Sultry Night." "Yes, Sir." Ben investigated and reported immediately-"Mr. Nacht, Sultry Night said that Ms. Windt hadn''t been there for a long time." "The security department found that she took a taxi and headed southwest." "We ran a check on the license te of that taxi with the Ministry of Transportation. It is heading towards Bar DTT." "Ms. Windt just got out of the car at the back door of Bar DTT." "Why would she go there?" Zachary frowned and then ordered, "Have someone drive my Aston Martin over and bring the previous equipment." "The Aston Martin was crashedst night by Mr. Broid and was damaged. It was sent for repair this morning. Your equipment is in another car. Would you like the other car to be driven here?" "Damaged?" Zachary narrowed his eyes. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Charlotte arrived at the bar. She put on a mask, performed on stage, and won a massive round of apuse again that night. The audience kept cheering and apuding, and many even gave her tips. Charlotte profited much from the performance. She had only been here for three days and had already multiplied the turnover of the bar. Peter decided to increase her appearance fee from two thousand eight hundred to three thousand starting that night. Charlotte was delighted, but the money was still nothingpared to a hundred million. During the ten-minute intermission, Charlotte went offstage to drink some water and nced at a particr corner. He''s not here yet... She could not help feeling disappointed. "Chris will arrive soon." Peter read her thoughts. "He will definitely appear in the second half." "I''m not waiting for him." She denied without meaning what she said. "Haha, don''t pretend in front of me." Peter smiled. "By the way, you forgot to take your purse with you when you got off work yesterday. I have put it in the cashier''s cab for you. Remember to take it before you leave." "Thank you. I would''ve forgotten if you hadn¡¯t reminded me. I''m so forgetful." She thanked him and continued performing on stage. At this moment, someone carried nine hundred and ny-nine red roses onto the stage and presented them to Charlotte. Immediately, someone in the audience rang the bell. With a microphone, Peter announced, "Mr. Broid Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. has reserved the ce, and it will be his treat tonight. Let¡¯s drink to our heart¡¯s content!" "Bravo, Mr. Broid!" The guests stood up to cheer and apud, rendering the bar''s atmosphere very lively. Charlotte turned around and saw Chris walking in from outside. He was dressed in trendy fashion, looking youthfully handsome and unruly. He blew a kiss at her and smiled amorously. Meanwhile, she sat on the piano bench with mixed feelings... He is handsome, youthful, humorous, and has an easy-going personality that many in the upper ss don''t have.He will be a good ymate, but it will be difficult for him to bear the responsibilities of a family. To put it bluntly, he is still a child who hasn''t grown up. Can he really be a good father?Women are born with motherly instincts, and many women, no matter how fragile and squeamish they were before, can quickly serve the role as soon as they be a mother. This is natural.However, men can rarely do it... "Got what you want?¡± Peter had a beer in hand and approached Chris while ncing at the stage and smiling naughtily. "I''m serious this time." Chris looked at Charlotte obsessively. "She is abination of elegance and sexiness; she can be an angel or an evildoer. A woman who possesses these two qualities is the best in the world, and that''s why she fascinates me." "Wow!" Peter eximed, "I rarely see you so emotional." "Of course. I even have the ring ready." He took out the diamond ring in his pocket. "Are you nning to propose? Why don''t you take some time to think about it again?" Peter patted his shoulder. "Your mother may disagree." "This is love at first sight. I should firmly grasp this opportunity, lest there be too many regretster!" Chris looked at Charlotte tenderly. "Mr. Broid." At this moment, a few sexy inte bloggers gathered around him. "We are looking for you everywhere, but you are actually here." "Why don''t you go to Sultry Night anymore? We kept waiting for you there every day." "Yeah, you didn''t even say anything when you moved to another location." A fewdies were now sitting beside Chris. As they spoke, they pressed their sexy bodies against him, and some even leaned over to kiss him. "Go away!" Chris scolded them in disgust. "You didn''t use to treat us like this..." Two girls to his left and right hugged his arms tightly, while a third one sat directly on hisp, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a warm kiss... Onstage, Charlotte frowned when she saw this scene. She even missed a beat while ying the piano... Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Even when he yed the role of a gigolo at Sultry Night, I''ve never seen him so close to any woman. But now he is so presumptuous in front of me!!! "Get lost!" Chris struggled hard and finally pushed the girls away. One slumped on the sofa, one sat on the ss coffee table, and the third one evennded on the floor. All of them frowned pitifully and murmured, "Mr. Broid, what''s wrong with you today?" "All right,dies, Mr. Broid has something important to do today so he can''t y with you. I''ll bring you to the VIP box. It''s on me.¡± Peter coaxed thedies away. Chris irritably tugged at his cor, picked up the ss of beer in front of him, and finished its content. By the time he refocused his attention on the stage, Charlotte had already finished her performance Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. and had gone backstage... He hurriedly went to find her there. Charlotte came out of the bathroom and was about to pack her things and leave. Chris tugged at her hands and pleaded, "Baby, are you angry?¡± "I''ve long heard that Mr. Broid is unruly. I''ve even seen it tonight." Her tone was full of displeasure. "It was those women who clung to me. In fact, I pushed them all away, and forcefully too," he exined hurriedly, "I will ignore them in the future. I swear!" "If swearing works, why do we need the police?" Charlotte frowned. "Why have you be so naivetely?¡± As soon as the words were spoken, even she felt a little surprised. Yeah, he is really different from before. In the past, he was very responsible. I have never seen him being intimate with any woman, but now he keeps getting surrounded by variousdies...He used to be calm and steady. He dealt with matters decisively and never talked nonsense. Now, he seems to be all talk and no action. "Okay, okay. It¡¯s my fault," he coaxed her, "I will prove with my actions that I will never do it again." Although she still felt unhappy, she fussed no more when she remembered that he had been good to her before. "Forget it. I''ll get my purse. Wait for me at the back door." All right, I''ll get the car first." Charlotte went to the cashier''s to get her purse and suddenly saw a familiar figure. Zachary''.Why is he here? Zachary strode into Bar DTT like a king, disrupting the drunken stupor. Ben and four other subordinates cleared his way. Everyone calmed down and sat there obediently, not daring to make noise anymore, while Peter hurried over to greet him respectfully. Zachary looked around as if he were looking for something. "Give me my purse. Hurry!" Charlotte covered her face with her coat and urged anxiously. "Found it, here you go." The cashier handed her the purse and teased, "Why are you so anxious? Where are you going with Mr. Broid?" She did not respond and scurried away. If the Devil sees me working a part-time job here, I will be in trouble... Because she ran too fast, she hit the door. Her knees were numb with pain as she limped away. "Baby, why are you so careless? Did it hurt?" Chris immediately hopped out of the car to help her. "It''s fine, let''s go." Charlotte was anxious. "My demon boss is here.¡± "What? Zachary is here?" He was shocked. "Yes, hurry up!" She quickly got into the car. He immediately started the car and drove away. "You can''t drive after drinking. Where''s your driver?" "Let''s get out of here first." Chris closed up the convertible, opened a bottle of mineral water, and gulped it down. Still feeling thirsty, he took off his jacket irritably. "How much did you drink?" Charlotte realized something was wrong. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 "Just a bottle of beer." Chris also thought he was a little strange tonight. "It''s weird, I usually don''t feel anything even after drinking a dozen bottles." "You''d better pull over and call for a driver," Charlotte hurriedly reminded, "You can''t vite traffic rules." "If we stop now, they will catch up soon." He cautiously stared at the rearview mirror. "Why do I feel that you are more afraid of my boss than I am?" she asked casually. His eyes flickered, but he soon justified himself. "Aren''t you afraid of running into him? I don¡¯t want to cause you trouble." "Don''t talk about this for now. Let¡¯s call a driver," she urged. "Don''t worry, I know myself." Seizing every opportunity, Chris drove the car to the suburbs at breakneck speed as if he were in a race. "What are you doing? You can''t speed in the city. Stop now." Charlotte turned to look at him. He''s flushed and sweaty. Something must be wrong with him. "You were like me that day..." She suddenly came to a realization and widened her eyes in astonishment. "Did someone drug you?" "No way..." He recalled carefully. The three girls clung to me. A girl kissed me but I quickly pushed her away. I then took arge ss of beer in front of me and drank it.Could I have been drugged at that time? "Stop the car." Charlotte panicked; she could feel his restlessness. "Don''t be afraid, baby..." Chris held her hand and kissed the back of it as he panted. "I will be responsible to you." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "You..." She became more nervous when she heard it. "Don''t mess around. Let''s go to the hospital." "You little fool, what''s the use of going to the hospital for this kind of thing..." He looked at her tenderly. "I need an antidote; you are my antidote..." Bar DTT. Zachary sat on the silver leather chair and spun the rhodium ring on his finger. Although his face was still cold and frosty, his slightly frowning brows had exposed his thoughts... After Ben made a round of inspections, he came forward and reported, "Ms. Windt indeedes here as a singer and Mr. Broid alsoes often. Fifteen minutes ago, the two left through the back door." Zachary lifted his gaze and stared at Peter coldly. Peter lowered his head and said in fear, "Mr. Nacht, I didn''t know Charlotte is yours, l-l thought..." "You thought? Do you know how many people died of these two words!" Zachary''s tone was murderous. "Mr. Nacht, please don¡¯t be angry!" Peter knelt on the ground with a bang. Zachary did not do anything to him but got up and left. Without turning his head back, he ordered, "Stop running the bar; it only harms people!" "Yes, Sir." Peter lowered his head and held his breath. Chris parked his car in the suburbs next to ake. When he opened the convertible, the cool breeze blewfortably. However, Charlotte did not feelfortable. She was distraught seeing the way Chris was acting. "I-I¡¯ll go find a doctor for you..." With that said, she wanted to push open the car door and run away, but he grabbed her hand... "Baby, don''t go.¡± He pressed a button on her seat. Charlotte''s body slowly reclined. She struggled to get up, but he turned over and put his weight on her... "Don''t touch me!" She screamed in horror. "Why do you resist me so much? You are mine..." He gently stroked her hair, trying to restrain his desire and to be gentler so he would not scare her off... "No..." Charlotte shook her head in a panic. Although she and gigolo had been together a long time ago and even had three children, for some reason she did not like his closeness and was instinctively resisting it. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 "Do you remember thest time when we did it here in the car? You were so into it, weren¡¯t you..." Chris whispered in Charlotte''s ears with thest shred of his rationality. "Don''t be afraid. I¡¯ll be gentle..." "No!" Charlotte tried pushing him away, but to no avail. With the effect of the drugpletely taking over him, Chris felt as if he was burning, with all the blood in his body surging toward his groins. He took off his clothes, grabbed Charlotte''s hands, and leaned in for a kiss. As Charlotte turned her head away by reflex, she noticed something odd about his lower back. The wolf head tattoo that was supposed to be there was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes widened in shock. It¡¯s not him! It''s not! How can this be? "Babe, I want it. Give it to me..." Chris growled, his lips closing up onto her red lips. "You liar!" Charlotte pped him. "You freaking liar!" "What?" Chris blurted out,ing to his senses from the pain. "You''re not him! You don''t have the wolf head tattoo on your back!" Charlotte yelled. "Who are you? Why are you pretending to be him? What are you trying to do?" "Does that really matter?" Chris could not even think straight. All that his body was telling him to do was to make love to the woman before him. "I love you, Charlotte. I want you. You''re mine..." Grabbing both of her wrists, he restrained them with a hand and began stripping her clothes off with the other. "No!" Charlotte thrashed against him. Screech! At that very moment, a Rolls-Royce collided violently with the Lamborghini that she was in. The impact was so severe that Chris fell over, freeing Charlotte from his grasp. Rushing to open the car door, Charlotte tripped,nding on the hard pavement and rolling into the bushes as she got out. A stinging pain immediately shot up her shoulders and neck. She tried to get up, but her arms felt weak and gave way, mming her back onto the ground. A pair of ck leather shoes suddenly appeared in her sight. Panicking, she instinctively retreated. However, after taking a closer look at the person in front of her, her jaw dropped. The towering silhouette of a man seemed to sparkle in the darkness of the night. Through his mysterious mask, a pair of eyes burning with anger could be seen. It''s him! He¡¯s here! "Gigolo..." She called out his name by instinct. At that moment, Charlotte was certain that the man she had been waiting for had finallye. Zachary bent down and carried her into an embrace, his deep voice sounding in her ear, "Why didn¡¯t you listen to me?" He was trying his best to sound gentle and calm. "Oh, it''s really you!" Charlotte could no longer hold back her tears. She put her arms around his neck and cried, "I thought that I would never see you again!" "Babe..." Chris mumbled as he finally got himself out of the car to go after Charlotte. However, what greeted his eyes was a masked man in ck, who was carrying Charlotte and walking toward him. It was as if he were the god of the underworld guarding his lover. Meeting his death re, Chris felt as if he was looking at the devil himself. "Hey... I..." Chris was speaking so softly that he could not even hear himself clearly. Though the effects of the drug had not worn offpletely, Chris was still well aware that Zachary could end his life with just a snap of his fingers. Just as he had expected, Zachary began choking him with one hand, and the strength of his grip was suffocating. "Urgh..." Chris''s pupils dted as his face turned a grotesque purple color. Struggling helplessly, his voice cracked and trailed off. "Go to hell!" Zachary swore, overwhelmed by rage. "Zac... ach..." Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Chris rasped with his hoarse voice in thest attempt to save himself. Zachary''s grip, however, only got tighter and tighter. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 "Oh god, you¡¯re going to kill him at this rate!" A sudden realization struck Charlotte, and she began pulling on Zachary''s arm. "Let him go!" Chris''s eyes had already rolled back, and his hands were drooping down like two lifeless sticks. Atst, Zachary came to his senses and loosened the grip on his right hand. Chris immediately fell to the ground, half paralyzed with fear. Sighing, Zachary carried Charlotte into his car and took off. As they left the scene, Ben appeared with his subordinates. As they cleaned the ce up, he said, "Send Mr. Broid to the hospital." "Yes sir." In the car, Zachary covered his jacket over Charlotte to keep her warm. His brows were still furrowed, and the fury in his eyes were not entirely gone. Charlotte''s dress was torn in pieces - half of her chest was exposed, and so were her thighs. She was in aplete mess, but there was a striking sexual appeal to it. Biting her lower lip, Charlotte was looking down, all quiet. All that she felt at that moment was shame. How could I not have recognized that he''s a different person? Am I blind? Their car came to a halt at the Storm Hotel. "Why are we here?" Charlotte nced at the hotel entrance, then at Zachary, feeling a little panicked. "Don''t tell me you want to..." "Shut up!" Zachary got off the car first. The manager promptly came by to greet them, "Your room is ready. We have also made preparations ording to your instructions." Zachary carried Charlotte out of the car and made his way toward the lift. "I want to go home!" She protested under her breath. Zachary simply replied with a cold re. The room prepared for them was the presidential suite they had stayed in four years ago. Ssh! And once again, Zachary dumped her into the bathtub. Gasping for air as she sat back up, Charlotte wiped away the water on her face. "Clean yourself up," he said emotionlessly as he left the bathroom. Charlotte''s eyes drooped down like a sad puppy as she stared nkly at the bathwater. Why is he treating me like this? Feeling upset, she began cleaning herself. For some reason, she felt obliged to listen to everything he said. After all, disregarding his words always turned out to be a bad decision. It¡¯s not like he''ll hurt me anyway. He¡¯s just really mean. As she got out of the bathroom after the shower, she realized that the hotel room was inplete darkness. The only hue of light was the faint glow from the emergency lights. Even when she tried turning on the lights, the switches did not seem to work. Feeling scared, she called out in a shaky voice, "Gigolo..." "I''m here." His deep voice sounded from the French windows behind her. Charlotte jumped. As she turned around to face him, she found him sitting on the sofa in a bathrobe, sipping on his wine. "What happened to the lights? Is there a malfunction?" She asked, making her way toward him. The next thing she knew, she was bumping straight into a table. Ouch! My knees. "Are you stupid?¡± Zachary growled. Pouting and whining from the pain in her knees, Charlotte slowly nudged toward him. He was not wearing his mask. In the dim lighting, she could make out the outlines of his face. He looks kind of familiar... Zachary pressed a button on the remote, and the emergency lights were also turned off. Now that all the lighting in the room was gone, all that Charlotte could make out was his pair of sparkly eyes. The uneasiness in her heart swelled, and she unconsciously tried to move closer to him but immediately tripped on the sofa. Then, losing her bnce, she fell over him, her facending on his chest. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. His skin felt like fire to her touch. She almost felt as if she was getting scalded. She tried to get up, but she could not see what she was grabbing onto and thus, fell back down. This time, her forehead knocked onto his jaw, and the numbing pain instantly brought tears to her eyes. Feeling her squirm around on his body, Zachary could not bear it any longer as he pinned her down with his arms and said coldly, "Stop it!" "O-okay..." She replied softly, looking up at him. In the darkness, she could not see his face clearly, but she could still feel that striking sense of familiarity. Even the scent on his body was calming and reassuring. She instinctively leaned even closer. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 "What''s in that head of yours? Do you even have a brain?" Zachary said, giving her head a light knock. Feeling embarrassed about her actions, Charlotte exined hastily, "That man looked almost identical to you! And... and he was driving your car, and he even wore the same mask as you, so I thought..." She paused for a moment and then began bombarding him with questions, "Why is he driving your car? Even the license tes are the same! What is going on? Even if he made a replica of your mask, how could he have..." "And that''s why you got the wrong person?" Zachary replied crudely. "You were going to let him f*ck you, weren''t you?" "No... I wasn''t..." Charlotte shook her head frantically. "He didn''t even touch me! I-" "If I hadn¡¯t arrived in time..." Zachary inhaled deeply. Just thinking about it was infuriating for him. He roughly grabbed her face and kissed her... "Mmph..." Charlotte tried pushing him away, but her heart was telling her to give in. His kiss was intense, like a harsh storm. It felt more like a punishment than a sweet kiss, as if he were trying to w away all traces of other people from her body, recing them with his own bitemarks. Charlotte felt like she was suffocating from the kiss. Shey weakly in his arms, giving him the authority to do whatever he pleased. As they entwined, she felt his breaths be heavy, and she could feel his boner pressing onto her body. Feeling startled, her heart rate soared. Even as she tried to push him away, he seemed unwilling to let go. Caressing her cheek, he stroked her swollen lips with his thumb, his gaze darkening with desire. "Promise me that this is thest time. I won''t be there to save you if you ever do something like this again!" His voice was raspy. "Yes, yes!" Charlotte nodded and said, "I''ll never do that again!" It was only then that she realized that even with the same appearance, he had a unique scent on his body different from anyone else. Even his gaze and tone had distinct qualities. He''s my one and only. "Little idiot,¡± he said lovingly as he ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer. In his head, he was beginning to doubt his feelings for her. She''s just a troublesome woman who disgusts me, but why am I worrying and thinking about her more and more?What¡¯s the matter with me? Charlotte leaned against his body like a puppy trying to keep warm. The sound of his strong, steady heartbeat was oddly reassuring to her ears. The atmosphere of the room became warm and fuzzy, stirring up something in their hearts. Stroking her smooth shoulder lightly, Zachary could feel his desire burning from within. "Gigolo..." Charlotte whispered. "Are you really Gigolo?" Zachary''s fingers stiffened a little. Frowning, he said, "What the f*ck are you on about?¡± "Oh, how I wish that you''re not Gigolo..." Charlotte sighed inwardly. If only he weren''t Gigolo, if he likes kids too, then we can be a happy family of seven. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Who would you wish for me to be then?" It was a question that he had never discussed with her. "Anyone. Just someone with a regr job, I guess," she replied. "Even if you are a taxi driver, security guard, or somepany''s employee, I''d be fine with it..." Zachary was rendered speechless. His brows furrowed deeper. It seems like she hasn''t joined the dots yet, about his true identity. But is that really a bad thing? At least I can still keep up the act... "Alright then, let¡¯s sleep," he said suddenly. Zachary sat up and carried Charlotte to the bed. While pulling for her nket, Charlotte ended up tugging on the bathrobe wrapped around Zachary instead. Upon realizing that he was not wearing anything inside, her face turned red as a tomato as she flipped to the other side. Zachary calmly pulled her into his embrace. His long, muscr arms were locked around her. "Stop moving around so much. Else, I don¡¯t know if I can control myself." Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Charlotte listened and stayed still. After the rollercoaster of events that urred that day, Charlotte was exhausted, and it did not take long before she fell sound asleep, curled up like a kitten in his arms. On the other hand, Zachary''s head was still in overdrive, and he was not in the mood to sleep. He frowned as he looked at the woman in his arms. She had a great physique. Every part of her body seemed to be perfect, and every inch of her skin was silky smooth. And at that particr moment, her body was pressing onto his. Of course, he was turned on. However, he would not let himself do anything to her. Quietly and carefully, he got off the bed and went to the bathroom. It took him one cold shower and a hundred push-ups to calm his inner beast down. Then, in his bathrobe, he slumped on the sofa and finally fell asleep. It wouldn''t feel as tough if I keep my distance... That night, Charlotte slept really well despite the scary episode that had urred. Perhaps, Zachary''s presence gave her the sense of security that she needed. The next day, Charlotte woke up to the sunlight seeping through the curtains by the window. She instinctively reached out for the pillow on her side. However, no one was there. Where is he?He''s gone. She quickly sat up and yelled, "Gigolo! Gigolo!" There was no response. Charlotte wrapped herself in his bathrobe and searched all around the hotel room, but he was nowhere to be found. Stopping by the mirror by the bed, she found a sticky note. I''m going first. There are some clothes in the closet for you to wear. For breakfast, you can call for room service, and they''ll send it here. After breakfast, the hotel manager will make the preparations to send you off to work! He signed off the note with a doodle of a pair of boxers. Charlotte burst out inughter. The messy handwriting and his doodle made her feel oddly touched. In her head, she could not help butment how perfect that man would be if he worked a different job. But- Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Charlotte shook her head and decided that she should stop daydreaming. She had a more troublesome issue to deal with. Oh my god. What is that Zachary guy thinking? He was forcing me to sign that contract to repay my debts. A billion? Is he trying to make me his ve now? Facepalming, Charlotte was starting to feel distressed. What a devil! He''s totally extorting me! However, her situation felt somewhat familiar. Thinking back, she did the same to Gigolo - she made him give half of his sry to her for three whole months... Charlotte froze. Hold on. If Chris is not Gigolo, then that means that Zachary is!But that day, I saw Zachary get in his car before Gigolo came to pick me up in another car... Recalling the events of the past, she concluded that Chris was the one who picked her up that day. Has he been pretending to be Gigolo since that day?But if Zachary is the real Gigolo, then why would he let Chris pretend to be him? Charlotte''s head was in aplete mess. Things simply did not add up. However, her intuition told her that Zachary was the real Gigolo. Not only were the two of them simr in appearance, their eyes, the way they talked, and many little details in the way they behave were very much the same. She knew that she had to figure out Gigolo''s true identity soon, or he would continue to mess around with her. However, getting back her precious ruby ne was a more urgent matter. Or I''ll have to sign that ve contract and never live to see the sun again! Charlotte quickly got changed and got ready to set off for work. Ring! Ring! Her phone started ringing. It was Mrs. Berry. "Miss, I found the bracelet!" "Really? Where?" "Well, about that. You''ll see when youe back." Charlotte nced at the clock. Six thirty. I''ll make it. The moment she stepped into her home, Ellie came running into her arms. "Mommy..." She cried, pointing to the balcony. "Fifi is the... the worst!" Ellie looked so emotional that her face waspletely red. Her big eyes were all serious as she pouted, and she seemed to be on the brink of tears. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 "What happened with Fifi?" Charlotte carried Ellie over to Fifi''s cage. "Mommy, look!" Jamie was standing on top of a wooden bench. Leaning forward a little, he was poking something in the cage with a stick. Standing opposite him, Robbie was making a scary face at Fifi. "Fifi! If you don''t cooperate, we''ll pluck out all your feathers!" "What in the world is going on?" Charlotte eximed. As she took a closer look, she gasped. The Sterling family''s missing braceletid there, on top of a pile of bird poop in Fifi''s cage. Furthermore, Fifi was using its wings to guard the bracelet. When Jamie tried to extract the bracelet using a stick, Fifi would peck on his stick agitatedly. "I found it this morning when I was trying to clean up Fill''s cage..." Mrs. Berry said exasperatedly. "The bracelet itself is also covered in bird poop. It¡¯s pretty hard to notice," she added with a forced smile. "Urgh! I knew it! Why else would it have gone missing? I kept it safe that day in my pencil case," Ellie smirked with her hands on her hips. "So it''s you!" She pointed angrily at Fifi. "Dumb Fifi! Thest time, you ate a chip, now a bracelet? Stealing is a crime, you know?" Robbie All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. joined in on the reprimand. "Well, Fifi seems to like shiny, sparkly things..." Jamie said, opening the cage to get the bracelet out. Sensing danger, Fifi began pping its wings in protest. "Mine! Mine!" It screeched. "It''s not yours!" Ellie was seriously feeling angry at her pet. "Do you even know what you have done? You got us in so much trouble! And Mommy had to pay so much money!" "Mine! Mine!" Unfortunately, Fifi did not seem to understand the message. Instead, it began to protect the poop- covered bracelet even more aggressively than before. "Fifi, you can''t do this! Give it back!" "Fifi, it¡¯s not yours! You can''t take it!" "Flfi, I''ll really be mad at you if you keep this up!" The three kids began chiding the little parrot with the worst usations that they could think of. Standing by their side, Mrs. Berry was at a loss for what to do. Meanwhile, Charlotte ran back to her room and called Luna. Now that she had found the bracelet, she wanted to contact the Whites to get her ruby ne back. However, none of her calls got through. Charlotte then tried to call Amanda, but to no avail. When Charlotte tried calling Simon, the call finally got through. "Charlotte..." "Hi Uncle Simon, do you know where Aunt Amanda and Luna are? I need to talk to them about something..." Charlotte asked anxiously. "Oh, they actually left for F Nation this morning! Along with Timothy," Simon replied. "What?" Charlotte was absolutely stunned. "But... but it¡¯s not even seven yet, so maybe they are still on the way? Can you contact them for me? I''ll..." "They have already left,¡± Simon cut her off. "Their flight is at seven-thirty in the morning. They called me ten minutes ago, telling me that they have already boarded the ne. They should be taking off soon." "But... but I found the bracelet!" Charlotte said in distress. "Is the ruby ne still at home? I''ll bring you the bracelet..." "Luna took the ruby ne along with her," Simon added hastily. "Charlotte, I''ll be going to thepany soon, so I''ll end the call here. Do bring the kids for a meal at my house when you have the time." "Uncle Simon..." Before she could finish her sentence, Simon hung up the call on her. Holding onto her phone, Charlotte clenched her teeth in rage. I should have known better. It wouldn''t be easy to get the ruby ne back now that the Whites have their hands on it. But I¡¯ll have to get it back, or I¡¯ll be signing that ve contract with Zachary... No matter how hard it was to deal with the Whites, Zachary still felt far scarier to her. After moments of hesitation, Charlotte dialed for Hector Sterling. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Hector seemed to be a little surprised that Charlotte would call him. After listening to what she had to say, Hector replied with a sigh, "When I left the kindergarten that day, I told Luna firmly to return the ne to you, and she told me that she would. I have been busy with work for the past few days, and I haven''t been home much, so I didn''t know that she was causing so much trouble..." "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t bother you with this." Charlotte could hear the weariness in Hector''s voice. "No, no. I''m not bothered. I''m actually quite happy that you''d call me for help," Hector replied gently. "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of this. When theye back, I promise that I¡¯ll get the ne and return it to you." "When will they being back?" Charlotte asked. "In ten days, probably. She said that she''s bringing Timothy to spend some time at my winery in Arkfield..." "Ten days..." Charlotte whispered, turning downcast. Zachary only gave her three days to get the ne. With one day gone, she only had two days to get the ne back. Otherwise, she would be forced to sign that ve contract. What should I do? "Were you scolded by Mr. Nacht for this?" Hector asked, sounding concerned. "I¡¯ll go exin to him..." "It''s alright." Recalling the time he got seriously injured by Zachary, she did not want Hector to act rashly. "But..." Hector sounded worried. "It''s okay. I''ll just recount the situation as it is. He won''t do anything to me," Charlotte replied, pretending to be calm. "Alright then." Hector smiled bitterly to himself. "The two of you do have a better rtionship after all..." "I..." Charlotte wanted to exin herself but decided not to. There''s no point in doing that. "I''ll send you the bracelet tomorrow. Please help me get the ruby ne back when they return," she said. "Okay. Don''t worry. I¡¯ll keep my promise. Also, I think it would be best for you to pass me the bracelet in person. It''s an expensive item, after all. If you have time to spare, I can go over to get it from you tomorrow," Hector replied. "I..." Charlotte hesitated for a moment, then said, "Okay. Let''s meet outside." "Alright then. I''ll meet you at Blue Diamond tomorrow at six in the evening." "Okay." Hanging up the call, Charlotte walked out of her room. It seemed like Mrs. Berry had finally fished out the bracelet from the pile of poop in the cage, and she was darting toward the bathroom. "Mine! Mine!" Fifi also flew out of its cage and chased after Mrs. Berry, pecking on her hand non-stop. "Fifi, stop it!" Ellie shouted as she iled her hands around, trying to shoo the bird away. "Mrs. Berry,e in! Quick!" Robbie opened the bathroom door for Mrs. Berry, immediately shutting the door the moment she got in. "Fifi, you better stop now!" Jamie was doing his part by guarding the bathroom door with a broom in his hands. Fifi had no choice but to leave. Even as it flew around in the living room, it was still making the same screeching sound. "Mine! Mine!" "What a materialistic parrot!" Ellie''s face was flushed as she pouted her lips and stomped on the floor. "From today onward, I''ll be giving you a lecture every single day. Hopefully, you''ll be an enlightened bird sometime in the future!" Robbie pointed his finger at Fifi. "That''s right! It needs to be taught a lesson. Otherwise, what would be of it when it grows up?" Jamie eximed, trying to sound more adultlike. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. As Charlotte watched her cute kids banter, she chuckled lightly. The sight of everyone having fun was heart-warming, even if there were ups and downs on the way. "Alright, that¡¯s enough. Go have your breakfast! Today is a weekday! Have all of you forgotten about going to school and work? Don''t bete!" Mrs. Berry yelled from the bathroom. "Oh no! It¡¯s seven forty." Charlotte nced at the clock and hurried to the kitchen to get the breakfasts. "Hey, kids! Time for breakfast!" She called out. "Okay!" The three little ones washed their hands in the kitchen sink and sat at the dining table, waiting for Charlotte to get their soup. However, things took a turn for the worst. Plop! That was the sound that echoed in the room before Fifi''s poop dropped into the cooking pot with their soup. The family of four simply stared, speechless, for a split second before angry yells filled the air. "Argh! My precious breakfast!" "Fifi! You''re not my friend anymore!" "Fifi! I''ll pluck out all your feathers!" Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Charlotte decided that they would have breakfast at a cafe downstairs. After telling Mrs. Berry to take good care of the bracelet, she took the three kids and left. It was really a waste that the vegetable beef soup that Mrs. Berry had made that morning was The three kids were feeling so upset about it that they made a pact to ignore Fifi for the next three days. Just as the kids finished their breakfast at the cafe, their school bus arrived. Charlotte got them on the bus, waved goodbye, and hurried to thepany. What a morning. Though she tried her best, she ended up being ten minuteste. Luckily, Lucy could not be bothered to tell her off about it because the productunch event for the sixty-sixth floor. On the other hand, Charlotte, who was just an entry-level Administrative Assistant, was asked to stand by at the reception counter on the sixtyeighth floor. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. There were no visitors that day, and Charlotte had a lot of free time on her hands. She decided to read some documents at the reception counter and learn so that she could be a proper secretary soon. All of a sudden, the doors of the lift opened, and a towering figure emerged from it. Looking up, Charlotte was greeted by none other than Zachary Nacht walking toward her. His brows were furrowed deeply, and his expression was dark. Everything about his bodynguage at that moment spelled anger, as if he were trying to burn down the floor that he was stepping on. Feeling a little uneasy, she greeted, "Mr. Nacht..." Zachary did not even bother to look at her and walked straight past her as he talked via his Bluetooth earpiece. "What are you trying to do? I thought that we made a pact not to meddle with each other''s operating systems. Why are you hacking into mypany''s system all of a sudden?" "Well, that''s on him!" "I don¡¯t have the time to argue with you right now. Let me tell you this. Stop whatever you''re trying to do, or face the consequences!" As he ended the call, he kicked a chair that was blocking his way. Bang! The chair flew toward the wall and collided with it, leaving a rather visible mark on the wall. Charlotte shuddered a little, and her heart was pounding fast. She had never seen Zachary that angry before. Oh my god. If he had been kicking a person and not a chair, the person would have been seriously injured! As she looked at the mark on the wall in fear, Ben came out of the lift and told her, "Get a bucket of ice and bring it into the president¡¯s office." "Okay..." Charlotte hastily went to the pantry to get the ice. The door of the president''s office was left ajar. As Charlotte walked closer, she could hear Ben trying to calm Zachary down. "Mr. Nacht, the product "How could they even have the audacity to do that?" Zachary roared. "Ten years ago, our families made the pact before my grandfather to make peace with one another and to never meddle with each other''s businesses! How could she break the vow?" "Mr. Nacht, Bruce is already working on it. It should be..." "Of course, it can be resolved!" Zachary growled. "That''s a given. But that madwoman is getting on my nerves..." "Yes, yes. Ms. Summers is in the wrong this time, but perhaps she is doing this to avenge Chris? You almost killed him..." "Who?" Ben froze from Zachary¡¯s chilling tone. By the door, Charlotte trembled and dropped the bucket of ice onto the floor. Looking at the mess that she had made, she quickly bent down and gathered the ice cubes. "What are you doing here?" Zachary red at her. "I... " "I got her to get some ice," Ben exined as he came over to help Charlotte. "Go get another bucket. I''ll clean this up." "Okay." Charlotte left hurriedly, still thinking about the conversation that she had overheard. Though she could not understand much about the business rivalry, she clearly heard them mention the name "Chris¡±. Is Chris closely rted to Zachary? Does he work for him?lfso, that would exin a lot...Maybe they look so simr because they are brothers?Or rtives, perhaps?And maybe Zachary instructed him to act as Gigolo to pick her up that day...That means that he''s very likely the real "Gigolo In Debt". Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Charlotte was feeling more sure about her suspicions by the second. However, there was another question that was bugging her. If Zachary really is Gigolo, then why would he be doing all of this to me? All of a sudden, the words that Chris had told her came to mind. "Have you ever thought about the possibility that maybe I¡¯m no Gigolo at all and you''ve just Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. misunderstood me? Four years ago, I walked into the wrong hotel room. Maybe it''s just a mistake, but I think that it''s fate, in a way... I''ve gotten used to living a smooth life. Though there have been no challenges or problems, nothing feels refreshing anymore. Having someone treat me as a gigolo and extorting money from me feels exhrating!" Oh no. What if he was telling the truth all along?But Chris isn¡¯t Gigolo, is he? Without conclusive evidence, she was still feeling rather unsure about the situation. What if it¡¯s just a coincidence? Am I thinking too much?Maybe the Chris that Ben had said was not the Chris that I knew?l mean, Zachary probably wouldn''t act as a gigolo in front of me, would he? Would his ego allow for that? Furthermore, thinking back on the times they had spent together, Charlotte''s attitude toward Gigolo was nowhere close to nice. If he were really Zachary, he would have beat me up over and over! Thinking about that, Charlotte felt more doubtful than ever. Her head was in aplete mess. Shaking her head, she decided that she should shift her focus away to something else. However, yet another question began bugging her. I''ll be able to tell if Zachary is really Gigolo by the tattoo on his lower back!Even if everything else has been purely coincidental, there is no way that they can have the same tattoo for no good reason, is there? Finallying up with a n that she was satisfied with, Charlotte was in high spirits. Taking a deep breath, she carried the bucket of ice to the president''s office. The atmosphere in the office was tense. Zachary was doing work on hisputer as he formted his response strategies. "Get Team Razor to pick up Mr. Sterk. We need him back at the Divine Corporation safe and sound. We need to get all of our security guards to guard our entrances and exits with utmost caution. Arrest any suspicious personnel. Tell Bruce to do a thorough check on what the media corporations are doing." "Yes, sir!" Ben immediately sprang into action. However, after a few moments, he turned to Zachary and asked, "Mr. Nacht, if we get all eighteen of our people to safeguard Mr. Sterk, you won''t have anyone around you to..." "What are you here for then?" Zachary said crudely. "Ok, I understand." Ben dared not ask more questions and got back to work. Feeling somewhat ufortable in the tense atmosphere in the office, Charlotte put down the ice bucket and was about to make her way out quietly. "Ms. Windt..." Ben talked to her softly. "There are some puddles on the floor from all the ice cubes earlier on. Please clean it up.¡± "Okay," Charlotte replied, getting a rag to clean up. "What are you doing?" Zachary looked up from hisputer screen and stared at her intently. Charlotte found herself stumped momentarily and then replied, "Wi-wiping the floor." "Who asked you to do that?" Zachary said, raising an eyebrow. Charlotte turned to look at Ben, still shaking a little. "I got her to do it..." Ben exined. "Because of the..." "Why can''t you do it yourself?" Zachary gave him a re. Ben blinked. He quickly stood up and did a nydegree bow to Charlotte, saying, "Ms. Windt, I''m terribly sorry..." The next thing she knew, Ben was grabbing the rag from her hands and wiping the floor. Charlotte was at a loss for words. What? What is going on? "Get out," Zachary ordered. "Okay." Charlotte left the office, feeling jittery. Just as she got out, she realized that she left the tray for the ice bucket in the office. Walking back, she overheard Zachary''s yells. "Who gave you the courage to order her around?" "I''m sorry. I was terribly mistaken. Please forgive me!" Ben apologized profusely. "Don¡¯t let it happen again," Zachary warned. "Yes, yes! It''ll never happen again!" Ben''s voice was cracking. Listening to them by the door, Charlotte had mixed feelings. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Personally, she felt that it was normal for a higher-up like Ben to order her around. Why was Zachary so angry at him?Furthermore, why would he even bother about me when he¡¯s that busy?He was talking as if I¡¯m his woman or something! Charlotte could not help but purse her lips into a smile at the thought of that. Having such a dependable man be so protective of her was giving her butterflies in her stomach. Hold on. I need to calm downIThat man is the Devil! The Devil! Charlotte sighed deeply, reminding herself that she should not be feeling attracted to Zachary. Even the most ferocious beasts can have their heroic moments, but if I''m not careful about it, I''ll be his preyil mustn''t let my guard down... All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Hey! Charlotte!" Lucy¡¯s frantic calls pulled her back to reality. "Come along." "Ms. Wright, where are we going?" Charlotte said, following her into the lift. "The productunch event is about to begin, but ourpany''s system got hacked. Mr. Nacht is working on it right now, so Mr. Sterk has to be the one to hold the conference," Lucy exined. "Mr. Sterk and Mr. Nacht are not really on good terms with one another. Mr. Sterk has also been feeling a little unwelltely. I''m concerned that he may get emotionalter on, so I hope that you can help. You''ve saved his life once. He''ll listen to you," she added. "Got it." Charlotte nodded firmly. Staring at the floor numbers on the disy panel of the lift, Lucy frowned as she said, "Today¡¯s product work as a proper secretary." "Really? That''s great!" Charlotte was absolutely delighted at the prospects of working as a proper secretary. That would mean a monthly sry of twenty-five thousand. Ring! Lucy''s phone rang. She quickly answered the call. "Hi." "What?" Lucy¡¯s face turned aghast. She immediately pressed the lift panel for the forty-fourth floor and got out immediately, still answering the call. "What happened?¡± Charlotte asked, following closely behind her. "Mr. Sterk. Mr. Sterk is in trouble." In the surveince room, Lucy turned on the high-tech equipment that resembled a telescope and began sifting through the surveince footage of the streets in the area. The high-resolution, real-time footage of the roads was immediately disyed on theputer screen. On the screen, a Phantom could be seen speeding toward the building of the Divine Corporation. A few Rolls-Royces were tailing dangerously closely behind, almost colliding into the Phantom at times. Evidently, they were trying to get rid of whoever was sitting in that Phantom! "Is Mr. Sterk in that Phantom?" Charlotte could tell at first sight that it was Zachary¡¯s car. "Yes," Lucy replied, frowning. "Someone is trying to ruin our productunch event. First the hack, and now someone trying to bring harm to Mr. Sterk." "What should we do?" Charlotte was very concerned about the situation. "There is nothing that we can do about that. Mr. Bruce and Mr. Ben will take care of it." Lucy continued sifting through the footage, her expression grim. "The productunch event is starting in seven minutes..." "What is that?" Charlotte eximed suddenly, pointing to the Hummers that were cuttingnes to block off the Rolls-Royces from the Phantom. "Mr. Nacht probably dispatched them." Lucy heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the Hummers. "So this is why the eighteen bodyguards who have always been by his side disappeared. They were all dispatched to protect Mr. Sterk." "Mr. Nacht has everything under his control!" Lucy said. Charlotte recalled what Zachary was asking Ben to do back at the office. She finally understood what he meant. What a well-calcted strategy! "It seems like there''s nothing more for us to do here." As Lucy talked, she received another call. Turning on speaker mode, she answered the call. "Mr. Bruce!" "A few suspicious individuals disguising as staff from media corporations have infiltrated the building. They pose a risk to us. Return to the sixty-sixth floor immediately and supervise the team of secretaries of the president''s office. Keep the important documents safe! No mistakes will be condoned!" Chapter 165 Chapter 165 "Yes, will do!" Hanging up the call, Lucy turned to Charlotte and said, "Charlotte, you''ll be escorting Mr. Sterk by yourself downstairs. Please be observant and act ordingly. While it would be great if he is willing to cooperate, you''ll still need to be prepared tofort and persuade him to help us if he is thinking otherwise." "I understand," Charlotte replied, nodding. "This is an important matter. Mr. Nacht is dealing with the hackers and giving out orders from his office. We¡¯ll need to keep things in order here in the front line too!" Lucy looked solemn but determined. "Okay, I understand.¡± Charlotte nodded once more. Lucy eyeballed her for a moment, and pulled her closer. "Charlotte, to tell you the truth, Mr. Sterk was still feeling upset about the chip an hour ago and was unwilling to host the productunch event. I''m guessing... I''m guessing that Mr. Nacht got him toe here by force!" She whispered. "What?¡± Charlotte was stunned. She finally understood why Lucy was reminding her time after time that Mr. Sterk might be really emotional. So that''s the context of it all... "And that''s why I''m getting you to do the task. Lucy patted Charlotte''s shoulder firmly. "No matter what you do, you need to get Mr. Sterk to the sixtysixth floor and persuade him to host the productunch event. If you do your task well, I''ll apply for a bonus for you!" "A bonus? How much?" Charlotte''s eyes lit up at her words. "Well..." Lucy paused for a second, then said, "Hundreds of thousands at the very least. Get to work! You won''t be underpaid." "Okay, I''ll get to work. I''ll definitely make it happen!" Charlotte said confidently. "Good luck!" Lucy pushed her into the lift. "Your promotion and bonus depend on it," she added. "I understand!" Charlotte smiled as she put on a front to get into action. While thepany was facing a crisis, everyone around her seemed to be ying a crucial part while she looked on, unable to help. However, with the task that Lucy had assigned her, Charlotte felt that she was also an important employee in thepany. Moreover, she would be getting all of those benefits afterward. For the sake of earning money, she was willing to do anything. Upon reaching the first floor, Charlotte saw two rows of security guards standing by, with David leading them. She walked toward Mr. Collins, who was the security department manager, to inquire about the current whereabouts of Mr. Sterk. From the surveince footage, it could be seen that the Phantom that Mr. Sterk was on was making its way to thepany building under the protection of the Hummers. On the other hand, the Rolls-Royces which had been tailing closely behind were now in shambles. The wreckage of the cars was strewn all over the roads, causing a major traffic jam. A few traffic police officers were trying to manage the situation on the roads. "That must be Team Razor! Team Razor, which was a team put together by Mr. Nacht himself!¡± "How can he be this powerful! He''s so perceptive, like a god!" Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Nacht is my idol!" Charlotte watched the Hummers cruising alongside the Phantom in two neat rows as if they were victorious warriors returning from the battlefields. Even the passersby on the streets could not help but sneak a few looks at the convoy. It was a rather touching sight for Charlotte. She felt that she was watching an action movie. Zachary was like a perceptive strategist who could make the most effective ns in response to the crisis. He almost seemed unstoppable. In her heart, Zachary seemed to be as powerful as a god. Meanwhile, on the sixty-eighth floor, Zachary was monitoring the situation from hisputer screen. The corner of his lips turned up into a contented smile. However, things quickly took a turn. Out of the blue, amotion could be heard from outside. Ben raised an eyebrow. "Someone has broken in!" He immediately sprang into action. After initializing the security system and taking out the weapons to prepare forbat, he said, "It seems like they¡¯veid out a trap for you. They areing straight for you now that Team Razor has gone to safeguard Mr. Sterk.¡± "I don''t care who''sing for me. I don¡¯t care if they are the gods or the devil. I''ll bring them down at all costs!" Zachary growled. Without looking the least surprised, he began typing furiously on hisputer keyboard. "It''s been a while. Time to stretch my fingers!¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Charlotte and the other members of the security department arrived at the main entrance to wee Mr. Sterk. At the same time, a group of reporters was standing outside of the perimeter. They were jostling for position and taking pictures at the same time. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. They wanted to know if the productunch would be hosted by Zachary. As the convoy stopped. A bodyguard opened the door of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. When someone stepped out of the car, everyone''s eyes widened in anticipation. The legendary president of Divine Corporation had never appeared before the media. They didn''t even know how he looked like. Therefore, they were all waiting anxiously to see how he looked like in real life. However, the one who stepped out was a white-haired old man dressed in a suit with matching leather shoes. The reporters were all stunned and spected amongst themselves, "Is this the legendary Mr. Nacht?" "Mr. Nacht is an influential man in the business world. I think it¡¯s unlikely for him to be very young." "That¡¯s right, it would be impossible to be a tech genius and business magnate at such a young age." With that, the reporters asked, "Are you Mr. Nacht?" "Are you here to host theunch of the new tech products?" Mr. Sterk didn''t say a word. He had a stern expression on with his eyebrows furrowed. Under the protection of eighteen elite bodyguards, he entered the building swiftly. As the security guards held the reporters back, Charlotte was squeezed behind by the crowd and started to fall behind. At that moment, Mr. Sterk was about to enter the elevator when he caught a glimpse of Charlotte. He then gave his men some instructions. The bodyguards quickly came over and pulled her out from the crowd. As her legs couldn¡¯t touch the ground, she looked funny hanging in midair. Nevertheless, she waved at Mr. Sterk to greet him. "Hi Mr. Sterk." "Are you here to wee me?" he asked. "That''s right." As Charlotte observed his reaction, she probed, "Did you have a smooth journey?" "Smooth?" Mr. Sterk expression darkened and red coldly at the bodyguards. "I almost died in their hands." Charlotte scanned the group of bodyguards. Although they were wearing ck face masks, it was obvious to her they were all handsome men. Charlotte gulped and reassured him, "Their methods may have been harsh, but it''s for the greater good." "If not for the greater good, I would rather die before Ie." Despite his firm tone, he had already relented. Zachary sent eighteen of his bodyguards to pick him up leaving only Ben and Bruce by his side. It was obvious how important Mr. Sterk was to him. Regardless of the reason, it was enough to demonstrate his sincerity to Mr. Sterk. Despite his ruthlessness, Zachary was meticulous when it came to doing something for others. "Of course. You are one of the founders of thepany and naturally, want the best for it." As Charlotte didn''t really understand Mr. Sterk''s situation, she was worried about saying the wrong thing. Hence, she kept their conversation to the formalities. "As one of Divine Corporation''s founders, I will not sit still if thepany encounters any trouble. It¡¯s just that the way the young punk does things is..." When Mr. Sterk remembered thexative he drank the other day, he felt a chill down his spine. "About the chip..." "Forget it." Just when Charlotte wanted to exin about the chip, Mr. Sterk interrupted her, "Let''s get the product Charlotte''s lips squirmed as she smiled awkwardly. I wonder what will he do to me if he finds out that I was the one who put the chip in his coffee...Ding! The elevator door opened. Bruce, Lucy, and the others were waiting at the entrance. When a few reporters rushed over to take pictures, David and other bodyguards ran to stop them. When Charlotte helped Mr. Sterk out of the elevator, she suddenly heard Bruce instructing the bodyguards softly. "Mr. Nacht is in trouble. Team 2, head to level 68 to assist. Team 1, stay here and secure the area." "Yes!" The bodyguards reentered the elevator and headed to level 68. Charlotte felt her heart tighten and considered whether to go check on him... "Don''t worry, he will be fine." Mr. Sterk suddenlymented. "With hisbat ability, even God can''t harm him." Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Charlotte pursed her lips and smiled, looking silly. However, her heart was pounding anxiously. She knew that even if she went to level 68, she wouldn''t be of any help. In fact, she might even get in the way. Therefore, it made more sense for her to stay here. However, the thought of Zachary being in danger caused her to feel inexplicably worried. "Mr. Sterk, theunch is going to start in a minute," Lucy respectfully reminded. "This way please." Mr. Sterk adjusted his tie before stepping ahead and leading everyone into the meeting hall. As the dark red doors swung open, the room was filled with thunderous apuse. Following behind, Charlotte saw members of various media outlets from all over the world and many of thepany''s partners. They were all here today to witness theunch of Divine Corporation''s new technology. As innumerable cameras shed at Mr. Sterk, Charlotte who was standing beside him also got to bathe in his glory. A 360 degree 3D screen then yed a clip showcasing the sess of Divine Corporation. Divine Corporation''s tech products were used in thousands of homes and brought convenience to the lives of many. It had be a necessary part of the homes of the upper-middle ss globally. After watching the presentation, only now did Charlotte fully grasp the extent of Zachary¡¯s capabilities and status, leaving her astounded by She realized that she really knew very little about him. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Johann Sterk. The same Johann Sterk who has spent his entire life obsessed with research. Today, I¡¯m here to represent Mr. Nacht tounch Divine Corporation''stest generation of tech products." Mr. Sterk''s voice was filled with vigor and energy. The audience was wowed with somementing softly, "So it appears Mr. Sterk of Divine Corporation is the famous scientist Johann Sterk from some years ago." "No wonder thepany has been doing so well. They have so much talent hidden within them." "I wonder who Zachary Nacht is to be able to get someone like Johann to work for him." "Ladies and gentlemen, before the productunch begins, I would like to spend some time introducing Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. our chairman, Mr Zachary Nacht..." Standing on the stage, Mr. Sterk pointed at the screen behind him. "Zachary is also the president of Divine Corporation. When he was ten, he invented neen tech products and received the patent for them. After which, he started selling them via hispany. The robot pets, robot nannies, etc. were all designed by him." "When he was sixteen, he officially established the Divine Corporation and led us to build a tech empire. In ten years, he has be a force to be reckoned with in both themercial and tech world." Thunderous apuse broke out in response. The reporters eximed excitedly, "With such an exceptional leader and such capable assistants, Divine Corporation is definitely on the path to greatness." After listening to the introduction and watching everything that had urred, Charlotte felt that she had just got to know Zachary again. It appears he is extremely smart. I didn''t even realize that. At the same time, she felt she was someone insignificant, just like a rock in the vast ocean. All she could do was watch the stars from afar. While she was fantasizing, she suddenly realized the elite bodyguards had all returned. They were spreading themselves out in the meeting hall and even caught a few suspicious characters. If they have returned, where is Zachary? Filled with dread, Charlotte ran towards the elevator but realized it was upied. She then took the stairs. Bang! Just when she emerged from the stairwell, a dagger flew in her direction. Luckily, Charlotte ducked in time, or else she would have met her maker. Panting from fright, a man grabbed onto her from behind before she realized what was going on. He put a dagger to her throat and threatened, "Don''te any closer, or I will kill her!" At that moment, Charlotte regained her senses and saw what was in front of her. Zachary was in a white shirt with his sleeves folded up. His face was red from battle. While Ben had pinned someone down and was pounding him in. The president''s office was in a mess from the fight but they had seized the advantage. However, just like an idiot, she appeared at the wrong moment. Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Zachary seethed as he scowled at her in a sarcastic tone, "Are you an idiot?" "I... I..." Charlotte''s neck which had just healed now had a dagger pressed against it. She was utterly frightened and could barely speak. "Sigh, Ms. Windt, why did youe up here?" Ben sighed. He and Mr. Nacht alone were more than enough to dispose of the remnants. Little did they expect Charlotte to gift herself to the enemy. "You, destroy the X system now, or else I will kill her," the intruder ordered arrogantly. Charlotte was at the brink of tears and she kept telling herself she was done for. The system was an integral part of Divine Corporation and holds the fate of the Nacht family in it. To Charlotte, asking Zachary to destroy it was no different than asking him to destroy Earth itself. This time, he definitely wouldn''t save me. "Go ahead and kill her. That stupid woman isn''t of any use even when she''s alive." Zachary shot Charlotte a cold re and waved his fist at her angrily. After which, he turned and headed back to his office. "Erm..." Ben was stupefied. Is he for real? "Boohoo...¡± Charlotte cried in agony. "I''m just a small fry as I''m the lowest-ranked secretary here. Capturing me is of no use to you..." "Shut up!" The intruder gritted his teeth and cursed his luck. Damn it! Why did I capture a useless secretary? "Fine. Since neither of you is going to save her, I will kill her first..." Just as he spoke, the intruder prepared to slit her throat. "No!" Charlotte closed her eyes. As if by reflex, she screamed, "Gigolo, save me!" Whoosh! A sudden brush of wind blew past her ear. The next moment, the hand around her neck released its grip before she heard a thud. When Charlotte gradually opened her eyes, the man holding her hostage had dropped to the ground. Zachary had seized the dagger from him. Throwing the dagger aside, he gave Charlotte a resentful look before returning to his office. Charlotte was stunned where she stood. When she saw his familiar silhouette, she reyed what just happened in her mind. If I recalled correctly, I shouted "Gigolo, save me", that means...He must be Gigolo! All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Ms. Windt, stop spacing out." Ben waved his hand in front of Charlotte''s eyes. "It''s dangerous here. Come in with us." "You''re bleeding..." At that moment, Charlotte realized Ben was hurt. There were wounds all over his shoulders, arms and legs. Blood was dripping as he walked. However, he didn''t flinch as if he wasn¡¯t in pain at all. "They are just cuts, don¡¯t worry." Ben didn''t mind and even reminded her, "The productunch has already started and we have yet to fend off the attacks from the hackers. Now that Mr. Sterk is buying us time, Mr. Nacht has his hands full now. So, don''t get on his nerves." "I understand." Scanning her surroundings, Charlotte couldn''t help but feel she was in a warzone. There was destruction everywhere and debris strewn all over the floor. Furthermore, men in ck littered the ground and she wasn''t even sure if they were dead or alive. Only the president''s office was left untouched as if it was thest bastion of safety. She could imagine how frightening it was just now. Zachary was dismantling the hacker''s systems while Ben was fighting alone. The office remained a safe haven while the battle raged on outside. Heaven and Hell seemed to have only been separated by a door. Finally, when Ben couldn''t hold them off any longer, Zachary had toe out and personally dispose of the intruders. They were almost done when Charlotte barged in like a giant idiot. Realizing that she had gotten in the way instead of helping, Charlotte wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. "Why is this idiot here?" Zachary''s voice rang out with a cold and mocking tone. Charlotte raised her head and gave him an aggrieved look. "I was just worried and wanted to check on you. I didn''t expect to have gotten in your way..." Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Zachary was jolted when he heard her words. As his fingers continued to dance on the keyboard, he looked at her passionately. "Worried about me?" Realizing her Freudian slip, Charlotte blushed and bit her lower lip, not daring to utter another word. When he saw how embarrassed she was, Zachary couldn''t help but be touched. He used his leg under the table to nudge her. "Come over!" "Why..." With her heart racing, Charlotte nced at him bashfully before averting her gaze. "Hurry up," Zachary demanded. Charlotte dawdled towards him. Despite being just a few steps apart, it felt as if they were a thousand kilometers away. It took her a long time to close the distance. Ben grew anxious. Are these two actually being lovey-dovey at such a crucial moment? "Ah...¡± Just as Charlotte cried out, Zachary pulled her into his embrace. Sitting on hisp, her body was trembling all over. When she was about to struggle, he ordered softly, "Don''t move." Then, he circled his hands around her waist and continued typing away. Charlotte didn''t dare move a muscle. She was literally caught in the middle of a fight over a project worth tens of billions and the fate of the would cause a devastating impact. And it would be an unforgivable sin. Rolling his eyes, Ben cracked his knuckles in exasperation as he couldn''t stand the sight of them. At that moment, he recalled that Mr. Sterk had drunkxatives for four consecutive days and suddenly felt he could empathize with him. As a warrior, he had killed all his enemies in cold blood. On the other hand, Mr. Nacht fought for the fate of the world while embracing a beauty at the same time. Although no one was doubting Mr. Nacht''s capabilities, Ben still couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. Cursing like a madman in his heart still couldn¡¯t relieve the stress that was building up within him. "Let go of me and do this properly. At this crucial moment, how can you..." Charlotte pushed Zachary away gently. At that moment, the screen was shing with green code. Beside it, a tabletputer was showing the live broadcast of theunch event on the sixty-sixth floor. Mr. Sterk had finished his introductions of the president and began to talk about the features of the new products. The old man wiped the sweat off his brow as he was running out of ideas to stall. All he could do was hope that Zachary could stabilize the system so that the new products could beunched. As for Zachary, his eyes were fixated on the screen while his fingers continued to dance on the keyboard. Meanwhile, his chin seemed to be to discreetly resting on Charlotte''s breast. Charlotte didn''t dare move nor push him away. She felt as if she was a temptress who was distracting the hero from his duty. Ben was so nervous that he had the urge to pull Charlotte away but didn''t have the courage to do so. Bang! A loud noise suddenly came from outside. "Someone has barged in." Ben turned around vigntly. "Hold on!" Zachary didn¡¯t bother to look and even used the opportunity to bite Charlotte''s breast. Despite being shielded by her top, he could still feel the wonderful sensation of its bounce. "Ah..." Charlotte moaned. "What are you doing?¡± Ben''s lips twitch as his expression darkened. However, he had no choice but to head out to battle with a golf club in hand. The moment he opened the door, a few assassins dashed at him with knives in their hands. Ben gritted his teeth and charged head on. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "Let go of me. I''m going to help." When Charlotte saw Ben''s wound was still bleeding, she felt terribly guilty. She pushed Zachary away as she wanted to help. However, Zachary hugged her even tighter with his cold lips brushing across her corbone, his fingers furiously typing still. Charlotte was filled with anxiety. "Stop fooling around. Everyone is depending on you at this crucial moment... Ah..." Before she could finish, she moaned again as her body trembled. Damn Zachary! Why did he bump into me... Although they were still separated by their clothes, she was already trembling from the electrifying sensation. The moment he heard her moan, Ben''s hand was shed by a knife. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 "Will you survive?¡± Zachary asked casually. "This won''t kill me!" Ben gritted his teeth and he lunged back into battle. As Zachary squinted his eyes, he continued to type furiously at theputer while gently thrusting his body at the same time. "Let go of me..." Charlotte was in a panic as she could feel herself being aroused, just like a beast in a cage that had just woken up. It''s too dangerous! "Shut up!" Zachary ordered while his phone rang at the same time. Sliding to answer, he put it on speaker. "Mr. Nacht, the productunch has been dyed by seven minutes," Bruce reported over the phone. "Mr. Sterk has hinted to us three times that it''s time tounch the new products. How are things at your end?" "Give me another ten seconds..." Zachary grunted from his throat as he was biting Charlotte''s breast. Charlotte covered her mouth with one hand while frantically pushing him away with the other. "Mr. Sterk has begun to make the announcement!" Just as Bruce spoke, Mr. Sterk counted down together with the reporters whilst the background music was ying. "Ten!" "Nine!" "Eight!" On theputer screen in front of them, there was also a progress bar within the code. It read: 80%... 85%... 90%. The closer the numbers nearedpletion, the harder Zachary bit into Charlotte. Charlotte was both in pain and in panic. Nevertheless, she covered her mouth tightly so that she wouldn''t cry out. "Five!" "Four!" Zachary finally hit the "Enter" button and retracted his arms from the keyboard. With one hand hugging Charlotte''s waist tightly, he slid the other against her thigh underneath her skirt. As his nails brushed across her wless skin, his hand continued to creep upwards. Charlotte trembled before feeling her body melt... Outside the room, Ben was fighting against ten men. He had been shed multiple times and was slowly sumbing to his wounds. One of the assassins seized upon the moment to dash past him and charged towards Zachary with his knife. "Ah!" Charlotte screamed at the top of her voice. Shifting his eyes, Zachary grabbed a pen from the table and flung it at the attacker. When the pen pierced the man''s chest, he let out an agonizing cry before copsing to the ground. As blood sttered all over her, she was utterly stunned by the gruesome sight. Meanwhile, Zachary had pulled off her panties... "Two!¡± "One!¡± As the countdown continued in the live broadcast, theputer screen prompted, "System recovered!" With that, theputer screen started disying the new products and their features. Within the broadcast, the system was unlocked and Divine Corporation''stest products were presented to everyone. The crowd broke out in loud cheers and thunderous apuse. With her eyes glued to the screen, Charlotte was captivated by the emotional scene. She had not realized that Zachary''s hand was already deep between her thighs. At the same time, he was Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. biting off her top... Bam! Thest assassin was finally disposed of by Ben. After which, he copsed on the ground exhausted. Pretending to care, Zachary asked, "Are you still alive?" "No..." Covered in blood, Ben struggled to stand up. He proudly dered, "Mr. Nacht, I will defend you until myst breath..." "Crawl out if you have to!" Zachary interrupted him and demanded. "Stand guard outside and don''t let anyonee in to disturb me." Jolted by his words, Ben turned around. He saw his beloved boss captivated by the beauty on hisp and was in no mood to listen to his brave words. Disappointed, Ben dragged his injured self out the door and muttered under his breath, "Scumbag!" "Close the door," the scumbag added from behind him. Shaken by his response, Ben¡¯s eyes began to turn red. In his heart, he cursed, what a cold and ungrateful animal! s, he didn¡¯t dare swear aloud. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 The moment the door closed, Charlotte regained her senses and realized Zachary''s hand had reached her sensitive parts. When she tried to push him away, he pushed her against the table instead. "No..." Charlotte trembled in fear as she tried to resist as best as she could. "You wanted this." Zachary dered with a raspy voice and kissed her forcefully. At the same time, he took off his clothes. "Mmm Mmm..." Charlotte continued to struggle as Gigolo¡¯s image shed in her mind. She didn''t want to betray him. Lifting her skirt, Zachary prepared for his final advance. "No..." Charlotte screamed in fear. "I have a boyfriend..." "Boyfriend?" Zachary stopped and squinted his eyes at her. "Are you using such ame excuse on me?" "No, really." Charlotte frantically replied, "We were just together yesterday..." Suddenly, she stopped mid-sentence when she saw the faint tattoo underneath his shirt. However, she could only see a corner of it and not the whole tattoo itself. She quickly reached out to uncover his shirt, so that she could see if it was the wolf head tattoo. Zachary caught her hand and pushed her away warily. "You are..." "You can leave now." Zachary interrupted her as he straightened his clothes, just like what a heartless scumbag would do. "What''s that on your back?" Charlotte grew extremely anxious and tried to take off his shirt. Zachary avoided her attempt and raised his eyebrows coolly. "What''s wrong? Are you trying to throw yourself at me now that you are aroused?" "I..." Just when Charlotte was about to reply, there was a knock on the door followed by Bruce''s voice. "Mr. Nacht, the productunch is at its end. Mr. Sterk requests that you join him downstairs.¡± "I''ll be on my way," Zachary replied. "Yes!" Charlotte had no choice but to save her words for another time. She remarked, "You should go ahead with work." "Stupid woman. Your underwear was removed without you noticing it." Zachary handed her her white panties from atop the ck leather sofa. Filled with embarrassment, Charlotte bit her lower lip and took it from him. "There''s a break room at the back." Zachary¡¯s eyes were filled with suppressed desire. "You should tidy yourself up first." "Mmm-hmm." Charlotte hurried towards the changing room. As Zachary watched her go, he let out a charming smile. The lust in him was still burning strong but he knew now wasn¡¯t the time. He had to endure... After all, there were still plenty of opportunities. With the productunch at its end, Zachary appeared behind the screen. Meanwhile, the broadcast only showed his silhouette but not his face. Before he said a word, the audience broke into thunderous apuse. Behind the screen, Zachary exined the new technologies and the philosophy behind them. He wanted to help mankind live more efficiently so that they could have more time to do more important things. After that, he unveiled thetest multifunctional robot and showcased its features to everyone. As the reporters repeatedly took pictures of both the robot and Zachary''s silhouette, the atmosphere came to a climax. When Charlotte came out of the room after tidying up and saw what unfolded on screen, she felt a newfound sense of admiration and respect for him. At the same time, her suspicion that he was Gigolo was further intensified. "Ms. Windt," Bruce greeted her when he saw her. He had just led a group of men into the room to clean up. "Mr. Bruce," Charlotte quickly replied. Although all of Zachary''s close subordinates treated her with respect, she was well aware of her status. Hence, she returned the favor and treated them with respect. "Ms. Windt, you look familiar. Have we met somewhere before?" Bruce gave Charlotte a closer look. All this while, he had always been out for work. The few times he was back, he only saw Charlotte from afar and hardly took notice. Today, after he managed to see her up close, he felt she looked familiar.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 "Is that so?" Charlotte looked up at Bruce. Prior to this, she had only seen him once when they were in a hurry. Hence, she didn¡¯t take notice. But now that she saw him up-close, she suddenly remembered. The first day when she returned to H City from the vige, her taxi crashed into a Rolls-Royce Phantom. At that time, the man seating beside the driver was Bruce. Charlotte was shocked as all the pieces fell into ce. If he was sitting beside the driver, that means the person who was hurt and had a tattoo on his waist must be Zachary. At that time, she was puzzled as to why a gigolo would be riding in such an expensive car. When she met up with him at Sultry Night, she even thought that the car belonged to his rich sugar mommy. Looking back now, she felt she had been extremely naive. From the very beginning, Zachary was Gigolo. Despite them resembling each other so much, she was still easily fooled by him. However, what she didn''t understand was why was he doing all this. Wait, I have my three children with me then. Did Bruce see them?!f he did, then... The more she thought about it the more uneasy she felt. "Perhaps, I made a mistake, I''m sorry," Bruce apologized with a bow before leaving. Meanwhile, Charlotte tried her best to calm down and quickly left the president¡¯s office. She washed her face in the employee''s washroom and regained herposure. When the two cars crashed that day, Bruce had only caught a glimpse of her from afar. Furthermore, the children were in the car. So even if he saw her, he might not have seen the children. Nevertheless, although all the circumstantial evidence pointed to the fact that Zachary was Gigolo, she knew she could never be sure until she saw the tattoo. Since he already had feelings for her, finding out wasn''t going to be difficult. As of now, the priority is to hide the children''s identity and determine if Zachary is Gigolo. I''ll figure out the rest after that. At the same time, I still need to solve the problem of the debt repayment contract. Holding that thought, Charlotte took a deep breath. After regaining herposure, she went back to work. Once the productunch was sessfullypleted, the reporters started to leave. After that, all the major mediapanies flooded the news with Divine Corporation¡¯stest tech products. The marketing department also announced that sales would begin in three days. Separately, the police were brought in to arrest all the intruders and to investigate who they were. The perpetrators were mostly wounded or unconscious when the police rounded them up. When her colleagues returned to level 68, they were shocked by the amount of devastation they saw. Lucy then announced that everyone in the president''s office would be given a three-month bonus fortheir exceptional performance. They would also be given the day off to facilitate the repairs. Everyone cheered and jumped in ecstasy at the news. Finally, Lucy informed Charlotte personally. "I have already gotten Mr. Nacht''s permission to make you an official employee. Congrattions and keep up the good work." "Thank you, Ms. Wright!'' Charlotte was overjoyed. Realizing she had hardly done anything, she was just grateful to be able to Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. receive the reward. "It''s time to get off work. You should head home to rest." Lucy patted her on her shoulders before going off. Just when she finished packing and was about to leave, she suddenly saw Zachary with Bruce and another two bodyguards. They were heading for the VIP elevator and she quickly followed. "This is reserved for the president''s use. Please leave," The bodyguard warned. Bruce shot him a nce, causing him to back down. At that moment, the elevator''s door was about to close. Zachary raised his eyebrows at Charlotte, "What do you want?" Charlotte meekly looked him in the eye and bit her lip. She requested softly, "I would like to talk to you about the ne." "Go on." Zachary tone was cold. Charlotte exined in simple terms, "Actually, I lost Luna''s bracelet and she wanted me to pay for it. However, when I couldn''t afford to do so, I had no choice but to give her the ne as coteral. We agreed that I would be able to use the bracelet to exchange it back. And now, I found it..." "What has that got to do with me?" Zachary interrupted her. "The ruby ne is what I''m looking for." Chapter 173 Chapter 173 "What I meant was..." Charlotte frantically exined, "I will be able to get the ruby ne back soon. Can you give me a few more days?" "No." Zachary was firm. "I have already given you three extra days and that is the limit. Don''t push your luck." "The main reason is that Luna has taken the ne overseas and will only be back after ten days." "I''m not interested in the affairs of someone else''s wife." Zachary was visibly frustrated. "There''s only one and a half day left. You should think of something else." "But..." Before she could think of anything, the elevator door opened and Zachary stepped out. Bruce nodded at Charlotte before leaving with the other bodyguards. Charlotte was on the brink of tears when she exited the elevator. Feeling desperate, she wondered what she should do. This scumbag has me trapped! "Has Ben been sent to Raina?" Zachary asked when he got in the car. "Yes, she is treating him now." Compared to Ben, Bruce was equally as cold as his employer. "Ben is really weak, just fighting that few intruders alone took everything out of him," Zachary mocked. "He lost a lot of blood, so just tell him to rest." "Yes.¡± Bruce nodded. "I¡¯ll let him know." Inside the car, Zachary was checking his phone casually. Just when he looked out the window, he saw Charlotte leave the office building. "Mr. Nacht," Bruce softly asked when he saw Charlotte, "don''t you think Ms. Windt resembles someone?" "Mmm?" Zachary wasn''t paying attention and didn''t hear Bruce''s question. "What did you say?" "No, it¡¯s nothing." Bruce changed the topic. "Straight to the airport?" "Yes." Zachary looked away with a gloomy expression. "Let''s go and meet that crazy woman." After taking the subway home, her three children ran to the door to wee her back. Ellie scrambled to be the first to throw herself in Charlotte''s embrace. Holding Charlotte¡¯s neck with one hand, she pointed at the balcony with the other and said, "Mommy, Fifi is angry. She doesn''t want to "It''s obvious she was in the wrong. Yet, she''s doing this to punish us." Robbie suggested sternly, "Mommy, this time we cannot tolerate her behavior." "That¡¯s right. This morning, she pooped in our breakfast and destroyed Mrs. Berry''s crystal, causing us not to have anything to eat. This is uneptable." Jamie was feeling indignant about what happened in the morning. "However, plucking her own feathers isn''t a good sign. Is she depressed?" Charlotte was worried. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Why don''t we take her to the vet?¡± "That''s right. I think we should." Ellie frowned as tears welled up in her doll-like eyes. "Although I''m also angry at her, I''m worried to see her this way." "Don''t worry Ellie. We will take her to the vet after dinner." Charlotte kissed Ellie''s cheeks while gently reassuring her. "Both of you pamper her too much." Robbie sighed like an adult. "Sigh, women are just too soft." "That''s right, women are so troublesome." Jamie frown with discontent. "Fifi is also female, that''s why she causes so much trouble." "Both of you can''t behave this way," Charlotte lectured them patiently, "Fifi is also part of our family." Knock! Knock! Knock! Just when Charlotte was speaking, she heard someone knocking and quickly put down Ellie. She opened the door. "Is it Mrs. Berry who has returned from shopping?" When she opened the door, she saw a delivery man standing outside. He handed her an exquisite- looking box. "Charlotte Windt? Someone has sent you a gift. Please sign to confirm receipt." "Who sent it?" When she received the card and took a look, she saw Zachary''s name. Shocked, she wondered how he got her home address. Chapter 174 Chapter 174 "Please sign it," the delivery man reminded again. Charlotte quickly signed in and brought the gift back inside. "Mommy, who sent the gift?" The children surrounded her, filled with curiosity. "It''s someone you don''t know..." Charlotte felt troubled. If Zachary was indeed Gigolo, then he must then be the children¡¯s father. Does he already know the truth?Or else, why would he send a gift here? "What is it? Quick, open it up so we can see." The trio widened their eyes with anticipation. As Charlotte unwrapped its exquisite wrappingyer byyer, she wondered what could it be. Her heart was overwhelmed by emotions. "Mommy, you''re just too slow. Let me help you." Jamie took over the gift box impatiently and help to unwrap it. Meanwhile, Robbie brought a pair of scissors to help. Ellie was rubbing her hands as she waited excitedly by the side. Finally, they managed to open the gift box. Inside, there was another pink box that emanated a floral fragrance. Just when Charlotte was about to open it, Ellie volunteered excitedly. "Come, let me do it." "Alright, you do it!" Charlotte knew how much little girls enjoyed opening presents, hence she passed it to Ellie. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Holding the box in her hand, Ellie took a deep breath before opening it excitedly. "Ah!" The next moment, a horrifying shriek rang out, followed by Robbie and Jamie¡¯s screams. Fifi fluttered around her cage squawking, "I''m scared, I''m scared!" At that moment, the house went into an uproar. Charlotte¡¯s eyes widened in shock and she looked at the contents in disbelief. It was the body of a dead kitten. It was still covered in blood and was a gruesome sight indeed. Obviously, someone had killed it cruelly. Beside it, there was even a toy with shing lights and a clown''s smiling face. "Don''t worry. Mommy is here." Charlotte quickly regained her senses and put the cover back on the box. When she was about to take it outside, she felt something was amiss. She could hear a ticking sound "It¡¯s a bomb! Mommy, throw it away!" Robbie grabbed the box from Charlotte''s hands and dashed out. "Robbie!" Charlotte screamed as she ran after him. Right when Robbie threw the box along the corridor, the box exploded with a loud bang. The whole house was shaken and pieces of the corridor ceiling came dropping down, almost hitting Robbie. "Robbie! Robbie!" Charlotte dashed toward him like a madwoman and hugged him. "Are you alright? You scared me." "Mommy, I¡¯m fine. Cough, cough." Robbie was just choked by the dust from the debris. Charlotte carried him into the house and closed the door immediately. "Mommy." Ellie was crying in fear, her face swollen red. Hugging her, Jamie put on a strong face andforted her, "Don''t worry, I''m here." "Who sent such a thing? Why does he want to harm us?" Robbie asked frantically. "That man..." Charlotte was confused as she didn''t understand why would Zachary do such a thing. "My God! What happened?" At that moment, Mrs. Berry returned from shopping. She too was shocked when she saw the scene. "Miss, Ellie, are you alright?" "Mrs. Berry, take the kids back to the vige." Having calmed down, Charlotte was decisive. "There''s no time to spare. Pack your bags quickly while I get a car." "What... What''s going on?" Mrs. Berry was stuttering in fear. "Is someone trying to harm us? Who is it?" "I don''t know but they know our house address. Therefore, we are in danger and you have to leave with the kids immediately." Charlotte gave Zak, a security guard who works at their apartment block, a call, "Zak, are you still moonlighting as a driver? I''ll pay you double to send Mrs. Berry and the kids back to the vige." "Double? Sure. I''ll be right up to help with your bags." Chapter 175 Chapter 175 After ending the call, Charlotte pondered a while before giving Zachary a call. She wanted to know if he sent the "Delivery from Hell". At that moment, Zachary had just arrived at H City airport. He was walking toward the tarmac with his men. He was shocked to see who was calling. Charlotte had always called Gigolo''s number and never did call him directly. In fact, he never even gave her his number before. Why is she calling me all of a sudden?Does she suspect my identity and is trying to probe?In the office today, she must have seen the tattoo on my lower back. That¡¯s why she was acting that way.Hmph, I''m not going to y this game with you. Zachary ended the call with a grin. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. When she heard the call ended, Charlotte felt a chill in her heart. Since he is not taking my call, did he really send the "Delivery from Hell"?No, it can¡¯t be him because he has no reason to do so.Even if he knew I''m hiding something, he wouldn''t use such a devious method to scare the children.Perhaps he doesn¡¯t have my number and chose not to answer an anonymous call? With that thought in mind, Charlotte quickly called Gigolo. Regardless of whether he was Zachary, she needed to find someone to help her first. She had the feeling that the person who sent the "Delivery from Hell" would strike again. Gigolo didn''t pick up too. When she saw the devastation outside the house caused by the explosion, she was terrified. With her hands still trembling, she sent Gigolo a message: Gigolo, save me. "Miss, we are done packing." Mrs. Berry walked out of the room with a huge luggage bag. "I''ve called Mr. Brawn to pick us up when we arrive. He will bring a man with him." "Alright, their presence really puts my heart at ease." Charlotte urged them to hurry. "Quick, I''ll walk you down." As Charlotte anxiously led Mrs. Berry and the kids downstairs, she kept reminding her, "Mrs. Berry, I''ve put the bank card in your bag. There''s a hundred thousand inside so it should be enough for the time being. Be careful and call me when you arrive." "I understand." Mrs. Berry¡¯s eyes were red. "Miss,e with us. I can''t bear to leave you alone here." "Mommy,e with us." The children tugged at Charlotte and refused to let go. "Mommy can''t leave..." Charlotte had a hunch that she was the target of the perpetrators. If she left with them, it might put them in danger. "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, you have to be good. Once I resolve this matter, I¡¯lle to the vige to pick you up." "Mommy, we don''t want to leave you.'' Charlotte threw herself into Charlotte¡¯s embrace and cried till she trembled. "I''m afraid I won¡¯t see you again." Her words unnerved both Robbie and Jamie at the same time. Robbie¡¯s eyes were red. Despite the urge to cry, he gritted his teeth and stayed strong. As for Jamie, he clenched his fists with a frown. With tears in his eyes, he pleaded, "Mommy,e with us, I will protect you." "Mommy knows that..." Charlotte hugged her children tightly as she choked, "Mommy knows that you are good children. With you around, I won¡¯t be afraid. I''m just staying back to find out what''s going on. Once I''m done, I wille for you. Trust me." Mrs. Berry was wiping tears off her eyes and didn''t dare say another word. "Alright, time to get into the car." Charlotte pushed Mrs. Berry and the trio inside. She paid Zak and added, "Zak, be careful when driving." "Don''t worry, I am very experienced as I have driven for more than ten years." Receiving the money, Zak announced cheerfully, "Kids, we''re off!" As Charlotte watched them leave, she saw the children looking back from the back seat with tears in their eyes. Waving at them, she could no longer hold back her tears. Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Ever since the children were born, they never left here before. This time, it might be at least a few days before they were reunited. Charlotte had to find out who was the culprit as she couldn''t allow them to harm her children. With careful thought, she narrowed down her enemies to Wesley, Ynda, and the Whites. Wesley and Ynda were in jail, so they were out of the equation. As for the Whites, despite how vicious they were, wouldn''t dare use Zachary¡¯s name tomit such an act. However, if not them, who then? She called Gigolo again as she walked home. When she hurriedly left home just now, she didn''t take anything other than her phone. Heading back to pack, she decided to stay at a hotel until the matter was resolved. Just when she lowered her head to make a call, she didn''t realize there was a figure following her from a dark corner. At the airport, Zachary had just boarded the ne when he saw a missed call on his other number. There was also a message from Charlotte that read: Come save me! His expression changed dramatically as he stood up to disembark. "Mr. Nacht." Bruce followed behind him quickly. "Is there something wrong?" "Go to E Nation on my behalf. I need to head back first." Zachary rushed off the ne without looking back. He quickened his footsteps before starting to sprint. In his heart, he was ming himself failing to foresee this. That madwoman had sent men to disrupt my productunch. Hence, it¡¯s natural for her to harm Charlotte too. How could I have missed something so important and not pick up her call?lf something happens to her, I won''t be able to forgive myself. "What should we do?" the bodyguards asked Bruce. "Team one shall protect Mr. Nacht while team two wille with me to E Nation,¡± Bruce ordered decisively. "Protect him from the shadows, and don''t get in his way." "Understood." Just when Charlotte returned to her home and prepared to turn on the lights, she could sense a murderous intent behind her. Turning around she grabbed her high heel and swung it forcefully. However, she missed as the intruder jumped aside to avoid it. Charlotte then rushed into the house frantically and shut the door. After locking it, she stood behind the door to block it. Bang!Bang!Bang! Outside, the man was kicking the door down. Every time he struck, the door would shake Charlotte forward. Charlotte was seized by fear. With one hand blocking the door, she tried calling the police with the other. At that moment, she received a call. It was Zachary. She quickly picked up. "Save me..." "Charlotte, where are you?" "I''m at home" "Damn it, I''m asking where do you stay?" "I..." Before she could finish, the door was kicked open. Both her and her phone fell onto the ground. There wasn''t enough time to pick up the phone. Hence she frantically picked herself up and tried to run. However, the man in ck kicked her back down. "Ah!" Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. As Charlotte''s agonizing scream rang through the phone, Zachary''s hand that was gripping the steering wheel began to tremble. He was speeding so fast that it felt like the car was about to fly. "Who are you? Why do you want to kill me?" With her body on the ground, Charlotte scrambled backward in fear. The man in ck was wearing a face mask and a baseball cap, hiding his features. He was holding a sharp knife as he approached her gradually. "Don''t kill me," Charlotte trembled as she pleaded, "I''ll give you all my money." The man in ck ignored her. Raising his knife, he thrust it forward. "Mommy!" Suddenly, a loud shriek could be heard followed by a sh of green flying across the room. It pecked at the man¡¯s eyes viciously. "Argh!" The man''s eyes began to bleed as he screamed in agony. He waved the knife in his hand to fend off his attacker. "Evil man! Evil man!" Fifi evaded the attacks with great agility. With a p of her wings, she danced around in the air. "Fifi!" Charlotte scrambled to stand up and reached out her hand for Fifi tond. After that, she turned and ran into her room. "Damn it!" The man in ck pursued. Charlotte quickly locked the door and even pushed a wardrobe over to reinforce it. With Fifi in hand, she wanted to escape from the window. But when she reached it, she realized she was on the thirteenth floor. Chapter 177 Chapter 177 "Argh!" Charlotte yelled in desperation. What should I do? Am I going to die here today? "Mommy if you jump, I jump!" Fifi repeated the line from the Titanic as she encouraged Charlotte to jump. "Of course you can jump. You''re a bird but I''m not!" Charlotte almost cried in response. Outside, the intruder was charging at the door. She figured the door wouldn''t be able to hold out much longer. However, she was thirteen floors up and would be grievously hurt if she jumped. She was now trapped between a rock and a hard ce. Death awaited her no matter what she chose. "Jump! Jump! Jump!" Fifi pped its wings while egging Charlotte on. "Damn it, there''s no choice!" Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Charlotte prepared to jump. But when she felt the rustle of the cold wind on her ears, she stepped back. Holding the window sill, she cried out in despair. "I don''t want to die! My children are still so young and I haven''t spent all my money." Bang! The door was finally kicked open. "B*tch! You''re gonna die!" The attacker brandished his knife and charged fiercely at her. "Ahhh!" Charlotte screamed as she jumped out frantically. But her clothes were caught by the window eaves and she was trapped. "This can¡¯t be!" Charlotte was overwhelmed by despair. "Evil man!" Fifi dived towards the man to peck his eyes. However, he thrust his knife forward which caught Fifi by her wing on its way toward Charlotte''s neck. Injured, Fifi dropped into Charlotte''s arms. Resigned to her fate, Charlotte closed her eyes in despair. However, just when the knife was a centimeter from her throat, it stopped. She was already prepared to die but the knife didn''t pierce through her. As for the man in ck, he copsed to the ground. As she gradually opened her eyes, she could see a familiar figure at the door. He had his hand by the door and emanated a feral vibe. His eyes were filled with undeniable concern as he stared anxiously at her. "Are you alright?" Zachary asked with his voice trembling slightly. "Boohoo..." Charlotte began to bawl. "What took you so long!" "You only told me 32 Happy Avenue but didn''t say which floor or house number. I''ve been running all the way." Zachary approached and opened his arms to hug her. Just when Charlotte wanted to jump back into the room, she forgot that her clothes were caught by the window eaves. As she moved too forcefully, she suddenly felt her body falling backward. Charlotte widened her eyes and all she could think off was "death". Am I fated to die today? Zachary darted toward her like an arrow, grabbed onto her hand tightly, and pulled her back in with all his might. As she crashed into his arms, his muscr chest gave her a sense of security, just like a harbor sheltering her from the storm. "Boohoo..." Charlotte bawled as she hugged his waist for dear life. "Stupid woman, are you a fool?¡± Zachary lectured her while spanking her ruthlessly on her ass. "Your stupidity almost killed you!" "Boohoo..." Charlotte continued to cry as her body trembled out of fear and pain. His spanks are so painful that my ass is going to split open. However, when she heard his heartbeat frantically pounding away, she was inexplicably moved. Zachary tore off her dress and helped her back in from the window. Safe within his embrace, Charlotte grabbed onto his shirt and didn''t dare let go. "Don''t worry, I won¡¯t let anyone harm you." Zachary lowered his head and was about to kiss her forehead. "Mommy..." Suddenly a weak moan was heard. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "What is that sound?" Zachary was stunned with his eyes showing mixed emotions. Charlotte got a fright but quickly recovered her senses. "Fifi, my God! You''re hurt." Chapter 178 Chapter 178 When Zachary saw the parrot in Charlotte''s arms, he heaved an inexplicable sigh of relief. "I thought it was a child. I didn¡¯t expect a parrot!" "Quick, send her to the vet." Charlotte anxiously urged him. Fifi''s wing was injured and seemed to be close to herst breath. When Zachary carried Charlotte out of the room, he identally stepped on something that cried out, "Wah!" Stopping in his tracks, he lowered his gaze and saw a doll. Charlotte''s heart stop. Oh no! This is Ellie''s doll. "Why are you still ying with this at your age? You''re so childish.¡± Zachary assumed that it was Charlotte''s toy, and didn''t think too much about it as he quickly left together with her. Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had sent Mrs. Berry and the children away. She managed to avoid a massacre and also hid them from Zachary''s sight. At the same time, she was d the apartment was in darkness and Zachary could hardly see much. Or else, once he saw the children¡¯s belongings, he would definitely find out about them. After carrying Charlotte into the car, Zachary drove with one hand while giving Raina a call with the other. "Come over, she''s hurt. Also, take the bird to the vet." "Bird?" Raina was stunned at the other end of the line. However, she politely acknowledged, "Yes, I''ll arrange it right away." "She is called Fifi, and is a Budgerigar Parrot," Charlotte corrected him. "Isn''t a parrot a bird?" Zachary retorted. Charlotte was speechless. Fine, if you insist on calling her a bird. After all, Fifi wouldn¡¯t mind given that she was in a daze from her injury. When they arrived at the vi fromst time, Zachary carried Charlotte down from the car. More than twenty bodyguards were lined up in two rows, they then bowed slightly in respect. Feeling self-conscious, Charlotte whispered, "Put me down." "Shut up," Zachary asserted softly before carrying All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. her upstairs. The room fromst time was already prepared with the maid waiting at the door. Zachary carried her in and lowered her onto the bed. When he leaned in, it put both of them in close proximity. They exchanged nces and were overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions. Charlotte grew nervous and felt uneasy at the same time. As for him, behind the desire in his eyes, was a sense of concern for her. "Mr. Nacht." A voice rang out from the door. Returning to his usual cold self, Zachary straightened his posture and instructed, "Give her a thorough checkup." He left after that. "Yes!" Raima nodded respectfully. "I''m fine, please take a look at her first." Charlotte pointed to Fifi. "Oh... so it''s a small parrot." Raimaughed. "Luckily, I brought a vet. Don''t worry, she will take care of her." After arranging for the vet to treat Fifi, Raima gave Charlotte a checkup. She realized Charlotte wasrgely alright other than for a few scrapes. After applying some medication, she instructed the maid to prepare some warm tea. As for Fifi, only her wing was injured and her life wasn''t in danger. However, she needed to be treated at Raima''s pet hospital as the equipment needed was all there. Raina promised Charlotte that when they brought Fifi back tomorrow, she would be back to her usual self. After reassuring Charlotte, she left with her assistants. The maid then helped Charlotte wash up and change. After taking a quick bath and getting a change of clothes, Charlotte went to see Zachary in the next room. Knock! Knock! Knock! Charlotte asked softly, "It''s me, can Ie in?" "Go ahead,¡± Zachary replied. As Charlotte pushed open the door, she realized the room was dim inside. Only the bathroom light was on but she didn''t hear the sound of water. Biting her lower lip, she entered carefully. A warm light emanated from the massive bathroom while the ripples from the bathtub were reflected on the ceiling. Zachary was leaning against the tub without anything on. He was enjoying the moment with his eyes closed. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Charlotte quickly closed her eyes and turned around. "You... you¡¯re still bathing. I''ll wait outside." Zachary ignored her. As Charlotte walked out, something urred to her. Why don''t I use this opportunity to check if there is a wolf head tattoo on his back? With that thought in mind, she stopped in her tracks. Having gathered her courage, she said, "I would like to talk to you about something." "Hmm?" Zachary grunted. "Were you the one who sent me the Delivery from Hell?" Charlotte demanded to know. Zachary opened his eyes. "Did someone send it to you using my name?" "Yes." Charlotte nodded. "I received a parcel in the evening. Inside, there was a body of a dead kitten and also a bomb..." Just talking about it caused her to feel the chills from the incident. "Luckily, I realized it in time and the explosion wasn''t a big one. Or else, I would be dead now." Zachary was briefly silent before giving Raina a call. "There''s a Delivery from Hell. Go and investigate who sent it." "Understood." "It wasn''t you? Who could it be then?" Charlotte couldn''t put two and two together. "Who would even dare pretend to be you?" It wasn''t strange if someone wanted to harm her. What piqued her curiosity was that the culprit did so in Zachary''s name. "I''ve sent men to investigate so we''ll know soon enough." Zachary wiped the water off his face. "Is there anything else?" "With regards to the ne..." "You still have one day." Zachary didn''t budge. "But..." Charlotte had wanted to plead for more time. But Zachary had closed his eyes and obviously didn''t want to hear any of it. Pursing her lips, Charlotte red at him angrily. There''s no way I can see the tattoo with his back to the bathtub. After giving it some thought, Charlotte remarked on purpose, "Mr. Nacht, I don¡¯t understand why you forced me to sign the debt repayment agreement. Have you fallen for me? But I''m already taken." Zachary growled with a frown, "Get out." "It''s the truth, I''m not bluffing." Charlotte was desperate. "My boyfriend is tall and handsome. Every time I''m in trouble, he woulde save me. Besides, he..." "Who saved you this time?" Zachary opened his eyes and looked at her as if she was an idiot. "And the "Yes, you have also saved me many times. But he is different..." Charlotte had an idea and dered on purpose, "He is my first boyfriend and I will never leave him." "Oh? What does he do?" Zachary raised his eyebrow curiously.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. "He..." Charlotte hesitated before she replied reluctantly, "He works in the service industry." I can''t fully confirm that Zachary is Gigolo yet, what if he isn''t? Hence, she decided not to reveal Gigolo''s identity, for fear of reprisals from Zachary. "What kind of service?" Zachary tried to trap her. "Erm... he''s..." Charlotte couldn¡¯t say it but she was terrible at lying. In the end, she found an excuse. "Why should I tell you?" Zachary wasn¡¯t bothered to entertain her further. Raising his hand, he waved her away. Charlotte had no choice but to leave when she realized her n had failed. Just when she turned around, she kicked her knee against the wall, causing her to yell in pain. Feeling the numbness in her knee, she crouched on the floor to rub it. "Why are you so clumsy!" Zachary was dumbfounded. "Even a pig is smarter than you!" "Boohoo... it hurts..." Charlotte was squatting on the floor, crying. "It''s really painful." When Zachary saw how pitifully she was sobbing, he couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with her. Hence he stood up and walked over. When Charlotte heard himing from behind her, her eyes lit up as she knew her moment had arrived. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 "Let me see." Zachary bent over to check on Charlotte''s leg. "Is it bleeding?" "It''s really painful..." Charlotte turned to look at his lower back but screamed when she saw his naked body instead. "Wh- Wh-Why are you naked?" "Of course, who wears clothes when they''re bathing?" Zachary retorted coldly. "Scumbag..." Charlotte closed her eyes and didn''t dare open them. "Go put on your bathrobe, quick!" "Does it not hurt anymore?" Zachary raised his eyebrow with a smirk. It seems she is ying games with me. Isn''t she just trying to get a good look at my tattoo?Now that she can, she refuses to open her eyes instead. "You''re so annoying!¡± Charlotte was so embarrassed that she was blushing all over. Picking herself up, she rushed out frantically. When she saw how pathetic she looked, Zachary couldn''t help but smile smugly. You''re still no match for me. Charlotte ran back to her own room and closed the door. Once inside, she couldn''t stop panting. When she first entered, he was in the bathtub and she was standing three meters away, hence she couldn''t see his body clearly. Despite feeling nervous, she was still able to interact normally. However, when he stood naked behind her when she was squatting down, she saw a huge object when she turned. It was so close that it almost bumped into her face. Charlotte was so shocked that she could die. No, I shan''t try and verify his identity in the bathroom ever again. It''s just too scary. With a bath towel wrapped around his waist, Zachary sat on the sofa with a drink in hand. As he looked to the wall on his left, he was slightly aroused when he recalled Charlotte¡¯s bashful look. That foolish woman is so adorable when she''s embarrassed. When he recalled how passionate she was in the car, he couldn''t help but crave for her even more. However, now that she was suspicious of his identity, he was worried that he would expose himself if he got intimate with her. Forget it, it''s better I bear with it. Despite finishing his whiskey in one gulp, Zachary wasn''t feeling sleepy at all. Hence, with a tousle of his wet hair, he walked out to the balcony to admire the night sky. It was a clear night with the stars shining brightly. From afar he could see the city lights blinking like they were vying for his attention. The night breeze was gentle and brought with it a refreshingfort as it blew. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mrs. Berry, have you arrived? That''s good to hear..." When he heard Charlotte''s voice, Zachary turned to look. He saw her wearing a long T-shirt with short sleeves. She was on her phone walking around the balcony barefooted. As the night breeze blew gently in her hair, there was an air of innocence to her. It made her look unimaginably beautiful. "Robbie and..." Charlotte stopped mid-sentence. She came out to the balcony because she was worried about the maids who might hear her. But little did she expect to see Zachary at the balcony too. His top was bare and only had a towel wrapped around his waist. ss in hand, he was drinking on the balcony next door. As they were only four to five meters away from each other, they could see each other clearly. In fact, Charlotte managed to catch a glimpse of a green tattoo on his back. However, before she could clearly see what the motif was, he had turned his back away. With his back leaning against the balcony railing, he had a rxed expression on his face. His demeanor was so calm it looked as if he had nothing to hide at all. As Charlotte continued talking on the phone, she leaned her body against the railing. Stretching her neck to take a peek, she still couldn''t see his lower back. She felt so exasperated that she was tempted to jump across and turn his back to see. "Mommy, Mommy..." At the other end of the line, Robbie, Jamie, and Ellie were all calling out for Charlotte. "Wait a moment." Charlotte returned to her room with her phone. Zachary heaved a sigh of relief when he realized she almost saw his tattoo. Luckily, he was vignt and managed to turn away in time. However, who is she talking to? Why does she sound so gentle and loving?l seemed to have heard her mention the name "Robbie". I wonder who that is. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 With that thought in mind, Zachary''s eyebrows furrowed as his grip on his whiskey ss tightened. After a brief hesitation, he finished his drink at one go. Putting on his bathrobe, he quickly headed out. Next door, Charlotte was covering her mouth as she spoke softly, "Alright, once I''m done, I will go pick you up." "Don''t worry, I''m somece safe and so is Fifi. All of you must be good and listen to Mrs. Berry. Safety is of utmost importance." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Robbie and Jamie, you have to take of Ellie. I love you..." Just before she could finish, the door suddenly swung open and a figure stormed in. Charlotte was given such a fright that she swallowed the word "all" back. She quickly changed her words. "That¡¯s all for now. You should go home and rest. Bye." "Who were you talking to?" Zachary approached her slowly. His expression looked sullen under the dim light of the room. "I..." Charlotte wanted to lie but she was too intimidated by his presence. Hence, she told the truth unwittingly, "Mrs. Berry!" "Hmm?" Zachary raised his eyebrow curiously. "She is my maid who has been taking care of me since I was little..." Charlotte exined truthfully. "Since I received the Delivery from Hell today, I felt my home was no longer safe. Hence, I sent her back to her vige. She just reached and called to inform me that she¡¯s safe." Other than hiding the children¡¯s existence, everything she told him was true. When Zachary saw that she seemed to be telling the truth, he didn''t question her any further. "Rest early. Good night." "Good night," Charlotte replied. Zachary took his time leaving. When she didn''t ask him to stay despite him already being at the door, he couldn''t help but feel upset. Turning around, he asked her coldly, "Is there anything else you want to say?" "Huh?" Stunned for a moment, Charlotte carefully asked, "Is there anything to eat? I haven''t had dinner." Zachary was dumbfounded at the way Charlotte''s brain functioned. Half an hourter, a maid brought some supper and filled the table with it. Charlotte couldn''t help but gulp when she saw the food. She started off restrained but was quickly wolfing down them down in no time. Meanwhile, Zachary watched her eat with his legs crossed on the sofa. "No one is going to believe you when you im your family used to be rich. You''re eating as if you have never eaten your whole life." "You have never gone hungry before, so how would you know how terrible hunger feels?" Charlotte rolled her eyes at him. "You have never had to suffer and don''t know what it feels like." "In that case, are you so poor that you can''t afford basic food?" Zachary was curious as to how her life was over thest few years. "Even if your dad went broke, the personal assets he left behind would still be enough to feed and clothe you for life." "When my dad got into trouble, the only things I had left were my clothes and a piece of jewelry. Nothing else..." The moment Charlotte was reminded of what happened to her dad, her mood was dampened. "I sold my jewelry for some money and survived for a few years. Two months ago, it finally ran out. Hence, I started desperately looking for a job. "That can''t be." Zachary was doubtful. "Although your father''spany was dered bankrupt, his personal assets were left untouched. His properties, investments, and cars would be worth at least hundreds of millionsbined. How is it that you didn''t get a penny and had to sell your jewelry for survival?" Charlotte was stunned when she heard his words. She looked up and asked, "Is that true? Then why did Uncle Simon say that my dad''s personal assets were also seized?" "Who is Uncle Simon?" Zachary asked. "Simon Windt, Luna¡¯s father." The moment she spoke, her expression changed drastically. "Did they take my dad''s assets?" Chapter 182 Chapter 182 "Obviously." Zachary gave her a sympathetic look. "Your father was someone exceptional and yet you didn¡¯t inherit any of his capabilities. How can you not know something as simple as that?" "I''ll get to the bottom of this..." Charlotte clenched her fists. Having been cheated of the money aside, Charlotte suspected that there might have been a conspiracy against her dad. "Good luck." Zachary stood up to leave. "Hey!" Charlotte called out to him, "Can''t you help me with this?" "Since you''re not mine, why should I help you?" Zachary coolly replied. "If you were, I would definitely resolve it for you, no matter what it takes." "Sheesh!" Charlotte rolled her eyes at him. "I¡¯ll just look for awyer myself." "Up to you." Zachary turned to leave. Without looking back, he remarked, "After all, at nine-thirty tomorrow, you will be mine anyway if you can''t produce the ne." Only then did Charlotte remember the debt repayment agreement and the deadline was nine-thirty at night. What am I to do? The ne has been taken by Luna to Arkfield. I definitely can''t get it back. That night, Charlotte kept turning in her bed and couldn''t sleep. One moment, she would think about the Delivery from Hell. Another moment, she thought about Zachary and Gigolo¡¯s identity. And then she Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. thought about her father''s matter... She felt as if her brain was going to explode. Shaking her head, she reminded herself to stop overthinking and to take things step-by-step. Soon, it was daybreak and Charlotte could finally get some sleep. However, her phone suddenly rang and she answered it in a daze. It was Luna screaming from the other end of the line. "Charlotte, you b*tch! Hector is going to divorce me just because of you!" Charlotte hadn''t slept for the whole night. Yet, the moment she closed her eyes, she heard a furious voice cursing and swearing away. For a while, she didn''t realize what was going on. "It was obviously your children who lost my bracelet. Since you had no money to pay for it, you gave me your ne as coteral. And yet, you y the victim card in front of my husband? He has just called me and ordered me to send the ne back. Or else, he is going to divorce me." "Let me exin." Before she could, she heard Amanda¡¯s voice berating her in the background. "Charlotte, that agreement was written in ck and white. You signed it in front of the teachers and we didn''t force you to do it. But now you went to Hector andined about us?" "You b*tch! You really know how to act all innocent. Despite pretending to be the victim, you have the vilest heart of all. I''m warning you, don''t try and seduce Hector while Luna is away. You despicable vixen, Hector will never be serious about you." "Are you done yet?" Charlotte couldn''t take it anymore and retorted, "We agreed to exchange the bracelet with the ne within seven days. Instead, you left the country with it. It''s obvious you are trying to dy the ne''s return." "I will go wherever you want. How dare you restrict my personal freedom..." "Then, you should stay there and not return," Charlotte interrupted her and provoked her on purpose. "Hector has asked me to meet him tonight. We will reminisce about the past happily together." "You, how dare..." "Don''t worry. Since you''re not around, I will have a good time with him." With that, Charlotte ended the call. I have to show that despicable mother-daughter duo who''s boss. Or else, they will keep climbing over my head. Just when she was thinking about it, her phone rang and it was Hector. "Hello.¡± "Charlotte, I''ve instructed Luna to return to H City immediately and return the ne to you." "Didn''t you say they wanted to tour Arkfield for ten days? What''s with the sudden rush?" "I was worried that Mr. Nacht made things difficult for you and purposely exined it to him. He told me that you have a three-day deadline until tonight at nine." Hector sounded extremely anxious. "Don''t worry. Luna has booked the tickets for the return flight. She will arrive at H City airport at eight where I will be waiting for her. I will definitely return the ne to you¡± Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Charlotte had mixed emotions when she heard Hector''s words. Hector was on extremely bad terms with Zachary to the extent Zachary hurt him. However, he still set aside his pride to plead with Zachary on Charlotte''s behalf. "Lottie, did you hear what I say?" Hector''s voice disrupted Charlotte''s train of thought. ¡°I¡¯m listening," Charlotte softly replied. "Hector, thank you!" "You don''t have to thank me, I owe you..." Hector continued in a depressing tone, "Now, I strongly regret not protecting you by standing up against my family." "Let bygones be bygones..." "Stupid woman, it''s time for breakfast!¡± Suddenly, a voice rang out and interrupted Charlotte. At the other end of the line, Hector was shocked and felt as if the signal had gone bad. Covering her phone with her hands, Charlotte frowned at Zachary. "Why do you never knock?" "This is my home," Zachary replied coldly and left. Charlotte rolled her eyes and carefully asked Hector, "Are you still there?" "Are you both together?" Hector asked, trying hard to suppress his emotions. "No..." Charlotte didn''t know how to exin. Hector took a deep breath and tried his best to maintain hisposure. "Lottie, let''s meet now at the Blue Diamond. I''ll see you there.¡± "Hector..." Before Charlotte could say anything, Hector ended the call. Charlotte didn''t want to go but she was worried that he would just continue to wait there. Holding that thought, she quickly bathed and got changed. With the bracelet in her hand, she headed out to see Hector. However, the moment she left the room and went downstairs, the maids bowed and greeted her politely. Charlotte was shocked by the attention and quickly responded with a smile. "Ms. Windt, Mr. Nacht is waiting for you at the garden," the maid informed politely. "I''ll take you to him." "No, no." Charlotte waved her hands. "Please let him know that I¡¯m going out instead and not having breakfast." "Alright, do you need the car? I''ll arrange it for you." "Thanks and sorry for the trouble." As the vi was huge, Charlotte had to walk for a few minutes before she could get out. At the entrance, there was a Maybach waiting for her. The driver opened the door for her as she approached. "The Blue Diamond restaurant please." Charlotte rushed into the car and urged the driver, "Please hurry." "Will do, Ms. Windt." The driver started the engine and began to drive. As Charlotte looked out the window, she could see the garden from afar. Zachary was sitting under a parasol having breakfast and the maid seemed to be informing him of her ns. After that, he turned to look in her direction. She was so frightened that she ducked, worried that he would order the car to stop. However, he did no such thing and the car smoothly drove out of the vi. Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily, the Devil isn''t that crazy to restrict my freedom. Charlotte rushed towards the Blue Diamond. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Hector had booked the whole restaurant and was waiting for her by the window. His lonely silhouette looked especially forlorn. Taking a deep breath, Charlotte mentally prepared herself and walked in. "You''re here!" Hector shifted his attention from the window towards her. His tone was incredibly gentle. "Is your wound better?" Charlotte sat down and asked in concern. "Much better." Staring at the red mark on her neck, Hector¡¯s grip on the coffee cup tensed up. Charlotte didn''t notice the change in him as she took out the bracelet from her bag. "Here, I''m returning it to you." "Actually, the bracelet was meant for you." When Hector saw the bracelet, he couldn''t help butment the past. "This is the Sterling family''s heirloom fortheir daughters-inw..." "Then you should give it to Luna because she is their daughter-inw." Charlotte smiled faintly. Hector fell silent in response. After a brief moment, he asked in a solemn tone, "Charlotte, if Luna and I were to get divorced, would you still give me another chance?" Chapter 184 Chapter 184 "It''s better if we stay friends." Charlotte nipped his idea in the bud. "Why?" Hector frowned. "Is it because of Mr. Nacht?" "It has nothing to do with anyone else." Charlotte smiled wryly. "Sometimes, there''s nothing we can do to change the past. We should look ahead instead." Hector clenched his fists in silence. "Call me when you get the ne." Charlotte stood up to leave. "I''m going now. You take care." "Don''t you ever wonder about why your father died?" Hector eximed softly. Charlotte stopped in her tracts and sat down. "Hector, do you know something?" "You should ask Zachary when you get back." Hector¡¯s voice was grim. "What do you mean?¡± Charlotte inquired anxiously. "Are you saying that Zachary has something to do Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. with my dad''s death?" Hector had a troubled look on his face. After a long silence, he changed topics. "Forget it, your life is peaceful now. I don''t want you to get into trouble." "Does he really have something to do with it?" Charlotte widened her eyes in shock. "Impossible. It can''t be true." "Do you trust him that much?" Hector furrowed his eyebrows. "You''re not telling me everything." Charlotte grew desperate. "What do you know? Spit it out." After some hesitation, Hector replied softly, "It was Nacht Group''s hostile takeover that caused the Windt Corporation to go bankrupt in three days. And your father couldn''t ept it..." "What?" Charlotte felt as if her mind was blown by the news. She remembered the first day she went for an interview at Divine Corporation. She met Mr. Looney who doused himself with kerosene and wanted to die together with Zachary. At that time, Mr. Looney said that he had offended Zachary, who caused him to go bankrupt. When she saw him then, he reminded her of her father. Come to think of it now, did Dad and Mr. Looney meet the same fate? "I didn''t want to tell you at first because there''s nothing you can do to change the past. In fact, if you knew the truth, it might put you in danger. However, when I saw how close you were getting to Zachary, I felt the need to remind you..." "I have to get to the bottom of this." Charlotte clenched her fists and dered emotionally, "If someone was responsible for my father''s death, I will definitely avenge him." "Revenge?" Hector grabbed onto Charlotte''s hand by impulse. "Lottie, the Nacht family is a lot more powerful than you can imagine. You shouldn''t think about revenge. All you should do is stay away from Zachary." "I know what I''m doing." Charlotte retracted her hand and raised her gaze at Hector. "Hector, let me ask you this, do Simon and Amanda have anything to do with my dad''s death?" Hector was dumbfounded. "What do you ask?" "I found out that although my dad¡¯spany got into trouble, his personal assets were not seized. However, Thomas and the other shareholders told me that everything my dad had was taken while Simon and his wife avoided seeing me." Charlotte looked at Hector intently, "Do you know about this?" "Not really." Hector responded calmly. "I don''t know much about the Whites." "In that case, can you tell me why you married Luna then?" Charlotte felt that all these were part of the mother-daughter duo¡¯s ns. "I..." Hector hesitated and lowered his head. "After I saw the news about what happened to you at Sultry Night, I was devastated and had too much to drink. Then, I made a mistake..." After a brief pause, he let out a sigh. "I wanted topensate her financially. But, a monthter, Luna was pregnant and both mother and daughter came to see my parents. At that time, your family was the talk of the town. Even my family was badly affected. Hence, my parents were extremely angry and wanted me to get married to stop the rumors. Therefore, I..." Chapter 185 Chapter 185 After his revtion, Hector felt ashamed of himself. That incident had be a painful memory for him. He didn''t want to bring in up in front of anyone, especially Charlotte. "So, that was what happened." Charlotte finally understood what happened. The mother-daughter duo sowed discord between Hector and her. After that, they hooked her up with a male escort to destroy her innocence. Following the incident, they got the media to destroy her reputation. Finally, they let Luna seize upon Hector''s moment of weakness to seduce him. Unfortunately, both Hector and Charlotte were too innocent to see through their schemes. Hence, both of them were ensnared by the trap. "Actually, after getting to know the motherdaughter duo better, I surmised that they were the ones behind what happened. It''s just that... when I see my son, I just couldn''t bear to hold them ountable." Hector let out a deep sigh as remorse overwhelmed him. "I understand your predicament." Charlotte smiled wryly. "After Luna returns the ne, I will get the kids transferred to another school. As long as the mother-daughter duo don''t bother me, we can draw a clear line between each other." With that, she stood up to leave. "Lottie!" Hector grabbed her hand and gazed deep into her eyes. "Please give me another chance. Once I resolve this mistake, I will be free to be with you." "The ship has sailed. There¡¯s no way we can go back." Charlotte retracted her hand and left resolutely. Despite her regrets and lingering feelings for Hector, it was clear to her that rewinding the clock was impossible. As Hector watched Charlotte leave with a forlorn expression, he didn''t notice that someone was taking pictures of them secretly. Charlotte nned to take a taxi back but noticed that the Nachts'' family Maybach was still waiting for her. She quickly got in and thanked the driver. On the way back, there was a lot on her mind. Zachary told her that her dad''s personal assets were not seized. In that case, Simon and his family must have taken over her family¡¯s assets. As for Hector¡¯s revtion that it was the Nacht Group''s takeover of Windt Corporation that caused it to go bankrupt..." On the surface, these two matters seem unrted. But in reality, they were in conflict with each other. If what Zachary said is true, that would mean there is a traitor amongst the Whites. It would also mean that Zachary''s conscience is clear. Or else, why would he bring it up for me to investigate? However, given Charlotte''s understanding of Hector, she knew he wouldn''t lie. Let alone malign Zachary. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. What is really going on? Charlotte got a headache just thinking about it. Sighing, she looked out the window. Just when she wanted to calm herself down, she saw Bar DTT being sealed off. Stunned, she quickly cried out, "Stop the car." The driver stopped by the roadside. When she alighted to investigate, she saw the sealing notice stating that it was a permanent closure. Puzzled, she gave Peter a call. "Hello, Charlotte?" "Peter, I just passed by the bar just now and saw it being sealed. What happened?" "We''ve stopped doing business and are closed forever." Peter was depressed. "Why?" "There¡¯s no need for you to know. By the way, Charlotte, I have transferred your pay for your final night into your ount. Did you receive it?'' "I''ll check it in a while." "Let me know once you do." "I will." "Charlotte, if you have the chance please beg for mercy on behalf of Chris..." "Wait, what?" Charlotte was stunned. "Nothing, just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. Goodbye." Peter ended the call quickly. Stunned, it took a while for Charlotte to regain her senses. Did the bar''s closure have something to do with Chris? She thought back to that night where Chris was drugged and lost his mind. When he tried to force himself on her, it was Gigolo that saved her. Did Gigolo take revenge on Chris and even closed Bar DTT? How ever, Gigolo is just a gigolo. He isn''t capable of something like that. Unless he is Zachary! Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Indeed, Zachary was the only one who had the ability to stop the Bar DTT from operating. Charlotte then thought about Bruce, the Rolls-Royce, and all the other pieces of evidence. Everything was pointing toward the fact that Zachary was the gigolo. If that''s true, then Zachary is the father of my children. Well, I guess a genius president who''s powerful in the corporate world is better than a gigolo from a nightclub. At those thoughts, Charlotte could not help but feel overjoyed. In fact, she even started imagining the scene of her children meeting their father. However, she soon stopped her wishful thinking. No, if Nacht Group had been the one who took over Windt Corporation and led it to bankruptcy, which in turn forced my father to a dead end, then Zachary is the murderer of my father. How can the murderer of my father be the father of my children? At that thought, Charlotte''s heart sank. "Ms. Windt!" The driver¡¯s voice interrupted Charlotte''s train of thoughts. Returning to her senses, she said to the driver, "I have something to attend to. You can go back first." "All right." The driver nodded to her before leaving. Charlotte then took out her phone and started calling a list of people that she had not contacted for a long time. "Mr. Walker, I''m Charlotte. I''m hoping to talk to you-" Before she could finish her sentence, the man had ended the call. "Ms. Freeman, I¡¯m Charlotte-" The call ended again. "Mr. Judd, I''m Charlotte. Yes, I¡¯m back. Are you free to meet? I''m hoping to talk to you about my father." She made fifteen consecutive calls, but only four picked up, and only one agreed to meet. Charlotte rushed to the location they agreed on. On her way there, she felt conflicted. On one hand, she wished that Zachary were the gigolo, but on the other, she hoped that he wasn''t. In fact, she wished Hector had made a mistake-that the bankruptcy of Windt Corporation and her father¡¯s death had nothing to do with Zachary. Soon, she reached Judd Realty. Upon entering the office and seeing its surroundings, Charlotte was surprised. The vice president of Windt Corporation and Richard¡¯s right-hand man, Jeffrey Judd, now had a real estatepany with a grand total of five employees. When Jeffrey saw Charlotte, an awkward expression crept upon his face. He quickly assigned tasks to his subordinates before he led Charlotte to a nearby cafe. In a rather passionate yet slightly awkward manner, he greeted, "Miss, it¡¯s been many years since we''ve seen each other. You still look the same. I''ve been thinking of contacting you, but I was worried that I¡¯d disrupt your life." "There''s no need to be so formal. Just call me by my name," Charlotte replied with a smile. "How can I?" Jeffrey panicked. "You''re Mr. Windt''s daughter, and Mr. Windt¡¯s my savior." "My Dad helped many people, but you''re the only one who agreed to meet with me. I''m already grateful forthat." Charlotte sighed before she finally started the solemn topic. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Mr. Judd, I know you''re busy, so I¡¯ll be frank with you. I''m here because I wish to find out what happened four years ago. Why did Windt Corporation suddenly go bankrupt? Why did my father decide to take such extreme actions?" "I..." Upon broaching the subject, Jeffrey became mncholic. "Mr. Windt had told me not to tell you about those things, he hoped that you can lead a peaceful life." "Mr. Judd-" "Before he passed on, he left something for you," Jeffrey interrupted. He then took out a small box from his pocket. In the box was a ck key that he handed to her with a grave expression. "Mr. Windt said to give you this when youe to look for me. The item''s in Oakhill Mausoleum''s number 101 safe. There are two locks on it, and the passcode is your mother''s birthday." Upon hearing those words and seeing the ck key, tears welled up in Charlotte''s eyes. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Charlotte had known since young that her father had a red wooden box. In the box were some important documents, as well as her mother''s photo. Although she had never seen her mother, her father always told her that her mother was like an angel and a perfect woman. Her mother had gone missing after giving birth to her, and her father never gave up trying to find his wife ever since. He worked hard to climb up to the top of the corporate world, just so that he could see her soon. Although Charlotte understood nothing back then, she knew her father loved her mother dearly, and her mother was an excellent woman. As such, even though her mother had never taken care of her, she never felt a hint of grievance toward her. All she felt was a sense of longing for her mother. After her father passed away, Charlotte thought of looking for the red wooden box. However, she could not find it anywhere. In the end, she thought it had been seized. It was only now that she found out her father had put it at Oakhill Mausoleum before his death. Perhaps he had realized something would happen to him early on, and that was why he had made early preparations for his daughter. "Mr. Judd, why didn''t you tell me about this earlier?¡± Charlotte took the key with slightly trembling hands. "I''ve been looking high and low for this box four years ago." Jeffrey sighed and murmured, "If I were to give you the box four years ago, many would''ve been after it. Too many people had their eyes on you back then. You were like a fish on the board, waiting to be gutted. There was no way you could defend yourself. Your father expected that, and that was why he asked me to hand this to you five yearster. I never thought you''de to me a year earlier than the expected date." "So, my Dad nned this early on." Charlotte took in a deep breath as she collected herself. "What happened back then? Can you talk to me about it? I just want to know the truth." "Miss, it''s best if you stop asking about it." Jeffrey''s brows were tightly knitted, and he muttered, "I can only say that it''s impossible for Mr. Windt tomit suicide when he has a precious daughter to take care of and a beloved wife to find. He was set up by someone." At that, Jeffrey became so agitated that his hand that was holding the cup shook. "Who is it?" Charlotte questioned. "Who set my father up?" "That person is too powerful for you to win against." Jeffrey clenched his fists, trying his best to hold back his emotions. "It''s all in the past now, and it won''t be good for you to learn too much. It''s best if you just protect yourself well." "But-" "Miss, I still have some matters to attend to in the office. I''ll take my leave first." Before Charlotte could ask him more questions, Jeffrey stood up and was about to leave. "Mr. Judd-" Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Charlotte wanted to stop him, but he was swift to leave. After taking a few steps, he seemed to have recalled something and turned around to tell her, "By the way, Miss, you have to be careful about Simon Windt and his family." With that, Jeffrey left. Charlotte stared at his retreating figure as a myriad of emotions washed over her. What did he mean by that? He said that the person who set my Dad up is powerful, and now he''s telling me to be wary of Simon and his family In other words, he''s telling me... The one who set my father up isn''t Simon.Could it really be Zachary than? Hundreds of thoughts raced across Charlotte''s mind as she stared at the ck key in her hands. She hesitated, wondering if she should head to Oakhill Mausoleum now for the red wooden box. It was too dangerous at home, and she could not possibly bring the box to Zachary¡¯s ce. There was nowhere safe for the box to be at, so Charlotte felt that leaving the box in Oakhill Mausoleum would be the best decision to make. After mulling over it, Charlotte decided to return to Zachary¡¯s ce first. She left the cafe and was about to hail a cab when she realized she did not know the address of Nachts'' residence. Right then, a Maybach drove over, and its driver came down the car to open the door for her. Respectfully, the driver said, "Ms. Windt, this way please." "Why are you here?" Charlotte blurted out. "Mr. Nacht has instructed me to bring you back safely, so I''ve been waiting for you from afar. I hope I haven''t disrupted you," the driver exined politely. However, his words sent chills running down Charlotte''s spine. She suddenly realized Zachary was watching every move she made. It was impossible for her to escape from Zachary. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 By the time she returned to the Nachts'' residence, the sun had set. As night approached, it looked as though a ck veil had nketed across the sky, making it look mysterious and distant. Coming down from the car, Charlotte was distracted. Various questions were running amok in her mind, waiting for the answers that could settle them down. "Ms. Windt," greeted the surrounding guards and maids. For a moment, Charlotte felt as if she was thedy of the house. She shook her head, trying to shake the thought off her mind. "Where''s Mr. Nacht?" she asked. "Mr. Nacht is at the pool. I''ll lead you there," a maid replied. "All right. Thank you." Charlotte followed the maid across the garden to the pool. From afar, she could see arge bluemp shining at the pool. The light made the surface of the pool shimmer, and she could see a figure swimming in it. Under the light, his slender figure seemed nimble. Looking at him, she could feel that familiar enigmatic sense exuding off him. Charlotte jogged toward him. She wanted to use the opportunity to find out whether he had the tattoo on his lower back. However, when she went closer, she realized the pool was huge, and Zachary was swimming in the middle of it. From thend, she could see a patch of dark green on his back, which meant he had a tattoo. Nheless, she could not see the design of his tattoo clearly. Charlotte''s heart leaped into her throat as she jogged to the other end of the pool. She wanted to get closer to him for a better view. However, the moment she came closer, he swam to the other side. Hence, she jogged over again. What happened next was her running after him as he swamps. When Zachary surfaced and wiped his face, he gave her a mocking look. It was as though he was looking at a fool. "Are you doing this intentionally?" Charlotte huffed as she hunched over, tired from all the chasing. With a smile, he lowered himself into the water again and continued swimming. The tattoo seemed to fade in and out of his back, tempting Charlotte toe closer. Furious, Charlotte whirled around to leave, but her footsteps halted after taking a few steps. No. I can''t leave. If I don''t find out about his identity today, I''m not sure I¡¯ll have any more future opportunities to do so.Even if we''re in the bedroom, I doubt I would have the time nor sense to find out about his tattoo...It''s crowded here, so he can''t do much to me. With that thought, Charlotte returned. Beside the pool were ivory lounge chairs and tables. On the table was a bottle of red wine, a bucket of ice, and some desserts. Charlotte took an ice cube out from the bucket and tossed it at Zachary. The ice cubended beside him, and Zachary jolted a little before he continued swimming. Charlotte then tossed another piece. Like the previous ice cube, this onended beside Zachary again. After a few seconds, Zachary popped out of the water and shot a re at her. She threw a handful of ice cubes at him. This time, the ice cubesnded on Zachary''s back, bottom, and head. Finally, Zachary was enraged, and he started swimming in her direction. Standing at the edge of the pool, Charlotte tiptoed as she tried to peek at Zachary¡¯s back. I must see his tattoo this time. Like a sailfish, Zachary came close to her in seconds. Meanwhile, Charlotte continued staring at the tattoo on his back. Under the blue light, the patch of ink Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. started getting clearer and clearer. Just as she was about to see the pattern clearly, a hand suddenly grabbed her ankle and tugged on it. Ssh! Charlotte fell right into the pool. Her arms iled about as water invade her nose and mouth. She was struggling like a cat that was drowning. In the meantime, Zachary simply watched her from the side, indifferent to her struggles. In fact, a taunting smile was stered on his lips. Just as Charlotte was about to sink into the water, Zachary finally reached out to scoop her out of the pool. Ptooey! Charlotte spat out a mouthful of pool water right onto Zachary¡¯s face. Zachary quickly shut his eyes before he gritted out, "Charlotte Windt, you''re dead meat!" Charlotte panted for a while before she came back to her senses. Immediately, she turned Zachary around to look at his lower waist. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Still dripping with water, Zachary''s tanned skin was a sight to behold under the blue light. There was a long scar nted across his waist that gave off the illusion of cutting his waist in half. Under the scar was a tattoo. Right as Charlotte was about to find out what the tattoo looked like, Zachary grabbed her by the hair and forced her to look at his enraged face. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "You-" Before Charlotte could say anything, Zachary bit down on her cold, red lips. Like a beast that was gnawing on its prey, he nibbled on her lips like he was giving her a vindictive punishment. His bite made Charlotte''s lips numb, and she was close to suffocating. In her panic, Charlotte struggled, but she was trapped in his arms, unable to defend herself. His kisses engulfed her just like how a thunderstorm would, and the movements of his hands were getting wilder and wilder. Just as he was about to break through thest of her defenses, she widened her eyes, full-blown panicking. "Mr. Nacht, we have news from Mr. Bruce-" A voice reported from behind him, but it stopped halfway. Evidently, the man was stunned by the scene in front of him, and he promptly shut his mouth. Reluctantly, Zachary let go of Charlotte before he cupped her cheek with one hand and glide his thumb past her swollen lips. "Remember never to infuriate me again." Charlotte panted, panic evident in her eyes. Like a frightened doe, she trembled. With a quick jump, Zachary easily left the pool and covered himself with his bathrobe. Meanwhile, Charlotte mbered ashore and scurried off. "We have an hour before it''s nine," Zachary muttered his reminder in a gloomy tone. Charlotte shuddered as she recalled the promise she made to him. It was already eight now. She wondered if Luna had reached H City in time. She quickly searched for her phone, only to realize her phone was by the edge of the pool, soaked in water. In a hurry, she grabbed the phone and fled the scene. Zachary stared at her panicked movements as his lips curled into a smirk. He only averted his gaze long after Charlotte had disappeared from his view. In a deep voice, he queried, "How''s Bruce doing?" "It was a failure," the subordinate carefully replied. "Ms. Summers is hoping that you''ll go..." The man then trailed off, fearing to continue. "Tell Bruce toe back." Zachary seemed to have no reaction to the news. "Yes, Mr. Nacht." After returning to her room with her phone, Charlotte realized she had two missed calls from Hector. She tried calling him back only to find out that her phone was malfunctioning; she could not make any calls. rmed, she quickly wiped the phone dry before trying again. However, her efforts were to no avail. Anxious, she was about to borrow a phone to call Hector when her phone rang with the caller ID showing her that it was none other than Hector. Charlotte tried multiple times to ept the call, and finally, right before the call ended, she seeded. It had been a tough task, so by the time she answered the call, her hands were trembling from agitation. "Hector." "Lottie, I''ve gotten the ne, and it''s on its way. I''m just worried that the Nacht family''s guards won''t let me in." "That''s great news. I''ll tell Zachary right away to let you in." "All right. Wait for me." After ending the call, Charlotte clenched her phone, thrilled, and was about to look for Zachary. Right then, Zachary walked by her room, barefoot and wrapped in a bathrobe. Charlotte darted to him. "I need to talk to you." "It''s the middle of the night, you¡¯re soaked, and you''ve rushed into a man''s room. What are you nning to talk about?" With a burning gaze, Zachary swept his eyes up and down her body. Droplets of water were still dripping from her soaked clothes, and the fabric was sticking to her skin, disying her perfect figure. Her wless, fair skin seemed to shine under the artificial lights, and it tempted him. "We¡¯ve gotten the ruby ne, and Hector is on his way to deliver it here. As long as the guards let him pass, he''ll be able to deliver it before nine..." "Isn''t he a capable man?" Zachary interrupted as he turned and sat on the couch. "Let him think of a way to enter this ce then." "You-" Charlotte''s face flushed with rage. "You''re deliberately making this difficult for us." Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Instead of denying it, Zachary shrugged. He then poured himself half a ss of wine and savored it slowly. "Why are you doing this?" Charlotte was close to exploding in fury. "Do you have a grudge against my Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. father? Is that why you''re toying with me?" Hearing those words, Zachary paused and looked at her. "Did someone say something to you?" "Why? Are you feeling guilty?" Charlotte questioned. "Does my father''spany''s bankruptcy have something to do with you?" That was the question she wanted the answer to the most. Although it was risky to voice it out, she had no other options. After all, shecked the ability to investigate him. So she might as well be direct with him. "Who told you that?" Zachary narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Seeing that you''re not denying it, does that mean it''s true?" Charlotte did not want to ept this as her reality, but with how he reacted, it seemed like that was the truth. Instead of answering her questions, Zachary asked, "Was it Hector?" "He has nothing to do with this," Charlotte hurriedly drew the line between Hector and the matter. "Tell me. Did you acquire my father''spany with malicious intents and caused the bankruptcy of Windt Corporation?" "Very well." Zachary swirled the wine in his ss. "When he pleaded for mercy earlier, I''ve decided to let him off. But, since he''s pulling dirty tricks on me now, I guess all that''s left for him is to perish." With that, he took out his phone and made a call. "Cease Sterling Group''s project." "Don''t-" Charlotte tried to stop him, but Zachary had already ended the call. She anxiously exined, "This has nothing to do with him!" "Do you feel bad for him?" The corner of Zachary''s lips curled upward as he cast a mocking gaze on her. "Why don''t we make a bet then?" "What do you mean? What are you trying to do?" Panic had overtaken Charlotte¡¯s mind. All she knew then was that the man in front of her was terrifying. Leisurely, Zachary lit his cigar. Right then, a call came in. "Mr. Nacht, Hector Sterling''s car is parked at the green way. He says he''s here to deliver something to you." "Let him in," Zachary ordered. "Yes, Sir." After ending the call, he looked up at her, and she could see an evil glint in his eyes. "So? Will you bet with me?" "What are you trying to do?" A sense of foreboding rose in Charlotte''s heart. "Give it a second, and you''ll find out." Zachary nced at her translucent, soaked clothes before ordering, "Tidy yourself up in the bathroom." It was only then that Charlotte realized she was soaked and dripping all over the floor. She was about to return to her room when she heard the noises of a car outside. Hector had arrived. In her panic, she entered Zachary¡¯s bathroom instead. While she was tidying herself up, Hector''s meek voice came from the outside. "Mr. Nacht, here¡¯s your ruby ne. My deepest apologies. My wife is not the most sensible woman. I apologize to you on behalf of her for offending you." "Why are you still standing outside? Come in and have a seat." Zachary sounded polite. "Thank you." Hector walked into the room. It was then Zachary ordered in the direction of the bathroom, "Come out." Charlotte shuddered in fear, but she steeled herself and walked out. Her hair was still damp, and she was wrapped in a bathrobe toorge to be hers. Hector halted in his tracks. Emotions shed across his eyes when he looked at her, including shock, sadness, and disappointment. "He delivered this here for you. Why aren''t you thanking him yet?" Zachary pointed at Hector with the cigar between his fingers. Charlotte furrowed her brows but remained silent. At that moment, she knew Hector had misunderstood the scene. With the way things were between them, even though she had no need to exin to Hector anything she was doing, it still did not sit well with her to have stepped into a trap. "Mr. Nacht, please take a look at the ne. If there are no problems, I''ll be taking my leave." Right as Hector was speaking, he received a message on his phone. When he read the message, his face ashen, and he cried out, "Mr. Nacht, why did you stop my project?" Chapter 191 Chapter 191 "Because you¡¯re sticking your nose into where it doesn''t belong." Zachary shot an icy re at Hector. "I..." Hector stood transfixed for a moment before he blurted out an exnation, "I''m giving this ne back because of my wife''s mistake. It has nothing to do with anyone else.¡± "Do you mean you''re not doing this for her?" Zachary pointed at Charlotte. "No.¡± Hector dropped his head, not daring to look at Charlotte. Hearing his response, Charlotte knitted her brows, an uneasy feeling crept within her. She knew Hector was saying those words to protect himself, but to look at how meek he had be sent indescribable feelings to her heart. "Tell me then, what does the bankruptcy of Windt Corporation have to do with me?" Zachary questioned. Hector shuddered as his face paled further. "He''s not the one who told me about it," Charlotte exined. "This has nothing to do with him." "Speak!" Zachary roared. Shuddering again, Hector stuttered, "l-l-l don''t know." Instead of shouting again, Zachary kept his cial gaze fixed on the other man. "What are you doing?" Charlotte quickly jumped to Hector''s defense. "Why are you dragging others into our problem?" "Hmm, you''re right." Zachary suddenly changed his tone as he smiled. "Mr. Sterling, don''t be afraid. I was just asking.¡± Like Charlotte, Hector frowned in confusion. "It''s just a ne worth a hundred million. There''s no need for you to deliver this to me personally.¡± Zachary then threw the ruby ne to Hector as though he was rewarding money to a beggar. "Here. Think of it as my investment and use it to start the project." "Do you mean..." Hector trailed off, bewildered. "I can restart my project?" The ne was a symbolism of the opportunity Zachary was giving to him. "Of course." Zachary leaned back on the sofa as he swayed his ss gracefully. "However, that item Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. can only have one value. Whether you use the ruby ne to start your project or to buy her freedom is up to you." Hearing Zachary''s words, the hair behind Charlotte¡¯s neck stood up. So that''s the bet he was talking about. The bet is about Hector''s choice. Will he choose thepany, or will he choose me?He can only choose one... Charlotte knew how crucial the project was to the Sterlings for Hector to plead meekly with Zachary. Now that the Browns and Divine Corporation were pressuring them, if the Sterlings could not carry out this project sessfully, bankruptcy would be waiting forthem. It was impossible for Hector to give up on hisst chance in a situation like this. However, if he chose family, he would be giving up on her once again. It would be a reenactment of what happened four years ago. That being said, a lot of things had changed since four years ago. As such, even if Hector chose to abandon her for his family again, Charlotte would no longer feel the same disappointment and grievance she once felt. She had long since let go of those feelings of hers. He was the only one who still held onto those feelings. What Zachary was doing now was to drive a wedge between them, forcing Hector to let go of his feelings. From then on, he would then be too ashamed to continue clinging to Charlotte. At the same time, Charlotte would finally give up thest shred of hope she had for him. After all, human nature had always been cruel. They could forgive and understand, but that did not mean there would not be any hard feelings left. "Women have nothing to do with business. Why do you have to involve her in this?" Hector panicked. "Mr. Nacht, if you aren''t satisfied with the terms I''ve mentioned earlier, we can-" "There is nothing to discuss," Zachary cut him off. He then stated, "You have a minute to make your decision. Her, or yourpany." With that, he stood up and headed to the bathroom. He was giving space for Hector and Charlotte to talk things out. The entire time, Hector''s fists were clenched tight, and his eyes were reddened. His emotions were threatening to spill over. Charlotte looked at him with pity in her eyes. Countless words bubbled in her heart, but none came out of her mouth. She knew she could never escape Zachary. At the end of the day, she was destined to be his ything. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Hector was caught in a dilemma. It was as if two hands were tugging his heart in two different directions, threatening to shred him into pieces. He wanted to protect Charlotte, but he could not endanger hispany. Even if he knew this was Zachary¡¯s trap, he could not do anything about it. "Hector..." Charlotte finally spoke, breaking the silence of the tense atmosphere. "Don''t think too much about it, just go with your heart." "Charlotte, I don''t want to let you down like I did four years ago," Hector croaked. "But I can''t just let my Sterlings." "I understand." Charlotte stered on a stiff smile. "This isn''t like the past. Yourpany is the only thing you should be responsible for now." "But what about you?" Hector breathed. "He won''t do much to me," Charlotte replied with feigned casualness. "You don''t need to worry about me." "He won''t do much to you?" Hector looked at the bathrobe on her as several emotions flitted across his eyes. "You had always been a proud person who held firmly to your morals and principle, but now..." Hector could not continue speaking. His knuckles had long since turned white from how hard he was clenching his fists, and she could see the helplessness and a hint of stubbornness in his eyes. Charlotte knew he must have misunderstood the situation, but she could not be bothered to exin to him. All she did was put on a bitter smile. "You''re right. But do you know what made me turn into this?" Her words caused the atmosphere to turned tense again. If the Sterlings had not trimmed their sails back then and broke off the engagement with the Windt family the moment they found out about the bankruptcy, she would not have stepped into Luna''s trap. All those things would not have happened, and she would not have ended up in this way. Therefore, Hector was mainly responsible for what she had be. "I''m sorry." Hector lowered his head in guilt. "So? Have you made up your mind?" Just then, Zachary''s arrogant voice traveled to their ears. "Mr. Nacht, I think we should have a private talk." Hector was not about to give in just yet. He still wanted to protect both hispany and her. "I don''t have time to talk to you." Zachary sat down on the couch and crossed his legs. "I¡¯ll give you ten more seconds. Either take her, or take it." He pointed at the ruby ne with his toe. "Pick one." "I-" Hector had more to say when his phone rang. He quickly walked to the side of the room and picked it up. "Hello? What?" "Dad, don''t panic. I''m thinking of a way. I know, I know. I''ll call you backter." Ending the call, Hector hurriedly begged Zachary, "Mr. Nacht, can''t you spare us? Why did you stop the entire project? This is too great of a loss for us to bear.¡± "So?" Zachary lifted a brow and sneered.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "I..." Hector was at loss for words. Now, Zachary was the man who was pulling all the strings. Whoever he wanted dead would be dead in the next second. There was no room for discussion. "You have three seconds left." Zachary lifted his fingers and started counting down. "Three..." "Mr. Nacht-" "Two..." "Mr. Nacht, please-" "If you keep this up, you won''t even get to choose." By now, Zachary was frowning in impatience. "I..." Hector nced at the ruby ne before turning to look at Charlotte as he struggled with his choice. Just then, his phone rang again. Sweat rolled down his temples, and his eyes were bloodshot. Unable to watch him any further, Charlotte was about to take the ruby ne for him. Almost at the same time, Hector reached out to take the ruby ne. The pendant glided across the back of Charlotte¡¯s hand, and she subconsciously raised her head to look at him. The two locked eyes in silence. Although she could understand the reason for his choice, and she supported his decision, she was still stunned by how eager he was to take the ne in the end. His decision to pick the ne was like a dagger that stabbed deep in her heart, sending her waves of agony. "Lottie, I " Hector was panicking. He realized Charlotte had wanted to make the choice for him, but he was quicker than her by one second. Just like that, everything he said to her earlier meant nothing now... Chapter 193 Chapter 193 "Very good.¡± Zachary gave him a satisfied smile. "A man who knows and submits to his own circumstances is a wise man." "Mr. Nacht, can you-" "Send him off." Zachary gave no opportunity for Hector to speak. The security guard entered the room to escort Hector out of the vi. The entire time, Hector''s guilt-filled eyes were fixed on Charlotte, but thetter never lifted her head to look at him. What happened four years ago had been fate''s cruel trick, but everything that happened now was his choice. No matter how stumped he was about the options, he still made the same decision he made back then- to give up on her in order to protect his family''s century-oldpany. Four years ago, they were engaged when he abandoned her. She could feel aggrieved by his actions back then, but now, they barely had a rtionship. She could not possibly hold a grudge against him for making a choice like this. Nheless, his action was like a knife to her heart that could never be removed from now on. This was the very end of their long love and regretful past. "How do you feel?" Zachary nudged Charlotte''s leg with his toe as he crowed, "Have you finally given up on him?" "Are you happy now?" Charlotte red at him with eyes filled with hatred. "You''ve destroyed myst hope. Do you feel ted?" "Have your mind not cleared up yet?" Zachary looked at her as if she was a fool. "The one who destroyed your hope was Hector, not me." Not wanting to continue speaking to him, Charlotte turned to leave. However, he tugged on her shirt, and she fell into his arms. She tried to break free from him, but his mighty arms locked her in ce. "Let me go," Charlotte snarled as she struggled. "I dare you to move again," Zachary growled after lifting a brow. Charlotte was furious, but she had no choice other than to tamp down her anger. The only action she could do to convey her wrath was to re at him. "Sign it." Zachary shoved the debt repayment agreement to her. "Why should I?" Charlotte argued. "You''ve already gotten back the ne. You were the one who gave it up, using it to threatened Hector with it. What makes you think I''ll sign it?" "Are you arguing with me?" Zachary sneered. "Let me make this clear for you, you''re the one who lost the ne in the beginning. As such, it''s only natural that I¡¯ll look for you as the one being responsible. Now, Hector is the one who took the ne away. You can sue him for theft and scam, but it doesn''t change the fact that you still owe me." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "You-" There was no way Charlotte could win against him in the argument. He was always the one to decide the right and the wrong. All she could do was to yield to his words. "Be good now, and sign it." Zachary slotted a pen into her hand. Looking at the debt repayment agreement, fury surged from within her, and she tore the paper into pieces. "Don''t ever think of controlling me! If you want to sue me, go ahead! I won''t do what you''re trying to trick me into." With that, she flung the torn pieces of paper at him before storming off. Zachary''s face fell as a grim look entered his eyes. However, this time, he did not punish her with violence. Instead, he simply let her leave. Seems like I need to teach her a lesson so that she''ll know what it feels like to be hopeless and in despair... "Mr. Nacht, Ms. Windt..." "Let her leave." Zachary walked to the windowsill and looked down at her moving figure. He saw that the woman had changed back into the clothes she came in and she left the vi without taking anything with her. After receiving Zachary''s instructions, none of the maids dared to stop her. They parted when she walked past them. As she strode out of his residence, she felt as if she was walking out of his world. There was a spring to her steps and she held her head high, looking like a battle-worn warrior who had achieved freedom. Having the feeling that he was probably watching her from afar, she waved her hand without turning around, seemingly bidding him farewell. A taunting sneer grew on Zachary''s lips as he retreated back to his bedroom and drew the curtains close. He then leaned back on his couch and returned to his drink. He was sure that in less than an hour, she would be back to plead for mercy. Chapter 194 Chapter 194 It took Charlotte half an hour before she reached the main gate of the vi. Outside was a greenway with trees nted on both sides that had street lights installed on them, illuminating the road to her freedom. Puffing up her chest, she continued her way out. There was a breeze that night, and it enveloped her in afortable chill. As she looked at the patchy moonlit road and listened to the cacophony of frogs and insects, she felt as if she was in a painting. The beautiful scenery calmed Charlotte and also strengthened her determination to stay away from Zachary. I can''t let him control me... I won¡¯t be a ve of that Devil! Awoo! Just then, a beast could be heard howling in the woods. Charlotte paused in her tracks and stood transfixed. Is my ears deceiving me?Was that a cry of a wild animal I heard just now?Nah... It can''t be... I must''ve misheard. Clutching her chest where her racing heart lied beneath, she continued her way. Awoo! A howl echoed in the empty road again, and it sounded closer this time. Charlotte''s eyes widened as her heart thumped loudly. No way... There can''t be any wild animals here, right? Tensing up, her head snapped to the side as she observed her surroundings. However, no other sounds seemed to being from the woods. Yet, she was still afraid. Although she went up and down the hill in a vehicle each time, she knew that the distance between Zachary''s vi and the main road was at least six miles. She would need four hours at the very least to walk on foot for these six miles. There was no guarantee that a wild animal would not pounce and feast on her while she was on her way down the hill. With that thought, cold sweat started beaded on Charlotte''s forehead. She twisted her head around to look at the nearby vi. I''ve only walked a mile. If I want to head back now, I can still do so... Without any hesitation, she started walking back toward the vi. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. However, she only took two steps before she recalled Zachary''s cold gaze and domineering demeanor. Charlotte hesitated. But if I go back now, I¡¯d have to sign the paper.And from then on, I¡¯d owe him ny-eight million. When will I be able to clear the debt?Not to mention if I can''t clear the debt, I¡¯ll be his ve. I will have to obey everything he says. The thought of being a ve made her hair stood on end. No. As long as I breathe, I will not go back. She clenched her jaw and continued. At the same time, she fished out her phone to make a call. She decided to hail a cab. Once I''m inside the cab, I''ll be safe... However, Charlotte was dumbfounded upon taking out her phone. Because her phone had fallen into the pool earlier, the screen was now malfunctioning. Not only was she unable to swipe on the screen, but it was even flickering. As she walked briskly forward, she shook her phone hard, hoping to get the water out. Maybe I''ll be able to use it once the water''s out. Evidently, she was too naive. In order to save money, she had bought the cheapest phone that came with a free electronic fan. In other words, it was ludicrous for her to hope that her phone could survive after getting soaked. Charlotte felt like crying as a sense of helplessness crashed into her. All she could do now was to pray that she could get out of this hellhole safely. Other than calling for a gigolo that one time four years ago, she had never done anything bad. Good things happen to good people, right? Charlotte picked up her pace as she prayed in her heart. Seeing that there were no creatures came lunging at her even after she had walked for several hundred meters, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, her pace slowed down. I must have misheard it earlier. Just as that thought shed into her mind, however, she noticed a pair of green eyes in the woods nearby, watching her. Her feet were instantly rooted to the ground as her eyes widened. Staring at the green eyes, she thought, It must be an illusion. It must be. It has to be. She shut her eyes. When she opened them again, not only did the green eyes not disappear, but they had also gotten even closer. Under the moonlight, she could see an animal covered in fur slowly stalking toward her. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 It was a wolf. The hairs on Charlotte¡¯s arms stood as her legs shook. Slowly and carefully, she started inching backward, ready to flee the scene. However, the wolf quickened its step as it narrowed its eyes. She could sense the murderous aura from it. "D-Don¡¯t eat me." Charlotte choked out her words before she took several steps back. Then, she sprinted back the way she came from. For a few seconds, there were no soundsing from behind her. When Charlotte turned around to look, she saw that the wolf stood at its spot for a while before it slowly padded behind her. Evidently, the wolf was looking down on a weak prey like her. It was a game of cat and mouse. Once she was tired, it would pounce on her and eat her. Charlotte ran as quickly as she could, all while trying to get her phone to work. She wanted to call for help, but the screen refused to work. By now, her terror was at its peak, and she screamed, "Help! Help!" Unfortunately, no one heard her. Not far ahead of her was the Nachts'' residence. She knew that the moment she entered the gates, she would be safe. She was overwhelmed with regret. Why did I have to anger Zachary?Why did I have toe out here alone in the middle of the night? Does being courageous bring me any benefit?Can my dignity help me survive? No! Of course not! Who the f*ck cares about that damn agreement? I''ll sign that paper. As long as I can live, I''ll do anything!! still have three kids, Mrs. Berry, and Fifi. I even have a hundred thousand that I haven''t spent yet. I can''t die now! Awoo! The wolf had finally lost its patience and it was now loping at full speed toward her. Her heart leaping to her throat, Charlotte sprinted. The Nachts¡¯ residence was right in front of her, but no matter how quick she tried to run, it felt like she would never reach it. On the other hand, the wolf was getting closer and closer. Charlotte could hear the howling of the wind behind her, and she could sense the murderous aura of the wolf. Her legs gave out on her, and she copsed on the ground with a loud thud. At that moment, two words shed into her mind. I''m screwed! I''m done for... All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Behind her, the wolf unhinged its jaw and pounced toward her. Instinctively, Charlotte closed her eyes. Right then, a silver glint shed from the side and hit the wolf''s neck. Less than a meter away from Charlotte, the wolf slumped to the ground. It shook its weakening body before it swiftly escaped into the woods. "Don¡¯t eat me. Don''t eat me..." Hunching on the ground like a shrank-up tortoise, Charlotte wailed in despair. A pair of eyes watched her coldly from the woods, and in them was disdain. After a long while, Charlotte finally came back to her senses. Stiffly, she turned to look behind her, only to realize the wolf was gone. She mbered to her feet on her shaky legs and bolted toward the vi. Awoo! In the woods, the slender figure cupped his mouth and mimicked the howl of a wolf. "Ah!" Charlotte screeched as she sped up. In a trembling voice, she cried out, "Help me! Help me!" When she finally reached the entrance of the vi, she realized that the dark green steel gate was tightly shut, sealing Charlotte off from the safety of the house. She mmed her palms onto the gate and screamed, "Open up! Hurry and open the door! There''s a wolf outside!¡± No one answered her. She could see a few guards just a distance away who remained as still as a statue. It was as if they had not heard her cries for help. "Help! Help!¡± Charlotte stomped her feet as she continued to yell, "It¡¯s me, Charlotte. Let me in!" Still, no reactions came from the guards. "What¡¯s wrong with you all? Let me in!" Charlotte was close to tears by now. "Zachary, let me in! There''s a wolf outside about to eat me!" "Weren''t you the one who wanted to leave in the first ce?¡± An apathetic voice entered her ears. Turning in the direction of the voice, Charlotte noticed that Zachary was sitting on the wooden bench beside the flower bed. He was in his sleeping robe, holding onto a cigar in one hand and a wine ss in the other; he was the epitome of nonchnce. Chapter 196 Chapter 196 "Let me in, please," Charlotte begged as she sobbed. "There''s a wolf out here about to eat me." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Uh-huh," came Zachary¡¯s unconcerned reply. He then stood up and slowly walked away. "Hey!" Charlotte was on the verge of breaking down. She mmed her fists on the steel gates and screamed, "You won''t just stand there and watch me die, will you? If you don¡¯t let me in, I''ll die!" Zachary ignored her as he continued walking into the vi. "Zachary Nacht," Charlotte bellowed. "You heartless animal. Karma will get you soon!" Zachary stopped to turn and look at her. "You''re still cursing at me at a time like this?" "D-Don''t assume I have to beg you," Charlotte ground out. "If I die here, you¡¯d have to bear the responsibility. If the copse, you''ll be the primary suspect." "I see..." Zachary nodded solemnly. He then pointed at the surveince camera by the gate. "See that? It will film the process of the wolf eating you. You do realize that a wolf is wild, right? I''m not the one who raised it and there is now stating that I have to save you." "You-" Charlotte could not formte a response to refute him. "Let me teach you something," Zachary said with a smile. "When the wolf bites you, just scream and shout like you did just now. It''ll think that you''re annoying, and it¡¯ll snap its jaw on your throat. Blood will spurt out of you like a water fountain, and death will be instant. This way, it won''t hurt." Charlotte''s face turned colorless as her entire being trembled. All words died in her throat. "I wish you a merry death. Goodbye!" Zachary waved and turned to leave. "Zachary Nacht!" Charlotte roared as she mmed the steel gate. "You heartless b*stard! You''ll die a horrible death!" Awoo! Once again, howls of wolves sounded behind her. Charlotte immediately lost all her courage as she fell onto her knees with a thud. She wailed and pleaded, "Please save me! I don''t want to die!" Zachary, who had his back to her, finally grinned in delight and glee. He was even more exhrated now than when he got a business deal worth tens of billions. However, he was not in a rush to turn around. Instead, he took a slow step forward. "Zachary, as long as you save me, I''ll do anything." Charlotte cared for nothing now; staying alive was the only thought in her mind. "Give me the contract. I''ll sign it. As long as you save me, I''ll sign it." "Are you sure?" Zachary finally turned around. With an innocent expression on his face, he asked, "Are you going to im that I¡¯m forcing you again?" "No, I won''t. I¡¯m doing this willingly," Charlotte guaranteed. "Let me in first. Let me in quickly. The wolf is here. It really is." "All right. But remember, you''re the one begging 99 me. Zachary slowly raised his arm and made a gesture. It was then the bodyguard stepped forward and opened the steel gates. The gates had only opened a fraction before Charlotte rushed in. As her legs were still weak, she fell to the ground. Lifting her head, she could see numerous pairs of green eyes watching her covetously from the nearby woods. Widening her eyes in fear, a shudder wracked through her body before she fainted. Zachary clicked his tongue and sighed before shaking his head. "How fragile is she to pass out just like this?" He then walked over to lift her up into his arms before instructing the guards. "You may leave now." "Yes, Mr. Nacht." One of the bodyguards pressed a button, and the green eyes immediately disappeared. Zachary carried Charlotte into the vi and ced her on the bed. Just then, Raina came in with a new copy of the contract. Holding Charlotte''s hand, Zachary bit on her thumb, and blood immediately seeped out. He then pressed her thumb at the signature section of the contract before a satisfied smile grew on his face. "I told you. You won¡¯t be able to escape from me." Chapter 197 Chapter 197 That night, Charlotte was gued with nightmares. When the sun rose again, she woke up covered in sweat. Her wide eyes were fixed on the ceiling as she panted. It took her a long while before she was able to collect herself. After making sure that she was in a room in the vi and that she was safe, she sighed in relief. Her clothes stuck to her, and it felt ufortable, so she headed to the bathroom for a shower. When her hands came into contact with water, a pang of pain traveled up her fingers. It was only then she realized the skin on the tip of her thumb was torn. Charlotte paid no heed to it, thinking that it was an injury from her escape yesterday. After washing up, she walked out of the bathroom just in time to hear someone knocking on the door. Raina''s voice then came from behind the door. "Ms. Windt, may Ie in?" "Yes," Charlotte replied. Raina entered the room with a birdcage in her hands. Fifiy quietly inside as it observed the foreign environment fearfully. The moment it saw Charlotte, however, it brightened up and fluttered its injured wing before yelling, "Mommy! Mommy!" "Fifi!" Charlotte quickly strode over to open the cage. Fifi flew out andnded on Charlotte¡¯s shoulder. Seeking reassurance, it rubbed its feathery head on Charlotte''s cheek. "Good girl.¡± Charlotte kissed it gently. Fifi theny quietly in the crook of her neck like a child in her mother''s arms. "What an intelligent parrot!" Raina eximed. "It''s adorable!" "It¡¯s part of my family." Charlotte caressed Fifi''s wings. "How is it? Is it hurt badly?" "It''ll have to rest its wing, and we''ll have to change its bandage every two days. It''ll be fine in a month," Raina responded as she closed the cage. "I''m d to hear that," Charlotte sighed in relief. "If it wasn''t for Fifi saving me, I''d be dead by now." "Speaking of which..." Raina reported, "I''ve investigated this incident. The ones who sent you the gift and the ones who attacked Divine Corporation are all done by the same party. Ben and I will be taking charge of this case, so you have nothing to worry about." "What? Are you sure?" The news stunned Charlotte. "The ones who attacked Divine Corporation should be Mr. Nacht''s rivals. Why would they want to kill me? I''m just a nobody." "You are not just some nobody," was Raina''s profound reply before she changed the topic. "Oh, by the way, Mr. Nacht has invited you to breakfast. So, hurry up and get ready for it." Before Charlotte coulde back to her senses, Raina had already bowed her head and left. Charlotte thought about what happenedst night. She had made a promise carelessly to ensure her safety. Is Zachary going to force me to sign the paper now? At that thought, Charlotte panicked. Oh no. If I sign the paper, I''ll be his ve, won''t I? "Ellie, Ellie!" Fifi''s cry interrupted Charlotte''s thoughts. "Hush," Charlotte murmured to the parrot. "Fifi, this isn''t our house, so you''ll have to be careful with your words, okay? Don''t mention Robbie, Jamie, or Ellie. Do you understand?" "Robbie. Jamie. Ellie." It seemed like Fifi did not quite understand her words as it continued crying out the names of the children. It had been two days since Fifi saw the kids, and the parrot missed them dearly. Charlotte was about to reprimand it when the door suddenly flung open. Zachary, who was dressed in a casual suit, strode into the room. "Why don''t you ever knock when youe in?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte was panicking, fearing that Fifi would blurt out something it shouldn''t have, and he would find out about the children. "This is my home." Zachary sat on the couch before crossing his leg. "How was your sleepst night?" "It was all right..." Charlotte nced at him timidly before she tentatively said, "Mr. Nacht, thank you for saving me. I think it''s time for me to go home." "Your house''s been blown into smithereens. What home are you going back to?" Zachary took out a stack of checks before scribbling a string of numbers on one. He then handed it to her. "Here, use it to buy a house instead of renting." "What?" Charlotte was dumbfounded. Did I mishear him? The Devil is giving me money to buy a house? Chapter 198 Chapter 198 "Hm?" Zachary lifted a brow. "You don''t want it? Forget it then." He was a second away from keeping the check. "Of course I want it!" Charlotte swiftly took the check. Upon seeing the numbers on the paper, she broke out into a smile. "Two million! Thank you, Mr. Nacht." "You''re wee. This is what you deserve, after all." Zachary smiled. "This is the reward for you convincing Mr. Sterk to drink thexatives." "About that... I thought you said you were going to take it out from the ne¡¯s money?" A foreboding sense burrowed its way into Charlotte¡¯s heart at his words. Even Fifi was trembling as it looked at Zachary like he was a carnivorous monster. "What¡¯s the difference between owing me a hundred million and owing me ny-eight million?¡± Zachary muttered. "I might as well give you the reward to make sure you won''t have other worries when you serve me." Wait... Serve? Hearing that word, Charlotte panicked as she hastily said, "Mr. Nacht, I''m just an ordinary working individual. I-I''m not selling my body." "Selling my body! Selling my body!" Fifi repeated. Zachary nced at it. Instantly, it shut its beak and buried itself in Charlotte¡¯s thick hair. It even used its beak to pull on her hair so that it could cover its face, as if that would be the perfect camouge. "You''ve already sold yourselfst night." Zachary took out the contract and waved it in front of her eyes with a grin. "From today onwards, you''re mine." Charlotte''s eyes were as wide as saucers as she stared at the paper in his hand. She then recalled the Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. events that happened yesterday. That''s right, I was chased by a wolfst night... And I ran as quickly as I could to the vi... When I reached the vi, I mmed my fists at the steel gates while crying for help...After he threatened not to open the gates if I refuse to sign the agreement, I finally agreed to sign it... However, I remember passing out soon after, so I couldn''t have signed the agreement. When Charlotte took the paper for a closer look, she realized that the paper indeed does not contain her signature. However, there was a bright red thumbprint on it. Although it was already dry, she could still smell the scent of blood. She stiffened for a moment before she raised her hand and looked at her injured thumb. Realization finally dawned on her. "Zachary, you douchebag!" "Douchebag. Dou-" Before Fifi could repeat it a second time, the look in Zachary''s eyes made it flinch and it whispered, "Mommy, scared. Scared." Shifting his gaze away from Fifi, Zachary picked up a remote from the side and pressed on its button. Then, Charlotte''s cries for help echoed in the room. "Please save me! I don''t want to die!" "Zachary, as long as you save me, I''ll do anything." "Give me the contract. I''ll sign it. As long as you save me, I''ll sign it." "Are you sure?" came Zachary''s voice. "Are you going to im that I''m forcing you again?" "No, I won¡¯t. I''m doing this willingly. Let me in first. Let me in quickly. The wolf is here. It really is." "All right. But remember, you''re the one begging me." The recording then ended. Ashamed, Charlotte¡¯s face flushed red, and she wished she could burrow into the ground and hide. Raising a brow, Zachary cast her a gentle look. "I even have a video recording. Do you want to watch it?" "You-" Charlotte''s lip trembled as she fought the urge to cry. "Be good now." Zachary took the contract, folded it, and kept it in his pocket. "If you perform well, you''ll be rewarded. If not, you¡¯ll still have to do whatever is on the contract, and you''ll be punished as well." He then stood up and patted her face. "Think about it. Which one sounds better?" As fury coursed through her veins, Charlotte red at him, but she dared not speak a single word. "I''ll take my leave first then." Zachary turned to leave without sparing her another nce. "I hope you''ll have thought things through when I''m back." As he left, Charlotte waved her fist at his back and cursed at him inwardly, You b*stard! Douchebag! Animal! Piece of sh*tU hope God realizes what an asshole you are and smite you from above! "Ellie, Jamie, Robbie," Fifi abruptly cried out, "scared. Scared." Zachary, who was about to step out of the room, paused in his tracks. He turned to look at Fifi and asked, "What did it just say?" Chapter 199 Chapter 199 "N-Nothing." Charlotte''s scalp tingled from fear as her heart raced. She cursed at Fifi for those words inwardly. Damn it, why is Fifi saying their names at a time like this?ls it trying to mess everything up for me? Zachary then turned to look at Charlotte for a moment before he continued walking out. It wasn¡¯t until Charlotte could no longer hear his footsteps that she breathed a sigh of relief. Snapping her head to the side, she scolded, "Fifi, don''t speak without thinking!" "Mommy..." Feeling rather upset, Fifi mumbled, "Bad man. Scared." "I know he''s a bad man, but-" Just then, someone knocked on the door."Ms. Windt, may Ie in?" "Give me a minute." After locking Fifi in the bathroom, Charlotte let Raina into the room. "Ms. Windt, Mr. Nacht has left for E Nation. He has instructed me to take care of you. I''ve prepared breakfast. Will you be having it in the room or-" "He''s left for E Nation?" Charlotte interrupted in an excited tone. "How long will he be gone?" "Three days, if he''s quick. If he''s not, then I''m not sure. But he''ll try to be back as soon as he can." "There''s no need to rush. It''s better if he stays there longer." In fact, Charlotte would rather he never came back. Raina chuckled. "We''ve dealt with the person who attacked you thest time. From now on, you won''t be in any danger, and I''ve sent someone to fix your house. Furthermore-" "There''s no need to fix my house." Charlotte stopped her. "I''ll deal with my own house. You don¡¯t need to be concerned with it. Ask them to stop, I don''t want anyone to be at my house." "Huh?" Her words stunned Raina. "What do you mean ''huh?'' Hurry up and tell them to stop." Charlotte was terrified of someone finding out about her children. "All right. I''ll let them know right away." Raina promptly made a call to the group of fixers asking them to head back. "They''re not at my house yet, right? You didn''t search through my house, did you?" Charlotte had never been more worried. "No, we haven''t. They''re only on their way, and they¡¯re heading back now after receiving my call." Raina gave her a reassuring smile. "Don''t worry. Without Mr. Nacht¡¯s order, we won''t investigate you. However..." After a pause, Raina carefully asked, "What are you worried about?" "Everyone prefers to have their own privacy." Charlotte forced out a tear from her eyes. "The Devil has already taken control of most of my life. I just want a little space of mine." "Mr. Nacht isn''t controlling you; he likes you." "That''s impossible." At the mention of it, fury started dancing in Charlotte''s chest. "If he likes me, he should''ve gifted me several vis, sports cars, and a billion or two. He should¡¯ve treated me like a princess instead of tormenting me like this.¡± "Maybe everyone expresses their love differently?¡± Raina suggested with a chuckle. "If that¡¯s the case, he sure has a unique way of expressing his love then." Charlotte rolled her eyes before inquiring, "Dr. Langhan. I wish to go home. Can I?" "Of course you can. Let me get a car for you." On her way back, Raina said to Charlotte, "Ms. Windt, to be honest, living in the vi will be much safer. If you want to work, I can make arrangements to send you to and from work." "No. I still prefer to live in my own house." Charlotte smoothened Fifi''s feathers. The parrot was currently sound asleep. "All right." Raina did not insist. "Since Mr. Nacht won''t be around, you can look for me if you have any issues." "Got it. Thank you," Charlotte replied absentmindedly. The only thought that filled her mind was how she was going to escape Zachary. Should I take this two million and escape with the kids? "If you want to buy a house, I can make arrangements for that too. After all, Divine Corporation has properties everywhere. Not to mention we have branches in many cities..." Hearing Raina¡¯s words, Charlotte dismissed the thoughts of escaping. Perhaps Raina was hinting to Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. her that Zachary would find her no matter where she went. Guess I should stop my wishful thinking... Chapter 200 Chapter 200 When Charlotte reached Happy Avenue, the first thing she did was buy a phone. This time, Charlotte steeled herself and bought the best phone avable, hoping that it would not malfunction as easily as it did thest time. Slotting in her phone card, Charlotte quickly gave Mrs. Berry a call. Meanwhile, Mrs. Berry had thought that something happened to Charlotte when she couldn''t contact herst night. After exining to Mrs. Berry that her phone broke, Charlotte proceeded to give her kids a video call. Charlotte could see that her kids had put on their thick cotton-padded jackets, but they still looked as good as ever. Frowning, Robbie worriedly queried, "Mommy, are you okay? We''re worried about you." "I''m fine. Don¡¯t worry," Charlotte reassured. Jamie squeezed to the front and showed his mother his fists. "Mommy, I''ve been practicing martial arts recently. When I''m stronger, I''ll be able to protect you." "Thank you, Jamie." Charlotte smiled sweetly. "Jamie''s the best." "Mommy, Mommy." Ellie squeezed her chubby cheeks into the frame. When she saw her mother, her "Mommy, Ellie misses you." Seeing Ellie''s tears, both Robbie and Jamie started tearing up as well. However, the two boys frowned as they forced the tears to remain in their eyes. "Be good, Ellie. Once I¡¯m done dealing with the things here, I wille for you three,¡± Charlotte consoled. "The bad guy''s already been caught, and I have to fix and clean the house first so that you''ll be able to return to a pretty home." "That''s great!" the children cheered. "Mommy, we¡¯lle and help you with the cleaning,¡± Robbie voiced out. "We can''t let you do everything alone." Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Jamie chimed in, "That''s right. I''m a strong boy. I can do a lot of things." The little boy proceeded to clenched his fists and showed his mother his muscles. "I can help Mommy too." Ellie sniffled as tears slid down her chin. "Ellie! Ellie!" Hearing Ellie¡¯s voice, Fifi suddenly woke up. In the beginning, it spun its head around, looking for the girl. When Fifi realized the children were on the screen, it moved toward the screen and screeched, "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie!" "Fifi!" The children were beyond excited to see their pet parrot, and they quickly waved at it. "Miss you. Miss you," Fifi repeated at the screen. The children scrambled to appear on the screen. "Fifi, we miss you too." "Oh no. Fifi, why is your wing hurt?" "Fifi''s hurt because it tried to protect me, but a vet has already checked it. Fifi¡¯s fine now. It''ll make a full recovery soon," Charlotte assured. "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, the three of you have to be good kids. Wait for me toe for you, okay?" "Okay. We¡¯ll be good kids." Charlotte''s heart was filled with hope as she looked at her children. After consoling her children, Charlotte went home. Reaching her house, she realized thendy had changed the door lock and stuck arge notice on the door, warning Charlotte to contact her as soon as she could. Frightened out of her wits, Charlotte quickly called thendy. When thendy rushed over, she jabbed a finger in Charlotte¡¯s direction and started cursing at her. After telling Charlotte she would not be refunding her the deposit and rent, she demanded her to pay thirty thousand as a penalty and even told her to move out by the end of the day. Charlotte tried to reason with her, but thendy stated, "Ever since you moved in, bad things kept happening. I''ve already closed an eye on those who came here to cause a ruckus. But it''s only getting worse. Now, there''s even murder and kidnapping. What kind of ce do you think this is?" "Ms. Hill, please allow me to exin-" "I don''t want to hear your excuse. Move out immediately, or I''ll call the cops on you," Peyton warned with a growl. "I''ve been kind to you by not calling the cops and throwing your things out. I''ve even waited for you toe back to discuss with you." Chapter 201 Chapter 201 "All right," Charlotte mumbled weakly. "I''ll move out right away." "Be sure to move out before midnight, or else I''ll get someone to help you with you," Peyton uttered. "For now, I need you to pay your penalty fees first." Left with no choice, Charlotte could only pay the fee before she hurriedly looked for houses. Fortunately, the house she rented was fully furnished. As such, she did not have many things to move. She ced the pieces of furniture she owned and her suitcase in the security room before she went to the housing agency to look for houses. As she had to work on Monday, she had to finish moving by the end of today. After going through some troubles, Charlotte finally managed to rent a house that was near her office. The rent was thrice the amount of her previous rent, but the house was spacious, and it was in a good neighborhood. Most importantly, no one knew about this ce. Hence, no one coulde and disrupt her life. While the banks were still opened, Charlotte rushed there and deposited the two million into her ount. Looking at the amount left in her ount, Charlotte grinned and exited the ce with her head held high. After moving everything into the new house, Charlotte started cleaning up. She only finished cleaning the entire housete into the night. Lying exhausted on the couch, she stared nkly at the ceiling. When she imagined the smiles that would be on her children¡¯s faces when they came home, the corners of her lips tilted upward. Perhaps it had been a tiring day, but she soon fell asleep on the couch. Fifi, who was perched on the television, looked at her gloomily and called out, "Mommy, hungry.¡± That night, Charlotte slept soundly. She woke in the morning from the cold, and she realized she had not slept under a nketst night. Pulling her jacket closer together, she was about to fall asleep again when she found out it was already ratherte in the morning. In less than half an hour, she fed Fifi and washed up before she rushed to work. She had taken half a day offst Friday. Combined with the weekend, she only had two-and-a-half days off, but Charlotte felt as if she had had a long holiday. After all, she had gone through too many things during these two-and-a-half days. At work, she wondered why her colleagues were giving her odd looks and discussing quietly among Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. themselves despite not knowing what had happened to her. "Charlotte." Her colleague from the administration department, Lily, walked over and eximed, "Not bad, Charlotte. I never thought you were in that kind of rtionship with Mr. Sterling." "What?" Charlotte froze. She had kept her rtionship with Hector private, and not many knew about it. "Stop faking it," Lily giggled excitedly. "I knew it. You were transferred three times in less than a month after joining thepany, so I knew you must have pulled some strings. I thought the man backing you was Mr. Holt at first, I never would''ve thought it''d be Mr. Sterling! You''re impressive to have a man like him on your side." Hearing her words, Charlotte furrowed her brows and questioned, "What the hell? What kinds of rumors did you hear?" "How can they be rumors? We even have photos and videos." Lily chuckled as she opened her social media on her phone. "Look, it''s everywhere on the inte. You''re trending online." Charlotte grabbed her phone to look at it, and instantly, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she read the titles of the articles. President Of Sterling Group, Hector Sterling, Secretly Dating A Secretary From Divine Corporation.Hector Sterling Having An Affair With A Secretary.Hector Sterling nning To Divorce For His Mistress. Mrs. Sterling Rushed Back To H City Overnight. These three articles were the top trending articles online. When she clicked into the pages, she realized the news was vividly described, and even photos of her meeting Hector at the Blue Diamond were in the article. In fact, one of the photos was of Hector holding her hand and staring into her eyes lovingly. There was no way for her to clear her name now. When Charlotte clicked into thements, goosebumps appeared on her arms. Die, homewrecker! I hate mistresses who ruin others'' families. Karma will get this woman soon.Let''s hunt this mistress down and expose everything about her. Make her suffer for the shameful deed she did! Chapter 202 Chapter 202 "Ignore thements," Lily whispered as she took her phone back. "I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Sterling has been in a bad rtionship with his wife, and the two didn''t even have a wedding. Mrs. Sterling had the reputation of being particrly arrogant in the corporate world, and no one likes her. You have to do your best and get the title of Mrs. Sterling. And don¡¯t forget about me when you''re married into a rich family." "Lily, you''ve misunderstood the situation. This isn''t what it seems like-" Charlotte was about to exin when her phone rang. Looking at the screen, she realized it was an unfamiliar number. "Hello?" "Hello, are you Ms. Charlotte Windt? I''m from H City TV. I''m hoping to interview you about your story with Mr. Hector Sterli-" Before the man could finish his sentence, Charlotte had ended the call. In the next second, her phone rang again. Charlotte dared not pick it up this time, but it doesn''t matter because soon, her inbox exploded with countless messages. Ms. Charlotte Windt, we''re from H City Daily. We¡¯re hoping to have an exclusive interview with you about Hector Sterling and you. Ms. Charlotte Windt, we''re from H City Business Daily. We''re hoping we can arrange an exclusive interview with you. Shall we arrange fora time?Ms. Charlotte Windt... Every mediapany in H City, and even mediapanies overseas, were hoping to interview Charlotte. She dared not pick up any calls from unfamiliar numbers, nor did she dare to click into her inbox anymore. Within several minutes, she had received dozens of messages with every one of them asking about her rtionship with Hector. Charlotte was panicking, and she knew things had blown up. If this kept up, every private matter of hers would be revealed to the public. If that happened, even her children would be caught up in this mess. What do I do?What should I do? Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Let me in!" Luna''s shrill voice came from the outside. "I''m not here to make a ruckus. I''m here for Charlotte. She moved out from her previous ce, so this is the only ce I can find her. That b*tch had the audacity to seduced my husband and forced him to divorce me while I''m not around. I want to confront her about this." At that moment, everyone by the elevators heard her shouts, and they all cast odd looks at Charlotte. Promptly, Charlotte lowered her head as she frowned in silence. "What are you looking at? What''s there to look at?" Lily scoffed at them righteously. "It takes two to tango, you know? So why do you have to me everything on the woman?" Charlotte¡¯s eyes darted at her colleague. Oh my God, Lily. You''re just making things worse! "Charlotte, don¡¯t worry. I''m on your side." Lily hooked her arm around Charlotte''s and huffed, "Didn''t you see the photos? Mr. Sterling is the one holding Charlotte''s hand, and he¡¯s the one looking at her lovingly. I¡¯d dare say that Mr. Sterling is the one who made the first move." "How can a mistress be the one who''s morally right?" a female colleague refuted. "Regardless of everything, he has a wife and a child. You shouldn''t have involved yourself in someone else''s family." "That''s right. Everyone is supposed to have morals. We can''t be walking around like shameless people," another female colleague hissed. "You''re just jealous that she''s a prettydy," Lily argued. "So what if she''s pretty? Does that mean she has to be a mistress if she''s pretty? Karma will get you soon for doing something as immoral as this." Unable to bear their words any longer, Charlotte turned to leave. "Hey, Charlotte, why are you leaving? If we don''t take this elevator, we''ll bete for work," Lily cried out, but the doors had already closed. "I bet she''s too ashamed to stay here." "Honestly, what¡¯s wrong with the HR department? How can they recruit someone as immoral as her?" "So you''re the only ones who are standing on the moral high ground?" Her colleagues were still arguing by the elevators. After rubbing her temples, Charlotte headed toward another elevator instead. Right then, Luna''s agitated voice traveled into her ears again. "Charlotte, you b*tch! Get the f*ck out here, or I''ll reveal all your secrets to the media!" Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Hearing her words, Charlotte, who was about to enter the elevator, stood rooted to her spot. She knew what secrets Luna was threatening her with. She could not imagine the disastrous consequences if the circumstances of her children''s births were revealed. The media would find out about her hiring a gigolo, and they would definitely put words into her mouth before they spread the news. When that happened, not only would she have to face Zachary, but the children would also be traumatized. Furthermore, she had yet to find out whether Zachary was the gigolo that night. "Please leave. Stop making a ruckus in Divine Corporation." The few security guards then dragged Luna out. "Let go of me. Let go!" Luna continued struggling vehemently as she screamed, "Don¡¯t you know who I am? My husband''s Hector Sterling. How dare youy your hands on me? I''m going to get mywyer and sue you!" "Help! The security guards at Divine Corporation are beating me up. They''re beating me up!" None of the security guards paid any attention to her words as they continued to drag her out. Refusing to give up, Luna continued yelling, "Charlotte, are you really nning to hide in there? I''m going to the reporters right away and I''ll-" Before Luna could finish her threat, Charlotte scuttled out. "Stop making a fuss here. Let''s have a private talk instead." "There you are, you finally have the guts to face me," Luna sneered. "Why should we have a private talk? Are you afraid that I''d expose some ugly details about you? Why didn''t you think of that when you Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. were seducing my husband?" "You''ve misunderstood me. There''s nothing going on between your husband and me." While Charlotte was talking, many of her colleagues had crowded around them. Most of them did not care about the fact that they were about to bete for work; they only wanted to hear more gossips. Even the security guards were watching them from the side. Just then, David walked over and whispered, "Charlotte, do you need help?" "No, I''m fine.¡± Charlotte did not want to trouble him nor involve him in the mess. "I¡¯ve misunderstood?" Luna questioned in agitation. "If there''s nothing going on between the two of you, why are you two on a date? Why are you holding hands? Who knows if you''ve done other things with him? Do you think I¡¯m a fool?" "We met that time to return the bracelet," Charlotte stated. "You should know how important the coboration with Divine Corporation is to your husband. If you keep this up, while it¡¯s true it''ll affect me, I''m afraid it''ll affect you worse." Hearing that, Luna''s expression froze. She understood Charlotte''s words well, but fury had taken over her mind earlier. That was why she barged into Divine Corporation to curse at Charlotte, hoping to force her out of the building. Now that she had achieved her aim, it would not be beneficial for her to keep up the maniacal act. "There''s a cafe opposite the street. Wait for me there. I''ll be there in ten minutes after I apply for my leave.¡± Charlotte then turned to return to the office building. "Don¡¯t leave!" Luna rushed forward to stop Charlotte but her path was blocked by David. She was about to start hurling profanities again when David warned, "Mrs. Sterling, thepany has informed Mr. Sterling about this matter. I''m sure he¡¯ll be here soon, so it¡¯s best if you stop making a fuss here." "Who told you to inform him?¡± Anger exploded in Luna, but all she could do was to leave. Meanwhile, Charlotte went to Lucy to apply for her leave. When she found Lucy, the woman threw a stack of newspaper at her face and said sternly, "Charlotte, your private life has caused a lot of troubles for thepany, and it¡¯s affecting thepany¡¯s reputation. The higher-ups have notified us that you''ll be suspended temporarily. "Suspended? Why?" Charlotte promptly exined, "Ms. Wright, this is a misunderstanding. I really didn''t-" "You don''t need to exin to me," Lucy interrupted. "It doesn¡¯t matter what the truth is. What matters most is that thepany''s reputation has suffered from this. You¡¯ll be suspended until this issue is resolved. This is just thepany''s standard operating procedure when handling this kind of problem." With that, Lucy turned and left. Charlotte was at a loss for words. This was a disaster that she never sawing. I''m innocent! Why is the media spouting nonsense? Nevertheless, her priority right now was to deal with Luna. Otherwise, should that woman lost her mind and exposed the matter about her children, she would be doomed. Chapter 204 Chapter 204 When Charlotte rushed to the cafe to look for Luna, shlights attacked her the moment she stepped into the cafe, and she could not open her eyes. Subconsciously, she raised her hand to block the lights from her eyes. Then, she heard Luna''s voice. "This is the homewrecker, Charlotte Windt. Take a good shot of her. Zoom into her face!¡± It was only then that Charlotte realized Luna had gathered a group of reporters here to ambush her. What a cunning woman. Every single camera was pointed in Charlotte''s direction, and reporters were spewing questions at her. "Ms. Windt, what is your rtionship with Mr. Sterling?" "Ms. Windt, when did you start having an affair with Mr. Sterling?" "Ms. Windt, were you the one to force Mr. Sterling to divorce his wife and marry you?" "Ms. Windt, why did you do this?" Wrath surged from within Charlotte, and she snarled, "What evidence do you have to prove that I''m the homewrecker?" "One of our reporters has taken photos of you and Mr. Sterling dating at the Blue Diamond. Both of you were acting intimately, and he even held your hand. Is that not the case?" a female reporter interrogated. "So, I was having an affair with him just because I was holding his hand?" Charlotte stepped forward and ced the female reporter''s hand on the hand of the cameraman beside her. "Does this mean you''re having an affair with him now?" "You-" Her words rendered the reporter speechless. Even the cameraman was stupefied. "Ms. Windt, are you saying that you''re not the mistress?" another reported queried. "Then why did you meet Mr. Sterling alone?" "You''d have to ask Mrs. Sterling about that." Charlotte stared at Luna coldly. "She took something of mine and flew overseas for holiday. I''m in a hurry to get it back, but she refused to meet up with me and give it back. That''s why I could only try to get it back through Mr. Sterling." "You-" Luna glowered. "You b*tch! How dare you use me of this?" "Is that not the truth?" Charlotte snapped. "Do you want me to ask for the owner of the ne to verify this?" With that, Luna finally felt fear. She had nearly forgotten that the man backing Charlotte was Zachary. Taking two steps ahead, Charlotte whispered into Luna''s ears. "If you want to talk about this, let¡¯s talk nicely. If you want to make a fuss... Well, two can y at this game. After all, I have nothing to lose now. On the other hand, you have everything to lose. Will you be willing to part with the title of Mrs. Sterling?" "You-" Luna repeated as she ground her teeth. In the end, she relented. She had to take Hector''s feelings into consideration, as well as the consequences that awaited her should she dared to cross Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Zachary. "That''s it for today''s interview. Please leave.¡± Luna instantly dismissed the reporters by giving them ten thousand each. She then instructed the bodyguards to send them off. Seeing how this was a big scoop, the reporters were reluctant to leave, but the bodyguards couldn''t be bothered about their reluctance and simply chased them out of the cafe. Hence, they had no choice but to leave while cursing and swearing that they would not get involved in Luna''s matters ever again. The cafe finally quieted down now that the reporters were gone. "Charlotte, you are to cut ties with Hector immediately, or else I won''t let you off the hook,¡± Luna ''TH repeat this onest time," Charlotte seethed impatiently. "There''s nothing between Hector and ¡ª H me. "Nothing?" Luna mmed her fist at the table. "You called me the other day, telling me that you''re going to seduce him-" "That was me trying to provoke you intoing back." Charlotte frowned. "You¡¯re really dumb, you know that?" "You..." Luna''s expression darkened. "If there''s nothing between the two of you, why would Hector bring the ruby ne back? Why would he be adamant about divorcing me? He even signed the divorce papers." "The ruby ne is a gift from Mr. Nacht. They have another agreement." Charlotte''s frown deepened. "As for why he''s divorcing you, he should be the one you''re asking that question to." Chapter 205 Chapter 205 "It must be because of you," Lunamented. "Only you can make him so adamant about divorcing me." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. "What can I say for you to understand this?" By now, Charlotte was exasperated. "He and I are done, It''s all in the past now. Even if he''s not married to you, even if he''s single, I still won¡¯t go back to him." "Of course I understand. You''ve let go of him long ago, but he hasn''t." A bitter smile crept upon Luna''s lips. "He''s a fool. He thought by divorcing me, he''ll be able to court you again, but you''ve already set your eyes on someone else, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re thinking of seducing Mr. Nacht." "That''s right." In order to make Luna stop pestering her, Charlotte made a false admittance. "I''m thinking of going after Mr. Nacht. He''s better than Hector in virtually everything¡± "You sure are full of yourself, aren''t you?" Luna said with disdain. "Mr. Nacht has a fiancee, you know? He¡¯s just toying with you. He won¡¯t actually fall in love with you." "What?" Charlotte''s heart skipped a beat. Zachary has a fiancee? Why don''t I know about this? "The reason for Hector''s persistence is because he knows it¡¯s impossible for you and Mr. Nacht to be in a rtionship," Luna sneered. "On that note, I actually know someone who''s a perfect match for you." "Huh?" Charlotte was confounded. "Come on out." Luna pped. With that, Amanda came out from the private room with a towering man following behind her. The man looked around six-foot-two with a simr build as Zachary. However, the way he held himself differed vastly from Zachary. When Charlotte looked at his face, she noticed he was a man from T Nation. "Do you remember him?" Amanda pointed at the man as she sneered, "He''s Tevin. He was the man that slept with you at Sultry Night." Tevin gave Charlotte a once-over, seemingly lost in his thoughts. "You''re his first client, and you''ve left a deep impression on him," Luna added. "I hired him for you for twenty thousand back then, and I even sent the two of you to the hotel. It was that night that made you have that three damn kids.¡± "That¡¯s impossible..." Charlotte frowned as her eyes widened in shock before she shook her head fervently. "It can''t be him. How can it be him?" Although she had drunk much that night, and she could not remember the man''s face, when she woke up in a daze, she saw the man''s back and his tattoo. It was impossible for her to have recognized the wrong person. "Who else could it be if not him?" Amanda mocked. "levin won''t remember the wrong person. He takes a photo of every client he has." With that, she gestured at the tall man. levin then took out several photos from the pocket of his flowery shirt and carefully ced them on the table. When Charlotte focused on it, her jaw dropped. In the photo was a drunk Charlotte who only had a ck bra on her top. Her face was flushed, and she was sound asleep on a white,rge bed. The man had also taken multiple close and intimate shots of her with him. Goosebumps rose on her arm, and at that moment, Charlotte felt nauseated. She could not believe the man who she slept with four years ago was this man from T Nation. She could not believe that he was the father of her children. "Do you still not believe in me?" Luna took out her phone and yed a video. "You will when you look at this." Charlotte twisted around to look at the video ying on the screen of the phone. In the video, she was in a drunken stupor as she cursed at Hector for betraying her. While Luna supported her, she picked the only foreigner from a line of male models-Tevin. With an evil grin, she said, "You¡¯ll be the one. Do serve my dear friend here well tonight." Chapter 206 Chapter 206 "Okay, got it." Tevin helped Charlotte leave the room. That was when Luna called out from behind, "I booked you guys a hotel just across the road. I''ll take you there." Then, the woman kept her phone and sneered, "I rushed to meet Hector that night when he dropped by Sultry Night and even ced a mini camera on top of the vase. I don''t know what happened afterward, but the camera didn''t capture anything. Otherwise, we''d be enjoying some great content by now." "You''re disgusting!" Charlotte yelled. "I''ve treated you kindly all this while, Luna, but why are you doing this to me? Why?" "You treated me kindly?¡± Luna scoffed. "I followed you around and served you like a ve ever since I was young. You call that treating me kindly? We''re all human, and both our fathers are Windts. Yet, you''re seen as a princess while I''m nothing but your little subordinate. Why is that?" Charlotte retorted, "Everything I have was given to me by my father. What does this have to do with you?¡± She couldn''t understand Luna''s reasoning. "Yeah, that''s why your dad died at such a young age," the other woman enunciated. "You drove him to his death.¡± "Shut your nonsense!" Trembling with anger, Charlotte wanted to strike Luna only to be held back by Amanda. "You darey a finger on Luna?" Amanda gave Charlotte a shove and shot her a warning. "Now that we¡¯ve got some dirt on you, shouldn¡¯t you be pleading to us like a dog by now? Instead, you''re still acting all high and mighty? Should I post all these pictures and videos on the Inte, then? Maybe I should get levin to give the media a detailed ount of what happened that night too." "You..." Charlotte couldn''t utter a word. She turned to levin and shook her head fervently. "No. It wasn''t him. There''s no way-" "It was me. It really was." The man gazed at her weakly. "I know you have a scar on your waist." All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte froze in shock and slumped on the couch. She did have a scar on her waist. Could it be...No! Something important suddenly sprang up in her mind. She hastily pressed levin against the wall and tugged at his shirt. "Ughh!" Amanda immediately turned around and covered her eyes. "How shameless can you be to do something like this right in front of us? You''re disgusting!" "What a lunatic." Luna frowned with contempt. Charlotte lifted levin''s shirt, searching for a tattoo on the back of his waist. It''s not him. I''m sure of it! "I don''t have time for a psycho like you, Charlotte," Luna warned haughtily. "I''m giving you an order right now. Marry this man, or I''ll release all the pictures, videos, and information I have on you, your l Nation gigolo, as well as the three kids you had with him." "I won''t marry him," Charlotte dered, slowly calming down. "He¡¯s not the man from that night, nor is he the father of my children. You''re obviously trying to set me up." "Are you out of your mind?" The other woman tossed the explicit photos over. "I have all the proof right here, and you''re still trying to deny it? Are you making any sense?" "I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t him," Charlotte insisted. "But if you dare spread nonsense to the public, I''ll never let you off." "You..." Amanda merely smirked. "I''d like to see you can do that. Do you think we''d be afraid of you just because you have Mr. Nacht backing you up now? Do you honestly think he''d still protect you if he finds out about all your nasty deeds and the fact that you have three kids? He might even kill you instead!" Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Upon hearing this, Charlotte began to worry. She''s right. It¡¯d be trouble if Zachary finds out...Still, none of these threats would mean anything if he were the gigolo from back then. But I''m sure if it really was him. She dared not take a gamble. Besides, even if it were him, what if he has something to do with Dad''s death? I can''t acknowledge him, and I can''t ever let him find out about the kids. Otherwise, he might take them from me... Charlotte was distraught as these thoughts crossed her mind. Even so... I can''t marry this T Nation man to cover my tracks, can I? "You don''t have a choice," Luna threatened. "I don''t have that much patience either. Tevin''s already brought the agreement. Head to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register your marriage, and I''ll talk to the press. As long we get these two steps done, I''ll never bother you again." "Give me some time." Charlotte didn''t dare turn Luna down, but she certainly wasn¡¯t going to readily agree either. "I''ll think about it-" "Think about what? I want it done now." Luna obviously couldn''t wait any longer. "But-" Suddenly, Charlotte¡¯s phone rang. Having the name ''Gigolo'' appear on her screen was as though she had met her savior. "Don''t you want me to get married to make Hector give up? Well, it''s not like I have to marry this T Nation man; I can marry someone else, right?" "Who else do you think would marry you within this hour and a half?" Amanda scoffed. "Do you think you''re some goddess everyone wants to marry?" "I do have a candidate," Charlotte answered while holding her phone. "But he can''t find out about my kids." Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. "Fine. Whatever." Luna waved impatiently. "It doesn''t matter who you marry. Just get it done by today and announce it to the press." "Luna..." Amanda tried to stop her daughter from saying something rash, but Luna had already spoken. "Okay. Let me pick up a call." Charlotte walked toward a corner and answered her phone. "Save me, Gigolo." "What''s wrong? Is someone after you again?" Zachary asked hastily. He was so frantic that he forgot to suppress his voice. "No, I..." Charlotte paused for a moment and began to feel him out. "I have to head to the Civil Affairs Bureau right now and get married. Can you help me?" "What''s going on?" the man asked in shock. "I can¡¯t exin it all now. In any case, I have to get married today. Just answer this. Are you able to help me or not?" She was trying to connect the dots. If he really is Zachary, he¡¯d be in E Nation now. He won¡¯t be able to "I''m out of town at the moment. Can it wait a few days?" I knew it. It''s exactly as I expected. "Are you in E Nation now?" she continued asking. The man over the line paused for two seconds before answering, "I''m in S Nation." "Oh..." Charlotte was eighty percent sure this man was Zachary. "The two million you gave me isn''t enough," she probed. "Two million?" Gigolo sounded confused. "What are you talking about?" "Just admit it already. You''re-" "Are you done yet? I''m not in the mood to watch you dilly-dally!" Luna¡¯s impatient voice cut Charlotte off. Zachary narrowed his eyes. "Is someone threatening you?" "It''s all good. I''ll talk to youter." She hung up and turned to Luna. "I can¡¯t get it done within an hour and a half. Give me a few days. If you can''t wait, just do as you please." "Do you really think you call the shots here?" Amanda growled. "Keep ying games with me, and I''ll release everything to the public!" "Be my guest, then." Charlotte was pretty much done with them. "Zachary may not want me if he finds out about the kids, but Hector won''t think that way. If you drive me to the edge, I''ll have no choice but to rely on Hector." Chapter 208 Chapter 208 "You b*tch!" Luna rushed over and gave her a vicious p across the face, trembling with fury. "Touch my husband, and I''ll kill you!" The woman wanted to continue attacking Charlotte, but her mother held her back. "We should be trying to solve the problem. There''s no point hitting her," Amanda advised. "If she can''t get it done by today, we may as well give her two days." Charlotte''s cheek stung in pain. However, instead of returning the favor, she silently took note of what Luna had just done to her. Despite feeling extremely reluctant, Luna gave in to her mother''s advice. "Fine. I''ll give you two days. But if you don''t do as I say by then, you know what will happen. I''ll release everything piece of news I have about your children if you ever tell Hector anything about this.¡± "I understand." After Charlotte left the cafe, a group of paparazzi began to follow her. The woman ran as fast as she could and finally shook them off after crossing several streets and alleys. She didn''t understand it. She had never gotten back at Luna for the things the woman had done to her back then. Yet, not only did thetter not feel guilty at all, but she was even more ruthless toward Charlotte now. At present, Charlotte had lost her job - her life was a mess. She was on the verge of breaking down upon arriving home. Her phone had been ringing all the while; it was Hector calling. The mere sight of this man¡¯s caller ID gave her a headache. She immediately rejected the call and blocked his number. At this moment, the world fell silent. Clutching her burning forehead, she leaned against the couch to rest, only to hear her phone ring again. It was the news outlets calling this time. Irritated, the woman hurriedly blocked one number after another. Suddenly, a familiar-looking number appeared on her screen. Charlotte couldn''t help but freeze upon seeing the digits. This phone number was practically the same as Hector''s, except for thest digit. Hector''s number ended with a 9, but this one was a 6. She quickly recalled how Helena had gotten herself a number simr to Hector''s while she was frantically pursuing him. "Hello?" Charlotte answered the phone. "You''re so hard to reach, Charlotte! It''s me, Helena." She sounds the same as before. "Hey, Helena. What can I do for you?" she asked politely. "Oh, I''m fine. It''s someone else who wants to talk to you..." Helena handed the phone to someone else. A gentle voice immediately came through the line. "Hey, looney. Do you know who I am?" Charlotte instantly froze; she only returned to her senses after a long while. "Michael!" "Thank God you remember me. I just made a bet with Helena, and I would have had to buy her a year''s worth of heels if All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. you didn''t remember me." The man''s voice sounded as warm and yful as the sun. "How could I not remember you?" Charlotte instantly felt glum. Apart from her father and Hector, Michael was one of the few people who treated her extremely well. Because of an ident back in university, this man had his finger chopped off by a machine just to save her. At that time, she had sobbed uncontrobly as she watched him lying in a pool of blood. Michael had been in so much pain that he turned pale and was practically drenched in sweat. Even so, he had merely let out a smile and said to her, "You feel bad? If you do, you should marry me." Michael and Hector had fought over her for many years. They both had done so much just to win the girl''s heart. But in the end, however, she still chose the graceful and elegant Hector. He was the first one to capture her heart, after all. Michael, on the other hand, was more like an elder brother or close rtive to her. After news of Charlotte''s and Hector''s engagement broke out, Michael left the country on his own and cut off all contact with the woman. "Are you free? How about a drink?" Michael asked gently. "Okay," Charlotte replied casually before immediately thinking twice. Those reporters follow me wherever I go, don''t they?Won''t that spell trouble for him? As if he had read her mind, he said, "Don''t worry. I''ll protect you. Just tell me where I can pick you up, and I''ll head over." Michael had always been a thoughtful man. Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Charlotte quickly provided an address nearby her home and arranged to meet him in half an hour. She quickly changed her clothes and tidied her hair before heading out. Upon arriving at the pre-arranged location, a ck Maybach stopped in front of her. As the door flew open, a man with long legs alighted. He removed his sunsses, and a radiant smile appeared on his face. "Hey, Looney!" "Michael!" She took a close look at the man and only recognized him after a short pause. Michael looked like apletely different person now. The man, who had a rather slender figure, now sported long hair. He looked a lot more gentle than before. These features only made him look even more attractive. Even Charlotte felt a little insecure standing in front of him. "You''ve lost some weight. You look much better now!" "Tsk tsk tsk. I told you long ago not to describe me that way." He still enjoyed pinching her like before. "But I mean it. You do look good." Charlotte took her own words seriously. The man now looked like a protagonist from a story. His white teeth, fair skin, and incredibly gorgeous All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. face put many girls to shame, especially now that he had long hair. Despite tying it up ever so casually, he still managed to look extremely charming in a pretty boy kind of way. "Not as good as you.¡± Speaking the same way as before, Michael held her by the shoulder and helped her into the car. "You should get in. The paparazzi are on the hunt again.¡± The woman nervously scanned the area. There seemed to be a few suspicious-looking people staring at her. "Buckle up and sit tight," he reminded before he started the engine and sped away. Charlotte frantically clutched onto the grab handle, took a deep breath, and leaned into her seat. As expected, two ck cars began to trail them. Being the excellent driver he was, Michael easily shook them off while on the road. She heaved a sigh of relief after noting that the reporters were gone and reminded Michael, "Slow down." "Okay." Thetter reduced his speed and caressed her head affectionately. "Let¡¯s go get some meat fondue." "You actually remember what I like." Charlotte had loved meat fondue ever since she was young, but Hector never took her to eat any as he felt it was bad for her digestion. Michael, on the other hand, thought differently. He just wanted her to be happy. "How could I not?" He beamed at her. "I remember every single thing about you." She didn''t know how to respond to such profound words. She gazed at the moon outside, feeling tired and frustrated. I have so much to worry about now. I can''t even live a normal life. I don¡¯t want to drag anyone into this mess... "I heard about everything that happened back then," Michael couldn¡¯t help but mention. "I''d never have let that happen if I were the one who married you, and Mr. Windt would''ve been okay." Upon hearing this, Charlotte''s nose began to tingle, and her eyes turned red. She hurriedly turned away, not wanting him to see how miserable she looked. She had chosen Hector over Michael back then, but reality was now pping her across the face. The Brown family had always maintained a low profile, with their assets kept overseas. Helena and Michael¡¯s fathers were siblings. Helena''s family had only begun gaining a foothold in H City ten years ago, but they slowly grew in power with the help of Michael''s father. The Browns were now on the verge of surpassing the Sterlings. It was sufficient to say that the Browns were indeed a rich and influential family that had a firm ce in the corporate world. Even the mighty Zachary Nacht treated the Brown family with more respect than he did other families. Hence, Michael''s words were no bluff. Had he been around that time, Charlotte''s father, Richard, wouldn''t have had to resort to such means. Back then, Michael liked Charlotte more than Hector did, but he had let her go out of respect for her decision. Then, the man left H City in a fury, severing his ties with everyone so that nobody could find him. That was how the Windt family had lost their veryst saving grace. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 "It''s all my fault.¡± Michael felt extremely remorseful. "Your father would''ve still been alive and well had I not left H City and cut everyone off like that." "It has nothing to do with you," Charlotte replied, taking a deep breath. "I guess this is fate." "You never used to say such things." His heart ached as he gazed at the woman he once loved. "It must have been tough on you these few years." "Well, it hasn''t been that bad. It''s just that..." She suppressed her urge to tell him the truth and hurriedly changed the subject. "Have youe back to see Helena and Mr. Brown, Michael?" "I came back for you," the man answered, staring into her eyes. "After hearing what you''ve been going through, I decided toe back and see if I''d be able to help you in any way.¡± "Don''t be so nice to me," she couldn''t help but reply chokingly. "I''d only feel guilty if you treat me so nicely." She turned to look at his hands on the steering wheel. The man wore a glove on his left hand to conceal the fact that he didn''t have a ring finger. That finger was supposed to be where he would wear a wedding ring one day, but he had lost it because of her. "You silly girl!" Seeing how Charlotte was about to cry made Michael''s heart wrench, and he hurriedly pulled her into his arms. "I''m more than willing to treat you nicely. It makes me happy. Can''t you just let me be happy for a while?" The woman said nothing, merely pursing her lips and sniffling inside his embrace. She was optimistic and cheerful by nature. Whenever problems befell her, she would always do her best to solve them instead of crying or being miserable. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Even so, there were also days where she would break down and feel worn out from all the stress she was experiencing. Charlotte never showed such feelings in front of Mrs. Berry and the children, but now that she was in a warm embrace and had a firm shoulder to lean on, she suddenly had a desire to give in. "With me around, you''ll never have to be afraid of anything." Michael kissed her hair. "Tell me what happened." "I..." She opened her mouth but couldn''t speak. She dared not tell him that she was now being ckmailed by the mother-daughter duo of the White family after meeting a gigolo and giving birth to three of his children. She did not want him to know that she was now being forced to marry someone. She did not want him to know that they had threatened to release all the pictures and videos of her and the gigolo online while also getting that T Nation gigolo to exin everything to the media. Furthermore, Charlotte certainly dared not reveal how she had been forced to sign a debt repayment contract with the one and only Zachary Nacht. Even if Michael could help her pay the debt off, Zachary would surely not agree to it. I owe Michael enough. I can''t afford to burden him again.And I definitely can''t make more enemies for him-not especially when he may end up having to deal with someone like Zachary!I can''t rope him into this. "I''ve seen the news," said Michael. "I''ll never believe any of that. Knowing you, you''d never turn back to Hector after he abandoned you when you needed him most four years ago." "You really do understand me." She sighed in frustration. "I have no intention of talking to those from the past. I''ve forgiven them despite everything they''ve done to me, but they just can¡¯t seem to let me off the hook." "Don''t worry. Now that I''m here, no one will be able to hurt you." For the first time, an air of dominance engulfed Michael as he frowned. "No. This is something I have to take care of myself. I don¡¯t want you to be involved," she hastily insisted. "You''re different from other people, Michael. You''ve never liked business rivalries and schemes. Art has always been your only passion. Don''t give up your own values because of me." "Alright, let¡¯s not talk about all this anymore." The man smiled gently. "It''s been so long since west met, so we should be enjoying ourselves." "You''re right." She immediately nodded. "Let''s have a good time. It''s my treat tonight." "Sure. I won''t hold back then." His smile looked more dazzling than the moonlight. Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Michael took Charlotte to a seaside T Nation style meat fondue restaurant. However, Charlotte felt All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. unsettled the moment she saw the words "T Nation." Despite being absolutely certain that levin wasn''t the man from that night, those photos were more than enough to disgust her. To make things worse, the photos were now in the hands of the mother-daughter duo of the White family. If those pictures were to be publicized, Charlotte''s reputation would be tarnished, and this would affect her children too. "What''s wrong?" Michael asked gently as he spotted the strange look on her face. "You don''t like T Nation style meat fondue? Let''s go somewhere else, then." "No, it¡¯s fine." She figured that he had nned everything so carefully, so she didn¡¯t want to rain on his parade. Furthermore, they had already driven so far out. It would be time-consuming to suddenly go elsewhere. "Then let¡¯s head in." He brought her into a private room he had booked prior toing. Every dish was what she enjoyed eating. After the waiters left, the two began to reminisce about the past. Talking about their university days made them especially happy. Those were much simpler times, after all. Then, the man asked Charlotte how she was doing now. With that, the smile on thetter¡¯s face vanished in a sh and she turned grim. The woman lowered her head and sipped her tea, not saying a word. "I heard from Helena that you''re... pretty close to Mr. Nacht of Divine Corporation,¡± Michael hinted. "He''s my boss," she swiftly responded. "Charlotte... Don¡¯t ever do anything to cross the Nachts," Michael reminded. At that, she looked up at him in confusion. "Why would you say that?" "Well, how should I put it..." He tried to exin what he meant inyman terms. "There''s a saying in the corporate world about two powerful families. The Nachts control the south, while the Lindbergs control the north. They the biggest yers in the nation''s business circle, but they''re also a lion''s den. Both of those families are really "Oh," she answered while nodding. "I thought you knew more." "What?" The man was visibly puzzled by her curt statement. "Nothing." She shed him a smile. "Let¡¯s have some tea!" Michael was different from Hector, Zachary, and even Chris, after all. The man loved arts and hated anything business-rted. As someone who despised a life where everyone schemed against each other in the dark, he was certainly a world apart from those shrewd businessmen. He was also unlike Chris, who was extremely smart and tactful when it came to mingling in the world of business. Michael wanted nothing to do with all the power struggles and dark schemes going on in the corporate world. He was as pure-hearted as a saint with regard to his feelings too. Hence, Charlotte didn''t want him to be roped into her world. The food arrived shortly, and the two enjoyed their meat fondue while chatting away. Michael took good care of Charlotte just like before; the woman was used to it. Suddenly, Charlotte''s phone rang, so she left the room to answer the call. It was Mrs. Berry. The housekeeper informed her that Ellie had caught another cold and was burning up, so she had taken the child to the hospital. Charlotte instantly panicked. "How is she?" "Don''t worry. It''s just amon cold, but she misses you. She keeps calling for her mommy." Charlotte wished to be by her child¡¯s side right now, but she knew that her current situation didn''t allow it. So, she could only tell Mrs. Berry, "Please take good care of them for me. I''ll be back once I''ve settled everything." After hanging up, she was about to head back when she noticed the private room opposite to hers being left open slightly. Then, through the two-inch crack, she saw two familiar figures... Hector and Helena? The man looked like he had had too much to drink. He drank whileining his heart away, looking like aplete miser. Helena''s heart ached so much that she couldn''t help but pull him into an embrace. Yet, instead of pushing her away, Hector grabbed her face and nted a kiss on her lips. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Charlotte was immediately stunned by the sight. She stood frozen in ce. It was only until a waiter shut the door that she returned to her senses and blinked hard. Were my eyes ying tricks on me? "Charlotte!" Michael called out to her. With that, she immediately followed him back into the private room and shut the door before remarking anxiously, "I just saw-" But before she could finish, she received a phone call from Luna. Frowning, she answered her phone. "Hello?" "Where are you?" the woman instantly questioned. "I''m having a meal outside. Why?" Charlotte frowned. "Give me the address. Now." "Are you insane-¡± Suddenly, a waiter''s voice rang out from outside. "Wee to The Limetree!" Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Upon hearing this, Luna immediately went ballistic. "Well done, Charlotte! I gave you two days to find a husband, but here you are seducing mine instead! Just you wait, you shameless wench!" "Hey-" The call ended before Charlotte had a chance to even exin herself. Why, oh why, do I have such bad luck?l''m here trying to enjoy a good meal, but now I''ve just be someone else''s scapegoat.Luna must have installed a tracker in Hector¡¯s phone. She knows where he is now, but he probably didn''t pick up her calls. That''s why she thinks he¡¯s out seeing another woman. And that woman just has to be me.That¡¯s why she called me. But that waiter just had to talk while I was on the phone! This is a disaster. "What''s wrong? Who called you?" asked Michael. "It was Luna," Charlotte answered petntly. "She started going off at me the moment I picked up. What a crazy b*tch." "Why would she go off at you?" "She thinks I¡¯m having dinner with Hector here. Honestly..." She immediately retracted her words upon realizing what she was about to say. Helena was Michael''s cousin, after all, and they were both at the same restaurant now. If Michael finds out the truth, he''s definitely going to beat Hector up. With so many people here, Hector and Helena''s rtionship will be brought to light. It¡¯ll be bad for Hector''s career, and Helena will hate me for it.I''ve already made so many enemies. I don¡¯t want her to turn on me either. I don''t want to give Hector a hard time either. "Honestly, what?" the man before her urged. "Nothing." Charlotte didn''t wish toplicate matters. "Let''s go somewhere more peaceful, Michael." "I shouldn¡¯t have booked this ce. Helena couldn''t stop raving about the meat fondue here." Michael grabbed his phone and keys before leaving with Charlotte. Thetter couldn''t help but ponder over Michael''s words and found them odd. "Does Helena know you''re here with me?" "Of course she does," he answered with a grin. "I don''t eat with any other woman apart from you." Charlotte''s lips curled rigidly. Despite saying nothing, uncertainty began to fill her heart. If Helena suggested Michael take me here, why would shee over with Hector?Did she let me catch them on purpose? Two walked out of the restaurant and were about to enter the elevator when suddenly, she spotted a couple making out inside. She instantly stopped in her tracks. But before Michael could nce at them, his phone rang, and he stepped aside to answer it. "Hello? Yeah, I''m out at the moment. Maybe another day. Let''s talk about it when I''ve settled my matters. Okay." By the time he hung up, the elevator had already arrived on the ground floor. Charlotte hastily walked toward the ss window and looked down. As expected, she saw Hector entering the car while holding onto Helena. Then, the woman started the engine and drove away. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 "What are you looking at?" Michael walked over and asked. "Nothing. Let''s go." Charlotte furrowed her brows, feeling heavy-hearted. I''m disappointed in you, Hector.Back then, you said it was your parents who wanted to cancel our marriage and that whatever happened between you and Luna was a moment of drunken stupor.So, what about now?Just the day before yesterday, you Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. swore to protect me. But look at you, cheating with Helena now. You''re nothing but a scumbag! "What''s wrong, Charlotte?" Michael asked, noticing how absent-minded she appeared. "Don''t worry about Luna. She¡¯s always been a nutcase. I even told you back then not to hang around with someone as wicked as her." The woman let out a sigh and turned to him. "You''re the only one among all my friends who haven''t changed, Michael," shemented. Yup. Hector, Helena, and Luna-they''re all different now.You¡¯re the only one who''s as pure-hearted and kind as before, Michael. "But of course," Michael remarked as he ruffled her hair gently. "You haven''t eaten much just now, have you? Let''s go grab a bite." "It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s find a nice, quiet ce to sit down." Charlotte felt physically and mentally drained. "Okay. Let¡¯s go get some fresh air at the beach." The man drove them to the seaside and wound down the window. Then, while gazing into the night sky full of stars, he opened up to Charlotte. He had been traveling the world on his own for the past four years, admiring every view and recreating them in his sketchbook. Four years of living a simple and stain-free life felt like just one day to Michael. Charlotte, on the other hand, had long turned into a white sheet full of blemishes. On top of her many dark pasts and ugly rumors, the woman was now being oppressed by others; she couldn''t live freely. Yet, she couldn''t bring herself to tell Michael anything. She refused to be selfish and use him as a shield. It simply wasn''t fair to him. "Charlotte, I feel like you have a lot on your mind that you¡¯re not willing to talk to me about," Michael said as he held her hand. "I don''t care what you''ve been through. All I want is to be your shelter and take care of you." Charlotte¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing the man''s confession. But instead of giving in, she hugged him and put on a rxed expression. "Why would you need to be my shelter? I''m doing pretty well on my own now." "Charlotte..." "I think we''ve done enough for the day. Let''s go home." She would have wanted to live happily ever after with Michael-if it weren''t for Zachary and the three children. Unfortunately, there were no ifs in this world. Her life was destined to beplicated. The man didn''t try to pursue the matter, for he knew she needed time. Late into the night, he dropped Charlotte back home and watched her walk into her residential area until she disappearedpletely. He kept his eyes on her the entire time while remaining in the car, slowly watching her leave. Charlotte immediately sent Mrs. Berry a text upon arriving home: How''s Ellie, Mrs. Berry? Has she gotten better? Upon receiving that text, Mrs. Berry gave her a call, sounding particrly fatigued. "We just got back from the hospital, Miss. Ellie¡¯s asleep now. Robbie and Jamie were waiting for us the whole time. They¡¯re now watching over Ellie while I cook up some noodles." "Thank you, Mrs. Berry." Charlotte felt extremely guilty. She knew how difficult it was for her housekeeper to look after three children, especially when Ellie was such a sickly child. Whenever Charlotte thought of that, her blood pressure would spike because she felt anxious and worried. She wouldn''t have gotten this far if Mrs. Berry hadn¡¯t been by her side all these years. On top of that, her three children had to put up with the cold gazes of others and could never live normal lives. She truly felt remorseful. "Robbie is calling for me, Miss. I''ll be hanging up now. Get some rest, and don''t worry too much!" After hanging up, Charlotte stared at her phone in doubt. If Michael really doesn''t mind, maybe... just maybe... Chapter 214 Chapter 214 As her thoughts began to wander, she suddenly received a call from Zachary. Charlotte immediately tensed up. She carefully answered the phone after clearing her throat. "Hello?" "What are you up to?" The man sounded as frigid as usual despite being the one to make the call. "I''m just spacing out." Shey down on the couch before she asked, "Is something the matter?" "I''lle back and take care of your resignation," Zachary remarked professionally. "Oh. That''s very kind of you. Thank you, Mr. Nacht," she replied carefully. "Do you not have anything to tell me?" She pondered for a moment before answering, "Good night." The conversation fell silent, and the man hung up a few secondster. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She didn¡¯t know what to think. What should I have told him?Whether or not he''s actually Gigolo, he probably already knows what Luna did at thepany.But so what if he does?Should I beining to him about it and asking him to help me?You''re the one I''m most afraid of, Mr. Nacht! I''d have so much less to think about if you weren''t involved. Charlotte tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. A day had already passed, and she still didn¡¯t know how to deal with the mother-daughter duo who were trying to cause trouble for her. Should I really marry someone?Zachary will kill me if I do, won''t he? The night passed before she even realized it. Her phone suddenly rang while she was in a slumber. "Hello?" she asked, her eyes remaining shut. "Charlotte! Have you seen the news?" Lily sounded incredibly excited. "What?" Still in a daze, Charlotte thought the woman was talking about yesterday''s news. "Pictures of you and Mr. Sterling are all over the Inte now," Lily eximed. "There are even videos of your car sex. Oh, God! What a steamy couple you both are!" Thatment got Charlotte to freeze for a moment. "Car sex? What are you talking about?" she asked in bewilderment. "The paparazzi took pictures of what you did in the car with Mr. Sterlingst night! You were at the beach. It¡¯s all over the Inte now, and everyone at work has seen it." Charlotte was dumbstruck. Could it have been Hector and Helena?How am I part of all this? "I just heard that thepany might fire you, but that¡¯s fine. You have Mr. Sterling, so you won''t have to worry about anything for the rest of your life!" "That¡¯s not it, Lily-" "You''re not bad at all, Charlotte! I blushed so hard watching that video. Hahaha! I just sent you the link. Have a look at it." Lily was in exceptionally high spirits as though she was talking about the best news in the world. As Charlotte tapped on the link, her jaw dropped. A secret hookup between Sterling Group president and his mistress! The article included photos of a couple dining and being affectionate with each other inside a private room at The Limetree. There were even photos of them making out inside the elevator. The strangest thing was that Hector had been photographed clearly in every photo, whereas Helena¡¯s face waspletely indiscernible. All that could be seen were her hair, body, and clothes. Moreover, the article stated that the woman inside the pictures was a minor secretary from Divine Corporation called Ms. Windt. Who else could this be referring to? Charlotte was at aplete loss for words. That woman is clearly Helena! Why are they saying it''s me?Even if no one else has any idea, whoever took the photos should''ve known! Charlotte frantically tapped on the next link. Hector Sterling gets steamy with his mistress in a car by the beach! On top of more videos and pictures, the entire ordeal had also been described in detail. The video showed Hector sitting on the passenger seat with the female lead riding him on top. The two looked utterly intoxicated. The man¡¯s face and body were clearly visible, but again, the woman''s features were unrecognizable. Only Charlotte knew it was Helena. Yet, all the news articles pointed to a little secretary from Divine Corporation. Some even revealed the female lead''s real name-Charlotte Windt! Chapter 215 Chapter 215 She immediately sat up at the sight of her own name. "Where did you get all this news, Lily? Which outlet publicized it?" "It''s literally everywhere on the Inte. You''re trending on Facebook too! At first, it was something like ''Divine Corp Secretary,'' but now, your name''s being stered everywhere." Charlotte clutched her hair in panic. How am I going to prove myself innocent?This will be nearly impossible...Besides, Michael has never made himself known to the media. No one''s going to believe him, even if he acts as my witness. I should''ve stopped those two while I had the chancest night. Why would they do it in the car at the beach, anyway? They could''ve just gone to a hotel! They didn''t even try to keep it low and ended up having their pictures taken. And now, I''ve been dragged into their disgusting affairs. Wait a minute. Why is Hector''s facepletely visible while Helena''s isn¡¯t?Something doesn''t seem right. "You can¡¯t hide your affair with Mr. Sterling any longer, Charlotte. It''s all over the news now. I heard from Mr. Yates that an affair would have such a huge impact on thepany''s image. Even the shares will be affected! Do you think Mr. Sterling will marry you instead to protect his reputation?" Lily began probing. "That''s not what''s happening," Charlotte hurriedly exined. "There''s nothing going in between Mr. Sterling and-" "Oh,e on. Your videos are everywhere! There''s nothing else to hide at this point. Besides, we¡¯re friends, aren''t we? It¡¯s not like I''d go around telling other people about this. You don''t have to worry about being honest with me!" "No-" "Hang on. There¡¯s another article," Lily cut Charlotte off before yelling in shock. "Oh, God! I can''t believe it, Charlotte! So you were once actually a nightclub princess who even yed around with a T Nation male model? You''re full of surprises!" "What did you say?" Charlotte asked, utterly taken aback. "I¡¯ll send you another link. Have a look at it." Lily began to sound grave. "Now that the issue''s been made such a big deal, all the media will start scouring your past. You''ll have to take care of this ASAP, or it''s going to affect your rtionship with Mr. Sterling and leave a horrible taste in his family¡¯s mouths. If that happens, you won''t be able to marry into a life full of riches..." Charlotte stopped paying attention to what her friend was saying. She hurriedly opened the other links thetter had sent her. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. A peek into the messy private life of Hector Sterling''s mistress-nightclubs and one-night standsIHector Sterling''s mistress, Charlotte Windt, tangled with a T Nation male model at Sultry Night four years agoWho on earth is Charlotte Windt? How did she captivate the richest man in H City? Charlotte Windt''s background to be disclosed today at noon.Mysterious man to reveal the entire process of Charlotte Windt''s gigolo escapades. Live today at 1 p.m. With trembling hands, Charlotte tapped onto each article. All the intimate photos of her and levin, as well as the video of her calling a gigolo, had been released. With such concrete evidence, it was practically impossible to deny her involvement. Luna''s voice and figure had been removed, leaving only Charlotte and levin, who were both drunk out of their wits at that time. Some news outlets evenpiled all of today¡¯s articles and published a detailed timeline of the entire ordeal. The timeline described how she had relentlessly seduced Hector and manipted him into abandoning his wife. It also recounted how Charlotte had enticed him into their little car adventurest night. Not only that, but it even imed that she was doing all this to force Hector into marrying her. In short, every article pointed to her as an instigator while painting Hector as a lost sheep and Luna as a helpless, tolerant wife. Tens of thousands of people scorned her in thements, and some who personally knew her proceeded to expose more of her private life. Among such individuals were her coworkers, previous neighbors, past friends, and even her schoolmates from kindergarten. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Now, Charlotte felt as if someone had stripped her naked and thrown her in the middle of the crowd; she was all exposed. Everyone was a witness to everything she did wrong, and everyone threw all sorts of curses at her. In fact, they were even cursing at her parents, saying that they should not have brought a disgusting person like her to the world. Even the ones who knew her were ashamed to be on her side; they felt that knowing her was a humiliation by itself as well. At that very moment, Charlotte was someone who was collectively despised by the whole world. She was a shooting target that everyone was aiming at, hoping that they could cut her into bits. Charlotte''s hand shook, and her heart was racing a mile a minute. She was at a loss, and her mind was a barrenndscape. What do I do now? "Charlotte! Charlotte!¡± came Lily¡¯s anxious cries from the other end of the line. "Hey." By now, Charlotte was on the verge of a breakdown as she choked out, "Lily, I was framed. What do I do?" "Charlotte, I''m sorry. When I saw your video with Mr. Sterling at the start, I really thought you did it to pressurize his wife. Now that things have turned serious, the situation is disadvantageous to you. If this continues, your reputation in society will take a turn for the worst. Hurry up and talk to Mr. Sterling. Don''t dy a second more. Otherwise, thoseizens are going to witch-hunt you and expose all your private matters and your past. When that happens, you''re doomed. All right, I''m going to work now. Call Mr. Sterling quickly. You''ve got to let a man handle this." After that, Lily ended the call. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte continued gripping onto the phone as thousands of thoughts raced across her mind. She could not possibly call Hector, but neither could she call Zachary. Of course, it was pointless to call Gigolo either. Hence, she was left with one choice-Michael. Just as Charlotte was about to call Michael, she realized the number that he used four years ago had long been canceled. It was then she recalled Michael had contacted her via Helena''s phone yesterday; she did not even know Michael''s new number .Unless... Should I call Helena?But will Helena get Michael forme?After all, Helena''s the culprit.Regardless, I have to try. Charlotte then called Helena¡¯s number. No one picked up after a long while, and despair was starting to creep into her heart.That''s right. Why would Helena pick up my call at a time like this? Just as she was about to give up, her call suddenly went through. Helena''s voice came through the speakers. "Charlotte, I..." At that moment, upon hearing Helena¡¯s voice, a myriad of emotions washed over Charlotte''s heart. The thoughts of what happenedst night shed past her mind, and worries surged in her heart. For a split second, Charlotte wanted to ask her, "Are you involved in this?" However, Charlotte dared not voice that question out, fearing that she would lose herst chance to be saved. "What''s the matter?" Helena''s voice was calm, friendly, and polite. In fact, Charlotte could not hear anything wrong with that tone of hers. At that, she could not help but feel impressed by Helena''s strong psychological quality. At the same time, sheughed at how ignorant she was. A while back, she still thought that Helena was a simple-minded, sincere, and nice girl. In reality, Helena only hid her true nature better than Luna did. "I''m looking for Michael." Charlotte tried her best to sound calm, not wanting to seem like she was in a panic in front of Helena. "Michael''s sick," Helena muttered sorrowfully. "He was feeling unwell since he came homest night. When my daddy came to get him for breakfast, he realized Michael''s passed out with a high fever, so he sent him to the hospital right away. My daddy and mommy are taking care of him in the hospital now." "What happened?" Charlotte was stunned by the news. "He was fine when we parted waysst night." "That''s what I wanted to ask you," Helena retorted. "You should know that Michael has a weak heart since young, and he''s allergic to certain food. Did you make him eat the wrong food? Is that why he¡¯s sick now?¡± Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Charlotte was speechless. The culprit was in a call with her, yet not only could she not question her about the matter, but she was even interrogated by her instead. Gritting her teeth, she cursed at how useless she was under her breath. "All right. I¡¯m going to visit Michael in the hospital now. Take care. Goodbye." Right after she bid her farewell politely, Helena ended the call. Charlotte''s hand on the phone shook even more vigorously now. How well Helena has hidden her nature. I can''t believe I didn''t spot it before this.Is Michael''s illness a coincidence or was it nned? It''ll be terrifying if Helena has done something to Michael just to set me up. However, there was one thing Charlotte was sure of. Helena''s family depended on Michael, and that was Charlotte¡¯s only guarantee that Helena would not truly harm Michael. Maybe his fever is because of a mild allergic reaction, and that''s why they sent him to the hospital.Then, she''ll have the chance to take his phone from him. Michael had always been naive, so it was normal for him not to think too much about anything. As long as he''s safe. However, now that Michael was not avable, Charlotte could not think of anyone else to help her. Her heart felt as if it was going to escape her chest. Ring! All of the sudden, her phone rang, a loud, piercing sound. Charlotte shuddered the shock before she lowered her heart. It was a call from Luna. Quickly picking it up, she said, "Hello?" "Charlotte, did you see the news?" Luna¡¯s wicked voice traveled into her ears. She smugly continued, "Now you know what the consequences are for crossing me." "You lunatic! Why did you have to do this?" Charlotte roared. "Didn''t we agree on two days? The time has yet to be up, so why did you upload those information on the inte?" "Why? Hahaha!" Luna barked out a sinisterugh. "I can''t believe you''re shamelessly asking me why. The video of you having sex with my husband is all over the inte, and everyone¡¯s mocking me. He''s even forcing me to get a divorce, but you''re asking me why?" "That isn''t what happened. That''s not me in the video..." "Enough!" Luna cut off Charlotte''s words. Gritting her teeth, she cursed, "I''m sick of your pretentious ways. You pretend like you¡¯re all noble and better than everyone else, fooling a bunch of men to do everything for you, but you''re slyer than everyone else." "Luna, listen to me. The womanst night really wasn''t me. I was with Michaelst night-" "Stop it. I don''t want to hear any more lies from you." Luna could not bear to listen any further. "You promised me you''ll do as I say, but you seduced my husband to sleep with you in the next second. You shameless b*tch! I wish I could kill you now!" "Did you call me to curse at me?" Charlotte took in a deep breath to calm herself down. "You should be calling to negotiate terms and conditions with me, right?" "You!" "Luna, let me talk to her." Amanda then took the phone from Luna''s hands. "Charlotte, I''m telling you Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. this now. The reason we haven''t exposed those three bastards of yours is that we¡¯re giving you a chance." "I know. Tell me. What do you want me to do?" Charlotte knew well that even though her reputation was ruined, the children were yet to be revealed to the public. As long as the Whites'' mother-daughter duo stopped in time and bribed the media to remove the news, the children would not be affected. She could not care less what happened to her, but she could not let her children be harmed in this. "Marry that man from T Nation right away and tell everyone about it. Then, migrate to T Nation with those three bastards of yours." At that, Amanda added, "Don''t worry. We''ll give you an adequate sum of money, and we''ll even give you a house in B City. You and your children will live a fantastic life in T Nation." Chapter 218 Chapter 218 "Aunt Amanda certainly has more wits than Luna." A bitter smile grew on Charlotte¡¯s lips. Four years ago, the mother-daughter duo had made her lose everything, but she never thought of taking her revenge. Yet, they had set her up once again. At the end of the day, everything was because she was too kind and weak. That was why she was always bullied. However, what was the use for her to think about these now? She had to protect her children, so she would sacrifice and do anything for them. "You should have seen the news, right?" Amanda continued threatening. "Tens of millions of care nothing about what happens to you, but your kids are still so young. Do you have the heart to watch the rest of the world curse at them for being bastards?" "That''s enough!" Amanda''s words were daggers that stabbed into Charlotte''s heart. As she shrieked for the other woman to stop, the tears escaped her eyes. At that moment, she felt she was the most useless person in the world. She was defenseless as she stepped into the trap of crafty people. She could not do anything in the face of evil. She was a fish on the board, waiting to be gutted. "You''re running out of time. For every minute that ticks by, the news will spread even faster, and the more they''ll find out about your terrible past," Amanda sneered as she reminded Charlotte. "If you don''t believe in me, you can check the inte yourself. Someone has already found out your identity, including who your father is. Your father is a good and perfect man. I''m sure he won¡¯t be able to rest in peace if someone were to nder him even after he''s gone. As his daughter, you were having fun with a gigolo in Sultry Night when he was in his toughest times. You didn''t even get to see him in hisst moments. Now that you''re the cause for his reputation to suffer in death, I pity him for having you as his daughter..." "That''s enough." Charlotte could not bear listening to her anymore. In a trembling voice, she mumbled, "I''ll say yes to anything you say." She then cleared her notifications. By now, even her apps were sending tons of notifications of news on the scandal; the media had found out more about her identity, and even her father¡¯s. Now, they were cursing at her father alongside her. Every single word andments they made were knives that stabbed her heart, leaving it tattered. Amanda was right. Her father was a good man when he was alive, and no one had a bad impression of him. When he passed away back then, she was not by his side. If she were to disrupt his peace even after he had passed on, she would be the worst daughter in the world. "That¡¯s right," Amanda crowed. "The smart one is the one who knows how to adapt to the situation." "Mom, stop wasting your breath on her." Luna grabbed the phone back as she ordered, "I''m going to send someone along with Tevin to pick you up. Bring your household register. The two of you are going to the Civil Affairs Bureau right away." "I understand." There was nothing else for Charlotte to do but to listen to them. "Don''t you dare mess with me," Amanda warned. "I know your three bastards are with Mrs. Berry at her hometown in F Town. If you dare to pull any tricks on me, I''ll cease being courteous with you." Her words sent a chill down her spine. She knew Amanda was capable of doing anything, but she had no idea it was this bad. She actually found Mrs. Berry''s address in her hometown.If I don''t heed her words, I''m afraid my kids will really be in danger. "Pack your documents and wait downstairs in fifteen minutes," Amandamanded. "Y-You know my new address?" Charlotte stuttered. "I found Mrs. Berry¡¯s address in her hometown. What makes you think I won''t be able to find your new address?" Amanda scoffed. "My daughter''s naive, so she can''t win against you, but that''s not the case for me." Chapter 219 Chapter 219 "Yes, Aunt Amanda, you''re truly amazing." "Thank you. Do as I say now." After ending the call, Charlotte swore to herself that she had to grow stronger. That way, she would be able to be the one in control in the future. After washing up, Charlotte packed her documents into her bag and went downstairs with her phone. Regardless, I have to settle this before I can think of doing anything else. I''ll have to find a way to get away from that man from T Nation and bring the kids to live in another city. Meanwhile, the Whites'' car had already arrived, and Amanda had personallye to pick Charlotte up with her bodyguards. The man from T Nation was trembling as he sat in the backseat; it was as if he was a frightened chick who dared not even make a noise. When the bodyguards saw Charlotte, they immediately pushed her into the car before they sped off. When Charlotte finally raised her head, she froze upon seeing Simon. Unlike his usual gentle demeanor, Simon''s brows were furrowed as he reprimanded, "Charlotte, I always thought of you as a good kid. I can''t believe you did something as shameless as this. Although Hector was in a rtionship with you in the past, he¡¯s now Luna¡¯s husband and Timothy''s dad. How can you-" "What your daughter did was even more shameless. Have you ever scolded her for that?¡± Charlotte retorted. "You-" "Shut up!" Amanda yelled as she pped Charlotte. Jabbing a finger in her face, she seethed, "If not for your father, I''d have killed you!" "Haha!" Augh escaped Charlotte. "You make it sound as if you actually thought of my father like your brother. Were you not the ones who set my father up back then?" "What rubbish are you talking about?" Simon bellowed. "Richard has done so much for me. How can I possibly set him up?" All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Staring at him, Charlotte realized that his agitation seemed genuine. "Just ignore her." On the other hand, Amanda was averting her eyes away from Charlotte. However, her tone remained indignant. "She''s just a shameless b*tch. Since her ns to seduce Hector have fallen through, she''s now trying to ruin our reputation." "The one who killed your father was-" Amanda interrupted when Simon started to speak, "Shut it. Why are you wasting your breath on her?" She then shot him a look, and he quickly fell silent as he hung his head. "Stop spouting nonsense." Amanda dragged Charlotte closer and warned, "I''d advise you to do as I say. If you do that, I''ll spare you. If not, you''re dead meat." Charlotte was silent, but hundreds of thoughts were rushing past her mind. From how they were behaving, it seemed like they had little to do with her father''s death. At most, they must have gotten some money after his death. However, Charlotte was sure that they knew who her father''s murderer was. In fact, the murderer was someone mighty. It had to be, or else a witty woman like Amanda would not fear to cross them. However, this was not the right time to think about this; she had to solve the current problem first. Soon, they reached the Civil Affairs Bureau. Amanda had put on a pair of sunsses and scarf, fearing someone would recognize her, before she left the car with two bodyguards, levin, and Charlotte. On the other hand, Simon and the driver remained in the car. Amanda was a woman who was meticulous with her ns-she had already gotten someone to queue for her. Hence, the moment they reached, they could head straight for the registration. As they walked over, Amanda had one hand holding onto her scarf around her head as she mped her other hand on Charlotte''s shoulder, afraid that thetter would try to escape. When they reached, the two bodyguards held levin down on the chair, and he did not even dare to squeak at the rough actions. "You are..." the staff trailed off, finding their behavior odd. "We''re a family.¡± Amanda shed the staff a smile. "I''m her mother, and I''m here with my daughter and son-inw for their registration. These two men are her brothers.¡± In her heart, Charlotte cursed, If I have a mother like you, I''d rather die and reincarnate. "Please hand me your documents," the staff member said without asking more questions. Charlotte and Tevin then took out their documents. When the staff member took them, she raised her brows to look at Charlotte meaningfully. "Oh my, the lead of the news headlines.¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Charlotte''s brows knitted together. Have someone revealed my identity online?Hold on. What if I marry Tevin, but Amanda goes back on her words? What if she refuses to get rid of the headlines and news? Now that things had turned out this way, it would cost a fortune to get rid of all the news. Do the Whites even have that much money? "Charlotte, are you marrying Mr. Tevin out of your own free will?" the staff member asked. "Nonsense. Of course she¡¯s here willingly," Amanda huffed. "How can someone force another to marry?¡± "I''m asking her, not you." said the staff, who was a woman in her fifties. She was wearing a pair of thick spectacles, and she was the type who was very serious in her work. For a moment, Amanda was rendered speechless by the woman. "I''m asking you," the staff repeated as she turned to Charlotte. "Please give me five minutes," Charlotte answered as she took back her documents and towed Amanda and walked outside. "What are you doing? Are you trying to go back on your words at a time like this?" Amanda growled. "Even the Civil Affairs Bureau''s staff member can recognize me. That means the news is still spreading, and you obviously have no ns to get rid of the news," Charlotte pointed out. "Luna is contacting the mediapanies. We''ve already spent thirty million to get rid of the news. Don''t you know that time is needed before things take effect? It''s not as if you can get rid of it right away.¡± "Thirty million to remove the news?" Charlotte was quick to notice something wrong with her words. "Amanda, do you take me as a fool?" "I told you we''ve spent thirty million. We''re still paying more," Amanda anxiously exined. "We can''t possibly dump all our money at once. There are so many mediapanies, and we have to contact them one by one." "I don''t care. You have to remove the news before I marry him." Charlotte was not going to step right into the trap now that she saw through it. "There''ll be no way for me to change things once I marry him, so you''ve got to show me how efficient you are, right?" "Fine. Drag it on then," Amanda sneered. "The longer you take, the more secrets of yours will be exposed to the public. Eventually, the whole world will know about your three bastards, and there¡¯ll be no point in you trying to remove the news." "You!" At that, Charlotte was at a loss for words. Amanda was right. News on the inte spread much quicker than viruses could. Even a minute could change someone''s life, not to mention an hour or a day. Right then, Amanda sighed, changing to a softer approach. "Both of us want to settle this as quickly as possible. After all, it won''t look good for either of us if this continues. If your issue with Hector wasn''t on the newsst night, I wouldn''t have revealed your matter with levin. After all, having the trump card in my hands is much better than using it now. You only have yourself to me for how rash you acted; you thought we would be scared of you after you told everyone that you slept with Hector. Did you know that he still listens to his parents? Do you really think he will defend you at a time like this? You won''t even see any sign of him around now that you''re in hot water." "Let me tell you this onest time. I''m not the woman in the video, and I''m not the one who leaked the video." By now, Charlotte was sick of repeating herself. "All of you keeping after me, but you''re all All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. targeting the wrong person!" "How can that be?" Amanda scoffed in disbelief. "If not for you, who can it be?" "It''s..." Charlotte trailed off, realizing that Amanda would not believe in her even if she did tell her who it was. In fact, Amanda would not even let her go. It was already tough for her to go up against the mother and daughter duo. If she were to cross Helena as well, hell would be waiting for her. "You can''te up with anyone, can you?" Amanda snarled. "I can''t believe you''re still trying to fool me now. Believe it or not, I''ll tell Luna to expose those three bastards right now." With that said, she moved her hand into her bag, about to take out her phone. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Before she could make the call, however, Hector called. Amanda promptly answered it and put him on speaker. ¡°Hey, Hector." "We''ve removed the headlines and I''m contacting the other mediapanies. The news is spreading terribly, and my dad''s furious about it. Thepany is holding a board meeting and they want to remove me as the president." "Huh? Why? Why are they removing you from your positio¡ª" "Listen to me," Hector interrupted. Tamping down his agitation, he continued, "No one is benefiting from this. If the Sterlings go down, the Whites won''t be living the high life, either. I''m trying my best to clean up this mess right now, so please stop making things worse for me. Talk to your dear daughter and stop exposing Charlotte''s private matters. While she''s trying to hurt Charlotte, she''s also hurting me." "I know. I understand. Hector, listen to my exnation." "Let''s stop now. I''m begging you. I won''t mention divorce for now, so please stop making things worse than they already are. Don''t create more trouble for Charlotte, either. Just...stop." At that, Hector ended the call. With a deep frown, Amanda raised her head to re daggers at Charlotte. "It''s all your fault, b*tch!" Charlotte did not even know what to say to that. "You heard him." Amanda tugged Charlotte closer and snarled, "The Sterlings are already doing their N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. best to remove the news. Hurry up and register with him right now to put an end to this matter. Otherwise, we''ll still tell the world about those three b*stards. The Sterlings had to deal with this because Hector was involved. However, those little b*stards aren''t Hector''s, so..." "I understand." Charlotte knew well that if she did not do as told, Amanda and Luna would definitely go public with her children. No matter how Hector warned them, they would try their very best to be rid of her in the midst of this mess. After all, this was their best opportunity. "Hurry up and get back inside!" Amanda shoved Charlotte back into the building. Meanwhile, levin was still waiting at the same spot. When he saw Charlotte returning, a smile grew on his face. Obediently, Charlotte sat on the chair and handed the staff her documents again. "Have you thought it through?" the middle-aged staff member asked. "Yes," Charlotte mumbled as she nodded. Without saying anything else, the staff began the registration process. It was a simple one. All the two needed to do was to take a photo and sign the papers. Just as the staff was about to stamp the papers, a group of men in ck suddenly barged into the building and blocked the exits. A towering figure walked in from the outside. As the sun shone on his back, his shadow loomed, giving him an aloof and domineering presence. "Wow, he''s handsome!" When the registration staff saw the handsome man entering the building, she stared at him in admiration of his beauty. Her hand holding the stamp continued to hover over the papers¡ªshe had clearly forgotten about levin and Charlotte. "Why is he here?" Amanda flew into a panic. However, she was quick toe to her senses as she hastily urged the staff, "Hurry up and stamp it!" A card flew toward them, stirring a few strands of Charlotte''s hair into motion as it swished past her and then cutting across the back of Amanda''s hand, making it bleed. The cardnded on the table right in front of the staff, nting itself between her stamp and the marriage document. As a result, the stamp was made on the card instead. All this while, Charlotte had been hanging her head in despair; she did not even know someone had arrived behind her. Amanda shrieked and retracted her hand as the staff jumped to her feet in shock. The stamp fell onto the table and rolled into Charlotte''s hands. It was only then that she came back to her senses and turned to look behind her instinctively. At the sight of him, she stiffened. Why is he here? Arge hand firmly descended on Charlotte''s shoulders as a pair of cold eyes stared at Amanda. A deep voice sent chills running down everyone''s spine as he spoke, "You''re a daring one toy your hands on my woman so many times. Seems like you really have a death wish." Chapter 222 Chapter 222 "Mr. Nacht, you''ve misunderstood¡ªAh!" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Before Amanda could finish her sentence, Zachary''s subordinates had already yanked her away. She tried to cry for help but the men were swift to cover her mouth. All the registration staff, including the young couples registering for their marriage at the side, were stunned. "Don''t worry. We''d never do anything illegal," Ben exined with a faint smile, "We''ll settle this outside and shall not disrupt you all now." As he spoke, he made a gesture. Instantly, the bodyguards brought Amanda, levin, and the two bodyguards of the Whites away. "Hello." Zachary rapped on the table, bringing the registration staff back to her senses. "H-Hello!" Thedy finally snapped back into reality and asked in a shaky voice, "What... can I do for you?" "Please get rid of all the documents from her registration earlier, including the photo she took, the paper copy, as well as the electronic copy. Thank you," Zachary politely said to her. At the same time, his subordinates were already standing at the side, giving her their solemn gazes as they waited for her to do as told. "Yes, yes. I''m on it." The staff then promptly got to work. After everything was done, Zachary finally turned his attention to Charlotte. Roughly, he pulled her up and made her sit on the office desk. His tall figure loomed over her like a mighty beast. He ced one hand beside her and pinched her on the cheek with his other hand, forcing her to look into his eyes. Charlotte could see the wrathful fire in his eyes¡ª they were about to burn her to crisps. Frightened by his gaze, Charlotte quickly lowered her head and was afraid to look at him. Both of her hands were twisting the sleeves of her shirt as her eyes darted around. For a moment, her mind was nk. What do I do?What do I do?How do I exin this to him?Did he find out about the children?Will he strangle me here and now?Will he take the children away? "Speak," Zachary bellowed. A shudder wracked Charlotte''s frame before she raised her head and timidly looked at him. Squeezing out a tense smile, she muttered, "Mr. Nacht, w-why are you back?" "Do you not want me toe back?¡± Zachary''s eyes narrowed into slits as if he was a predator about to pounce on his prey. "No. I¡ªI..." Charlotte was shaking like a leaf in the wind; she could not even form a sentence. Zachary''s fury only spiked when he saw her timid demeanor. He tugged at her ponytail and dragged her out of the building. Charlotte stumbled the entire way out; there were even a few times when she nearly fell. Around them, onlookers were quick to move aside, fearing that she would knock into them. After all, a devil-like man was right beside her! The murderous aura he exuded was one that terrified everyone. "Let go of me, Zachary. It hurts. It hurts!" Charlotte tried to free her hair from his grasp but to no avail. Only when Zachary unceremoniously shoved her into the car did she break free from him. Her scalp ached and she yelled, "What are you doing?" "Very well," Zachary sneered, "You could shout at me, but you act like a wimp in front of others." At that, Charlotte pursed her lips and drooped her head in shame. She was the only one in the world who dared to speak to Zachary in this way. Yet, as much as she was stubborn and ruthless in front of him, she let others treat her horribly. This was a fact-a shameful reality. "Tell me." Zachary gripped Charlotte''s face as he interrogated her, "How are they ckmailing you?" At that very second, Charlotte panicked. She could not let Zachary know about her children. But at this moment, could she still keep it a secret? It had been over ten minutes since she saw the news, so she did not know how much of her privacy had been revealed to the public. Even if news of her children was yet to be on the inte, it would soon be. Now that Zachary''s subordinates had taken away Amanda and her husband, he was sure to interrogate them soon. To protect themselves, Charlotte was certain that they would tell him about this secret of hers. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 "Are you thinking of how you''ll lie to me? Hm?" Zachary continued to grab Charlotte''s cheek as he leaned into her personal space. "Do you think I''m easy to fool?" "No." Charlotte shook her head vehemently. "I''ve never thought of lying to you. I''m serious." If Charlotte were not to submit to him at that moment, she would be doomed for a terrible death. If she could yield to the shamelessly disgusting Amanda and Luna, why could she not give in to Zachary? It was not humiliating to lower herself in the face of her savior. "You have five minutes." By now, Zachary was running thin on patience for her. "Be honest and tell me everything.¡± "Firstly, the woman in the video really isn''t me," Charlotte quickly exined, "I swear on my own life. I didn''t do it in the car with Hector." Zachary fell silent. All he did was continue narrowing his eyes at her. "I''m telling you the truth. Trust me!" Anxiety overwhelming her, Charlotte grabbed his hand before continuing, "I really didn''t do anything inappropriate with Hector. He''s already married. How could I possibly sleep with him?" "If he''s not married, you''ll do it?" Zachary raised a brow at her. "Hm?" "No!" Charlotte shook her head frantically again. "What I mean is that I didn''t-" "Your thoughts are messed up. You won''t be able to rify things even if I were to give you an hour," Zachary interrupted, "So I''m going to ask you questions and you''ll answer them." "Okay." Charlotte weakly nodded. "Did you meet Hectorst night?" Zachary stared at her with a cial look. "Yes," Charlotte replied truthfully before she quickly added, "I did go to that restaurant for a meal, but I went with my friend. I encountered Hector at the restaurant, and he was with..." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. At that, Charlotte stopped, hesitating whether or not she should reveal Helena''s appearancest night. However, Zachary filled in the gaps for her. "He was with Helena." "How did you know that?" Charlotte abruptly widened her eyes. "The woman having car sex with him is Helena," Zachary added. "How did you know about that?" By now, Charlotte''s eyes wereparable to saucers. Is he omniscient? Howe he knows everything? "Do you think everyone''s as stupid as you?" Zachary smacked the back of her head. "I admit that I''m not that smart, but can you tell me how you came to know about that?" Charlotte tugged at his sleeve. "I''m honestly curious." In the beginning, Zachary had not wanted to delve into details about such lowly and boring things, but he gave in when he saw Charlotte being so keen. "First and foremost, I''ve seen your body, and it''s much nicer than that woman in the video. Moreover, you''re so inexperienced and dumb; how could you possibly be the one on top?" "You-" Upon hearing his blunt reply, Charlotte''s face and ears turned bright red. Words fled her mind. "Secondly, anyone with a clear mind would search the source of those intimate photos and video when they see the news. They''d find out which mediapany first reported on it and would investigate how thepany acquired the information in order to identify the woman in the video." After a pause, he scoffed in disdain. "It''s such a lowly trick that even a random bodyguard of mine could handle well." "Oh!" Charlotte nodded in realization. "This isn''t how the bossy CEO in romance novels would do it. He would get angry right after the news and question the girl. After that, he would punish and torment her." "Have you lost your mind?" Zachary blurted out. "Those who can manage a sessful organization aren''t idiots. Who would make such a rookie mistake? Those novels you read are written by brainless idiots. The more you read them, the dumber you''ll be. Stop reading that rubbish!" Chapter 224 Chapter 224 "Oh," Charlotte breathed. Carefully, she asked, "About the man from T Nation... Did you investigate him, too?" "Do I even need to investigate him?¡± Zachary huffed. "The White women must have thought that you were the one in that video on the news, so they started threatening you with the old gigolo incident again." "Since you know everything, why are you asking me to exin to you?" He''s so smart. Nothing goes unnoticed before his eyes. Charlotte was now afraid that she would not be able to keep her children a secret for long. "It''s no longer a secret that you''ve hired a gigolo." Zachary gave her a scornful look. "Moreover, given that incident has made it onto the news, why are you still threatened by the mother and daughter? You must have other secrets." At that, Charlotte''s heart skipped a beat. Just as I thought! "Look at your shifty eyes. You must be thinking of ways to fool me again, right?" Zachary sneered. "I''m not going to bother pressurizing you into spilling it. I''ll ask those who know about this instead." "No-" "Mr. Nacht!" Right then, Ben''s voice came from the outside. "Speak," Zachary ordered. "I''ve done what you''ve asked.¡± Ben then slowly reported to Zachary. "I''ve made arrangements forthose people, and all that''s left is your interrogation. We''ve also removed all the news; Ms. Windt''s information can no longer be found on the inte or other broadcasting channels. The incident is now over. I''ve contacted all media outlets. From now on, they have agreed not to act on any tipoffs they receive about Ms. Windt, no matter who gives them the information. Also, the Sterlings'' project has been stopped." Once Ben was done with his report, all was silent. Staring at Charlotte, Zachary ordered Ben, "Bring the Whites to the secret room. I will ask them myself." "Yes, Sir." The car then slowly drove off. When Charlotte took out her phone to check the news, she realized Ben''s words were true. All her Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. information was gone from the inte. Even the trending headlines had been reced by scandals of other celebrities. When she searched her name and some keywords rting to the news, no results came up. Finally, she heaved a sigh of relief. Now that she had the time to mull over Zachary''s words, she tensed up again. "Mr. Nacht, since it''s now resolved, there''s no need for you to interrogate them, is there? Also, this has nothing to do with Mr. Sterling, so why did you stop his project again?" "What''s wrong?¡± Zachary furrowed his brows, displeased. "You still bear feelings for your old me?" "No." "It''s best that you keep quiet." Zachary gripped her chin and warned, "If you beg for him now, he''ll die an even more terrible death." Hearing that, Charlotte kept her lips sealed, not daring to utter another word. Through his eyes she could see an intent to kill, and based on her past experience, she knew what wasing up. The more Hector yearned for her, the more the Whites would target her. Simrly, the more she pitied Hector and pleaded for him, the worse Zachary would treat him. Hence, it was best for her not to mention a word about Hector from now on. However, what Charlotte was worried about was whether or not Zachary would find out about her children through his interrogation of Amanda. Right then, her phone rang. It was from Luna. Charlotte peeked at Zachary before she declined the call. Soon, Luna sent a message: Charlotte, tell Mr. Nacht to let my parents go right away, or else I''ll tell the world about your foul matters. Staring at the words, Charlotte''s heart began thumping. Although the mediapanies dared not report anything else about her after Zachary''s threats, Luna could still expose her by herself. After all, these were modern times and no one had absolute control over anyone else on the inte. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Furthermore, Zachary could not possibly kill Simon and Amanda. The moment they feared for their lives, they would blurt out all the secrets to protect themselves. Hence, the best oue for her was to stop Zachary from interrogating them in the first ce. That way, everything woulde to an end before getting out of control. Yet, this was something easier said than done. Just as Charlotte was deep in her anxious thoughts, her phone rang again. This time, it was an unfamiliar number from M Nation that ended with 7777. Immediately, Charlotte recognized it as Michael''s number, as he liked the number seven. Hence, she epted the call instantly. "Hello?" "Charlotte, are you okay?" Michael sounded weak and in distress. "I just heard what happened to you. Those people are too horrible to nder you like this!" "I''m fine, Michael. Don''t worry. Everything''s been resolved-" Before Charlotte could finish her sentence, Zachary took her phone away and put Michael on speaker. At his abrupt actions, Charlotte tried to take back her phone, but he stopped her by grabbing her wrist. "It''s been resolved? How did you resolve it?" Michael''s voice traveled from the speakers. "I''ve just asked my uncle to contact the mediapanies. If it''s necessary, I can be your witness. You were with me all alongst night. You didn''t even-" "No need to trouble you, Mr. Brown," Zachary cut off Michael''s words. Zachary sounded polite, but Charlotte could hear his arrogant undertone. "Y-You''re..." Michael tentatively asked, "Zachary?" "Even your father has to address me as Mr. Nacht, but you''re calling my name instead. As expected of a bold, young man," Zachary sneered. "Mr. Brown, I heard you''re in poor health. Do rest more and get well soon." "You-" Michael had yet to finish his sentence when Zachary hung up the call. Charlotte stared at Zachary with a ckened jaw for a while before she could recollect herself. "How could you-" "You seem to have forgotten that you''re mine now." Zachary''s expression instantly darkened as he used the phone to pat Charlotte''s face. "You had a date with another man behind my back. How clever of you." "That wasn''t a date!" Charlotte cried out. "How could you change your mood so quickly? So much for saying that brainless and domineering CEOs only exist in novels!" "The news is fake; that''s why I didn''t hold you ountable. However, it''s true that you''ve gone on a secret date with Michael." As he spoke, Zachary loosened his tie and leaned closer to her. "Looks like I''ll have to leave marks on you so that you''ll remember this." "What are you doing?" Charlotte hastily moved away from him. "We''re in a car. Stop messing around." "Yes. Let me show you what real car sex is." Like a leopard, Zachary lunged toward her and pinned her beneath him. Just as she was about to struggle, he grabbed her wrists to raise them above her head. His thin lips brushed across her eyes, cheeks, then lips. Gently, he bit on her earlobes. "Speak. What did the two of you dost night?" "Nothing." Charlotte nervously avoided his lips. When his hot breath tickled her skin, a sense of numbness crawled across her skin, causing her to shudder and feel electrocuted. "What kind of rtionship do you have with Michael?" Slowly, Zachary''s kisses trailed downward as he lightly nibbled on Charlotte''s smooth neck and corbones. "We''re just ssmates. There''s nothing going on between us." Charlotte continued shaking as she feebly pushed against him. "Stop it. Let me go." The two of them were in an MPV. Although they were separated from the driver''s section and the outside world, Charlotte still felt as though countless pairs of eyes were observing them. She was rmed, flustered, and apprehensive. Right then, Zachary bit her shoulder, reminding her with pain that she was his. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "Ah!" Charlotte howled in agony as she instinctively pushed him again. Her phone rang at that moment. When she turned to look at the screen, she realized it was a call from Luna. That name was a shock to her system, reminding her of her current situation. Right. I''m supposed to be stopping Zachary from interrogating Simon and Amanda. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 At the thought of that, Charlotte let her arms fall. She stopped resisting him and bit on Zachary''s shoulder vengefully. She mustered all her strength into the bite as if she wanted to tear off a piece of him. However, Zachary appeared to have felt no pain. Not only did he not resist nor push her away, he even continued to let her bite him. Only when she tasted the tangy scent of blood did Charlotte stop. Moving away from him, she shot him a defiant re. "Very well..." That was the feral side of her that Zachary liked. Pinching her cheeks, he gently brushed his thumb across the corner of her lips where his blood was. Lust stirred in his eyes like an impending storm. His Adam''s apple bobbed and he hoarsely muttered, "I''ll deal with youter tonight." Then, he moved away from her. After all, there were things to do, and he was not the kind to sidetrack from serious matters. However, Charlotte would not let an opportunity like this slide past her. She quickly hooked her arms around his neck and leaned forward to kiss him. Stunned by her actions, Zachary turned as still as a statue. Charlotte''s kiss was like fire as well as water, passionate and inexperienced at the same time. She was doing her best to mimic the way he had kissed her, hoping to make him stay. That way, she could stop him from interrogating them, and she would be able to keep the children a secret. What Charlotte did not know was that she was ying with fire. Soon, Charlotte awakened the lust that Zachary had been suppressing in him. Now out of control, he pinned her under him again. As he rained kisses on her, his hands got to work. Although Charlotte was trembling from the dread, she continued to cooperate with him. Soon, the two were entwined in a symphony of love and hate. There were several times Charlotte tried to pull his shirt away to get a glimpse of his back, but he always caught her hand in time. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. What always followed was his vicious punishment for her. Eventually, she ran out of energy and stopped trying to check, but the fact that he was wary of her action was in itself an answer. Marino was the bodyguard who was driving the MPV at the time. His face turned bright red upon hearing themotion behind him in the car. Ben in the front passenger seat spotted Marino''s reddened face whispered to him, "Eyes on the road, and don''t think too much about it." "No. Of course not," Marino hastily said, "But Ben, are we still heading to the secret room?" "That..." After pondering about it, Ben replied, "We can''t go against Mr. Nacht''s words, but with the stamina he has, I''d say this will go on for a while." "So..." "Let''s park at a secluded ce first." "Understood." It was already midnight when the tussle ended. By then, Charlotte was totally exhausted. After a while of sprawling on the seat, she fell into a deep sleep. Zachary put on his clothes again and started smoking next to her. When he stared at the sleeping Charlotte,plicated emotions swirled in his eyes. Upon finishing his cigarette, Zachary opened a sliver of the car window and instructed, "Let''s head back." "Huh? You''re not going to interrogate them?" Ben was surprised. "No," came Zachary''s t reply. "Lock the couple up for a few days. Let them out when they''re about to die from starvation so that they''ll remember this lesson well." "Of course." Ben then informed the other subordinates about Zachary''s decision while Marino returned to the car and drove off. Zachary covered Charlotte with his suit jacket and quietly watched her from the side. On their way back, Marino wondered, "Ben, why did Mr. Nacht suddenly change his mind?" "It must be because Ms. Windt has a secret that she wants to keep from him. That''s why he''s not going to interrogate them. He did that so she won''t feel anxious." Ben knew Zachary well. "Oh," Marino mumbled as he nodded, "But I still don''t get it." "You don''t need to get it. Focus on the road." Ben smacked the back of his head Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Charlotte groggily woke up after a long sleep. When she did, she realized she was on her bed back at the Nachts'' residence; every part of her body was aching. She tried to return to her sleep, but many questions flitted across her mind instead-the interrogation, the truth, and the secret. Those thoughts sobered her up, making her search for her phone in a panic. "What are you looking for?¡± A familiar voice traveled into her ears before the man walked out of the darkness. The mere sight of him made her shudder in apprehension. "I-I''m looking for my phone." Charlotte nervously looked at him as she groaned in a silent regret. How can I fall into such deep sleep?Has he already interrogated them and found out about the children during these few hours? "It''s over there." He pointed to her pillow. She picked up the pillow and spotted her phone underneath it. However, her phone was switched off¡ª it was out of battery. Instantly, her heart started racing. She had just changed her phone a while ago. When they were in the car earlier, her phone still had plenty of battery power left. She could not help but think: Did the battery go t because someone has been using the phone? "You had some calls; I picked up for you," Zachary confessed. "Luna won''t harass you anymore. You can sleep peacefully now." With that said, he turned and was about to leave. "Wait," Charlotte cried out before tentatively asking, "Ha-Have you interrogated Amanda?" "What do you think?" Zachary turned back to face her with his unfathomable gaze. "What secret do you have that you want to keep from me?" "I-" For a moment, Charlotte could not form words; all she could do was tremble in worry. He must have spoken to her. He''s not the kind that anyone can fool; he has the habit of getting to the bottom of everything. When Zachary saw her uneasy demeanor, he lowered her gaze and muttered, "Someone unimportant like her isn''t worth my time." "You mean... You didn''t see her?" Charlotte carefully inquired. Zachary then slowly walked toward her as he lowered his voice, "You were so passionate and refused to let me go. How am I supposed to have interrogated her?" "I... I..." His words made her blush a bright red as the images of what happened earlier shed past her mind. To stop him from interrogating Amanda, she had taken initiative. Oh, my goodness! Ashamed, Charlotte covered her face, wishing the ground would swallow her there and then. "Ha!" Augh escaped Zachary''s lips upon finding her silly look adorable. "You were much braver this afternoon than you are now," Zachary teased, "You weren''t drunk nor drugged, but you''re rigorous and enthusiastic." "I " Just as Charlotte was about to reply to him, she realized what he had just said. "You''ve seen me drugged?" The previous two times she had sex with a man, she had been drugged. Both times, it was with Gigolo. If he''s not Gigolo, then wouldn''t I be... Zachary tensed up as he cursed at himself in his heart. I slipped up! Nevertheless, he was swift to recollect himself as he muttered, "I saw you thest time at Sultry Night. Don''t you remember?" "Oh!" Charlotte had nearly forgotten she was once drugged by Ynda at Sultry Night and he had saved her. So there''s nothing suspicious about what he said.But how should I confirm that he''s Gigolo? "Take a shower and sleep for a little longer. It''s still early." At that, Zachary stood up and started to walk away. "Don''t go." Charlotte suddenly hugged him from behind as she leaned her face onto her back. Softly, she whined, "Stay with me." She had thrown away her dignity by now. After all, she had already slept with him. I might as well do it all the way. "You''re... very different today." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Zachary had to admit this was a side of her that he liked as well. The moment she initiated anything intimate, his heart would race and he could not resist her. Regardless, he knew what her real aim was, and there was no way he would let her have her way. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 "Do you like it?" Charlotte kissed his ear as she started pulling his shirt. Why is he wearing a f*cking robe? His back ispletely covered, and I can''t take it off easily! "I do..." Zachary turned around to cup her face as he passionately kissed her. He then pinned her on the bed. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Mm..." Charlotte twisted her body uneasily as her weak hands tried to remove his clothes. She wanted to peek at his back, but no matter what she did, she could not take off that robe on him. How annoying! ''TH do it myself." With that said, Zachary took off his bathrobe and threw it aside before his body pressed on hers again. Just as Charlotte was craning her neck to catch a glimpse of his back, he turned off the lights. "Why did you turn off the lights?" Charlotte eximed. "We can be more immersed in the moment when it''s dark." Zachary bit her ears and locked his fingers with hers. "Look at me." Her head subconsciously turned upon hearing his words. In the dark, he was a ferocious beast with glowing eyes and overwhelming lust. At that very second, she suddenly thought about the night four years ago as well as that time in the car by the seaside. Back then, this was how Gigolo looked at her, too. Those eyes were exactly the same. Charlotte was sure that it must be him. "Stop thinking about other things." Zachary''s heated breath crept into her heart. "Focus." Closing her eyes, she started to immerse herself in his world. It was a night of ecstasy. The moon seeped through the window and cast a shadow of the entangled bodies by the side of the bed. Their bodily warmth and heavy breathing melded together to form a beautiful so. Soon, Zachary wiped the worries and thoughts away from Charlotte''s mind. His intensity and mania made her mind turn nk; all she could do was lean on him weakly. As she reached her peak, Charlotte subconsciously murmured, "Gigolo." A shudder took over Zachary''s body; he frowned. He bit her lips as if was punishing her and did not allow her to say anything else. There must be something wrong with this woman''s mind.She doesn''t want an almighty and domineering corporate leader. Instead, she longs foragigolo... However, as that was his other identity, he figured it was pointless to be jealous of himself. In the morning, Charlottey sprawled on the bed, deep in dreand. She only started moving when the sunlight filtered through the paneled windows to shine on her face. She rubbed her eyes, turned around, and continued sleeping. After another bout of rest, she finally crawled out of the bed when the sunlight became too bright. It was only then that she realized the curtains were not drawnst night. Oh, no! Anyone who was outside would have seen everything! In her panic, she hurriedly grabbed the bathrobe on the floor to cover herself up before drawing the curtains. It was then that she realized Zachary was already dressed. He was now drinking a cup of tea as he sat in the garden downstairs. Meanwhile, Ben had his head lowered; he was reporting to Zachary. A rare leisurely and happy look was on Zachary''s face. He looked like he had won a battle. As though he sensed someone was watching him, he turned around to look toward the bedroom. Promptly, Charlotte drew the curtains and moved away from the window. They already slept with each otherst night, but she was still shy and nervous; in fact, she did not know how to face him. The other problems were already solved, and Zachary did not seem like he was going to dig deeper into the news or interrogate Amanda. However, she still did not dare to bring the children over. What if he''s not Gigolo? What then? She could feel her head pounding just by those mere thoughts. There was a knock on the door, followed by Raina''s voice. "Ms. Windt, may Ie in?" "Please do." Charlotte quickly tidied up her messy bed, which was truly a chaotic sight to behold. After Raina entered, the maid behind her pushed in a serving cart while another maid brought in a birdcage. In the cage was Fifi, almost curled into a ball. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 "Fifi?" Charlotte froze. "Why are you here?" It''s supposed to be in my new home. "I was worried that Fifi would starve to death at home, so I picked it up brought it over,¡± Faina exined before bowing at her. "I''m sorry to have done this without first asking for your permission." "No, no. You don''t need to apologize. Thank you." Charlotte had not returned home since having leftst morning. If Faina had not gone to bring Fifi here, Fifi might truly starve to death because it was locked inside its cage. Hence, she was grateful for Faina''s kind gesture. At the same time, she was worried that Faina would have noticed something amiss when she went to her house. Although she had yet time to unpack after moving, and the children''s things were still in the room, if Raina had thoroughly gone through her house, she would have found them easily. "Don''t worry. I''ve only brought Fifi over. I didn''t infringe upon your privacy, nor did I touch your stuff," Raina reassured, seemingly understanding Charlotte''s worries. "Oh. Haha. That''s good to hear," Charlotte chuckled awkwardly. "Mommy. Mommy." Fifi, which had been gloomy earlier, immediately brightened up when it saw Charlotte. It was now fluttering its injured wings and crying out for her. "Fifi." Charlotte then released the parrot from the cage and cupped it in her hands before kissing its little green head. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Mommy, miss you. Miss you," Fifi responded as it rubbed his head on Charlotte''s cheek. All these years, Charlotte had never neglected it at home, until yesterday when she went out early in the morning and failed to return at night. Stuck in the cage, Fifi had long finished its food and water, and by night it was already crying out in hunger. It was fortunate that Raina had gone to pick it up. "I''m sorry, Fifi. There was an emergency yesterday and Mommy couldn''t care for you in time. Mommy won''t leave you behind ever again," Charlotte apologized to Fifi. Fifi replied by mimicking Ellie''s fake sobs. It even covered its eye with its wing, looking like the epitome of misery. "The parrot is adorable," one of the maids eximed. "You''re right, haha!" Raina chuckled. "Ellie, Jamie, Robbie. Miss, miss." Fifi suddenly fluttered its injured wings again as it cried out the children''s names. The maid paid no heed to it as she focused on cing the breakfast on the table. However, Raina froze as aplicated look crept into her eyes. Hearing Fifi''s voice, Charlotte flew into a panic as she hastily exined, "Those are Mrs. Berry''s children. Fifi always ys with them." "Mommy. Mrs. Berry. Mrs. Berry." Upon Charlotte''s mention of Mrs. Berry, Fifi quickly cried out Mrs. Berry''s name instead. "Mrs. Berry went to her hometown." Charlotte promptly brought Fifi toward the bathroom. "All right. Mommy''s going to take you to wash up." Once she closed the bathroom door behind her, she reminded the bird, "Fifi, stop saying stuff without thinking it through. You''ll make things worse for Mommy!" "Ellie, Jamie, Robbie," squeaked Fifi miserably. "I asked you not to say their names anymore," Charlotte yelped; she was a second away from a mental breakdown. "Hush, and don''t speak anymore. Mommy will bring you to them." "Yay!" Fifi raised its wing in a gesture of victory. "I really can''t win against you.¡± Charlotte then heaved a sigh. She had to find a way to get Fifi to Mrs. Berry and check if Ellie had recovered from her illness. "Is she awake?" Zachary''s voice abruptly sounded out from the outside. "Yes. Ms. Windt went to the bathroom," Raina politely responded. Zachary then motioned for Raina and the maid to leave the room. Hearing his voice, Charlotte quickly washed up before cing Fifi into the bathtub. Quietly, she whispered, "Don''t make a sound. Mommy will be back soon." She then left the bathroom and closed the door behind her. ''Td have thought you''re hiding a man in the bathroom if I didn''t know better," Zachary jeered when he saw her sneaky move, "It''s just a parrot." Chapter 230 Chapter 230 "It likes to poop into the breakfast bowl," Charlotte chuckled tensely. "Well, we''ll have to make the bird into stew then," Zachary replied nonchntly. "What?" Charlotte spluttered. "No way! It''s my family." "Silly." Zachary rolled his eyes at her. "Come over and have your breakfast." Charlotte walked over to the table; her eyes lit up when she saw the sumptuous meal. Meanwhile, her stomach growled, reminding her that she had not eaten anything for the entire day yesterday. When she sat down, Zachary handed her a set of cutlery before he settled himself down on a chair to watch her eat. Charlotte was ady born with a silver spoon. However, to make a living in recent years, she had learned to eat as quickly as she could in order to get back to work earlier and maximize her pay. Thus, she no longer savored food elegantly like she used to do. That was why her table manners seemed terrible to everyone else. Yet, Zachary found her behavior realistic. Moreover, Charlotte was a pretty woman, so she looked good no matter what she was doing. In fact, she portrayed a silly kind of cuteness. "Aren''t you eating?¡± Charlotte licked her lips as she passed a spoonful of sauteed mushrooms to Zachary. "I''ve had my breakfast.¡± Zachary had wanted to move away from the food, but as her hand was still hovering in mid-air, he leaned over to eat the mushrooms. "They''re good, aren''t they?" Charlotte giggled. "Hm." Zachary nodded before he scowled and stood up, ready to leave. "What''s the matter?" Charlotte froze as she watched him walk away. What did I do wrong? Once Zachary was gone, the room suddenly felt sprawling and empty. Having lost her appetite, Charlotte ced her chin on her palm as she recollected what just happened. What did I do wrong?Why did he suddenly scowl at me?Didn''t I just feed him mushrooms?ls he allergic to them? Just as she was deep in thought, Raina entered with a knock. "Ms. Windt, I''ve brought you a charger. Let me charge your phone." "Thank you." Charlotte then decided to test the waters. "Dr. Langhan, I''m thinking of going out for a walk." "Alright. I''ll arrange your transport," Raina replied. "Just send me home. You don''t need to worry about the other things after that." Charlotte was nning of going home first. After that, and without Zachary''s knowledge, she would sneak to the countryside... "Sure." Raina gave me a faint smile and a nod before she left. The moment Raina left, Charlotte immediately switched on her phone. There were countless missed calls, received calls, and even unread messages. Among the missed calls were those from Mrs. Berry, Michael, and Luna. However, the only call that was picked up was from Luna. ncing at the time, Charlotte concluded that Zachary had picked up Luna''s call on her behalf to warn thetter about something. That call onlysted ten seconds. On the other hand, he did not pick up Mrs. Berry''s nor Michael''s calls. Moreover, all her messages were still in their unread state-Zachary had not clicked into any of them. At that, Charlotte let out a sigh of relief before she tensed up again. Oh, no. Would he have seen my photos? She then swiftly clicked into her phone gallery, only to realize it waspletely empty. It then dawned on her that she had just changed to a new phone yesterday; therefore, she only had several photos of Fifi in the new phone. Thank goodness! If she had been using her old phone yesterday, Zachary could have realized everything upon seeing the photos of her and the children. Fortunately, her secret was still safe for the time being. In order to protect themselves, Amanda and Luna should be keeping the children a secret. After all, it would be more dangerous for them if they reveal the information now. As long as they kept it a secret, Charlotte would be wary of them and would be forced to plead with Zachary to let them go. At those thoughts, Charlotte once again felt relieved. What she had to do now was to find out whether Zachary was Gigolo. Next, she would have to find out whether he had something to do with her father''s death. If he was Gigolo and he had nothing to do with her father''s death, she would not mind revealing her secret, which might then lead to a merry family reunion.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 On the way back, Charlotte probed, "Dr. Langhan, is Mr. Nacht allergic to prawns?" "Not that I know of. Why are you asking?" Raina was curious. "No reason in particr..." Charlotte was puzzled. Since he is not allergic to prawns, why did his face change drastically right after having them?ls he allergic to me instead?lfhe was, he wouldn''t have been that voracious. At that moment, Charlotte''s mind was filled with scenes from their two days of intense passion, causing her cheeks to flush red. Before she knew it, the car arrived at the new house. Raina wanted to walk Charlotte upstairs but she insisted on going up alone. Left without a choice, Raina left with the bodyguards. Arriving home with Fifi, Charlotte was stunned when she opened the door. The house was in a mess with the room doors all broken into. Raina had dropped by before but Charlotte believed that she wouldn''t ransack the house. Did a thief force entry? Charlotte quickly entered to check and realized the children''s bags had been scoured through. Some of their clothes and photos were gone. Seized by panic, she quickly went back to her room to check if her documents and valuables were still intact, which they were. However, there was a note left in the drawer beside her documents. The handwriting was familiar and it stated: Charlotte, call me back! There was no signature but Charlotte was certain that it was Luna. She called her at once and instantly got through. "That''s quick. I thought you were going to wait at least a few days." Luna''s voice was raspy and tinged with devious mockery. "Did you enter my house? And did you take my children''s clothes and pictures?" Charlotte questioned. "That''s right." Lunaughed coldly. "I even made a copy of the video of them in kindergarten. I''ll pack them up and send them to Zachary. How about that?" "What are you trying to do?" Charlotte thought that Luna had gone crazy. "Oh, just sending him some things won''t do any good." Lunaughed deviously. "My men are heading towards Mrs. Berry''s house. I believe they will get their hands on your children soon..." "Luna!" Charlotte screamed in anger. "If you dare touch my children, I''ll never forgive you..." "If you don''t want them to be harmed, you will have to obey my every instruction," Luna ordered coldly. "Now,e to Sultry Night immediately. I''ll meet you at the same private room." "Luna..." Before Charlotte could say another word, Luna ended the call. Charlotte called Mrs. Berry immediately but couldn''t get through. She also called a few of their neighbors and friends there but no one picked up. She was almost driven crazy by desperation. Furthermore, she couldn''t get Zachary to help either. What should I do? At that moment, her phone rang. It was Michael on the line. Charlotte quickly answered, "Michael!" "Charlotte, where are you? I want to see you." "Michael, there''s something I need your help with..." "Go ahead..." Charlotte quickly exined that her children were in danger and pleaded with him to save them. Furthermore, he had to help keep it a secret. Michael took action at once. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After ending the call, Charlotte hesitated before deciding to meet Luna at Sultry Night. Luna was someone that didn''t care for anyone nor the consequences of whatever she did. Currently, her projects with the Sterling family had been suspended while her rtionship with Hector was at the end of the line. Her parents were also kidnapped. She had lost everything. Therefore, Zachary''s warning meant nothing to her. Under such circumstances, she was capable of anything. Instead of dragging this any further, Charlotte decided to end it today. Arriving at Sultry Night in a cab, she saw that it was packed despite having just opened for business. The heavy metal music was so loud that it shook her eardrums. After squeezing herself through the crowd, she arrived at where the VIP private rooms were. While she was looking for the room which Luna and her used before, she spotted a familiar silhouette amongst the crowd along the corridor. Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Zachary?No, it''s Gigolo! He was wearing a mysterious half mask and dressed in a ck leisure suit. With four subordinates behind him, he walked towards the right side of the corridor. Despite not knowing the names of the four men, Charlotte was certain that they were Zachary''s men. He must be Gigolo. He must be... Overwhelmed by a sudden rush of emotions, Charlotte wanted to question him. But suddenly, a hand grabbed her on the shoulder and dragged her forcefully into one of the rooms. "Let me go!¡± Charlotte struggled vehemently. Luna motioned to her bodyguards who then released Charlotte before standing guard at the door. "What do you want?" Charlotte red at Luna coldly. "Release my parents first." Luna had likely not slept for days as her eyebags looked heavy. She seemed to be in a daze and was extremely exhausted. "I didn''t take them..." "Drop the act." Luna mmed the wine ss she was holding onto the floor, smashing it into pieces. "If not for you, would Zachary even capture them?" "Since you know it was Zachary that took them," Charlotte asserted coldly, "why don''t you ask him instead of me?" "Are you still trying to y games with me?" Luna took out her phone and made a call. The heavy metal music that was being yed in Sultry Night came to a sudden stop. The next moment, Ellie''s squeaky voice was heard shouting, "Robbie! Jamie! Wait for me!" "Ellie! Quick!" Jamie could be heard yelling back. "Ellie, slow down or you''ll fall." It was followed by Robbie''s voice. Charlotte widened her eyes in shock and frantically tried to stop her. "What are you doing? Stop it." "This is just the prelude." Luna gloated as she waved her phone. "I''ve spent ten million to pay off Sultry Night''s DJ to connect my phone to their broadcasting system! I found out that Zachary has forbidden all mediapanies from publishing any news rted to you. I can''t do anything to you online, but I don''t Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. think Zachary can help you here, can he?" The Sultry Night has thousands of patrons a night. If everyone present saw the news about you, wouldn''t it be exciting? Don''t you think?¡± "You..." Charlotte was trembling in anger. "I still have a lot of clips." Luna showed Charlotte her screen as she scrolled through it confidently. "I even found videos of you and the children participating in the kindergarten activities. Do you want me to y them?" Just as she spoke, she prepared to y the videos. "Wait." Charlottepromised immediately. "Turn it off. I''ll call Zachary and have him release your parents." "That''s a good girl." Luna exited from the broadcasting page and motioned Charlotte to go ahead. Charlotte frantically gave Zachary a call. "Put it on speaker," Luna ordered. Charlotte did as she was told. Just a minute ago, in another private room. Zachary was in a midst of a discussion when he was jolted by the children''s voices. Looking up, he looked outside with squinted eyes as if something had urred to him. Where have I heard those names before?Ring! Suddenly, his phone rang. When he saw who it was, he took leave from his secretive guest and answered the call by a corner. "Hello!" "Mr. Nacht, I''m begging you. Please let Uncle Simon and Aunt Amanda go.¡± Charlotte''s voice was trembling. Zachary knew at once that she was being threatened. Furthermore, he surmised that she was also at Sultry Night as he could hear the faint background music through the phone." "Alright!" Zachary readily agreed while signaling his men. Ben understood immediately and quickly led two men out to deal with the situation. "Tell Luna to pick them up at Sultry Night," Zachary replied. "Huh?" Before Charlotte knew what was going on, Zachary had ended the call. Charlotte began to feel anxious. Does he actually know that I''m at Sultry Night? "What does he mean? Don''t tell me my parents are being held here too?" Luna remarked. Charlottemented in her heart on Luna''s behalf. You''re dumber than me! Chapter 233 Chapter 233 "That''s not right...¡± Luna quickly realized what was going on. "Does he know that we''re at Sultry Night?" The moment she spoke, Luna became extremely nervous. She frantically ordered the bodyguards, "Guard the door well. Don''t let Zachary''s mene in..." Before she could finish, the door was kicked open. Her bodyguards at the door were trampled upon at the same time. "You''re weak!" Ben sneered. Luna frantically drew a dagger and pressed it against Charlotte''s throat. "Don''te any closer or I will kill her!" This wasn''t the first time it happened and Ben was extremely familiar with such situations. What was different this time was that Charlotte was on Luna''s side. She lifted her head and spoke anxiously, "Ben, she just wants to save her parents. Please tell Mr. Nacht to release them.¡± "That''s right, as long as you let my parents go, I will not harm her. Or else, we will all die together!" Luna''s voice was trembling and so was her hand that held the dagger. After that, she whispered into Charlotte''s ear. "My phone is set to the broadcasting page. If they don''t release my parents, I will show the world the video of you and your three bastards." "Didn''t you hear her? Release them," Charlotte ordered anxiously. "I need to check with Mr. Nacht..." Before Ben finished his sentence, a silver light shed across their eyes, piercing Luna''s wrist. Screaming in agonizing pain, Luna knelt onto the floor while both her dagger and her phone fell onto the ground. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte was now out of danger but instead of trying to flee, she reached for Luna''s phone. Meanwhile, Luna picked up her dagger and thrust it toward Charlotte. A ck figure dashed forward like an arrow but it was already toote. Charlotte cried out in pain as her shoulder was stabbed. Before the dagger could pierce any deeper, Ben managed to snatch it away. The next moment, Luna was also restrained. Grabbing tightly onto the phone, Charlotte fell toward the ground but was caught by someone from behind. "You fool!" Zachary gritted his teeth as he yelled at her. "Gigolo!" Charlotte turned around to look at him. After being briefly stunned, she reached out her hands. Zachary thought that she was aiming for his mask and turned his face away by reflex. However, this time, she reached for his cor instead. Just as expected, there were a set of teeth marks on his shoulder surrounded by bruises. It was her doingst night. Coincidence could never exin something like that. Charlotte was extremely emotional as she stared at Zachary. "It''s you. It''s really you!" Zachary didn''t say a word as he carried her and prepared to leave. Given that his hands were full, Charlotte seized upon the opportunity to tear his mask away. His face was even more dashing under the dim light. She could see that his eyebrows were furrowed intensely while his cold gaze carried a hint of anger. It was as she anticipated. Gigolo is ZacharylAnd Zachary is Gigolo! Finally, his identity was revealed. Charlotte was overwhelmed with emotions and didn''t know what to feel. "Are you happy now?¡± Zachary spanked her ass. "Zachary, why did you lie to me?¡± Charlotte questioned him angrily. Zachary didn''t reply as he carried her away. "Let go of me! Let go of me!" Luna roared as she struggled. "Why do you keep protecting Charlotte? That slut seduces every man she sees. Four years ago, she even slept with a gigolo and gave birth to his..." "Shut up!" Charlotte turned around and yelled while throwing Luna a nce. She was hinting to her that as long she kept the children a secret, she would plead for mercy on Luna''s behalf. Seething reluctantly, Luna didn''t say another word. Amanda had reminded her before that she was not to expose Charlotte''s children easily. Or else, they would lose their trump card. "Do you really want to see your mother?" Zachary turned toward Luna. "Come along then." Chapter 234 Chapter 234 As the fire within a few oil barrels burned ferociously, they illuminated the cold secret room. Simon and Amanda were curled up at a corner, muddling through sleep. Meanwhile, levin sat in another corner, spacing out while staring at the ceiling. He looked as if he was waiting for a miracle to happen. When he heard the metal door open, he quickly turned and sprinted desperately toward it. "Let me out! Let me out!" When the bodyguard pushed him lightly, he slumped to the ground in a wobbly manner. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. After starving for an entire day and being tormented mentally, he was so physically tired that he had no energy left. Naturally, Simon and Amanda were in worse condition. "Dad, Mom!" Luna called out anxiously. Only then did they regain their senses and frantically pick themselves up from the floor. "Luna..." Amanda rushed over to hug her. Both mother daughter cried in each other''s arms. "Mr. Nacht, it''s illegal for you to imprison us here," Simon protested in a trembling voice. "Please release us at once!" "You threatened others and forced them to get married. Isn''t that illegal too?" Zachary sat down on the red sofa in a haughty manner, like a God watching humans go by their lives. Charlotte stood by the side while pressing her hand against her wound. Furrowing her eyebrows, her heart was in turmoil. She had tried her best to stop Zachary froming here but it was, unfortunately, a futile exercise. When Luna yed the children''s voice, he was at Sultry Night too and must have heard it. He had heard Fifi calling out to Ellie once and could naturally make the connection.Furthermore, I have been repeatedly threatened by the Whites. Hence, he must know that there is a reason for it. The reason he stopped himself from investigating any further was that he didn''t want to expose her secret. But now that it was happening right in front of him, there was no way he could hold himself back. "Mr. Nacht, I don''t understand what''s so good about Charlotte to deserve such protection from you." Amanda shielded her daughter behind her and dered, "She seduced my son-inw. I''m sure you have seen the videos. Furthermore, she slept with this man then..." She pointed at levin. "They had a one-night stand! I''m sure you have seen the news from that time. How can you tolerate something like that still?" "That''s right," Luna gritted her teeth and asserted, "Charlotte is a promiscuous woman. What do you see in her?" "Did you hear them?" Zachary red at Charlotte. "They are ndering you!" Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows and defended herself, "How many times do I need to exin that nothing happened between Hector and me? There''s nothing I can do if they don''t believe me." "What about him?" Zachary pointed at levin with his toes while his eyes shed with fury. levin was so frightened that he trembled violently. Lowering his head, he observed Zachary and wanted to say something but decided against it. "Don''t you know what happened?" Charlotte eximed in displeasure. "They imed that the gigolo I slept with is him. What do you think?" "I''m not sure." Zachary narrowed his eyes as he red at levin. "Perhaps, you slept with someone else after sleeping with me?" "You..." Charlotte was so angry that her face changed color. Amanda was stunned. What are they talking about?" "Actually, nothing happened between thisdy and me," Tevin exined frantically. "Ms. White gave me some money and sent me to the hotel. While I was resting after taking some pictures, I suddenly heard gunshots and fled through the window out of fear..." "That can''t be. How can you take the money and not do anything?" Luna demanded angrily. "Are you lying because you''re afraid of death?" "No, I''m telling the truth..." Tevin replied anxiously. "Besides, when I was escaping through the window, I saw a man barge in. He looked like..." Tevin looked at Zachary and meekly continued, "He looked like you. But he was wearing a mask." "Is that so?" Zachary brought out his ck halfmask and put it on elegantly. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 "Oh, so that''s what happened." Tevin pointed at Zachary nervously. "So, you were the one who slept with her four years ago." At that moment, Amanda, Luna, and Simon were all dumbfounded. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. As their eyes widened in shock, they looked at Zachary and Charlotte in disbelief. It was an earth-shattering revtion to them that made their whole family look like idiots. They had tried every trick in the book to hurt Charlotte including bringing up what happened four years ago. They even searched for all sorts of evidence to nder her. All this while, they thought that they had a trump card to threaten Charlotte with. But, they didn''t expect that it wasn''t one at all. It was a card that would sent them to their ruin. It was no wonder despite what they did to humiliate and malign her with the incident from four years ago, Zachary''s belief and protection for her were unwavering. It now appeared that he was the real "culprit" after all. Charlotte let out a long sigh now that the truth was out. Going forward, the Whites could no longer use this secret to ckmail her. "Mom,¡± Holding onto Amanda with her trembling hands, Luna whispered in her ear, "in that case, the three bastards are..." "Shut up!" Amanda pped her instantly and replied softly, "Don''t you want to leave here alive?" Covering her cheeks with her hands, tears of humiliation began to flow from Luna''s eyes. At that moment, she knew that she had lost decisively. "Even if you were the one who spent the night with her four years ago, the fact is that she still seduced my son-inw," Amandamented while trying her best to squeeze out some crocodile tears. "My daughter and her husband were extremely loving until she appeared. Now, they almost got divorced." "That''s right," Simon added immediately. "We didn''t know the truth and thought that Tevin was the man from four years ago. That''s why we wanted Charlotte to marry him which would be good for both families. Besides, we have never hurt Charlotte all this while." Charlotte was speechless when she heard their words. They were utterly shameless when they made themselves sound like the victims. Besides, why are they insisting that I was the one Hector had an affair with? Neither the video nor photos showed her face at all. Why can''t it be someone else? Charlotte looked toward Zachary who didn''t n to reveal the truth. He simply looked at them in a condescending manner as if they were just clowns. Amanda wiped away her tears and pleaded in a pitiful tone, "Mr. Nacht, we were blind to not know our ce, misunderstood you, and did all those foolish things. However, we have paid the price for it. Please have mercy on us and let us go." "You don''t have to beg me." Zachary pointed at Charlotte. "You should beg her!" "Charlotte," Simon quickly approached her and pleaded, "it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have wrongly used you. On your father''s ount please put in a good word for us and ask Mr. Nacht to let us off. Charlotte sneered in her heart. When all of you treated me like dirt thest time, why didn''t you remember my father?"And yet, you suddenly bring him up now for your own convenience? "That''s right. Charlotte, I''m sorry. I beg of you..." Amanda pleaded. Even Amanda lowered herself and pleaded with Charlotte for forgiveness. However, Luna continued to re at Charlotte angrily. "Don''t be in such a hurry to negotiate your release,¡± Zachary interrupted them. "There''s still something you haven''t shed light on." The Whites fell silent immediately before staring at him in fear. "I have told you everything I know," Tevin meekly stated. "I have no more secrets..." "Is that so?" Zachary looked at Tevin with a piercing gaze. It was so fearsome that Tevin dropped to his knees and frantically confessed, "I admit that I stole from her purse before I fled that night. That''s all." Chapter 236 Chapter 236 "No wonder I didn''t even have money to take a cab after I woke up," Charlotte mumbled to herself. "Did you not take advantage of her when she wasn''t looking?¡± Zachary was spinning his ultra-thin phone on his palm while his eyes were filled with murderous intent. "No, I really didn''t," levin frantically exined. "Actually, I''m not even straight. Why would I want to feel her up?" "Huh?" Charlotte''s eyes widened in shock. "What are you saying?" "I-I''m a transvestite!" levin hung his head in shame. "I don''t like women at all..." Gasp! Charlotte almost popped a vessel. The news was actually right when they reported that she had slept with a transvestite gigolo. However, no one knew that it was Zachary who came in and finished the job halfway. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "Transvestite! Wonderful!" The murderous intent in Zachary''s eyes receded a little. He almost wanted to tear Tevin to pieces a moment ago, but now his tone was a lot more cordial. "Release him!" "Yes!" The bodyguard dragged Tevin out of the room. "Thank you, thank you." Tevin was immensely grateful. "Let us go too," Amanda quickly pleaded. "You have not told me everything and yet you want to leave?¡± Zachary raised his eyebrow. "We... don''t have anything more to say.¡± Simon was puzzled. Since Zachary was the man from four years ago, he wondered what else was there to exin. "Unless..." It quickly urred to Amanda that Zachary didn''t know about the three children. Why is Charlotte still so secretive despite the fact that their father is rich and powerful?Unless, he isn''t the father at all? "My patience is running thin." Zachary looked at the time on his watch. "I''ll give you three minutes. If you don''t spit it out, I''ll lock all of you up together." He nced at Charlotte as he spoke. "What?" Charlotte pointed at herself in disbelief. "Including me?" Instead of replying, Zachary nodded instead. "You..." "I almost forgot.¡± Zachary stared at the phone in her hands which belonged to Luna. "The secret is in there, isn''t it?" He reached out his hands to her. "Give it to me!" "No, there''s no secret..." Charlotte recoiled a few steps back. Zachary frowned. When his bodyguard, Marino, was about to take the phone from her, Ben shot him a nce for him to back off. Now that Zachary had revealed his identity which implied that Charlotte was his woman, no bodyguard who darey a finger on her. "Are you all dead?¡± Zachary bellowed. "Right away!" Ben hurriedly stepped up and asked politely. "Ms. Windt, please hand over the phone." Charlotte continued to back up. Ben didn''t dare take the phone by force. Instead, he continued to persuade her, "Please cooperate and give it to me." Meanwhile, Charlotte had almost backed herself against one of the burning oil drums and was an inch away from scalding herself. "Be careful!" Ben reached out to pull her back by reflex. Out of desperation, Charlotte threw the phone into the burning fire, shocking everyone. "Very well," Zachary sneered with a nod before preparing to leave. "Lock all of them up so that they can reflect on their mistakes!" "Yes." Ben gave Charlotte a sympathetic look before leading the bodyguards out. "Hey, don''t imprison me here. I''ll tell you everything..." Luna was desperate to leave but Amanda quickly covered her mouth. After everyone had left, Amanda finally let go. Luna yelled angrily, "Mom, what are you doing?" "That''s right, why did you stop Luna?" Simon was puzzled. Ignoring them, Amanda walked over to Charlotte instead. "The three bastards... I mean children, are they not Mr. Nacht''s?¡± "Nonsense, of course they''re his," Charlotte coldly affirmed. "Then why are you hiding them from him?" Amanda asked. "I am the one that raised the children. I don''t want them to be taken away." Charlotte found a reasonable excuse. "He may seem to treat me well now, but love is unpredictable. What if he resents me one day and takes them away? I''ll be left alone with nothing.¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Her words struck a nerve with Luna who copsed to the ground and buried her face in tears. "So that''s how it is," Simonmented. "Sigh, Timothy has been taken away by the Sterlings and I have not seen him in a long time." Looking gloomy, Amanda quickly got her wits about her and sneered, "Do you think I''m a fool? Who do you think Mr. Nacht is? If he really wants to find out, do you think you can even hide it?" "I..." "Forget it, whatever reason you have to keep it a secret is none of my business," Amanda asserted coldly. "As long as you can get us out of here safely, we''ll keep our mouths shut." "You really are smart, Aunt Amanda." Charlotte acknowledge Amanda''s capabilities with a sigh. Amanda realized that even if they revealed the children''s existence, Zachary still wouldn''t forgive them. But, one word from Charlotte and their family would be left to rot in the freezing cold room that no one knew about. "Don''t worry. Now that you''re Zachary''s woman, who would dare harm you?" Assuming that Charlotte was still hesitating, Amanda added, "We just want to leave this ce safely and have no other demands." "You are overestimating me. Can''t you see I''m locked in here together with you?" Charlotte bemoaned as she sat on the sofa. "His mood can be so vtile that even I can''t get a good grasp of it." "He will definitely let you out,¡± Amanda asserted confidently. "By that time, I''m sure you know what to do." Charlotte ignored her and stared daggers at Luna instead. "Did you really send men to abduct my children?¡± "What?" Amanda''s eyes widened in shock. "Luna, you sent men to kidnap the kids?¡± With a glint in her eye, Luna lowered her head in silence. "Are you crazy?¡± Amanda yelled angrily. "Those are Zachary''s kids. If he finds out about it, he will kill us!" "Who knows for sure?" Luna red coldly at Charlotte. "If they are really his children, she would have revealed it long ago. Why does she even need to be so secretive?" "I find it strange too." Simon questioned, "Charlotte, are those children really Zachary''s?" Ignoring them, Charlotte tapped on her phone anxiously to call Michael and verify her children''s safety. However, there was so signal at all. "This is a secret room where all signals have been cut off. You won''t be able to get through.¡± Amanda grabbed Charlotte. "Be honest with me. Is Zachary the father?" "It''s none of your business!" Charlotte pushed her away. Outraged, Amanda gritted her teeth and scolded Luna, "You stupid girl, how many times do I have to tell you not to act impulsively? Why do you always have to do something stupid without my knowledge?" Amanda was in a dilemma. On one hand, she wished the children belonged to Zachary, on the other hand, she wished that they didn''t. If Zachary was the father, it was understandable for them to help Charlotte keep the secret. But, if Luna''s men managed to kidnap the children and hurt them in the process, their whole family N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. would be finished. However, if Zachary wasn''t the father, he would have the impression that all of them made a fool of him on purpose. When that happened, they would also be in hot soup. But, he would not kill them if any harm came to the children. Therefore, choosing the lesser of the two evils, they hoped that the children weren''t Zachary''s. Meanwhile, in the car, Ben warily asked, "Are we really locking Ms. Windt in there?" "Since she doesn''t want to talk, let her just stay in there." Zachary''s tone was cold and didn''t leave any room for negotiation. "Why don''t you let me investigate?" Ben suggested. "Actually, I don''t think it''s going to beplicated. We can find out easily." Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Instead of answering, Zachary turned to look out the window while spinning his phone in his palm, as if he was contemting something. As the light from outside the car illuminated his face intermittently, it was hard to guess what was going through his mind. Ben stayed beside him without saying another word. After a long while, Zachary finally responded, "Let her reveal it herself." "Sure." Ben nodded. Charlotte didn''t believe that Zachary would imprison her for real. She was confident that he was just trying to scare her and would return to release her soon. After all, they had just enjoyed a night of passion the night before. However, one night passed uneventfully. Charlotte slept in a muddled daze. She finally woke up without knowing how much time had passed and yet, it was still just as quiet. The calm confidence she had earlier started to fray. Meanwhile, Luna began to lose control of her emotions as she cried while cursing Hector''s cold- heartedness. The next moment, she would use Charlotte of being shameless and charge at her to beat her up. However, Amanda and Simon managed to hold her back. Charlotte spent the next day and night under such chaotic circumstances. Consequently, she was both physically and mentally strained by it. Furthermore, she was worried about the children''s safety. Walking up to the steel door, she banged on it and cried out Zachary''s name to no avail. Even after she screamed at the camera in the corner of the room, no one came for her either. And that was how Charlotte struggled through another day. As for Luna, she had already fainted from just being too weak. Amanda and Simon grew anxious and grabbed onto Charlotte, urging her to think of a solution. As the wound on Charlotte''s shoulder wasn''t treated, it started to bleed from their violent grip. And after two days of going without food and drink, coupled with the repeated rantings of Luna, Charlotte had finally reached her threshold. Suddenly, she felt her vision bing blurry and her body covered in sweat. Before she knew it, she copsed onto the sofa. Finally, after half an hour, the steel door opened. Charlotte had a nightmare. In it, there was a lion that was watching her. It sniffed her body and licked her wounds as if it was going to eat her up. In the dream, she was so terrified that she couldn''t stop trembling. That same fear continued to seize her until she suddenly awoke, with her body awash in sweat and still trembling. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Underneath the dim light, she sensed that she was being watched by someone, just like the lion in her dream. Turning subconsciously to look, what she saw sent a shiver down her spine as she scrambled up from her bed. "Finally awake?¡± Zachary was sitting on the sofa, stroking his chin elegantly while starting at her. Charlotte sat up hugging her pillow. She was breathing heavily while trying to gather her wits. After a while, she managed to regain her senses and demanded angrily, "F*ck you! Why did you do that to me?" "Did you not stay in there long enough?" Zachary raised his eyebrow. Charlotte froze immediately and didn''t dare utter another word. Zachary stood up and approached her slowly. Charlotte recoiled in fear but Zachary gently grabbed her ankle and pulled her toward him. Without much effort, she could feel her body being dragged forward. It was just like in her nightmare, where she was being pounced on by a beast and had to stare death in its face. It felt like she was going to be eaten by him! "Does it hurt?" Zachary''s voice was as gentle as the moonlight as he stroked her wound which had been bandaged. However, his actions felt inexplicably terrifying. Charlotte didn''t respond. All she did was look at him with aplicated expression. She didn''t understand how he could change his moods so easily. In one moment, he would be passionate and loving. In another instance, he could turn cold and ruthless. Which one is the real him? "You have to listen to me..." Zachary''s luscious lips brush across her cheeks and whispered, "Do you know that I can know all your secrets within ten minutes of giving the order?" After that, he pinched her chin with his thumb gently stroking her lips. "But, I hope you will choose to tell me yourself." Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Zachary''s voice was extremely gentle. Smiling with his eyes, he looked extremely charming. Charlotte was stunned briefly as she was mesmerized by how handsome he looked. He sounded as if he was flirting with her, instead of ordering or threatening her. Charlotte was at the brink of being bewitched before she was jolted by the slight force he applied on her jaw. Regaining her senses all of a sudden, she realized that it was the Devil tempting her. Her heart began to race so fast that it even skipped a beat. Subconsciously, she opened her mouth but nothing came out. Should I tell him about the children?Given how vtile his emotions are, how will he react if he knows he is a father? Her mind shed with a plethora of scenarios... "How can you not know the answer to such a simple mathematics question? I''ll lock you in the secret room to reflect upon yourself. We talk again after three days and nights." "Why can''t you even defeat the teacher in a fight? Are you even worthy of being my son? I''ll send you to the Devil''s training camp." "Crying again? I hate kids that cry. If you don''t stop, I''ll sew up your mouth!" Holding those thoughts, Charlotte couldn''t help but feel a shiver down her spine. Suddenly, her body was enveloped by a sudden frostiness. Zachary is someone that that will imprison anyone at a whim, re at them with a menacing look, and destroy his enemies decisively. Someone like that isn''t suited to be a father. Furthermore, he might have a hand in dad''s death.No, I definitely can''t tell him. However, even if I don''t, he will find out sooner orter. What should I do?! really don''t know. Just when she was struggling with her dilemma, her phone suddenly rang causing her to look around frantically. Meanwhile, Zachary casually took her phone out from underneath her pillow. It was Michael that called. Shaken, Charlotte snatched her phone back and wanted to answer it. But when she felt Zachary''s frosty gaze, she froze and didn''t dare pick up. With one hand, Zachary slid his finger over the phone to answer and put it on speaker. With the other hand, he pinched Charlotte''s chin and signaled for her to answer. When Charlotte greeted with a wary "Hello", Michael''s frantic voice could be heard, "Charlotte, where are you? Are you alright?" "Michael, I..." "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" Charlotte was suddenly interrupted by the three children calling out to her. She froze immediately, just like a deer in the headlights. "Mommy, where are you? Come back quickly. I miss you a lot. Boohoo..." When Ellie''s squeaky sobs were heard over the phone, it melted Charlotte''s heart. Charlotte wanted to respond but didn''t dare utter a word. "Mommy, are you alright? Did some bad guy bully you? I will help you beat him!" Jamie dered. Jamie''s voice sounded like a brave little warrior. His bravado made one feel as if he was waving his clenched fist at Zachary over the phone. Hanging her head, Charlotte bit her lower lip and didn''t even dare to breathe. She could feel Zachary ring at her with a murderous gaze. "Mommy, why don''t you say something. Have you been kidnapped? If you were, just grunt twice." Robbie''s train of thought was way ahead of his age. Charlotte could feel a lump in her throat while her heart was racing so fast it was about to explode. As for Zachary, he was staring daggers at her, causing Charlotte to feel as if all those daggers would pierce through her heart. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" The children continued to yell over the phone. The next moment, Mrs. Berry came on, "Miss, are you alright? Miss, say something! You''re scaring us!" Charlotte didn''t dare say a word as her body was trembling all over. At that moment, Michael realized something was amiss and ended the call abruptly. Looking at the ground, Charlotte didn''t dare face Zachary. But she could feel the frosty vibe that he was emitting. It was so cold that she felt as if she would be frozen in ice. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Zachary pped Charlotte''s cheeks with her phone. He questioned, "Are you still holding out? Do you want me to bring the man and the three children in front of you before you''re willing to talk? Hmm?" "No, please don''t," Charlotte pleaded as she grabbed his hand. "The children are innocent. Don''t do anything rash, I beg of you!" She knew that once she angered him, he was capable of anything. "Then be honest with me. Are the children yours?" Zachary demanded. "I..." Charlotte was in a panic. Realizing the cat was out of the bag, she had no choice but to nod meekly. "Yes!" "Are they the same kids who took the chip?" Zachary lifted her chin so that she would look him in the eye. "Nonono, they didn''t steal it," Charlotte frantically exined. "A man in ck put the chip in Jamie''s pocket. After that, Fifi ate it. I didn''t know what happened then. But once I knew, I fed Fifixatives so that it would poop it out. After that, I cracked my head to think of how to return it to you..." Her voice was getting softer. The more she spoke, the more terrified she became. Zachary looked as if he was going to eat her up anytime. His face was frighteningly gloomy, just like the calm before the storm. "We really didn''t steal the chip. We don''t even know what it was..." Charlotte was still trying to exin Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. desperately. "Think about it, if we really intended to steal it, why didn''t we sell it to yourpetitors? Besides, we even tried our best to return it." "Who is the father?" That was the only question Zachary cared about. His voice was exceptionally calm but bone-chilling cold at the same time. Charlotte''s heart was thumping non-stop as she was in a full-blown panic. She had wanted to say "It''s you", but she knew she couldn''t tell him the truth yet. She wanted to spin a lie but was aware she was bad at it. Or perhaps, being honest with herself, she knew it was impossible for him not to see through her lies. "Speak!" Zachary roared. Charlotte trembled as she looked at him in fear. "l-l-lt''s..." She stammered for a long while. "They''re mine?" Although Zachary was trying his best to hide his emotions, he could no longer bear the suspense. "Four years ago, you got pregnant. Instead of having a miscarriage, you bore the triplets. Am I right?" His eyes were sparkling with anticipation, hoping that he would get a definitive answer. By now, his hands were trembling from the rush of emotions. He stared intently at Charlotte''s lips, worried that he would miss her reply. "No, of course not." Charlotte quickly denied it. "How is that possible!" She felt that he was the Devil with extreme mood swings, to the extent he might even have blood on his hands. To acknowledge him as the children''s father now was simply too frightening for her. "It isn''t me?" Zachary tightened his grip on Charlotte''s cheeks and demanded, "Then who is it?" Charlotte trembled in pain and struggled to push his hand away. Knock! Knock! Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Ben entered to report, "Mr. Nacht, the Brown family''s men have found us." Those words escted an already dangerous situation into an even more treacherous one. Meanwhile, Charlotte could see the rage in Zachary''s eyes. He intensified his grip on her chin as if he wanted to crush her bones. "It hurts..." Charlotte moaned meekly. "Do you still know pain?" Zachary red at her. "Do the three children belong to... Michael?" The Brown family had always kept a low profile. Now that they had mobilized their men to plead mercy for her, it was difficult not to believe that she had an intimate rtionship with Michael. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Charlotte stared at Zachary, stunned. Her mind was in a mess. How did hee to that conclusion?To actually think that Michael is the father?However, it does kind of make sense since the kids are now with Michael. Furthermore, Charlotte had tried her best to keep the children a secret from Zachary. If the children were his, he couldn''t think of any reason why she needed to keep it from him. Moreover, Michael had arrived with his family to plead on her behalf. It was obvious to anyone that their rtionship was beyond ordinary. "Did I guess correctly?" Zachary''s hands trembled from the anxiety while his eyes were filled withplicated emotions. Charlotte didn''t admit nor deny it. Perhaps it was for the best as she could still hide the fact for a while longer. However, she was worried that it would be a burden to Michael. Just when her imagination was running wild, Ben''s voice could be heard from outside again. "Mr. Nacht, Mr. Brown has just called..." "Get out!" Zachary roared just like an enraged lion, causing the atmosphere to be even more terrifying. Charlotte closed her eyes, shivering in fear. She could feel as if he was about to strangle her to death anytime. "Charlotte Windt!" This was the first time Zachary called out her full name. "You are just unbelievable." The words came out in between his gritted teeth. "You managed to lead me in circles!" "You lied to me saying that you had a miscarriage and that it was your first time. You also imed that I was the only man you had. Damn it, you even got me to act as a gigolo and paypensation to you..." "F*ck! All the money you have tricked from me has been used to raise the three bastards!" "Shut up," Charlotte interrupted him angrily, "don''t speak of my children like that!" They''re your children too. How can you use your own flesh and blood as being bastards? "So what if I said it?" Zachary patted the back of his hands on her cheeks. "Charlotte, I have underestimated you. I always thought that you were as pure as snow. It seems the motherdaughter duo has been right about you after all. You are indeed a slut!" "You..." "First, there''s Michael, and then Hector... Who else is there? How many men are there?" Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The more he pped her the harder it felt. Charlotte''s cheeks were all ming red now. "What has that got anything to do with you?" Charlotte was outraged and pushed away his hand. "From the beginning, I only wanted you to pay boyfriend but you wouldn''t believe me..." Before she could finish, Zachary grabbed onto her neck and pushed her onto the bed. He roared aloud just like a beast gone mad. "Do you think just because you have Michael that you can be free of me? Don''t forget that you have signed a contract. Therefore, you belong to me, every single part of your body." "Let me go, you crazy assh*le." Charlotte struggled vehemently. "Let you go? I''m afraid it''s not going to be that easy." The more Zachary thought about it, the angrier he got, to the extent his eyes were already bloodshot. "From now on, you are just a despicable ve. I will toy and torment you however I want!" Just as he spoke, he tore up the sheets and tied her to the bed. "Assh*le! Animal! Beast... Boohoo..." Before she could even finish berating him, her mouth was stuffed. All she could do was stare daggers at him. "If you continue to re at me, I''ll dig your eyes out!" Zachary pointed at her in fury. Charlotte looked away pitifully as tears rolled down her cheeks. Zachary mmed a kick into her ass before storming out in anger. "Mr... Mr. Nacht, James and Michael are waiting outside." "Let them be.¡± Zachary scowled. "Yes." Chapter 242 Chapter 242 After being tied for God knows how long, Charlotte felt her limbs go numb. She tried her best to struggle free but her wrists and ankles were already burning. It felt as if the cloth was going to cut through them. Finally, she gave up struggling to save herself some energy. She then noticed it was so quiet outside that she couldn''t hear a thing. She surmised that the bodyguards and maids must have known that Zachary was furious. Hence, they didn''t dare to anger him further. Suddenly, her phone rang and she could see that it was Michael that was calling. She tried to wiggle her arm to answer but wasn''t sessful. All she could do was stare nkly at it until the call ended by itself. After a long time, she noticed a light dancing about her window. She was delighted by it as she knew it must be Michael trying to signal her. She wanted to respond but her mouth was stuffed. Unfortunately, she was unable to make a sound after all. She tried turning her body violently so that she could move the bed by force. Or perhaps, push over the vase on the bedside table so that she could make a signal. However, her efforts were futile. The bed was solid while her hands were secured tightly. It was impossible for her to escape or even try to reach for anything else. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. After a while, the light suddenly went off. And then, she heard the sound of a car engine starting. Are they leaving? Charlotte desperately cried out in her muffled voice, hoping that she could get their attention. However, it was to no avail as the car left without stopping. Charlottey back on the bed in despair. Staring at the ceiling, she felt as if she was on the verge of emotional copse. Knock! Knock! There was a knock on the door, following which, Raina entered the room. "Sob... Sob..." As if she had seen her savior, Charlotte pleaded for her help. Raina turned on the light and pushed her medical trolley over. She then removed the cloth that was stuffed in Charlotte''s mouth. "Dr. Langhan, please let me go," Charlotte begged. "Without Mr. Nacht''s permission, I cannot do that." Raina held up a cup with a straw to give her a drink. After taking a few sips, Charlotte pleaded again, "Dr. Langhan, please let me go, I beg of you..." "Ms. Windt, I would advise you not to waste your time in this pointless struggle. You will never beat Mr. Nacht," Raina persuaded. "The more you resist or want to flee, the more he would refuse to let you go. In the end, you will just end up hurting yourself and those close to you." Charlotte was stunned at her words. After regaining her senses, she asked anxiously, "What do you mean? Wh-what did he do? What has he done to my kids? Or did he do something to Michael?¡± "Ms. Windt..." "You really do care about him." At that moment, Zachary heard what she said as he was about to enter the room. With a devious smile, he sneered, "I didn''t n to do anything initially, but now you have reminded me." With that, he ordered, "Has the Brown family''s car gone far? Capture them now!" "Mr. Nacht..." "No!" Charlotte screamed, "Zachary, don''t do anything rash..." "Seize them now!" Zachary barked. "Right away." Ben could only nod and proceed as instructed. "No, I beg of you..." Charlotte frantically pleaded. "This has nothing to do with him. Please don''t hurt him. I beg you to let him go..." "Why not?" Zachary grinned deviously, "Are the children not his?" "I..." Charlotte was stumped. After Zachary raised his hand, Ben passed down the instructions. Under the desperate circumstances, Charlotte screamed, "From now on, I''ll obey everything you say. I will submit to you and do as I''m told. I only ask you to not harm my friends and family. I beg of you..." When he heard her response, Zachary raised his hand to cancel his earlier instruction. After that, he strolled into the room. Realizing what was going on, Raina pushed her medical trolley out and left. Staring at Charlotte, who was tied to the bed, Zachary sneered, "Is he family or friend?¡± "Friend," Charlotte quipped before adding, "It was a mistake from a few years ago. Now, we''re just ordinary friends..." When she saw Zachary''s cold expression, she dered, "From now on, I''m yours and yours alone." Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Raima''s words from a moment ago had reminded her... From the time they met till now, she had seen for herself the consequences of angering him. Only death awaits or a fate worse than death itself. Even the powerful businessmen in the city are no match for him, so what chance does someone as helpless as I have? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. To protect the children''s safety and not burden Michael, she had to acquiesce to him. She was well aware of how possessive and desperate for control he was. She wasn''t sure if it was considered love but she knew that if she tried to struggle, it would only serve to infuriate him. Therefore, she might as well obey him in exchange for a temporary respite. "Is that so?" Zachary untied her restraints and pinched her chin. "Now, prove it to me!" "Hmm?" Charlotte was stunned. "How do I prove it?" "Just like this..." Zachary pulled away her nightgown and pinned her on the bed. In a panic, she wanted to struggle but then remembered her promise, causing her to submit. Putting her hands over his neck, she clumsily reciprocated his actions... Zachary''s kisses were filled with vengeful rage, just like a beast swallowing its prey. He gently bit her with his teeth, causing her to moan in pain. "It hurts..." Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows in pain. However, she had no choice but to endure. "It''s good that you feel pain." Holding her cheeks in his hand, Zachary whispered coldly into her ear, "You will only learn your lesson through pain..." His words sounded like a warning to her, causing her heart to palpitate in fear. The night was long as the room filled with passion. His desire was set aze by the rage in his heart. Charlotte felt as if she was enveloped by a ball of fire, there was no escape and she was also unable to resist. That night, he was more ferocious in bed than any time before that. She felt she was at her limit and pleaded in tears for him to be gentle. Instead, he simply increased the intensity of his domination. Her petite body began to tremble underneath him. Panting heavily, he barked right beside her ear. "Hug me tightly!" She circled her hands around his muscr torso and dug her nails into the skin on his back, drawing blood with her scratches. Feeling the blood oozing out, she was thrilled by a sense of revenge. That night, there were a few times that Charlotte thought she would be tormented to death. But in the end, she fell asleep without knowing it. Throughout the night, she was consumed by nightmares and drenched in sweat. From her physical body to her mind, fear consumed her soul. Even after she awoke, the horror hadn''t left her. Zachary had already left. When she looked around the room, the only thing she saw was a mess. Meanwhile, it was raining outside and the clock showed that it was three-thirty in the afternoon. She had slept for such a long time. Knock! Knock! Raina entered together with four maids. Two were here to clean the room while another two helped Charlotte to bathe and change. Raina checked on her injuries and dressed her wound again. By the time everything was done, the sky was already dark. Meanwhile, the maid brought in a scrumptious dinner. The moment she saw food, Charlotte pounced on it like an animal, wolfing down every single bit. After a few mouthfuls, she thought about her children and quickly looked for her phone. "Your phone is spoiled." Raina gave her a new one. "Shall I help you move your SIM card?" "Mmm-hmm." Staring at the broken phone, it looked as if it had been broken in half on purpose. It was likely because there were calls at night which caused Zachary to break it. After inserting the new SIM card, Charlotte called Mrs. Berry right in front of Raina. Mrs. Berry anxiously asked about Charlotte''s whereabouts. However, Charlotte evaded her question and replied, "I''ll return very soon. Don''t worry." "The children miss you a lot..." "I know, I miss them too. Mrs. Berry, please hang on for two more days, I''ll be back very soon." "Mmm-hmm." After ending the call, Charlotte looked up and asked, "Where is he?" "Mr. Nacht is out. I think he will be back at night." Raina looked at her intently. "Actually, the three children..." Chapter 244 Chapter 244 "The children are mine. No one is allowed to harm them." Charlotte was agitated the moment the children were mentioned. "That''s right. No one will harm the children," Raina reassured her and didn''t say anything further. "Ms. Windt, please have a good rest. If there''s anything just let the maid outside know." Mentally exhausted, Charlotte felt her body ache all over. After she finished her food, shey back down on the bed. Hugging her pillow, she slept on her side while facing the window. She then looked at the scenery outside while in a daze. Through the open curtains, she could see the dense forest outside. The streetmps illuminated it in the darkness, seemingly providing her a glimmer of hope. As the rain continued to drizzle, it brought with it a gloomy mood. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Feeling cold, Charlotte covered her head with her nket and fell into a deep sleep. Late at night, Zachary entered the room. After taking off his jacket and tie, he threw them onto the floor. As he began unbuttoning his shirt, he walked towards the bed gradually. Charlotte was in deep sleep when she suddenly felt a warm breath beside her ear. It felt like a beast was sniffing at her. Before she knew it, delicate kisses began to pepper her cheeks, neck, shoulders, cor bone... and continued further down. She could feel a numbing sensation throughout her body as if there were repeated electric shocks. Trembling slightly, Charlotte could feel her body tense up. When she opened her eyes, she saw a familiar figure in the darkness. She mumbled in a daze, "You''re back." "Mmm-hmm." Zachary''s kisses became gentler while his fingers brushed across her arms. He then lifted her chin with his fingers, "Did you miss me?" "I did..." Charlotte put her arms around his neck and took the initiative to kiss him passionately. It didn''t matter if she still feared him deep down in her heart. Her body had already gotten used to him. In front of him, it acquiesced to his movements. As if it moved subconsciously, Charlotte''s body reciprocated his advances. To a certain extent, she was actually enjoying it. Zachary was satisfied to see how submissive Charlotte was. For the first time, they didn''t make love vigorously nor filled with wild passion. Instead, both of them moved gently in unison. After they were done, he hugged her from behind and kissed her hair before gradually falling asleep. When morning arrived, the bright sunshine illuminated the room from outside. Charlotte checked the pillow beside her by reflex but realized that there was no one there. When she prepared to sit up, she saw Zachary sitting at the sofa by the window, sipping coffee. She gazed deeply at him as mixed emotions filled her heart. The sight of her feeling for his pillow moved him. The dependence she had on him could not be faked. "I want to go home." Charlotte sat up and looked at him meekly. Zachary didn''t reply as he continued to drink his coffee. "I can''t stay here forever, can I?" Charlotte carefully broached the subject. "I''lle by again whenever you want to see me." She had implicitly acknowledged their rtionship. Perhaps, all he needs is just someone to make love with. As long as he didn''t harm her family and friends, she was willing to ept anything. Zachary still didn''t say a word other than furrowing his eyebrows slightly. Meanwhile, Charlotte pulled aside the nket and got out of bed. Walking up to him, she shook his shoulders gently. "I beg of you, I really need to go back..." Before she could finish, he pulled her into his embrace. With her petite figure in his arms, she looked especially submissive. "You''re not allowed to see Michael and Hector again," Zachary dered in an intimidating manner. "Mmm-hmm." Charlotte nodded repeatedly. "But, I have to pick up my kids first and say goodbye to him. Also, I would like to clear things up." When she saw his expression darken, she quickly added, "I will tell him that I am with you now. After that, I won''t ever see him again. I promise.¡± Chapter 245 Chapter 245 "Remember your promise!" Zachary reached his hands into her pajamas and started caressing her again. Feeling the touch of his hand, Charlotte melted into his embrace. Her freedom could only be earned through her acquiescence. When she finally left the vi, Charlotte felt as if she was walking out of prison. There was a sense that she had been reborn. Winding down the car window, she closed her eyes while letting her face soak in the warm sunshine and gentle wind. She savored every bit of freedom she had regained. Raima informed Charlotte cordially, "Ms. Windt, a new amodation has been arranged for you. Going forward, no one will know where you stay other than Mr. Nacht." Stunned, Charlotte asked in surprise, "What? I didn''t ask you to do that. Besides, I just rented a new ce myself." "We have returned your new rental on your behalf," Raina exined. "The Whites, the Sterlings, and the Browns all know your address. Hence, it''s not safe for you to stay there." "But..." "Don''t worry," Raina added. "Although Mr. Nacht bought the house for you, he will not go over there. Hence, you and your children can stay there in peace. If Mr. Nacht wants to see you, I wille and pick you up." "I understand." Charlotte didn''t say another word. Although she felt ufortable being watched to this extent, there was little else she could do. There was just no escape from Zachary''s grasp. Given that he assumed the children were someone else''s, she realized she was still lucky to receive such treatment. Now that the secret had been revealed, there is no longer any need to be discreet. I can live my life without any shame, isn''t that a good thing? Although her rtionship with Zachary was a strange one, she expected it to only be temporary. She presumed that there was a limit to a man''s sense of novelty. Once it wore off, he would abandon her heartlessly and she would get her freedom back. Holding that thought in mind, Charlotte actually looked forward to that day. Before she realized it, the car had arrived at its destination. Looking out the window, she noticed that she was at 1 Happy Avenue. She couldn''t help but feel stunned as it was where she used to live. Happy Avenue was famous for its disparity between the rich and the poor. Buildings numbered 1 to 10 were luxury units and considered the rich area; buildings numbered 11 onwards consisted of old dpidated units. The higher the number was, the poorer the residents were. Charlotte used to stay at number 32 which was mostly popted by the poor. The rent was cheap while the living environment was eptable. But now, in just within a few days, she was moving into the grandest building on the street. Popping her head out of the car, she stared at the luxurious building in front of her. Feeling uneasy, Charlotte turned around and asked, "How much did it cost?" "It''s not expensive, just thirteen million," Raina replied with a smile. "It''s a hundred and eighty-five square meters big. Ites with four rooms and two halls. When the children grow up, they can continue to stay here." "When did he buy it?" Charlotte inquired. "An hour ago." Raina exined with a grin, "This building is developed by one of the subsidiaries of Divine Corporation. The unit you are moving into is the show house. It has beenpleted for half a year. All it needs is some minor repairs and change of furniture which I have gotten someone to do Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. it...." She looked at the time before adding, "By the time you have said your farewell to Mr. Brown and finish lunch with the children, everything will be done when you get home." "By the way, I''ll have Fifi and your luggage sent to your new home in a while. Also, your position at work has been reinstated." After having everything arranged, Raina informed Michael to bring Mrs. Berry and the children to a nearby restaurant. Charlotte couldn''t find anything to nitpick about the meticulous arrangements. However, she did feel as if she was being controlled. She felt like a puppet in Zachary''s hands and it was simply suffocating. However, all Charlotte could do was to thank Raina with a smile. Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Finally, at the restaurant, she was reunited with her children after being separated for a long time. Kneeling down, Charlotte spread her arms and called out to them, "Robbie! Jamie! Ellie!" "Miss..." Before Mrs. Berry could continue, her words were buried by the incessant cries of "Mommy". Ellie scrambled desperately forward and threw herself into Charlotte''s embrace. The momentum caused Charlotte to fall onto the ground. With her bum hurting, Charlotte''s eyes were filled with tears. She dered with a gleefulugh, "Ellie, I love you!" "Mommy, I love you too." Muacks! Ellie pouted her lips and nted a sloppy kiss on Charlotte''s cheeks. "Mommy, Mommy, I''ve missed you too.¡± Jamie threw himself into Charlotte''s arms and hugged her neck tightly with one arm. He then waved his fist with the other arm to show how strong he was, "Mommy, I have been practicing martial arts every day so that I can protect you in the future." "Mommy..." In spite of his usual maturity, even Robbie had the urge to get a hug. When he couldn''t squeeze himself in, he was visibly disappointed. "Robbie,e over here!" Charlotte reached out to pull Robbie in and hugged all three of them together. She also gave each of them a kiss on their forehead. "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, I want to say sorry for not being there for you recently. From now on, all of us will be able to stay together again." "That''s awesome! Yeah!" Cheering in delight, the children hugged Charlotte and refused to let go. Mrs. Berry wiped the tears off her face as she watched. In the midst of the heart-warming reunion, Charlotte forgot that there was someone else there. Mrs. Berry softly reminded her. "Miss, Miss, Mr. Brown is still here." After regaining her senses, Charlotte looked up at Michael. He was standing quietly by the door, smiling warmly at her with a gentleness in his eyes. "Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, go to the private room to have some lunch. I need to speak to Mr. Brown first before joining you." Charlotte patted the children on their backs. The three of them nodded obediently and took their leave from Michael. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. "Mr. Brown, thanks for taking care of us for thest few days." "Mr. Brown, we''re going to eat first. See youter." "See youter!" Michael waved at them with an extremely warm expression. The whole restaurant had been booked forthem. Therefore, other than a few crucial wait staff, only Charlotte and Michael were left. "You don''t look too good." Michael reached out to touch Charlotte''s face. Charlotte avoided his hand by reflex. It was as if her body had been cursed by Zachary. It would naturally be repelled by the advances of another man. Michael''s hand froze in the air, causing him to feel both awkward and disappointed at the same time. "I''m sorry, Michael," Charlotte apologized sincerely. "I''ve caused you a lot of trouble. Did Zachary make things difficult for you and your family?" "No." Michael''s expression turned grim. "The Brown family doesn''t have any business dealings with him. Hence, he can''t do anything to us. Besides, I didn''t offend him." Charlotte opened her mouth but decided against speaking. She didn''t know how to exin her lie to Michael. She felt as if she had pulled him into a trap and was feeling guilty about it. "Let''s sit down and talk," Michael pulled Charlotte along to have a seat. "What''s going on between you and Zachary?" "I don''t know how to even tell you..." Charlotte struggled to exin. "Who is the children''s father?" Michael asked softly. Charlotte stayed silent for a moment before taking a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "Michael, I''ve done you wrong..." "You have to tell me what''s going on." Michael grew anxious. "It''s better you don''t know too much." Charlotte frowned before eximing, "I don''t want to burden you any further!" Chapter 247 Chapter 247 "There''s no such thing as a burden between us." Michael felt frustrated. "Four years ago, I wasn''t there when you were in trouble. But now, I''m here. No matter what it is, I''ll definitely help you!" "Thank you, Michael." Charlotte was extremely grateful. "But now, I... I..." After pondering for a moment, she gathered her courage, "I now have a boyfriend and he will take care of me." Stunned, it took Michael a while to regain his senses. "Boyfriend?" It was earth-shattering news to him. He had just returned for a few days. On his first day back, he heard the rumor about Charlotte and Hector being together. On the third day, he found out that she had children and they were almost kidnapped. And now, she was breaking it to him that she had a boyfriend. "Yes..." Charlotte hung her head and didn''t dare face him. "Michael, I''m really sorry. I don''t know how to say this but I must still thank you. I''ll always remember how good you have been to me. But going forward..." Mustering her courage, she gritted her teeth and dered, "We should not see each other again!" Right after the words left her mouth, she lowered her head again. She felt that she was a scumbag to have discarded Michael right after using him. Her actions were unforgivable. But, to not cause him any more trouble, she was left with no choice. "Urgh..." Her words dealt a devastating blow to Michael. Stunned, it took him a long while to regain his senses. "Charlotte, is someone threatening you?" "No..." Filled with anxiety, Charlotte knew she had to be decisive. "I just feel that I should keep a distance from other men since I have a boyfriend now." "Don''t tell me he is... Zachary?" Michael probed. "Mmm-hmm." Charlotte nodded while averting his gaze. "I''m sorry!" Michael didn''t say another word as he picked up his coffee to take a sip. He was trying his best to maintain hisposure. "Michael, I owe you too much. I would like to repay your kindness if there''s an opportunity to do so. But now, for our sakes..." "I have just one question," Michael interrupted. "Who is the children''s father? Is it him?" Charlotte was shocked as she didn¡¯t expect him to have guessed it. She had assumed that he didn''t know anything. She figured it might just have been spection on his part but he had guessed correctly. "It appears I''m right." Tightening his grip on the coffee cup, Michael''s eyes were filled withplicated emotions. "No one knows about it, even himself," Charlotte anxiously exined. "Michael, it''s a veryplicated situation which I don''t even know how to exin. The bottom line is that I don''t want to cause you any trouble..." "I understand!" Michael interrupted her and gently replied, "It doesn''t matter. Since you have made your choice, I wish you all the best." Charlotte was stunned as he looked up at him. Michael was dressed in all white and looked dashing in his outfit. Despite the afternoon sun shining on him through the window, it still wasn''t enough to cover the glow that he was emitting. Only he deserves to be considered the perfect gentleman. Unfortunately, she ended up disappointing him again. "I I¡ª- w I m sorry. Despite being filled with guilt, she didn''t know what else to do other than apologizing. "Foolish gal, you didn''t do anything to betray me." Holding her hand, Michael replied in a gentle tone, Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "The things I have done for you are simply trivial. Even as a friend, I am obliged to help you. Let alone..." Lowering his gaze, he smiled wryly, "Compared to being with you, I would prefer you to be happy," he bared his soul to her. The honesty and sincerity in his words made them all the more precious. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Charlotte couldn''t help but feel her nose burn as tears welled up in her eyes. "My judgment tells me that you have made the wrong choice," Michaelmented. "But, what can I do? You have always been stubborn to the extent I do not have the confidence to persuade you out of it, just like four years ago..." After a brief pause, he broke into a smile andmented in a self-deprecating manner, "There, I can only let you go and do whatever you want. One day, when you have had enough of the troubles of the world and men, you will then appreciate me for who I am." "At that time, as long as you turn around, you will see me there!" Having heard his words, Charlotte could no longer hold her tears back as they began streaking down her cheeks. Not wanting the children to hear her, she quickly covered her mouth with her hands. As tears dropped in silence, she didn''t dare make a sound while crying. "Silly gal, stop crying." Michael quickly passed her a napkin for her to wipe off her tears. Putting on a brave face, he teased her, "If you continue to cry, the kids will think that I am the one who bullied you. I have been trying hard to gain their favor over thest few days. Hence, they have grown to like me and even wanted to introduce Fifi to me..." "Mommy! Mommy!" Before Michael finished his sentence, a familiar voice could be heard from the entrance. Charlotte quickly wiped off her tears and turned around to look. Fifi flew into the restaurant from outside. As its injured wing hadn''t fully healed, its flight trajectory was hampered by it. Fumbling around, it almost crashed into a crystal chandelier. "Fifi..." Charlotte extended her hand. Fifinded on the back of her palm and brush its head against Charlotte''s cheeks. As Charlotte stroked its wing, she suddenly noticed that it was wearing a ck and gold ring with an "S" imprinted on it, which was Zachary''s mark. She was shocked by the sight of it and suddenly became anxious. Frantically looking around, she finally saw one of Zachary''s cars parked downstairs. They were using this method to remind her she belonged to Zachary. "Is this Fifi? It''s so cute!¡± When Michael reached out to touch its wing, Fifi pecked him on his finger. It then spread its wings and N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. glowered at him. Michael''s hand recoiled as he grunted in pain. "Fifi! Don''t be rude," Charlotte scolded. Fifi hid its head underneath its wing and didn''t utter another word. "Is Fifi back? Fifi..." Ellie''s squeaky voice emanated from the private room. "Ellie! Ellie!" Fifi flew straight towards her. "Is your hand hurt?" Charlotte checked on Michael''s hands and remarked with guilt, "I''m sorry, Michael, for how rude Fifi was. Next time, I''ll have to discipline it more." "Don''t worry, it''s just a pet. It''s normal for it to treat strangers that way." Michael didn''t mind at all. "Charlotte, what are your ns? I heard Mrs. Berry say that your previousndlord has taken back your house. Where are the kids going to stay? Have you found a ce yet?" "Everything has been arranged." Charlotte shot a nce outside. Trailing her line of sight, Michael saw Zachary''s car, causing him to frown. "Alright, since it''s no longer convenient, I think I''ll take my leave." Putting down his coffee cup, he stood up before murmuring, "Mrs. Berry has my number so please remember that. If there''s anything you need, just call me anytime." "Take care of yourself and don''t worry about me." Charlotte was overwhelmed by guilt. "I hope you can take back what your father has left you as soon as possible," Michael added. Shaken by his words, Charlotte stared at him in surprise. "How did you know about it?" "Before he died, he wrote me a letter..." Michael sighed remorsefully. "I only saw it recently. The letter is the reason I have returned." Chapter 249 Chapter 249 "Dad wrote you a letter?" Charlotte asked anxiously. "What did he say in it?" Michael hesitated for a moment before ying it down. "It''s mostly about asking me to protect you...On top of that, he said that if you have not imed what he left you by meeting with Jeffrey within five years, I should then deliver it to you personally." When she heard his words, Charlotte''s heart was in turmoil and filled withplicated emotions. It never urred to her that her father would write Michael a letter before he died. Her father was likely worried about her. If she couldn''t break out of her rut and start a new life in five years, Michael was toe and take care of her. From what Jeffrey had told her, she was now certain that the box''s contents had nothing to do with her father''s death. In that case, what did Dad leave me? "Charlotte..." Michael''s voice interrupted her thoughts. Regaining her senses, she turned toward him. "Thank you, Michael. You should head home now and take good care of yourself." "Mmm-hmm. Goodbye." After looking longingly at her, Michael turned and left. When Charlotte saw his slim silhouette, she felt extremely guilty for involving him in her troubles. She hoped that Zachary would keep his word and not cause Michael any trouble. "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Ellie came out from the private room with Fifi while holding a cake in her hand. "Mommy, this cake is really delicious. You should try it." "Wow! It''s beautiful.¡± Charlotte bent over to carry Ellie and gave the cake a bite. "It''s really delicious!" "Mommy, the banana milkshake is very nice too." Jamie brought over his milkshake and fed Charlotte with it. "Hmm, it''s tastes really good. I like it very much." Charlotte tried Jamie''s milkshake. "Mommy, has Mr. Brown left?" Robbie walked out with an ice cream in his hand, scanning the surroundings. "He likes vani ice cream. I just wanted to share it with him." "I have also saved a mango pudding for him." Jamie raised his hand, not wanting to be left out. "I want to introduce Fifi to Mr. Brown." Ellie held Fifi in her hand and raised her eyebrows in glee. "I told him that Fifi can sing but he didn''t believe ? _ 99 me. "Mr. Brown is busy, so he has to leave first," Charlotte exined. "Did you thank him for taking care of you over thest few days?" "We did. We thanked him properly." The three children remarked, "We even invited him to join us at the theme park sometime." "Mr. Brown is busy so he may not have time to go with you. Why don''t Ie along with you instead?" "Alright..." "Mommy, let''s eat together, the steak is getting cold!" "Sure!" As Charlotte led the three children back into the private room, Robbie pulled out a chair for her in a chivalrous manner. She then gave him a peck on his face and praised, "Thank you, Robbie!" "Mommy, I want a kiss too," Jamie requested. "Mommy, me too, me too..." Ellie joined in. "Mommy! Mommy! Fifi too!" Asughter filled the room, it was a sign of the sunshine after the storm. Looking out the window, Charlotte noticed that Michael''s car had left while Zachary''s car was also no longer in sight. She smiled wryly to herself. Zachary really doesn''t leave anything up to chance. Just when the children were having fun ying, Mrs. Berry came over and asked Charlotte softly, "Miss, has Mr. Brown left?" "Yes, he''s gone." Charlotte nodded. "He is a good man," Mrs. Berry sighed. "He personally drove to the vige to pick us and put us in his home. In the beginning, the children were frightened and were wary of him. But, he took good care of them and slowly won their trust. During thest few days, they were all very close to him." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "I know..." Charlotte sighed again. She felt the best way for her to repay her debt of gratitude was to stay away from Michael, so as not to cause him any trouble. Chapter 250 Chapter 250 After lunch, Charlotte brought Mrs. Berry and the kids back to their new home. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The moment they arrived at the building entrance, they were warmly greeted by the staff from the developer''s office and property management department. Furthermore, the security guards even helped Mrs. Berry carry all her bags. Mrs. Berry repeatedly praised their service and asked Charlotte softly, "Miss, it must be really expensive to stay here?" "It is, but it''s alright. I''ve gotten a raise." Charlotte didn¡¯t want Mrs. Berry to worry. "Even if you got a raise, you can''t splurge it all away. The rental and property management expenses "The house has already been bought and the paperwork has been prepared. All Ms. Windt needs to do is to sign them," exined the staff from the developer''s office. "Bought it?" Mrs. Berry''s eyes widened in shock. She quickly inquired, "Miss, where did you get the money?" "My boss gave me a big bonus for a job well done," Charlotte replied softly. "Mrs. Berry, don''t think too much about it. We can all now stay here peacefully." Mrs. Berry didn''t utter another word but her expression was grim. Entering the apartment, everyone was shocked. It was the exact opposite of their old ce. Inside, it was extremely spacious and bright. The decor was exquisite and even emitted a romantic vibe. Every piece of decoration was curated and it was obvious a lot of thought had been put into it. When the staff led Charlotte and her family to tour the bedrooms, it was huge and even included a walk-in wardrobe. There was a huge desk inside along with individual bathrooms. Furthermore, there were two rooms for children. One with a princess theme while the other was decorated for boys specifically. The princess-themed room was extremely beautiful, fit for a fairytale princess. Its color scheme was dominated by pink and white. There were also flowing curtains and all sorts of dolls on disy. "Wow! It''s gorgeous!" Ellie entered the room and eximed in joy. She was so excited that she kept jumping on the bed. "Quick! Come and see my room!" Meanwhile, Robbie and Jamie couldn''t wait to see the boy''s room. Inside, there were two beds and it had a sci-fi-themed background. One of the beds was shaped like a ne while the other was shaped like a sports car. It was also filled with toys. Especially those that they had coveted but couldn''t afford to buy. "Wow! I love this room!" "Me too!" The two boys dashed in excitedly and took the toys out from their boxes to y. After that, they brought their toys onto the bed and frolicked in it. "Ma''am, this is your room. Please take a look." The staff led Mrs. Berry to see her room. Charlotte quickly followed behind. There was a custom-made hard mattress for the elderly and also a massage chair. Lying down to try, Mrs. Berry eximed, "It''s sofortable. Whenever my back aches from work, I feel that it''s too troublesome to get a massage outside. But now, I can simply get one at home." "This has been installed just for you," the staff exined with a smile. "Thank you, thank you. This is simply amazing." Mrs. Berry was extremely touched. The property management staff even taught Mrs. Berry how to use thetest household appliances in their home. Before she left, she even adjusted the centralized heating and cooling system for their When Charlotte saw how happy Mrs. Berry and the children were, she felt extremely relieved. At the same time, her heart was still in turmoil. Everything here was just perfect. She knew that it was Raina who dealt with all the details. But, this was all still provided by Zachary. Would he take it back whenever he is upset? When that happens, the children would be extremely disappointed. Charlotte shook her head to stop herself from worrying unnecessarily. Charlotte yed with the children for a while until they had to go for their afternoon nap. She then changed her clothes and prepared to leave home. "Miss, where are you going?" Mrs. Berry just returned from grocery shopping. She gleefully remarked, "There''s a grocery shop within the building. So, I bought some ingredients for us to celebrate moving in over dinner." "I''ll not be having dinner as I''m heading to the cemetery. Besides, I don''t know when I''ll be back." Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Charlotte searched with the GPS of her phone. The mausoleum was approximately less than eighty kilometers from her home. "You''re paying Mr. Windt a visit? Today is neither All Souls'' Day nor his death anniversary." Mrs. Berry asked with a grim look on her face, "Did something happen?" "Don''t worry, nothing happened. I just miss him so much, that''s why I''m thinking of paying him a visit." Charlotte was sorrowful. "I''m a bit lost as too many incidents have urred recently. After visiting him "It sounds fine." Mrs. Berry''s eyes started to well up as she nodded and said, "Help me send my regards to Mr. Windt." Charlotte forced a smile; she then choked up and could barely utter any words. Charlotte bought a small pot of her father''s favorite Alocasia and took a cab to Oakhill Mausoleum. By the time she reached the mausoleum, it was already nightfall. The drizzle formed a veil of destion and mncholy over the serene mausoleum. Standing in front of her father''s grave and gazing longingly at his picture, Charlotte''s heart was filled with grief... In her memory, her father was a kind and easygoing person who could mingle well with people of all ages. His warm smile was contagious and soothing. Throughout his lifetime, he treated everyone with kindness and tolerance. He was an honest N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. businessman with high moral character. Instead of being maniptive and taking advantage of others, he would rather sustain a loss and forgive those who caused him trouble. In everyone''s eyes, he was a charitable person with a noble heart! Yet, such a great person did not get to live long. He met his tragic end unexpectedly... He was now lying here, enduring the evesting loneliness and harsh weather conditions. Charlotte had a throbbing pain in her chest thinking about how an upright man like her father could be treated so unfairly in life... She ced the pot of Alocasia in front of her father''s grave. After bowing at him to pay her respect, she went to the storage room of the mausoleum. Once her father''s safe was located, she opened it with the passcode¡ªher mother''s date of birth. As expected, her father''s red wooden box was in the safe! Charlotte became very emotional. She reminisced the moments spent with her father as snippets of the unforgettable memory shed across her mind like a series of waves, warming her heart... Taking a deep breath, she took the red wooden box out of the safe and unlocked it with a key. An envelope, a photo album, and a silver document file came into view. Charlotte opened up the envelope carefully. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the familiar handwriting. Her father''s neat and beautiful handwriting reflected his upright personality. He was the best example of a respectable and down-to-earth man. She could sense haste amid his well-written lines. Charlotte could roughly guess that her father was desperate as he wrote his letter to her. Apparently, he felt that he was at risk and could foresee his tragic end, so he struggled to have the letter written before he breathed hisst breath. Every single word reflected her father''s affection for her, along with anxiety and extreme reluctance to part with her... Charlotte''s eyes started to well up with tears. She read word by word slowly, as if she was stroking her beloved father''s face. Lottie, when you read this letter, I might have left this world forever. Do not be sad. I will continue to be your guiding star and protect you in heaven. I wish that my dear Lottie will live a healthy and happy lifelThroughout my life, I have sailed through all sorts of obstacles and have no doubt embraced glory once. I do not me anyone but myself for ending up in this miserable state now. I have tried my very best and spent my whole life fighting against that family, but I did not seed...My only remorse now is that I am still unable to look for your mom and apologize to her. To protect you and our family, I had no choice but to resort to a cowardly method of forcing her to leave us in despair.lfyou have a chance to meet her in the future, you must convey my message to her: love her very much! She''s my only love this whole lifetime. If there is a next life, I will beg her to give me a chance to be with her again!It''s too bad that I do not even know whether she is still alive. Perhaps she has left this world already and is waiting for me in another world...I''d better stop talking about this. It sounds funny to you, doesn''t it? Every time I get drunk, I mumble about your mom repeatedly. I bet you can memorize my words and mimic my tone by now. You won''t have a chance to hear me nag about that anymore.How I wish I will never part with you. I cannot help but worry about you. In these neen years, I have showered you with my fullest love, but I have forgotten to train you with self-protection skills. Chapter 252 Chapter 252 I thought that I could protect you under my shield for the rest of my life, so you can just focus on living happily.But now, I might need to leave earlier without you. My heart aches thinking of how you will be left alone in this materialistic world, striving hard against the unpredictable storms of life... I could almost picture your hardship when I am no longer around. There will be a lot of unscrupulous people preying on you, applying all sorts of maniptive tactics to seize your assets. Looks like wealth and power have put you at great risk. I believe the only way to keep you away from their attacks is for you to not possess anything that could catch their attention. Hence, I did not n on stopping them from seizing my assets. After all, not much is left in my possession, so just let them go ahead and fight among themselves.But Lottie, I have created a backup n for you... The silver file contains details of a bank ount; it is a personal bank ount that I have opened for you earlier in S Nation.Since you reached thirteen, I have been transferring ten million annually into this bank ount. I have never withdrawn a single cent from it even when thepany was facing its financial crisis. I have assigned a trustworthy person to manage this bank ount. When you receive this letter after five years, the umted bnce of this bank ount will exceed a hundred million.This sum should be enough to afford your living expenses for the rest of your life. I hope you can live a simple life with a man who really loves you. It is indeed great happiness if you are able to spend the rest of your life in peacelOf course, this is just my vision. I have no idea if your life will be as peaceful as how I imagine it to be.I also have another backup n for you, in case you encounter any obstacles or crises that cannot be solved.Inside the silver envelope, there is a ck card aside from the bank ount details. There is a phone number on this card. When you are really helpless and have no other options, call that number to look for that person, and tell him your mother''s name. He will appear immediately.No matter how tough the difficulties are, he will be able to get them resolved for you I But Lottie, bear in mind: never ever call this number unless you are really in a helpless situation and have no way out. Once you call this number, it will lead you down a totally different path life...Remember! You must remember! Charlotte had mixed feelings upon finishing reading the letter. To her surprise, her father seemed to have many secrets... What is that family which Father couldn''t fight against?Does that family have anything to do with Father''s death?Who''s that mysterious person behind the phone number?Why will my life change dramatically once I give him a call?Howe he can solve all my tough problems? Charlotte was really puzzled... It really sounds like the magic door to a mysterious realm as in the fairy tales. Entering the door impulsively might lead to the opening up of Pandora''s box. Anyone would find this curious. How I wish I could understand the hidden truth! Charlotte opened the silver envelope and took out the ck card; there was a string of numbers handwritten in gold. It was an overseas phone number. Charlotte looked up that number on her phone and found out that it was registered in M Nation. The times, she had it memorized. Who''s the owner of this phone number? This question shed across Charlotte''s mind momentarily before she brushed the query aside. She put both the ck card and bank card into her purse and was about to browse through the photo album when her phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed that it was from Zachary. He had suddenly called her at this time and at this venue. Instantaneously, she felt intimidated with a sense of reluctance. She was in a dilemma of whether to answer it or not. In the end, she picked up the call, "Hello!" "I need to see you." Zachary emphasized his words in a tone that reflected tyranny and arrogance. "Now. I mean, now!" "I''m in the suburbs..." "Give me the address. I''ll get my man to fetch you," Zachary said domineeringly. Charlotte actually intended to tell him that she was not in the mood to meet at the moment, but she could foresee the consequence if she dared to say so... She took a deep breath and tried to sound as gentle as possible. "No need toe to fetch me. I can take a cab over. You''re at home now?¡± "I''m not at home. I''ve sent you the address. Check your phone." Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Alright," Charlotte replied and was about to hang up the phone before Zachary added, "Half an hour!" "I''m really a great distance away..." He hung up the phone before Charlotte could finish her sentence. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Charlotte was frustrated the moment she heard the engaged tone of the phone. He''s really inconsiderate! He insists on me reaching there within half an hour although I''m really far away! She then received a message notification. She clicked open the message and searched for the address with GPS. Even if I manage to take a taxi now, it''ll still take me forty minutes to be there! If I drag again and keep the Devil waiting... Charlotte shuddered as she pictured his cold eyes in her mind. Without hesitation, she called for a cab. Upon putting down her phone, she looked again at the items left behind by her father. Complex feelings rose within her once more. She contemted for a while and took out both the bank card and the ck card from her purse back into the silver file. She folded her father''s letter nicely and restored everything into its original position in the red wooden box. Finally, she locked the box and put it back into the safe. Having closed the safe carefully, she quickly left the ce... Charlotte kept urging the cab driver to speed up. When she finally reached the destination, she was already eleven minuteste. Once she got out of the cab, Raina immediately approached her with an umbre and reminded her in a low voice, "Ms. Windt, today is a special day for Mr. Nacht. I must warn you that he''s currently not in a good mood." "Huh?" Charlotte asked anxiously, "Is there any special asion today?" "You''ll know soon," Raina replied softly, "No matter what, try your best not to infuriate him today." "Understood..." Charlotte furrowed her brows and quickened her pace. Zachary was seated near the window, gazing at the rain outside in silence. "Sorry, I''mte..." Charlotte apologized softly, "I''ve actually tried to get a taxi right after receiving your message, but I was quite far away from here, so..." Zachary turned to look at her cidly. "You''re not angry, are you?" Charlotte looked at him timidly. "Where did you go just now?" Zachary raised his eyes and stared at her. "The mausoleum," Charlotte replied honestly, "I went to pay my father a visit." There was nothing she could not hide from him, except the secret rted to the items left behind by her father. Upon hearing this, Zachary lowered his eyes and did not say anything. He passed her the menu and gestured to her to ce her order. "You decide; anything will do." Charlotte handed the menu to the restaurant manager waiting beside them and tried to sound casual. "Howe you''re suddenly in the mood to ask me out for a meal tonight?" This seemed to be the first time that he brought her out for a meal as Zachary Nacht. Zachary remained silent for a while and said abruptly, "Today is my birthday!" "Oh?" Charlotte was stunned. She had no idea it was his birthday today and she had note with anything. "I went to the mausoleum as well." Zachary swirled the wine in the ss as he gazed at her intensely and said in a low voice, "To visit my mother!" His face appeared gloomy under the faint light of the restaurant; he seemed to be troubled by N?velDrama.Org holds this content. something. "Ah..." Charlotte tried to answer tactfully. She felt like asking him where his mother''s graveyard was, yet she did not dare say anything. He was obviously behaving weirdly today. She was worried that she might infuriate him without realizing it. "How is it? Satisfied with the new house?" Zachary changed the topic and raised his eyes to look at her. "It''s quite nice." Charlotte nodded with a smile. "Thank you!" "Have a nice weekend and be back to work on Monday." Zachary took a sip of the wine. "Of course." Charlotte held her ss higher towards him. "Happy bir¡ª" "Stop! Never mention this again." Zachary cut her off abruptly with knitted brows; there was a glint of coldness in his eyes. Charlotte was dumbfounded. What''s wrong with him? Today is his birthday, isn''t it?ls it wrong for me to wish him happy birthday? Zachary seemed to realize that he had overreacted. He clinked ss with her to ease the tense atmosphere and finished the wine in one gulp. Charlotte also finished the wine in her ss and let out a deep breath. "This wine is really strong." Chapter 254 Chapter 254 "You can drink more tonight." Zachary loved to look at her when she was tipsy. Charlotte looked exceptionally charming with her rosy cheeks and sparkling, watery eyes. "I can''t." Charlotte touched her burning face. "I have really poor alcohol tolerance and I tend to behave differently when I''m drunk. I get drunk quite quickly and will act funny and mutter nonstop..." "Yeah, I''ve seen that before!" Zachary recalled her being drunk previously. She was passionate and proactive, and he could not resist her as she clung to him like a burning me. His Adam''s apple bobbed in his throat; there was growing desire in his deep and imprable Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. eyes... "What are you staring at..." Charlotte felt a bit awkward. At the same time, the manager served them a sumptuous dinner. Charlotte asked, "Did you prepare a cake?" "No, I''ll get it prepared now." The manager was very responsive. "No need for that." Zachary raised his hand and said, "Just leave us." "Sure." The manager left hurriedly, leaving only the two of them to enjoy their meals quietly in the spacious restaurant. The romantic melody of the piano wasplemented with the aroma of wine and appetizing food. Romance was in the air. "Why don''t you let them serve you cake? How sad to not have a cake for your birthday," Charlotte asked softly. "I don''t need that." Zachary poured himself half a ss of wine. "But I didn''t prepare any present." Charlotte started to feel uneasy. "You''re the best present!" Zachary continued to gaze at her with burning affection in his eyes. He poured another half a ss of wine for her. "I can''t drink anymore..." Charlotte''s face started to flush. "Never mind if you''re drunk. You can count on me." Zachary started to drink again. The food on the dining table was untouched. "What''s wrong with you today?" Charlotte sensed that there was something not right with him. "You''re not in good mood?" Zachary gulped down the rest of the wine in his ss again and replied slowly, "Today...is also my mother''s death anniversary." Charlotte was startled. No wonder... She now realized why he stopped her from wishing him "happy birthday". That exins theck of a birthday cake, his visit to the mausoleum, and the blues... "Hence, I never celebrate my birthday." Zachary continued to pour himself wine. "I''m sorry..." Charlotte suddenly discovered that Zachary was not as mighty as he may appear to be. He also had his own vulnerability and could be bothered by something, too. He was actually not unpredictable, emotional, or easily affected by mood swings. She was just not aware that he had been bearing much pain. She did not know how to console him and dared not say too much. She was worried that inappropriate words woulde out of her mouth and annoy him. "Looks like you''re fearful of me?" Zachary raised his eyes and stared at her. "You''re not like this before." "You''re not so terrifying back then, either..." Charlotte could not help sighing. "How nice would it be if things were still the same as when we first met...I still prefer the time when you were still Gigolo." She could still recall her arrogance when she first treated him as a gigolo, how she kept screaming at him and rebuking him. She even forced him into signing a contract to pay off his debt and entertaining three rich, overweight women. Pfft! She burst intoughter. "Those three richdies canceled the cheque the following day. My one million was gone." "You deserved it!" Zachary red at her. He became frustrated recalling the incident. "You dared to sell me off because of one million. Your conscience has been eaten up by a dog." "You mean you''re the dog!" Charlotte was in regret the moment she blurted out the words; she covered her mouth instantly and looked at him anxiously. "You''re really daring!" Zachary lifted his eyebrows and red at her. "Sorry, I''m just joking..." Charlotte apologized softly. "How about going to Sultry Night?" Zachary asked abruptly. "Huh?" Charlotte was stunned and then turned excited. "You want to be Gigolo?" "Pay me." Zachary handed out his hand to her. "Ten thousand for one night!" Chapter 255 Chapter 255 "Hmm..." Charlotte flipped through her purse and noticed she only had a thousand three hundred in cash. She was reluctant to use it all up and asked meekly, "Do you ept credit terms?" "Who takes credit terms when ites to engaging a gigolo?" Zachary was bbergasted. "I only have this much." Charlotte took out all the cash from her purse and ced them into his palm. "You see if it''s enough and for what type of services!" "Fine!" Zachary put the cash into his pocket, stood up, and pulled her to leave. Ben and the other bodyguards followed him at once, but he stopped them. "No need to follow me. I want to have fun myself tonight!" "But..." The bodyguards turned to look at Ben. Ben could only move aside. Tonight was not the night for anyone else to say anything. Zachary got into the car with Charlotte and sped off. Soon, they reached Sultry Night. The clock had just struck nine; it was peak hour there. Sultry Night was flooded with clubbers. Under the glittering and colorful lights, young people were dancing to their hearts'' content, following the rhythms of pop songs. On the stage, the stripper was making seductive moves. Onlookers were mesmerized by the charm in her eyes and the allure of her body. Zachary put on a mask and changed into a cool jacket. Holding Charlotte''s hand, they squeezed through the crowd and walked towards the private room. The moment they reached the room, Charlotte felt rxed and joyful. She could finally put aside all the fear, defense, and caution in her heart. She felt that once Zachary put on a mask and turned into Gigolo, his intimidating vibe would be reced by one that was carefree and indescribably friendly. "Mr.¡ª" the manager of Sultry Night approached them to greet Zachary. Zachary gestured to him, signaling for him to leave. The manager still thought that Zachary was hiding his identity from Charlotte. Worried that his mouth would slip, he left in a hurry. Zachary continued to walk forward by pulling Charlotte along the way. She pulled him back instead, and whispered into his ear, "Just stay here. It''s so lively. Let''s rx and have fun here tonight." Zachary nced at the crowd surrounding them with a slight frown. He hated close contact with strangers and he really disliked boisterous ces... However, seeing that Charlotte was in high spirits, he finally decided to go with her suggestion. Charlotte led him towards the bar and they took a seat. She ordered two cocktails. They clinked sses, savoring the drink while being entertained by the stripper''s performance on stage. The men below the stage were shrieking excitedly and squeezing one another forward like tigers ready to pounce on their prey. They even tossed money onto the stage and tried to catch the stripper''s attention with their frantic gestures. Even the two men sitting behind them were also moving their bodies in great excitement, their eyes glued to the stripper. Only Zachary was seated motionless on the high stool with a frown. "Other men are obsessed with the stripper''s dance. How can you remain so cool?" Charlotte rested her chin on her hands and gazed at Zachary with smiling eyes. "I''m not keen on these boring stuff." Zachary pinched her chin slightly. Looking intently into her glistening eyes under the light, he sensed a growing urge within him. Whenever she was drunk, she seemed to turn into someone with apletely different personality. She would be part innocent, part seductive. Her unique charm at that very moment was simply irresistible for him. "Try to rx and have fun here." Charlotte stroked his eyebrows gently. "Don''t keep on frowning. You''ve gotta cheer up..." Zachary held her hand and pulled her hard into his arms. Her forehead felt a slight pain as it bumped into his strong chest. In this intimate position, she could hear the powerful pounding of his heart. In a split second, her own heart started to race as well. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Her wless face looked even more attractive as she blushed. Zachary was fascinated by her dreamy look. He pinched her chin affectionately and was about to kiss her on the lips with his head lowered. Suddenly, someone gave Charlotte a kick from behind... "Ouch!" Charlotte''s body was pushed forward by a powerful kick. She turned to look and yelled, "Who''s that?" "Little b*tch, it''s really you!" A woman''s mocking voice could be heard. Three plump, middle-aged women with heavy makeup were standing behind them arrogantly with their bodyguards. One of the women with curly hair became agitated the moment she saw Zachary. "Isn''t this Mr. Gigolo that we''ve picked out previously?" Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Another woman with red lips instantly figured it out. She spat the words out through her clenched teeth, "Well, apparently you''re on the same team! You swindled money from us and knocked us out. This time, you''re out of luck!" "What are you waiting for? Take them down!" The other woman in a mini-skirt waved her hand and gestured to the bodyguards. A few big guys strode towards Zachary and Charlotte, spoiling for a fight. Panicked, Charlotte yelled in panic, "Hey, what are you doing? How dare you cause a scene here!" "Either Mr. Gigolo serves us well tonight, or you two leave here on a stretcher. It''s your choice!" The woman in curly hair gazed at Zachary with a wicked smile. A flint of lust shed across her eyes. "Yes. If he can satisfy three of us tonight, I''ll let you two go," the other two chimed in. "Pfft..." Upon hearing their words, Charlotte nearly copsed. If she didn''t know his true identity, perhaps she would just run off and leave him here. But now that she had known, she wouldn''t dare... Zachary held her chin up and looked into her eyes. "They''re waiting for your answer. Say something." "Of course not!" Charlotte had never been so righteous in her life. She stood determinedly in front of Zachary, with hands on her hips. "He''s my man. Keep your hands off him!" she said with a ringing voice. Zachary knew she was putting on an act, yet he found her words satisfying. With a smug smile on his face, his heart leaped with joy. Flushed with anger, the woman with curly hair red at Charlotte. "You wretch! You''re digging your own grave. I guess we have to do it the hard way then. Take them down now!" she scowled while pointing at the couple. "Yes, Madam!" Two muscr bodyguards lunged at them. Charlotte was scared and immediately took cover in Zachary''s embrace. Zachary pursed his lips with a smirk. He clenched his fists and was about to make a move. "Stop!" Right then, a voice rang out. Charlotte looked up and saw Helena walking towards them. "What a coincidence! I didn''t expect to see three of you here. How magnificent you look. Do your husbands know that youdies picked up a fight in Sultry Night over a gigolo?" Helena gave a scornful sneer as she said. Stunned by her words, the three women froze in their positions. "Ms. Brown, what... what brings you here?" "This is definitely a misunderstanding." "Yes. The woman bumped into me, so we..." Helena took a nce at Charlotte, then uttered, "Ms. Windt is my friend. Are youdies trying to piss me off?" Three of them were dumbfounded for a few seconds before they found their voices. "I''m so sorry, Ms. Brown. We made a terrible mistake. We''ll leave now." They quickly stood up and fled with their bodyguards. Charlotte frowned and her face darkened. She didn''t want to owe Helena a favor. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Zachary could''ve settled it himself. To him, it was child''s y. They were there to chill out and the trivial disturbance was merely an add-on. Helena didn''t recognize Zachary and thought she saved them from a tight spot. She did that only to belittle Charlotte. "Charlotte, I didn''t know you have such a hobby." As expected, Helena got the wrong idea. Sizing Zachary up from head to toe, Helena chuckled mockingly. "Mind your own business," Charlotte sneered. Without waiting for Helena''s response, she grabbed hold of Zachary and headed out. Unexpectedly, Helena said, "Hector wants to see you." Charlotte''s heart dropped upon hearing that. Oh no! She put it that way. Will Zachary misunderstand her words? Helena approached them and gave a warm invitation. "He''s in the private room. We''re all old friends. It''s just a quick meetup. What are you afraid of?" "We have nothing to talk about," Charlotte replied coldly. "Are you feeling guilty? Or is there something you''d like to keep hidden from this man?" Helena continued provoking her. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 "You..." Out of the blue, Zachary uttered, "Since Mr. Sterling wants to meet you like crazy, you should go." Charlotte had butterflies in her stomach. She looked at Zachary, pondering over his intention. Perhaps he wanted to find out what Hector was trying to do. However, Charlotte wanted to avoid Hector at all costs. What if he said nonsense or did something stupid that gave Zachary the wrong idea? That would put her into the deep water. "You''re such a gentleman." Helena smiled at Zachary, then continued, "This way, please." With a reluctant look on her face, Charlotte had no choice but to follow Helena to the room. Zachary wrapped his arm around her shoulders, portraying them as a loving and intimate couple. Taking a nce at the couple, Helena sneered, "If my brother knows you have such a pastime, he''ll probably drop his jaw." "Well, if he finds out your rtionship with Hector, he''ll be dumbstruck," Charlotte retorted. A flint of shock shed across her eyes, yet she pretended not to know anything. "What are you talking about? Hector and I are just friends. He has been in distress recently, giving up on himself. I''ve been Charlotte raised her eyebrows and mocked, "Through having sex in the car?" "You..." Suddenly, Helena was out of words as she didn''t see thating. But right away, she rposed herself and uttered softly, "It''s just your baseless allegation." The show she put on in the restaurant earlier was meant for Charlotte. It was not surprising that Charlotte figured out the identity of the scandal''s female lead. Indeed, it was Helena in the car. However, Charlotte had no proof to support her im, so it would remain a groundless rumor as long as Helena denied it. Charlotte gritted her teeth with anger. If it weren''t for Michael, she would have exposed Helena''s hypocrisy to the world. Zachary couldn''t care less about such politics between women. However, he couldn''t bear to see Charlotte being humiliated like that. "I can get you the proof at any time," he spoke. Helena stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him in shock. "What do you mean?" "I meant what I said." Charlotte sneered coldly, then she grabbed Zachary''s arm and pushed the door. "Get out! Out!" The moment they entered the room, a wine bottle flew towards them. Zachary grabbed Charlotte''s waist in a wink and dodged it at thest second. The bottle hit the wall and the ss shards scattered everywhere. Helena''s arm was scratched by the ss shards, yet she didn''t even take a look at it. Instead, she hurriedly walked towards the drunk man. "Hector, what happened to you? Stop drinking. You''ve had enough for today." Hector drowned his sorrow in wine, looking all haggard and miserable. He looked up and realized Charlotte was there. He froze for a moment, then immediately stood up and tidied himself up. Looking at Hector, Charlotte felt increasingly guilty by the minute. If it weren''t for me, Zachary wouldn''t have halted the Sterling family''s project and Hector wouldn''t have ended up like this. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Hector waspletely nonplussed. "Lottie, what... what are you doing here? I''ve been looking for you, but..." He lowered his head and dared not looked into Charlotte''s eyes although he wanted to. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Seeing that, Charlotte''s eyes reddened. However, she dared not let out her emotions in front of Zachary, so she took a deep breath and spoke in an indifferent tone, "Why are you giving up on yourself? For whom you put on such a show?" "How could you say that?" Helena bellowed. Zachary nced at Helena with a sharp look. Thetter panicked and stopped saying further. "Yes, it''s my fault. It''s all my fault." Hector felt utterly embarrassed. His words spoke his mind and feelings at the moment. Charlotte was right. He made the wrong decision to call off the engagement with her. After that, he made another mistake by marrying Luna instead. Then, another grave mistake by holding on to Charlotte.Lastly, he shouldn''t have left her for thepany''s profit. It was all his fault throughout. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Charlotte couldn''t help but weaken her resolve when she saw Hector''s depressed face. She said earnestly, "Hector, no one has a perfect life. Hardships and obstacles are inevitable in life. Dealing with them is not scary. The real disaster begins when you go on a self-destructive path." Hearing her words, Hector sneered, "Hardships? It''s Zachary Nacht who brought all these on me." Charlotte unwittingly turned to Zachary. Zachary leaned back on the sofa in an arrogant posture, holding a ss of wine in his hand. He elegantly took a sip from the ss as if he heard nothing. He didn''t mind what Hector had just said. Instead, he remained silent and looked at thetter with a smile of mockery. "Hector, you''re drunk. Stop saying gibberish." Helena quickly stepped forward and held him down. "What? There are no outsiders here." Hector was indeed drunk. With unstable footsteps, he approached Charlotte and wanted to pull her close. "Charlotte, there''s so much I want to tell you..." Before he could reach her, she was pulled backward and fell onto the sofa. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Who are you?" Right then, Hector finally noticed Zachary who was wearing a mask. The way he dressed looked nothing like the arrogant, domineering president whom everyone knew. Therefore, Hector couldn''t recognize him, nor could Helena. She sneered at the masked man, "You''re asking a stupid question. He''s a model at Sultry Night. Just now, Ms. Windt almost picked up a fight with a few wealthy women over this man." "Charlotte..." Hector gazed at Charlotte in disbelief. "Do you not believe what I said? She was caught in a scandal with a gigolo four years ago." Helena despised Charlotte from the bottom of her heart. "Shut up!" Hector cut her off, then asked emotionally, "Lottie, tell me it''s not true. You''re not a flirtatious woman, right?" "Do you really know me? Do you really know what kind of person I am?" Having a cold smile on her face, Charlotte asked rhetorically. Hector froze and looked at her in surprise. "You never know my true self. You didn''t know me back then, and even now.¡± Charlotte cruelly uttered those words that were supposed to be the most loving ones in the world. "You''ll be my world when I''m in love with you. You''re nothing to me when I don''t love you anymore. It''s just as simple as that." "You let go of me four years ago when I needed you the most. From that moment onwards, there was nothing else left between us. "If you were still as smart as what you used to be, perhaps you could still have a ce in my heart as my first love. "But look at you now. You''re such a disappointment." Charlotte sized Hector up with a cold-eyed gaze. After hearing her words, Hector''s heart was shredded into pieces. He lowered his head in silence. "Charlotte Windt! How could you say that to him? He is in this state because of you!" Helena shouted at her. "Because of me?" Charlotte chuckled, then continued, "Although I''m clueless about business, I''m not dumb. If Sterling Group had a solid foundation, why would they plead for Divine Corporation''s partnership? Thepany couldn''t survive without Divine Corporation''s investment, and that was why they approached Zachary Nacht. He was the one who could decide the fate of thepany." Surprised by her words, Zachary raised his eyebrows under the mask. He thought she was a silly woman that knew nothing. In fact, her mind was clear as crystal. Hector kept his head down and remained silent. "When you decided to go to Zachary, you should''ve known that he is an unpredictable man. Yet, you still did it, and that means it was a matter of life and death for Sterling Group, which left you no better options than that." Charlotte pointed out the unspoken fact. She paused for a few seconds before she continued, "If that was the case, he had the absolute right to decide your fate." "Even so, Zachary Nacht wouldn''t have totally cut Hector off if it weren''t for you." Helena still sided with Hector. "He''s a sessful businessman. He would definitely choose a great business opportunity over a woman, unless it was never an opportunity but a liability." After dropping herst word, Charlotte turned to Zachary. Without hesitation, Zachary gave her a look of assurance. So, she was right about it. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Hector was overwhelmed by her words. He got emotional and questioned her, "Why are you voicing out for him? Is he really that good in your heart?" "I guess so." Charlotte didn''t want topliment Zachary in front of him. But judging from the situation, Hector was indeed no match for Zachary. "You''ve changed. You would nevermit yourself to anyone for any reason. But now, you''re doing it for power...¡± Hector paused as he couldn''t bring himself to say further. Thinking of the intimacy between Charlotte and Zachary, his heart ached so much. "Everyone likes a powerful man. No one gives a damn to a useless man." Charlotte purposely said that to provoke him. Zachary was pleased by her words. He looked at her with faint smile. "You..." Hector couldn''t believe what he had just heard. He was perplexed with her words. He never thought Charlotte Windt whom he knew would say something like that. "Take care." Charlotte didn''t want to talk to him anymore. She walked away with Zachary. "Charlotte Windt!" Hector yelled at the top of his lungs. It was the first time he called her by her full name. Charlotte stopped in her tracks, waiting for Hector to finish his speech. He spoke slowly, articting each word loud and clear, "I''ll remember every single word that you said to me today. Just you wait, I''ll make sure you regret it!" Without saying a word, Charlotte strode away. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Provoked by her hurtful words, Hector grabbed the wine bottle and smashed it onto the floor. The bottle instantly shattered into a thousand pieces, just like how his feelings towards Charlotte finally crumbled to dust. Charlotte walked at a fast pace as she wanted to get out of the room as soon as possible. She just wanted to disappear from Hector''s world forever. At the moment, all the fond memories she had of Hector faded away along with the broken ss shards. It was beyond repair. Actually, Charlotte saw through Helena''s ploy of bringing her over to Hector. He was in need of a push to pull himself together, and Charlotte was the best person to do it. The cruel words she said could ignite his spirit and push him to rpose himself. What happened in The Limetree was also a foreshadowing. Helena orchestrated all these to break the bond between Charlotte and Hector for good. Finally, her wish hade true. Perhaps she was overjoyed inside. But none of that mattered. Most importantly, Hector was provoked and had gained motivation to rise again. Besides, Zachary would set aside his enmity towards Hector after seeing the scene in the room. He wouldn''t give Hector a hard time anymore. "How thoughtful of you.¡± Walking alongside Charlotte, Zachary uttered the words suddenly. "What?" Charlotte felt uneasy. "The act that you put on, it was not bad." Zachary yed with his car keys while walking towards the car. "I meant every single word that I said." Charlotte quickly followed after him and exined herself, "I misunderstood you. Now that I think about it, you''re always serious about work. Perhaps the project of Sterling Group was not profitable, and that was why you..." "You''re wrong." Zachary interrupted her midsentence. "Every project thates to Divine Corporation is not profitable. Theye to me because I can make it profitable for them. "Actually, I could''ve given the Sterlings a chance. However, I don''t like Hector Sterling. He wanted to portray himself as a gentleman, yet tried to earn a killing from me. His hypocrisy disgusts me, so I took it back. "Of course, you''re right about one thing. When Sterling Group came to me, I had the absolute right to decide their fate. It all depended on my mood whether to save it or let it rot. "And the mood..." Zachary lifted Charlotte''s chin and bit her soft, red lips. "That depends on you," he whispered. The slight pain on her lips reminded her that she had also given herself to Zachary, so he had the right to decide her life and death. It all depended on his mood. And his mood depended on her performance. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 They sped off in his Aston Martin. Zachary had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the window, with a cigarette between his fingers. Charlotte kept quiet as she had mixed feelings on the episode earlier. After all, it was dangerous to stay so close to a man like Zachary Nacht. He could see through her every move and every thought. She waspletely naked in front of the man, unable to hide anything from him. It was almost impossible for her to have any secrets unless he wasn''t interested. He was able to figure everything out if he wanted to. Therefore, she had to protect the secret of her father''s belongings and made sure he never found out. Luckily, Zachary was not interested in it, so he wouldn''t put any thought into it. Right when she was lost in her thoughts, her phone rang. It was Mrs. Berry. After taking a nce at Zachary, she answered the call. "Yes, Mrs. Berry." "Miss, it''ste at night. Are you on your way home? Is everything alright?" Mrs. Berry was concerned. "I''m fine. I''ll bete tonight. Please go to bed..." "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Charlotte stopped mid-sentence as the triplets were shouting on the other end of the phone. Her heart skipped a beat and she unwittingly nced at Zachary. Then, she turned around and covered her mouth to lower her voice. "Why are you still up?" "Mommy, Ellie wants to listen to stories. When are youing back?" Ellie''s soft voice came from the other side of the phone and melted Charlotte''s heart instantly. "Mommy will bete tonight. Please go to bed now, the three of you. It''s already eleven." While speaking over the phone, Charlotte peeked at Zachary from time to time. She was afraid that he would find it annoying. However, the man focused on the road. Although his face was expressionless, his pressuring aura made the atmosphere be tenser. "Mommy, are you still working at this time?" Jamie grabbed the phone over and asked in a serious tone, "Is your boss holding you back? Tell me his name. I''ll talk to him." Charlotte was panicked upon hearing that. "No, that''s not it. Jamie, be a good boy, alright?" "Give me the phone." Robbie had the phone and continued asking, "Mommy, where are you now? Are you safe?" "I''m safe." She noticed Zachary''s expression had changed into a somber one, so she quickly replied, "Robbie, be a good boy. Go to bed with your siblings. Mommy has to work." "Alright, Mommy. Don''t worry..." "Robbie, Mommy has to go now. Love you." Charlotte ended the call in a hurry and looked at Zachary timidly. Thetter didn''t say anything. He put out the cigarette and closed the window. The atmosphere was rather tense in the car. Both of them remained silent. Charlotte''s heart was beating fast as she felt suffocated. On a special day like today, she shouldn''t intimidate him, especially when he was not in a good mood. Things had be better earlier, but now... Suddenly, the car got onto the highway, speeding off. Charlotte''s heart was pounding rapidly. After stabilizing her breathing, she dared not make a move and stayed put on the seat. "Where are we going" N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After staying quiet for some time, Charlotte finally broke the silence. Ignoring her question, Zachary kept silent. "Don''t be angry. It was just a call..." Charlotte tried to talk to him. "Your kids should be three by now, right?" Finally, Zachary responded. "Yes," she replied. "Before me or after me?" Zachary continued asking. "What?" Charlotte''s mind was in a mess. She didn''t know how to respond to the question. "It should be after me, I guess. Four years ago, that was your first time. That couldn''t be fake," Zachary kept talking. She bled a lot that night. Although she was drugged and behaved enthusiastically, her innocence was real and it was something that couldn''t be disguised. Chapter 261 Chapter 261 "Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?" Charlotte started feeling anxious because she sensed his unusual cold tone as he uttered the words. Zachary squinted his eyes, and continued, "That means you started seeing Michael not long after having sex with me." Charlotte''s heart jolted in shock. She neglected that point. Whenever Zachary heard about the children, he instinctively rted them to her rtionship with Michael. The surrounding atmosphere turned tense suddenly. The temperature started to rise, making her difficult to breathe. Charlotte''s heart was in her mouth, yet she didn''t know how to lighten the mood. "Say something!" Zachary suddenly roared. "I... It''s all in the past now. Besides, I wasn''t with you that time. You shouldn''t be angry about it." Charlotte was too nervous and said that without thinking it through. "Really?" Zachary reached out to her and pulled her head close. Staring at her, he said, "But you''re the only woman I''ve been with!" Charlotte didn''t see thating. She froze in her spot and stared at him in disbelief. She had never thought about that. A proud, prestigious man like him should be popr among women. Even if he had rtionships with other women, there was nothing unusual about it. But, he said... Zachary furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her coldly. "Although it was an ident, I took it seriously. All these years, I didn''t look for you, but I''ve never touched another woman. That''s the difference between me and you." "It... It can''t be... Your skills are good. It doesn''t seem..." Charlotte couldn''t believe it. "How do you know my skills are good? Did you get it after makingparison?" A dark shadow fell across Zachary''s face. "No! That''s not it." Charlotte shook her head vigorously, yet she didn''t know how to make herself clear. She had no experience in this kind of stuff. How would she be able to evaluate the skills? She found him skillful because he was all passionate that night. He was the only man she had sex with too. Even though she had been with Hector, they did nothing more than holding hands, kissing on foreheads, and hugging. However, there was no way she could clear her name now. "So, previously the boyfriend that you kept mentioning was not me with the other identity. It was Michael, wasn''t it?." Zachary squeezed her face and asked in an overbearing manner. He no longer focused on the road, but her face instead. Luckily, his Aston Martin was equipped with the precision cruise control system, so the car could proceed at a stable speed. "No. You focus on driving. It''s dangerous," she spoke anxiously. Charlotte failed to exin herself. She lied to him, and now she couldn''t say anything further. "You have pissed me off." Zachary pushed her away and drove the car out of the highway. "If you really mind it, then we... Let''s just break up. I will pay you for the ne, then we don''t owe each other anything," Charlotte said tentatively. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She had got the money her father left behind. After paying him back, the remaining was enough to secure a good life for her and her children. Zacharyughed coldly. "Now you have got yourself a backup, so you can say that in such an arrogant way. Well done, Charlotte Windt." Charlotte kept silent. He twisted the meaning of her words no matter what she said, making it impossible for her to Zachary stopped the car in the woods and turned off the engine. He took off his coat, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt. "What... What are you doing?" Sensing something was wrong, Charlotte wanted to get out of the car. However, she couldn''t, as the door was locked. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 "Keep running. Let''s see where else can you run to." Zachary unfastened the buttons one by one, and adjusted the car seat with a smirk on his face. "Don''t... Don''t do that. I''m feeling unwell today." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Really? We just had it this morning. Stop pretending." Zachary got on top of her and pinned her down. "It''s true. Let me go...Ah!" Charlotte started struggling and kept pushing his shoulders, yet it made no difference. Before she could finish her words, he ripped her skirt forcefully and reached out to her. "Please don''t...¡± Charlotte could only shut her eyes in despair. Like a vampire, Zachary bit her neck and wanted to force himself on her. Suddenly, he realized something was off. He took a look at his hand. There was blood on it. Zachary was dumbfounded. "I haven''t touched you. Why are you..." "I''m... I''m having my period." Charlotte bit her lips hard. How embarrassing is this! Zachary froze for a while before he regained hisposure. With a darkened face, he let go of her. He cleaned his hand with wet tissues, then drove the car out of the woods. Charlotte curled up on the seat. She dared not say anything nor moved a muscle, but her body got increasingly ufortable. Actually, she had a feeling about her period since they got into the car. She thought she could make it home in time but never thought that she would provoke him again. Zachary drove the car into the city. He kept gazing around as if he was looking for something. Charlotte had no idea what he was doing. She pleaded, "Let me go, please. I want to go home." Ignoring her, Zachary stopped the car at the roadside, then he headed to a convenience store. Charlotte was afraid that he might do something crazy again, so after he left, she pushed the door and tried to run away. However, the moment she stepped out of the car, she realized her skirt was ripped. Immediately, she picked up his coat and covered her body with it, then she ran away. Zachary walked into the store, looking around for something. Dressed in ck with a mask on his face, Zachary gave out a strong aura. Is he a robber? Several shop assistants who were on the night shift turned pale in fright. They hid aside and took out their phones, ready to call the police at any time. "Excuse me." "Ah!" Before Zachary could ask them, two female assistants shouted loudly. Another male assistant took out a weapon and asked with his trembling lips, "What... What do you want? We don''t have much cash." N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Zachary was speechless. After taking a deep breath, he asked with his deep voice, "Do I look like a robber to you?" "Y... Yes..." the male assistant replied with his shaky voice. "You guys are fools." Right then, a plump woman in her fifties walked out of the storeroom. She shook her head and let out a sigh. "Have you seen a robber who is well-built and handsome like him? With his outstanding look, he can be a star or at least an influencer. Do you think he really needs to rob us?" Upon hearing her analysis, the female assistants took a closer look at Zachary. Their eyes instantly lit up and they started swooning over him. "Oh my! He''s so handsome!" "You lovestruck idiots!" The male assistant despised the girls. "Stop the nonsense. Get me something." Zachary was annoyed. "What are you looking for? Let me help you." The girls approached him. Feeling embarrassed, Zachary scratched his nose and cleared his throat, then lowered his voice, "You know... the thing that women use every month." "Skin care products?" "Cosmetics?" The girls made a few guesses. Zachary frowned. Are the youngsters nowadays all so foolish?Well, I guess the one at home is smarter. "He''s talking about sanitary pads." The plump woman walked towards him and asked, "What brand are you looking for? I''ll get it for you." "Anything. Take the most expensive one and the best one." Zachary took a nce at the car and realized the door was opened. Did the Stupid Woman run away? Chapter 263 Chapter 263 There was a sh in his eyes as he squinted them. However, he didn''t intend to take any action yet. Instead, he fished out a new phone from his pocket and yed with it. "Where''s my phone?¡± Only after Charlotte ran for about two hundred meters did she realize she had lost her phone. She had N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. handed all the cash to Zachary, so she was penniless at the moment. She looked around. This ce was fifty kilometers away from her home. There was no way she could go home on foot. I have neither my phone nor money. I can''t go home like this. What should I do now?lt''ste at night. Only the 24-hour convenience stores are operating. The other shops are closed. I can''t even hide. Besides, there is neither a public telephone nor a taxi.So... Heaving a sigh, Charlotte headed back to the car. Well, being tortured by the Devil is better than wandering the street like a homeless person. "Sir, which brand do you want?" asked the woman enthusiastically. "Any brand will do." Zachary looked at his watch. Three minutes top. That woman will be back. "Sir, do you want day pads or overnight pads?" the woman continued asking. "Anything." Zachary frowned with frustration. "Then, with or without wings?" Another question came from the woman. Zachary held his forehead, greatly annoyed by her continuous questions. "Give me one of each." "One of each? Do you mean each type from every brand, with wings and without wings, or..." "Shut up!" Zachary couldn''t stand it anymore. His anger was about to burst. "Sir, you have to make yourself clear. I don''t know what you want." The woman kept asking thousands of questions. Zachary started clenching his fists. "Give me a packet of Kotex overnight pads. Thank you." A familiar voice rang out. Finally, the awkward situation was eased. Charlotte saw what happened in the store. Suddenly, her heart was filled with mixed feelings. He got out of the car to get her sanitary pads, yet she tried to run away. The woman was stunned by Charlotte''s interruption. Pointing at Zachary, she asked, "Is he with you?" "Yes." Charlotte nodded and wrapped her hands around his arm. Zachary stared at her, then queried, "You ran away, didn''t you?" "I''ll never be able to escape from you." Charlotte made a funny face at him. She received the pads from the assistant, then elbowed Zachary. "Pay up." Zachary left a stack of cash on the cashier, then walked out of the store with Charlotte. After they got into the car, Charlotte looked at the sanitary pads and suddenly burst intoughter. "I didn''t know you stopped to get me these. I thought..." "Just shut up!" Zachary was annoyed and didn''t want to talk further. That was the first time he bought things in a convenience store. Who would''ve thought that he would be regarded as a robber and questioned by an old woman about sanitary pads? Right then, he felt aggrieved. Charlotte pouted and said no more. This man definitely has a bad temper. Zachary drove to Storm Hotel. Same hotel. Same room. He pushed Charlotte into the bathroom and threw the pads towards her, then closed the door. After that, Zachary took a shower in the adjoining bathroom. Charlotte took afortable hot shower, then realized all the clothes were ready, warm and sterilized. Her body felt the warmth as she put on the clothes. However, perhaps it was because of her menstrual cramps, she was feeling cold. She walked out of the bathroom with a bathrobe on, and then she saw Zachary drinking wine on the sofa. "Why are you drinking again?" After uttering that, she lied on the bed and wrapped a nket around herself. "Come here." Zachary instructed her. "I''m exhausted." Charlotte hugged a pillow and curled up in the nket. Zachary turned to her, then frowned. She was curling up like a ball, shivering in the nket. Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Charlotte buried her head into her pillow in exhaustion. Just as she was about to fall into a slumber, a The woman jumped in fright and moved aside. "What are you doing? I''m already in such a state, and you''re still-" Before she could finish, Zachary ced his warm palm on her forehead and felt her temperature. Then, he whipped out his phone and gave Raina a call. "Come over to Storm Hotel." "No, I''m fine!" Charlotte hurriedly stopped him. "I''m just having cramps. It''s not like I''m sick! You don''t have to call a doctor." "You sure?" Zachary frowned. "You look really unwell." "I''m fine. I''ll just have some hot water and get some rest." Charlotte rested her face in the man''s hand as her voice turned gentle. "It''s already three in the morning. Don''t get Dr. Langhan toe over." All I want is to get some rest. I don''t want to have to deal with anything else. Besides, the fact that he cared about her was more than enough to make her feel all warm and fuzzy. "Alright," Zachary responded as he hung up before typing something into his phone. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "What are you up to?" Charlotte nced over with curiosity and was instantly taken aback. He''s searching up on how to boil water! Soon, the man got up and tried to follow the instructions on his phone. After pouring some water into the electric kettle, he ced the kettle on the base te and pressed the button. Then, he stood next to it, watching the water boil. "What are you doing?" Charlotte nearly burst intoughter. "You actually don''t even know how to boil water?" "Shut it!" Zachary red daggers at her. He refused to let anyoneugh at him over anything and was determined to nail even a simple task such as boiling water. Yup, nailed it. Seeing how serious he looked, Charlotte couldn''t help but cover her mouth and let out a chuckle. She had never noticed such an adorable side to him. They always say men look the most handsome when they''re serious, but this guy isn''t just handsome; he''s so cutell can practically feel my heart melting! Suddenly recalling something, Zachary turned to his phone once again. "Hi, Siri," he called out, evidently not bothering to type on the keyboard. "What can I do for you?" "What should I do if a woman has menstrual cramps?" "Here''s some information that might help," Siri replied. After reading earnestly, Zachary requested for the hotel to send over some brown sugar and ginger slices. It didn''t take long for room service to deliver the items. Following the ratio listed in the article, Zachary carefully poured the right amount of brown sugar and ginger slices into the boiling water. Ten minutester, he brought a ss of hot ginger tea over and ced it on the bedside table. "Let it cool for five minutes before drinking it. I''ll go wash my hands." He did everything so seriously as though he was taking care of something of utmost importance. Staring at his back, Charlotte couldn''t help but feel moved. Her heart felt so warm right now. Seriously, I''ve been moved by this devil. Never had she known that the man would have such a gentle side to him. Just a second ago, he lost his temper at me before buying me some pads. Then, he was so annoyed at me before boiling me some ginger tea and taking such good care of me. Perhaps, these little things weren''t unusual if they came from an ordinary man. But this was Zachary-a smug, arrogant man who had never entered a convenience store or used an electric kettle. Yet, for her sake, he was now slowly learning how to care for others. He''s so different from usual.So different... After walking out of the bathroom, Zachary helped Charlotte sit up and ced a pillow behind her back. Then, he gazed at his watch. "Fifty-five seconds." "Huh? Fifty-five seconds to what?" Charlotte asked curiously. "Fifty-five seconds to five minutes," Zachary replied, continuing to stare at his watch. "Forty-four seconds left. You can only drink it when time''s up." Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Pfft! Charlotte couldn''t contain herughter. "Why are you so cute? You''re so silly." "Am I wrong?" Zachary frowned, unaware if he had done something he shouldn''t have. "No. I just think you''re cute," Charlotte answered as she held his face. "If only you were like this all the time!" She suddenly realized how charming the man was when he didn''t lose his temper. "I just don''t want to see you looking like you''re about to die." Zachary looked away and handed her the ss. "You can drink it now." "Thanks!" Charlotte carefully took the ss and began to drink slowly. The hospital in the countryside wasn''t too well-equipped, and she didn''t take good care of herself after giving birth to the three children. That was why she had many health issues until now and often suffered from menstrual cramps. During her menstrual cycle, Mrs. Berry would usually boil her some ginger tea too. Drinking it helped to warm her up, which helped to relieve her cramps. I thought he''d be mad at me just because it came earlier this month, but instead, he''s taking such good care of me. The warmth she felt in her heart-along with that from the ginger tea-made her feel nothing but bliss. After finishing her tea, Charlotte licked her lips. Feeling much better now, she attempted to get up to put the ss away. Instead, Zachary took the ss straight from her hand and put it aside before grabbing a piece of tissue to wipe her lips with it. Charlotte froze on the spot. The way he did it seemed so natural. But to her, it felt like aplete surprise. "Let''s go to sleep now." Zachary lifted the nket,y down, and pulled her into his arms. Charlotte buried her face in his neck, with her long, flowing hair syed out all over the pillow and her soft, silky skin pressing onto his body. Such a position and act brought the two closer in an instant. With his hand gently caressing her shoulder, the man couldn''t help but kiss her forehead, but soon figured that it wasn''t enough. So, he held her face and brought her closer. Then, he gently nted kisses all over her eyelids, nose, earlobes, and lips. Charlotte kept her eyes shut, silently feeling his tender kisses and not daring to move an inch. Feeling his breath turn increasingly erratic, she began to worry that the man would no longer be able to contain himself. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Yet, he put a stop to his actions all of a sudden and pulled her back into his embrace, no longer touching her afterward. Charlotte closed her eyes. Judging from his frantic heartbeat, heavy breathing, and scorching body temperature, she knew he was trying his best to control himself. She suddenly felt moved once again. He''s not as cruel as I thought he was. He, too, has a gentle, warm, and kind side...I want to know more about this side. The two slept extremely well. Perhaps due to their exhaustion, their breathing seemed to have some sort of hypnotic effect that enabled each other to calm down. It had been forever since they both slept so well. Upon waking up the next day, Charlotte stretched her arms and sighed blissfully before instinctively reaching for the pillow next to her. The spot was empty. She opened her eyes, only to find that Zachary was already gone. He''s always like this. He wakes up before me, then leaves quietly. Feeling slightly crestfallen, Charlotte got out of bed to wash up and noticed a familiar sticky note. Call the manager and have him send you breakfast after you wake up. He''ll arrange for a ride to take you home. Your clothes are inside the closet. Then, she noticed how the note was signed off: Gigolo. Seeing that, Charlotteughed. She then took the note and carefully ced it in her purse. I''ll keep it. It''ll be a good reminder of how kind he was to mest night. After washing up, Charlotte gave the manager a call, asking him to take her straight home. She wanted to have breakfast with the children. A call came for her right after she left the room. It was from Ruby Longman, the principal of Apple Kindergarten. Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Charlotte hurriedly answered the phone. Ruby went straight to the point after some greetings. "Timothy has transferred to another school. When will Ellie return? It''s been a while since shest came to school." ¡°I''ll let you know after talking this through with the kids." After hanging up, Charlotte felt unsettled. That mother-daughter duo may havemitted all sorts of atrocities, but the child is innocent. She really didn''t like it when children became caught up in their parents'' affairs. But still, even if Hector is now a lost cause, the Sterlings still have a solid foundation. They won''t fall that easily.Hector''s parents probably chose to send the child elsewhere so that the boy wouldn''t suffer. Thinking about all this, Charlotte slowly felt better. She returned home to find Mrs. Berry caught up in an array of tasks-making toast and cooking oatmeal while the three kids called out to her. "Can you braid my hair, Mrs. Berry? My hair is all over the ce!" Ellie''s squeaky voice came from her bedroom. The child had such long and thick hair that she couldn''t wash up before braiding her hair first. "Coming!" Mrs. Berry answered while adding some toppings into the oatmeal. "Mrs. Berry! We''re out of toilet paper," Jamie shouted in a panic. "I haven''t cleaned my butt yet!¡± "But there was still some left this morning! Robbie must have used it all up," Mrs. Berry replied hastily. "I''ll get you another roll in a bit. Give me a second!" "Where did Fifi''s breakfast go, Mrs. Berry?" Robbie''s loud voice came from the balcony. "She''s so hungry that she can''t stop crying! I''ve been looking everywhere for her food." "I just took another pack out yesterday! Isn''t it on top of the washing machine? Be patient, now. I''ll be there right away." Mrs. Berry lowered the heat on the stove before hurriedly taking a roll of toilet paper to the bathroom. Then, she headed to the balcony to hand Fifi''s food to Robbie. After washing her hands, she rushed into Ellie''s room to braid her hair. Ellie sat in front of the dressing table, braiding her Barbie doll''s hair while talking to it. "Be good at school today, Deedee. Drink lots of water, and don''t eat too much candy, or you''ll get cavities. It''ll hurt if you have to visit the dentist." Then, she gave another doll a change of clothes. "Be a good girl too, Lulu. We''ll be having art sses today. Don''t get paint on your dress, okay?" "Haha! So you''ve named this one, too? You still have a few more in your closet; do they all have names?" Seeing Ellie behave in such an adorable manner seemed topletely energize Mrs. Berry, who was standing behind the girl to braid her hair. "Yeah! I''ve already named like five of them!" Ellie tilted her head and giggled. "When Mommyes back, I''ll introduce her to our new family members!" "Well, of course!" "Mommy''s home!" At this moment, Charlotte walked through the door with a few bags of breakfast items in her hand. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "Robbie! Jamie! Ellie! Look what Mommy''s brought back!" "Mommy!" The three children rushed over. Robbie still had some bird feed in his hand, and Fifi was eating out of his palm. Jamie ran over while clutching onto his pants, not realizing that there was toilet paper beneath his foot. He ended up leaving an entire white trail behind him as he ran. "Mommy! Mommy!" Ellie only had one side of her hair braided, while the other side hadn''t been tied up yet. Mrs. Berry chased after her with a hairbrush. "Don''t run, Ellie! I haven''t tied one of your braids yet!" "Mommy!" "Oh, my! Slow down!" Charlotte knelt on the floor with open arms and stumbled backward upon receiving the three children. Once again, she had been knocked to the ground. Her butt hurt, but her heart felt warm. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 "Alright, alright! Go wash your hands and we''ll have breakfast together." Now that Charlotte was back, Mrs. Berry could finally take a breather. The former took over the job of caring for the children and ced all the food she had brought on the table. Coupled with the toast and oatmeal Mrs. Berry had prepared, it was a wholesome breakfast. The family sat at the dining table, happily enjoying their meal. Charlotte promised to take them to the amusement park in the afternoon-on the condition that they helped Mrs. Berry do the dishes and tidy the kitchen. The children raised their arms in agreement. Mrs. Berry beamed as she saw how ted they looked. However, she couldn''t help but worry after noticing Charlottee home in a different set of clothes. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After breakfast, Mrs. Berry dragged Charlotte into a room while the children cleaned the kitchen. "Are you seeing someone, Miss?" "Yeah." Charlotte didn''t want to keep it a secret from her. "Who is it? Do I know him?" "It''s not someone you know," Charlotte responded briefly. "We''ve just begun dating, which is why I haven''t brought him home. But don''t worry; I''m all grown up now. I won''t be as muddled as I once was, and I''m aware of what I do now." "Okay..." Despite still feeling concerned, there was nothing much Mrs. Berry could say except to give the woman a reminder. "Be careful outside. Don''t let anyone take advantage of you." "I won''t. Don''t worry." In the afternoon, Charlotte and Mrs. Berry brought the children to the amusement park. The children were still young and could only y a few basic games, so it wasn''t too much of a hassle for the adults. However, since Mrs. Berry hadn''t been in the best of healthtely, she would begin panting in exhaustion just after a brief walk, and her back would hurt too. She must have been working too hard these days. Feeling extremely guilty, Charlotte talked to Mrs. Berry while the children took a break. "Maybe I can hire a part-time helper." Yet, Mrs. Berry was strongly against her suggestion-the reasons being that part-timers were expensive and that she didn''t feel safe having a stranger around the house. Just as Charlotte tried to convince her otherwise, Ellie''s voice suddenly rang out. "Timothy!" Charlotte instinctively looked over and spotted Hector''s mother, Julia Zimmer, and a few bodyguards taking Timothy to the carousel. To make the boy happy, Julia had booked the entire carousel and even made the bodyguards pay the other visitors to go elsewhere. Yet, Timothy didn''t seem pleased at all, for he still had a frown on his face. But that was until he saw Ellie. "Elisa!" Unable to contain his excitement, Timothy hurriedly jumped off the carousel, only to trip and fall by ident. Moreover, the carousel tform was still moving, and the boy was nearly trapped inside it. "Oh, God! Timmy!" Julia let out a piercing scream. Thankfully, two bodyguards swiftly went to save Timothy. Julia trembled in shock as she hugged her grandson. "You scared the living daylights out of me, Timmy! Why did you jump off while you were having so much fun? Don''t you know how dangerous that was?" "I spotted my ssmate." Disregarding the wound on his knee, Timothy shoved his grandmother aside and ran toward Ellie. Not wanting to be involved with the Sterlings again, Charlotte hastily tried to leave with Ellie. But the boy had already made his way over and grabbed Ellie by the hand. "Long time no see, Ellie! Are you doing okay?" "I m great! What about you?" That was just how innocent a child''s world always was. Ellie was just as pleased to see Timothy. Then, she noticed his injury. "Your knee-does it hurt?" "Nope. Not after seeing you!" Timothy beamed. "I have a band-aid. Here you go." Ellie took out a band-aid with a cartoon on it and handed it to Timothy. "Thanks!" But just as Timothy was about to retrieve it, arge hand swooped in and knocked the band- aid out of Ellie''s hand. Chapter 268 Chapter 268 "Let''s go, Timmy. I''ll take you to the hospital," said Julia as she cast Charlotte a frosty re. "Grandma-¡± Before Timothy could say anything more, the elderly woman began to drag him away. This caused the boy to put up a fight. "I don''t want to see the doctor! I want to y with my ssmate..." "I''ll get your other ssmates to y with you," Julia coaxed. "You can y with Blossom and Dawnie, okay? There''s also-" "No! I want to y with Elisa." Timothy broke free of Julia''s grasp and knelt on the ground, refusing to budge. "Why are you such a disobedient child?" Julia was exasperated. "You have so many other friends! Why you do you have to y with this one?¡± "I just want to y with Elisa!" Timothy remained kneeling on the floor. Julia threw a bodyguard a nce, and thetter immediately picked the boy up before quickly leaving. "Let me go! Let me go now!" Timothy''s incessant screaming began to attract the gazes of many passersby. Ellie was so frightened that she hid behind Charlotte. "Poor Timothy...¡± she remarked timidly. Despite feeling agonized by the sight, there was nothing Charlotte could do, so she began to leave with Ellie. "Hold it right there!" Julia suddenly called out to her. Furrowing her brows, Charlotte signaled at Mrs. Berry. Thetter went up to hold Ellie''s hand. "Come, Ellie. I''ll take you to your brothers." "Okay." Ellie cast Charlotte a nce before reluctantly walking away with Mrs. Berry. Julia walked over and remarked sternly, "I heard you''re with Zachary Nacht now." N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "I don''t think this has anything to do with you, Ms. Zimmer." Aplicated mix of emotions swept through Charlotte upon seeing Julia after so many years. Back when the Windt family was at its peak, Julia would treat Charlotte and her father like royalty while constantly matchmaking Hector and her. Charlotte used to respect this woman too, and the two were once extremely close. But when the Windt family business took a sharp turn for the worst, Julia immediately called off the wedding. She was nothing but a two-faced woman whose acting skills were impable. "I''m impressed," Julia scoffed. "I''ve really underestimated you." Charlotte turned to leave, not wanting to bother with the older woman. "Your father must be rolling in his grave now. There''s no way he can rest in peace thanks to a shameless daughter like you!" Julia suddenly added. Charlotte stopped in her tracks and turned her head. "What do you mean by that?" "Nothing much," Julia responded with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. "You''ll get it soon enough!" Then, she turned and let. Charlotte felt extremely conflicted as she recalled those words. Hector, Simon, and Amanda had all hinted that her father''s death had something to do with Zachary. And now, Julia had just said something awfully strange too. Could it be... Despite feeling restless, Charlotte quickly regained herself. They''re all on the same side and want me to die. I can''t trust whatever they say. "Mommy! Mommy!¡± Then, her three children came back. "Mommy! I took part in a toy carpetition and won first ce! They gave me this little car as a prize," Robbie eximed while holding a toy car in his hand. "Wow! That''s amazing, Robbie." Charlotte knelt down to give him a kiss. "I went rock climbing and reached the highest point, Mommy! This is my prize,¡± Jamie chimed in as he raised a dinosaur figurine high up in the air. "Do you like it?¡± "I do! You''re amazing too, Jamie." Charlotte gave him a hug. "Mommy, l-l didn''t win any prizes..." Ellie whined with a pout. "That''s okay. You can have my toy car." Robbie gave his toy to Ellie. "You can have my dinosaur too," Jamie added. "Thanks!" With a giggle, Ellie raised her pretty little cartoon purse. "I''ll treat you guys to some cotton candy!" "Okay! Thanks, Ellie!" With that, the three siblings headed toward the cotton candy stall hand-in-hand. "Slow down, kids! Don''t trip and fall," Mrs. Berry reminded them with a chuckle. Seeing how happy her children looked, Charlotte''s lips curled into a wide smile. Don''t overthink, Charlotte. Be thankful for what you have right now. Chapter 269 Chapter 269 On their way home from the amusement park, Charlotte talked to the children about going back to kindergarten. After gaining their approval, she met the principal on her own, expressing her hopes for her children could be given equal treatment, and that they would grow happily and healthily. Ruby assured her not to worry. The principal also hinted that the Sterlings had already cashed out on their shares in Apple Kindergarten, so the school no longer had anything to do with that family. Charlotte responded courteously, informing Ruby that the kids would return the following Monday. On her way home, Charlotte''s emotions were in a slight jumble. Having shares in an educational institution is just a small investment, but they''ve already cashed out on those shares. That means the Sterlings are in much more trouble than I thought. The fun-filled weekend passed in a blink of an eye, and a busy Monday followed. Rising from bed early, Charlotte braided Ellie''s hair while telling Robbie and Jamie to wash up. Now that they had moved into a bigger house that had two bathrooms, the children no longer had to fight over using the bathroom. Mrs. Berry kept herself busy in the kitchen, preparing a sumptuous breakfast. Charlotte always told her that she didn''t have to go out of her way to make such fancy meals. But Mrs. Berry was so used to being meticulous that she would prepare at least four items for breakfast. Watching the family eat together at the dining table while happily chatting away was what Mrs. Berry enjoyed most. The children were thrilled to finally return to school after taking such a long break. After breakfast, Charlotte and Mrs. Berry saw them off in front of the school bus. Then, Charlotte rushed to work. She had previously been suspended after the scene Luna had caused at the office. Moreover, many other employees had witnessed the scene, so the rumors must have already spread. I wonder what will happen now. Charlotte felt uneasy as she arrived at thepany building. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. But she walked into the building, only to realize that no one was really paying attention to her. Instead, her coworkers were trying their best to squeeze into the elevators, worried about clocking inte and getting their pay deducted. Charlotte stood inside a corner of the elevator, listening in on her coworkers. They were gossiping away, but their conversations had nothing to do with her. With that, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. As the elevator continued to go up, her coworkers left one by one, until only a few made it up to the president''s office''s on level 68. One of them was Lucy Wright. "Good morning, Ms. Wright," Charlotte greeted cautiously. "Good morning," Lucy replied courteously. "You were away for quite some time. You haven''t forgotten how to perform your duties, have you?" "Not at all! In fact, I even did a little homeworkst night." "That''s good. All the best." With a smile, Lucy walked out of the elevator gracefully. Charlotte sighed with relief and walked out too, soon arriving at her designated workce-the reception desk outside the president''s office. Work wasn''t exactly busy, but it wasn''t that easy either. Charlotte received a pile of documents as soon as she arrived at her desk. Lucy came by with a reminder. "There''ll be an important meeting today, and a few executives of the up." "Okay, I got it." Charlotte nodded fervently and went through the documents. Today''s guests were all going to be high- level executives ofrge-scalepanies. It didn''t take long for a few of them to show up one by one, and Lucy personally weed them at the elevator before leading them to the meeting room. Then, Charlotte noticed that there was still one more important figure who hadn''t shown up. Just as she tried to recall who it was, the door to the elevator opened. A tall figure walked out, followed by four personal assistants. It was quite a sight. As Charlotte looked up, her eyes couldn''t help but shine. This female president who appeared to be in her twenties was over 170cm tall and had a slim, model- like figure. Her poise was out of this world. On top of that, she had absolutely stunning features due to her multiracial features. "Hello! You must be Ms. ckwood of Synder Group," greeted Charlotte, immediately recognizing the woman. "This way, please." Yet, the woman didn''t even spare Charlotte a nce, but a radiant smile appeared on her face the moment she caught sight of Zachary, who was right behind Charlotte. "Zachary!" Chapter 270 Chapter 270 "Sharon!" Zachary came out to personally wee her and even opened his arms wide. Sharon shoved a spaced-out Charlotte aside and ran in her heels toward Zachary before leaping into his arms. Charlotte was in aplete daze as she witnessed the ordeal. "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing to H City?" Zachary led Sharon into the meeting room with an arm around her shoulder. "I wanted to give you a surprise!" Sharon sounded as soft as cotton candy while she spoke, and her eyes couldn''t stop shining. "Well, you''ve seeded." Charlotte remained in a daze even after Zachary''s figure disappeared from her sight. Am I seeing things?Am I hallucinating? The mighty, defiant Zachary Nacht, who always treated others like they were beneath him, had never once personally weed a guest, let alone behave so affectionately in front of everyone. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. No one''s ever going to believe it if he says there''s nothing going on between the two of them! But... Didn''t he just make love to me so passionately two mornings ago? Then, he took care of me at night, and we slept in each other''s arms. Why is he being so nice to another woman now?Besides, didn''t he say I''d be the only woman for him?Who is this Sharon, then? "Charlotte. Charlotte! Charlotte!" Lucy called out to her three times, but it was only after giving her a light shove that thetter finally returned to her senses. "Huh?" "Why are you spacing out like that?" Lucy growled with her brows creased. "You just got back after such a long break. Why are you still behaving this way?" "Sorry, I..." "You''d better stop that, or you are looking for the ax," Lucy warned. "Snap out of it ande help out in the meeting room." "Okay." Charlotte drank a ss of water and took a deep breath. Then, she followed Lucy into the meeting room. Lucy had other matters to take care of, so she arranged for Charlotte to prepare some documents with the other secretaries. All the major shareholders of Divine Corporation were here today, in addition to high-level executives of four otherpanies. In short, everyone here was a big shot. Despite the tense atmosphere, everyone seemed to be trying their very best to butter Sharon up. "You''re really something else, Ms. ckwood. You''re just like your father!" "Right? You took over thepany at such a young age. You definitely have a bright future ahead!" "You and Mr. Nacht are childhood sweethearts, and you''re now joining hands in the business. You''re a match made in heaven!" "That''s right! Ms. ckwood and the senior Mr. Nacht were talking about this when Ist met them." "Since we''re about to begin our coboration on the coastal project, why don''t you two think about getting married while at it?" Thest words were spoken by one of the directors of Synder Group. From the tone of his voice, the man was testing the waters with a hint of eagerness. Everyone turned to Zachary and Sharon, seemingly waiting for them to speak. With a flushed face, Sharon gazed at Zachary lovingly. Meanwhile, Charlotte, who was carrying a pile of documents in her hands, couldn''t help but turn to Zachary upon hearing the conversation. Her heart beat so frantically that it could practically leap out of her chest. "What are you doing?" Lucy hissed. "Everyone else is giving out the documents, but you''re just standing here!" Charlotte took a deep breath and hastily joined the other secretaries. "We''ll be talking about work matters only," Zachary responded briefly. "He''s right. We''re here to discuss our coboration, so please stop teasing us," Sharon chimed in with a grin. "It''s the first time Divine Corporation and Synder are working together, and I''ve just taken over as head, so I''m looking forward to everyone''s support!" "But of course!" the Synder executive eximed. "With Divine Corporation and Synder Group working together, I know we''ll go far!" "The air used to be so tense whenever we came over for meetings. But with you around, Ms. ckwood, the atmosphere has lightened up now." Chapter 271 Chapter 271 "Really?¡± Sharon chuckled in amusement. "You''re way too serious, Zachary." Zachary smiled faintly at her. "I''m definitely never as friendly as you are." "That''s for sure." Sharon raised an eyebrow andughed. The two seemed so close and intimate, and it was evident that they shared a great mutual understanding. Everyone gazed at them profoundly, for this was indeed a sight to behold. After all, the two were childhood sweethearts, and their families were perfect for one another. If they were to join in marriage, both sides would only benefit each other greatly. The ckwoods especially looked forward to this. Watching the scene before her, Charlotte felt as though an infinite number of cats were scratching at her heart. It felt agonizing. Stay calm, Charlotte. Stay calm. Stay calm! Then, along with the other secretaries, she carefully and politely ced the documents in front of everyone before preparing to take her leave. Then, Mr. Sterk noticed her. "Charlotte? You''re back,¡± he remarked amicably. "Yes, Mr. Sterk.¡± Charlotte smiled and nodded lightly. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. "That''s good to know." Mr. Sterk seemed pleased. "Do your best." "I will!¡± Charlotte put the documents down and subconsciously nced at Zachary, only to notice the man gazing at Sharon. The two seemed to have excellent chemistry as theymunicated with their eyes. With a tremble of her hand, Charlotte identally knocked Mr. Sterk''s teacup out of its ce. ng! The teacup fell over on the table, spilling its contents over Mr. Sterk and Charlotte''s thigh. Charlotte''s thigh instantly burned in pain. "Ahhh!¡± Mr. Sterk jumped to his feet and inhaled sharply. "I''m so sorry!¡± Disregarding the pain on her thigh, Charlotte immediately apologized to Mr. Sterk and began to clean up the mess. "Are you alright, Mr. Sterk?" Lucy rushed over and growled at Charlotte. "What is wrong with you? Get out!" "It''s fine! Don''t me her." Mr. Sterk quickly tried to ease the situation for Charlotte. In truth, he was wearing trousers, so the tea hadn''t scalded him in any way. "I''m sorry..." Charlotte apologized once more before lowering her head and leaving the room. This time, Zachary finally spared her a nce, but not before quickly looking away. Sharon, too, gazed at Charlotte briefly before immediately turning to Mr. Sterk. "Are you okay, Mr. Sterk? Are you injured? Do you want to visit the hospital?" "I''m fine. It''s just that my clothes are wet." "Go back to your office and get changed then," Zachary instructed. "Alright." Then, Mr. Sterk left with his assistant. "We''ll start the meeting without him," Zachary announced. Upon arriving in the bathroom, Charlotte used a disposable towel soaked in cold water and pressed it against the area that was scalded by the hot tea. It didn''t look too serious, but her skin had turned red, and it stung. It should be fine after a while. With that thought, Charlotte didn''t pay too much attention to her thigh. "Charlotte!" Lucy briskly walked in with a tube of burn-aid cream. "Use this." "Thanks, Ms. Wright." Charlotte felt extremely guilty. Lucy was a great leader. Despite harshly reprimanding Charlotte everytime she messed up, the former would still always help solve her problems at the end of the day. "What''s up with you today? You look so unsettled," Lucy remarked with concern. "Did something happen at home, or are you not feeling well?" "Maybe it''s because it''s my time of the month, so I''m not in my best performance." Charlotte quickly came up with an excuse. "I''m really sorry about what happened back there. Is Mr. Sterk okay?" "I just came over from Mr. Sterk''s office. He''s not injured, but his clothes got wet." Then, Lucy frowned. "You''re lucky it was him. You''d be in huge trouble if it were another shareholder or a guest." "Yes, Ma''am..." Charlotte lowered her head in shame. "Since you''re not doing too well today, you shouldn''t work at the front desk. Go do some back-office work," Lucy instructed. "Give the pantry a tidy, then go collect the documents in the meeting room at eleven." "Okay!" Chapter 272 Chapter 272 After Lucy left, Charlotte washed her face by the sink and reminded herself to be careful. You can''t mess up again. However, she turned furious at the thought of Zachary. He''s the one two-timing and flirting with another woman right in front of me! Why does he get to stay so calm while I get all worked up? It''s not like I''m the one who''s wronglStill... we''ve never had a normal rtionship. Everything''s been transactional, to begin with, and we''ve always remained together in secret. Can I really expect him to be as loyal as a normal boyfriend should be?Now that I think about it, it''s not like I ever wanted to be in a proper rtionship with him in the first ced relented just because I was helpless against his incessant threats.Haven''t I always been hoping for him to grow tired of me so that I can finally be free again?Why am I getting so worked up from seeing him acting all flirty with another woman?No, Charlotte. This is just wrong. Stop it! Charlotte took a deep breath and used her fingers to pull her lips into a smile. Stay calm and rxed. You''ll be stronger if you rid yourself of all your desires. You won''t be affected as long as you don''t care! Reminding herself over and over again, Charlotte walked out of the bathroom and began to seriously immerse herself in work. The clock struck eleven just as she finished tidying the pantry, and the meeting had ended too. As a few janitors cleaned the room, Charlotte and Dani sorted out the documents and prepared to shred them. While they busied themselves, a tall, familiar figure walked in and stood in front of Charlotte. "Hello, Mr. Nacht," everyone greeted. Charlotte nced up at him before quickly lowering her head to resume her work. With a single gesture, Zachary sent everyone out of the room. Charlotte prepared to leave as well, only to be held onto by the man who immediately pushed her onto the president''s chair. As the ck chair began to move backward due to the force, Zachary swiftly hooked one of its legs with his foot, pulling the chair back to him. Then, he ced both his hands on the armrests and leaned toward Charlotte, just like a wild beast trapping its prey. Not saying anything, Charlotte red at Zachary with a pair of huge, livid eyes. Boiling with rage and a ton of questions, she waited for an exnation. "Heh!" Yet, Zachary chuckled the moment he saw her expression and grabbed her chin. "Is someone jealous? Hmm?" Charlotte remained silent, but she looked extremely grim. Should I not be jealous?You''re like a godd*mn lion when you''re jealous, yelling about andining Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. about everythinglAm I not allowed to be mad, then? "You look like a frog." Zachary pinched her puffed-up face before leaning over to nibble on her red, pouting lips. "Mmph-" Charlotte furiously pushed him away. "Let me take a look. Were you scalded?" Just as Zachary began to lift her pencil skirt to inspect her thigh... "Zachary!" Sharon''s voice suddenly rang from outside, and the door to the meeting room opened quickly. Zachary swiftly retracted his hands and stood up, kicking the president''s chair away. Charlotte nearly fell over as the chair rolled away with restraint, but she managed to grab onto the armrests. "I''ve been looking for you." Sharon walked in with a smile. "Mind letting me visit your office for a short while?¡± "Of course not." Like a gentleman, Zachary gestured her to leave before heading outside with her. Before leaving, Sharon didn''t forget to cast Charlotte a frosty gaze. Charlotte remained seated on the office chair as she watched them leave, gritting her teeth in anger. You scumbag! As her colleagues returned, she suppressed her emotions and continued to retrieve the documents. Shortly after, Lucy walked in. "Go clean up the president''s office, Charlotte." "I¡ª" "Hurry up! Don''t forget to take a cloth and mop with you." Then, Lucy left in a huff. With that, Charlotte had no choice but to grab some cleaning supplies from the equipment room before heading to the president''s office. Nearing the office, she wondered if she would bump into Zachary and Sharon. Will I end up seeing something that I shouldn''t have? Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Just as Charlotte was about to knock, the door suddenly opened. Ben walked out and couldn''t help but feel awkward upon seeing her. "Char...¡± Then, he quickly changed his words. "Is something the matter?" "Ms. Wright told me to do some cleaning here.¡± Charlotte looked past Ben''s shoulder and noticed what was happening inside the office. With his back facing her, Zachary sat on the couch, and right next to him was Sharon leaning over to whisper something into his ear. The two looked so intimate with each other. Charlotte''s chest instantly tightened as she averted her gaze and lowered her head. "If it''s not convenient right now, I''lle backter.¡± Then, just as she was about to leave... "Hold on!" An enchanting female voice resonated across the room. Ben shut his eyes with a frustrated look on his face. "Hey, Ben! I identally spilled some wine here. Could you get her toe in and clean it up?" Sharon spoke to Ben in an especially polite manner, but that was just so she could get Charlotte to do her bidding. Ben cast Charlotte a troubled nce. Charlotte waited for two seconds, but Zachary remained quiet. Hence, she could only walk in with the cleaning tools. By now, Sharon maintained a fixed distance from Zachary. However, they still sat close to each other on the same couch. The red wine had spilled on the coffee table and carpet right in front of them. Charlotte walked over and knelt down, using a cloth to wipe the coffee table. "Wow, Zachary. Your secretaries are getting prettier and prettier," Sharon remarked, ncing at Charlotte from head to toe. Despite her simple attire andck of makeup, Charlotte had the ability to look extraordinarily charming just by standing in a corner. Furthermore, she was apletely natural beauty and exhibited an indescribable presence. "Well, yeah. They''re alright," Zachary replied ndly. Charlotte cursed internally. Me? Just alright?Then, why can''t you keep your hands off me? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "It''s just a shame that they''re a littlecking in professionalism..." Sharon''s extra words sounded light and nonchnt, but they were clearly full of hostility. Charlotte''s movements jerked slightly, but she suppressed the rage within her and continued cleaning. "You missed this spot." Sharon pointed toward the stain beneath her feet using her sharp heels, signaling Charlotte to clean that area too. Charlotte stared at the spot but remained unmoving, for leaning over there would be no different from kneeling right before Sharon. "What''s wrong?" Sharon raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Do you not see it, or do you not intend to clean it up?" Charlotte tightened her grip on the cloth. In the name of work, she certainly couldn''t refute this woman. On a personal note, however, she refused to be humiliated this way. Yet, Zachary kept mum, not showing any intention on helping Charlotte out. This only made the woman even more upset. "I''ll do it!" Ben hastily walked over. "Oh, but I could never trouble you with such menial tasks, Ben!" Despite speaking to Ben, Sharon kept her gaze on Charlotte. "You''re a stubborn one, huh? I guess you won''t take orders from me." Taking a deep breath, Charlotte continued to fight her rage. She turned over with the cloth in her hand, only to identally drop the stained fabric on Sharon''s foot. "Eww! That''s disgusting!" Sharon got up in a fit and proceeded to step on Charlotte''s hand. "Ahhh!" Charlotte screamed in pain. Like a nail, the sharp 8-cm heel instantly tore the skin on the back of Charlotte''s hand, causing it to start bleeding. Unable to take it any longer, Zachary stood up, shoved Sharon aside, and helped Charlotte up. "Zachary!" Copsing on the sofa, Sharon stared at the man in disbelief. "Do you not know how to even clean up?" Zachary growled at Charlotte. "Get out!" Remaining silent, Charlotte lifted her gaze and red at him, her eyes were brimmed with tears. Then, she picked up her tools and strode her way out of the room. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 "I can''t believe this!" Sharon was extremely infuriated. "That secretary of yours is horrible, Zachary." "Are you okay?" Zachary asked instead of responding to her words. "I am, but... Why did you push me?" Sharon whined. "You stepped on her hand." Charlotte had already left the office by the time Zachary answered. "But she''s the one who dropped that cloth on my foot," Sharon insisted, evidently displeased. "That was filthy!¡± "And that''s why you decided to step on her?" asked Zachary in return. Sharon froze before exining reluctantly, "No. I didn''t do it on purpose. She shouldn''t have ced her hand there-" "I''m sure your father taught you to be kind to others." Zachary furrowed his brows. "This is no longer a world where ves have to serve their masters. We live in an equal society now." "But she''s just a secretary! Why are you getting so worked up?" Sharon insisted. "Or is there something going on between¡ª" "She may just be a secretary, but she''s still my employee," Zachary cut her off before giving her a stern reminder. "Remember how you once lost your temper when we were young, and you threw a cup at my cat?" "You didn''t talk to me for three years after that..." Sharon couldn''t help but tense up upon recalling the incident and immediately tugged onto his sleeve to apologize. "I''m sorry, Zachary. I won''t do it again. Please don''t be mad!" "You should apologize to her instead." Zachary withdrew his arm. "You want me to apologize to her?" Sharon''s eyes widened in disbelief, but she quickly changed her mind as soon as she noticed Zachary''s frigid expression. "Okay, okay. I''ll go and tell her I''m sorry. Just don''t be mad." With that, she quickly left with her handbag. Zachary gestured at Ben, instructing him to follow the woman. Charlotte''s coworkers were beyond terrified to see blood trickling down her hand ceaselessly, and they immediately brought her a first-aid kit. Lucy dashed over the moment she found out about it. "What happened?¡± Nothing-" Just as Charlotte was about to respond, Sharon strode toward her. "Are you okay? Do you want to go to the hospital?" Fighting her tears, Charlotte replied coldly, "I''m fine." N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "I''m really sorry about what happened. I didn''t mean it." Despite apologizing, Sharon sounded as haughty as usual. To top things off, she even took out a nk check and tossed it to Charlotte. "This is for the medical bills. Write whatever amount you see fit." While speaking, she began to leave with her bodyguards. "Hold it right there!" Charlotte roared at her. "Do you think you can just use money to-" Before she could finish, Lucy cut her off. Shaking her head at Charlotte, she then turned to Sharon and said politely, "Have a good day, Ms. ckwood!" Strolling into the elevator, Sharon turned and left Charlotte an arrogant smirk. This caused Charlotte to tremble in rage. A few coworkers gazed at her in pity, albeit not daring to say anything. "Get back to work, everyone," Lucy ordered. Thus, the coworkers lowered their heads and left. "I know you''re upset, but you can''t afford to get on her bad side," Lucy advised while tending to Charlotte''s wound. "Ms. ckwood isn''t just the president of Synder Group; she''s also Mr. Nacht''s childhood sweetheart. There have been talks about a union between the two families, so she might someday be our boss too.¡± Charlotte felt even more anguished to hear such words. Luna once mentioned that Zachary had a fiancee. Could that woman be the one she was referring to? "Even if you may leave Divine Corporation one day, you''d still have to earn a living elsewhere, wouldn''t you? Don''t get on Ms. ckwood''s nerves, or you might not be able to get a job anywhere else. I think you should back down." Lucy continued earnestly, "I''ll have you take care of other duties the next time shees so you''ll avoid running into each other. The tension shouldn''t take long to ease. As for this check, I suggest you give it back to her. Consider it a way to get her to owe you a favor." Chapter 275 Chapter 275 After speaking, Lucy patted Charlotte on the shoulder. "Well, that''s just my opinion. You should think about it." Charlotte kept her head low and remained silent. She didn''t understand why in today''s society which preached equality, there were people who thought they could pick on others just because they had more power. Zachary''s like that, and now there''s Sharon ckwood too. But I guess it''s no surprise. Birds of the same feathers flock together, after alUThey''re friends precisely because they behave the same way. "Are you okay?" Ben asked softly. Charlotte merely red at him, then left with the first-aid kit without a word. Ben remained frozen in ce with a miserable look on his face. What did I do to deserve that? By lunch, Charlotte was still so infuriated that she was in no mood to eat. Lucy gave her a sandwich and arranged for her to work on some lighter tasks. Zachary left in the afternoon, but not before casting Charlotte a nce when passing the reception desk. Even so, he said nothing and headed straight toward the elevator. Charlotte kept her head buried in documents. Remember, Charlotte, don''t you ever bother with that disgusting man ever again! By the time work ended and Charlotte arrived home, she had already managed to keep her emotions in check. "I''m home!" she eximed with a smile. "Mommy!" The three children rushed up to her and leaped into her arms, asking for hugs and kisses. "What happened to your hand, Mommy?" Robbie immediately asked upon noticing Charlotte''s hand, which had been firmly swathed in bandages. "Oh, I hurt myself at work," Charlotte replied cheerily. "Don''t worry, though. It''s just a tiny injury." "Why do you keep getting injured, Mommy? Is it really dangerous at work?" Jamie asked anxiously. "He''s right, Mommy. If it''s too dangerous, you should change jobs," said Ellie as her heart ached. "I don¡¯t want to see you get injured, Mommy." "Me neither!" agreed Jamie and Robbie in unison. "Me neither!" Fifi suddenly chimed in. The parrot certainly had a knack for mimicry. "It''s not dangerous," Charlotte responded with a chuckle. "I was just too clumsy. Don''t worry, kiddos. Mommy will be more careful next time." "Are you hurt, Miss? Let me take a look." Hearing themotion, Mrs. Berry rushed out of the kitchen. "I''m fine! Really." Charlotte hastily changed the subject. "Is dinner ready, Mrs. Berry? I''m starving." "It is, but..." "Is there my favorite beef stew tonight?" "Yup, there is. Alright, you all. Go wash your hands, and I''ll start serving up the food!" Being able to spend every single day with her family and talking about life''s trivial matters over meals. To Charlotte, this was a blessing. She was especially thankful for her current life and didn''t want anyone else disrupting that. If Zachary were a regr guy, maybe he''d be thrilled to reunite with his children. But he''s no regr guy. The woman had initially thought of telling him the truth as they slept in each other''s arms that night, so that the entire family could finally be reunited. Not even what Julia had said to her eventually was enough to make her suspicious of Zachary. Yet, Sharon''s arrival today seemed to havepletely thrown even the slightest idea of the children meeting their father out the window. At night, Charlottey in bed alone. Gazing at her injured hand and thinking about everything that had happened that day, a mix of emotions swirled within her. She used to think that Zachary was a vtile man prone to mood swings. Moreover, he seemed to N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. have been involved in her father''s death, so he wasn''t fit to be a father himself. But now, Charlotte had another problem-there was a gap between her and Zachary that she could never cross. It wasn''t just their shing personalities or the obstacles that came their way; it had more to do with their different statuses and family backgrounds. I''m nothing but a regr employee who even struggles with life, but he''s a powerful man far beyond my reach. We''re just not meant to be. Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Dad used to tell me that all the powerful businessmen here could never marry whomever they wanted. Theyd either get married for business deals and political reasons or be forced into unions with other families-all for the sake of benefitting their families.I guess Zachary Nacht is no exception. The thought of Zachary possibly marrying another woman made Charlotte''s heart burn with fury. She pulled at her dinosaur pillow and was on the verge of ripping it apart. That disgusting scumbag! Why does he keep teasing me despite already having a fiancee?From now on, I''ll have to stay away from himU''ll ignore him if he everes looking for me again. Then, she nced at her phone. If he calls, I''ll either not pick up or just reject the call to piss him off! Yet, the man didn''t call all night. In fact, Zachary didn''t drop by the office for the next few days, and work was much more rxing. For the first two days, Charlotte was delighted by his absence. It''d be better if he neveres back! Everyone feels on edge whenever he''s around. Then, a week went by in the blink of an eye, and Zachary still didn''te to work. Charlotte began to feel uneasy. Where the hell has he gone to?He didn''t actually go get married to Sharon, did he? Just as Charlotte pondered over the idea of sending Zachary a text message, she suddenly heard a few secretaries muttering among themselves by the pantry. "Hey! Why do you think Mr. Nacht hasn''t beening to work?" "Isn''t it obvious? He must be busy spending time with Ms. ckwood." "Yeah! Ms. ckwood''spany is located in M Nation, but she''se all the way to H City to discuss a joint project, so it''s only natural that Divine Corporation treats her like royalty." "But that doesn''t mean Mr. Nacht has to do it personally!" "What do you girls know? Mr. Nacht and Ms. ckwood are childhood sweethearts, so of course Mr. Nacht has to wee her in person! Who knows, Ms. ckwood might even be our future boss." "Huh? Is that true?" "Of course it is! I heard it from Ms. Wright herself H "What are youdies talking about?¡± Lucy interrupted them coldly. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. With that, the few secretaries immediately dispersed, returned to their respective seats, and got back to work. With a cup of coffee, Charlotte returned to her seat too. Despite looking calm on the outside, her heart was filled with astonishment. He''s never been away from thepany this long. Even if he goes overseas, he''de back in at most three or four days. But now, it''s been a week and he still hasn''t shown up...I guess he really must be spending time with Sharon. "I have some urgent documents here that need to be sent over to the Ashenville Garden Golf Course for Mr. Nacht''s signature," Lucy announced as she walked over with a document. "Dani, could you-" "I''m sorry, Ms. Wright. I''ve been having an upset stomach all day," Danielle replied hastily. "Ashenville Garden is too far from here. I''m worried I might cause a scene and make thepany look bad." "Then, you do it, Fran." Lucy turned to another secretary. "Did you forget, Ms. Wright? Zoey and I will be following Mr. Sterk to meet with the media," Fran said meekly. Lucy frowned as she scanned her surroundings. Finally, her eyes fell on Charlotte. "I guess you''re the only one who can do it, Charlotte." "Me?" Charlotte froze for a moment. "I don''t think I can manage." "We''ll go together." Lucy nced at her watch. "You''ll have to see more of the outside world sooner orter. You can''t keep staying at the reception desk, or you''ll be a good-for-nothing for life." "Okay. I understand." Charlotte sighed with relief upon hearing that Lucy would be going too. "When do we leave?" "Now. I''ll get the documents ready, and we''ll meet in front of the elevator in ten minutes." "Okay." Lucy drove to Ashenville Garden with Charlotte. On the way there, she asked thetter a question. "Mr. Nacht has eighteen secretaries, but everyone gets paid a different sry. Do you know why, Charlotte?" "No." Charlotte shook her head. "Do you know how much I earn each month?" "No" Charlotte gazed at her meekly. "A hundred and thirty grand." "What? That much?" Charlotte was visibly taken aback. Chapter 277 Chapter 277 "And that''s just my basic sry. I haven''t included my bonus and other fringe benefits,¡± Lucy remarked with a smile. "If I were to include all the extra perks I get, I''d say I make about two million a year." "Oh, God! I''m so jealous of you." Charlotte couldn''t help but envy her. "Don''t ever underestimate a secretary''s work. You''ll have a bright future ahead as long as you do your job well," Lucy advised sincerely. "If you want to make it in life, you have no one else but yourself to rely on. Don''t waste your days idling." Hearing that, Charlotte felt a little guilty. It''s true that I haven''t really been ambitious about my career all From N?velDrama.Org. this while. "Do your best! Your father was an incredible man, so I know you''ll shine just like he did!" "You knew my father?" Charlotte was surprised. "Who hasn''t heard about the president of Windt Corporation? Besides, yourst name is pretty umon, and there''s something extraordinary about you. It''s not hard to tell whose daughter you are." "Oh." Charlotte didn''t want to recall too much of the past. "We''re almost there. Have a look at the documents and familiarize yourself with them." "Okay." After a two-hour drive, they finally arrived at Ashenville Garden. Lucy drove straight toward the golf course and got off the car with Charlotte. A staff member came over to wee them. Knowing that they were here to deliver Zachary''s documents, the man treated them with the utmost respect and immediately brought them to their boss. Charlotte had been here before; her father was once a regr client who would often take his guests here too. "Is that Mr. Nacht over there?¡± Lucy asked, pointing to the golf course nearby. Charlotte looked over and noticed the familiar figure which belonged to Zachary, whereas right next to him was... That must be Sharon. "Ugh..." Lucy''s expression stiffened as she turned to Charlotte awkwardly. "I''ll send the documents over on my own. Wait for me here." No one else might have noticed it, but Lucy had long been aware of the fact that Charlotte and Zachary shared a special rtionship. Charlotte had been promoted directly to the president''s office under Ben''s personal instructions too, and everything else that transpired after that was taken care of by the man himself. Everyone knew that Ben was Zachary''s right-hand man and that any order he gave was thetter''s will. Zachary was always a heartless man, but he had made many exceptions for Charlotte-time and time again. Others may not have been aware of this, but Lucy certainly was. "Okay. I got it." Charlotte retracted her gaze, looking especially calm. Despite feeling stirred up deep down, her face remained expressionless. She knew too well that her rtionship with Zachary was merely transactional in nature, so this was all nothing but a game. Whoever falls in love first loses. Don''t expect anything. Don''t fall for him, Charlotte. That way, you''ll never be hurt. The woman continuously reminded herself about her own principles. Don''t cross the line. The golf cart stopped nearby, and Sharon''s excited voice rang out. "Wow! It went in! I did it, Zachary!" "Not bad." Zachary nodded lightly. "Teach me more! I could use some work on my posture," Sharon requested, leaning onto his body. "Get Mr. White to teach you." Then, Zachary handed his golf club to Ben and turned to leave, only to notice Charlotte and Lucy standing next to the golf cart. "Hello, Mr. Nacht!" Lucy strode over with the documents. "Here are the documents you requested." Standing in ce, Charlotte gave her boss a polite nod and kept her gaze low, not saying a single word. Zachary nced at her before instructing Lucy, "Give them to Ms. ckwood." "Sure." Lucy walked a few steps ahead and courteously handed the documents to Sharon. "Here you go, Ms. ckwood." "Thank you." Sharon retrieved the documents with a smile. "I''m sorry that you had toe all the way here." "It''s no trouble at all. This is all part of my job," Lucy quickly responded. "We''re just about to have lunch. Why don''t we all have a meal together?" While holding the documents, Sharon caught up to Zachary and held him by the arm in a carefree manner. Then, she turned to Charlotte. "Come and join us too." Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Sharon sounded as though she was being benevolent toward Charlotte. How thetter wished to respond with a snide remark, but she held back. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Thank you, Ms. ckwood," said Lucy respectfully. "But we don''t wish to bother you and Mr. Nacht. We still have work to do, so we''ll be taking our leave." "You still need to have lunch when you get back, anyway. You may as well join us," Sharon insisted as she leaned onto Zachary once again. "Right, Zachary?¡± "Yeah," Zachary responded. "Let''s eat together." "Alright, then." Not daring to say anything more, Lucy dragged Charlotte back into the golf cart, and the two sat behind Zachary and Sharon. Unlike before, Charlotte seemed especially calm today. Although, that was merely on the surface. For deep down, she was already cursing the bloody couple in front of her. May you both suffer from constipation every day. May you both wet your beds every night. May you be impotent for the rest of your life, Zachary Nacht! "I just bought a new swimwear, Zachary. How about we visit a hot spring tonight?" Sharon stuck to Zachary like glue. "You must be tired after so many sleepless nights. Why don''t you take it easy just for tonight?" Hearing that, Charlotte trembled slightly as her mind went abuzz. Sleepless nights?Does that mean they haven''t been able to keep their hands off each other in the past few days? The image of the two continuously getting frisky with each other in bed surfaced in Charlotte''s mind. In that instant, she felt like her world was crumbling. The rage within her began to boil, and was on the verge of spilling out when suddenly... "Charlotte... Charlotte." Lucy nudged her gently. "Are you cold? You''re not wearing enough today." "I''m okay. Thanks, Ms. Wright." Charlotte pursed her lips and forced herself to remain calm. Don''t be mad over a scumbag like him, Charlotte. It''s not worth itllt doesn''t matter who he sleeps with! It has nothing to do with you. He may as well marry that woman right away! They''re both so selfcentered and cocky that they deserve each other. With their heads up high all the time, they might just trip and fall to their deaths while walking one day! He won''t bother you now that he''s gotten himself another woman. You can finally focus on your work, look after the children, and begin a new life...You should just pretend to not know him from now on. Even if they start screwing each other right in front of you this instant, you should cheer them on! "Charlotte... Charlotte!" Lucy pped Charlotte by the shoulder. "Huh?" Charlotte snapped back to reality, only to realize that the golf cart had already stopped in front of the restaurant. Zachary and Sharon had already alighted, but she remained sitting here in a daze. "What''s wrong? You seem so out of it,¡± mumbled Lucy. "Nothing." Charlotte quickly got down and followed Lucy into the restaurant. "Mr. Nacht! Ms. ckwood! This way, please." The vice president of Synder Group, Jackson White, stood at the entrance to wee Zachary and Sharon. "You''re really good at golf, Mr. White." Sharon struck up a conversation with Jackson. "I noticed that there isn''t really anything you can''t do. Are you married?" "Hahaha! I am ttered, Ms. ckwood," Jackson replied with augh. "Well, it''s rather unfortunate, but I''ve been divorced for a few years and haven''t found myself another partner." "Is it because your standards are too high?" Sharon teased. "What kind of women are you into?" "I like women who are pretty, gentle, and obedient." While speaking, Jackson''s gaze fell on Charlotte. "And this is?" "She''s one of the secretaries from Divine Corporation who came over to send Mr. Nacht some documents," Sharon answered enthusiastically. "Oh, and she''s single." Charlotte froze and turned to Sharon. "I''m not wrong, am I, Charlotte?" Sharon beamed as she gazed at Charlotte. "Why don''t you consider Mr. White? He may be a little older than you, but he''s a mature, responsible, and sessful man." Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Charlotte took a peek at Jackson and felt greatly humiliated. Judging by Jackson''s wrinkled face and bby stomach, Charlotte thought he should be around her father''s age. Sharon has such a brilliant n, but does she really think she can get rid of me by setting me up for a blind date with this old man?ls it even necessary for her to go to great lengths to get rid of me when I haven''t made any move or gotten in her way with Zachary''s rtionship?Why is she sending this disgusting old man my way again when I have forgiven her for stepping on my hand and giving me a hard time? She should stay away from me because I have returned the check through Lucy''s help! "Charlotte, you seem to be pretty young. How old are you?" On one hand, Jackson''s eyes gleamed in excitement and looked at Charlotte differently. On the other hand, Charlotte remained silent throughout the conversation because she could barely keep a straight face in front of the old man anymore. Lucy stepped in to get Charlotte out of the nasty situation. "Ms. ckwood, I''m sure you''re kidding! I don''t think Charlotte deserves Mr. White when she''s just a rookie in the corporate world." "What do you mean she doesn''t deserve-" "Aren''t you hungry? Why don''t you hurry up and finish your meal?" Zachary broke the silence, stating indifferently before Sharon could finish her sentence. Sharon winced at Zachary''s words because it was evident the man was trying to protect Charlotte. "Oh! You''re right! I believe most of us are hungry since we have been out for the entire morning!" Jackson was an observant man. He immediately summoned the waiter and instructed, "Please serve us our meal at once!" "Ms. Wright, Mr. Ben, have a seat and join us!" Jackson invited everyone that was present to join him at the table and started engaging himself in a conversation with Ben and Lucy to get himself out of the awkward situation. Ben and Lucy yed along with him to ease up the tension that was built up over the past few minutes. Meanwhile, Zachary indulged himself and took a sip of the red wine. Sharon''s face puckered because she felt embarrassed after Zachary reprimanded her in front of others. She secretly held a grudge against Charlotte and finished her ss of wine in an attempt to calm herself down. In spite of being on pins and needles, Charlotte couldn''t bring herself away-she had no choice but to join the crowd and brace herself through the meal. "Mr. Nacht, this is a wine from my precious collection. Please give it a try.¡± Jackson served Zachary and Sharon each a ss of drink. "Ms. ckwood, why don''t you give it a try as well? The president hasplimented it after savoring it when we were out for a mealst time." Zachary took a sip as suggested and stated, "Mmm... It''s not half bad at all..." "Mr. Ben, Ms. Wright, Charlotte, you guys should give it a try too!" Jackson served everyone their ss of drink. When it was Charlotte''s turn, a leg showed up at the bottom of the table, causing him to trip over. As a result, he staggered and spilled the remaining wine that was in the decanter on Charlotte. "Ah!" Charlotte shrieked and got up from her seat immediately. The red wine streamed all the way down from her cor, soaking her white shirt crimson red, exposing her supple yet busty figure in front of everyone. Immediately, Jackson apologized, "l-l''m so sorry!" After he grabbed the napkin that was nearby, he reached over in an attempt to wipe Charlotte''s shirt dry on her behalf. Zachary''s expression turned gloomy because Jackson''s hand was merely a few inches away from Charlotte''s breast. Charlotte took a step back and denoted, "l-lt''s fine... 1-1 can clean it up myself." "Are you okay?" Sharon expressed her concerns and reprimanded Jackson, "Mr. White, how could you be so careless?" "1-1.Jackson was at a loss for words. Truth be told, he was aware of the identity of the culprit, yet he couldn''t expose the truth in front of them. "Since you''repletely drenched, you should head over to my room and get yourself changed." Sharon beckoned the waitress over and instructed, "Show her the way to my room!" From N?velDrama.Org. The waitress walked over and said, "Please follow me, Ms. Windt." "l-lt''s fine..." Charlotte didn''t want to put on Sharon''s clothes-she was afraid it was one of Sharon''s many tricks to get the better of her. Sharon asked rhetorically with a grin, "Aren''t you afraid of embarrassing yourself in front of others? Ever since a few minutes ago, Mr. White has a hard time moving his eyes away from that busty figure of yours. If you don''t get yourself changed, do you want to show it to others when we''re done with our meal?" "1-1..." Jackson responded with an awkward smile. "You..." Charlotte couldn''t stand it anymore. Thankfully, Zachary broke the silence and instructed, "Check her into another room and get her another set of outfits." Chapter 280 Chapter 280 "Yes." Ben got up from his seat and walked out to carry out Zachary''s instruction right after he took note of it. Zachary instructed Lucy, "I want you to keep herpany.¡± "Yes, Mr. Nacht." Lucy grabbed Charlotte''s hand and brought her away as soon as possible. Sharon couldn''t keep her cool anymore. She confronted Zachary in front of Jackson, "She''s merely a secretary, isn''t she? Why are you going to great lengths to protect her?" Zachary paid no heed to Sharon''s words and nced at Jackson instead. He announced in a callous tone, "Mr. White, I believe your assistance isn''t required anymore!¡± As soon as Jackson heard the bad news, he started apologizing, "Mr. Nacht, w-what''s wrong? P- Please, give me another chance to prove myself worthy! 1-1 definitely won''t repeat the same mistake twice!" Zachary went dead silent and smashed the ss without a second thought on that score. Jackson felt a shiver running down his spine and copsed in his seat when he heard the loud noise of the ss being shattered into pieces. Meanwhile, Sharon''s face turned pale. Her hands started trembling as she held on to her ss of drink, but she dared not make a noise in fear of offending Zachary more than she had. Needless to say, Zachary was infuriated. He started emanating a menacing presence, intimidating those around him with his gaze full Of murderous intent. "Get me another bottle!" Zachary instructed the waiter, yet his instruction was a double innuendo, indicating his will to get rid of Jackson and substituting him with another candidate. "Yes, Sir!" The waiter headed out and returned with a brand new bottle of wine and a ss for Zachary. Jackson brought himself up from his seat and bowed at Zachary while expressing his apology, "I''m so sorry, Mr. Nacht! 1-1 must have been blinded by my lust! P-Please forgive me for being an imbecile fool!" Immediately after he finished his sentence, he bowed once more before bringing himself out of the private dining room. The color drained from Sharon''s face because she was the only one left behind in the spacious dining suite. Jackson was an observant man and ruled out the possibility of Zachary and Charlotte''s rtionship through the furious man''s response-Zachary got worked up because Charlotte wasn''t merely an employee of his. He apologized for his so-called mistakes because he failed to notice their rtionship and tried toy a finger on Charlotte. No matter what sort of chance Sharon had created, Jackson should have known his ce and stayed away from Charlotte in the first ce. Since he had crossed the boundaries and started having filthy thoughts, he should prepare himself for the consequences that would be awaiting him. Jackson begged Zachary to be merciful prior to his departure because he was afraid the powerful man would go after him in the future. At the end of the day, Jackson was a smart and experienced corporate yer from the upper echelon that had been in the industry for a long time. He was aware of the consequences that would be in store for him should he fail to atone for his sins. "Aren''t you hungry? Why aren''t you savoring your meal?" Zachary asked Sharon while he cut the steak that was served. Sharon was no longer her usual arrogant self and stopped getting full of herself in front of Zachary. She lowered her gaze and finished her meal in silence. "You should refrain from doing such a silly thing in the future. I''m sure you don''t want to trip in a simr manner, do you?" After Zachary made himself clear, he had a mouthful of steak. When Sharon heard his words, she paused, and her hands started shivering because she was horrified. There were a racecourse, a gold course, and a hot spring resort at Asheville Garden. Charlotte and the rest of the party had their meal at the restaurant of the hot spring resort. From N?velDrama.Org. After the receptionist showed Charlotte the way to her room, Ben showed up with a maid. They brought Charlotte her new set of clothes. Lucy expressed her gratitude on behalf of Charlotte and closed the door after she took over the clothes. "I guess Mr. Nacht is serious about you, huh? He has instructed his subordinate to bring you a brand new set of clothes, including a set of lingerie. I must say he''s quite a detail-oriented man." Charlotte paid no heed to Lucy''s words because she sat on the couch and lost herself in the process of thought. Lucy approached Charlotte and waved when she reached her side. "What''s on your mind? You should go take a shower and get changed immediately. It doesn''t feel great being drenched in red wine, does it?" Charlotte finally returned to her senses. She stated, "Lucy, I want to go back! Let''s go back once I get changed!" "I¡ª" Lucy received a call when she was about to reply to Charlotte''s suggestion. She tended to the call and picked it up immediately. "Mr. Ben? Huh? Are you serious? A-Alright! I''ll be there at once!" After she hung up the call, Lucy lowered her volume and denoted, "Mr. White has been terminated from the project. I have to rush over and get the uing information ready immediately." "Huh? Are you sure? Mr. White is the vice president of Synder Group. What...?" Charlotte was equally surprised by the news. "Are you sure you''re not aware of the reason behind his termination? It seems like I''m right¡ªMr. Nacht is serious about you, huh?¡± Lucy replied with a bright grin as though she had something in her mind. Charlotte''s mind was all over the ce because she was clueless about the rationale behind Zachary''s action. He seemed to have a crush on her, but he had neglected Charlotte and spent most of his time with another woman. However, the fact Zachary terminated Jackson because of the things he had done suggested otherwise. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 "I have to go. Once you have your shower, get some rest, okay?" Lucy ced the set of outfits on the bed and departed after she told Charlotte to take care of herself. After Charlotte drew the curtain of the room, she walked into the bathroom and undressed. When she was about to turn on the tap, she heard the sound of the door being opened. "Lucy, is that you?" Subconsciously, she yelled because she thought she heard the sound of someone entering the room. Since there wasn''t any reply, she decided to give it another try and yelled once more, "Lucy..." Again, her effort was to no avail. She started having her doubts and felt a sense of insecurity, thinking she might be hearing things because she was afraid of being alone. Once she wrapped the towel around her bare body, she walked out of the bathroom and caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette. "Y-You..." Charlotte stared at Zachary wide-eyed as she was shocked by his presence while he made his way into the room nonchntly. After he removed his zer, he cast it aside and started unbuttoning his shirt as he walked over to the bathroom. "What do you want?" Charlotte ced her arms in front of her chest and took a step back to put some distance between her and the man. Unfortunately, she identally moved beneath the showerhead that had been turned on beforehand. Consequently, the moment she felt the scorching water on her head, she shrieked due to the racking sensation and moved away immediately. Suddenly, she felt a hand around her waist as she was lunged over against her will. Zachary showed up and adjusted the temperature of the water until it was optimum for a shower. Once it was done, he cradled her in his arms and brought her back to the shower. "H-Hey! What do you think you''re doing? Let go of me!" She tried to push him away, but she was pinned to the wall. As the water of optimum temperature streamed down her face, her entire body was soaked. Charlotte had a hard time keeping her eyes open, but she could feel a gigantic palm on her head, tucking her hair behind her shoulders gently. A few secondster, she could feel his velvety lips on her lips as the man started kissing her passionately. "Mmm..." Charlotte shook her head and retaliated against the man, but Zachary grasped her cheek and forced her to stay still while he kissed her. She could barely resist the domineering amorous kiss that had taken her by surprise. In the end, she had no choice but to brace herself. Halfway through the session, Zachary lifted her up and forced her to support herself by wrapping her legs around his waist while they leaned against the wall and continued kissing passionately. In another attempt to shrug him off, Charlotte mustered her strength to push him away. Her n backfired-he became increasingly aggressive the more she retaliated against him. The passionate duo indulged themselves in some raunchy fun in the bathroom as though they were isted from other guests in the resort. While they were in the middle of some fun, Charlotte heard the voice of the door being opened. A few secondster, she heard Lucy''s voice, yelling through the door, "Charlotte, are you in the bathroom? Do you have my USB drive with you?" As she started searching high and low around the room, she asked over and over again, "Charlotte, have you seen my USB drive anywhere?" Meanwhile, Charlotte, who was in the bathroom, got tensed up abruptly and covered her mouth because she was afraid Lucy would figure out the thing they were up to in the bathroom. Actually, she forgot to lock the door. Therefore, she was afraid Lucy would walk into the bathroom and run into her when she was in such an embarrassing state. Suddenly, along with the clicking sound of a pair of heels, Sharon''s voice could be heard as she asked, "Have you found it?" Lucy replied courteously, "I''m still searching for it, Ms. ckwood. Why are you here? You should return to your room and get some rest for the time being. Once I find it, along with the documents, I''ll From N?velDrama.Org. bring it over to you." "It''s fine. I''ll wait for you here. Speaking of which, where''s Charlotte? This is her room, isn''t it?" Sharon started surveying the surroundings of the room. Charlotte was on the verge of breaking down due to the presence of Sharon, but Zachary had no intention to stop. Oh, God! What should I do? Is there any way to get me out of such an awkward situation? "I think she''s taking a shower since her shirt waspletely drenched in wine." Lucy''s eyes widened in disbelief when she took a peek at the entrance of the bathroom-she caught a glimpse of a pair of shoes that belonged to a man. She had a hunch that the pair of leather shoes belonged to Zachary. Holy moly! Charlotte kept her mouth shut tight while she tried to push Zachary away. She was afraid they would make any noise and attract other''s attention, but the lustful man showed no signs of stopping at all. He behaved as though he wasn''t aware of themotion outside of the room and continued kissing her to his heart''s content. "Mr. White should behave himself when he''s such an old man! I can''t believe he has such filthy thoughts in his mind!" Sharon scoffed, "I was merely trying to do Charlotte a favor. Although Mr. White wasn''t a young man, he was an exceptional corporate yer with a lot of achievements. How could she turn him down when they''re such a great match for one another?" Charlotte started pulsating unwittingly as she gradually lost control over her body. In a final attempt to stop Zachary, she held on to his shoulders with all her might. No matter what, the lustful man had no intention to stop because he had yet fulfilled his physiological needs. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 "H-Haha. M-Mr. White is indeed an exceptional man." Lucy replied with an odd smile and offered, "Ms. ckwood, allow me to show you the way back to your room. I''ll get Charlotte to bring you the USB drive once I find it." "Alright. I wonder what''s taking her so long?" Sharon surveyed the surroundings for onest time. A wrathful glint could be detected from her eyes as her pupil constricted the moment she spotted the pair of leather shoes in front of the bathroom. She fastened her grip and identally distorted the shape of the limited edition purse she had in her hands. She winced almost instantly, yet she tried her best to regain herposure and replied with a smirk, "Thank you, Lucy. Please get Charlotte to deliver the things to my room when you find it because I have something to tell her." Lucy showed Sharon the way out of their room immediately. "Yes, Ms. ckwood. Thank you so much for your hard work. You should return to your room and take a short nap. We''ll drop by your room at two o''clock in the afternoon. Is that fine?" "It''s fine." After she showed Sharon the way out of their room, Lucy heaved a sigh of relief and closed the door immediately-she had no intention of staying behind either. In the meantime, Charlotte threw several consecutive punches at Zachary''s chest to express her frustration. "Let go of me, you jerk!" "Shut up!" He pursed her lips in return and embraced her in between his arms feverishly. As she couldn''t hold it back any longer, she bit his shoulder to stop him, leaving bite marks on his shoulder. After a long time, Zachary finally set Charlotte free as she insisted. He wrapped her body using the towel and carried her out of the bathroom. He cast her on the bed in a rude manner and took a seat on the couch, wiping his hair dry with the towel. "You''re such a disgusting man!" Charlotte cast a pillow in his direction and started cursing, "How dare youy a finger on me when you have been seeing another woman behind my back over the past few days?" The pillow fell to the ground after it smashed on Zachary''s sturdy figure. He brought himself to a halt and looked at her in return. "What makes you think I have been seeing another woman over the past few days? Do you really consider me such a strong man?" "Are you going to tell me I''m wrong?¡± Charlotte red at Zachary and asked rhetorically. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. He continued wiping his hair dry and announced, "Well... I''m actually d you''re acknowledging my stamina as a fellow man..." "Y-You..." She was speechless because of his shameless remark. "You should get some rest." Zachary removed the towel he had around his waist and started dressing up in front of Charlotte. "Please don''t touch me in the future because you have a freaking fiancee!¡± She tried to talk some senses into him in an attempt to strike a deal with him. "Why don''t you set me free? I have no intention to get in the way of your rtionship. Apart from that, it doesn''t feel great being picked on by others-" Halfway through her speech, he interrupted and denoted indifferently, "Are you sure you''re not overestimating yourself? I don''t think you''re much of a threat, let alone getting in the way of my rtionship with her." After he dressed himself up, he picked up the pillow and cast it to the bed casually while stating, "You''re getting picked on by others because you''re an imbecile fool." "Y-You..." "Just stay put, okay?" After Zachary put on his pair of shoes, he walked out of the room. Staring at his departing figure, Charlotte felt dejected deep down. A few hours ago, he was being lovey-dovey with Sharon when they were in front of others. As soon as he left Sharon, he approached me and forced me into submission again. Why does Sharon get to enjoy the perks of announcing her identity as his loved one while I have to stay away from others as though I''m his mistress? Charlotte felt awful whenever she thought about it and wished to end their rtionship as soon as possible. However, she had no saying in their rtionship at all. She was confused by his action because he refused to stay away from her when he had such an exceptional woman by his side. Knock! Knock! Suddenly, she heard someone knocking on the door. "Charlotte, I''m Lucy. Can Ie in?" "Hold on!" Charlotte got herself dressed immediately and answered the door after a few seconds. "Ms. Wright!" "I''m searching for my USB drive. Have you seen it anywhere?" Lucy asked. "I think it''s in the folder. I''ll go get it for you." Charlotte returned to the bedroom and searched everywhere to locate the USB drive. Meanwhile, Lucy stood right at the entrance because she dared not enter the room. A few minutester, Charlotte found the USB drive in her bag and murmured to herself, "It turns out you''re here." After Lucy took over the USB drive, she stated, "Great. I''ll hand it over to Ms. ckwood. You should go ahead and get some rest." "Hasn''t she requested me to bring it over to her?" Charlotte blurted out the things she had in her mind without a second thought. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 "E-Er... She''s going to give you a hard time if you show up in her room. I''ll make something up and brush it off. Perhaps she''ll nag at me, but she will never mistreat me," Lucy replied with her face puckered. "It''s fine! I''ll tag along with you!" Charlotte put on her shoes immediately and said, "I have witnessed Ms. ckwood''s temperament before. There''s no way I''ll allow you to go through such a tormenting experience alone when I''m the one she''sing after." In the end, Charlotte departed with Lucy and made their way to Sharon''s room with the USB drive and a few documents. To their surprise, Zachary was nowhere to be seen in Sharon''s room. Meanwhile, Sharon, who had changed into a nightgown, slouched against the couch and enjoyed the ss of wine she had served herself. She ced her slender pair of legs on the coffee table, exuding a noble presence, superior to those present. "Ms. ckwood, here are the documents and the USB drive that has the proposal and the business n of the project." Lucy handed over the things to Sharon courteously. "Thanks, please put it on the table..." Sharon instructed Lucy while she had her eyes glued to Charlotte. "Y-Yes, Ms. ckwood." Lucy ced it on the coffee table. "Since there isn''t anything else, we''ll 99 "You''re free to leave, but I have something to talk about with Charlotte." Sharon beckoned Charlotte over in a courteous manner as though she couldn''t wait to get Charlotte to join her. Lucy looked at Charlotte with a frown because she was afraid of the uing session between the duo. "Thanks!¡± Charlotte took a seat as suggested as though it wasn''t a big deal at all. "If that''s the case, I''ll take my leave." Prior to her departure, Lucy told Charlotte, "I want you to take note of Ms. ckwood''s words, okay? If you need my help, feel free to give me a call." Charlotte beamed her reply and assured Lucy, "Yes, Ms. Wright. I''ll keep that in mind." After Lucy departed, the maid showed up and brought Charlotte a cup of coffee. Once the coffee was served, Sharon beckoned the maid to leave them alone. "Look at you-you seem to be having a great time, huh?" Sharon finished her rhetorical question with an odd grin while staring at Charlotte indifferently. "Ms. ckwood, may I know what you wish to talk about?" Charlotte cut the small talk and got to the point immediately. Simrly, Sharon sat upright and handed over the check she had prepared beforehand to Charlotte after she filled in the details and the amount. The confused Charlotte asked, "What is this?" Sharon replied in a scornful manner, "I have conducted simple market research and found out the cheapest hooker in town gets about a few hundred to a few thousand for each of their services. As for the influencers and the models, they get around eight thousand to ten thousand. The rookie celebrities get the most because they get paid tens of thousands for each of their services-¡± Before she could finish her scornful remarks, Charlotte stopped her and queried, "I don''t get you! What is it about?¡± After sizing Charlotte up, Sharon added, "As for you, I think the most you''ll get is ten thousand for each of your services. However, since Zachary has a thing for you, I can''t humiliate him for having bad taste." "For every intimate session you have with Zachary, I''ll give you a million as a token of appreciation for your hard work.¡± The arrogant woman leaned over and pped Charlotte using the check after she made herself clear. Charlotte pushed her away because she was infuriated by Sharon''s words. "That''s enough! You''re going overboard!" "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Why are you angry when you had so much fun with Zachary in the bathroom? You shouldn''t get ahead of yourself because you''re nothing but a tool for him to get rid of his lust!" Sharon started ridiculing Charlotte once again. "Y-You-" When Charlotte was about to rebuke Sharon''s demeaning remarks, Zachary walked into the room. The moment he noticed an anxious Charlotte facing the arrogant Sharon, he asked callously with a frown, "What are you doing here?¡± Sharon got ahead of Charlotte and replied courteously, "She''s here to deliver the documents to me. I''m N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. trying topensate her for the loss Mr. White has caused her after her clothes got contaminated by the wine. But I don''t think she appreciates my effort at all!" "That won''t be necessary because I''ll deal with my employees on my own!¡± Zachary took over the check and crumpled it before throwing it into the dustbin. "Fine..." The pretentious Sharon leaned over and wrapped her arm around Zachary''s arm. She looked at Charlotte with a contemptuous look and asked, "Why aren''t you leaving yet?" Charlotte was frustrated and her emotion was written all over her face. After she brought herself up, she strode her way out of the room. "Hold on." Sharon stopped Charlotte once more. The frustrated woman brought herself to an abrupt halt, but she had her back facing the pretentious woman by the man''s side. "Why don''t you join us in the banquet that will be held tonight?" Sharon offered generously, "I''ll get someone to send you an evening gown and get them to doll you up properly for the banquet." "Thanks, but no thanks!" Charlotte couldn''t wait to leave the room. Sharon replied with a bright grin, "You don''t have to be so courteous whenever you''re around me! An old friend of yours will be joining us tonight! You should join us and meet with your friend once in a while!" Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Charlotte had no saying at all because Sharon would get to make the call on the former''s behalf as long as Zachary wasn''t against the idea. After Charlotte returned to her room, she took things out on the pillows, throwing everything that was on the bed-including the linen-to the ground. She felt as though she had turned into a loser after she got into a rtionship with Zachary. asionally, she thought she was a mistress that would have to deal with the wrath of Sharon- Zachary''s legal spouse. Nevertheless, she wasn''t his mistress because Zachary wasn''t married, and he had never publicly announced his rtionship with Sharon. As a matter of fact, she was not aware of Sharon''s presence. Suddenly, Lucy''s voice could be heard, asking gently, "Charlotte? Are you in there? Your room isn''t locked. Can Ie in?" "Lucy! Are you going back? Can I tag along with you?¡± Charlotte brought up her request immediately because she couldn''t wait to leave the resort. "I will be staying back because there are a few things that require my attention. I''ll be staying next door. We''ll spend a night here and return to thepany tomorrow." "I guess we''ll have to do that..." Lucy pointed in the direction of the entrance and said, "Ms. ckwood has instructed someone to deliver you an evening gown." "Come in." Charlotte had no intention to put the person in charge in a tight spot. Two stylists brought the evening gown into the room, whereas the make-up artist that was behind them had a few delicate-looking boxes with her-including a few essories and a pair of shoes to go along with the dress. One of the trio asked cordially, "Ms. Windt, Ms. ckwood has instructed us to bring this over to you. Are you free? Can we proceed with the makeup session?" Charlotte nced at the evening gown as she tried to make something up to turn down their request because she had no intention to be part of the so-called banquet. Lucy whispered, "A lot of guests from the upper echelon and the corporate world will be joining us tonight. I don''t think Ms. ckwood will try anything silly in front of them." "Since the ones involved are beyond my realm, I don''t think I have to be part of it." Charlotte told the stylists and make-up artist, "Please express my utmost gratitude to her, but do tell Ms. ckwood I won''t turn up at the banquet tonight." "Ms. ckwood said if you don''t turn up at the banquet, we don''t have to return to her anymore." The trio put on a pitiable front and stated in an aggrieved manner, "Ms. Windt, please have mercy on us because it is not easy to get a job these days..." Charlotte gave in to their request again when she heard their words. "Fine..." "I''ll have you doll yourself up while I head over and discuss something with Mr. Ben." As soon as Lucy told Charlotte her uing agenda, she departed. Charlotte was left behind with the trio, sitting in front of the dressing table, allowing them to work wonders with her look. As she had just taken her shower a few hours ago, they wouldn''t have to wash her hair anymore. In order to get her hair styled, a simple blow dry was sufficient. Since she had wless skin, they merely had to apply light make-up to highlight her ethereal facial features. After they were done with her look, they helped her to get changed into the evening gown they had brought along for her. As soon as Charlotte put it on, she stared at herself in the mirror wide-eyed. "What the heck is wrong with this exposing gown?¡± The gown had a huge opening in the chest area, exposing her busty figure and her cleavage, covering only the most important parts of her body. Although it was a gown with a train, it had a high split that was all the way up to her inner thigh. Should she fail to exercise caution, her undergarment would be exposed in front of others. With that being said, it was a milky white gown, made out of velvety silk that felt great on the skin. No ordinary woman could put on such a stunning piece because several criteria had to be fulfilled, including a busty figure, a curvy bottom, a skinny waist, and a porcin-like skin. Nevertheless, Charlotte fulfilled all the precondition for the stunning evening gown. "Goodness gracious! Ms. Windt, this dress is perfect for you! To be honest, only a mere few on this you put it on!¡± "She''s right, Ms. Windt! You''re so gorgeous!" "You should stop wasting your time on the dull-looking formal wears when you have such great figures! Once you doll yourself up, I''m pretty sure you can charm any man you encounter in the banquet." The stylists wouldn''t stopplimenting Charlotte after she put on the evening gown. Charlotte eximed in an acerbic tone, "Oh? Has Ms. ckwood bestowed such a delicate piece on me when she''s aware of the fact not many people fulfill the condition to put on this gown? She''s such a generous woman!" She looked at herself in the mirror and found herself embarrassing-she could merely cover the most N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. important parts with her hair while most of her skin was exposed. As someone who had always put on an ordinary set of outfits, she seemed to have morphed into the female protagonist of an adult movie. She could easily drive a man to the verge of losing control over their lust with her current look. Chapter 285 Chapter 285 One of the trioplimented with a bright grin, "Ms. Windt, Ms. ckwood is doing this for you! This gown is a piece from a globally renowned designer and it cost her a fortune to purchase it some time ago. I''m sure she has given this gown to you because she wants you to steal the limelight during the banquet!" Charlotte replied with a self-deprecating smirk, "I guess you''re right-she wants me to steal the limelight." She wants me to be the only different one in the banquet because she can''t wait for me to embarrass myself in front of the guests from the upper echelon and the corporate world! Perhaps she wants them to deem me a filthy slu* unworthy of Zachary, and force Zachary into submission, leaving me due to peer pressure. Charlotte wasn''t a fool-she figured the n Sharon had in her mind the moment she put on the evening gown. She gritted her teeth due to the grudges she held against Sharon deep down. However, when she gave it another thought, she thought it was a great opportunity for her to sever ties with Zachary. Hence, she decided to y along with Sharon''s evil scheme so she could regain her freedom. One of the trio suggested, "Great! Let''s try out the essories we have brought along to go with the gown!" They started matching the essories they had with them and tried out severalbinations to determine the best one. Charlotte allowed them to carry out their duty and put on the pair of high heels they had prepared to go along with the gown. After the triopleted dolling her up, Charlotte found herself odd and had a strange feeling about it N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. because she seemed enchanting in an odd manner. She wondered about the thoughts the men would have in their minds when they caught a glimpse of her sexy appearance. "Charlotte, are you done yet?" Lucy knocked on the door and walked into the room, but she was "It looks great on Ms. Windt, doesn''t it?" The trio startedplimenting the dress that seemed to be custom-made for Charlotte over and over again. Lucy was about to say something, but the bodyguards knocked on the door and stated, "It''s about time to leave." "I believe you should get yourself a shawl to go along with the dress," Lucy suggested in an attempt to help Charlotte. "The shawl will ruin the wless look of hers." An arrogant voice could be heard from behind. The trio moved aside as soon as they noticed the presence of Sharon. Charlotte looked in the direction of the entrance and noticed Sharon had put on a beige color mermaid dress that could highlight her slender figure. Although she wasn''t a sexy woman, she exuded a noble presence. Aspared to the sexy-looking Charlotte, Sharon seemed to be an honorable princess of a modern- day fairytale. The pretentious Sharon made use of Charlotte''s oddly enchanting look as a benchmark to portray the superiority of her noble and elegant look. Sharon sized Charlotte up over and over again. She responded with a satisfied look and denoted, "You''re so gorgeous, Charlotte! The gown looks great on you, but your make-up is nowhere close to those of a man''s liking. You should apply more make-up to highlight your look." "Do you need us to work on that?" One of the stylists asked. "Let''s forget about it because I don''t think we have time for that anymore. Oh! Bring along the makeup kit and apply some crimson lipstick to highlight her lips while we''re on the way to the venue!" she chuckled and stated while she had her eyes glued to Charlotte. "Sure!" The stylists took note of Sharon''s instruction and departed with their make-up kit. Lucy suggested cautiously, "Seriously? Isn''t that slightly over the top? I think Charlotte looks great!" "You know nothing, Lucy! It''s necessary to have crimson lips to go along with the look!" Sharon turned around with a vicious smirk on her face after she exined the rationale behind her decision. "I''ll be waiting for all of you downstairs! Hurry up, okay?" Immediately after she announced her departure, she sashayed her way down the stairs. Staring at Sharon''s departing figure, Charlotte sneered deep down and cursed her for being a pretentious woman. "Why don''t you get in touch with Mr. Nacht and make something up to get yourself out of the tight spot?" Lucy whispered with a frowned look. "Nope! I have to be there to fulfill her wish! I can''t possibly let her down, can I?¡± Charlotte gritted her teeth and responded with a rhetorical question. "What?" Lucy was clueless about Charlotte''s actual goal. "It''s nothing! Let''s go!" Charlotte dragged Lucy down the stairs with her because she was determined to y along with Sharon with one goal in her mind-she wanted to disgust Zachary and get him to chase her away. She was certain as long as he was the one who brought up the request to break up, he would forget about thepensation worthy of a hundred million. Instead, she might get him topensate her for her loss. "Charlotte, this gown is-" Halfway through Lucy''s sentence, Charlotte''s long hair was caressed by a gentle breeze, exposing her busty figure that was covered by her charcoal ck hair. Coincidentally, Ben was walking towards Charlotte. He had his eyes widened in disbelief while blood gushed out of his nostrils. Chapter 286 Chapter 286 The dumbstruck Lucy pointed at Ben and said, "E-Err... Mr. Ben, your nose..." Sharon giggled and teased, "Hahaha! Ben, you have never behaved as such before! I guess you''re a man after all, huh?" Ben panicked and covered his nose while turning around to touch up on his appearance. He was grateful Zachary wasn''t around. Otherwise, he would be doomed. Perhaps Zachary would scoop his eyes out of his sockets for desecrating Charlotte. Meanwhile, Charlotte couldn''t be bothered by Ben''s response at all. She nced around and noticed Zachary wasn''t around. "Where''s Zachary?" Sharon queried with a smile. "Mr. Nacht has headed over the venue in advance. He has sent me to pick you guys up." Ben looked elsewhere while replying. "You should take Charlotte and her party with you. I''ll head over with my own car." Sharon beamed her instruction along with a smirk that indicated her n to matchmake the duo. "E-Er-" Sharon had boarded her car and departed before Ben could stop her. As a result, Ben invited Charlotte and Lucy to board the Rolls-Royce Phantom that was parked nearby. After they boarded the car, Ben took a seat in the front passenger seat and avoided looking in the direction of Charlotte. Lucy was on pins and needles due to the awkward situation and the things that might be in store for From N?velDrama.Org. Charlotte. Charlotte was rtively calm, enjoying the scene as they were on their way to the venue-she couldn''t wait for Sharon to achieve her goal, so she could get Zachary to leave her as soon as possible. She could then proceed to leave Divine Corporation and start a new life in another city with Mrs. Berry and her children by her side. Since she had the fortune that was left behind by herte father, she could easily live a carefree life with her children for the rest of their lives. Charlotte had everything sorted out in her mind, including a wless n to sustain their lifestyles. She would start a bakery with Mrs. Berry and allow her children to savor the cakes that were prepared because they were huge fans of cakes. As a family of five, they would spend the rest of their life, living a blissful and simple life by one another''s side. While Charlotte''s thoughts wandered everywhere, exploring the countless possibilities after leaving Zachary, they finally reached the banquet hall of Ashenville Garden. It was a breezy night¡ªthe moment Charlotte alighted from the car, the train of her gown started billowing due to the gentle breeze. Immediately, she ced her hand on her gown to stop the dress. For a few seconds, she resembled the look of Marilyn Monroe in the ssic movie. Suddenly, a sh beamed. Charlotte raised her head and looked in the direction of the sh and noticed a handsome foreign man had snapped the photos of her without her consent. The man flushed embarrassedly because he was caught red-handed. He showed Charlotte her phone, indicating he had deleted the photos he took. Since it wasn''t a big deal, Charlotte paid no heed to the man and walked into the venue with Lucy by her side. Shortly, Sharon showed up with a vicious grin and teased, "Charlotte, what do you think of the gown I have prepared for you? Look! You have stolen the limelight and attracted the attention of the men! I still think you should have applied heavier makeup. What''s wrong with your lips? Didn''t they bring along the lipstick?" Along with Lucy and Ben, who were by Charlotte''s side, the trio kept quiet at that score. However, Sharon couldn''t be bothered at all because she had achieved her goal. The guests were led into the banquet hall that was mboyantly decorated with countless chandeliers that acted as the sole source of illumination in the spacious hall. Guests who had decked out in their most ostentatious finery each had a ss of champagne. They gathered around, engaging themselves in a conversation with their kinds in the hall, apanied by ssical pieces in the background. As soon as Sharon entered the hall, she grabbed the attention of the guests who had reached the venue ahead of her. A lot of them strode their way over to greet her, expressing their courtesy. A few of the guests whispered, inquiring about Charlotte''s identity when they spotted her because she made her way into the venue right after Sharon''s appearance. Sharon lunged Charlotte over and introduced her to everyone, "This is my friend, Charlotte. I have brought her along with me because she rarely gets to be part of such a grand event. Please take good care of her, guys!" Charlotte started cursing Sharon for being a hypocrite again. Excuse me? How dare she talk about me when I''m right by her side? She''s indicating I''m an ignorant country bumpkin who has nothing but a gorgeous look! "She''s such a gorgeous woman!" A few men surrounded Sharon and invited her to join them for a dance. "She doesn''t know how to dance!" Charlotte was about to turn them down, but a man''s voice could be heard, answering on her behalf before she could respond to their invitation. Immediately after the man got her out of the tight spot, she could feel a pair of hands on her shoulders as the man ced his zer over her. Due to the presence of the man behind her, Charlotte''s eyes widened in disbelief when she turned around. Chapter 287 Chapter 287 "Michael!" Sharon eximed in shock and queried, "What are you doing here?" "What''s with your response? Am I not allowed to be here?" Michael had put on a simple yet elegant-looking sage set of outfits for the banquet, but it couldn''t conceal the fact he was a handsome man. The man, who had an androgynous appearance, had acquired the attention of the women that were around. "No! Of course not! Are you guys acquainted?" Sharon asked with a peculiar smile, ncing at Michael and Charlotte. Michael wrapped his arm around Charlotte''s waist and dered, "She''s a childhood friend of mine, and we used to be course mates back in our university days. I guess you can consider me her guardian!" Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "I see! It''s just like Zachary and me!" Sharon replied with a bright grin. Sharon would constantly remind Charlotte of her extraordinary rtionship with Zachary. When Sharon brought up Zachary in front of the duo, Charlotte recalled the deal she had with Zachary- she promised him she would stay away from Michael in the future. If the Devil is conscious Michael''s here, I think he''s going to lose control over himself again... Charlotte inched away from Michael and shrugged his hand off her waist when she thought about it. Michael was taken aback by her actiondisappointment was written all over her face. "Since you''re here to keep Charlottepany, I will leave both of you alone." Sharon smiled and sashayed in the direction of the crowd. Ben went after Sharon because he would have to return to Zachary''s side. Simrly, Lucy went after the departing duo after she nced at Charlotte. Charlotte was about to leave, but Michael got ahead of her and stopped her. "Charlotte, we need to talk." She shrugged him off and stated in a low voice, "Michael, have you forgotten your promise to stay away from me?" "E-Er..." Michael''s stiff hand was left hanging around in the middle of the air embarrassedly while his face turned gloomy in disappointment. "I''m sorry..." Charlotte avoided his gaze and apologized. After she walked away from Michael, she spotted a familiar silhouette that was a few feet away from her¡ªZachary peered at her in the eyes while he was surrounded by a few noble-looking corporate yers. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. Holding on to his ss of champagne, Zachary would asionally reply to them, yet he wouldn''t move his eyes away from Charlotte. As he was aware of her interaction with Michael a short while ago, he cast a stern gaze at her. Charlotte lowered her head and avoided the man''s gaze, bringing herself to the back of the banquet hall as soon as possible because she had enough of the guests'' odd gazes. Although she had her sight on the ground, she could feel the onlookers'' attention on her as she marched through the spacious hall. The guests had one thing inmon-a scornful look on their faces. While sizing her up repetitively, they made fun of Charlotte and thought she was another gold digger, with an ulterior goal. When Charlotte reached the back of the hall, she heard the conversation of a few maids. "She doesn''t belong here! Look at the ridiculous gown she has put on!" "I think she''s one of the micro-influencers who''s willing to sacrifice everything and anything as long as she gets to be a member of the upper echelon." "You''re right! She must be showing her chest and her thigh to seduce the guests that are around! Otherwise, why would she put on such an exposing outfit?" "I don''t get it! How did such a country bumpkin manage to earn the right to be invited to such an exclusive banquet?" "She doesn''t belong to the upper echelon! I wonder who''s the one behind her?" "I saw her with Ms. ckwood a few minutes ago! We should mind our words because we can''t afford to offend Ms. ckwood." "Ms. ckwood is such a kind woman. I think she must have been deceived by the cunning and filthy woman!" "Yes! I think that''s the case!" Charlotte couldn''t take it anymore. She trod away from the hall as fast as she could. Her absence wouldn''t impact the progress of the banquet at all. All she needed was to kill her time in an isted space. Once the banquet was over, she would leave with Lucy. There were only a few people at the back of the banquet hall, including a few servers and a few staff that were in charge of the flow of the banquet. Charlotte found an empty lounge and was about to make her way in to take a breather from the cruel, harsh world. But when she reached the doorstep, she heard the voices of two women. "What the hell is wrong with you? How could you hurt yourself right before the performance? Don''t you know how important this banquet is? Are you trying to mess with me on purpose?" "No! Ms. Goldstein! I didn''t mean it!" The girl started weeping and exined herself, "W-When I passed by the banquet hall, I identally bumped into someone called Ms. ckwood. As a result, she became infuriated and pushed me away from her with all her might. 1-1 bumped into another server, causing the server to spill her tray of drink to the ground. After I fell to the ground, Ms. ckwood..." Chapter 288 Chapter 288 "She stepped on my hand without a second thought! There were shattered pieces of sses everywhere on the ground! 1-1.She couldn''t finish her sentence as she started sniffling convulsively. "Stop looking for excuses to justify your carelessness!" Ms. Goldstein reprimanded the woman and warned her, "No matter what, the show has to go on because the guests are the bigshots from the upper echelon and the corporate world! If you can''t think of something by then, you won''t get to stay in the industry anymore." "I-L." "I''ll get the violinists to perform ahead of you! I want you to deal with it by hook or by crook!" Charlotte heard the clicking voice of Ms. Goldstein''s high heels. She knew the fierce woman would stride out of the lounge soon. Immediately, she stepped aside and saw Ms. Goldstein with a ck suit walking out of the room, heading towards the powder room that was diagonally opposite the lounge. The fierce-looking Ms. Goldstein pped her hands and announced, "Violinists! Please get yourself ready because you''ll be performing on stage three minutester!" Charlotte turned around and peered into the lounge, spotting the presence of a good-looking woman wailing as she stepped aside from the partition. She could barely pull herself together while her trembling hand bled excessively. She had no choice but to tend to her wounds by herself. It was a heart-wrenching scene to watch. After she retrieved the first-aid kit, she tried to open it with her elbow since her palms were gravely N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. injured. Unfortunately, her effort was to no avail-no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t open it. Charlotte entered the room and offered, "Allow me to help you." The injured woman was confused by Charlotte''s presence. Shortly, she nodded and expressed her gratitude, "Thank you!" After Charlotte opened the first-aid kit, she reached for the iodine to sterilize the woman''s injured palm before picking the shattered pieces of sses out of her wounds using the tweezers. The woman wouldn''t stop trembling due to the racking sensation she felt, but she pursed her lips and resisted the urge to wail. Nevertheless, torrents of grief streamed down her cheeks continuously. "You need to get a doctor to tend to your wounds!¡± Literally, Charlotte could feel the woman''s pain when she saw her wounded palm. "No! We can''t dy any further! I''ll bring you to the hospital at once! Otherwise, your hand will be crippled for the rest of your life!" "No! I can''t leave! If I mess up the show, it will be the end of my career!" The girl wailed and begged Charlotte, "Please bind my hand and see if you can stop the bleeding. I''ll put on a pair of gloves and brace myself through the performance." "Have you lost your mind? How are you going to y the piano when you''re in such a pathetic state?" Charlotte was heartbroken and enraged because another innocent woman had fallen victim to Sharon again. "Sharon has gone overboard again!" "It was merely an ident, but she pushed me with all her might when she barely budged. It wasn''t even a serious knock. I don''t mind being med, but how could she step on my hand when there were shattered sses everywhere?" The woman started trembling in anger and wailed hysterically to vent her emotions. "It hurt so much! I begged her to be merciful, but she had no intention to stop! Instead, she went all out and moved her foot around feverishly. If the woman beside her didn''t stop her in the nick of time, my hand would be..." "It''s fine. Let''s forget about it, okay?" Charlotte wiped the woman''s tear dry and suggested, "Is it fine for me to take your role to perform on the stage?" "Are you serious? Do you know how to y the piano?" The woman was dumbfounded by Charlotte''s suggestion. "Mmm... Can you hand over the sheet music to me? I''ll perform on your behalf." Charlotteforted the injured woman and asserted, "Don''t worry. I used to win several globally renowned awards when I was abroad. I had experiences performing on several formal asions as well. In my humble opinion, I think I''ll make the cut for the job." "Ms. Goldstein can tell us apart from one another, can''t she?" The woman expressed her concerns. "So what? She merely needs someone to perform on the stage and get the job done! As long as I don''t embarrass her in front of others, I think she''s going to turn a blind eye for once." "You''re right! Thank you so much! You have saved my day!" The woman found the sheet music and handed it over to Charlotte, expressing her utmost gratitude over and over again. Staring at the woman''s whiteced dress, Charlotte stated, "You''re wee. First things first, we need to get changed." The woman nodded. "I''ll change into my set of casual outfits because I don''t think I can fit into this stunning piece of yours. I think it''s a designer piece, isn''t it? Allow me to hold on to it for you. I need you to return this to me once you''re done performing on stage because I have to return it to Ms. Goldstein." "Okay." Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Charlotte closed the door and put on the whiteced dress the woman passed her without further ado. Although the woman wasn''t a match for Charlotte in terms of figures, they were of the same height. Therefore, Charlotte could easily put on the dress. However, the initially simple-looking dress morphed into an elegant-looking gown as soon as Charlotte put it on. To prevent others from recognizing her, Charlotte found a piece of whiteced cloth and made it into a face veil to go along with the dress. Her glistering eyes were the only facial feature that was visible to the public. "That''s a brilliant idea! I don''t think they can tell the difference now!" The woman eximed in excitement. "I want you to stay here and wait for me, okay? I''ll return to you once I''m done with the performance." Charlotte urged the injured woman to take care of herself and handed over the purse she had to her. "Please take care of these on my behalf." "Okay!" The woman nodded vigorously because she was thrilled. "Miss, what''s your name? I''m a student at H City Music Academy. My name is Olivia, Olivia Peyton." "My name is Charlotte." As Charlotte introduced herself, they heard the sound of someone knocking on the door. A few secondster, Ms. Goldstein''s deadpan voice could be heard. "Why have you locked the door, Olivia? Are you sure you''re giving up on such a rare opportunity?" Olivia got anxious all of a sudden. She whispered and asked, "What should we do?" "It''s fine! Let''s y along with her!" Charlotte stuffed the first-aid kit behind the partition and told Olivia to stay put until her return. Then, she proceeded to leave with the sheet music. "What the heck are you up to?" When Ms. Goldstein saw Charlotte, she thought the woman in front of her was Olivia. "What''s going on with the face veil? What about your hand?" When she lowered her gaze to check on the performer''s wounds, she noticed the woman in front of her wasn''t injured at all. However, she had a huge scab on the back of her left hand. "Y-You..." Ms. Goldstein was confused. "I''ll be heading over to the stage now." Charlotte strode over to the banquet hall before Ms. Goldstein could grasp the situation. The fierce-looking woman went after her and yelled, "W-Who are you? You better don''t mess up the performance!" Immediately after the violinists'' performance, Charlotte walked up the stage with the sheet music. "H-Hey!" Ms. Goldstein was about to stop Charlotte, but she couldn''t make it in time because the spotlight was switched on once again. She left the stage and stomped her feet anxiously in fear of things getting to the point of no return. After Charlotte bowed at the crowd, she took her seat and started running her fingers across the piano, ying the ssic piano piece by Maksim Mrvica-¡°Croatian Rhapsody." The guests of the banquet were impressed by the ssic piece and turned around to check on the talented pianist on the stage. Every note of the legato music was woven with such beauty as she ran her fingers lightly over the keys, bestowing the ssical piece another chance to shine. The guests of the banquet were bigshots of the upper echelon. As they spent most of their time listening to the performance of world-ss pianists, they could easily tell the good from the bad. Initially, they thought they wouldn''t be surprised since the banquet had invited a bunch of students from several institutions to perform on stage. However, they were thrilled by the pleasant surprise of the world-grade performance that came out of the blue. One of the guests approached Ms. Goldstein and asked, "May I know the name of the pianist who''s performing? Her performance is marvelous!" Ms. Goldstein was dumbstruck for a few seconds. Shortly after she returned to her senses, she inquired, "E-Er... S-She''s a student from a local institution... What do you think of her performance?" "It''s amazing! To be frank, this is a world-ss performance!" The guest couldn''t help but exim because he was utterly overwhelmed. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Huh? Are you serious?" Ms. Goldstein was no expert because she could barely y a musical instrument. Therefore, she was shocked when she received positive feedback from the guest. She nced at the guests in the hall and noticed no one was in a conversation anymore-they couldn''t move their eyes away from the pianist that was on the stage. She heaved a sigh of relief and felt as though a boulder had been lifted off her shoulders. A few secondster, she grinned because things turned out to be fine. I don''t care who she is as long as the show goes on smoothly! Meanwhile, Olivia, who was at the back of the hall, stopped frowning and started bandaging her wounded palm when she heard the melodic tune being yed. In the center of the banquet hall, Zachary, who was surrounded by all sorts of people, turned around and looked in the direction of the stage. He found the pianist on the stage to be familiar, especially her remarkable skills and glistering pair of eyes. Zachary couldn''t help but recall his encounter with a masked Charlotte back when he was in Bar DTT. He couldn''t recognize the woman who was in the bar, but he wouldn''t allow her to deceive him for another time. As he spotted the scab that was on the back of the pianist''s left hand, he knew the woman on the stage was Charlotte because Sharon once stepped on the former''s hand some time ago. Chapter 290 Chapter 290 The melodic tune of the piano echoed in the spacious hall. The guests felt as though they were on cloud nine as the music guided them to a trip down memoryne, back to their carefree days. The guests in the hall paused and indulged themselves, listening to the euphonic tune produced by the skillful pianist. The performance, which was never meant to be the highlight of the banquet, grabbed the attention of the guests as though they were there for an exclusive performance of a renowned pianist. On the other end of the hall, another pair of glistening, aqua blue eyes could be seen staring at Charlotte affectionately. The man seemed to be surprised and delighted at the same time. After Michael indulged himself in the harmonious piece for a short while, he looked elsewhere and headed to the back of the hall to locate Charlotte because he wasn''t aware she was the mysterious pianist. Soon, loud apuse erupted in the banquet hall after the first piece ended. Charlotte got up from the seat and bowed at the audience before continuing with the second piece - Grande valse Brinte in E-t major by Chopin. The euphonic tune of the piece gave off the impression of a deeply in lovedy dancing ballet by the As Charlotte reached the climax of the piece, the guests started swaying rhythmically along with the euphonic tune, smiling because they had a great time enjoying the music. Zachary, who was known for being an indifferent man, had his lips curved upwards, forming a gentle smile. Previously, when he was in the bar, he didn''t have the chance to enjoy the show. He noticed the woman he deemed ignorant wasn''t aplete fool-at least she was a skillful pianist. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. "I don''t get it! What''s so great about it? She''s but an undergraduate from a local music institution! The tune irks me so much!" Sharon murmured while she was by Zachary''s side. "There are only a mere few on this that possess such top-notch skills, yet you''re considering this to be irritating? I guess you''re the one who can''t grasp the concept behind the music!" Zachary remarked sarcastically with a contemptuous look. "N-No, Zachary... 1-1¡ª" "Shoosh!¡± Zachary stopped Sharon because he didn''t want her to ruin the blissful moment anymore. Sharon had no choice but to keep her mouth shut tight as instructed, but she felt frustrated deep down. Meanwhile, Charlotte continued ying the third piece after the second piece. The third piece was Liebestraume by Franz Liszt. Halfway through the prelude of the piece, Charlotte got anxious because she noticed the sheet music had been torn in half. Although she used to y this particr piece, she could barely recall the notes because it had been four years since shest yed the piano. She had long forgotten the notes and couldn''t recall the notes after the prelude. Oh, God! What should I do? She managed to pull it through the prelude, but the sheet music for the postlude was nowhere to be seen. Eventually, she braced herself and started ying ording to the tune she had in her mind. Soon, she noticed something was wrong. Albeit faintly, the audience could detect the error because the current piece was nothing simr to the previous two wless pieces. The guests who had been indulging themselves started frowning in irritation and started whispering to one another. Charlotte couldn''t keep her cool anymore, but when she wondered if she should stop, a pair of slender hands showed up and started ying the piano by her side. The man was on par with Charlotte in terms of skills. Apart from that, he was familiar with the sheet music of the particr piece and didn''t have to refer to the sheet music to recite the piece. Charlotte soon regained the pace under the mysterious man''s guidance. The duo started ying the piano together, waltzing their finger through the keys as though they had known each other for a long time. She was d things turned out to be fine, but when she raised her head and looked at the man by her side, she was shocked. The man was a handsomed with ethereal facial features, including porcin-like skin and a pair of aqua blue, glistering eyes. He emanated a majestic presence, behaving as though he was the prince of a kingdom who had just made his way into the mundane world out of ancient mythology. The man turned around and beamed with pleasure, causing Charlotte''s heart to skip a beat. As she started spacing out, the man gestured her focus on the keys with his chin. She finally returned to her senses and focused intently on ying the piano. Once again, the crowd started apuding the duo for the fantastic performance. In the meantime, Zachary winced at the man''s presence. He stared at the duo on the stage with a frown. Sharon craned over and whispered, "Zachary, is that..." Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Zachary kept quiet at that score and walked away. Meanwhile, the duo finally finished performing the final piece. Charlotte got up from her seat and bowed at the audience. She turned around in an attempt to express her gratitude towards the mysterious man, but he was nowhere to be found anymore. She felt dejected, but she couldn''t care less about it. Immediately after the performance, she returned to the lounge for Olivia in the midst of the audience''s thunderous apuse. Olivia, who had been anticipating Charlotte at the entrance, jumped with joy and denoted, "Charlotte! You''re back! You did a great job! I heard it, and it was nothing less than awesome!" "Thest time I yed a piano was a few years ago! Let''s put that aside and get changed immediately!" Charlotte suggested with a bright grin. "Oh! Yes!" Olivia brought Charlotte to the partition and helped her to get dressed. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. They heard Ms. Goldstein''s gentle voice a few secondster. "Olivia, there a few guests that wish to talk to you. Hurry up and join me after you get changed." Ms. Goldstein was no longer the mean and cruel self after the performance. Olivia panicked and whispered, inquiring Charlotte''s opinion regarding her next best course of action. "What should I do?" Charlotte removed her whiteced dress and suggested, "Since she''s looking for you, you should join her. After you get yourself changed, put on the face veil and pretend as though you were the one who performed on stage." "Huh? That doesn''t sound like a great idea because I''ll have to impersonate you!" Olivia had her doubts, but Charlotte assured her everything would be fine. "Haven''t I been impersonating you ever since half an hour ago?" Charlotte beamed her reply. After she got herself changed, she brought her purse and walked out of the room. Olivia got in Charlotte''s way and stopped her. "Charlotte! Can I have your contact number? I''ll definitely return the favor in the near future!" "Sure." Charlotte departed right after she gave Olivia her contact number. She craned her head to check the surroundings outside of the lounge. Once she ensured no one was around, she let out a sigh of relief. Charlotte had put on the exposing milky white evening gown again. The innocent and elegant-looking pianist was nowhere to be seen anymore. "Charlotte!" A familiar voice could be heard out of the blue. When she turned around, she noticed Michael was right behind her. "Michael? What are you doing here?" Charlotte tiptoed to make sure there wasn''t anyone else behind him-she was afraid of being exposed by others. Michael dashed over in her direction and said, "I''m her because I have something to tell you..." "What is it about?" Charlotte took a step back and put some distance between them. "Follow me, Charlotte!¡± Michael brought her into another empty room and locked the door. "Why have you brought me here? What are we supposed to do if others see us..." "Who are you talking about? Zachary?" Michael asked with a frown and started scrutinizing Charlotte''s exposing outfit. "Was he the one who forced you to put on this disgusting dress?" "You should stop poking your nose into my business! If you''ll excuse me-" Charlotte tried to push him away because he was in her way again. "Why do you want to go out? What sort of business do you have with the guests out there?" Michael pushed her and pinned her to the couch, supporting himself with his straightened arms while he was on top of Charlotte, just like Zachary would every time he got her to spend a night with him. In spite of the simrities between the two men, Michael wasn''t as domineering as Zachary. "Michael, what do you want?" Charlotte was shocked because she was never aware Michael had such an aggressive side. Michael got worked up all of a sudden. He yelled, "Charlotte, I respect your decision, but I couldn''t bear to leave you alone anymore! I don''t get it! Why are you at his mercy? Does he have something that can threaten you? Why don''t you tell me about it? I''ll deal with him on behalf of you!" "N-No..." Charlotte was at a loss for better words to exin her current situation. "If that''s the case, what''s the reason behind it? Look at your dress! l-lt''s..." Michael clenched his fist while grabbing the train of her evening gown. He couldn''t bear to blurt out the humiliating remark he had in his mind. "You''re not who you used to be anymore..." "I know what I''m doing, Michael. Don''t worry about me, okay?" Charlotte whispered and assured Michael, "I''ll regain my freedom soon-" Before she could tell him the n she had in mind, Sharon''s voice could be heard outside of the N?velDrama.Org holds this content. room. "Zachary, I''m a tad bit exhausted. Can we get some rest in the room? Do you mind keeping me