Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Charlotte picked up her remaining yellow discs.
Connect Four typically ended with a single winner, but Evelyn, unable to accept defeat and desperate to save face, resorted to cheating. “Okay fine, you won first, but I also got four in a row, so I win too!”
She forcefully placed another red disc next to her row of three.
“…” Charlotte stared at her with mocking disdain. “Well then, I guess I can just keep going too.”
She placed another yellow disc on the board and promptly collected another row of four.
In the next minute, she systematically cleared almost every potential winning position on the board, blocking Evelyn at every turn with barely concealed boredom.
Evelyn’s face cycled between red and white with humiliation as she demanded another game.
Second game. Third game. Fourth game….
Charlotte either toyed with her, slowly dismantling her strategy with an air of detached amusement, or went for quick, brutal victories in just a few moves, treating her like a child who’d never played before.
Evelyn broke down in tears.
“That’s enough!”
Issac snatched the disc holder from Charlotte’s hand, his expression frighteningly cold.
Seeing Issac take her side, Evelyn threw herself into his arms, sobbing as if Charlotte had brutally bullied
her.
Issac comforted her, and Amanda rushed over to console her as well, simultaneously turning on Charlotte. “It’s just a damn game! What’s wrong with you? This is what happens when you’re raised in the gutter–small–minded and pathetically jealous about everything!”
Their voices faded to background noise in Charlotte’s ears.
Issac’s face before her seemed to blur like an old photograph. The man who once shone so brilliantly in her heart had become a distorted, gray figure she barely recognized.
Whatever.
20.5%
Chapter 24
Twenty more days.
Let him do what he wanted.
She carelessly tossed her remaining discs onto the board and stood up, cold indifference written across
her face as she walked away.
A few drops of blood fell onto the game board. Only when she reached the hallway did she notice the cool sensation on her fingers–without realizing it, she had dug her nails so deeply into her palms they had
drawn blood.
“Charlotte!”
Issac called after her, his voice finally betraying some concern.
He moved to follow her, but Evelyn clung tightly to his waist, crying even harder.
Charlotte left the Wood estate.
On the drive, her phone kept ringing with calls from Issac. She blocked his number.
Then she sent a text to her mother–in–law: $15 MILLION! Not a penny less, or I’ll make you regret the day you were born!
Amanda nearly had a heart attack when she saw the message.
***
Charlotte drove aimlessly.
Outside, the sky had darkened without her noticing, and rain began to fall. Her thoughts scattered like the raindrops on her windshield.
Suddenly, a flash of yellow caught her eye as a motorcycle swerved in front of her car., Startled, she slammed on the brakes.
The next second–CRASH!
Something rammed into her from behind, the impact sending her forehead smashing into the steering
wheel.
Sharp pain radiated from her temple.
When she looked up, the rain–blurred world appeared blood–red.
She grabbed a tissue and quickly wiped the blood from her eyes.
20.8%
Chapter 24
She’d been rear–ended, and the yellow motorcycle that had cut her off was nowhere to be seen.
Knock, knock-
Someone tapped on her window.
Charlotte lowered it to find a distinguished–looking man in his fifties wearing glasses, standing under a black umbrella with an apologetic expression. “Miss, I’m responsible for hitting your car. We accept full liability. My employer is in a hurry–could we exchange contact information? You can send us a list of damages later, and I promise we’ll cover everything.”
“I’d prefer to let the police handle this.”
Charlotte’s mood, already terrible, had been pushed to its limit by these successive shocks.
She got out of the car and walked to the back to see her Mercedes had been dented by the Bentley behind her. Frowning, she took photos for evidence and called the police.
Seeing her insistence, the man didn’t argue but returned to the car to report. “Sir, the young lady wants the police involved…”
The rain fell harder.
The windshield wipers pushed away the rainwater only for it to be immediately replaced. Inside the Bentley, a man lounged casually, watching the woman outside who was covering her forehead while making a call. Despair seemed to envelop her completely. Her white shirt was soaked through by the rain, droplets clung to her thick eyelashes before falling onto her red lips…
“Sir?” Liam Morgan called.
The man lowered his cool gaze to check his watch. “Rex is on his way. I’ll leave first; you stay and handle
this.”
“Yes, sir.”
Charlotte returned to her car.
Soon the police arrived, followed by a silver Maybach.
Both vehicles stopped almost simultaneously.
She got out.
From the other car emerged not only the older gentleman but also a tall, elegant man with aristocratic features–pale skin and deep–set, intense eyes. Sensing her gaze, he glanced at her, his sharp eyes projecting an intimidating aura.
21.0%
Chapter 24
TIM
That feeling seemed so familiar…
“Give her this.”
The man handed the suit jacket draped over his arm to Liam and walked to the Maybach without looking
back.
Liam hurried over to Charlotte with the jacket. “Miss, your clothes are wet. Please, put this on.”
Charlotte looked down at herself, suddenly realizing her white shirt was completely soaked through, her
underwear nearly visible.
She awkwardly accepted the jacket and put it on. “Thank you.”
Liam spoke quietly with the police while the Maybach smoothly pulled away. Charlotte caught only a fleeting glimpse of the man’s striking profile.
The jacket still held its owner’s warmth, and a subtle sandalwood scent dispelled the chill of the rain.
The police presented their assessment, which both parties accepted. They exchanged contact information, and Liam offered to accompany her to the hospital for her forehead injury.
Charlotte politely declined. Her mood had calmed, and she apologized for her initial reaction, explaining she’d been having a bad day. “I’ll have the jacket cleaned and couriered back to you.”
Liam didn’t insist it was unnecessary–knowing his employer’s tempekebabt, the man would likely never wear it again even if returned–but graciously accepted.
Charlotte went to the hospital alone.
Meanwhile, unable to reach her by phone and worried about the storm, Issac was imagining worst–case
scenarios.
Just then, he received news of her accident.
14:38
