Chapter 27
Issac glanced at the metal bin billowing thick black smoke and looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Why the hell are you burning garbage? Normal people just throw it away.”
Charlotte’s smile was cold. “Burning leaves nothing behind.”
Issac frowned.
They stood in the yard without speaking as the last sliver of daylight was swallowed by darkness.
Friday morning, the auto shop called–her car was fixed.
After picking it up, Charlotte was about to call Liam when she remembered the jacket situation.
She’d promised to clean and return it…
After some thought, she called Liam, first informing him that her car was repaired. When sending the repair invoice and cost details, she added a question at the end: “By the way, I need your boss’s height, weight, and measurements. All of them.”
She asked for specifics because the suit had been a set–she wanted to buy a replacement that would match his pants. The man had kindly lent her his jacket; she couldn’t just leave him with mismatched pieces. Better to buy the whole suit.
Charlotte waited quite a while but received no response.
Perhaps the older gentleman didn’t know those details and needed to ask?
She didn’t dwell on it.
At the next intersection, Charlotte received a call from the finance manager who needed to verify some
data.
With her forehead wound nearly healed, she headed to the office.
Having been absent for so many days, everyone in the project department rushed to check on her when she appeared.
She hadn’t told them about her resignation yet. She genuinely felt bad–her departure meant they’d have to adjust to a new boss all over again.
Charlotte visited the finance department, then spent the rest of the day in her office clearing the backlog of work. By afternoon, she had finished drafting her resignation letter, planning to give it to Issac before
hrashiddon Doct
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leaving.
But before the workday ended, she overheard something nauseating while getting water from the break
room.
“Did you hear? Little Miss Grantham from Ansonic Global started working here today. The CEO’s got her set up right in his office.”
“Are the Woods and Granthams planning a merger through marriage?”
“But what about Ms. Whitmore? She’s the CEO’s girlfriend, right? What’s gonna happen to her?”
”
11
Everyone fell silent, exchanging glances before the gossip resumed in hushed tones: “That Grantham girl has zero shame,” “Poor Ms. Whitmore,” “Men are such trash,” and “The CEO’s got the emotional depth of a
puddle.”
Charlotte stood outside, listening quietly.
Finally, she returned to her office with an empty cup, sat in her chair staring into space, then picked up her printed resignation letter and headed upstairs.
Better to end this sooner rather than later.
When she reached the executive floor, Ronald rushed to intercept her, looking extremely nervous. “Ms. Whitmore! The CEO is in a, uh, important meeting. Really bad timing!”
Charlotte nodded with understanding and turned as if to leave. When Ronald relaxed, she suddenly changed direction, moving gracefully but swiftly.
She grabbed the door handle, turned it, and pushed forcefully.
Sometimes Charlotte hated herself.
She’d already decided to leave this man, so why bother confronting him? Why deliberately seek out more pain and disgust? But humans are slaves to their emotions, and sometimes she just couldn’t help herself.
“Ahh-!”
A shriek rang out from the office.
Evelyn, wrapped only in a towel, was clinging to Issac’s back. The sudden door opening had given her a
real shock.
The smile on Issac’s face froze.
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Ronald looked like he wanted to die, covering his eyes. “Ms. Whitmore, it’s not–I mean–Miss Grantham was just moving some files and got sweaty, so she… she just took a shower. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea, which is why I-”
Charlotte’s eyes flicked toward Ronald, part sympathetic, part disgusted. “Wow, Ronald. Top of your class at Princeton, and now you’re moonlighting as their pimp. Career goals.”
She turned her attention back to the room and walked in.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Evelyn straightened up, adjusting her towel. “Bursting into the CEO’s office like you own the place! You’re just some nobody manager. Guess what? You’re fired–don’t bother showing your face tomorrow!”
Charlotte ignored her completely, walking straight to the desk. She placed down her resignation letter and spoke directly to Issac as if they were alone in the room. “As I mentioned before, I’m resigning. I’ve got a trip to plan, so today’s my last day. I’ll swing by later to handle the transition details.”
Issac could barely meet her eyes. “Whatever you want.”
Charlotte: “Perfect.”
She glanced contemptuously at Evelyn, then back at Issac. “Don’t let me interrupt your… business meeting.”
She turned to leave, her sarcasm hanging in the air.
She hadn’t taken two steps before Evelyn’s shrill voice rang out behind her. “Whether we continue or not is none of your business! Who do you think you are? Issac doesn’t love you anymore–he loves ME now. For so many nights, we’ve been-”
“Shut up!” Issac shouted.
Charlotte took a deep breath.
She stiffened her back and turned around. “No, let her finish. I’m curious just how classless a Grantham heiress can get.” She lifted her gaze to Evelyn. “Loved or not, you’re still just the side piece. And the fact that I could walk through that door means I can destroy both your reputations with one phone call. Remember that, sweetheart.”
“You BITCH!”
Evelyn lunged at Charlotte in a rage.
Without hesitation, Charlotte slapped her hard across the face. When Evelyn tried to retaliate, Charlotte yanked the towel completely off her and shoved her to the floor, not bothering with another word.
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Before she could lower her hand, a powerful force pulled her away.
She lost her balance and stumbled backward, her lower back slamming hard against the corner of the
desk.
The pain was so intense that cold sweat broke out instantly, and she couldn’t even make a sound.
