Chapter 36
She opened the message.
Liam had replied: “On Friday, I’ll be accompanying Mr. Weasley to meet a client at Calyx Pavilion. Perhaps Ms.
Whitmore could deliver the suit there.”
Charlotte: What the hell?
The question marks in her brain were practically bursting through her skull.
Zarek wanted to meet her again?
At a hotel, no less!
At an ultra–exclusive hotel where you could scream bloody murder and no one would hear you!
What exactly was Mr. Weasley… planning?
Charlotte didn’t dare speculate, but the ambiguity was infuriating. First he rejects her, then he dangles these cryptic invitations? Make up your mind!
It wasn’t that she was afraid to seize an opportunity–she simply couldn’t read this enigmatic heir’s intentions. She wanted a career, not complicated entanglements or mind games.
After considering for a while, she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine by not responding immediately.
Let him wonder for a change.
In the underground parking garage, Liam sighed as he put his phone back in his pocket.
Though Zarek had said not to force things, Liam suspected his employer’s true feelings were different. He’d seen how Zarek had subtly perked up when Ms. Whitmore’s name appeared in that candidate list. Moreover, Rex had mentioned that Ms. Whitmore had actively sought the position. There must be some misunderstanding between them, which is why he’d… taken this initiative.
They could only work things out face–to–face.
But Ms. Whitmore was being just as stubborn as his employer…
The Bentley exited the complex, passing a Ferrari coming from the opposite direction.
Issac parked on the street outside the complex.
Calls unanswered, messages ignored–he was seething with barely controlled rage.
Soon, the resident list for Orchard Gardens that he’d requested was sent to his phone.
What shocked him first wasn’t seeing Charlotte’s name, but that the penthouse resident in the same building was… Zarek Weasley?
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The Weasley heir?
Issac had heard rumors of Zarek’s return to the country.
The Weasley family had always been discreet power players in New York, with family members rarely appearing in the public eye. Zarek and Issac didn’t move in the same circles, though they’d met a few times–at parties when they were teenagers, where Zarek had stood aloof like a statue carved from white jade.
Charlotte had secretly bought an apartment in the same building as this Weasley heir… Could there be a connection?
Was it coincidence?
He couldn’t help recalling the scene at the golf course, his gut twisting with jealous rage.
After two hours, Charlotte drove out of the complex and spotted the familiar Ferrari. She slammed on the brakes.
Issac was smoking, white wisps curling around his sharp features.
His expression was murderous.
Charlotte’s brain went into overdrive.
In the brief time it took to drive toward him, she’d formulated her strategy.
She got out of her car, opened his passenger door, and slid in. Taking control of the conversation, she demanded coldly, “What are you doing here? Are you stalking me now?”
Issac grabbed his phone from the dashboard and tossed it onto her lap. “Explain this.”
Charlotte picked it up and saw the Orchard Gardens resident list on the screen.
She calmly returned the phone. “I’ve worked my ass off for years. What’s wrong with buying myself an apartment? I paid the down payment with my own money, not a penny of yours.”
Issac’s gaze intensified, refusing to be distracted. “Don’t play smart with me, Charlotte. Is this about money? Why did you buy a place? Why keep it secret from me?”
“I didn’t see the need to tell you,” she replied with barely concealed irritation. “I wanted something that truly belonged to me, in my name only. Is that so outrageous?”
Back when they’d gotten together, his family had accused her of being after their money, forcing her to a prenuptial agreement.
Issac was momentarily stunned, then laughed bitterly. “All these years, when have I ever been stingy with you? The jewelry I’ve given you–isn’t that worth more than some crappy apartment?”
Charlotte remained silent, her jaw clenched.
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Issac pulled out his wallet and haphazardly extracted several gold and black cards, tossing them to her. “You want to buy property? Buy all you want. Put everything in your damn name. Buy until you’re happy.”
Charlotte laughed without humor. “How generous of you, Mr. Wood.”
Perhaps she should focus on the money and continue enduring his betrayal, becoming a numb cash–collecting
machine.
It didn’t sound half bad.
But she couldn’t resign herself to a life of numb resignation.
Charlotte picked up the fallen wallet and carefully returned the cards one by one. “I don’t need any more property right now. I’ll ask when I do.”
She placed the wallet on his thigh. As she withdrew her hand, Issac caught it, turning to look at her. “Have you lost
faith in me?”
You’re just realizing this now?
Charlotte found this man both infuriating and almost pitiable in his obliviousness. She smiled, a bright smile tinged with mockery. “Faith? Trust? As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters, right?”
She pulled her hand away.
Just then, her phone rang.
Charlotte tensed. Had Liam called because she hadn’t responded to his message?
Issac noticed her slight nervousness, his gaze sharpening again. “You ignore my calls, but you won’t answer someone else’s either? Who the hell is it?”
Charlotte had no choice but to take out her phone.
The screen displayed “Mrs. Jones.”
His mother…
Seeing it was his mother calling, Issac relaxed. “Go ahead, answer it.”
Charlotte guessed that with just days remaining, her mother–in–law was worried she might back out of their
agreement.
She answered, her voice mechanical, “I’m with your son right now. Would you like to speak with him first?”
This prompt caused Amanda Jones to swallow whatever she’d been about to say. “No need. I just wanted to ask if you still want that handbag you liked last time.”
“Of course. All my bags are being serviced, so I’m short on options.”
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“Good. Come pick it up then.”
“Thank you.”
The call ended after this robotic exchange.
Issac looked suspicious. “When did you two become so friendly?”
Charlotte countered, “Isn’t that a good thing? Would you prefer we were at each other’s throats? Or wait–would that give you some weird thrill?”
This woman was expert at redirecting conversations and obscuring the real issue.
Issac’s anger had substantially subsided. When he’d shown her the resident list, he’d carefully observed her expression. She hadn’t looked at Zarek’s name, and her subsequent reactions had focused entirely on being caught buying an apartment. Her living in the same building as Zarek was probably just coincidence.
She was just having a little tantrum, secretly doing something outside his control.
Thinking herself so independent by buying a small apartment with her own money.
Harmless rebellion.
His property was trying to establish some autonomy, but he could easily rein her back in. No one took what belonged to him–not her freedom, not her body, not her future.
“I’ll drive you home,” he started the car.
“But my car…”
“I’ll have someone drive it back for you.”
Issac locked the doors, leaving no room for refusal or resistance, and drove away, a possessive hand resting heavily on her thigh.
Charlotte spent the remaining days with extreme caution.
She didn’t step foot outside the house once.
Meanwhile, she mentally prepared for Issac’s reaction when he discovered the divorce, running through various scenarios in her mind. The knot in her stomach tightened each time she imagined the confrontation.
Initially, he would explode with rage–that much was certain.
Which is why she didn’t plan to confront his anger head–on. She’d travel first, giving him a genuine cooling–off period. The thought of escaping, even temporarily, gave her a sense of relief she hadn’t felt in months.
If things went as expected, he would eventually accept it. After all, his precious Evelyn would demand official status.
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With Charlotte leaving quietly without drama, he should be secretly relieved.
“One more thing,” Summer warned her over the phone. “Be careful with your mother–in–law. She’s been making suspicious moves lately. I’m worried she’s planning something nasty.”
“Don’t worry. Until the divorce is finalized, she’s afraid I’ll back out. She’ll keep playing nice,” Charlotte replied, though a flicker of unease passed through her.
Charlotte tried to sound confident despite her nervousness.
Amanda Jones was probably spreading rumors that her son had broken up with Charlotte and would marry into the Grantham family. Let it be–Charlotte didn’t care anymore.
The finish line was in sight.
Friday afternoon, after booking her flight to Iceland, Charlotte received another call from Amanda.
It had been three days since their last conversation.
She knew Amanda had something to discuss but hadn’t called her first. Every interaction with her mother–in–law left Charlotte feeling slightly nauseous.
Charlotte answered, her voice carefully neutral, “Hello, Mrs. Jones.”
“We need to meet to finalize an agreement,” Amanda stated without preamble.
“Your lawyer can handle that with mine,” Charlotte replied, not hiding her reluctance.
“Charlotte, I’ve raised the offer from $10 million to $15 million, and you still give me attitude when I ask you to come sign some paperwork? You must come in person today. I’m waiting at Calyx Pavilion. The hotel is private–no one will see us.”
Calyx Pavilion?
Charlotte recalled Liam’s message, her heart skipping a beat.
Zarek was also at Calyx Pavilion today. Why was everyone meeting there? The coincidence made her deeply uneasy.
