When Charlotte didn’t respond, Amanda cleared her throat. “Seven o’clock tonight. If you don’t show, we’re sticking with the original $10 million compensation.”
With that, she hung up without waiting for an answer.
Charlotte stared at her phone screen, anxiety and suspicion battling within her.
She recalled Summer’s warning… would Amanda really try something this close to the finish line?
Her relationship with Amanda had always been cold and hostile. From the beginning, Amanda had looked down on Charlotte’s family background, repeatedly interfering during their courtship. After marriage, she’d forbidden Charlotte from moving into the Wood family home for four years. Even during holiday meals, Amanda’s words were icy, filled with mockery and contempt.
But beyond that, she hadn’t done anything else significant.
This meeting was probably just meant to keep Charlotte in line and finalize the settlement agreement. Still, something felt off.
While Charlotte was still debating whether to go, Liam sent another text an hour later: “Ms. Whitmore, have you made a decision about our arrangement?”
“T
11
Charlotte pressed her lips together, suppressing a sigh.
He was following up now? Great timing.
If it weren’t so impolite, she would have given the suit to the building manager to deliver, since Zarek lived just upstairs from her.
After much consideration, ignoring his message seemed rude, and alienating Zarek wouldn’t do her any favors. At this point, she had a whatever–happens–happens attitude toward the job prospect.
Maybe she could return the suit and meet with Amanda afterward?
Having decided, she texted Liam back: “That works for me. What time would be convenient?”
Liam quickly replied: “Eight o’clock.”
Charlotte applied light makeup, changed clothes, and headed to her parents‘ house.
A few days ago, when Issac had ambushed her outside the apartment complex, she’d realized she was being followed. She’d also noticed a suspicious car outside the mansion these past few days, confirming her suspicions.
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Shortly after she drove away, Issac called. “Taking a nap?”
Ha, trying to trap her in a lie.
Charlotte mentally scoffed but kept her voice neutral, though her irritation leaked through. “Driving. Going to my parents‘ place.”
“To deliver the suit?”
“…Yes,” she replied flatly.
Charlotte glanced at the suit on the passenger seat.
Satisfied she wasn’t lying, Issac ended the call, but instructed his surveillance team to continue monitoring her at
her in–laws‘ home.
Charlotte arrived at her parents‘ residential community.
Both were retired university professors. When she arrived, her father was out. Her mother, Elaine Holland, was surprised to see her at this hour. “No work today?”
“Took the day off. Slight cold,” Charlotte touched her throat and added a few convincing coughs.
“You don’t take care of yourself. Look how thin your face has gotten. Is Issac treating you badly?” Elaine stroked her daughter’s cheek tenderly.
A mother’s intuition – no matter how Charlotte tried to hide it, her mother sensed something was wrong.
“If he doesn’t treat me right, I’ll dump him,” Charlotte joked, though there was truth behind her light tone.
Elaine fell silent at this, her eyes troubled.
Charlotte changed the subject, feeling a rare sense of comfort in her mother’s presence. She planned to tell them about the divorce only after everything was settled, sparing them unnecessary worry.
After dinner with her parents, she changed clothes and told them she was meeting a friend and would return to spend the night.
In the elevator, she put on a mask and hat, then left the complex right under the watchful eyes of Issac’s spy.
She arrived at Calyx Pavilion shortly before seven.
The exterior was classically styled, while the interior exuded understated luxury.
Charlotte left the suit at the front desk, then called Amanda to announce her arrival.
Someone soon came to escort her, leading her through a maze of corridors to a private room, opening the door for
her.
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Charlotte entered, her guard immediately up.
It was a tea room, fragrant with incense – a mixture of tea and jasmine permeating the air.
Amanda wore a designer Chanel dress in deep emerald green with expensive diamond earrings and a matching necklace, exuding old–money elegance as she sat waiting like a queen granting an audience.
“Sit,” she motioned with her chin.
“You mentioned signing a settlement agreement. Where is it?” Charlotte got straight to the point, not interested in pleasantries or power plays.
“What’s the rush? Have some tea first. Let’s talk,” Amanda replied with false sweetness.
Charlotte raised a suspicious eyebrow, her patience already wearing thin.
She eyed the tea in front of her, picking up the cup to examine it carefully. “This isn’t poisoned, is it?”
Amanda scoffed. “If you’re worried about poison, don’t drink it.”
Charlotte set down the cup and pushed it away. “Better not, indeed.”
17
11
www
Amanda gave a contemptuous smile, about to launch into another insult. “That’s what happens when you come
from common-”
“Enough with the tired clichés. Aren’t you bored with them by now? If there’s business to discuss, let’s discuss it. Skip
the condescending bullshit,” Charlotte cut her off sharply.
Amanda’s face turned ashen with rage.
She took out the agreement and pushed it across the table. “Sign it.”
Charlotte picked it up and examined it page by page, her legal experience from working with corporate contracts alerting her that something wasn’t right.
A simple compensation agreement should fit on one page, yet this one stretched to over ten pages, filled with unnecessary verbiage–clearly designed to discourage careful reading.
After finishing, she put it down casually, though inside she was increasingly suspicious. “I need to review this with my lawyer. I’ll give you an answer by noon tomorrow.”
“If you have concerns, tell me now. I can make changes.”
“If I request changes, you’ll make them? Then why don’t I draft a new version?” Charlotte challenged, testing Amanda’s reaction.
“Absolutely not. It must be done my way,” Amanda’s face hardened instantly.
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Charlotte leaned back leisurely, though her mind was racing. “Didn’t you just say you could make changes? Now you say it must be your way? Which is it?”
Amanda: “I mean you must sign today before you leave.”
Charlotte didn’t show anger, though alarm bells were ringing in her head.
She pretended to consider it further. “How about this–I’ll step out to call my lawyer. If she says there are no issues, I’ll sign immediately.”
She stood up, taking the contract, and walked out.
Once outside, she quickly strode away without looking back, her heart pounding. She needed to get out of there.
She had a very bad feeling about this. Some of the clauses buried in those pages had made her skin crawl. For instance, one stated: “If the party engages in improper relations with a member of the opposite sex prior to divorce, the agreement is automatically void.”
On the surface, it seemed reasonable, but upon reflection, it was terrifying…
She hadn’t had improper relations with anyone, but such things could be fabricated. Was that what Amanda was planning?
She had overestimated Amanda’s conscience.
In the tea room, Amanda took out her phone and made a call. “She’s left with the agreement. Evelyn, are you sure you can help me avoid paying this settlement?”
“Don’t worry, Aunt Amanda. I’ve arranged everything. I guarantee the Woods won’t pay a cent, and she’ll never dare try to extort you again.”
“Wonderful. You’re so capable, Evelyn. I’ll leave it to you then.”
“No problem, Aunt Amanda. Leave it to me.”
They both hung up.
Amanda took a satisfied sip of tea, feeling relieved and content.
The thought of being able to announce the Wood–Grantham merger at her charity gala tomorrow night without any complications made her happy.
As for that wretched Charlotte–hmph, though she didn’t know what tricks Evelyn had planned, it would be good to teach her a lesson.
Meanwhile, Evelyn clutched her phone, her eyes gleaming with malice.
Tonight would be Charlotte Whitmore’s death sentence!
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