Chapter 72
“Poe’t get so worked up. I just want to strengthen mit telationship, Aunties –
Evelyn’s weak voice carried an undercurrent of chilling malice, “After all, I’ll eventually join the Wood family, calling you Mother In’t that right.
She used the sweetest tone possible.
Amanda Telt ice spreading through her veins.
She had the teste premonition that she’d been latched onte by an evil spatit–one that would wreak have on her son and the entire Wood fly
She never should have welcomed this demon!
She regretted it deeply
But it was too late now.
Tive days later.
Charlotte’s leg had almost completely healed.
These days had been suspiciously quiet
Issar hadn’t come to bother her
Of course, with the viral posts, he was likely overwhelmed dealing with the publicly humiliated Evelyn and the Grantham family, who were surely hounding him.
She had mentally prepared for trouble from them. After her call with Summer that day, she worried that since the Granthams couldn’t reach her in Zarek’s building they might go after her parents instead.
The more she thought about it, the more concerned she became. Not taking any chances, she called her father that night and suggested he take her mother to visit her grandmother for a few days.
Ostensibly to check on the elderly woman, but actually to keep them safely out of the way.
Father and daughter didn’t say much on the call.
Summer had already explained the situation to them. Questions worries, and concerns were all temporary suspended in silence.
Robert simply told her to take good care of herself
Despite her thorough preparations, nothing happened–no disturbances at the complex, no one showing up at her parents home, not even a harassing phone call.
Yet the social media uproar hadn’t died down at all.
Were they planning something big?
Or perhaps were they still intimidated by Zarek?
Was his standing up for her once at the charity gala enough to create such a lasting deterrent?
Speaking of Zarek, since she’d moved in temporarily, he hadn’t appeared at all. Even Liam stayed in the staff quarters, only emerging in the kitchen or dining room at mealtimes.
They were clearly avoiding any appearance of impropriety
Sometimes, this man was truly a thought gentleman
Early evening
Chapter 72
Charlotte food Liam in the kachen preparing dinner
Shr
e went in to help, causally chatting with him
Liam, where his Mr. Weasley been staying these past few dapor
“The boss isn’t homeless,” Liam chuckled. “This place is just his temporary residence, convenient because it’s close on the office in m apartment for you, be’s gone home to stay with his parents, who’ve been wanting to see him anyway”
Charlette nodded in understanding.
“Home” naturally meant the Weasley family residence.
Liam seemed to remember something interesting and leaned in compiratorially. “Actually, there’s an important reason his parents wasted bum
home.”
Charlotte played along, “What important reason?”
“Blind dates.”
Zarek Weasley needs blind dates?
“As the eldest son, his marriage is a top priority for the entire family. They pushed the issue when he was home for the holidays last year. He even agreed to meet several young ladies from prominent families, but nothing came of it. He was primarily working in London then, so be lett aber 11 holidays and his mother couldn’t do much about it. Now that he’s back in New York, there’s no escape.
“So even he can’t avoid being pressured about marriage like ordinary people.”
Charlotte found this oddly fascinating.
She’d always imagined that mundane matters like blind dates and marriage pressure were beneath someone like Zarek, who seemed to different plane–mysterious, aloof, almost otherworldly.
Liam sighed: “The young master is just naturally reserved, especially when it comes to romantic matters.”
Is that so?
What about Clive Waldorf, with whom he clearly had a complicated history?
Though Zarek himself had said he didn’t like women (and might even prefer men, she couldn’t believe there was something between them, giv Olivia’s behavior.
Most likely, they had been in love, but for some unspeakable reason, Zarek had unilaterally ended things, while Olivia still loved him deeply. Perhaps deep down, Zarek still cared too, but enjoyed tormenting her, finding satisfaction in watching her suffer..
Charlotte kept these speculations to herself offering a safe response “Don’t worry. Fate has a way of working these things out. The next society daughter he meets might just capture his heart.”
Iomen
Tll take that as a good om
The moment she finished speaking, a cool, resonant voice came from the doorway.
Charlotte startled and turned to see Zarek standing there.
Oh God, how long had he been there?
When did he arrive?
How nach had be heard?
Liam also couldn’t meet his employer’s eyes. The usually discreet man had been caught gossiping the one time he indulged in
Both felt extremely awkward being caught discussing their boss behind his back
Zarek gave them a cool look “Don’t bother cooking. Just grab a chair and some popcorn, and go chat at the building entrance.”
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Chapter 72
Charlotte
Liany
He certainly knew how to use saprati
Zarek looked away and left the kitchen doorway
Charlotte thought for a mosent, then followed him all the way to his study.
He went inside, emerged a few minutes later with some items in hand.
He headed straight for the exit, clearly not intending to stay.
arted out. “Oh—by the way, dinner’s As he was about to reach the door, Charlotte spoke up, initially planning to apologize, but in her haste, the Marted out almost ready. Are you staying to eat?”
Zarek half turned, his beautiful eyes crinkling with a sardonic smile as he met her gaze. “I’ll pass Busy with blind dates. Who knows, I might find that destined soulmate you mentioned.”
Charlotte was speechless.”
Zare left without looking back
Charlotte deflated
Did he have to be so petty? She mentally reviewed everything she’d said, which had all been perfectly normal, just well wishes.
Liam emerged from the kitchen “Don’t worry about it. The boss isn’t really that thin–skinned. He’ll forget all about it in a day or two. Come and ext.”
Charlotte wasn’t nearly as optimistic.
But what could she do?
She was discovering that offending him was as easy as breathing one careless moment and she’d done it again.
Charlotte had little appetite for dinner.
Halfway through the meal, her phone rang. To her surprise, it was Howard Wood, Issac’s father.
She could easily hang up on Amanda.
She could block lisac without hesitation.
But Howard…
Perhaps because his attitude toward her had always been reasonably kind and appropriately paternal, plus his position as the Chairman of Harmonex, she still maintained a certain respect for him.
After considering for a few seconds, she put down her chopsticks and answered. “Hello, Chairman.”
She had always addressed him thas way, both in public and at the Wood home–respectful but distant
They’d never welcomed her calling them “Mom” and “Dad,” and she wouldn’t demean herself by trying
“Charlotte, you and Issac need to sit down and have a calm, rational conversation. Avoiding him won’t so anything. Come home tomorrow evening Howard’s voice was gentle but carried an unmistakable tone of authority that brooked no argument.
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