Chapter 39
“BANG-
The door flew open with explosive force.
The needle poised to plunge into Charlotte’s thigh froze mid–air.
The room full of predators turned toward the door in terror. They tried to run but only made it a few steps before black–suited security personnel tackled them to the ground, dragging them out like dead dogs. The scene was chaos–screaming, howling, some with towels fallen off, crawling naked across the floor in a truly disturbing spectacle.
The security team worked with ruthless efficiency.
No one dared look toward the bed.
The female manager who had accompanied the security team immediately covered Charlotte with clothing, untied her bound hands, and checked her condition before stepping outside to report.
Outside the door, Zarek’s expression was glacial, though he fought to maintain his composure. “How is she?”
The manager replied: “We arrived just in time. She’s physically unharmed, but she seems disoriented–likely from
shock.”
Zarek entered the room, his rage barely contained beneath his controlled exterior.
Inside was quiet.
The woman on the bed was huddled beneath his coat, her waterfall of hair a tangled mess. Her face was pale, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, her body trembling uncontrollably. She looked like a rose crushed in a blizzard–beauty in utter devastation.
The murderous fury that had driven him here suddenly softened. All he wanted now was to comfort her, to make her smile again instead of looking so broken.
Bending down, he lightly touched her cheek with his fingertips.
To his surprise, she leaned into his touch, her face seeking the warmth of his palm.
“1
11
Zarek froze, his heart accelerating unexpectedly.
As he moved to withdraw his hand, her beautiful eyes slowly opened. She gazed up at him, her expression shifting from bewildered to heartbreakingly vulnerable–like a wounded fawn taking its last breaths in the forest.
Something stirred in his chest. He reached out with his other hand and gently stroked her hair. “You’re safe now. No
11:23
The Moment I Let Go My Uncle: Escaping the Forbidden Past.
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Chapter 39
one will hurt you anymore.”
“Mmm…”
Charlotte suddenly began to cry, tears rolling one after another into his palm like falling pearls.
“Don’t cry…” Zarek spoke softly, surprised by his own tenderness. He had little experience comforting others, but seeing her this way awakened something protective in him. His attempts to stop her tears only made her cry harder.
Her sobs carried into the hallway, affecting even Liam who stood outside.
The hotel manager hadn’t left yet. Liam turned to her and said firmly, “Not a word of tonight’s events leaves this hotel. If any rumors surface, we’ll assume they came from your establishment.”
The manager hastily promised absolute confidentiality.
She couldn’t afford to offend someone of Mr. Weasley’s standing and influence. That he wasn’t holding the hotel responsible for the incident was already a blessing–the last thing she would do was speak of it.
Zarek carried Charlotte out through a private exit, acutely aware of her weight in his arms, her vulnerability, and his own unexpected reactions.
On the way to the hospital, Charlotte continued crying.
Her tears seemed to have no end, wave after wave soaking the front of his shirt completely.
He was at a loss, unused to such raw emotion.
Yet he couldn’t simply abandon her in her disoriented state, so he let her sit on his lap, holding her the entire time, allowing her to nestle against him. His heart raced at their proximity, another unfamiliar sensation.
This continued for over half an hour.
He went through an entire pack of tissues wiping her tears and nose, his movements gentle and careful.
Finally, she had cried herself out.
Afterward, she rested quietly against his shoulder, eyes closed, seemingly asleep. Despite the circumstances, Zarek found himself noticing the delicate curve of her cheekbone, the length of her eyelashes.
As they rounded a curve, momentum pushed her face forward, pressing against his neck, her soft lips inadvertently brushing his Adam’s apple…
Zarek held his breath, his pulse jumping.
With an outwardly calm demeanor, he gently repositioned her head, though part of him didn’t want to.
When they reached the hospital, Liam was surprised. “Sir, why is your face so red? Are you feeling hot?”
“…You talk too much.”
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Chapter 39
Zarek gave him a cool look, uncomfortable with being so transparent.
Liam was confused.
Why was he suddenly irritated?
They had come to a private hospital and called ahead. Nurses were waiting at the entrance. As soon as Zareks car pulled up, they took Charlotte and wheeled her away for examination.
At 12:30 AM.
In the hospital room.
Charlotte emerged from her haze.
Turning her head to one side, she saw Zarek sitting beside the bed.
His shirt was wrinkled, sleeves rolled up, the top three buttons undone–casual, as if he’d just run a marathon in his
formal wear.
“Mr. Weasley,” she said, her voice hoarse and nasal, but filled with sincere gratitude.
“Do you remember what happened?” Zarek asked, his voice deliberately controlled and calm.
“…Yes, I do.”
Charlotte gave him a bitter smile.
From the moment she was attacked until he rescued her, she’d been confused but not completely unconscious.
“Thank you! Truly! I can’t thank you enough!” Her eyes shone with genuine emotion. “I’ll find a way to repay you someday, I promise. If you hadn’t intervened…” She couldn’t finish the thought.
Zarek studied her with deep eyes, firmly on her side now. “I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to
hear first?”
“Both, please.”
“The good news is you weren’t violated, and that drug needle never went in. The injection in the hallway was just a sedative–it won’t cause lasting harm. As for the bad news…” he paused, tempering his anger, “your boyfriend
orchestrated this whole thing.”
“I know…”
Charlotte lowered her eyes, her hands twisting the bedsheet tightly.
Zarek offered no judgment on her emotions. “You being there tonight was partly my responsibility. I still have those men detained. Do you want to press charges, or handle this privately? I can help you either way.”
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“You’ve already helped me so much,” Charlotte looked up with determination. “I’ll handle the rest myself, but I won’t forget what you’ve done. Somehow, I’ll repay this debt.”
“Are you sure you don’t need help?” he asked, concerned for her safety.
“I already owe you an enormous debt. I can’t owe more that I can’t repay.”
Zarek laughed softly in surprise, admiring her resilience.
Just then, a phone on the table began ringing.
It was Charlotte’s.
He handed it to her.
Charlotte saw it was her father calling.
It was nearly 1 AM. Her parents were concerned that she hadn’t returned yet. Though she was an adult, they still
worried.
Charlotte cleared her throat before answering, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. “Dad.”
“Charlotte, where are you?”
“I’m… out with friends at a club.” She kept her tone light, determined not to worry them.
“You’re not coming home? Your mother won’t go to sleep–she’s worried. Come home soon.”
“I will. I’m on my way.” She fought to keep her voice steady.
Hanging up, she felt a pang in her heart.
She couldn’t bear to think about how devastated her parents would have been if what nearly happened tonight had actually occurred.
She turned to Zarek. “Could you take me home?”
Zarek was silent for a few seconds. “Looking like this? Won’t your parents notice something’s wrong?”
Charlotte attempted a joke. “My mom won’t sleep until I’m home, so I have to…” Her eyes welled up again.
She took a deep breath, forcing back the tightness in her throat. To hide her embarrassment, she added, “Strange, I feel like crying again. How humiliating.”
“Cry if you need to. I’ve been watching you cry all evening–what’s one more time?” His voice held an unexpected gentleness.
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By nearly 2 AM, Zarek had arranged for Charlotte to be driven to her parents‘ home.
She had applied makeup to cover the marks on her wrists. When she arrived, she pretended to be slightly drunk, chatted briefly with her parents, then claimed exhaustion and went to bed.
Her parents were relieved to see her home safely.
In her room, Charlotte washed her face and called Summer, clarity and determination replacing her earlier vulnerability. “Summer, there’s no chance of a quiet ending with Issac anymore. I’m going to destroy him.”
Her voice was ice–cold, resolute. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. They would pay for what they’d done–all of
them.
Summer, who had been half–asleep, instantly became wide awake.
