Ch. 1201..1210
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1201
The weather was nice on the following day.
In the morning, the children woke up and promptly went to Sherlyn, asking if the magician troupe had arrived.
Laughing, she told them the troupe was on their way.
The kids were delighted. At breakfast, they told Charlotte all about the magician troupe enthusiastically.
Charlotte casually asked what the magician troupe was all about, so Sherlyn explained it to her briefly.
Her answer stunned Charlotte. Although she had heard from Ellie that a magician troupe was arriving at the manor to perform for them, she had no idea it would be such a big scale.
More than a dozen staff would be entering the manor with their equipment and setting up a stage for their performance at night.
This means the assassins from Erihal will get a chance to sneak into the manor. That’s dangerous!
At that thought, Charlotte hastened to convince Sherlyn to cancel the magician troupe’s performance or at least get only a few of them to perform at a smaller scale.
Alas, Sherlyn was adamant about having the magic performance. She claimed it was not nice to break her promise when she had given the children her word. Besides, the magician troupe was about to reach the manor.
As she said that, someone came to report that the magician troupe had arrived at the gate.
Before Charlotte could say anything, Sherlyn relayed orders that they were to be let in. She even told her subordinate to receive the magician troupe.
Thus, Charlotte said nothing else to dissuade her, merely reminding the kids not to go to the garden before the stage was set up, for it might be a hazard.
The children nodded obediently.
Sherlyn frowned, making no attempt to hide her displeasure. “Charlotte, you’re being too uptight. Our employees are scattered around the manor, so the kids will be fine. I’ve invited the magician troupe so many times, and they’re practically my friends. Why are you so worried?”
“Of course not, Lady Sherlyn,” Charlotte offered an explanation urgently. “I’m not worried. It’s just that Danrique will be arriving in a few days to pick the kids up, so I have to be extra careful. If anything happens to them, I can’t explain to him.”
As she used Danrique as an excuse, Sherlyn could not reprimand her. “Well, I suppose you’re right. It doesn’t hurt to be careful.” In the end, she relented.
She then hollered at her bodyguards and subordinates, “Everyone, pay attention. Today, as outsiders will be entering our manor, keep your guard up, especially when it concerns the children’s safety. If something happens to them, I shall hold you accountable!”
“Yes!” everyone answered with a polite bow.
“Thank you, Lady Sherlyn.” Charlotte put her fork down and wiped her mouth elegantly. “I’m done with the meal, and I’d like to take a walk in the garden.”
“Sure. Go ahead.” Sherlyn nodded.
“Charlotte, I’ll come with you,” Louis offered at once, standing up from his chair.
“No need. I have to call Danrique.” Charlotte rejected his offer almost immediately.
With that, he sank back into his chair, utterly dejected. It occurred to him that Charlotte had been treating him more and more coldly for the past few days.
Sherlyn frowned at him, losing her appetite.
“Kids, should we go play now?”
Morgan brought the kids to their playroom, and Robbie returned to his room to continue his online class.
Louis, Sherlyn, and their subordinates were left in the dining room.
Sherlyn comforted her son, “Louis, perk up. The more you act this way, the more you’ll repel her.”
“I know.” Louis inclined his head and cheered himself on. “I’ll spend some time with the children.”
“Go, then.”
Seeing how defeated he looked, Sherlyn could not help but sigh to herself. Though Louis had never been really successful for his entire life, she had never seen him so discouraged before.
If this isn’t dealt with in a proper manner, I’m afraid he’ll lose his confidence forever.
“Aunt Sherlyn,” Diana called out as she scurried over to Sherlyn. She then bent slightly to whisper in the latter’s ear, “Everything’s ready.”
“Be careful. The Lindberg family planted a lot of spies here,” warned the duchess softly.
“Got it.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1202
Charlotte did not lie, for she did call Danrique outside. That was because the agreed-upon day of their meeting was about to arrive, and she wanted to know how he was doing.
For the past month, Danrique did not keep in touch with her. Erihal kept a lid on all matters, so she did not receive any updates.
Although she was worried, she dared not ask questions.
Now that the day was near, she wanted to check on him.
The phone kept ringing, but no one picked it up. Charlotte thought about sending someone over to start an investigation. However, upon recalling Sean’s reminder that she was to ignore everything, focus on her recovery, and protect the children, she dared not do so.
At that thought, Charlotte gave up on her fleeting idea. She glanced at the forest not far away, feeling strangely unsettled.
“Mr. Lindberg will be fine,” Lupine reassured her. “Perhaps he’ll be in contact a few days later.”
“I’ll have to pacify myself with that.” Charlotte let out a sigh. “Where’s Gordon?”
“He was patrolling outside a while ago.” Lupine tilted her head and said, “Oh, here he is.”
As soon as she spoke, Gordon strode over to them and came to a stop before Charlotte. “Ms. Lindberg,” he greeted her politely.
“There are many outsiders here in the manor today, so it might be quite rowdy. Do you have any problem with security?” asked Charlotte worriedly.
“There are fifty-seven visitors in total, including the magicians,” Gordon replied. “Besides that, they also brought some small animals along. I’ve already asked the rest to run a thorough check. Don’t worry. I’ll handle the security.”
“Thanks!” Charlotte bobbed her head slightly.
“No problem.” He reciprocated her gesture with a polite bow, then turned to Lupine and said, “I have to monitor the surroundings since too many outsiders will be around. You should stay with Ms. Lindberg and the children at all times.”
“Got it. I’ll never leave Ms. Lindberg’s side today,” Lupine answered with a brisk nod. “As for the others, I’ll assign them to protect the children.”
“The kids are more important than me.” Charlotte scoffed. “Even if someone tries to harm me, I can deal with him. A few assassins won’t be able to hurt me.”
“Yes!” Lupine lowered her head.
“Make the necessary arrangements. Keep an eye on the kids at all times tonight. Everything must go well.” Charlotte reminded in a stern tone.
“Yes. I’ll do it right away.”
“Don’t worry,” Gordon reassured. “Even if someone had sneaked into the magician troupe, we can handle them. I doubt they’ll be a large group, so be rest assured.”
“Mm. Better be safe than sorry.” Charlotte stared at the stage they were building, dread filling her heart. “All right. Get to work. I’ll go back after taking a look at Fifi.”
“Got it.” Gordon signaled the two female bodyguards to look after Charlotte before he left.
As per her words, Charlotte went to visit Fifi. For some reason, the eagle had been lethargic for a while. Why, though? It has been a long time since Fifi got drenched by the rain, so it should be fine by now. Or did it become fragile after becoming a household pet?
“Did it eat something wrong?” One of the female bodyguards suggested casually, “Perhaps it isn’t used to the beef in F Nation?”
At once, Charlotte ordered someone to fetch a piece of the beef Fifi usually ate and let Sam check it out.
She was worried that someone had orchestrated Fifi’s illness.
After that, Charlotte went back to accompany her children.
Louis was playing Lego blocks with the kids in their playroom right then. “You’re awesome, Sir Louis!” they cheered and clapped in delight at the spaceship he had just built.
Louis grinned cheerfully. He wanted to continue playing Lego blocks with them, but they were bored of the game and wanted to learn how to make desserts.
Looking troubled, he told them, “I don’t know how to make desserts. Should I ask my mom to teach you?”
“Sure!” they responded in unison.
When Louis was leading the kids to Sherlyn, they bumped into Charlotte. He smiled at her as a greeting before leaving with the kids.
Seeing how hard he was trying to please her, Charlotte felt slightly guilty. Alas, she had no time to ponder over this, for it was more important to spend the next two days in peace.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1203
In the blink of an eye, it was evening. The stage had been set up outside, complete with the lighting and audio system.
The kids could barely suppress their curiosity, repeatedly asking when the magic show would begin.
Sherlyn had ordered them to build a gorgeous viewing platform underneath the stage. Tables were even moved out to the garden so that they could enjoy dinner while watching the performance.
The children were exultant about her arrangement. Even Robbie and Ellie were jumping up and down excitedly.
They were only kids, after all.
Since moving into the manor, they never got a chance to go out. Though the farm and vineyard captured their attention at first, they soon got bored.
Now that a magician troupe was here to perform, they were all pumped up.
Even Dr. Felch, who preferred to be alone, came to the show when Sherlyn extended an invitation.
As Dr. Felch and the children were looking forward to the show, Charlotte did not want to spoil the fun. Hence, she followed the crowd obediently to the garden for the meal.
Sherlyn, the main organizer, arranged Dr. Felch, the kids, and herself on the same table while placing Charlotte and Louis together on another table.
She even decorated their table with red roses, which created a romantic vibe.
Louis thanked his mother for her effort. Even Charlotte expressed her gratitude too.
As the music played, the show began.
Colorful lights lit the stage, illuminating a beautiful woman playing the piano. A couple was dancing beside her, the spotlight shining on them like the moonlight. It was a pleasing sight.
“This is their opening show,” Sherlyn explained to the children. “If the whole show is about magic tricks, that won’t be fun. That’s why they tend to add in some other performances.”
“That’s fantastic!” the kids praised, engrossed in the show.
Dr. Felch could not understand their conversation. While eating his meal, he talked to Sam and Hayley. “The weather is freezing. Don’t the dancers feel cold in their thin outfits?”
Hayley could not help but snort out loud.
“Well, Dr. Felch, they will soon warm up after dancing,” Sam replied in embarrassment. “Luckily, they don’t understand Chanaean. Otherwise, they might laugh at us.”
“Speaking about that—”Dr. Felch turned to the triplets—”I can’t believe the triplets can speak fluent Ferropenian at such a young age! That’s impressive!”
“Well, bigwigs always give birth to geniuses,” Hayley said, grinning. “They are fluent in both Ferropenian and Chanaean.”
“I can understand their Chanaean. They sound adorable when they converse in it.” Dr. Felch chuckled.
Hayley cracked up.
A smile crept up Charlotte’s lips when she saw how delighted Dr. Felch was.
“Cheers, Charlotte!” Louis raised his glass.
Charlotte clinked glasses with him and sipped on her wine. Internally, she reminded herself not to drink too much on a day like this.
“The foie gras is quite nice. Try it,” he told her gently.
“Sure.” Charlotte focused her attention back on him. “Louis, Zachary will be here tomorrow. He’s here to pick Ellie up, and Jamie will be coming along too. I wish to spend some time with Jamie, so is it possible to invite them to stay in the manor for a few days?” she asked carefully.
“Of course,” Louis agreed readily. “Zachary’s a good friend of mine. I shall extend an invitation to him.”
“Oh, I nearly forgot that you two are good friends.” She smiled faintly. “But Zachary’s quite proud, so I don’t know if he’ll agree to stay. If he doesn’t, I’ll ask Jamie to stay.”
“Sure, that works. Anything you want.” He nodded and said, “Charlotte, I’ll support your decision no matter what it is.” His tone was indulgent.
“Thank you!” Charlotte gave him a toast.
Thrilled, Louis finished the contents of his glass in one gulp.
Seeing how they chatted happily, Sherlyn relaxed. It seems like my efforts won’t be in vain.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1204
After a few drinks, Charlotte’s cheeks were flushed.
Louis poured her another glass of wine.
“I can’t drink too much tonight—”
“Charlotte!”
Before she could refuse the drink, Sherlyn came over to toast her.
At once, Charlotte rose to her feet. “Lady Sherlyn, I should’ve been the one to toast you at your table.”
“We’re a family; no need for the formalities.” The corners of the duchess’ lips quirked into a smile as she said sincerely, “I hope that the kids can have a happy and healthy childhood and that you and Louis will be blissful together. That’s all.”
Guilt crept up Charlotte’s heart at her words. After all, Sherlyn adored her children greatly.
The duchess had always prioritized the kids no matter what, so she was grateful for her help, regardless of the grudges she harbored toward the older woman.
“Cheers!”
“Thanks, Mom.”
The three of them downed their glasses.
Sherlyn patted Charlotte’s shoulder affectionately and reminded her. “Don’t drink too much. We still need to watch the show.”
“Yes, Lady Sherlyn.”
Charlotte was about to sit down when she accidentally bumped into the table.
Louis went over to support her hastily, showering her with concern.
Diana, who waited on them at the side, watched their entire exchange. Her eyes betrayed her mixed feelings.
“Louis, take good care of Charlotte,” Sherlyn told her son. “I shall keep the kids company.”
“Yes, Mom.” Louis’ gaze never left Charlotte. “Do you want some water, Charlotte?”
“Sure.” Charlotte bobbed her head.
With that, he promptly ordered someone to get a glass of water for her.
Soon, Diana arrived with two glasses of purified water. She handed one to Charlotte.
“Wait,” Lupine piped up suddenly, “give it to Sir Louis. He must be thirsty too.”
Diana stiffened at her words.
Without waiting for a reply, Lupine grabbed the glass from her and offered it to Louis. She then gave the other glass to Charlotte.
Frowning, Diana stared at Louis as if hesitating to speak.
“Ms. Diana, you’re blocking our view,” Lupine uttered deliberately.
“Sorry about that.” Diana hung her head low as she shuffled away reluctantly.
Louis paid no heed to her and drank the glass of water without hesitation.
Charlotte, on the other hand, did not touch the glass of water Diana brought. That was because Lupine had already exchanged it with a new glass of water secretly.
She was quick enough not to be caught by others.
When Sherlyn looked over her shoulders, she saw Charlotte and Louis drinking water, and a strange smile hovered on her lips.
After a series of opening shows, it was finally time for the mysterious magician’s performance.
The children whooped excitedly and inched nearer to the stage for a better view.
Both Robbie and Ellie could not keep their eyes off the magician on the stage.
“Charlotte, have some fruit,” Louis offered.
He was still being really considerate.
“Thank you.” Charlotte accepted the fruit. Weirdly, the wine she drank tonight seemed a little strong, for she felt tipsy after drinking only a few glasses.
“Sir Louis, Ms. Lindberg.” A maid arrived with an order from Sherlyn. “Lady Sherlyn wants you two to toast Dr. Felch.”
“Oh, yes. I nearly forgot about him.”
Louis scrambled to his feet with his wineglass, not forgetting to help Charlotte up.
The maid refilled half of Charlotte’s glass.
Charlotte then followed Louis to give Dr. Felch a toast.
Dr. Felch had a great night and was a little intoxicated by then.
He was drinking the liquor he brought from C Nation as he was not fond of foreign liquors.
Both Charlotte and Louis came to him and raised their glasses. “Dr. Felch!”
The doctor rose to his feet. “No need with the formalities. We’re friends, right?”
“I have to.” Charlotte was brimming with gratitude. “You were living in seclusion on the mountains and had a peaceful life until I came to you. It’s all because of me that you have to travel from H City to Erihal before coming to F Nation. Thank you for helping me!”
“Silly girl, that’s nothing.” Dr. Felch smiled. “I owe your father a favor, so I’m merely repaying it now. Besides, it’s fun to travel around the world with you!”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1205
“Yes, that’s right. We’re just tagging along for our own benefit,” Hayley chimed in jovially.
“Me too!” Sam raised his wineglass.
“Dr. Felch, Sam, Hayley, thank you for everything that you’ve done for Charlotte. I won’t forget your sacrifices!” Louis uttered, speaking as Charlotte’s fiancé. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
They clinked glasses and downed their drinks in one go.
“Though today’s a happy occasion, you shouldn’t drink too much,” Dr. Felch exhorted.
“Got it!” Charlotte nodded and turned to return to her seat.
“Charlotte, Louis, wait a minute.” Right then, Sherlyn came over with her wineglass. “I didn’t join in the toast earlier. This time, let’s toast to Dr. Felch together!”
“Dr. Felch, my mom wants to…” Louis interpreted her words to the doctor swiftly.
“Oh, you’re too courteous, Lady Sherlyn.” Dr. Felch raised his glass with a grin. “I’ve been staying here for a long time, so I should be the one toasting you. Thank you for your hospitality.”
Once again, Louis acted as their interpreter.
“We’re friends, so scrap that.” Sherlyn tittered. “Come, let’s drink together. We can enjoy the magic show after downing this drink!”
As she spoke, her maid refilled Louis’ and Charlotte’s glasses.
Charlotte’s head was spinning by then. However, she could not refuse to toast Dr. Felch, so she went along and clinked glasses with everyone before finishing the drink in one gulp.
She grew tipsier after this drink and even saw two Dr. Felches before her.
“Charlotte, are you all right?” Louis held her arm worriedly.
“She must’ve drunk too much. Bring her back to your table to grab a bite,” Sherlyn urged him out of concern. “Don’t let her drink any more wine so that she can enjoy the magic show.”
“Got it, Mom.”
Louis helped Charlotte back to her seat.
Lupine never let Charlotte out of her sight, following closely behind the latter. Before this, she thought Sherlyn was finding an excuse to make Charlotte drunk to create an opportunity for her son. Looks like I was wrong. She doesn’t seem to have such an intention.
The kids had so much fun as the magic show got more exciting.
After returning to her seat, Charlotte sipped on water and sobered up slightly.
Louis, however, continued drinking his wine. Slightly intoxicated, he could not stop himself from looking at Charlotte longingly.
Other than that, everything else was normal. Nothing out of the ordinary happened.
Lupine wondered if she was overreacting, but she dared not let her guard down.
Right then, Dr. Felch excused himself from the show. Sherlyn got up to see him off.
Charlotte and Louis hastened to join her.
Dr. Felch chuckled and waved to dismiss them. “I’m too old to stay up late. Have fun! Don’t mind me. I shall head back alone and have some rest.”
“We can’t do that! You’re an important guest of ours.” After hearing Louis’ interpretation, Sherlyn ordered, “Louis, Charlotte, send Dr. Felch back to his room.”
“Sure.”
Louis held Dr. Felch’s arm while Charlotte followed behind them. Nice. I was hoping to go back to my room to rest anyway.
Before Lupine and two other female bodyguards could catch up with her, a maid suddenly shrieked, “Oh, Ms. Elisa! Be careful!”
Lupine looked over her shoulder instinctively to see the magician inviting Ellie on stage. The little girl was standing before the stage to watch the performance at that moment.
The Lindbergs’ bodyguards tried to stop her, but she was too ecstatic and climbed onto the stage, ignoring their words.
Lupine had to deal with her, so she informed the other two bodyguards, “Stay with Ms. Lindberg.”
“Yes.” They promptly caught up to Charlotte.
After sending Dr. Felch back to his room, Charlotte and Louis reminded Hayley and Sam to take care of him before retracing their path back to the garden.
Charlotte felt exhausted and genuinely wished to take a rest.
Louis was not feeling well either as he seemed a bit irritable and feverish.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1206
“Louis, I’m going back to my room to rest.” Charlotte made up her mind. “You should return to watch the show.”
“I need a rest too.” Louis fanned himself. “I don’t know why, but I feel a little hot.”
“All right. Let’s head back together.”
They returned to the villa together. Before Charlotte could enter her room, Louis stopped her. “Charlotte, I need to talk to you.”
“We can talk tomorrow.” The woman held her temples, drained of energy.
“I’m afraid I’ll lose the courage to say anything tomorrow,” Louis confessed, sounding despondent. “Now that there’s liquid courage in me, I’d like to talk to you.”
Charlotte could not bring herself to reject him, so she caved in. “All right. Come on in then.”
Louis entered her room after her.
Her two female bodyguards were also about to head in, but Louis’ bodyguard stopped them. “The couple wishes to talk in private. I don’t think it’s appropriate for you two to be inside the room, right?”
“But…” Charlotte’s bodyguards glanced at her hesitantly.
“Leave us alone,” Charlotte commanded.
“Yes!” The bodyguards left as instructed.
After slamming the door shut, Charlotte poured two glasses of water. She offered one to Louis and sat down on the sofa to drink hers.
“Charlotte,” Louis uttered, gazing at her affectionately. He then proceeded to reveal his true feelings for her. “Do you know how delighted I was when you agreed to marry me? My dream is finally coming true! Our wedding will be held eight days later—”
“Louis,” Charlotte cut him short. She frowned and continued, “If that’s what you want to say, you can do it another day. I’m too tired and wish to go to bed.”
“You’ve been so cold to me lately,” he complained wistfully. “Is it because Zachary’s arriving soon?”
“Can you stop acting like a child?” she snapped impatiently. “I’ve been honest with you from the start—I don’t have romantic feelings for you. If you insist on marrying me, you have to consider it carefully.”
“Yes, you’ve warned me, and I understand.” Louis could not seem to hide his grievance. “I’ve been trying so hard to close the distance between us. I thought you’d be touched by my efforts, but you remained unfazed no matter what I did. On the contrary, I think you’re drifting apart from me.”
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. In a choking voice, he pleaded, “Charlotte, please be honest with me. Do you still love Zachary? Are you going to get back together with him?”
“That’s enough!” Charlotte did not want to hear any more of it. “Tonight isn’t a good time for us to talk. We can continue the conversation tomorrow.”
She placed her glass down with a thud. “I need to go to bed. Good night!” It was clearly an order to leave.
“I’m sorry for acting rashly. If I’ve upset you, please accept my apology,” Louis apologized instantly.
He was back to his cowardly self. Though an unknown fire was blazing within his body, arousing his desire, he dared not lay a finger on Charlotte.
“I hope I didn’t affect your mood. Goodbye, and see you tomorrow.”
Louis was all ready to leave when the phone on the coffee table rang. The caller ID showed that it was a call from Zachary.
Charlotte was startled. Why is Zachary calling me at this hour?
At the sight of the man’s name, Louis exploded with anger. “Charlotte, did you kick me out so that you can answer his call? Didn’t you tell me you’ve broken up with him and that you’ll never get back together with him ever again? Why is he calling you this late?”
“Louis, what’s wrong with you today?” she demanded.
He’s acting strange tonight. Usually, Louis is a polite gentleman. No matter what, he’ll choose to communicate in a sensible manner. He has never acted this capriciously before.
“Don’t forget that you’re my fiancée, Charlotte,” Louis roared. “You announced our wedding to the public yourself. You can’t do this to me!”
“Louis, are you drunk?” Charlotte rolled her eyes. “I didn’t cheat on you, did I? Why are you so agitated?”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1207
“Then why is he calling you at this hour?”
“You should ask him, not me. I have no idea!” Charlotte refused to continue talking about this, so she urged, “All right, leave now. We can talk tomorrow.”
Instead of doing as told, Louis picked up her phone and answered the call.
“You—”
“Hello.”
Before she could say anything, Zachary’s voice came from the other end of the line.
Furrowing her brows, Charlotte glared at Louis before answering, “What is it?”
“Tonight, I…” Zachary was about to say something but suddenly changed his mind. “You sound different. What’s wrong?”
“I’ll hang up if you’ve got nothing to say.”
Charlotte was about to end the call when Louis interjected indignantly, “Why are you in such a hurry? Are you afraid he’ll find out that we’re together?”
“Louis!” She stared at him in disbelief. I can’t believe he just said that!
“Louis?” Zachary’s voice rang out.
“Yes, it’s me.” Glaring at Charlotte, Louis responded furiously, “Zachary, she’s my fiancée now! Please stay away from her!”
With that, he ended the call.
“Louis, do you have any idea what you’re doing?” Charlotte finally lost her temper. Anger bubbled up in her chest as she demanded, “Even if he did call, it must be about the children. Why did you do that?”
“Why didn’t he call in the day to talk about the children? Why at this hour?” Louis retorted. “Why did you treat me coldly when you found out he’s going to come here?”
“You’re drunk. I can’t get through you.” Charlotte refused to continue the conversation. “Please leave, now!”
Sorrow overwhelmed Louis when he saw how heartless she was treating him. At the same time, a strange impulse coursed through his body, making him extremely frustrated.
“Why are you in a hurry to kick me out?” He grabbed her shoulders, seemingly heartbroken at her action. “I love you so much. Can’t you feel it?”
“Louis—”
Her reply was cut short by Louis’ attempt to kiss her.
Charlotte panicked and tried to shove him away, but she was not his match, and he refused to release his grip on her.
In haste, she gave him a tight slap across his cheek.
Slap! Louis was rooted to the spot.
Furious, Charlotte barked to chase him out of her room.
“Get out right…” However, her voice trailed off upon seeing the blood trickling out of Louis’ nose, staining his pristine white suit.
“Charlotte, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. Perhaps it’s because I’m too drunk.” Louis regained his senses from the slap and hung his head low in embarrassment.
He was about to head out when footsteps sounded from outside. A maid had come upstairs.
Covering his bleeding nose, he came to a halt, clearly at a loss.
“Clean yourself in the bathroom,” Charlotte urged. She then quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t do that on purpose.”
I didn’t slap him that hard. Why did he get a nosebleed that easily?
“Oh, okay.” Louis hurried into the bathroom.
Feeling her head throbbing, Charlotte slumped on the sofa and placed a palm on her forehead grouchily.
I thought it was all right to agree to marry him. After all, I won’t fall in love again. It was all for my family, especially Danrique’s sake. Back then, it sounded like an excellent opportunity to avoid Zachary. I only realize now that some things can’t be forced. Even if the entire world buys my lie, I can’t lie to myself. I can’t pretend to like Louis nor be intimate with him. I can’t even put up an enthusiastic front before him. I just can’t.
Frustrated, Charlotte felt parched. She grabbed the glass on the table and downed the water. Only after her third glass was her thirst quelled.
Exhaustion took over her, and she slowly dozed off on the sofa.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1208
In the bathroom, Louis splashed cold water onto his face until his nosebleed stopped. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and gradually became sober.
Recalling his prior actions, he squirmed.
I’ve always been a gentleman. What happened today? Why did I become this bold? I even tried to take advantage of Charlotte. That was horrible of me!
Louis reprimanded himself silently as he tried to clean his clothes in exasperation.
His white suit was stained with blood. If he were to leave Charlotte’s room right now, the maids would definitely see the bloodstain and inform his mother.
I’m her only son, so she dotes on me a lot. If she sees me in this state, she might get upset and reprimand Charlotte. Their relationship might sour if that were to happen.
At that thought, Louis went back to cleaning his clothes hurriedly.
The water flowed from the faucet noisily, drowning the sounds outside, so he was unaware of the intruder.
After entering the room quietly, Diana locked the door.
Delight flashed across her eyes when she saw Charlotte was fast asleep. She then glanced at the bathroom carefully and made sure the water was still running before heading toward the sofa.
Swiftly, she poured a packet of powder into a glass and shook it lightly to make sure it had dissolved before feeding Charlotte the spiked water.
Then, she dragged Charlotte into the closet and hid the latter inside.
Right at that moment, the sound of flowing water ceased. In a panic, Diana switched off the lights on the bedside table, took off her clothes, and dived onto the bed.
“Charlotte, I can’t wash the blood off my blazer. It should be fine if I remove it and leave with just my shirt on, right?” Louis asked as he stepped out of the bathroom.
He stopped, realizing that the lights were switched off. The only light source was the dim emergency lights from the closet.
“Charlotte?” Louis was confused. “Why did you switch the lights off?”
“Mm…” A low sound came from the woman on the bed. It seemed that she was moaning in a state of drunkenness.
“Are you all right?” Thinking that Charlotte was drunk, Louis carefully made his way over to the bed. “Why are you lying in bed? Are you feeling unwell?”
Diana dared not utter a word. She was afraid Louis might recognize her once she said something.
Louis finished that glass of water earlier. Why is he still conscious now?
“Are you still mad at me?” Louis sounded guilty. “I have no idea why I lost control of myself earlier. I’m really sorry. Please forgive me.”
Saying nothing, the woman in bed turned slightly, exposing her long legs and half of her perky butt.
It was obvious that she wanted to seduce Louis.
Louis halted at the sight of the long legs. The fire inside of him lit up all of a sudden, and he felt his nether regions stirring.
However, he swiftly looked away and reminded himself. No, you can’t do this, Louis. Seriously, what is wrong with me today? It feels like there’s a worm in my body, and it’s making me extra restless.
The last shred of consciousness in him stopped him from forcing himself on Charlotte.
I love Charlotte, so I can’t take advantage of her when she’s feeling unwell.
“Charlotte, I have to go. I’ll ask Lupine to come in and take care of you.”
As he turned to leave, a hand slipped out from under the duvet and grabbed his.
“Charlotte!” Louis was startled. Before he could do anything, he was pulled onto the bed, and something soft was pressed against his lips.
At the same time, a pair of slender and smooth hands slipped underneath his clothes and roamed everywhere.
Louis’ eyes widened in disbelief as his body tensed. Burning passion rose within him and took over his entire being. He could not suppress his desire anymore.
No longer rational, he pinned the woman underneath him and showered her with wild and passionate kisses.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1209
At the same time, Charlotte was blissfully fast asleep inside the closet without having a clue of what was happening outside.
The bed shook violently as the man and woman engaged in a passionate session of lovemaking, utterly unaware of the woman hidden inside the closet.
As Louis climaxed, he moaned again and again, “Charlotte, I love you.”
Tears welled in Diana’s eyes, but she bit her lip and held back her sobs.
I’ve waited years to become Louis’ woman. I can’t let my efforts go down the drain.
Outside the room, Lupine was on the way to Charlotte’s room when she bumped into the two female bodyguards. She questioned, “Why are you both outside? Where’s Ms. Lindberg?”
“Ms. Lindberg is in her room,” came the reply.
“She’s alone inside? Is she asleep?” Lupine sounded worried.
“Sir Louis is inside too. We don’t know whether he has left,” the bodyguard answered.
“What?” Lupine knitted her brows. “Didn’t I ask you to stay with Ms. Lindberg at all times? She needs someone to take care of her since she drank a lot of wine.”
“We were with her until Sir Louis said he wanted to talk to her in private. Initially, we wanted to go in, but Ms. Lindberg told us to leave them alone,” one female bodyguard explained.
“Even so, you shouldn’t have gone far away. What if something happens? You should’ve stood guard outside the room,” Lupine growled in displeasure.
“That was what we thought too. But Ms. Lindberg and Sir Louis are about to get married, so it didn’t seem right for us to stand guard outside the room—”
“Cut the crap!”
“Yes.”
Lupine strode up the stairs to see Charlotte for herself.
Suddenly, a deafening bang came from outside.
She froze for a second before hurrying to the windows to see what was going on.
Thick plumes of cloud billowed from the stage, and flames blazed brightly. The maids screamed and descended into a state of hysteria.
“What happened?” the bodyguards asked anxiously.
“The assassins might’ve sneaked in.” Lupine guessed as she studied the situation carefully. Frowning, she ordered, “Go to Ms. Lindberg’s room and stand guard outside. Don’t go anywhere else. I shall go check on the children.”
“Got it!”
Although she had arrived on the corridor of the second floor, Lupine still spun on her heels and dashed down the stairs.
She knew how much Charlotte adored the kids, so it would be a disaster if they got hurt.
Both bodyguards arrived outside Charlotte’s room and stood guard there.
Since the room’s soundproofing was top-notch and coupled with the chaos and explosions outside, they could not hear a single sound inside the room.
At that moment, Louis had lost all sense of rationality, acting like a beast that succumbed to desire.
Outside, fireworks were blooming magnificently in the sky.
The kids jumped with joy and whooped gleefully at the spectacular sight.
Sherlyn and the maids were enjoying the fireworks with smiles hovering on their lips.
After running into the garden, Lupine belatedly realized that the loud explosion had come from the fireworks.
The magician had created the billowing smoke and fiery flames for suspense.
At first, the kids and maids were indeed shaken up, but they immediately cheered once they realized it was nothing but a surprise.
Lupine breathed a sigh of relief as she looked up at the fireworks. Yes, the fireworks were splendid, but there was a niggling anxiety in her heart.
“Lupine!” Right then, one of the Lindberg’s male bodyguards scurried over to her and warned gruffly, “Assassins have infiltrated the manor. Protect the kids.”
“What?” Lupine blanched with horror.
She immediately contacted Morgan and commanded everyone to watch over the children. Nothing can happen to them!
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1210
The magician was still performing on the stage, and so were the brilliant fireworks blooming in the sky.
Lupine and her team of female bodyguards rushed to the front of the stage. They surrounded the children protectively and watched over them on high alert.
Fortunately, all five children were still standing before the stage, still enraptured by the magic show.
Sherlyn was also with them, talking and laughing merrily. It seemed as if she was utterly oblivious to what was happening outside.
Lupine observed Sherlyn and dismissed her suspicions when she saw the latter’s attention was all on the children and the magic performance. In fact, she even felt a tinge of guilt for having doubted her.
Even if someone did manage to sneak in, it would be an assassin from Erihal. Lady Sherlyn can’t have played a part in it. Although she’s overbearingly protective and impatient, there’s inherently nothing bad about her.
While the commotion was going on outside, the two figures in the bedroom were still wrapped in each other’s arms, lost in ecstasy.
At the same time, Charlotte was blissfully fast asleep inside the closet.
The pair of female bodyguards standing guard by the door was unaware of what was going on inside the bedroom.
After all, the sound of the fireworks exploding in the sky outside had drowned out all the sounds coming from inside.
Sherlyn casually glanced in the direction of the bedroom upstairs, and her lips curled into a smirk. Louis and Charlotte must have done it!
Little did she know, Diana had foiled her plan.
Soon after, the fireworks slowly faded into the night sky as the magic show came to an end.
Before leaving the stage, the magician happily signed autographs for the children, snapped photos with them, and taught them simple tricks.
It was late into the night, and the children were getting sleepy.
Sherlyn bent down to their height and asked with a smile, “So, did you all have fun today?”
“Yes!” the children shouted happily in unison.
“Well, I’m happy that my effort paid off,” she said with a pleased smile. “It’s late now. Let’s all go to sleep.”
“Okay!” they said obediently.
Lupine ordered Morgan and the other female bodyguards to escort the children back to their rooms.
The maids were tidying up the garden, and the magician troupe was packing up their props on stage, getting ready to leave.
Everything was being wrapped up in an orderly manner. In the meantime, Gordon and his men were combing the area to seek the people who had snuck into the manor while Lupine and Morgan had their hands full with the children.
As a result, none of them knew what was happening in the bedroom.
After Sherlyn had tucked the children in for the night, she returned to her room. As soon as she removed her heavy coat, she asked impatiently, “How did it go? Is it done?”
“Yes. We watched Sir Louis enter Ms. Lindberg’s bedroom with our own eyes. It’s been two hours, and they’re still in there,” one maid replied as the others covered their mouths and giggled.
“That silly boy! He’s usually such a goody-two-shoes, but I gave him some liquid courage today.” Sherlyn was elated. “Well, that’s great! With that, the wedding will surely go on! I may even get a little grandchild!”
“Congratulations in advance, Lady Sherlyn!” the maids gushed, eager to flatter the duchess.
“It’s all thanks to you!” Sherlyn said graciously. She was in an especially good mood today.
“Lady Sherlyn, we’ll draw you a hot bath.”
The maids helped Sherlyn undress for the night, chattering the whole time about what had gone down between Louis and Charlotte.
The more Sherlyn heard from them, the prouder she became. I made a great decision!
However, she suddenly recalled something and asked, “Where’s Diana?”
“Diana was busying herself at the stage earlier today. After that, we don’t know where she disappeared to,” the maid replied with a shrug. “Maybe she went back to her room to rest.”
“Hmph! Does she think I don’t know what’s going on?” Sherlyn sneered. “She’s just upset to see Louis and Charlotte together.”
“Sir Louis is an attractive young man, both inside and out. He and Diana are childhood sweethearts, so it’s not unusual for her to have a crush on him,” the maid said with a small smile.
“Oh, she wishes!” Sherlyn raised her chin, her voice dripping with disdain. “My son is of noble birth. Not any woman is worthy of him.”