Ch. 1281..1290
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1281
A New Home
Morgan bought a couple of cars, and they were ready-made cars that were only worth a couple hundred thousand.
Charlotte thanked Bruce before he left with his subordinates.
Lupine had a few of her subordinates babysit the triplets and take care of their meals. Everyone else started working on fixing the courtyard.
The furniture and appliances in the villa were all in good shape. The place was simpler and smaller than the one they used to live in, but the pleasant memories Charlotte made there created a sense of warmth.
Charlotte changed out of her expensive outfit and put on some comfortable clothes. After that, she started working on the fountain and the flowers in the courtyard.
The kids were chasing each other and playing at the side while Morgan was busy setting everything up. Lupine, Jade, and the others hung out with Charlotte.
That was a heartwarming moment.
When the night fell, the kids became weary, so the bodyguards put the kids to bed.
Charlotte got the goldfishes that Morgan had just bought and released them in the fountain that was recently fixed. A pleasant grin crept up on Charlotte’s lips when she saw how the goldfishes were swimming happily in there. She had Morgan turn the lights brighter and continued working on the flowerbeds after that.
“It’s late, so let’s work on this tomorrow. I’m sure you’re tired,” advised Lupine in a concerned tone.
“I can’t sleep anyway, so working on something actually helps.”
Charlotte wiped the sweat off of her forehead before she continued weeding the flower bed.
“Let me help you,” offered Lupine. She had crouched down and was ready to help.
“No, there’s no need for that,” halted Charlotte right away, “These flowers are really sensitive. The slightest mishap would cause them to wither.”
“I’m heartbroken seeing how you’re busying away all on your own,” said Lupine as she helped Charlotte wipe her sweat away.
“I’m not working. It’s relaxing for me,” said Charlotte as she dug into the earth, “Please get in touch with Hayley and ask her where Dr. Felch is. If he’s still in H City, we’ll visit them in a few days.”
“Okay, I’ll do that right away,” replied Lupine. She went to call Hayley immediately after.
“Ms. Lindberg…” said Morgan. She seemed a little hesitant to finish her sentence, though.
“We have enough people working in the courtyard, so you are free to leave. You’re not allowed to stay out overnight, though. Be back before one o’clock in the morning,” informed Charlotte, who knew what Morgan was thinking.
“Understood. Thank you, Ms. Lindberg,” said Morgan who was surprised and delighted.
Marino never left after he accompanied her over to buy the cars. He had been waiting at the side of the road the entire time.
Morgan didn’t feel right asking for some time off, but Charlotte had already guessed what was going on. The latter even took the initiative to give the former permission to leave.
“Go on now,” said Charlotte. She tilted her head up and scanned Morgan before suggesting, “And go change into a beautiful outfit.”
“Hah, I’m already beautiful enough as I am,” said Morgan.
She hopped away happily and was instinctively faster as she moved. She even hummed a song as she did so.
Tsk! Tsk! Lupine had exited the house and saw Morgan skipping away. The former couldn’t help teasing, “Geez, I don’t remember her ever being so fast in a fight.”
“That’s how women are when they’re in love.”
Charlotte grinned. She saw how happy Morgan and Marino were together, and that got her delighted.
“I envy them so much,” sighed Lupine.
“Ben is comparatively more grounded and tends to think things through more carefully. That is why he isn’t as passionate or as direct as Marino, but it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have any feelings for you.”
Charlotte could tell that Lupine was disappointed, so she added, “I can tell that he really cares about you.”
“Oh, stop making fun of me,” replied Lupine shyly.
“Once everything is settled, I will set you both free. Both of you have worked for the Lindberg family for years, and it’s time you live a life of your choosing,” shared Charlotte, who had long planned to set the girls free.
“Ms. Lindberg,” blurted Lupine who instantly got nervous, “I won’t leave. I’ll stay by your side.”
“I won’t let you both leave right now,” said Charlotte while rolling her eyes, “The two of you are my best and most skilled assistants. Hence, I would be lost if you leave now. I was talking about the future.”
“I won’t leave in the future, either. I will follow you wherever you go and will never leave you in this lifetime,” promised Lupine as her eyes reddened with tears.
“You idiot…” replied Charlotte who was touched by the gesture. She had been lost for some time. Thank the heaven that I have them with me…
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1282
Meeting Mommy
At this point, the silvery moon had brightened the night sky, and peace in Southridge had been restored.
It took Zachary quite some time to get the three children to sleep. Just when he was about to leave, Robbie sat up and whispered, “Daddy, we need to talk.”
Zachary gestured for Robbie to come out of the room since he did not want to wake Jamie up.
Both of them went to the study. Zachary removed his coat and put it on Robbie. “Here. Don’t catch a cold.”
The six-year-old looked ridiculous as the oversized coat covered his entire body, exposing only his tiny head.
The warmth from the coat gave Robbie a sense of security.
As per his usual practice, Zachary sat on the sofa and poured himself half a glass of cold wine.
“No drinking, please, Daddy,” Robbie stopped him. “Mr. Ben said you can’t drink wine since you’ve just recovered.”
“Damn you, Ben,” Zachary cursed silently.
“From now on, the three of us will be watching you closely. No smoking, no drinking wine anymore!” Robbie put on a stern face and frowned.
That remark rendered Zachary speechless. “All right. I’ll stop drinking.”
As a father, Zachary cared about his children’s feelings and how they thought of him. He still had to practice self-control when he was with them.
“Come. Let me see how much weight you have lost.” Zachary extended his hands to Robbie. “I was so busy in the last couple of days that I didn’t manage to take a good look at you.”
Robbie walked over and gave Zachary a hug. He choked up and said. “Daddy, I thought I would lose you forever…”
Robbie’s words instantly warmed his heart.
“Silly boy.” Zachary rubbed his head and smiled. Ever since he brought the children back from Arkfield, he was so caught up with other things that he did not have the time to talk to the children.
He missed Robbie and Ellie the most, as they had been separated from him for two months. And the little ones missed him too.
During this period, Robbie was constantly worried about Zachary’s safety. He was relieved after knowing that his father was safe and sound.
Zachary, on the other hand, felt a pang of guilt toward Robbie and Ellie. “We’ll stay together forever as a family,” Zachary said in a gentle voice while embracing Robbie. “You are all my children, and I’ll not allow anyone to take you away.”
Robbie nodded obediently. “But how about Mommy? You said you’d take us to Mommy, right?”
“Of course.” Zachary stroked his head. “Daddy will never lie to you.”
“So…” Robbie bit his lips and mustered up his courage. “Can we bring Mommy home?”
Zachary froze for a bit and said in a deep voice. “If only she wishes to come home.”
“Mommy and Sir Louis are not married, aren’t they? She wouldn’t have returned to the country if she was married, right?” Robbie might be young, but he was an analytical child. “Do you think they’re still together?”
Upon hearing Louis’ name, Zachary instantly recalled what he saw in Arkfield.
Though the memory made him uncomfortable, he tried to remain composed. “ Yes. They broke up.”
“Great!” Robbie exclaimed with joy. “Sir Louis is a nice man, but I still wish Daddy and Mommy could be together.”
“It’s night now. Come, let’s go to bed.” Zachary tried diverting his attention. “We’ll leave for Yaleview tomorrow morning.”
Robbie nodded and ran back to his room.
Zachary looked at the back of the cheerful boy, and a corner of his lips quirked up. But his smile disappeared seconds later.
He reached out for his glass of wine, swirled the drink, and went deep in thought.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1283
The Children Are Here
Charlotte could not sleep well lately. By the time she came out of the shower after sprucing up the garden, it was already two in the morning.
Despite feeling worn out, she could not sleep. She decided to get up to go through some old photos.
She, her father, and Mrs. Berry had taken many pictures when they were staying here years ago. But after Simon had taken over the property when her father was in trouble, he threw away everything in the house. She wondered where the Nacht family found these things.
All the sweet memories flashed across her mind as she flipped through the photo album. She felt a burst of warmth in her heart.
Before Charlotte knew it, the morning sun had risen, brightening the night sky.
Feeling utterly exhausted, she finally fell asleep while hugging the album.
She slept so well that she could not even hear Danrique’s children calling her repeatedly.
Lupine walked up to the children and told them to keep quiet. “Aunt Charlotte is still sleeping. Let’s go and play in the courtyard, shall we? There’s goldfish and pretty flowers to play with.”
“Okay!” the children answered loudly before covering their mouths to keep their volume down.
They then quietly followed Lupine downstairs. Before leaving for the courtyard, Lupine told Jade and Emma to call them once breakfast was ready.
Charlotte did not need to hire new maids since her eighteen bodyguards were capable of handling all the household chores.
Charlotte refused to hire maids not because she had no money. Money to her was never an issue even after the collapse of Lindberg Corporation. She just did not want to have strangers in the house, as this could cause her to be exposed to unnecessary risks.
Moreover, the bodyguards had nothing much to do during this period besides taking care of the three little ones.
Lupine and a few bodyguards accompanied the children and played games with them in the courtyard. All of a sudden, the sound of a car’s engine emerged from the entrance. They instantly put their guard up.
Lupine instructed a few bodyguards to bring the children into the house with an eye signal. In the meantime, she and the other bodyguards went out to take a look.
As the gate opened, the bodyguard stationed at the entrance immediately reported to Lupine. “It’s Mr. Nacht!”
“Mr. Nacht?” Lupine was surprised. She went up and was ready to greet him on his arrival.
Two jeeps and an extended Rolls-Royce arrived and parked outside the entryway.
Zachary and his three children gracefully got down from the car.
“Mr. Nacht!”
Charlotte, who did not believe what they said earlier, was stunned. Never in a million years did she expect to see Zachary here.
Zachary nodded and took a sidelong glance at the courtyard.
“Lupine!” Upon seeing Lupine from a distance, Ellie ran toward her and gave her a hug. “I’m so happy to see you. I’m sure Mommy is around, right?”
“Of course she is. She’s still sleeping.” Lupine carried Ellie in her arms and grinned. “I miss you, Ellie. Let me take a good look at you. Did you lose weight?”
“Yeah, coz I miss Mommy very much.” Words stuck in Ellie’s throat.
“I’ll bring you to your Mommy.” Lupine pinched her cheeks gently. She then turned to the two boys and said, “Robbie, Jamie, come on in!”
“Let them play in the living hall will do. Let’s not disturb their Mommy,” Zachary said in a calm voice.
He then turned around to the children and said, “We’ll go and see her when she wakes up.”
The little ones nodded. “Okay, Daddy.”
Zachary smiled and rubbed their heads before walking into the villa.
In the meantime, Danrique’s children ran out of a hidden corner upon hearing Robbie’s and Ellie’s voices. Before they could locate the children, they bumped into Zachary.
Zachary, who met them for the first time, raised his brows after studying them from head to toe. “Are these Danrique’s daughters?”
Upon seeing Zachary, the three children immediately ran behind Morgan and hugged her thighs.
They cautiously popped their heads out from the sides to look at Zachary as if they were sizing up a monster.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1284
My Daddy Will Beat You Up
Alpha pouted her lips and stole a look at Zachary. “So you’re Aunt Charlotte’s husband?” she asked weakly.
Beside her, Beta glared at the man and nodded fervently. “It’s him! He’s the one who snatched Robbie, Ellie, and Jamie away at the vineyard.”
“You’re one big brat!” Gamma interjected, sticking out her tongue at Zachary, “My daddy will beat you up!”
Zachary sniggered looking at the children. “Is this a threat? You guys can do much better, kids. Y’all are still babies.”
“Hmph! We’re not babies. You are!” Alpha shouted back, clenching her fists, “I want Ellie and Robbie back!”
“Yes! You’d better bring them back!”
Beta flexed her fists too, snarling at Zachary.
“Don’t be rude to my daddy!” A girl’s stern voice suddenly broke the tense ambient.
“Ellie!” The three girls screamed in excitement and ran toward Ellie. “We miss you so much!”
“I miss you guys too.”
Ellie hugged each of them and pulled them toward the courtyard to play with them.
“They are a fierce lot,” Robbie said, looking at the girls calmly.
Despite his detached demeanor, he actually missed the girls.
“Tell me about it,” Jamie said in agreement, “They are worse than Ellie when she was younger.”
“Worse, worse!” Little Fifi parroted her masters as she followed the two boys.
“Is that Little Fifi? She’s so cute!”
The three girls looked back when they heard the parrot.
“Be gentle with her, girls. Little Fifi is also part of our family,” Ellie reminded them as they ran toward the parrot. “Where’s Fifi?” Ellie asked.
“Fifi’s resting in the attic. It’s probably not used to the new environment,” Morgan replied.
“Poor Fifi. We shouldn’t bring it along when we travel. Fifi always falls sick at a new place,” Ellie said sadly, “I’ll go check on it later. Fifi might feel better seeing some familiar faces.”
“It’s okay. I will ask them to bring her over.” With that said, Morgan went over to one of the men and asked him to bring the eagle over.
The children went on to play in the courtyard while waiting for Fifi. Meanwhile, Zachary went upstairs to look for Charlotte. It did not take him long before he found her room. She always preferred rooms facing the sun, so he guessed it must be the second room from the right.
Zachary was about to reach for the door handle when Lupine stopped him, but Ben was faster than her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Lupine seethed at Ben.
“Give them some time to talk. Nothing can go wrong,” he replied.
“But…” Before Lupine could resist, Zachary had already pushed the door open.
The bright sunlight pierced into his view the moment he entered. Inside the room, Charlotte was sleeping soundly on the bed with a photo album in her arms.
A gentle breeze blew by, wafting the curtains against her slender legs as warm rays of the sun beat against her fair skin, yet Charlotte slept on soundly.
Zachary tiptoed over to close the window. He drew the curtains and looked back nostalgically at the woman in the bed.
He could not recall when the last time was he watched her up close, let alone the last time the two shared a quiet moment together.
Zachary suddenly felt being in her quiet presence was a luxury.
He went over and pulled the blanket over her before he took the album from her hands. He walked over to the couch and sat down, watching her silently.
This was enough for him. His heart was full to the brim just by looking at her.
Watching her brought back all the fond memories they had together. He remembered the first time they met and how they fell passionately in love.
They had their happy and bittersweet moments together—but in hindsight—they were all moments he cherished.
Although there were insurmountable hurdles along the way, those barriers that prevented their relationship were beginning to lose ground. This was the best time for them to get back together, but life was never this easy.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1285
Falling In Love
Zachary lowered his sad gaze to the green marks on his wrist. I probably need to start preparing.
“No… No!”
Charlotte suddenly opened her eyes wide in terror as she shrieked herself awake. She was soaked in sweat from her nightmare.
Zachary dashed over and patted her in the back to comfort her. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s just a dream.”
“It’s Danrique…” she mumbled as she shook her head.
It did not take long before her wavering gaze fixed steadily on the man beside her.
“What… Why are you here? Am I still dreaming?”
She rubbed her eyes and blinked hard to make sure she was not seeing things. When it finally registered in her mind that Zachary was really there in person, she jumped from the bed and grabbed a cardigan.
She would only wear a white silk dress without anything underneath when she slept. She felt embarrassed that Zachary was seeing everything.
“It’s not like I’ve never seen it before.”
Zachary rolled his eyes at her and went back to the couch, lighting up a cigarette.
Charlotte quickly wore her cardigan and tied up her hair before going into the bathroom to wash up. “What brings you here?”
“The children miss you,” Zachary said briefly.
“The kids are here?” Charlotte was elated at the news. “Where are they?”
She ran to the door without even waiting for an answer.
“Are you going out in this?” Zachary’s voice rang loud behind her. “There is a whole group of male bodyguards outside.”
“Right.” Charlotte turned back and quickly get a change.
She grabbed some clothes and was about to go into the bathroom again when she saw the floor was all wet. She looked back at the room awkwardly, not knowing what to do.
“Just change here,” Zachary said, going over to the window to get a smoke.
Charlotte took a quick glance at him and turned around to change. “I’m done.”
Zachary looked back at her, puffing smoke from his mouth.
Charlotte stood in front of the mirror, combing her hair and putting on some makeup. She wanted her children to see her in her best. After all, she had not seen them for a while.
Zachary leaned against the window as he looked at her quietly, squinting his eyes.
The smoke spread before him, but his complicated gaze was still locked on her.
“Since when did you start smoking?”
Charlotte looked at him from the corner of her eyes. She felt Zachary looked a bit downcast.
“And since when did you wear sleeping gowns?” Zachary asked back.
Charlotte instantly evaded his gaze. A hue of pink flushed on her cheeks.
Zachary looked at her intently and finally walked over. He caught her chin and lifted her face so she could look at him in the eyes.
His longing for her was laid bare before her gaze—his tenderness and his love. For a moment, Charlotte felt they were still the same couple who was madly in love.
It was as if nothing had changed between them.
Zachary drew closer to her, his lips brushing lightly against her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, and her lips.
He just wanted to feel close to her.
He did not kiss her because he was afraid she would reject him.
Zachary held on to her like she was a precious morning dew that would evaporate anytime under the sun.
This intimacy was what they had been craving for, but now that they were so close, it broke their hearts.
They were once so happy together and they could want each other without holding back, but not anymore.
Zachary could not help but think of her and Louis being together every time he saw her. It pained him to think that she belonged to another man.
He did not want to remember any of it, but it kept replaying in his mind.
Knock!
A noise from the door pulled them back to reality. Charlotte stepped back and turned around, collecting her disconcerted thoughts.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1286
Let Us Go Together
“Mr. Nacht, something urgent came up.” Ben’s voice came from outside the door.
“Take your time. The children are in the courtyard.” Zachary snuffed out his cigarette and walked out.
“Alright,” Charlotte said, looking at him as he left.
Lupine ushered Zachary and Ben to the study and handed them a bottle of water each before excusing herself.
“What’s the matter?” Zachary asked impatiently.
“Sir Robert is working together with other shareholders to get Ms. Lindberg out of the Gymnasium Project. They have already asked the lawyer to draft a notice. They are waiting for you to sign it. Mr. Williams called just now to ask when is a good time for you to sign the document,” Ben reported, turning the laptop to Zachary, “This is the digital version.”
“Don’t bother,” Zachary said, his brows stitched, “I’ll look into this on Monday.”
“Sure,” Ben answered as he closed the laptop. “There’s something else.”
Zachary nodded, waiting for him to proceed.
“Bruce had already found Dr. Felch. He’s still in H City,” Ben said, looking at Zachary carefully before continuing, “I think it would be good to see him as soon as possible. We shouldn’t drag this out.”
“So this is the urgent matter you were talking about?” Zachary eyed him coldly.
“Dr. Felch’s going back to Phoenix City tonight. Bruce is doing everything he can to delay him,” Ben replied anxiously, “Dr. Felch is not feeling well, so we should really hurry before…”
“Alright,” Zachary cut him short, looking at his watch, “Where’s he?”
“He’s in the northern suburbs in H City. It will take about three hours for us to drive there.”
“We’ll leave after lunch.” Zachary wanted to spend more time with Charlotte and the children.
“But…”
“That’s not up for discussion,” Zachary replied, kicking Ben in the leg, “You’re getting nosy, aren’t you?”
Ben looked down and nodded in silence. He and Bruce were worried about Zachary, but Zachary did not seem concerned at all.
Zachary had just gotten out of the study and was about to head downstairs when he saw Lupine talking to Charlotte. “Get ready. We’re leaving in an hour,” Charlotte said.
“What about the kids?”
“I’ll go play with them now.”
Charlotte wanted to spend more time with the children, but she really had to leave soon. “I have to pay Dr. Felch a visit now. Is it okay if the kids stay a few more days?” she asked Zachary beseechingly.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you just stay at Northridge? It’ll be way more convenient for you, but you insist on staying at a remote place like this.”
Charlotte fell into silence. She knew what Zachary said was right, but she wanted to keep a distance between them.
It was not like they could get back together just because he saved her.
Danrique will be so pissed if he finds out.
“Whatever. I’m going to see Dr. Felch as well. We can go together.”
“Then can the kids stay?”
“Yes. They’ll stay for the weekend and leave on Sunday,” Zachary said as he walked out, “I’ll wait for you in the car. Be quick.”
“Yes!” Charlotte replied eagerly and ran to the courtyard to look for the children. “Robbie! Jamie! Ellie!”
“Mommy!” The three children darted over and hugged their mother. “Mommy, we miss you so much!”
Charlotte bent down and pulled them into her arms. “I missed y’all too! Why didn’t y’all come upstairs? I didn’t even know you guys are here.”
“Daddy said you’re sleeping.”
“Mommy, you’ve lost weight.”
“Mommy, why don’t you come home with us? Your house is so far away. We have to wake up early in the morning just to come and see you.”
“Yeah, Mommy. It’s so tiring. Why not you just come home?”
“Mommy, you can come back to Northridge at least. It’s much closer.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1287
Rekindling Past Love
Robbie, Jamie, and Ellie talked on and on, trying to persuade Charlotte to return to Northridge.
Charlotte could not bring herself to turn them down, but she knew it was not a good idea to go back now. She was afraid she would fall for Zachary again. She would be in for huge trouble if that happened.
She was fine with how things were at the moment. She kept her distance and they were on good terms.
“Do you guys know this is where Grandpa used to live?” Charlotte told the children, trying to change the topic.
“Mommy and Mrs. Berry used to live here as well. We took a lot of photos together. Do y’all want to have a look?”
“Yes!” Charlotte managed to spark the children’s interest. “We want to see it, Mommy.”
“Great, but we’ll do that later. I need to run some errands now. Why not y’all play with Alpha, Beta, and Gamma first? I’ll show you guys the photos in a bit.”
“But…” The children stopped, looking at Zachary.
“Daddy said y’all can stay for the weekend and leave tomorrow night,” Charlotte assured the children.
“Yay!” The three kids leaped in joy when they knew they could stay over.
A cheerful smile broke out on Charlotte’s face as she looked at the children. “I’m going to visit Dr. Felch now. You guys stay at home first, okay?”
“Yes, Mommy!”
The kids ran back merrily to the courtyard to play.
Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the children. She asked Morgan to stay back to watch the kids while Lupine and her got ready to leave.
“We can go in my car,” Zachary suggested, “I bet Dr. Felch doesn’t like too many cars at his place.”
“Sure,” Charlotte agreed and hopped on with Lupine.
Lupine sat down beside Ben, who was in the driver’s seat, while Charlotte and Zachary sat at the back.
The four set out with the rest of the guards at home to keep an eye on the children.
It was an enjoyable drive. There were lush trees along the way, blocking out the sun. Sprinkles of sunlight made their way through the leaves, falling on the road like specks of golden dust, forming a pleasant sight.
The journey continued without many conversations.
Ben would steal a peek at Lupine on and off as he drove. Unlike Marino, Ben was reserved and introverted.
Although Ben and Lupine clearly had feelings for one another, none of them took the first step.
As for Zachary and Charlotte, neither was trying to strike a conversation.
Ring!
A call on Ben’s phone broke the silence.
Ben connected his phone to his hands-free device and picked up the call.
“Ben?”
A woman’s voice rang softly from the other end.
“Um… Yes?”
Ben shot Lupine a nervous look.
Lupine looked away with conspicuous dismay on her face.
“Nancy here. Is Mr. Nacht there?”
Ben was instantly relieved to hear the lady was looking for Zachary and not him, but he quickly caught on and looked anxiously at Zachary in the rearview mirror.
Zachary gestured at him and Ben nodded. “Is there anything I can do for you, Ms. Gold?”
“I’m in H City,” Nancy replied, “I have some questions to ask him but I didn’t get a chance to. He had already left by the time I woke up.”
Charlotte felt uneasy listening to Nancy. What she said was very suggestive.
Charlotte pretended as if she could not care less, but deep in her heart, a storm was already brewing.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1288
Game Over
He had already left by the time she woke up?
These words were enough to paint a misleading picture in Charlotte’s mind.
It seemed to her that Zachary did not miss out on any fun at all last time.
Charlotte’s blood boiled in jealousy when the thought struck her, but she feigned a smirk and looked away nonchalantly.
Zachary caught her reaction and was peeved. “Arrange a time,” Zachary said curtly.
Ben looked at him with his eyes wide. “Um… Okay.”
“I’ll take a look at Mr. Nacht’s schedule and get back to you in a bit, Ms. Gold.”
“Great, thanks,” Nancy replied in glee. “Is Mr. Nacht beside you?”
Ben read the room and decided to end the call. “Yes, but I’m driving. I’ll call you back.”
“Alright. Say hi to Mr. Nacht for me.”
“Sure. Bye.”
The atmosphere in the car became tense after the call ended.
Although no one spoke over at the backseat, Ben and Lupine could feel a suffocating air engulfing them.
Lupine glared at Ben fiercely, to which Ben made an innocent expression in reply. Come on, this is not my fault. I’m just doing what I’m told.
Charlotte looked at her phone to conceal her disgruntlement.
She felt uneasy about Zachary meeting Nancy, but she reminded herself that she was no longer related to Zachary. It did not matter to her who he met. She had no right to be bothered.
“Did you get the news already?” Zachary suddenly spoke.
“Huh?” Charlotte looked at him, perplexed.
“Sir Robert wanted you out from the Gymnasium Project. I’ve already got the document. They are waiting for me to give them the green light. What do you think?”
“I’m fine with it. I wanted to opt-out anyway. I don’t want to have anything to do with him anymore.”
She found Robert and his wife’s actions unforgivable. Thinking of them made her feel worse. That double-faced and ungrateful couple really showed how evil people could be.
“It seems like you’ve not learned much from Danrique,” Zachary sneered.
“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked, frowning.
“Now that Danrique is down, the Lindberg Corporation is in a precarious state. You should at least have a plan going forward,” Zachary answered, looking at her mockingly.
“Danrique left me a fortune,” Charlotte said, “Of course, I won’t just squander the money away. I will make a comeback, but I want to take a break for a year or two. It’s better to lie low for now.”
“You’re too complacent. I bet you’ve lost your share on Lindberg Corporation, else Danrique’s enemies will be hunting you down by now. The only reason why you’re still safe now is not because of Gordon. It’s because they don’t even see you as a threat. Besides, Danrique only has three daughters, so they won’t be inheriting anything from their father.”
“So?” Charlotte asked cluelessly, “What are you trying to say?”
“The Gymnasium Project is up and running now. Although your stakes aren’t high, you’re still a shareholder too. You have all the rights to be part of the project. If you allow someone to just oust you without putting up a fight, no one will take you seriously. Don’t even think about starting anew in the future,” Zachary pointed out before a pause.
“But of course, it’s not like you have to do something great. Danrique has left you enough to spend for the rest of your life. You can choose to live a quiet life. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re in no shape to go against the Laurent family anyway.”
When Zachary was finally done, he uncapped a bottle and drank.
On the other end of the back seat, Charlotte fell into deep thoughts with her gaze low.
She actually did not want to be sidelined. It was obvious that Robert was bullying her.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1289
I Can Do It On My Own
Robert was trying to milk the situation to the fullest. Now that they had lost the pillar in the family, Robert wanted to corner her into desperation. After all, to him, she was just a woman with a bunch of kids, protected only by a group of female bodyguards.
Charlotte would have readily retaliated if she were younger, but things had changed.
Lindberg Corporation was in a mess, they still had no news of Danrique, and she still had to protect the children. If she threw herself into the eye of the storm right now, it would only mean more trouble for her.
She just could not risk the lives of the children.
Besides, she really did not want to perpetuate the fight with the Laurent family. After all, she felt guilty toward Louis, yet there was a morsel of truth in Zachary’s words.
There would be no coming back if she were to exit the playing field now.
If Danrique ever wanted to make a comeback, all would be lost by then.
Back when she put her stakes in the project, she did it under Lindberg Corporation’s name.
If she allowed people to remove her from the project now, it would be bad publicity for the company. The media would not let go of this opportunity to mar Lindberg Corporation’s reputation.
Danrique was still missing and no one knew what happened to him. There were already a lot of rumors circulating around about him. She could not just add fuel to the fire.
“What do you think I should do?” Charlotte finally spoke.
“This is a no-brainer,” Zachary replied, “They won’t get what they want as long as I refuse to sign the document.”
Speaking, he moved closer to Charlotte and whispered in her ears, “You just need to make me happy and I’ll give you whatever you want.”
“What do you mean, huh? I’m not that desperate!”
Zachary raised his brows in disbelief. “Wow, that’s a lot of double standard coming from you. I wonder who is the desperate person who made me work for two months at Sultry Night.”
Charlotte was at a loss for words.
“You shouldn’t let your ego get the better of you. You need to learn to back down when necessary,” Zachary advised patiently, “Besides, we’re a family. I don’t want anything bad to happen to my family.”
“You underestimated me. I can solve this on my own without your help.”
“Is that so?” Zachary questioned, “I’m looking forward to it then.”
Charlotte glared at him without speaking any further and whipped her head toward the window, looking at the view.
Zachary looked at her and smiled contentedly.
Three hours elapsed and they finally reached Dr. Felch’s place.
After Dr. Felch returned to H City, he found a quiet place to stay. When his student found out that Dr. Felch was looking for a place to stay, he gladly cleaned up this space for Dr. Felch since he was working in the city and the house was vacant.
Hayley eyed the car vigilantly as Ben drove in, but when she saw it was Charlotte, a bright smile lit up her face. “Charlotte!”
“Hayley!” Charlotte ran out and gave her a big hug. “How is everybody?”
“We’re good,” Hayley replied with a transient smile, “It’s just that Dr. Felch is not feeling very well. He’s been on medication for some time, but his condition is not getting any better. He’s been under the weather these few days.”
“What happened?” Charlotte was worried getting the update. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Dr. Felch asked us not to tell you anything,” Hayley explained, “He misses you dearly. Hurry up and go see him.”
“Sure.” Charlotte ran into the house with Lupine following her behind.
Zachary did not go in but stood beside the car, smoking.
Hayley got them some drinks and went back into the house.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1290
Last Words
A thick smell of medicine wafted in the house as Charlotte walked in. When Sam found out Charlotte was here, he quickly went in to inform Dr. Felch. “Dr. Felch, Charlotte’s here. I’ll bring her in right away!”
With that said, he rushed out of the room to get Charlotte, but he ran right into her and the whole bowl of herbal concoction spilled all over Charlotte.
Luckily Charlotte had some thick winter clothing on and was not scalded, but some of the hot liquid spilled on the back of her hand and her skin turned red immediately.
“You should be more careful!” Hayley reprimanded the apprentice.
“I’m sorry, Charlotte. I’m so sorry. I’ll go get some cream for the burn.”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” Charlotte assured him as she put her hand behind her so no one would notice it. “Where is Dr. Felch?”
“He’s resting. I’ll bring you in.”
Charlotte teared up the moment Sam opened the door. Dr. Felch was lying on the bed looking at the door as if he had been waiting for her all this while. He squinted his eyes in her direction as he breathed weakly.
“Dr. Felch, Charlotte’s here,” Hayley said softly.
Dr. Felch struggled to sit up in his bed, but to no avail.
Hayley and Sam went over to helped him up.
Charlotte took out a napkin and sat down by the bed, wiping off the stain on his lips. “I’m sorry, Dr. Felch. I shouldn’t have let you follow me around so much.”
“You know it’s not your fault,” the doctor said with a faint smile on his face, “I’m already ninety-nine. I don’t expect myself to still be healthy and mobile at this age.”
“But you might have lived till two hundred if you didn’t follow me abroad.”
Dr. Felch chuckled looking at her. “Two hundred years old? I’d be so old and rugged then.”
Charlotte smiled back at him lovingly.
“Don’t overthink,” Dr. Felch said, patting her hand. “I’ve had my fair share of suffering when I was younger, but I enjoyed my old age. I met your father and he was a dear friend to me. He helped me and I was able to have a good life because of him.”
Dr. Felch looked away, reminiscing his old friend. “I beat myself up when I found out about what happened to him. I hated myself for not doing more for him. I was so glad when you came to me. I thought I finally had a chance to return his kindness, so don’t feel bad about it. I’m more than happy to do something for you.”
“Thank you, Dr. Felch,” Charlotte said, sobbing.
“Now that Ellie and you are both cured, I can finally rest in peace and not have any regrets. Your wellbeing is all I wish for. It would be great if I could see the children again. I think my time is almost up.”
“Tomorrow. I will bring them tomorrow,” Charlotte quickly said, “Is there anything else you want to do?”
“I want to go back to where I came from. I want to return to Phoenix City and spend my last moments there,” Dr. Felch said with a sigh, “But that’s not possible now. I’m not even fit to fly anymore.”
“I’ll do that for you.”
Hearing this, Lupine went off to arrange for a private jet catered to Dr. Felch’s need.
“There’s something else,” Dr. Felch said, lying back down wearily.
“Hayley and Sam have been with me since they were young… They were inexperienced in the ways of the world. I hope you can become their help when I’m gone.”
“Don’t worry about it, Dr. Felch. I will take good care of them. No one will ever harm them as long as I’m around,” Charlotte promised him.