Ch. 1451..1460

Chapter 1451 Joyous News

“It's ready.” Lucy handed an exquisite-looking box to Zachary.

"Good, go make the necessary arrangements now,” he ordered.

“Yes, Mr. Nacht.”

After she left, Zachary opened the box. Staring at the documents inside, he fell into deep thought. Despite being fully cognizant that he was making a risky move, he was still willing to gamble.

Ring! Ring!

At that moment, his phone suddenly rang. It was Nancy.

Zachary picked up at once. "Hello?"

“Mr. Nacht, I'll be seeing you tonight.”

Although her voice sounded distant compared to before, there was a hint of unmistakable anticipation to it.

Ever since Zachary spoke with her frankly, she had stopped bothering him.

At the end of the day, she was a highly educated and cultured lady of a prominent family. No matter how deeply she loved Zachary, she would not cling to him out of desperation.

She was well aware that clinging onto someone like Zachary would only breed resentment within him.

As a result, she chose to give up on courting him. Even if she had to be tortured by her unrequited love every single night, it was better than having him loathe her.

Although they could not be together, she still wanted him to have a good impression of her. Perhaps, she might still stand a chance in the future.

“See you tonight too,” Zachary replied.

After ending the call, he continued to work.

While he was occupying himself with the documents, he heard the doorbell ring. However, that person did not announce their identity.

Glancing at the security camera live feed on the computer beside him, he was taken by surprise. After using the voice command to open the door, he stood up to welcome his guest. “Why did you come over?"

“Hubby!” Charlotte entered with a smile while holding two lunch boxes in her hands. “Are you hungry? I made you lunch. Come try it quickly.”

"How sweet of you!” Zachary watched as she took out the compartments of the lunch boxes one by one. When he saw the scrumptious spread, an alluring smile appeared on his face. “These are all my favorites.”

“I spent the whole morning preparing them.” Charlotte handed him his cutlery. “Go on. Try them.” "All right.” After trying every dish, he nodded with a grin. “You have improved!”

"Haha, that's because I have been cooking for the last few days.” With her chin propped in the palm of her hand, she felt herself swelling with bliss from watching him eat. “The kids requested to have meat fondue last night, so we'll be having that for dinner. I've instructed Mrs. Rawlston to prepare the ingredients.”

“I'll be attending a banquet tonight,” Zachary casually remarked. “So, I might be home late.”

"What banquet?” Charlotte furrowed her eyebrows.

Recently, she had been worried about Zachary coming to the office. Every day, she would remind Ben to keep a close eye on him in case something untoward happened.

Even bringing him lunch was an excuse for her to check on him.

Hence, she wondered why he insisted on going to a banquet.

“It's organized by the Gold family,” Zachary answered candidly. “Prior to this, Nancy has helped me. In return, I promised her that I would attend the banquet. Considering that they delayed the banquet on my account, it would be rude for me to miss it.”

Despite feeling upset, Charlotte found his explanation to be reasonable. Hence, she did not voice her dissatisfaction. “Fine. Go ahead if that's what you want.”

"Are you jealous?” Zachary's eyes turned to crescents as he beamed at her.

“No.” She gave him the side-eye and threatened, "You'd better come home early. Or else, I'm not going to let you into our room.”

"Haha, all right.” Zachary chortled. “I'm going there to return their favor, so I'll come home after I give them the gift.”

"Be home before nine,” Charlotte ordered. “Remember!”

“I know.” He stroked her face affectionately before feeding her some food. “You should have some too.”

When they were done with lunch, Zachary brought Charlotte to attend the board meeting. There, he officially introduced her to everyone and announced that they would be getting married the following Monday.

The company’s upper management was delighted by the news. Over the last few weeks, they had seen Zachary's condition gradually deteriorate and were worried that he would collapse at any time. Hence, they were happy for him when they learned about the sudden joyous news.

Chapter 1452 The First Dance

Even Charlotte was surprised. She was aware that Zachary was planning the wedding, but the date had yet to be decided. Therefore, she did not expect him to announce it at the board meeting.

We will be married next Monday, which is the seventeenth!

To her, it felt like a dream that was too good to be true.

After the meeting ended, Zachary escorted Charlotte downstairs. In the elevator, he hugged her and whispered, “Get some rest when you're home. Don't overwork yourself in the kitchen.”

“I know.” She returned the embrace. “I'll be waiting for you to come home.”

“Don’t worry. You won't lose your husband.” Zachary kissed her on her forehead. “Be a good girl now.”

After Charlotte got into the car, Zachary stood at the entrance and waved at her with a smile. She, too, waved back at him.

Even when the car drove off, she looked at him in the rearview mirror, feeling reluctant to part with him.

For some reason, she felt apprehensive that something terrible would happen to him, even though he was just attending a banquet.

Holding that thought, she gave Ben a call. “Ben, you have to be extra vigilant during tonight's banquet. Nothing can happen to him.”

“Don’t worry. I've got this,” Ben answered softly. “Now that we are in a crucial period, we will all be extra careful.”

“That's good.” Charlotte sighed in relief. “The main reason Zachary is attending the banquet is to return his favor to Nancy. Once he has given her the present, he should return home without delay.” “Understood.”

After ending the call, Ben began to gather his men. Although Zachary would only be attending the banquet for a short while, Ben still decided to bring more than ten bodyguards along.

With that, he was certain that he had all bases covered.

In the evening, Zachary arrived at South Sea Hotel as scheduled.

Ben was surprised that Nancy chose to hold the banquet at the Brown family’s hotel, where Zachary was hurt by the vase the last time.

As the owner of the hotel, Michael was also invited to the banquet at the very last minute.

“Ms. Gold sure is impressive,” Ben praised in a low voice. “In just a few days, the Gold and Brown families have grown closer to each other. It looks like they're about to form a partnership.”

“An excellent business person knows how to seize every opportunity available.”

Zachary let out a faint smile.

Nancy is as shrewd as ever. Considering that the Brown family is growing in influence, they are a much better partner than the declining Laurent family.

“All right. Ms. Gold is a shrewd businesswoman indeed,” Ben concurred.

“Mr. Nacht!”

At that moment, Nancy sauntered over with an amiable expression on her face.

It had been a while since they last met, and it seemed like she had lost some weight.

That evening, she was clad in a white mermaid dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure. Combined with her stunning features, she looked dignified and mesmerizing at the same time. “Ms. Gold, congratulations!” Zachary shook hands with her in a polite yet distant manner.

“I thought you wouldn't be coming tonight.” The look Nancy gave him was as affectionate as always. “I'm happy that I can still meet you.”

Her remark made him chuckle. “You're making it sound like I'll no longer be alive tomorrow.”

“No, no, no. I'm not that doctor,” she frantically explained. “What I meant was... I still thought you hated me. That's why—"

“I owe you one, Ms. Gold, so how could I resent you?” Zachary interrupted before presenting her the gift in a chivalrous manner. “I wish you success in your first domestic project!”

“Thank you.” Nancy received the gift as if it was a priceless treasure. “Can I open it?”

“Of course.” He nodded with a smile.

Just when she was about to open the box, the spotlight suddenly shone on both of them.

On the heels of that, music started playing while the host spoke in Ustranasion. “Ladies and gentlemen, let's invite two of our guests of honor to lead the first dance!”

Chapter 1453 I Can Help You

Despite being caught by surprise, Nancy looked at Zachary with anticipation.

As a gentleman, the latter offered his hand to her.

Nancy gladly took it and put her arm around his waist.

Holding each other intimately, they waltzed to the romantic music.

As for the crowd, they made way for the beautiful pair to have the dance floor to themselves. Meanwhile, Ben furrowed his eyebrows as he watched them. Mr. Nacht is physically weak now, so he’s already drained from working in the office every day. How could she still make him dance... “How is Mr. Nacht's recovery coming along?”

At that moment, a charming voice rang out from behind him.

Ben turned around and responded to the man cordially, “Mr. Brown, Mr. Nacht is recovering well.” “That's good.” With an apologetic tone, Michael added, “I noticed that he doesn't look too good, so I thought he hasn't fully recovered.”

“Mr. Brown, weren't you supposed to have returned to M Nation?” Ben asked.

“I was supposed to leave yesterday. However, I received Ms. Gold's invitation at the very last minute, so I decided to stay for a couple more days.” As he spoke, Michael scanned the crowd as if he was looking for someone. “Did Charlotte not attend the banquet tonight?”

“Ms. Lindberg's wedding is just around the corner, so she’s staying at home.”

Knowing that Michael still had feelings for Charlotte, Ben deliberately revealed the wedding. After all, it would be announced to the world very soon

"Wedding?" Just as expected, Michael was shocked. “With who?”

"With Mr. Nacht, of course,” Ben replied with a grin. “Who else could it be?”

Knitting his brows, Michael did not respond. Instead, he stepped aside and took out his phone to send a message.

Ben knew that the message must be directed to Charlotte.

On the dance floor, the music continued playing.

While Zachary and Nancy danced, the guests surrounded and watched them with muted delight. Staring longingly at the man, Nancy let out a gentle smile.

Suddenly, Zachary voiced, “There's a rumor going around recently. Word has it that your elder sister is fighting you for the position as the heir.”

"Erm..." After being briefly stunned for a moment, she hastened to reply, “Mr. Nacht, where did you hear that from?”

“I have my ways.” He stared intently at her. “It seems like the rumor is true.”

At his words, panic washed over Nancy. Nonetheless, she regained her composure quickly. “It's inevitable for a prominent family like ours to have a competition for power. Since my father is advanced in age, he's prepared to hand the reins to me. My sister does have some objections, but it's not going to pose a problem.”

“Is that so?" Zachary smirked. “If it isn't a problem, why isn't your father here tonight?”

"I..." His remark unsettled Nancy. She would have easily countered that comment if it were anyone else. However, Zachary's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, causing her to feel bare before him.

“Ms. Gold, you've saved my life. Therefore, if you need my help, ask away, and I will do so without hesitation,” he said thoughtfully.

"Hmm?" Nancy was caught by surprise. “If my memory serves me right, you never like to interfere in the affairs of others.”

“That's right.” Zachary nodded. “That's why I want something equivalent in return.”

"What do you mean?” Although she was taken aback for a moment, she composed herself quickly. "Why don’t we discuss this at the lounge?”

“Sure.”

Before the music was over, Nancy held Zachary's arm as both of them headed to the lounge.

While the guests made way for them and watched them leave, they speculated behind their backs in hushed voices.

“It seems that there's more to Mr. Nacht and Ms. Gold's relationship than meets the eye.”

“That's right. Mr. Nacht never liked attending banquets such as this. And yet, he has made an exception for Ms. Gold. It seems that there's something going on between them.”

“Precisely. Mr. Nacht has been cooped up at home for most of the year, so I was surprised that he attended tonight's banquet.”

"Are they in a relationship?”

“Maybe. After all, they look like a match made in heaven.”

Chapter 1454 I Want To Be Your Woman

When Ben heard the gossip, he began to worry and quickly followed them.

At the same time, Charlotte, who was on the phone with Michael, heard the comments over the line too.

“Charlotte, ignore them. They must have gotten the wrong idea,” Michael quickly assured her. “All Mr. Nacht did was dance with her, nothing more—"

“Where is he?" she asked

“It seems they have gone to the lounge... Hello? Hello? Charlotte?”

Before Michael could finish his sentence, Charlotte had ended the call. With her phone in hand, she rushed out of the house. “Prepare the car!”

“Ms. Lindberg, what's wrong?”

At that moment, Lupine and Morgan were going downstairs with the children.

“I'm on it.”

Reacting swiftly, Lupine ordered the car key to be brought to her as she followed after Charlotte. With that, both of them got into the car and sped toward South Sea Hotel.

When Lupine saw the look on Charlotte's face, she comforted softly, “Ms. Lindberg, please calm down. I believe that there's nothing going on between Mr. Nacht and Ms. Gold. After all, his body "Of course, I know there's nothing going on between them,” Charlotte snapped. “I'm just worried that it's a trap. With his current condition, even a minor injury can be fatal.”

“That's true.” Lupine nodded, then grumbled, “What's Ben doing? Why isn't he keeping a close eye on Mr. Nacht?"

“It's not his fault.” Thinking about it alone was enough to blow Charlotte's fuse. “If anyone is to blame, it's Zachary. Despite knowing how weak he is, he still insists on dancing with Nancy!" “Please calm down, Ms. Lindberg.” Lupine hastened to pacify her. “I'll drive faster so that we can arrive there sooner.”

“Not too fast. Your gunshot wound has yet to recover fully.” Charlotte sighed. “Men... they always make us worry!”

“Exactly!”

At the same time, in the lounge at South Sea Hotel, Nancy poured a cup of coffee for Zachary and gently suggested, “Mr. Nacht, there are no outsiders here. You can speak freely.”

“I'll get to the point.” After scanning the room and making sure it was safe, he proposed, “I would like to make a deal with you.”

“What kind of deal?”

Given that important negotiations were going on in the room, Ben, Cain, and the Gold family’s bodyguards guarded the entrance closely. No stranger was allowed near the lounge.

The security was so tight that it seemed nearly impossible for any accident to happen.

In spite of that, Zachary noticed that Nancy was out of sorts after he was done telling her his proposal.

Her face was flushed, and she seemed dazed. With her lips slightly parted, she kept fanning herself with her hand.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he asked, “Are you all right?”

“It's hot in here...” Nancy kept leaning toward him. “Mr. Nacht, what did you say just now? I didn't hear it properly..."

“You don't look fine.” Zachary kept his distance from her by scooting to the side. “Forget it; let's talk another day.”

Just as he stood up to leave, Nancy pounced on him. As she wrapped her limbs around his body, her face came close to his.

“Mr. Nacht, don't leave.”

“Ms. Gold, what are you doing?”

Zachary attempted to push her away, but she grabbed his wrists and pinned him down on the sofa. Brushing her cherry lips across his cheek, she purred in his ear, “I want to be your woman.”

“F*ck, are you drugged?”

Realizing the problem, Zachary tried to push her away. However, he quickly noticed that his body was falling limp.

Instantly, he looked at the cup of coffee on the table. Could it be..

“Mr. Nacht...” Nancy clung tightly to him, unwilling to let go. “Don’t go... Don't leave me.”

As she spoke, she tried to kiss him, but Zachary managed to dodge it and mustered the strength to push her way. The moment he rose to his feet to leave the room, his head spun, causing him to collapse onto the sofa.

Chapter 1455 Counterattack

“Mr. Nacht, Mr. Nacht...”

Shocked, Nancy kept shaking Zachary's body. Unbeknownst to her, a figure stepped out from the closet and approached her from behind.

Sensing the murderous intent, Nancy turned around reflexively. Unfortunately, she was knocked unconscious by a club before she could get a good look at the person.

The perpetrator was dressed as one of the hotel waitstaff and was wearing a baseball cap. Holding a sharp dagger in her hand, the person kicked Nancy aside before bearing down on Zachary. “Zachary, you will pay for what you and Charlotte have done to me. It's a shame that she isn't here today. Nevertheless, I will kill you first before exacting my revenge on her!”

While speaking, she raised the dagger, prepared to stab him with it.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a bang. Following that, a dart flew into the room, which struck her wrist.

“Argh!” Screaming in agony, the assailant dropped the dagger.

Zachary, who was lying on the sofa, opened his eyes at that moment. After kicking her, he roared, "Helena, it really is you!”

With the doors open, Ben barged in with his subordinates. Behind him were the Gold family’s bodyguards and a shocked Michael.

"W-What's going on?” Michael stared at the assailant in bewilderment. “Helena, what are you doing?”

Before Helena could answer, Ben had seized her and grabbed the dagger away.

Pinning her on the ground, he bellowed, “I knew you were the one who threw the vase the last time, but I didn't have any evidence. This time around, I've finally caught you red-handed!”

“Zachary, so you've set up a trap to lure me in,” Helena hissed. “You were lucky that I didn't kill you the last time!”

“Shut up.” Ben stepped on her to keep her down. “You're in the face of death, yet you can't stop talking.”

“I dare you to kill me!” Helena screamed as she tried to struggle free. “Even if I'm arrested, I would only be locked up for a few days, at most. Michael will bail me out.”

“Helena...” Michael was almost driven mad by rage. “So you were the one who threw the vase? Why did you do that?”

Helena sneered. “Why? Charlotte and Zachary destroyed my life and caused me to lose everything. And yet, you ask me why? I was imprisoned for twenty-eight months. Do you know how I lived through those days? Also, I was three months pregnant when that b*stard stabbed me. Because of that, I can no longer bear children! And all this is Charlotte's fault! If not for her, that b*stard wouldn't have survived, let alone murder me. Moreover, if Zachary hadn't targeted our family, Hector and I wouldn't have ended up this way.”

“Since both of them are my mortal enemies, there's no way I can watch them live in peace. I'm going to drag them down to hell with me even if it's the last thing I do!” she roared like a madwoman.

With a vicious expression and venomous gaze, she looked like a beast that had gone berserk. "Helena, everyone has to suffer the consequences of their own actions. You have to be held accountable for your crimes according to the law, so stop being obdurate.”

Michael walked into the room and kneeled in front of her. “Listen to me. Apologize to Mr. Nacht and return to M Nation with me,” he persuaded anxiously.

“I don't want to go back there. If I do, I will lose the opportunity to have my revenge,” Helena thundered in reply. “Once we're back there, you and your dad will lock me up and force me to receive psychiatric treatment. There, I won't be able to find Hector nor exact my revenge. My life would be meaningless!”

“Helena...”

“Mr. Brown,” Zachary said coldly, "you're just wasting your time. She has committed too many crimes, so there's no way she can be forgiven.”

Chapter 1456 A Successful Plan

Michael pleaded, “Mr. Nacht, I know Helena is guilty, but she didn’t do any real damage this time. I beg you to let her go this one time. I swear that I will take her back to M Nation, and she will never set foot in H City ever again.”

“No real damage?” The word struck a nerve with Ben. “Do you know that vase almost—"

“I know, I know.” Michael sounded apologetic. “Mr. Nacht is a distinguished person, and if anything were to happen to him, it would set off a chain reaction. I'm sure his injury must have caused a massive impact. Therefore, the Brown family will bear responsibility for all of the consequences. All I ask of you is to let Helena go this one time.”

“Bear responsibility? Can you even afford it?”

Ben was livid. Nonetheless, he understood that Michael assumed Zachary's injury from being hit by the vase was nothing serious. Since the wound had healed, Michael must have believed that the issue could be solved without the cost of Helena’s life.

Little did he know that the vase almost took Zachary's life.

If not for the wound, they would have a lot more time to locate Francesco, and Zachary's life would not be hanging by a thread.

"Mr. Nacht, I—"

“Ms. Gold!”

At that moment, Nancy had regained her consciousness. Rubbing her head, she settled down on the sofa. When she saw the situation before her, she quickly understood what had transpired. “It looks like the plan worked. We finally caught the perpetrator.”

“Thank you for helping me with the act.” Zachary took off his jacket and draped it over her. “You should leave now; I'll take care of the rest.”

“All right.” Wearing his jacket, she stood up with the help of her subordinate. After giving Helena a cold hard glance, she suggested to Zachary, “This person has attacked you, knocked me unconscious, and even conspired to harm us. You can't let her off lightly.”

"Don’t worry,” he acknowledged.

When Nancy walked past Michael on her way out, her eyes met with his dark ones, and she stopped in her tracks and remarked, “Mr. Brown, don't hold it against me. All I wanted to do was to lure the perpetrator out.”

“Is that why you approached me and organized the banquet at my hotel?” He glared at her. “You used me!”

“As if you aren't in the wrong for helping a criminal.” Nancy raised her chin. With a righteous tone, she said, “If I hadn't cooperated with Mr. Nacht to put on this show, we wouldn't have caught the mastermind. Who knows what devastating consequences could have awaited us in the future.” "You..." Despite his outrage, Michael still had his reason. “It's not wrong for you to lure the mastermind out, but why can't you let me know in advance? I wouldn't protect her if I knew the truth.”

She did not believe him. “That's hard to say. Everyone has a selfish side to them.”

"You..." Michael was rendered speechless by her retort.

“Nevertheless, I would like to apologize for lying to you.” Inclining her head, Nancy apologized, “I'm sorry, and I hope we can still be friends.”

With that, she left the room.

Coincidentally, Charlotte had just arrived with Lupine. When she saw Nancy coming out from the lounge with Zachary's jacket draped around her, her face darkened.

Nonetheless, she maintained her composure and asked calmly, “Where's Zachary?"

“Inside,” Nancy responded coldly and left right away.

Although she had given up on Zachary, it did not mean that she could be friendly to Charlotte. "Stand right there!” Lupine blocked her way.

"What do you think you're doing?” Nancy raised an eyebrow.

"Who knows if you have done anything to Mr. Nacht?” Lupine snapped. “Before we get to the bottom of this, you're not allowed to leave.”

“What a joke! I insist on leaving, so what are you going to do about it?"

Right after Nancy spoke, the Gold family’s bodyguards prepared to strike Lupine.

“Don't you dare lay a finger on her!” Charlotte stepped forward to shield Lupine.

While both sides refused to back down, Cain came out of the room. “Ms. Lindberg.”

Chapter 1457 Does Not Deserve To Be Forgiven

“Cain, where's Mr. Nacht?” Charlotte asked anxiously.

At that moment, a familiar figure stepped out. “I'm here.”

"You..." Upon seeing how unkempt he looked, she knitted her eyebrows. Not only did he not have his jacket on, but the collar of his white shirt was open with two buttons missing.

“Why are you here?” Zachary walked toward her.

“Explain to me. What is going on?”

Just as she was about to flare up, Michael showed up and pleaded, “Charlotte, please help me persuade Mr. Nacht.”

“Michael, why are you here?”

His appearance caught her off guard. However, she soon understood that there was more than met the eye. At once, she gave Lupine a look.

Only then did Lupine step aside, no longer blocking Nancy's way.

“Now that everyone is here, it's time to clear the air,” Nancy remarked. Displeased with Charlotte's earlier actions, she turned to face her and snapped, “Ms. Lindberg, next time, please get a clearer picture of the situation before jumping to conclusions.”

With that, she left in large strides.

Barely grasping what was going on, Charlotte was pulled by Zachary into the private room. Just when she was about to question him, she was shocked by the scene that greeted her.

Ben was restraining someone who was dressed in a strange outfit. The person kept struggling and hurling vulgarities at both her and Zachary.

When Charlotte got a closer look, she exclaimed in shock, “Helena?”

“She was the one who threw the vase...”

Only after Zachary explained the situation briefly did she catch on. “I was wondering why the banquet was held at this hotel. As it turned out, you were trying to lure the culprit out.”

“It seems that we've accused Ms. Gold wrongly,” Lupine admitted awkwardly.

“I was the one who sought her help to put up this act,” Zachary explained. “My main objective is to remove all the threats and obstacles that would hinder you in the future.”

He had said those words in a nonchalant manner, but it made Charlotte's heart ache.

He wants to solve all the problems for me with whatever time he has left so that my life would be smooth sailing from here on.

“Charlotte, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you!"

Helena was still raging at them. Nonetheless, after being pinned on the ground by Ben's foot for such a long time, she no longer had any residual strength to struggle. All she could do was hurl insults incessantly.

"Helena, you are beyond salvation.”

Looking at Helena, Charlotte was reminded of her past misdeeds and found herself being engulfed by sorrow and hatred.

“Back then, you plotted against Luna for your own selfish gains. Despite being punished by the law, you're still blaming me for everything. To make matters worse, you even planned on harming me too. Even death would be too good of an ending for you!"

“Ms. Lindberg, we have collected all the evidence of her wrongdoings and are prepared to hand them over to the police,” Ben reported indignantly. “This time, no strings can be pulled. She can never be bailed out and will rot in prison for the rest of her life.”

“No, please,” Michael begged. “Charlotte, I know what Helena did was wrong, and I apologize to all of you on her behalf. Just now, I told Mr. Nacht that as long as you agree, I'll bring her back to M Nation and never let her set foot in H City again. No matter what, she did not cause any significant harm this time around. Hence, I hope you can forgive her for my sake.”

"What do you mean by no significant harm?” Charlotte thundered. “Do you know she caused my husband—"

However, she held her tongue at mid-sentence because Zachary's condition could not be revealed to outsiders.

Michael continued to plead, “Charlotte, please let her go this one time on account of our friendship. I know that you are all angry because Mr. Nacht was hurt, but his injury has almost recovered. I can punish her in other ways or compensate you—"

"Enough, Michael,” Charlotte interrupted him. “If you still think of me as a friend, stop begging for mercy on her behalf. She has lost her reason. A vile and heartless person like her does not deserve to be forgiven.”

Chapter 1458 What Goes Around Comes Around

Michael could not wrap his head around Charlotte's stance. “I can understand why Zachary vows to seek Helena out for payback. After all, he’s not a man to be trifled with. But I can't fathom why you're so adamant as well. You were willing to forgive Luna and even lent her a hand previously, so why are you being hard-hearted toward Helena?”

He then added sorrowfully, “Do you know that she’s suffering from severe depression? If she ends up in prison again, she won't be able to survive.”

“She only has herself to blame for that! What goes around comes around!” Charlotte snapped, overcame by her hatred toward Helena.

She could not care less about his feelings.

Dumbfounded by her words, Michael stared at her in incredulity. With an aching heart, he said, “Charlotte, you've changed so much...”

Indeed, in his eyes, she was a forgiving person who could pardon everything.

Regardless of how Luna had placed her in hot water, she still gave her and her family a hand when they were in trouble. Even after Zachary had broken her heart numerous times, she was still willing to forgive him and even got back together with him! So why can't she forgive Helena? After all, Helena hasn't inflicted any harm on her so far. Undeniably, she has borne malice in the vase incident, but she did not do her wrong. Why must she insist on having her jailed?

“Michael, it doesn’t matter if you can't get my point now. You'll understand it one day.” Charlotte was determined to pay Helena back in her own coin.

The next moment, she instructed firmly, “Take her away!"

"Yes, Ms. Lindberg.” Ben nodded and assigned his subordinates to take Helena away.

“Let go of me! Charlotte Windt! Zachary Nacht! Both of you'll surely die a horrible death for doing this to me!” Helena roared hysterically, still struggling to break free.

“Shut up!” Infuriated, Charlotte moved forward and slapped her on the face.

That slap sent Helena into a frenzy. She lunged toward Charlotte maniacally as if she was a ferocious beast pouncing on its prey, but Zachary kicked her aside.

Consequently, she fell and sprawled on the ground. Soon, blood trickled down the corner of her lips.

"Helena!" Michael dashed toward her to help her up before bellowing at Charlotte and Zachary, “That's too much!”

“Take her away!” Zachary instructed coldly, paying no heed to him.

Cain and the other subordinates stepped forward at once to bring Helena away. Michael wanted to stop them, but Ben stood in his way. “Mr. Brown, you should be thankful that we're handing her over to the police instead of taking matters into our own hands.”

Michael rebuked, “Even if Helena did bear malice, she did not commit a grave mistake. With that, I'm sure she'll not be charged with a serious offense. I bet you must be thinking of exacerbating her situation with the prominence of the Nacht family! Am I right?”

Ben sneered. “Pfft! Didn't you have her prison sentence reduced by making use of the Brown family’s influence years ago? Surprisingly, she was only sentenced to imprisonment for two years after committing such a heinous deed. Wasn't your family the one manipulating everything at that time, huh?”

“You...” Michael was at a loss for words.

Charlotte furrowed her brows and tried to talk him out of backing Helena up. “Michael, heed my words. Helena can't be left at large, for she’s thoroughly wicked. Even though she’s your cousin, you should be impartial.”

“Thanks for your reminder!” Michael responded frigidly and stormed off.

Looking at his retreating figure, Charlotte was in anguish. Even though she knew he would be harboring a grudge against her because of Helena, she had no choice.

That woman's indeed a scourge! We must get rid of her so that others won't fall victim to her ruthlessness again!

Utterly exhausted from the commotion, Zachary was eager to leave.

"Come, let's go home,” he said as he put his arm around Charlotte's shoulders.

Holding a jacket, Ben caught up to them and put it on him.

When they left through the back door and were about to enter the car, Nancy darted toward them and called out, “Mr. Nacht!"

Zachary halted in his steps and turned back to look at her. “Ms. Gold, thank you for your help tonight!”

She smiled at him. “Don’t mention it. I've just had a look at your gift. It never crossed my mind that Zachary cut her off by saying meaningfully, “You've saved me, so you deserve it. As for the matter I mentioned earlier, I hope you'll think it through.”

Chapter 1459 Love Rivals And Allies

A solemn expression surfaced on Nancy's face instantly. “It's a serious matter, so I do need some time to consider. Anyway, I'll give you a reply once I've finalized my decision!”

Zachary shot a glance at the banquet hall. “I hope your banquet isn't affected.”

She smiled while shaking her head. “No worries. Since we took care of everything at the back of the hall, the guests are completely oblivious to what had happened moments ago. However, Mr. Brown seems to be enraged.”

“Don’t be bothered by him,” he replied nonchalantly. “I'm glad to hear that you're not affected.”

“I have to bear the responsibility for your previous injury as well, so I'm relieved for being able to help you lure out the culprit.” Nancy chuckled.

“It has nothing to do with you, so you don't have to feel sorry for that. All right, I'll be making a move first. See you.” Zachary flashed her a smile and walked away.

“Goodbye.” Nancy remained in the same spot and watched as their car sped off. Her eyes were gleaming with the usual affection toward the man.

Charlotte, staring at Nancy through the rearview mirror, could not help but feel uncomfortable. "Are you jealous?” Zachary looked at her with a gentle gaze and held her hand.

"You seem to trust Nancy a lot. Why did you take the risk to request her to act out this show with you when you know that she has feelings for you?” she asked quizzically.

“I only wish to eliminate the lurking threats for you as soon as possible. No doubt, I'd still be able to get to the bottom of the matter if I carry on with my investigation, but I'm running out of time.” His nonchalance sent another wave of indecipherable mixed emotions into her heart, but she could not utter any words.

“Nancy might be a little crafty, but she’s far from wicked. Not to mention, she’s sensible and considerate. If you can develop a friendship with her, you'll surely stand to benefit from that!” Zachary added meaningfully.

In a split second, displeasure was written all over Charlotte's face. “Friendship, huh? I'll never develop one with her. You're praising her, aren't you? Do you mean to say that I'm insensible and inconsiderate?”

“Undoubtedly, you tend to be swayed by emotions...” He paused and tried to reassure her by saying, “Don’t get me wrong..."

“Hmph!” Charlotte snorted, turning her back to him.

While smiling, Zachary patted her on the shoulder. “Are you angry at me? Don't be petty.”

"Since she’s better than me, go and look for her then. After all, she hasn't given up on you!” she grumbled, sulking.

“I'm just stating the facts. When it comes to business, you have a lot to learn from her.” He smiled again.

“Zachary Nacht!” Charlotte was about to explode with anger.

Wrapping his arms around her, he coaxed her by mumbling gently, “Don’t be angry, okay? I'm worried that you won't be able to support the whole family by yourself when I'm gone. That's why I wish to get you a few allies who will help you overcome the obstacles in the future. Do you get it?” "Stop talking nonsense. You'll be fine. I'll save you by all means!” Charlotte stretched out her hand to cover his mouth instantly, for she did not want to listen to him speak so pessimistically. Anxiousness coursed through her body, causing tears to well up in her eyes.

After kissing her forehead, Zachary pressed her face lightly against his chest. “Silly girl... Trust me. I'll never fall for anyone else. Even if I seem to be close with anyone, it's for your sake.”

She nuzzled into his chest, whining coquettishly, “I don't care! You mustn't love anyone else except me!”

Planting kisses on her lips, he shook his head resignedly. “Yes, yes. You still sound like a kid. When will you grow up and be more mature?”

“I don’t want to grow up when you're with me,” she murmured, hugging his waist and listening to his heartbeat.

Ben, who was at the driver's seat, could feel his eyes turning misty. He was the only one who knew that everything Zachary did was for the sake of Charlotte and their family.

Although Lupine was puzzled, she knew for a fact that Zachary was trying to convince Nancy to be Charlotte's ally.

Even so, she could not see the feasibility of his plan.

After all, the two women were love rivals.

 

Chapter 1460 All Taken Care Of

Likewise, Charlotte could not wrap her mind around Zachary's intentions.

No matter what, I do not wish to cross paths with that woman anymore in the future. It would be best if she could vanish from my sight and never show up again!

Nonetheless, seeing that he was adamant about getting it done, she relented as she did not wish to dispute with him about that matter. Due to his deteriorating condition, everyone complied with his wishes unconditionally.

Time flew by, and two more days had elapsed. Sadly, they were still unable to track down Francesco's whereabouts.

Zachary had made proper arrangements for everything related to the corporation. In the past few days, both Robert and Sherlyn had been meaning to talk things out with him, hoping that he would let Louis off the hook.

After being kicked out of the Gymnasium Project, they had admitted defeat and solely wished to bring their son back to their side.

Ever since Ben seized Louis in Phoenix City, the latter had been held captive for ten days. As Louis had suffered punishments, his mental condition was worrying. Hence, Robert and Sherlyn were apprehensive that he might sustain a mental breakdown if he was confined for any longer.

With snots and tears all over their faces, the couple pleaded with Zachary to grant Louis mercy and let him off.

Even so, Zachary was devoid of expression as they yowled. Half an hour later, he looked at his watch and said placidly, “I need to attend a meeting. Please excuse me.”

As he spoke, he stood up to leave.

Heart sinking, Robert went on his knees. In an ever so servile manner, he pleaded, “Zachary, I know what you care about the most. Please accept my sincerest apology and spare my son's life. I swear I will keep a close eye on him and restrain him from pestering Charlotte again.”

“We won't let Louis step into H City again. Please let him off. We don't want the money or the project anymore. Our only request is to bring our son back,” Sherlyn begged piteously.

Zachary snapped at them coldly, “You should be begging for mercy from someone else, not me.” The couple exchanged looks and knew at once what Zachary meant. Apparently, he was hinting at them to plead with Charlotte.

Ben even gave them another clue, saying that Charlotte was on her way to the office for a meeting with Zachary.

Without hesitation, the couple turned to plead with her upon her arrival, repeating everything they had mentioned to Zachary moments ago.

Charlotte felt guilty for placing Louis in such a predicament. Things would not have turned out that way if she did not agree to his proposal.

Not to mention, Louis had paid the price for his misdeeds. Since Robert and Sherlyn had swallowed their dignity to plead with her, she decided to be merciful and talked Zachary into letting Louis go. In the presence of Robert and Sherlyn, Zachary agreed to spare Louis, declaring that it was all for Charlotte's sake. On top of that, he advised them to discipline Louis after bringing him home. If not, he would never go easy on him the next time.

After thanking them profusely, the couple picked up their son and left H City as promised.

Still, Ben did not dare to let his guard down and asked Zachary if there was a need to assign someone to keep an eye on them.

However, Zachary was convinced that they would not be able to turn the table on them as the royal family of F Nation was displeased with the Laurents for being kicked out of the Gymnasium Project. With the royal family oppressing them, the Laurent family would not have the energy to stir up trouble again for a few years, to say the least.

Ben heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing his explanation.

The arrangement for the handover of work within the corporation was completed by then. Zachary even introduced Charlotte to the employees formally so that she could gain everyone's recognition. Apart from that, with Spencer and Johann at the helm, the corporation would still be in safe hands even if anything untoward were to happen to him. The matters in the Nacht family had also been taken care of.

The only thing left to do at the moment was to locate Francesco as soon as possible.