Ch. 1511..1520
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1511
Time For Action
Standing by the windows on the second floor, Zachary watched as Kyle and Cain carried the children one by one into the car before driving off.
When Jamie waved at him from inside the car, he waved back with a warm and affectionate smile.
The convoy drove away and soon disappeared from his sight.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Zachary drew the curtains before turning around to scrutinize the room. Once he was certain that the coast was clear, he took out his phone to make a call.
“Hello?” he said into the phone.
“How is it? Did everything go as planned?” A deep voice sounded from the other end of the line.
“You can say that. But I was almost tortured to death by the three little Lindberg devils.”
At the thought of the triplets, a frown creased his forehead.
“You must not lay a finger on the Lindberg children no matter what. Regardless of what they do, you just have to bear with it,” the person on the other end of the line warned grimly.
“I know. Luckily, Spencer has taken the children away. So now, I can finally have some peace.”
As he spoke, the man lay on the sofa leisurely and put his legs on the coffee table.
“Taken the children away?” The person was briefly stunned before asking solemnly, “Does Charlotte suspect you?”
The man on the sofa knitted his brows, taken aback by the question. “I don’t think so…”
He hesitated in his reply. In truth, he was not sure about it too.
“Regardless of whether she does or not, we have to act soon,” the person suggested. “Charlotte isn’t a problem, but she has the Lindbergs by her side. Therefore, don’t underestimate them.”
“Do you mean Gordon?” The man on the sofa sounded equally solemn. “He is very sharp indeed, merely taking a glance at me to know something was amiss.”
“He is Danrique’s right hand and isn’t someone to be trifled with.” The person on the other end of the line instructed at once, “Follow my instructions, and take action as soon as possible.”
“Okay. Also, I heard them mention that Ellie has woken up. She saw me during the fire.”
“I’ll take care of it. You should just act according to our plan.”
“Understood.”
After ending the call, “Zachary” spun his phone around as if he was planning something.
At that moment, a subordinate knocked on the door and reported respectfully, “Mr. Nacht, Kallum is outside and is asking to see you.”
Kallum?
“Zachary” raised his eyebrows and replied at once, “Let him in.”
“Yes, Mr. Nacht.” The subordinate went off as instructed.
At that moment, Bruce was coincidentally going upstairs. When he saw the subordinate going down to lead Kallum in, he could not help but feel puzzled. Thus, he knocked on the door and entered the room. “Mr. Nacht, when you weren’t around, Kallum instigated the board of directors at the headquarters to trouble Ms. Lindberg. Now that he wants to see you, I’m afraid he brings nothing but bad news.”
“Is he even a threat to us?” “Zachary” remarked haughtily.
“I…” Bruce could not answer him.
“Where’s my phone?” “Zachary” suddenly asked. “Help me find it.”
“Yes, Mr. Nacht.” Bruce found the phone quickly and handed it to him. “Mr. Nacht, your old phone was destroyed in the fire. This is a new one, but the SIM card is the same as before.”
“All right. You’re dismissed.”
Receiving the phone, “Zachary” began going through its contents.
Meanwhile, Bruce was feeling unsettled by the exchange. In the past, Zachary would always share his thoughts with him, but he no longer did so.
“Is there anything else?” “Zachary” looked up at him.
“No, there isn’t.” Bruce lowered his head and left.
Just then, the subordinate escorted Kallum in. Before the latter even got close to “Zachary,” he exclaimed, “Mr. Nacht, I finally get to see you. I’m glad that you’re all right.”
“Uncle Kallum, it’s been a while.” Looking at him, “Zachary” let out an impassive smile. “Have a seat!”
As the maid prepared coffee, the subordinate was ordered to wait outside.
Seeing the scene before him, Bruce could not suppress the odd feeling in his mind.
Mr. Nacht has always been cautious and never invited anyone for discussions in the bedroom, let alone an outsider like Kallum. But why did he do so today… This is really strange.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1512
Further Deductions
Nevertheless, Bruce did not think much of it. He simply assumed that it was one of Zachary’s tactics.
Maybe he has a motive for doing this? Is he using the carrot and stick approach with Kallum?
The more he thought about it, the more troubled he was. Hence, he reported the situation to Charlotte, who had just arrived at the hospital.
Holding her phone, Charlotte replied calmly, “Perhaps, he just wants to have a good talk with Kallum.”
“Okay. Since you don’t see any issue with it, I won’t dwell on it further.” The earlier suspicions Bruce had fleed his mind. “I just find that there’s something strange about Mr. Nacht ever since he returned.”
“Before the fire, he was experiencing memory loss due to the poison invading his brain. Hence, it’s not surprising for him to act strangely.” Charlotte did not plan on telling him the truth. “We have to be more understanding and accommodative of him.”
“I understand.” Bruce could not help but feel disheartened by her words.
“Take good care of him. I’ll handle my matters first.”
“Yes, Ms. Lindberg.”
After ending the call, Charlotte frowned. She was surprised at how quickly Kallum showed up and even met “Zachary” in private.
“Do you want me to capture Kallum and interrogate him?” Lupine knew what was going on in her mind.
“It’s fine.” Charlotte analyzed the situation rationally, “Considering that he’s meeting Kallum at Northridge in front of so many others, it’s unlikely for him to do anything drastic. Or else, the conflict would be out in the open, and their well-laid-out plans would go to waste.”
“In that case, what should we do?” Lupine asked.
“We don’t have to do anything other than wait for them to make their move.” Charlotte hurried into the ward. “Ellie…”
After going through therapy with the psychologist, Ellie was no longer as paranoid as before. Nonetheless, she was still constantly unsettled. When the little girl saw Charlotte, she did not jump into her arms excitedly like she used to. Instead, she scrutinized her intently as if to see if the latter was truly her mother.
“Ellie, it’s me. Don’t you recognize Mommy anymore?”
When Charlotte saw the look on Ellie’s face, she was heartbroken. Pulling Ellie in to give her a tight hug, she consoled, “Ellie, don’t be afraid. Mommy is here. No one will be able to hurt you.”
However, Ellie did not speak, nor did she move. Instead, she trembled in Charlotte’s embrace as though she was stricken with fear.
“Ellie, what’s wrong?” Charlotte was overwrought. “Why don’t you recognize me anymore? Huh?”
Ellie remained silent. In fact, she did not even dare to look at her, lowering her head and recoiling in fear until she reached her bed. Hugging her pillow, she burrowed herself underneath the covers.
“Ellie…” Charlotte called out when she saw the covers tremble along with Ellie’s body.
“Ms. Lindberg!”
At that moment, Raina hurried into the room and held her back. “Ellie hasn’t recovered yet. Let’s not rush her. Give her some time.”
“Why is this happening?” Charlotte was seized by desperation. “Why doesn’t Ellie recognize me?”
“Let’s talk in my office.” Raina consoled her, “Don’t worry, there are plenty of medical staff here. They will look after her.”
“Lupine, stay here,” Charlotte instructed.
“Yes, Ms. Lindberg.”
After Charlotte followed Raina into her office, Raina invited the child psychologist to explain Ellie’s situation to her.
“Ms. Lindberg, I gave Ellie a myriad of tests and realized that she’s deeply traumatized. In fact, she is suspicious of those closest to her. I have reason to believe that she has been hurt or frightened by her family members.”
“Frightened by her family members?” Charlotte’s heart sank. “How can that be? Why would anyone in the family hurt her?”
“We find it hard to believe too. Nevertheless, that’s what we have concluded from the results. In truth, most of the traumas suffered by children are caused by those closest to them. Ms. Lindberg, can you think of anyone that’s particularly suspicious?”
Upon hearing the psychologist’s words, Charlotte had a strong hunch that the person who looked exactly like Zachary had frightened Ellie.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1513
Dilemma
If there really were someone who looked exactly like Zachary, then all their deductions would be valid.
However, no one dared to say with certainty that such a doppelganger existed.
Ultimately, deep down in everyone’s hearts, they wished that Zachary could survive.
“Her condition is quite complicated. If we intend to help her as soon as possible, I suggest we tackle the source of her trauma,” the psychologist proposed.
“The source…” Knitting her brows, Charlotte fell into deep thought.
“Ms. Lindberg, Ms. Lindberg!”
Charlotte was only brought to her senses after Raina called her a few times.
“Ellie’s condition is rather complex. If we can’t find the cause, she’ll have no choice but to go through therapy gradually. As a result, it might take some time,” Raina explained softly.
“I understand.” Charlotte nodded. “I’ll go accompany Ellie. Thank you for your time.”
After staying with Ellie for a while, Charlotte went to visit Ben before leaving with a heavy heart.
Now that I’ve settled the children down in Mr. Spencer’s place and the hospital’s security has been reinforced, the first thing I have to do now is to verify the person’s identity and determine if he’s Zachary. If he isn’t Zachary, I’ll have to expose him as soon as possible and nip his plan in the bud. But if he turns out to be Zachary, then I’ll have to change my approach entirely…
Suddenly, Lucy’s call disrupted her train of thought. She told Charlotte that another wave of rumors was spreading like wildfire. That time around, they claimed that she was planning to confine Zachary at home and usurp his position since her plans of mariticide had failed.
When the board of directors heard the rumors, they panicked and demanded to see Zachary.
Before Charlotte could react, she received a call from Johann, which she quickly accepted. “Mr. Sterk!”
“Charlotte, has Lucy given you a call? The situation is grave. Despite our best efforts to quell it, chaos has resurfaced again. All the board members called me early in the morning and insisted on meeting Mr. Nacht. If they don’t get to see him, they will start taking countermeasures.”
Johann suggested anxiously, “Given the pressing situation, Spencer and I can’t hold them back, neither can you. The way I see it, you’d better discuss it with Mr. Nacht and get him to show up.”
“I understand.”
Charlotte’s brows were tightly knitted. Considering the dire circumstances, she would be in big trouble if “Zachary” would not align himself with her.
“Charlotte, I know Mr. Nacht isn’t in good shape, but this is a special situation. No matter what, we need him to speak to them, however short it is,” Johann voiced again.
“All right. I’ll discuss this with him when I’m back, and I’ll call you in the evening.”
“Sure. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
Having ended the call, Charlotte instructed, “Let’s head home.”
“Yes, Ms. Lindberg.”
Their car drove toward Northridge.
Lupine shot Charlotte a worried look. “Ms. Lindberg, what should we do now?”
She was cognizant of how tricky the situation was. The board of directors was waiting for Zachary to show himself, but the Zachary they had at their home could be an impostor.
If Charlotte were to expose him, it would only fuel the rumors further. By then, the public would not believe her words but instead, accuse her of coming up with another scheme to seize the Nacht family’s assets after failing to murder Zachary. What ensued from that would probably be a barrage of even scarier controversies.
However, if she decided not to reveal the impostor, she would be falling into his trap.
In short, Charlotte was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
“I’ve been thinking of this. If that man is an impostor, he would’ve been busted in less than twenty-four hours. So where did he get the courage to set up such an elaborate plot to challenge me?”
With furrowed eyebrows and an inscrutable expression, she remarked, “But now, I finally understand why he isn’t concerned about being exposed at all. That’s because he knows that even if I do so, the public might not believe me. Instead, I would fall deeper into the controversy that’s brewing.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1514
The Plot
“Are you saying that their plan wasn’t to trick you but to deceive the public and spark outrage?”
The truth finally dawned on Lupine.
“They know how strong your relationship with Mr. Nacht is and the fact that you’re an intelligent and sharp-witted person. Therefore, there was no way they could’ve fooled you with an impostor for long.
“Consequently, they leaked Mr. Nacht’s return to the press, announcing to the world that he isn’t dead and that he was sent to the hospital after suffering injuries in the fire.
“Now that they’ve spread rumors of you holding Mr. Nacht captive to seize the Nacht family assets, no one will believe you if you accuse him of being an impostor.”
“Exactly.” Charlotte’s brows remained tightly knitted.
“What do we do now?” Lupine was worried. “What should we do? This feels like a lost cause.”
“Let’s verify his identity first,” Charlotte asserted. “If he is real, everything would be worth it. Otherwise, we’ll play along and use the situation to our advantage.”
“Play along?” Lupine was baffled as to what she meant.
“No matter what, we can’t alert them yet. All of you should treat him the same way as before and pretend that you know nothing.”
“Understood.” Lupine nodded. “But… will you… be in danger?”
Too embarrassed to be candid, she phrased her question vaguely. She could see that “Zachary” liked to be intimate with Charlotte. Even though he might not harm her for the sake of his plan, he might somehow take advantage of her, complicating matters when the real Zachary returned.
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.” Charlotte was not concerned at all.
Soon, their car arrived at Northridge.
Ever since the fire at Southridge, everyone had moved to Northridge. As for then, Southridge remained sealed.
Initially, Spencer suggested for it to be renovated soon, but Charlotte forbade anyone from doing so. Firstly, it would be convenient for the police to collect evidence. Secondly, it served as a reminder for her to learn her lesson.
“Mrs. Nacht, you’re back!”
When Hanna saw Charlotte, she rushed toward her. “Mr. Nacht doesn’t seem to be feeling well, as he didn’t eat the food that I have prepared for him. What should I do?”
“Thanks for your effort, Mrs. Rawlston. What did you cook him?” Charlotte asked.
“His favorite beef stroganoff, vegetable broth, and some other snacks.” Hanna was extremely troubled. “Thinking that his appetite wasn’t good, I boiled some medicinal broth for him. Even then, he refused to have any.”
“Cook some vegetable beef soup then. He likes that.” Charlotte smiled slightly. “Coincidentally, I feel like having some too.”
“Okay, I’ll get right to it.” Hanna headed back to the kitchen and busied herself.
After walking upstairs, Charlotte headed to the study instead of returning to the bedroom.
Turning on her computer, she went through all sorts of folders containing the news articles Lucy had compiled. Some of them even had annotations made by the latter.
When Charlotte clicked into one of the articles, she saw how ridiculous the discussions had become. There were all sorts of wild speculations. Some even went as far as saying that she would soon be brought to justice.
Just as she was reading it, the police called and urged her to assist in their investigations as soon as possible. Otherwise, they would have to pick her up from Northridge.
Charlotte was about to reply when a familiar figure entered the study. The moment she looked up, their eyes met. His gaze was as gentle as it had always been.
For a split second, she was shaken, thinking that he was the real Zachary.
“Ms. Lindberg, Ms. Lindberg…”
The police officer’s voice interrupted her train of thought, pulling her back from being overwhelmed by her emotions. Very quickly, her rationality returned. “All right. I understand. I’ll be there at six.”
After ending the call, she raised her head to look at “Zachary.” “The police are urging me to assist in their investigations.”
“Ignore them.” “Zachary” walked over and hugged her from behind. “With me around, no one can bully my wife.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1515
Accept The Treatment
Just as “Zachary” spoke, he leaned in to kiss Charlotte’s ear, but she avoided it by reflex and even pushed him away. “There’s a huge controversy brewing now. Didn’t you read the news?”
“Just ignore them,” he reassured her. “They will naturally stop in a couple of days.”
“Stop?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you actually read the news? Given how haywire the speculations have become, how can they stop naturally? When you were missing, an internal conflict occurred within the company, with the board of directors trying to remove me. After painstakingly suppressing them, we now have another controversy on our hands. Do you really think it will go away by itself if we don’t do anything about it?”
“I…” The man was taken aback at first. However, he quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
“Did Kallum come and see you just now?” she asked candidly. “What did he say?”
“Nothing much. He came to see for himself whether I was still alive and asked me if the auditor could return to the company. Also, he even said…”
Looking at Charlotte meekly, “Zachary” dared not continue his explanation.
“What else did he say?” Charlotte pressed on.
“He said that it’s inappropriate for a lady to be at the helm and that I should return to take control,” he answered as he observed her reaction.
“He’s right.” Not only was Charlotte not angry, but she also lamented, “In the few days in which you were missing, I was flooded with accusations from all kinds of people. Now that you’re back, a new controversy has been ignited. The last few days have been the most tiring time of my entire life. If I could, I really don’t want to do this. Therefore, you’d better receive treatment so that I can hand this mess over to you once you’ve recovered. I truly can’t be bothered anymore.”
“Speaking of my health, I have something to share with you,” “Zachary” remarked with an earnest expression. “These few days, I can feel my condition improving significantly, and I also feel more energetic. In fact, I was wondering if this incident had removed the toxins in my body by accident.”
“Really?” Charlotte was elated. “I noticed the same about you too. Since the poison came about under strange circumstances, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it disappeared in an equally mysterious manner.”
“In that case—”
“I’ll get Raina to come over and do a blood test for you. That way, we’ll know for sure.”
While speaking, Charlotte picked up her phone to make the call.
“Zachary” hastened to stop her. “Wait, I don’t think there’s any need to do so. If she finds out that I’ve not healed, it might cause me unnecessary stress.”
She nodded. “That’s true. Why don’t you continue with the treatment Dr. Felch left behind? We can observe the results over a few days.”
“There’s no need for that. It’s not like I have any symptoms—”
“What do you mean you don’t?” Charlotte grew concerned suddenly. “Ever since you returned, you’ve been behaving strangely. In fact, many have been wondering what’s wrong with you. If you hadn’t intermittently lost your memory before the fire, I would have thought that you weren’t my husband.”
Her words stunned “Zachary” for a moment, and he quickly explained, “Of course, I’m your husband. Fine, you’re right. My sickness is getting to my head. I do need to receive the treatment.”
“That’s the way.” Charlotte nodded in relief. “I’ll get Hayley and Sam to do it later. Recover as soon as you can so that you can manage the company again. As of now, I can barely keep it together by myself.”
“All right, I got it.” “Zachary” forced himself to agree. “But Kallum told me that the board of directors is causing trouble again. How are you planning to deal with them?”
“What else can I do? They don’t respect me at all. On my way home, Johann even called me to get you to show your face, even if it’s just to say a word or two. Therefore, receive your treatment tonight and follow me to the company tomorrow morning.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1516
Accept The Treatment
Just as “Zachary” spoke, he leaned in to kiss Charlotte’s ear, but she avoided it by reflex and even pushed him away. “There’s a huge controversy brewing now. Didn’t you read the news?”
“Just ignore them,” he reassured her. “They will naturally stop in a couple of days.”
“Stop?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you actually read the news? Given how haywire the speculations have become, how can they stop naturally? When you were missing, an internal conflict occurred within the company, with the board of directors trying to remove me. After painstakingly suppressing them, we now have another controversy on our hands. Do you really think it will go away by itself if we don’t do anything about it?”
“I…” The man was taken aback at first. However, he quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
“Did Kallum come and see you just now?” she asked candidly. “What did he say?”
“Nothing much. He came to see for himself whether I was still alive and asked me if the auditor could return to the company. Also, he even said…”
Looking at Charlotte meekly, “Zachary” dared not continue his explanation.
“What else did he say?” Charlotte pressed on.
“He said that it’s inappropriate for a lady to be at the helm and that I should return to take control,” he answered as he observed her reaction.
“He’s right.” Not only was Charlotte not angry, but she also lamented, “In the few days in which you were missing, I was flooded with accusations from all kinds of people. Now that you’re back, a new controversy has been ignited. The last few days have been the most tiring time of my entire life. If I could, I really don’t want to do this. Therefore, you’d better receive treatment so that I can hand this mess over to you once you’ve recovered. I truly can’t be bothered anymore.”
“Speaking of my health, I have something to share with you,” “Zachary” remarked with an earnest expression. “These few days, I can feel my condition improving significantly, and I also feel more energetic. In fact, I was wondering if this incident had removed the toxins in my body by accident.”
“Really?” Charlotte was elated. “I noticed the same about you too. Since the poison came about under strange circumstances, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it disappeared in an equally mysterious manner.”
“In that case—”
“I’ll get Raina to come over and do a blood test for you. That way, we’ll know for sure.”
While speaking, Charlotte picked up her phone to make the call.
“Zachary” hastened to stop her. “Wait, I don’t think there’s any need to do so. If she finds out that I’ve not healed, it might cause me unnecessary stress.”
She nodded. “That’s true. Why don’t you continue with the treatment Dr. Felch left behind? We can observe the results over a few days.”
“There’s no need for that. It’s not like I have any symptoms—”
“What do you mean you don’t?” Charlotte grew concerned suddenly. “Ever since you returned, you’ve been behaving strangely. In fact, many have been wondering what’s wrong with you. If you hadn’t intermittently lost your memory before the fire, I would have thought that you weren’t my husband.”
Her words stunned “Zachary” for a moment, and he quickly explained, “Of course, I’m your husband. Fine, you’re right. My sickness is getting to my head. I do need to receive the treatment.”
“That’s the way.” Charlotte nodded in relief. “I’ll get Hayley and Sam to do it later. Recover as soon as you can so that you can manage the company again. As of now, I can barely keep it together by myself.”
“All right, I got it.” “Zachary” forced himself to agree. “But Kallum told me that the board of directors is causing trouble again. How are you planning to deal with them?”
“What else can I do? They don’t respect me at all. On my way home, Johann even called me to get you to show your face, even if it’s just to say a word or two. Therefore, receive your treatment tonight and follow me to the company tomorrow morning.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1517
No Choice But To Endure
Standing outside the bathroom, Charlotte kept an eye on her watch. She listened to the sound of flowing water while waiting for the opportune time to open the door.
As time ticked by, she finally reached the five-minute mark. She figured “Zachary” would have undressed by then.
With a towel in hand, she entered the bathroom.
Amid the mist inside, the man looked even more towering and attractive.
As for the wolf head tattoo on his waist, it could clearly be seen despite being partly blocked by the mist.
It’s really Zachary!
Charlotte was bewildered.
How can this be? How can the tattoo be the same? Is he really Zachary?
“Wifey…”
Suddenly, “Zachary” turned around and reached out to hug her.
Charlotte, who was on alert, avoided him and slipped away at once. “Continue with your shower. I’ll go check if the vegetable soup is ready.”
“Wifey…”
“Zachary” grabbed her and refused to let go. He even pinned her against the wall and leaned in to kiss her.
Averse to his advances, Charlotte turned her head to avoid the kiss. She thundered, “Let go of me!”
“You’re my wife. I can kiss you whenever I want.”
With a brazen attitude, the man continued to approach while restraining both her wrists.
Failing to struggle free, Charlotte lifted her knee in desperation.
“Argh!”
“Zachary” curled up on the ground while holding his crotch. He was in so much pain that his face was devoid of color.
“You deserved it!” After pushing him aside, Charlotte stormed out.
When she came out of the room and saw Hanna pacing around nervously, she quickly recollected herself and greeted, “Mrs. Rawlston, what’s wrong?”
“I was about to come up with the vegetable soup when I heard Mr. Nacht’s cry. A-Are both of you fighting?”
Hanna felt awkward and worried at the same time.
“We’re not fighting.” Charlotte received the soup. “All right now, I’ll take this in. Mrs. Rawlston, you can get back to work.”
“Sure, sure.” Hanna dared not probe further and left quickly.
When Charlotte returned to the room, she put the bowl of vegetable soup on the coffee table and declared, “Once you’re done showering, come over and drink your soup. You will only have vegetable soup three times a day and a bowl for every meal from today onward. It will be served with some side dishes. Once you’ve done this for two months, you won’t get a stomachache anymore.”
“Zachary” walked out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He asked anxiously, “Do you have to be so cruel?”
“This was what you did previously.” Charlotte was firm and decisive. “Before this, you had soup for almost three months and didn’t even have any side dishes.”
“Hey, you—”
She ignored him and gave Hanna a call right away. “Mrs. Rawlston, from today onward, Mr. Nacht will have nothing but vegetable soup. By the way, don’t serve him any wine or any other drinks. He is only allowed to have plain water. Furthermore, please get someone to clear the mini-bar in the room later. Remove all the alcoholic drinks, and only leave the bottles of mineral water behind.”
“Yes, Mrs. Nacht,” Hanna agreed at once. “What’s a good time for me to come?”
“About an hour.” Charlotte checked her watch. “You can come once he’s done with his vegetable soup.”
“All right, Mrs. Nacht.” After ending the call, Charlotte smiled faintly at “Zachary” and suggested solemnly, “For the sake of your health, you have to be self-disciplined. Since you have done it before, I’m sure you can do it again!”
“Finish your soup quickly, and get yourself dressed. Mrs. Rawlston will be coming up with one of the maids to clear the mini-bar,” she then urged. “I’m going to do some work now. Once Hayley is here, I’ll accompany you for the treatment.”
With that, she headed out of the room.
Meanwhile, “Zachary” stared at the vegetable soup with a pained expression. The thought of going through the treatment later only served to add salt to his wounds. Nevertheless, for the sake of their plan, he had no choice but to endure.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1518
Be Strict
After Hayley and Sam arrived, they settled into a loft at the back.
Charlotte had requested Raina to set up a traditional medicine treatment room there so that Hayley and Sam would have a place to treat Zachary.
Given their dutiful nature, both of them brought along all their equipment and drugs when they heard about Zachary’s return and Charlotte’s request to have him treated.
The moment they arrived at the loft, they began to unpack.
“Hayley!”
When Charlotte walked in, Hayley was still unpacking the needles left behind by Dr. Felch. When she heard the former’s voice, she hurried to greet her, “Charlotte!”
“Thank you for coming all the way here again.”
After the fire at Southridge, Charlotte had sent both of them to the villa at Yaleview temporarily. That was because she knew Zachary would return one day, and their help would still be needed when that happened.
Indeed, she was right, for Hayley and Sam were brought back just after a few days.
“It’s fine. After all, Dr. Felch sent us to take care of you,” Hayley replied with a giggle. “Charlotte, is Zachary really back? See, I told you he’d be fine!”
“Mmm-hmm, he’s back,” Charlotte answered with a slight smile. “However, the poison in his body has yet to be removed. After giving it a lot of thought, I feel that we should employ the prescription Dr. Felch used on me to treat him.”
“Charlotte, actually, we have discussed this before, but I’m worried that it won’t work.” Sam sounded concerned. “After all, Dr. Felch hasn’t taught it to us before, and we haven’t given it a try either.”
“We have no other choice now. It’s our only hope,” Charlotte commented in resignation. “Let’s just give it a try.”
“All right then. I’ll prepare the medication.” Sam got to work at once.
“I’ll prepare the silver needles,” Hayley added. “When I treated you before, I have a good grasp on how to use them. After that, I ran through it with Dr. Felch again, so it should turn out fine.”
“That’s good. You guys continue with your preparation while I bring him here.”
With that, Charlotte returned to the villa to get “Zachary.”
At that moment, “Zachary” was already dressed. He sat on the sofa, watching Hanna and the maids clear out his mini-bar with a scowl on his face.
When he saw them take every single bottle of his wine away, he could not resist the urge to rebuke. Sadly, they were undeterred by him.
Hanna even responded, “Mr. Nacht, please calm down. We’re just following Mrs. Nacht’s orders. She’s doing all this for your own good, so you’d better behave!”
That rendered “Zachary” speechless.
He probably had never imagined that a lofty person like himself would end up in such a state.
This… This isn’t right.
“Mr. Nacht, prior to this, you only drank vegetable soup alone for two months. Hence, you shouldn’t blame her and should be understanding. In fact, she’s spoiling you by allowing you to have side dishes.”
“That’s right, Mr. Nacht. Mrs. Nacht suffered a lot when you weren’t around.”
The two maids advised “Zachary” as if he was an ungrateful husband who did not appreciate his wife’s good intentions.
Remaining silent throughout, “Zachary” held his head in agony.
No, it shouldn’t be like this. Given how domineering Zachary is, everyone at home should be taking orders from him. Why are the maids brazen enough to lecture me? Why does everyone listen to Charlotte instead of me? Can it be…
“Are you done cleaning up?”
At that moment, Charlotte returned.
“Mrs. Nacht, we’re done,” Hanna reported at once. “We have taken everything other than the mineral water. We didn’t leave the coffee behind either.”
“Good job.” Gratified to hear that, Charlotte nodded. “We’re doing this for the sake of his health, so we must be strict.”
“Yes, Mrs. Nacht.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1519
You Are Cruel
When “Zachary” saw Hanna and the other take away his things, he gritted his teeth and glared at Charlotte. “You’re a cruel woman!”
“I’m doing this for your own good.” Looking at the untouched bowl of vegetable soup, she frowned. “If you don’t eat that, there won’t be anything else for you.”
“I refuse.” “Zachary” turned his head away in defiance.
“Fine. Put on your shoes. We’re going to the loft in the backyard,” Charlotte urged. “Hayley and Sam are already waiting for you.”
He furrowed his brows. “Must I go?”
“You can choose not to.” Charlotte did not insist. “If you don’t want to be treated with traditional medicine, you will have to see Raina and do a full body checkup. After that, you will have to accept treatment with modern medicine, and—”
Before she could even finish her utterances, “Zachary” was already putting on his shoes. “Traditional medicine is a legacy of our nation. Therefore, we should believe in it.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Breaking out into a smile, Charlotte led him to the loft in the backyard.
Along the way, she reminded the maids and subordinates. “From today onward, Mr. Nacht will be continuing his treatment. Therefore, all of you have to monitor him closely. He isn’t allowed to drink nor eat whatever he wishes to. Also, he cannot leave on his own accord. If he has any instructions, report them to me and get my permission first. And if anything happens, inform me immediately.”
“Yes, Mrs. Nacht!”
Everyone took orders from Charlotte as if she was the head of the household.
Meanwhile, “Zachary” was flabbergasted by everything that had just transpired. Why does it feel like I’ve come to the wrong place? This place feels more like the Lindberg residence than the Nacht residence.
“Stop looking around. We’re in Northridge,” Charlotte stated as if she knew what he was thinking. “Although most of them are your men, they only take orders from me.”
“Zachary” was rendered speechless as a gloomy look crept into his eyes. It was as if he had a premonition of imminent danger.
By the time they arrived at the loft, Hayley and Sam had prepared the herbal concoction and poured it into a wooden bucket. At the same time, the needles for acupuncture were also ready.
The moment Charlotte entered with “Zachary,” the two greeted him, “Zachary, we’re glad to see that you are fine. We were worried sick!”
“I’m all right. Thanks for your concern,” “Zachary” answered cordially.
“Zachary, why do you look so much better than before? In fact, you look reasonably spirited.” Hayley found it strange after observing “Zachary.” “It’s as if you are not sick at all.”
“That’s right. Also, I feel as if your nose—”
“That’s enough,” Charlotte interrupted Sam before changing the topic. “After a brush with death, he has been reinvigorated and looks better than before. However, the poison in his body hasn’t cleared yet, which is why we need your help. The previous treatment Dr. Felch used on me was pretty useful. Hence, you should just repeat the same procedures on him this time. Anyway, you can begin now.”
“Yes, Charlotte,” Hayley replied in acknowledgment. Then, she stepped out and called out, “All of you, come over here.”
“Right away.” A few burly men rolled up their sleeves and gradually approached “Zachary.” “Mr. Nacht, do you want to take it off yourself, or do you want us to help you?”
“W-What?” “Zachary” knitted his brows. “Take what off?”
“Your clothes,” Hayley replied while giggling. “After that, you will have to soak yourself in the bucket for an hour before Sam performs acupuncture on you.”
“Acupuncture?” “Zachary” widened his eyes in shock.
“Yes, look.”
Sam took out his equipment and spread them out for him to see. In it were seventy-two needles with one thicker and longer than the other.
“We will stick all of them into your body so that the toxins can be excreted. By doing it once a day for eighty-one days, we will be able to see its results.”
Terrified till his face lost all color, “Zachary” looked at Charlotte in disbelief. “Charlotte, isn’t this too cruel?”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1520
Intimidation
Later on, Charlotte arrived at the police station to assist in their investigations, where she had her statement taken the entire night.
Given how grave the case was, the police regarded it seriously. Consequently, they had begun their investigations that day and called up everyone related to the incident to record their statement.
So far, the evidence and leads were unfavorable to Charlotte. Nonetheless, she maintained her cool and cooperated however she could. By the time she was allowed to leave the police station with Lupine, it was already late at night.
Just when she was about to get in her car, she saw the Gold family’s car approach.
Due to her frequent interactions with Zachary before that incident, Nancy was also summoned by the police.
Since she was busy, it was not until then did she have the time to come in. At the same time, she probably never expected to run into Charlotte at such an hour.
The moment their cars passed by each other, both of them came to a stop.
Then, their windows were lowered, revealing two pretty faces staring at each other.
“Charlotte, if you’ve committed a crime, you’d better own up to it. There’s no way you can remain at large.” Nancy stared at Charlotte coldly.
“Ms. Gold, you should tell that to your father.”
Charlotte gave her a thoughtful look.
“What do you mean by that?” Nancy’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Ignoring her, Charlotte rolled up her window and had the driver drive away.
As for Nancy, she was unsettled by the comment. With her eyebrows furrowed, she remarked anxiously, “What did Charlotte mean by that sentence? Could it be that this has something to do with my dad?”
“That’s impossible,” her subordinate reassured her at once. “Mr. Gold has always encouraged you to befriend Mr. Nacht. Why would he harm him? Moreover, the Nacht residence is secured like a fortress. Who else is capable of doing so other than their own men?”
Nancy did not respond. Her brows remained creased as she mulled over the situation.
In the car, Lupine asked nervously, “Ms. Lindberg, why did you say those things to Nancy? Aren’t you worried about alerting the mastermind?”
“Jesse probably knew early on that I would see through the impostor,” Charlotte remarked frostily. “If Nancy tells him about it, it would serve as a form of intimidation. If not, she would re-evaluate her perception of the entire matter.”
“Wouldn’t she choose to protect her father?” Lupine guessed.
“I, too, would like to know whose side will she be on,” Charlotte commented as she narrowed her eyes.
“She will probably side with her father.” Lupine firmly believed in that possibility. “After all, it isn’t just about their familial relationship. It also involves both her interests and future.”
“Even though it might seem that way on the surface, I somehow still feel that there was some hidden meaning behind Zachary’s words,” Charlotte added thoughtfully. “Maybe he wanted to hint something to me.”
“Would Nancy really betray her family for Mr. Nacht?” Lupine found it unbelievable. “I think it’s highly improbable. After all, Mr. Nacht didn’t promise her anything.”
“That’s true.” Charlotte heaved a sigh. “We’ll see. Just see this as an attempt to sound them out.”
“Mmm-hmm.” Lupine did not press on. Instead, she changed the topic. “What about the board meeting tomorrow? Are you really bringing that impostor along with you?”
“Yes, I must,” Charlotte affirmed. “Since the board of directors forced me to bring him over, I’ll do as they wish. Or else, they would continue to suspect me of confining him.”
“However, will he stand on your side then?” Lupine was puzzled. “What if he stands in opposition to you in the board meeting?”
“It’s still too early for him to take action.” Charlotte smirked. “After all, the stock and assets have been transferred under my name. If he angers me now, how is he going to take them from me? Even if he wants to attack me with the directors’ help, he will need time to prepare. Therefore, he will not strike until he’s ready.”