Ch. 1641..1650
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1641
Bad Proposals
“In that case, can he really be—”
Kallum could sense the doubt growing. “That seems unlikely. Even if he has gone through plastic surgery, there’s no way he can look exactly the same, not to mention he sounds the same too.”
Spencer shot Kallum a glare but didn’t say a word.
Subsequently, Johann pulled Spencer aside to discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, many of the other directors felt unsettled and began gossiping amongst themselves.
“I don’t understand what the situation is. Despite having divorced Mr. Nacht, Ms. Lindberg insists on getting her stake in Nacht Group. In the future, will the company be controlled by the Lindbergs?”
“Unfortunately, it will either be the Lindbergs or the Golds. Nacht Group is finished.”
“No matter what, I’m not optimistic at all.”
“What should we do then?”
“What can we do? Our combined stake is less than ten percent. Hence, we have no right to say anything. Our only option is to resign ourselves to fate.”
“From my perspective, Mr. Spencer and Mr. Sterk seem to be on Ms. Lindberg’s side. Hence, I think we should trust the two of them.”
“You’re right. They have yet to be compromised.”
“Given that Mr. Nacht himself is compromised, how can we be sure both of them aren’t?”
“Well…”
“Forget it. We’ll just have to take it one step at a time.”
Feeling uneasy, many in the conference room began to speculate.
Meanwhile, Lupine rushed back into the room, holding her phone.
“Any news?” Charlotte asked anxiously.
“They almost rescued him, but he was moved again.” Lupine let out a sigh. “Also, Gordon was hurt during the mission.”
“How did that happen?” Charlotte was filled with desperation.
“Given that Robbie is Jesse’s trump card, he would definitely not let him escape easily. In fact, Jesse has even increased the security around him. Now that we have lost track of where they have taken Robbie, we will need to start investigating from scratch.”
Lupine’s expression was grim.
“Get them to take care of those who are injured first,” Charlotte calmly replied.
“I already told them that.” Lupine nodded. “Gordon was careless due to his exhaustion. After all, he had spent the last ten days tracking them down and barely slept. Nevertheless, Bruce mentioned that his injuries weren’t serious. Therefore, he will be fine.”
“Alright.” Despite feeling her heart sink, Charlotte put up a strong front. “Tell them that their safety comes first in their quest to locate Robbie.”
“Yes, I will!”
Looking out at the drizzle outside the window, Charlotte’s worries weighed on her.
Even though she had won a decisive victory in the boardroom, her hands were still tied due to Robbie being held hostage by Jesse.
Therefore, even if she got the shares today, she might have to cough them back out tomorrow.
No, I can’t just sit idly by.
At that moment, the conference fell silent when someone shouted, “Mr. Nacht is back!”
Turning around, Charlotte saw Chris, Jean, and their subordinates swagger back into the room. Evidently, they were more arrogant than before.
“So, have you decided?” Johann asked.
“I have,” Chris replied resolutely. “I’ll give her a twenty percent stake in Nacht Group.”
“Alright.” Johann smiled slightly. “It looks like you still have some smarts.”
Even though Johann didn’t elaborate, everyone present knew that Divine Corporation was crucial to Nacht Group’s operations even though its market capitalization wasn’t that high.
After all, in the information age, Divine Corporation’s IT products were at the forefront of the industry. As long as they still had control of the company, they could restructure and sell it for ten-fold its current price.
“Since it has been decided, let’s complete the transaction at once,” Spencer declared.
“All right.” The legal team and accounting department got to work right away.
Sitting with his leg crossed, Chris took a sip of his coffee. The panic he felt earlier was now replaced with victorious confidence.
From his expression, Charlotte was cognizant that Jesse must have come up with another diabolical plan that involved Robbie.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1642
The Line On The Forehead
No matter how fast the legal and accounting teams worked, they would need at least a few days to carve out the shares for Charlotte.
Moreover, this so-called Zachary no longer had the legal authority to make any decisions during the transition period, including nominating Jesse to the board of directors.
Even though Charlotte had emerged victorious from the battle, the shareholders of Nacht Group only felt that one predator was replaced by another.
In fact, it felt like a bigger loss to them.
After all, they still felt insecure over not knowing whether Charlotte was a friend or foe.
“Are you satisfied now?”
After signing the stock carve-out agreement, Chris shot Spencer and Johann a glare before storming out.
“I’m taking my leave too. I’ll see all of you in three days.”
Having bid a cordial farewell to the board, Charlotte exchanged glances with Spencer and Johann and left hurriedly.
Behind her, Lupine and Emma followed quickly.
Just before the elevator doors closed, Charlotte rushed forward and caught the door.
“What do you want? Are you here to gloat?” Chris glared at her. “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Sooner or later, you’ll have to cough the stocks back out.”
Striding gracefully into the elevator, Charlotte remarked thoughtfully, “Regardless of whether I have to return it, it will never be yours.”
“What do you mean?” Chris snapped.
“Haven’t you seen the doctor?” Charlotte brushed her finger lightly across his face before pinching his chin. She explained sympathetically, “Haven’t you noticed the greenish line on your forehead?”
“What?” Chris touched his forehead nervously by reflex.
“You should have it examined in the hospital,” Charlotte snorted. “The last thing you want is to keep helping the one who betrayed you.”
“Stop trying to sow discord.” Chris expressed his disbelief while trying hard to stay calm.
“What a shame.” Charlotte shook her head with a smirk. “Just you wait. Soon, he will be forcing you to marry his daughter.”
At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and Charlotte left abruptly.
Watching her disappear from his sight, Chris furrowed his brows. After entering his car, he scrutinized his face in the mirror with concern. “Is there a greenish line on my forehead?”
“Well…” His two subordinates exchanged glances and didn’t dare reply.
“Tell me the truth. Is it there or not?” Chris bellowed.
One of them looked over and widened his eyes in surprise. “It seems there is.”
The other subordinate leaned over to look. “Yes, it does look like it.”
“Turn on the light. Quick!”
Panicking, Chris used the front passenger seat mirror to take a closer look.
Indeed, he saw a faint greenish line right in the center of his forehead.
Stunned by the sight, Chris recalled the results of the blood test and the fact that Jesse had roofied him into sleeping with his daughter.
Subsequently, Jesse forced him into getting him appointed onto Nacht Group’s board the very next morning.
The next step…
Ring!
At that moment, he was jolted back to his senses by his phone. Checking it, he narrowed his gaze when he saw that it was Jesse. He answered, “Hello?”
“Twenty percent of Nacht Group is a big loss indeed.”
Jesse’s tone was both furious and accusatory. “Didn’t I tell you to find out what else Charlotte has up her sleeve? Where did the agreement come from? How can you not know about it?”
“Jesse, how dare you f*cking lecture me like I’m a kid? If you’re so smart, why didn’t you find out for yourself?”
Chris couldn’t tolerate it any longer.
“Cut the crap.” Jesse was furious. “Come over now. We have a wedding to discuss.”
“What f*cking wedding are you talking about?” Chris questioned immediately.
“The wedding between you and my daughter, of course.” Jesse threatened, “Given that you have taken her virginity, are you trying to shirk your responsibility now?”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1643
Provocation
Suddenly, Chris had an epiphany. “Jesse, that’s a wonderful plan you have going for you. You were the one who drugged me and got me to sleep with your daughter so that I would marry her. And after making her my heir, you intend to kill me so that she would inherit Nacht Group, isn’t it?”
“What’s wrong with you?” Jesse thundered. “What did Charlotte say to you? Let me remind you that she’s just sowing discord between us. You had better not be such a fool—”
Before Jesse could finish, Chris ended the call and ordered, “Drive. We’re going to Fairlake.”
“Huh? We’re going to Fairlake now? But it’s three hundred kilometers away.”
His subordinates were surprised by the sudden decision to travel there.
“Just do it!” Chris snapped.
“Yes, sir,” the subordinate acknowledged.
At that moment, Chris was filled with anxiety, as his priority was to find out if he had been poisoned. Since all the hospitals in H City were under Jesse’s control, he planned to get himself examined somewhere else, which played into Charlotte’s hands.
Meanwhile, Charlotte received a call from Raina.
“Just as you predicted, Chris has gotten on the highway and is driving toward Fairlake.”
“It seems my words are working as they should.” Charlotte narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I’ll get in touch with the hospital in Fairlake.”
“There’s no need to,” Charlotte interrupted. “He won’t get there.”
“What?” Just when Raina put the question across, the answer dawned upon her right away. “Are you saying that Jesse will stop him?”
“Yes,” Charlotte sneered. “Given how formidable he is, he must be watching Chris from the shadows.”
“What about your plan?”
“Don’t worry. I have achieved my objective as long as Chris’ suspicion is aroused.”
“In that case, what should we do now?”
“Find Robbie and rescue him as soon as possible. Once we do that, I can go against Jesse without holding back.”
“Should I meet up with Bruce?”
“No, you should keep watch at home on my behalf while I travel to Yaleview.”
“Are you sure? You’re needed both at home and at the company.”
“The share transfer will take three days time. During this period, nothing is more important than saving Robbie. Hence, take care of things at home for me, all right?”
“All right.”
“Given that Garden Villa has been taken over by Chris, Mr. Spencer can no longer return. Hence, you will have to settle him into Northridge. Consequently, the security of Northridge is now paramount. Do you understand?”
“Understood.”
After ending the call, Charlotte took a deep breath and looked out at the blazing sunset outside the window. The burden she felt in her heart weighed heavily on her.
Even though she was exhausted, she still needed to hurry toward Yaleview.
While traveling on the highway there, Charlotte received news that Chris’ car had been stopped by the Gold family, and he was subsequently led away.
As a result, she smiled contemptuously to herself, for she knew that Chris was unable to escape Jesse given the fool that he was.
Nonetheless, with Chris’ suspicion now aroused, Jesse’s plan would be impeded, especially with Nancy’s resistance.
With Jesse distracted by the two of them, Charlotte intended to use the opportunity to rescue Robbie.
After glancing at her watch, Charlotte ordered, “Drive faster.”
“Right away.”
As her car sped toward Yaleview, the Gold family’s convoy passed her by from the opposite direction.
From her window, Charlotte could see Chris having a heated argument with Jesse inside.
“Stop complaining and shut up,” Jesse exploded at Chris. He then asked his subordinate, “Was that the Lindbergs’ car that just passed us by?”
“It looks like it, Mr. Gold,” the subordinate replied.
“It seems she is heading to Yaleview to rescue her son.” Smirking, Jesse turned to Chris. “Did you see that? By sowing discord between us, Charlotte is trying to use you to distract me so that she can save her son.”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1644
Your End Is Near
“I don’t deny the truth in that,” Chris answered coldly. “However, didn’t you drug me to sleep with your daughter so that you could force me to marry her?”
“That’s my way of tightening our collaboration,” Jesse asserted. “Within this partnership, neither of us can do without the other. If either one of us leaves, the plan will fall apart. Given how intertwined our interests are, it’s natural that we should close ranks to prevent any future problems. As for what Charlotte told you, there’s no need for you to worry at all. Given how massive Nacht Group is, there’s no way I can take over it alone, even if I wanted to. Since it’s in my long-term interest for you to be in charge, why would I kill the goose that lays the golden egg? It would be stupid of me to do so, don’t you think?”
Jesse’s words sounded extremely persuasive. Finally, he added, “Besides, what’s wrong with my daughter? She’s both beautiful and talented. In fact, she’s not inferior to Charlotte in any way. Don’t forget that Charlotte is a sullied woman who has given birth to three children. As for my daughter, she never even had a boyfriend before.”
“Indeed, she is sublime.”
Relishing the pleasure he felt during the night with Nancy, he couldn’t help but feel the urge to want more. Although he had slept with many different women before, none of them were as demure and stunning as she was.
Suddenly, something occurred to him. “However, it seems that she knows my true identity and hates me to the core.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. Let me handle it.” Jesse was filled with confidence. “In my family, I have the final say.”
“All right then.” Chris didn’t say more as he finally relented. Nevertheless, his concerns had yet to be allayed. After all, he still felt out of sorts and assumed that he was poisoned. Hence, he endeavored to get himself examined when he had the opportunity.
After a few hours, Charlotte finally arrived in Yaleview and met up with Bruce late at night.
At that moment, Gordon was being treated in hospital for his injuries. As for his men, they were drained after spending a long period of time tracking Robbie down. As a result, Bruce had taken over the search for Robbie.
Once Charlotte had arrived and understood the situation, she joined them in their search immediately.
Meanwhile, she had gotten Lupine to keep in touch with Morgan, so they were constantly updated on the situation at Northridge.
Lupine reported, “Morgan told me that Francesco dropped by tonight again. Also, she has taken Dr. Felch’s prescription from Ben.”
“Really? That’s wonderful news.” Charlotte was ecstatic. “Is she still there?”
“She just left as it’s already three in the morning.” Lupine continued to relate the details of what happened, “She treated Alpha first before going to see Ben… After she was gone, Morgan noticed that she had taken Ben’s prescription with her.”
“That’s good. That’s really good.” Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief as she stared into space. She added in relief, “Now that she has taken it, there will be hope for Zachary…”
“What is this crap? Is this prescription left behind by Dr. Felch?”
Meanwhile, inside the forest, Francesca knitted her brows as she studied the prescription under the dim light of an oil lamp.
“What’s wrong?” Zachary asked anxiously. “Did you take the wrong one?”
“It should be the right one, but…” Francesca showed him the prescription. “It’s covered in blood, so I can barely see a thing.”
“What?” Zachary’s heart sank when he saw it. “Ben’s blood must have stained it when he was shot.”
“Yeah. It was still sealed within the envelope, as Charlotte didn’t open it to check.”
As Francesca threw the prescription aside, she remarked unsympathetically, “It seems that fate wants you dead. You had better resign yourself to it!”
Zachary was stumped. “Come on, Dr. Felch, d-don’t you want your exorbitant medical fees anymore?”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1645
Cold Gaze
“Of course I want it.” As if struck by a sudden thought, Francesca added, “By the way, how am I going to get paid if you end up dead? Charlotte does not look too safe in her current predicament. I don’t think she would be able to pay me and take care of herself simultaneously. Even if I went to her, what will happen if I get caught by Danrique?”
“That is why you must treat me to get paid,” Zachary said at once. “The prescription is written on greaseproof paper. All you need to do to reveal what’s written on it is to wipe it down with some iodine.”
“Oh, right.” Francesca picked up the prescription for a closer look. “An additional ten million for that service!”
Zachary’s eyes widened in shock. “Rob a bank, why don’t you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Francesca rolled her eyes. “It’s double the work for half the payout.”
Zachary was struck dumb. I am actually her cash cow.
“It’s a lot of work, you know,” Francesca whined. “I specialize in herbal concoctions. The medicine you require forces me to descend the mountain and into the hospitals. And there is the risk of running into Danrique and his men. They might capture me and take me away.”
Zachary shut his eyes with defeat. “Ten million it is. Just get it done.”
With a triumphant smile, she nipped his thumb and pressed a bloody thumbprint onto her checkbook.
Zachary gazed forlornly at the patch on his thumb. “At this rate, the entire Nacht fortune will be yours by the end of the week.”
Francesca grinned broadly. “Rightfully earned, if I may say so myself.”
After she had packed her bags and descended the mountain, Zachary was left alone once again in the wooden hut. He gazed at his own frozen body in despair.
After much persuasion, he had gotten Francesca to help him with his computer for a short while that afternoon before she complained of tiredness and refused to aid him any further. With his own immobility, he was afraid that he would not be able to accomplish much, given the rate of his progress.
If it had been a higher-end phone, Zachary would have been able to carry out the necessary functions with voice command. However, Francesca had gotten him the cheapest model she could find.
He was stunned when she first presented it before him. Having asked her why she did not pay more for a better model, she reasoned that there was no need for a phone with multiple features since they already had a computer.
Zachary stared morosely at the outdated phone, which was just out of reach.
I’ll only be able to use it when I regain the function in my fingers.
Francesca drove her broken-down van down the mountain and chose the first private clinic she saw. Having procured the medical supplies, Francesca was preparing to leave when she saw a familiar silhouette.
“Does this clinic have the necessary equipment?”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Nacht. This clinic belongs to a good friend of mine. Besides, Mr. Gold wouldn’t notice such a small establishment. We’ll just be taking a blood sample, and then we’ll be out of here.”
“You’re right.”
Chris pulled down his mask and gazed about cautiously. Evidently satisfied that he was not being followed, he strode in with unnatural haste.
He did not notice a girl with a slight frame watching him from the bend of the corridor.
“He looks like just the guy I picked up,” Francesca murmured to herself.
She recalled that Zachary once mentioned that there was a high possibility of somebody impersonating him to collude with someone named Mr. Gold to steal his family’s wealth.
He must be that lookalike!
At the thought of Alpha’s injury sustained from the kidnapping carried out by the men before her, Francesca’s eyes glinted with cold malice.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1646
Little Snake
Under the concealment of his subordinates, Chris went up to the second floor of the clinic. The medical superintendent himself escorted him to have his blood drawn.
Chris gazed about nervously, still wary about being followed.
There’s nobody from the Gold family around here. The boys are right; the Golds wouldn’t pay attention to such a small establishment.
For some reason, even that logical reassurance did not do much to quell the fear in his heart.
“Have a seat, Mr. Nacht.”
The superintendent of the clinic brought Chris to a private ward. “I’ll have a doctor over immediately to run the test for you. Please wait a moment.”
Chris grunted in acknowledgment before helping himself to a glass of water.
His subordinates did not let their guard down the entire time. They examined the other patrons of the clinic closely. Upon ascertaining that there were no suspicious characters in the vicinity, they surrounded Chris where he sat to shield him from view.
As Francesca was about to make a move from outside, her snake appeared and hissed frantically. “D*mn it,” she whispered to herself, the color draining from her face. “He’s here.”
As she sprinted out of the building with great haste, the superintendent returned with a small group of medical staff as they headed back to Chris’ ward.
Francesca made a gesture to the snake, who slithered surreptitiously into the collar of one of the nurses.
“Mr. Nacht, we will begin by drawing a sample of your blood,” the superintendent announced politely. “If you would roll up your sleeve, please.”
Chris grunted as he complied.
As the nurse was in the process of handing over sterilized equipment, she felt a sudden chill at the back of her neck. Having reached back and felt nothing, she thought no more of it.
As they were drawing blood, Chris suddenly felt a sharp pain in his ankle. In a panic, he drew up his trouser leg and found nothing there.
The small prickle vanished as suddenly as it came.
“What is it, sir?” the superintendent asked with concern.
“Your clinic is filthy,” Chris said with a frown. “I got bitten by an insect.”
“My sincerest apologies, sir. We will be sure to sterilize the area next time before you arrive.”
“Don’t bother. There wouldn’t be a next time.”
Once the results of the toxicology report are out, I wouldn’t have to come back to this godforsaken place ever again.
Francesca emerged from the clinic and lifted a casual hand to allow her snake to land squarely on her wrist.
She smirked with satisfaction at the sight of the smear of blood by the side of the snake’s mouth before gazing up at the familiar silhouette by the window on the second floor. “You will pay dearly for laying a finger on my darling.”
As her van left from the back alley of the clinic, Sean, who had been lying in wait, sped up but found himself soon shaken off.
“This d*mn woman is a handful,” he growled as he swung the steering wheel ferociously. “It took so much effort to locate her, and now we’ve lost her again!”
“Be careful, Sean. Mr. Lindberg will have your tongue for that.”
“Shut up!”
“Yes, Sean.”
After Chris had his blood drawn, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he remained in the ward as he awaited the results.
I will not have a peaceful night’s sleep if I don’t obtain the results firsthand.
He was so anxious that he had even sent two of his men to keep an eye on the medical staff in charge of his toxicology report.
The superintendent arrived with a tray. “Have some tea while you wait, Mr. Nacht.”
Chris grimaced from the first sip. “Why is it so bitter?”
“It is possible that my tea is subpar, Mr. Nacht. I can send for some-”
“No need for that,” Chris cut across irritably.
For some reason, the sense of unease he felt was becoming greater by the minute.
The results of the blood test will be out any moment now. I hope Jesse didn’t actually poison me.
He was suddenly interrupted by a phone call. Pulling a face at the realization that it was Jesse himself, he picked up. “Hello?”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1647
You Will Marry Him
“Where are you?” Jesse asked abruptly.
Chris scowled. He did not enjoy having his movements being controlled to such a degree. “What is it?”
“Come over at once,” Jesse ordered. “We have some matters to discuss.”
“If this is about the marriage, forget it,” Chris retorted flatly. “You’ve seen how opposed your daughter was to the idea. You should hear the things she said to me.”
“You will find her more agreeable,” Jesse assured him. “I’ve managed to convince her.”
“Fine. I’ll drop by tonight.”
Chris knew that the time was not yet ripe to offend Jesse as he still needed the latter’s help to handle matters over at Nacht Group.
He recalled back in his youth when his mother had always pushed him to study business in the hopes that he, Chris, would be a highly accomplished businessman like Zachary. Chris had always been resistant to that idea as he found the subject dull.
I should have listened to her. Due to my lack of expertise in business, I’m currently forced to rely on somebody else’s and have become their pawn in my own quest. If I knew how to do business, I would have been able to exact my vengeance and take down Nacht Group on my own.
“Mr. Nacht,” the superintendent said, interrupting Chris’ reverie. “The result is out.”
“Let me see.” Chris snatched the report and squinted at it. “What does it mean?”
“Everything in your blood is normal, sir,” replied the superintendent with a smile. “You haven’t been poisoned!”
“Not poisoned?” he repeated, sounding uncertain.
Could it be that Charlotte had lied to me? Jesse did not poison me after all?
“That’s right, sir. Everything appears to be normal.”
“Are you sure?” Chris demanded, still feeling uneasy.
The superintendent nodded. “Yes, sir. There is almost an impossible margin for error for this test. If it would appease you, we can conduct the test again just to be safe.”
“There’s no need for that.”
Without another word, Chris pocketed the results as he got to his feet with the superintendent escorting him all the way to the door.
Chris was still feeling confused when he got into the car. “It looks like I have been blaming Jesse for nothing. He did not poison me after all. Charlotte is the one who has been instigating us.”
His subordinates heaved a sigh of relief at the good news. “It’s good that you’re fine, Mr. Broid. Even if she’s pulling the strings, you should still be wary of Mr. Gold. For him to allow you to marry his daughter must mean that he intends to acquire the wealth of the Nacht family for himself.”
“Of course he is. I wasn’t born yesterday.” Chris rubbed his temples. “That’s strange. My head is starting to ache.”
“We’ve been up drinking a lot lately. Let’s call it an early night tonight, shall we?”
“You’re probably right.”
“Where to, boss?”
“To the Gold residence.”
“Roger that.”
At that very moment at the Gold residence, Jesse stood with his arms folded while glaring at Nancy severely. “I’ll give you three minutes to think about it. If you’re not going to marry Zachary, I’ll have your sister marry him instead. She’s more willing than you are.”
“That’s not Zachary Nacht. That’s Chris Broid.” Nancy was visibly upset. Just the thought of the doppelganger lying to her to get her into bed filled her with disgust.
Having harbored an unrequited love for Zachary since her youth, she had carefully saved herself for the only man she truly loved.
I can’t believe a lookalike tricked me into giving up my virginity!
“I don’t see a difference,” her father said impatiently. “They look and sound alike. Even their status is the same.”
“They’re not the same!” Nancy cried, near tears with exasperation. “He will never replace Zachary!”
“I’ve grown tired of arguing with you, young lady. Are you going to marry him or not?”
“I won’t,” Nancy cried stubbornly. “I never want to see him again in my life!”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1648
Instigation
“You’ve bedded him,” Jesse said coldly. “I will not have a grandchild out of wedlock! Marry him and remain my legitimate heir. If you don’t, you’re getting nothing. Think hard about it.”
At that, Jesse raised his wrist to consult his watch. “Two minutes left for you to consider. If you decide that you won’t cooperate, I’ll have your sister take your place instead.”
Nancy glared at her father without speaking, knowing full well that nothing she said would have been able to reverse his decision.
She knew, too, that her father was quite capable of carrying out his threat if she refused to marry Chris.
I would never be able to recover from that. If my sister takes my place as the favored daughter, I would be kicked out of the Gold residence. By then, given my dependence upon Daddy’s wealth, I would be truly left with nothing!
“Ten seconds to go,” Jesse called. “Nine, eight, seven…”
“I’ll do it.”
“That’s my girl.” Jesse smiled. The harshness in his tone gave way to a gentler tone. “You know that you’re my beloved daughter, Nancy. I wish you nothing but happiness. Though Chris is a fool, he is easy to control. Didn’t you wish to marry Zachary? Chris is the new and improved version as he’s docile and obedient. You will become Mrs. Nacht once you marry him, and Charlotte wouldn’t be a match for you. Rest assured. I’ll pave the way for you. All you have to do is to take care of business in the Gold family. When we surpass the Lindberg family and Nacht family to become the most powerful business family in Aploth, I will die a happy man.”
“I understand, Daddy.”
Nancy forced a smile though her heart remained numb. She had once heard how vicious her father could be to achieving his goals, but she had never believed it.
They were right after all.
She also recalled Charlotte mentioning once before that her father was conspiring with Chris to steal all of the Nacht family’s wealth, going as far as to start the fire at the Nacht residence. She did not believe a word of it.
It’s all true after all. Is Zachary really dead?
Back in the woods of Rokan Hill, Zachary stretched out his fingers to reach for his phone to no avail.
Suddenly, the noise of an engine suggested Francesca’s return. A series of hurried steps followed by the sound of the door being kicked open further confirmed that notion.
Despite her diminutive stature, she moved about very noisily.
Francesca threw the bag of medicinal products onto the ground. In no apparent haste to prepare the medicine, she nudged Zachary with her foot. “Guess who I ran into at the clinic?” she asked excitedly.
“Now isn’t the time to be discussing this!” Zachary stared at her, aghast. “I’ve paid ten million for your services! Shouldn’t you be at least sterilizing the equipment?”
“That can wait.” Francesca’s curiosity was overwhelming. “I saw that guy who looks just like you.”
“Chris?” Zachary said, sitting upright at once. “Why was he at the clinic?”
“He was conducting a blood test to see if he was poisoned,” Francesca said excitedly. “I had a look, and he wasn’t poisoned. But I gave him a little nip for good measure.”
“What are you…” Comprehension suddenly dawned on Zachary’s face. “Did you poison him?”
“I had my snake give him a bite. The toxic will manifest itself tonight.” Francesca grinned evilly. “I’ve exacted vengeance on your behalf. Pay up!”
“Hang on a minute.” Zachary’s mind was a whirl with the unexpected development. “He wasn’t poisoned, but he thought he was. Charlotte must have instigated matters between them to turn Chris against Jesse. Your snake couldn’t have bit him at a better time!”
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1649
Relaying The News
“I didn’t understand a word of that,” Francesca said impatiently. “My snake bit him while he was in the middle of drawing blood. As the poison did not enter into the bloodstream right away, I assume that it wouldn’t show up in his toxicology report.”
“That’s not important.” Zachary waved a hand impatiently. “Didn’t you say that the symptoms will appear tonight? Will he die?”
“No, he wouldn’t. As members of the medical profession, we have a code of conduct to save lives, not end them. Otherwise, I would have done away with him the day your house was set on fire. Eliminate loose ends, you know.”
“What will the symptoms be?” Zachary persisted.
“It’ll look like the flu at first, then as it gets worse, it’ll…” Francesca’s eyes narrowed with suspicion all of a sudden. “Why do you ask?”
“Help me dial a number, will you?”
“Pay me first!”
In Yaleview, Charlotte frowned as she pressed the phone to her ear. “What? Chris took a blood test, you say?”
“That’s right,” Raina replied. “I had him watched closely. The report came back clean.”
“Of course, it would.” Charlotte began to panic. “It was a ploy between me, Spencer, and Johann to falsify his report to see how he would react if he thought he had been poisoned. It’s the only way that Spencer would be able to see that he’s a fraud. I did that to drive a wedge between him and Jesse. Last night I had even left a smudge of green dye on his brow and made him think it was a symptom of his poisoning. He was frightened enough to head straight for the hospital in Fairlake to get tested, but Jesse stopped him. It didn’t take long for him to try again, only a day after.”
“So that’s what happened,” Raina said. “I had thought that Jesse really did poison him.”
“I’m sure that Jesse would have already found out by now that Chris went and got himself tested. He must have let him go to let Chris see for himself. My instigation has failed, it seems.”
“Not necessarily,” Raina said mysteriously. “What if he really is poisoned?”
“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked dubiously.
“Somebody ran into him at the clinic,” Raina said carefully, “and had their snake give him a little nip, so…”
“Could that be Francesco?” Charlotte asked, shocked.
Raina merely coughed in response.
“Has Francesco contacted you?” Charlotte demanded.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Lindberg. I’m not at liberty to say. All I can tell you is that things are looking better. Rest assured.”
“Could it be Zac-”
“I have another incoming call, Ms. Lindberg. We’ll talk later.”
Before Charlotte could complete her question, Raina had already hung up on her.
Charlotte thought hard about the news she had just heard. Francesca is too proud to have contacted Raina to inform her. It is more likely that Zachary was the one to have ordered the call to be made.
At that thought, her heart leaped with joy.
Zachary must be feeling a lot better to have been able to make that call. He’ll be home very soon.
Without delay, Charlotte began to analyze the next stage of the plan. Now that Chris has been poisoned by Francesco, the poison would set in soon enough. I should poke at their already tense relationship.
Cheered up by that thought, Charlotte sent Chris a text: The toxins will start acting up tonight. Be warned.
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 1650
False
“Crazy b*tch!”
Chris had just stepped into the Gold residence when he received the text. He was so irritated by it that he deleted it immediately.
“Welcome, Mr. Nacht!”
He must be beginning to believe the lie he is telling so often to be calling me Mr. Nacht in his own home!
“Apologies for keeping you waiting, Mr. Gold.” Chris strode over as he rearranged his expression to something more amicable. “It’s been a hectic couple of days. Now that I’m finally here, we are going to get drunk.”
Jesse was in high spirits. “Hah, good man! I have a couple of reds that I know you will enjoy.” He turned to a servant. “Have Ms. Nancy come down here.”
“Yes, sir!” The servant set off at once.
“Is she…” Chris’ voice trailed off uncertainly. Nancy’s reaction had been a strong one that morning when she found out that he was a fraud.
“Don’t worry. I’ve spoken to her.” Jesse wiggled his eyebrows, looking pleased with himself. “My daughters are very obedient.”
“Oh, good to hear. I-” Chris was suddenly interrupted by a sneeze. Without thinking much of it, he rubbed his nose and continued speaking.
Soon, he realized that he was beginning to exhibit flu-like symptoms. His joints ached, and he felt feverish.
“Could it be that you have caught a cold?” Jesse asked with concern.
“I might have…”
Chris suddenly recalled Charlotte’s text and felt uneasy. With some difficulty, he pulled himself together by reminding himself of the tests he had done.
“Nancy.” Jesse beckoned at her when she appeared. “Sit next to Mr. Nacht.”
Chris raised his eyes at the sound of his host’s voice and gazed at her with desire.
Though Nancy felt revulsed by the gaze, she suppressed her emotions in preparation to take her seat when Chris sneezed again.
Nancy grimaced in disgust before leaning away from him.
“You should get yourself checked out,” Jesse suggested. “It wouldn’t do to put it off. You might end up feeling worse.”
“Hmm, you’re right,” Chris said absently.
“Didn’t you go to a clinic today?” Nancy suddenly asked. “Why didn’t you see a doctor for your cold?”
Jesse frowned at her as though she had said something she should not have.
Chris was startled. “How did you know that I went to a clinic?”
“Weren’t you harboring a suspicion that Daddy had poisoned you?” Nancy asked with a sardonic smile. “Turns out the report proved that you’ve been overthinking, hasn’t it?”
“Hold your tongue, Nancy,” her father said sharply.
Nancy fell silent and sipped her wine.
“Did you have me followed?” Chris turned his furious gaze on Jesse.
“I was only trying to ensure your safety,” Jesse said as a matter of fact. “Now that the Lindberg family and the Nacht family have their eyes on you, I was worried that they might-”
Without waiting for the older man to finish his sentence, Chris turned and stormed out.
Jesse did not attempt to stop him. Instead, he glared at his daughter. “What are you trying to do?”
“I didn’t do anything.” Nancy took another sip of wine. “I just hated the thought of him suspecting you that I couldn’t help throwing in a jab at him.”
“Don’t you know that that would only make him more suspicious?” Jesse shouted. “He will suspect that the toxicology report had been falsified!”
“Why would a suspicious little ferret be of use to you?’ Nancy demanded.
“Hold your tongue!” Jesse roared. “I know how little you think of him. But you will marry him one way or another!”
At that, he turned and left his daughter alone in the room.
Chris was feeling more sickly by the minute in the car. “Should we head to the hospital to get that checked?” his men asked apprehensively at the sight of him in the middle of a sneezing fit.
“It’s just a cold…” he croaked.
Once again, Chris felt the sense of unease in his stomach brewing at the thought of Charlotte’s ominous text. “If Jesse did have me followed,” he murmured to himself, “that means that there’s a possibility of the results of my toxicology report to be falsified.”