Ch. 1731..1740

Chapter 1731 Held Hostage

Chris was like an aggressive animal, ready to devour her. He pounced on her and pinned her against the floor while tearing her clothes apart.

“No!” Charlotte struggled to defend herself. “Chris, wake up, wake up...”

She knew that he was drugged and had completely lost his rationale as a consequence. With the strength that he had just shown, it was even more impossible for her to escape his clutches.

Yet, she was hopeful that she could talk him out of it.

In reality, nothing worked—not her desperate cries for help, nor her resistance.

As Chris ripped her blouse, all the buttons popped, revealing her bust, heaving as she panted.

At that sight, he jumped on her at once. When he was about to kiss her, she raised her leg, kicked him, and sent him sprawling on the floor.

With that, Charlotte's wounded knees became even more painful. She could no longer stand up now. Yet, she crawled frantically, trying her best to escape him

Soon, he prowled on her again and wanted to possess her.

“No, Chris, no! Don't do this. Wake up... You're not a bad guy. No, don't do it...” She had no more strength to fight him. All that she could do was keep pleading.

Her words seemed to knock some sense into him

Confused, he stopped what he was doing and covered his head with both hands. “Go away, leave now..." he bellowed.

It was such a pain for him to battle against his evil desires when his rationale was extremely weak. Chris was about to go crazy. He could not control his urge any longer because of the number of pills he had taken.

Charlotte kept crawling forward until she reached the elevator. As long as I shut this door, Chris won't be able to get me.

It was so close yet so far. She was literally a few steps away from the elevator when the door shut tight in front of her. Bang!

She was in absolute stupefaction, staring at the door in disbelief. Then, she realized that someone was actually watching them from behind the door.

The person waited till the very last moment to shut her one and only lifeline!

It suddenly dawned on her that it was all a trap. The person who knocked her out and brought her to the rooftop was not one of Chris’ men

As a matter of fact, that vicious person is someone who views both Chris and me as enemies. “Argh!”

Chris continued to growl and yell in pain. He could not tolerate the torment anymore.

Charlotte anxiously got up from the floor, groping the wall to support her weight.

Scared to her wits, she said, “Get a grip, Chris. I'm sure Zachary is on his way here now. If you do anything to me, you're going to die an ugly death.”

“Argh... Argh!” Like a zombie, Chris closed in on her. “Am I not suffering enough? Do I not look horrible now?”

"You can still get treated. Not all AIDS patients will die...” Charlotte continued, “I really didn't know that the girl was infected. All I wanted to do back then was to protect myself.”

Listen, this isn't the time for you to take revenge on me. Someone intentionally set us up. Don't fall into the trap.”

Without saying a word, Chris made a lunge for Charlotte. He pushed her against the wall and started reaching for her bra.

In the nick of time, the door to the stairwell broke open with a loud bang.

Morgan and Emma barged in. They froze for a split second before snapping back into their senses and got ready to rescue Charlotte.

Chris clasped Charlotte's throat and held her hostage. He dragged her to the edge of the rooftop and roared angrily, “Don’t come near me. If you take another step closer, I'll jump off the building with her.”

Morgan and Emma stood rooted to the spot and dared not move an inch.

“Calm down, Mr. Broid. Please release Ms. Lindberg, and we can talk about your needs. Whatever your requests are, we'll satisfy them,” persuaded Morgan.

Chapter 1732 Death

Chris could not even think straight as the side effects of the pills had fully kicked in. His rationale had left him completely. Grunting, he had a vice-like grip on Charlotte's throat while holding his head with another arm.

If we were on a flat ground, I could shrug him off, but we're standing on the edge of the rooftop... Chris even has one foot off the ground. If we weren't careful, any tiny distraction now could cost us our lives!

Therefore, Charlotte dared not act rashly. Similarly, Morgan and Emma had to be more cautious and think twice before taking any actions. This was because Chris was holding Charlotte captive, and he was also an AIDS patient.

If anything happens to Chris, his blood might get onto those around him and risk others being infected with AIDS.

Morgan and Emma were quite a distance from him, so they should be safe. Unfortunately for Charlotte, she was right next to Chris. With both of them having open wounds on their bodies, the risk of transmission was high.

At that thought, the ladies did not dare to take any chances.

"Stay calm, Chris. We know a legendary doctor who can cure any disease. She has even saved Mr. Nacht's life. Perhaps she can do the same for you. Let Ms. Lindberg go, and we'll help you.” Morgan looked Chris in the eye and approached him slowly. At the same time, she signaled Emma. Upon catching the cue, Emma whipped out her buzzing phone and went elsewhere to answer it. When Charlotte went missing, they searched for her high and low; at the same time, they reported the incident to Ben and Bruce.

Zachary was on his way to the hospital. He called because he was so worried about Charlotte. “Hello, Mr. Nacht.”

"Where is she?” Zachary cut to the chase.

"At the rooftop. Ms. Lindberg...”

“Argh!”

Before Emma could say more, Morgan's sharp cry was heard.

Chris was in a daze and nearly fell off the building with Charlotte.

Scared ghost-white, Morgan shouted furiously, “Are you out of your mind, Chris? Go ahead if you want to end your own life, but leave Ms. Lindberg alone.”

“Hahaha...” Chris broke out laughing. “I'm going to get myself a good company even if I die!”

“Pull yourself together, Chris..."

Charlotte's knees were severely wounded, causing her to wobble. Being dragged around by Chris, she tried to stay as still as possible.

"You're still young with a bright future. Let me go, and I'll make arrangements for you to get treated...” Charlotte convinced him out of desperation.

“Get treatment? What if it doesn't work out?” Feeling dejected, Chris shut his eyes. “Even if I'm cured, I'd still have to spend the rest of my life in jail. What's the point?”

“Chris...”

"Shut up!” he cut her off. Narrowing his eyes at her, he cast her a lustful gaze. “So long as we die together, I'll have no regrets in life.”

“No, I."

“Chris!” When Charlotte wanted to say further, Emma strode across with her phone and interrupted the conversation anxiously, “Mr. Nacht wants to speak to you.”

Emma then turned on the video function on her phone and showed Chris the screen. Zachary was in the car, having ants in his pants.

He yelled loudly, “Whatever you want, Chris, I can give them all to you, including Nacht Group. Just release Charlotte now!”

“You're willing to hand the entire Nacht Group to me? Wow, I didn't know you love her so much.” Chris grinned hideously like a drunk. “Well, the more you love her, the more I want her to go to h*Il with me...”

“Chris!”

"Zachary, keep your darn Nacht Group and die a lonely death!”

With that, Chris held Charlotte and jumped off the building.

"Ahhh..." Morgan and Emma shouted fearfully.

Luckily, Morgan was quick to react. She dashed across like a flash and got hold of Charlotte's arm. “Ms. Lindberg!”

Chucking her phone aside, Emma ran over and helped Morgan pull Charlotte up.

However, the stubborn Chris still hang on to Charlotte. Morgan and Emma persevered in pulling Charlotte up with all the strength they could muster, but the result was disappointing.

 

Chapter 1733: Fall

“Bast*rd!” Morgan went ballistic. “Let go of her!”

“Haha...” A slight smile crept up on Chris’ face. “Let's die together.”

As he spoke, white foam was seen spewing out of his mouth. Gradually, his arm became weaker and his grip loosen. Within moments, his body started to fall.

“Chris!” As a reflex action, Charlotte shouted in shock and grabbed his hand tighter.

At first, Chris shut his eyes anticipating his fall. Little did he know that a hand would stretch out to save him.

His head snapped up with his eyes wide open to stare at Charlotte.

The moonlight beamed on her face, and she looked just as gorgeous and pristine as the first time he met her. A tiny version of his disheveled self could be seen reflected in her clear, bright eyes. Gradually, his eyes softened. The murderous intent in him was replaced with grief and woe.

He started questioning himself and how his life ended up in this state.

“Hold on tight, Chris!”

Charlotte's mind turned blank. She had no extra energy to think about anything else besides surviving this tragedy together with Chris.

“Let him go, Ms. Lindberg. We can't hold on much longer!” Morgan panicked.

Yet, Charlotte refused to let go of Chris. Clenching her teeth, she uttered, “Don’t loosen your grip. Hold on to me!”

Seeing how resolute she was in saving him, a conflicting smile appeared on Chris’ face. In a hoarse voice, he lamented, “How nice would it be if I had known you first...”

Upon saying so, he used his last ounce of energy and flung her hand away.

“No! Don't be silly, Chris!” Charlotte tried to stop him. “I can save you, trust me...”

“It's Nancy Gold!"

After spitting out the name, Chris wriggled his hand off Charlotte's grip, stretched out both arms, and went into a free fall...

“No!” Charlotte screamed hopelessly, “Chris!”

The man's lips curled into an attractive smile, just like how he presented himself to her on the very first day they met—cool and carefree.

He was once a pure and kind-hearted guy. Though many regarded him as an unruly wild horse, he was serious about Charlotte.

Nobody knew when his life started going downhill. Perhaps, he was clueless about it too and would remain so forever.

Charlotte bawled her eyes in anguish. She could not accept the fact that there was no way for her to turn things around for Chris.

Meanwhile, Zachary just arrived at the hospital. Before he could park the car properly, something smashed into the roof of his Rolls-Royce with a loud thud. As a result, the top part of the car was completely sunken and scared the living daylights out of Marino and Ben.

After a long pause, Ben muttered, “It's Mr. Broid!"

Sitting at the back of the car, Zachary froze when he heard the news.

Instantly, snapshots of the happy playing moments he shared with Chris flashed across his mind. He recalled their younger days when Chris would keep him company when Henry punished him. "Oh well, Ill kneel with you, for I've got nothing better to do, anyway. Hehe!"

He thought about the times Chris ran his arm across his shoulders and addressed him affectionately as his big brother.

He remembered how good, innocent and easy-going Chris was, especially his smiles, and the way he admired Zachary.

Closing his eyes, Zachary felt as though a ruthless arm was ripping his heart apart.

He had never wanted this ending for Chris. At most, he only thought about bringing him to justice. His heart wrenched as he witnessed the death of his own cousin. The pain of losing a family member was unbearable.

“Go check on Ms. Lindberg,” Ben commanded.

"Yes, sir.”

Chapter 1734: Vicious

Jade ran over and helped Morgan pull Charlotte up

Slumping on the floor, Charlotte cried hysterically.

Morgan wanted to give her a hug, but was rejected. “Stay away from me!”

Considering how she was entangled with Chris and had body contact with him, she was fearful that she might have contracted the disease through his open wounds and did not want to risk spreading it to the bodyguards.

Tears streaked Morgan's face as she removed her jacket and placed it over Charlotte to keep her warm.

In just a while, Bruce rushed over to the scene with Raina and the others. Without further ado, Raina’s assistants put on the isolation gown for Charlotte, lifted her to the wheelchair, and sent her straight to run a battery of tests.

The subordinates brought Zachary upstairs and updated him with every single detail.

He kept his head low and remained silent until the moment he saw Charlotte at the isolation room. “I'm here. Don't worry.” Zachary curled his lips and wanted to hug her.

“Don’t come any closer..." cried Charlotte while shaking her head vigorously.

She was afraid that he would be infected too.

Zachary wheeled himself over and insisted on embracing her. He stroked her hair gently and said, “I have told you this before—in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” Charlotte almost drown in her own tears and threw herself at him.

The tragedy had impacted her greatly. Though she loathed Chris when he burnt down Southridge and pretended to be Zachary, she still felt very sorry and heartbroken that he had to die.

She always thought that he had a kind nature, but he was blinded by hatred and manipulated by Jesse. All of these lured him to take a wrong path.

“Just rest and don't think too much. I need to settle a couple of things.”

Zachary knew that it was not an accident. Someone must be crafting a devious plan behind the scenes.

“Chris uttered a name before he died...” Charlotte sobbed. “He said..."

“It's Nancy Gold!"

Before Charlotte could finish her sentence, Zachary did it for her. A cold glint flashed across his dark eyes.

As clever as he was, he connected all the dots based on what he had heard thus far and revealed the suspect.

He was so frustrated with himself for not hardening his heart earlier to destroy Nancy. As a result, he gave her a chance to stir up trouble.

It's time now to clean the mess once and for all.

Charlotte was taken aback at how fast Zachary could guess the real mastermind without her saying anything.

“Listen to me and take a good rest.”

He stroked her face dotingly and left the room. Upon shutting the door behind him, he ordered Lupine and Raina to take good care of Charlotte.

“Noted, Mr. Nacht, rest assured that we will do just that.” The ladies nodded their heads continuously.

“Increase the number of bodyguards and strengthen the security here. I won't allow the slightest misfortune to take place again,” he instructed Bruce.

“Understood.” Bruce nodded. “The arrangements are done.”

"You come with me,” Zachary told Ben.

"Sure."

The hospital gave Zachary a temporary room to work on what he needed to do.

First, he stated solemnly, “Hold a grand funeral for Chris as a member of the Nacht family.” “Noted,” acknowledged Ben

“Then...” Zachary's eyes turned icy-cold suddenly. “Relay my order to attack Gold Group at all costs.” "Aye." Ben started coordinating his tasks.

“Make sure it's done swiftly, professionally, and thoroughly.” The evil glint in his eyes would easily shudder anyone. “I want Gold Group to be totally wiped out of the industry in merely one week.” “Got it!" Ben knitted his brows.

It had been a long while since Zachary was this vicious. Ever since he met Charlotte, the way he managed affairs became gentler and more considerate.

No matter what challenges he faced in the business world, he would normally resolve them in an amicable manner.

However, Nancy had crossed the line this time.

Hence, he would never be a gentleman or show her any mercy. No more.

Nancy rang Zachary as soon as Ben had communicated his order. Without hesitating, Zachary blocked her call and intentionally cut off ties with her.

Chapter 1735: The Consequences

The Gold Group's stock price took a dip in the next three days. Not only were their investments stymied by a bottleneck, but a few of their mega-projects were also canceled.

Nancy tried everything she could to salvage the situation but to no avail.

Knowing that these were all works by Nacht Group, she contacted Zachary and even tried looking for him at Divine Corporation, but Zachary refused to meet her.

On the fifth day, Gold Group's share price had plunged to its lowest on record. All the projects were put on hold. Investors started retreating, and the capital chain began to rupture.

The bank had issued the final warning to get them to clear their debts. Otherwise, Gold Group would have to declare bankruptcy.

The Gold family put the blame on Nancy's incompetence. They started pointing fingers at Nancy, who had only assumed Gold Group's president position for not more than twenty days, for causing all the problems.

There was nothing Nancy could do, as things had gotten out of control, and she had no clue how to resolve the problem.

Nevertheless, she knew Zachary had total control over the fate of her company.

Only Zachary could solve all the problems he created.

Nancy waited at Divine Corporation for a few days, hoping to get a chance to talk to Zachary, but he did not appear. Left with no choice, she decided to wait for him at the entrance of the hospital where Charlotte was.

Even though he didn't show up at the company, I'm sure he'll come to the hospital!

She heard Spencer was already at the last moment of his life, and a few Nacht Group directors, including Johann, would be at the hospital tonight.

She was right. Zachary finally appeared.

She immediately got down from her car and tapped on his window. “Can we have a word, Mr. Nacht? Please, just ten minutes will do.”

“There's nothing to talk about.” Zachary ignored her.

After the car pulled up, his men helped him to his wheelchair, and he was about to enter the hospital.

“Please give me another chance, Mr. Nacht. Please...” Nancy begged desperately.

Zachary continued to ignore her. His bodyguards then prevented her and her subordinates from walking up to Zachary.

Just when Zachary was about to leave, Nancy drew out a dagger and placed it on her neck out of desperation. She bellowed, “Zachary Nacht, you've done everything to destroy me, and now I'll take my own life before your eyes!”

The uproar started drawing attention from the crowd around the hospital.

Not only did Nancy look haggard, but she was also emotionally drained. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she questioned Zachary, “I lent you a hand when you needed help. I betrayed my father to help you rescue your son, and my father even beat me up because of that. To strengthen the position of your company, you reported my father to the authorities. This is how you repay my kindness? Why did you do this to me?” she said between sobs as if she was the pitiable victim.

She had also insinuated that Zachary was an ungrateful man who had turned his back against his benefactor.

The crowd, who did not know the truth, started pointing fingers at Zachary and calling him an ingrate.

To Zachary, Nancy was nothing more than a laughing stock.

Ben stepped in and said, “You know what you have done, Ms. Gold. Now that your company is in trouble, you should do something about it instead of making an awful din here.”

"Do something about it? What else can I do?” Nancy exploded with rage. “Nacht Group kept oppressing us, and in just five days, Gold Group has completely fallen apart.”

She continued lamented, “I've done so much for you, yet this is how you treat me? Where's your conscience, Zachary?”

Instead of continuing with the argument, Zachary pointed at the roof of the building and said icily, “You should have thought of the consequences when you pushed Chris down from the roof five days ago!”

Chapter 1736: Get Rid Of Me

Nancy froze for a moment before regaining her composure. “I don't know what you're talking about. Chris is dead? I have nothing to do with his death.”

“Tell that to the cops.”

Zachary did not want to waste his breath talking to her anymore. He gestured for Marino to wheel him into the hospital.

“Wait!” Nancy ran up to stop him. “You promised you'd not do anything to Gold Group!”

"I did, and I'd kept my promise.” Zachary gave her an icy stare. “Otherwise, Gold Group would have been long gone because of the things your father did.”

“But why did you take it out on us now?” Nancy was appalled. “Is it because of Chris? He set your house on fire and almost killed you. He deserved to die!”

“He should be punished by the laws for what he had done. You didn't have the right to kill him!” Zachary gritted his teeth. “Besides, you even attempted to harm Charlotte. I warned you not to lay a finger on her, but you refused to listen.”

“No, I didn“t—"

Zachary cut her off. “Enough. I don’t want to hear it anymore. Your subordinates had told me all the bad things you had done, and I'd given all the evidence to the cops. Be prepared to rot in jail.” "What..."

Nancy was stunned. Not only does Zachary want to destroy my company and cause me to lose everything, but he even wants to put me behind bars?

She collapsed to the ground and held on to the dagger tightly. She refused to give in. “Charlotte did me wrong first! I only paid back what she'd done to me. What have I done wrong? Why must you get rid of me?”

“What did she do to you?” Zachary roared. “Your father set you up with Chris. You should hate him for it. Charlotte had nothing to do with it.”

“She was in the room at that time, and she witnessed everything, but she didn't even bother to rescue me!” Nancy burst into tears. “Before this, she even arranged for an HIV carrier to have sex with Chris. She was the mastermind!"

“You came up with these ridiculous conspiracy theories because you're full of vicious thoughts.” Zachary had enough of her. “I know the truth. Charlotte had never thought of harming you. You're the stubborn one who chose to believe your own story!”

“No, that's not true. That's not true!” Nancy broke down and held Zachary's hand. She continued pleading, “You must believe me. She did that on purpose. She really did that on purpose...”

“I'm only willing to talk to you right now because you've helped me in the past. But if you still refuse to accept the truth, there's nothing more I could say.”

Zachary then flung her hand away.

“No!” Nancy exclaimed in desperation. When he was about to leave, she roared, “If this is how you want to play the game, let's die together!”

She raised the dagger and stabbed in his direction.

A murderous glint flashed across Zachary's eyes, but he remained calm.

When Nancy was about to stick the dagger into his heart, she froze right there.

Tears started rolling down her cheeks, and her hands could not stop shaking. She did not have the courage to stab him.

Feeling hopeless, Nancy collapsed to the ground, covered her face with her hands, and cried her lungs out.

Bruce, who was standing beside her, kept his blade away and wheeled Zachary away.

Nancy would have been dead had she stuck the dagger an inch closer to Zachary's heart!

“I hate you, Zachary. I hate you...”

Nancy lamented desperately. It was as if she wanted the world to know how ill-fated her life was. Yet, Zachary did not bother to turn around to look at her. He ordered in a deep voice, “Inform the cops.”

“Yes, sir!"

Chapter 1737 Her ShieldCharlotte stood by the window in her ward and watched the drama unfold. She knitted her brows and was deep in thought.

Chris is dead, and Nancy will soon be put behind bars. This marks the end of all our problems, and we can finally put our grudges behind us. Zachary and I can finally live a peaceful life after this.

But somehow, she was not as relieved as she thought she would be. The turn of events had an unsettling effect on her.

Her father used to warn her that the world of business was a battlefield. A careless mistake would cause one to sink into a boundless quicksand.

So true. Everyone aims to be the number one. People constantly want to suck up to influential figures even though they have already owned so many things. And it's the endless greed and desire that would lead to their downfall.

“Charlotte!” Zachary's voice emerged from behind and interrupted her thoughts.

She came back to her senses. Bruce pushed Zachary into the ward in a wheelchair and then helped him sit on the couch. Bruce then left and closed the door.

Charlotte walked over and leaned against Zachary's chest when he extended his arms.

“Did you see what happened?” Zachary cupped her face with his hands and asked.

"Yes." Charlotte nodded.

Zachary said, “Gold Group has long been known for devouring other companies’ assets, and it has committed a lot of crimes in Koandria. Gold Group is like a malignant tumor in the business world.” He continued, “Of course, how the cops in Koandria plan to deal with their criminal acts has nothing to do with me. But since Nancy had the guts to kill Chris and lay her finger on you, I'll not let her have her way. However, I've changed the way I handle things. I oppressed Gold Group merely to expose their crimes, gather evidence for the international cops, and inform their investors about the situation. Likewise, I've also adopted a similar approach in dealing with Nancy.”

Zachary continued explaining, “Everyone should pay the price for their action. The same rule applies to Nancy!”

“I understand.” Charlotte nodded and wrapped her hands around his neck. “I want this to end as soon as possible so that we can live in peace after this.”

“It's all over now.” Zachary patted her back. “I've solved all the problems at Nacht Group, and everything is on the right track. All the other itsy-bitsy issues have also been taken care of.”

“But...”

Charlotte was worried that she might get infected, as she and Chris had wounds on their body the other day. If his blood entered her body through her wound, there was a high chance that she had been infected.

The recent blood test might not show she was infected, but the viral latency could last for at least two to three months.

She dared not take any chances.

"Don't be silly. You'll be fine.” Zachary gave her a peck on the forehead. “Even if anything bad happens, I'll be here with you.”

"How about the kids?” Charlotte had not seen the children for days, and she missed them. “Did they ask about me?"

"Of course they did. I told them you're sick and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.” Zachary then cupped her face and said, “We can overcome this together. Believe me. Stay positive, okay?"

He continued, “You see, Nancy went nuts even when she wasn't sure she was infected. She allowed her fear and hatred to get to her and eventually did all kinds of crazy things. Let's calm down and overcome this rationally. Don't let negativity get the better of us.”

“All right, Hubby.” She nodded and hugged Zachary tight.

To Charlotte, the man before her was like a mighty shield that sheltered her from the thunderstorm. Having him by her side made her feel safe and calm.

 

Chapter 1738 Mom

Three days later, Zachary attended Chris's funeral and made sure he had a proper burial.

The police arrested Nancy and charged her with attempted murder.

Gold Group's evil deeds were finally exposed for all to see after everything they had done and they became a hot topic in Koandria.

After a few days, Gold Group declared bankruptcy and disappeared from the world of commerce. Rumor had it that the Golds offended Zachary. Hence, it was only a matter of time before they declared bankruptcy, while others thought they were doomed for provoking Zachary.

Only insiders knew how kind Zachary had been. Everything he had done was legal. Gold Group declared bankruptcy in such a short time because of the evil deeds they had done and their many scandals.

In a nutshell, Nacht Group regained its title as the largest and most valuable company in Koandria after kicking Gold Group out of the picture.

Nobody dared underestimate the Nacht family nor try to takeover Natch Group.

Life finally returned to normal. Zachary brought Charlotte home to recuperate after she recovered from her injuries.

Charlotte would accompany her kids at home or go horse riding and hiking with Francesca from time to time. It was a carefree life for her.

As for Zachary, he would spend long hours at work while receiving treatment.

Days flew by.

After one month, Zachary wasn't bounded to his wheelchair anymore and could take care of himself. The only thing was that he needed to continue with his treatment since he was still moving slowly.

On the other hand, Francesca was growing restless.

She wanted to return to Erihal as soon as possible after seeing the news. Danrique told the media he was looking for a partner, someone who could be a gentle and loving mother to his three daughters.

Francesca shot up from the chair upon seeing the news. B*stard. What is the meaning of this? I'm still around for my darling children. How could he seek a new mother for them? Francesca was fuming mad.

“Um...” Charlotte laughed when she saw how agitated Francesca was. “Francesca, calm down. The media might be spouting nonsense.”

“Nonsense?” Francesca calmed down immediately. “That's a possibility...”

"How is that possible?” Zachary cut her off. “My dearest brother-in-law is a cold and ruthless man. Who would dare spout nonsense about his scandals?” Zachary said matter-of-factly.

“You have a point.” Her heart tightened. “Does that mean he's really looking for a new mother for my kids?”

“There's no way he would do that. Danrique only has eyes for..."

"Why wouldn't he?” Zachary cut Charlotte off as he continued to scare Francesca. “You rejected him and didn't want to go home with him. Are you expecting him to stay single forever? Moreover, even if he doesn't marry, his kids still need a mother.”

“I'm still around. How could he do that?” Francesca panicked. “This won't do. I need to return to Erihal immediately. My kids must not call another woman Mommy.”

With that, she was about to head upstairs to pack her bags

"Wait a minute, Francesca.” Charlotte grabbed her arm. “We still don’t know the details. Don't panic. Moreover, Zachary is still recovering from...”

“He's almost recovered now. He just needs to continue with his acupuncture treatment and take his medicine every day. Any doctor would be able to do it."

Francesca felt antsy and wanted to return home as soon as possible. She couldn't care less about Zachary at the moment.

"How about I ask Hayley and Sam to come over? Can you teach them how to do it, Francesca?” Charlotte asked as she followed behind. “They're Dr. Felch’s apprentices and also your juniors.” “Those dim-witted brats...” Francesca blurted. “Okay, sure. I don’t need to stick around if they know how to do it.”

“Then, I'll send someone to pick them up right this instance.” Charlotte was overjoyed.

“Hurry up. I'm going back to Erihal latest tomorrow.”

 

Chapter 1739 Realization

Charlotte immediately instructed Morgan to pick Hayley and Sam up. She knew Francesca was going to return to Erihal sooner or later.

Even though Zachary's condition had stabilized, he still needed to receive treatment. She would need someone to follow up with Zachary's condition after Francesca leaves, just in case his health worsens.

After everything was taken care of, Charlotte returned to the dining room and found Zachary leisurely sipping his coffee.

“What's wrong with you? I was trying to clear up Francesca’s and Danrique’s misunderstanding, but you kept fanning the flames...” she reprimanded, feeling displeased.

“How is Danrique’s plan going to work if I don't do that?” Zachary arched a brow.

"You..." Charlotte was stunned. “Oh, this is your bloody idea? You asked Danrique to provoke her on purpose to get her to return home?”

"What do you mean by a bad idea?” Zachary rolled his eyes. “This is brilliant. She's already packing her bags.”

“But you still need treatment.” Charlotte was losing her composure. “What am I going to do if something happens to you?”

“Nothing's going to happen.” Zachary was very confident. “My condition has stabilized. Hayley and Sam would be able to handle my medication and acupuncture therapy. We don't need to waste Francesca's time.”

“I've already instructed Morgan to pick them up.” Charlotte agreed with him after some thought. “I do wish to see them reunited.”

“I think they still have a long way to go,” Zachary said as if he had seen it all. “Both of them are stubborn as hell.”

“It's a process they must go through...” Charlotte smiled bitterly.

“Charlotte! Charlotte!” Just then, Francesca shouted frantically. “Come up here. I need some help with the computer.”

“Coming!”

Charlotte quickly made her way upstairs and saw Francesca working with a laptop.

She knew how to use these electronic products even though she wasn't tech-savvy.

"What happened, Francesca?” Charlotte asked.

“I logged into my internet banking account to check on my savings, but there's only five million. Something must be wrong.”

Francesca was dumbfounded as she stared at her savings account.

“Didn“t you put in five million?” Charlotte was puzzled. “How much did you put in there?” Francesca brought two sacks of money to the bank the other day with a bright smile. She even offered to help but was rejected by Francesca

Charlotte asked where she got so much money out of curiosity. Francesca told her that it was from her medical fees.

She told Charlotte that her enemies were constantly on her trail. It would be easy for her enemies to track her down if she accepted money transfers.

However, things were different now since Danrique had taken care of her enemies. She didn't need to worry anymore as she happily put all her money into the bank.

“The total amount was... was..."

Francesca was speechless. She didn’t know exactly how much she had put in.

"Yes?" Charlotte stared at her, dumbfounded. “You don’t know how much money you have?”

“Your husband said this is half of his wealth. I didn't even count...” Francesca was infuriated. “There should at least be eight to ten billion. Why are there only five million?”

"Um..." Charlotte was stunned. She suddenly realized that Zachary might probably have taken advantage of Francesca.

“Charlotte, how wealthy is your husband?” Francesca went straight to the point and asked. “Don't you dare lie to me! I was the one who saved him. He promised me he would give me half of his wealth as my medical fees.”

"Err..." Charlotte was at a loss for words. “Why don't you ask him for yourself?"

 

Chapter 1740 Compensate

“He must have lied to me! He is such a liar!”

Francesca was fuming mad. She had handed the two sacks of money over to the bankers and let them count while she talked to her kids over the phone.

After that, she took her ATM card and left. She didn't even bother to ask how much she had. Francesca didn't realize she was paid peanuts up till this day.

I thought something was wrong with the internet banking system just now. But now that I think about it, I must have been deceived by Zachary.

"Zachary Nacht!”

Francesca ran down furiously to get even with Zachary. However, Zachary's Rolls-Royce had sped off by the time she reaches the porch.

She stomped her feet in anger and cursed through gritted teeth. “You're a big fat liar!"

“Calm down, Francesca. Tell me what's going on. I'll deal with it.”

Charlotte chased after her and coaxed.

“Oh, right. His wealth is shared with you since you're a couple. You can deal with it..."

Francesca led her upstairs and said vehemently.

“I'm being reasonable here. Let me show you the medical bills. I've recorded it all down everytime I treat your husband when he was on his death bed. He even stamped it with his thumbprint. This is the money that saved his life. He can't just take advantage of me like that.”

“That's right. I won't let that happen. I'll pay you the money.”

Charlotte said airily. However, she was stunned when she saw the bill. “F-Fourteen billion?”

“Yeah.” Francesca pointed at the bill and explained each item to her. “These are his medical fees. These are the fees I charged for saving his life. These are...”

“I couldn't be bothered to keep track anymore toward the end and suggested that he pay with half his wealth. He agreed but only gave me five million. He even lied to me. This is totally unacceptable!” Francesca added.

“You're right. He shouldn't have done that. I apologize on his behalf.” Charlotte felt that it was a sticky situation. “But I don't have that much money right now, Francesca. How about I give you part of it first. I'll deal with him when he returns.”

“I am right about you, Charlotte. You're a reasonable woman, unlike your husband and your brother.”

Francesca grabbed Charlotte's hand and said excitedly, “This is my bank account's number. You can transfer it to me.”

"Okay." Charlotte transferred the three billion she had on hand to Charlotte's account and even threw in some jewelry.

"Francesca, this ruby necklace is worth one billion. This black diamond bracelet is worth 80 million. I have yet to appraise the Heart of the Ocean, but it's probably worth a few billion. You can have it first...”

“Charlotte, you're such a darling. I love you so much!”

Francesca wrapped her arms around Charlotte excitedly and kissed her on the cheek.

"Francesca, these jewelries are worth a lot of money. Their value might even appreciate in the future. You must take good care of it and don't lose it.”

Charlotte held onto Francesca’s hand and said solemnly, “Also, I will send someone to escort you back to Erihal. You must work things out with Danrique once you meet him..."

“Okay. I promise you.”

Francesca was overjoyed. She held on to the jewelry and asked, “Charlotte, how much is the pink diamond ring you gave me when we first met worth?”

“70 million at the moment...”

“70 million?” Francesca smiled happily. “Then all these add up to more than ten billion.”

“You can say so.” Charlotte nodded. “It's a lot of money. Take good care of it.”

“Haha. I'm rich now. Danrique won't dare look down on me ever again. Haha. I'll rub it into him if he ever dares look down on me again.”

Charlotte was speechless.