Ch. 671..680

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 671

Charlotte’s features looked as if her face was carved out from the same mold as Isabella Lindberg. There was no doubt that they were mother and daughter.

As the mysterious man came up closer to her, Charlotte could also make out his face clearly. She instantly felt a strange sense of familiarity and connection with him.

There was no doubt that the two of them were bound by blood.

Their uncanny resemblance made it all too obvious, and her features simply screamed the word “Lindberg.”

The mysterious man took off his coat and wrapped it around Charlotte’s body before scooping her up into his arms. “I’m bringing you home!”

As Charlotte leaned her head against his warm chest and listened to his steady heartbeats, there was only one thought in her head. I’m going to survive.

At the same time, voices from the past began to echo in her head, and she felt as if she was bidding farewell to her past and welcoming a brand new beginning.

Charlotte, we’ll live a happy life together…

Charlotte, I want to be with you for life…

Charlotte, don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll never let go of your hand!

Charlotte, trust me. I’ll come back for you!

The news of Zachary’s wedding is all over the media. There are video clips of the wedding reception, but you’re no longer the bride. Your face has been replaced by that of someone else…

I wanted to spare your life, you know? I only planned on letting you suffer from the drugs, but those from the Nacht family just couldn’t wait to kill you!

Think about it yourself. They have already wiped you away from existence and even got someone to replace you! Do you really think that they’ll let you live? They won’t be able to sleep at night until you’re dead for good!

Miss, you need to live… on…

Lottie, live on…

Lottie, when you find yourself trapped in a dead-end, call this number, and your guardian angel shall descend from the skies and protect you from harm!

It’s just that your life will take a complete turn if you make the call. You’ll start a new life!

Mommy, we’ll wait for you to come home!

Miss, live on…

Lottie, live on…

The voices of her loved ones seemed to replay over and over in her ears, along with the stinging pain that continued to torment her body.

“Mr. Lindberg, we’ve subdued all enemies. What do you want to do with them?” One of his bodyguards walked up to him.

“Release them,” he ordered.

“Huh?” The bodyguard seemed to be rather surprised.

“I’ll leave those bastards for you to take care of in the future! For you to take your revenge!” the mysterious man said, gazing affectionately at Charlotte, who was in his arms. “You need to give them a taste of their own medicine!”

Charlotte nodded her head wearily and pointed a shaky finger at the ambulance in the distance. “Mrs. Berry…” she murmured weakly.

The man gave his subordinates a look, and they immediately hurried to carry Mrs. Berry’s corpse from the vehicle.

“Mr. Lindberg, the people from the Nacht family are nearby,” a bodyguard reported.

Whoosh! The man hurled a flying shuttle into the air, and the two of them flew up into the helicopter.

The horrendous accident site and the wreckage were now under her feet.

As Charlotte stared blankly at the debris on the ground, the horrendous events of the day replayed in her head. Every snapshot of the torment she suffered through and the gruesome way Mrs. Berry died continued to haunt her.

Closing her eyes, she began carving out every detail deeply into the depths of her heart. I’ll never forget everything that happened today!

I’ll make you pay!

…

By the time those from the Nacht family arrived at the scene, all they could find was a run-down ambulance and the corpses of the paramedics around it.

They immediately ran an extensive search within the ambulance, but Charlotte and Mrs. Berry were nowhere to be seen. Only Arthit seemed to show signs of life, so they quickly sent him to the hospital.

Afterward, the team traveled to the house where Charlotte and Mrs. Berry stayed, but the two of them were not there either.

While their luggage and belongings were intact, the silver case containing the antidote was gone.

In the alley behind the house, they found the small silver case on the ground, along with the broken antidote bottle.

With that information in hand, the bodyguards promptly updated Henry on the situation.

Upon hearing the latest report, Henry turned pale as a sheet. If the last bottle of antidote has been destroyed, then how could Charlotte possibly survive?

Who attacked her?

Is she already dead?

But if she really is dead, then where’s the body?

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 672

The fog of mystery around Charlotte’s disappearance only seemed to thicken.

When Zachary finally arrived at Coldbridge with a palpitating heart, he ended up with the same findings. Having lost his calm, he ran around like a maniac and went to every location he could possibly think of to search for Charlotte.

In the unrelenting storm, Zachary sprinted down the streets yelling Charlotte’s name.

His clothes were completely drenched, his voice turned raspy, and his eyes were bloodshot.

As he stared at the wrecked ambulance with an unmistakable pool of blood in front of it and the tainted shreds of Charlotte’s bridal gown, he felt his heart being torn into pieces.

He could not forgive himself for putting Charlotte in harm’s way and letting Henry send her off to a foreign country.

Nor could he accept that he failed to rescue her in time.

Dark thoughts invaded Zachary’s mind. What if she was tortured and has already died? What if…

It pained him just thinking those thoughts.

With his brows furrowing deeper, he swept his eyes around him in panic. He had never felt so helpless and afraid in his life.

What if she’s really dead?

What am I supposed to do then?

What am I supposed to do?

Zachary was on edge. “Charlotte! Where are you? Can you please come out? I don’t want to play this game of hide-and-seek anymore! Come out! Come out!” His raspy cries were lost in the raging storm.

“Robbie, Jamie, and Ellie are all waiting for you to come home! They’ve been missing you every single day… I promised them that I’d bring you home! You can’t do this to me! Charlotte, Charlotte! Come out… I’m begging you…”

Out of sheer terror and fear, his voice grew softer, and he eventually trailed off.

Tears trickled down his cheeks as he looked down at the dirt below in devastation. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” he murmured those words incessantly.

In a dark corner some distance away, Henry watched on as his grandson cried in the rain.

He had never considered his actions as immoral or wrong. On the contrary, he had even strongly believed that his plans would help reduce the damage to both Charlotte and his grandson. Never did he imagine that Charlotte would get attacked, nor did he consider the possibility of his grandson and great-grandchildren being emotionally scarred by her death.

“Mr. Nacht, don’t be too hard on yourself,” Spencer tried to comfort him. “Nobody knew that this would happen.”

“Who is it? Who did it?” Henry slammed his hand hard against the handles of his wheelchair. “Have you found out who’s behind this? Zara is involved, isn’t she?”

“I have done a preliminary check. Ms. Zara is still in E Nation. Our people and Mr. Zachary’s subordinates have had their eyes on her for a while now to prevent her from harming Ms. Windt, but she has not taken any form of action,” Spencer replied.

“If not her, then who is it?” Henry furrowed his brows. “Who else knows about the antidote?”

“That’s the part I can’t wrap my head around too…” Spencer sighed. “Let’s take our time to figure this out. Our top priority now is to find Ms. Windt. Otherwise, Mr. Zachary would hold a grudge against you for life.”

“That’s right.” Henry nodded. “Inform everyone in our search teams and get them to concentrate on finding Charlotte. We have to bring her back, dead or alive!”

“Understood!”

…

The Nacht family exhausted much of their human and financial resources in the search for Charlotte.

However, Coldbridge was an underdeveloped town with no surveillance cameras on the streets. Without surveillance footage, it was almost impossible to figure out what happened to Charlotte that day.

The group of police officers and medical staff who had gone to the scene back then recounted that Mrs. Berry had died from a gunshot, and Charlotte was suffering from severe mental trauma even though she was not seriously injured.

However, they could not provide any information about the actual assault since they left the scene shortly after.

The only witness they had, Arthit, ultimately survived despite getting shot. Unfortunately, the bullet had caused permanent damage to his brain, resulting in him becoming mentally disabled and losing his memories of the incident.

The locations where Charlotte last appeared were all cordoned off and preserved. From the evidence found at the house that Charlotte stayed at with Mrs. Berry, the investigation team deduced that the assailant was not after money because everything was intact other than the broken bottle of antidote.

That narrowed down the list of suspects to the few who knew about the existence of an antidote for Charlotte.

Zachary immediately put Zara at the top of the list of suspects and did all he could to force an answer out of her. He even interrogated her personally.

However, Zara denied all offenses and even told him her alibi.

Of course, Zachary would not let her off that easily. He began oppressing her company and businesses openly while continuing his desperate search for Charlotte.

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 673

Even after investigating extensively on anyone and everyone who might have a grudge against Charlotte, Zachary still found no useful leads.

Helena was already in jail, and Hector was still stuck in his hellhole of begging people to help him with the cases filed against him, so there was no possibility of him leaving the country and coming all the way to Coldbridge just to harm Charlotte.

As for Sharon, there were no records of her traveling abroad. In fact, there was also evidence to prove that she had been busy dealing with the projects in H City.

With everyone crossed out from his list of suspects, Zachary could only start investigating once more from scratch.

Upon getting informed that Zachary had considered her as a suspect, Sharon almost had a heart attack. At the same time, she simply could not wrap her head around why the person who had rescued Charlotte back then not only let her off alive but also kept her actions a secret.

If it weren’t for that mysterious man, her evil deeds would already have been exposed.

Oh, gosh. Anyways, I’m safe for the time being.

The gunshot on Sharon’s right wrist had disabled her.

…

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

With Charlotte nowhere to be found, Zachary was still at a loss of what to do.

The kids at home were also in distress. At first, they kept on asking about where their parents had gone. Eventually, they began crying day after day, and Henry finally told them that their mother had died from an illness.

News of their dear mother’s death was simply too much to bear for children of that age, and the three little ones sank into despair.

Jamie’s face turned a sickly red as he cried, “That cannot be! Mommy is fine! Why would she die like that? You’re lying! Liars!”

“I don’t care! Mommy isn’t dead. Mommy isn’t dead.” Ellie looked up at Henry, panting with difficulty as she cried, “I want Mommy! I want Mommy…”

“Something must be amiss!” Robbie was trembling uncontrollably from the overwhelming grief and disbelief he was feeling. “On the day Mommy and Daddy were getting married, you guys suddenly took Mommy away, saying that you’re going to treat her illness, but you wouldn’t even let us visit her afterward! Did you send Mommy far away? Where did you send her? Did you do it on purpose because you think that she doesn’t deserve to marry Daddy? Did you?”

Henry felt his heart throb as he watched his precious great-grandchildren bawl their eyes out. He had thought that he was ready to face the aftermath of his actions, but now that he saw the kids in this state, he could not help but feel guilty.

However, he knew that he needed to get himself together and explain to the kids personally.

“I’m not against their marriage, and I don’t despise your mother for her family background. However, she was really sick and had a terrible nosebleed on the day of the wedding, so we had to send her away to treat it. It’s just that we didn’t expect her to die from the sickness…”

“I don’t believe it. It’s not like that. It can’t be!” Robbie cried, shaking his head. “Mommy isn’t dead! You guys are liars! Liars! I’m going to find Mommy now…”

As Robbie yelled those words, he sprinted out of the room.

Jamie and Ellie followed behind him.

“Robbie…”

“Mr. Robinson!”

The bodyguards and the maids promptly chased after them.

“Hurry! Don’t let them hurt themselves!” Henry had his heart in his throat.

“Understood!” Spencer went after them with his subordinates too. However, they came to an abrupt halt at the gates of the house.

Zachary had returned after three whole months. As he emerged from his car, he looked disheveled and burnt out.

A beard had grown out on his face, while his hair was unkempt and long. It seemed as if he had not slept for ages; his skin darkened, and the whites of his eyes were strewn with blood vessels.

When the three little ones saw him, they were stunned for a second before they rushed over to hug his leg.

“Daddy! Great-grandpa says that Mommy is dead. I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!”

“Daddy, take us to Mommy! I want Mommy!”

“Daddy, Mommy isn’t dead, is she? Mommy is fine and well, right?”

“You’re right.” Zachary bent down to wipe the tears and mucus off the children’s faces. “Your mother isn’t dead. She’s alive. It’s just that she has lost her way. I’m trying my best to find her. She’ll come back someday!”

Zachary choked on his last sentence. He quickly pulled his children into a tight embrace to hide the tears welling up in his eyes.

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 674

The sight of his grandson hugging his great-grandchildren was heart-wrenching for Henry to watch. He wanted to say something but was silenced by Zachary’s eyes that were burning with hatred.

He blinked and straightened his back. Putting on a tough front, he said, “It’s good that you’ve returned. Don’t go wandering around like that again. You’re not just anyone. You’re the heir to Nacht Group, and you’re the father to these children. You need to take responsibility for them!”

Hearing that, Zachary merely remained silent and took his kids back to their rooms.

He tried his best to suppress his anger toward Henry for the sake of his children.

After all, in the world of children that little, family was everything to them. They had just lost Mrs. Berry and their dear mother. If something were to happen to their great-grandfather too, their sorrow would only be exacerbated.

“What’s with that attitude?” Henry snarled.

“It’s quite unexpected that Mr. Zachary can behave so calmly. Let’s give him some time,” Spencer said with a serious expression.

“I did it… I did all of it for the sake of our family… For the kids… Was it really my fault?” Henry asked.

That question was actually meant for himself.

He had been reflecting on his actions. Have I really made a mistake?

“Well… tragedies are not uncommon in life.” Spencer sighed deeply. “It’s not your fault, but I think we are definitely responsible for Ms. Windt’s death. We should be grateful that Mr. Zachary didn’t even mention this in front of the kids.”

Henry went quiet upon hearing those words.

For the past few days, he had been preparing himself mentally for a big fight with Zachary when he returned. However, none of that actually happened.

And that made him all the more uneasy.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Zachary is a strong person.” Spencer could tell what Henry had on his mind. “With the three kids with him, he would pick himself up sooner or later,” he said reassuringly.

“Yeah.”

Henry nodded his head. As he thought about his great-grandchildren, everything seemed worth it.

“Time shall solve all these problems…” Spencer began pushing Henry toward the door.

Henry looked up at the second floor. The lights of the master bedroom were switched off, but the study room seemed occupied.

Heaving a heavy sigh, he said, “Prepare a private jet. I’m going back to M Nation tomorrow.”

“You’re not staying to look after Mr. Zachary?” Spencer raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“He’s a grown man, not a boy. Why would I need to look after him? Obstacles and problems are bound to arise in life. A member of the Nacht family mustn’t give up so easily when facing a setback!” Henry lamented with a frown.

“Alright, then.” Spencer nodded. “What about the kids? Is it really okay to leave them with Mr. Zachary, given his current state of mind? Can he care for them well? How about we bring them to live with us in Anglandur for a bit?”

“There’s no need for that.” Henry shook his head. “Staying with the kids would help him get back on his feet sooner…”

“Okay, I understand!” Then Spencer and a bodyguard helped Henry get into the car.

“Tell Taylor to come to me. I need to talk to him.”

“Understood.”

…

After putting his three children to sleep, Zachary returned to his bedroom.

Though he had left home for three months, all the decorations from the wedding day still remained. Nobody dared take them down without his word.

However, his wedding photos with Charlotte had disappeared.

There was not a single photo of her in the entire house, but the shadow of her and her scent seemed to linger in every corner.

He could see her blowing her hair dry by the table and turning around to talk to him with a smile. You should go shower too!

He could also see her walking toward him with an affectionate expression and taking his coat for him. You’re home? Are you tired from work? I’ve prepared the bathwater for you. Hurry up and take a bath…

Her silhouette seemed to loom around in his bedroom right before his eyes. However, as he reached out, wanting to embrace her, she instantly disappeared into a wisp of smoke, leaving his extended arm frozen in the air.

At that moment, even his heart felt icy-cold.

Staring blankly at his feet, the sorrow in his heart was unimaginable.

At the same time, at the back of his mind, there was a small but firm voice telling him that Charlotte was definitely still alive.

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 675

Meanwhile, in the Lindberg residence in Erihal.

Danrique used every connection he had and switched out team after team of doctors before finding a competent team of medical experts to attend to Charlotte.

After undergoing the three-month-long treatment, the poison that ensnared Charlotte from within was finally eliminated from her body.

The only catch was that due to the side effects of the drugs used and certain psychological factors, there were severe repercussions after the treatment.

Charlotte had lost her memory.

Memories of her life after coming of age had completely faded away, and all that she could remember was her father, Mrs. Berry, and her happy childhood.

In addition to that, Charlotte would suffer from an excruciating headache on stormy days.

However, none of that seemed to matter at all. After all, Charlotte was going to start her life afresh.

Danrique had employed a team of experts to train Charlotte to become an all-rounded adult. They began coaching her from square one, imparting all sorts of skills and knowledge on business management. He was determined to mold her into a proper member of the Lindberg family.

Two year later…

At an auction house in H City.

After a few years of rapid city development, H City had emerged as the richest city in the country with the most economic activities. Every inch of land was as valuable as gold, and real estate developers had lain their fingers on every last piece of land in the city. There was almost no land for more development

And so, the latest project in the South Sea region had become the most desirable project ever, and investors from all over the globe were in a heated fight over it.

At the auction that day, not only were a few pieces of land in the South Sea area on sale, but the ownership over the entire South Sea area itself was also being auctioned off!

As one might have expected, many companies had sent their representatives to participate in the bidding, including the industry giant, Divine Corporation.

However, the president of Divine Corporation, Zachary, had been kept a relatively low profile for the past few years, refusing to appear in the public eye most of the time, so the representatives sent out by Divine Corporation were the newly-elected vice president, Lucy, and Johann Sterk, who was one of the founders.

The atmosphere at the auction house was heated and hectic. Everyone was in a fierce competition to obtain the ultimate prize. The representatives from Divine Corporation arrived ten minutes late but still became the center of attention when they showed up.

The bid for ownership over the South Sea area had already begun. By then, the price had skyrocketed up to two hundred billion, and the investors at the scene were hesitating to list a higher price.

Only a businessman named Mr. Sanchez, who was new to the industry, raised the price to two hundred and five billion.

At that very moment, those from Divine Corporation made their move. Under Johann’s instructions, Lucy raised her paddle and announced their bid, “Two hundred and fifty billion!”

Instantly, the entire auction house went silent. Divine Corporation’s bid was simply too shocking. In the previous bids, the prices only increased by five billion with each consecutive bid, and that was already rather nerve-racking in itself. Still, Lucy raised the price by an outrageous forty-five billion at one go!

No one could possibly bid against her.

It was an expected outcome. After all, the Nacht Group was filthy rich.

Mr. Sanchez, who had made the previous bid, pursed his lips with a disappointed expression and glanced at the representatives from Divine Corporation before he sat back down.

He knew that he was no match for them.

“Two hundred and fifty billion going once!”

“Two hundred and fifty billion going twice!”

“Two hundred and fifty billion going…”

“Three hundred billion!”

All of a sudden, the crisp voice of a young lady resounded in the room, cutting off the auctioneer mid-sentence.

Everyone was stunned. Heads began turning toward the entrance of the auction house.

Eight female bodyguards in black entered the room and lined up in two neat rows, leaving a path in between.

A moment later, a mysterious-looking woman sashayed into the room.

Donning a fitted white suit with her hair tied up in a casual low ponytail, the young lady wore light, natural makeup that accentuated her sharp, gorgeous features, exuding the aura of a queen.

The young lady who had just made her flashy appearance instantly became the center of attention at the auction house.

“Oh, my god!” Lucy was appalled by what she saw. Gasping in shock, she whispered, “Isn’t she… Ms. Windt?”

Johann also widened his eyes in surprise, fixing his gaze on the young lady who had just entered the room without even blinking. Unable to believe what he had just seen, he rubbed his eyes and looked again.

The young lady had already walked past them and elegantly sat down in the seat beside them. The words “Lindberg Corporation” were written on her paddle.

“It’s the representative from Lindberg Corporation!” The room buzzed with excitement. “The legendary Mr. Lindberg never shows his face! So, who is this young lady?”

“Could it be his fiancée?”

“Well…”

“Ms. Lindberg offers three hundred billion, any other bidders?” the auctioneer exclaimed excitedly.

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 676

All eyes were fixed on the representatives of Divine Corporation. After all, only the Nacht group would be capable of competing with Lindberg Corporation.

Lucy quickly returned to her senses and whispered into Johann’s ear, “Mr. Nacht instructed us not to bid any higher than two hundred and sixty billion. Shall we consult with him?”

“Call him,” Johann replied.

“Understood.” Lucy immediately strode off to a corner and dialed Zachary’s number.

Everyone at the scene anticipated the Nacht Group’s next move, but the young lady from Lindberg Corporation seemed rather impatient. Raising her eyebrows, she made a bold statement, “What? Are we giving them time to hold an emergency meeting?”

“Well…” The auctioneer turned to look at the organizer of the auction.

The organizer smiled awkwardly and explained, “That’s not the case…” But he trailed off as he met the young lady’s cold, piercing stare.

“According to the standard protocol, the longest we can wait is sixty seconds,” the organizer of the auction quickly added.

The imposing young lady then did a gesture.

Immediately, the organizer gave his response, “The countdown starts now!”

“Okay.” With that, a digital timer appeared on the projector screen.

Concurrently, the auctioneer announced, “Lindberg Corporation offers three hundred billion. Any other bidders?”

No one in the room dared make a bid. Some even kept their paddles and made themselves comfortable in their seats as they waited to watch the final showdown.

Meanwhile, Johann sneaked a few glances at the lady from Lindberg Corporation. Her face was the same as that of Charlotte years ago, but the aura she exuded was completely different.

The domineering and haughty demeanor she had displayed previously could not have been done by Charlotte, the good-willed but clumsy girl.

So who the hell is she?

While Lucy watched the digital timer intently, she felt increasingly anxious as each second ticked by. “Mr. Nacht, please answer the phone… Please answer the phone!” She mumbled to herself.

On the other hand, the charismatic lady from Lindberg Corporation simply sat on the sofa and twirled her wine glass with grace as she waited for the last thirty seconds to tick by.

Her lips were slightly curled up. “It seems like Divine Corporation isn’t all too serious about bidding for this particular piece of land. So why are we still wasting time like this?” she taunted.

“Young lady, our president has been keeping a low profile for personal reasons, not because he isn’t serious about business. Let us compete fairly at this auction. We’ll abide by the rules, so please have patience.” Johann sounded rather cordial and calm.

“I’m not impatient.” The young lady smirked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s just that even if Zachary Nacht were here, he wouldn’t be able to pay three hundred billion!”

As soon as she uttered her last sentence, the atmosphere in the room became awkward.

After all, the Nacht Group had stayed on top in the industry for many years, so nobody dared to even offend them in the slightest.

Therefore, everyone was surprised when the young lady had the guts to utter really bold words.

However, it was not an entirely unthinkable turn of events since she was from the Lindberg family.

The Lindberg family and the Nacht family were sworn rivals. Their assets and influence were comparable, so they were never afraid to compete with each other. For the past twenty years, the two families prospered peacefully without any direct confrontations, but the young lady of the Lindberg family seemed keen on breaking the peace.

“Young lady, that is no way to speak!” Johann’s brows were furrowed, and he turned a little more stern. “The Nacht Group…”

“Oh, you’re so noisy!” The young lady was also frowning with an irritated look. “Is the time up yet?”

“Ms. Lindberg, there’s ten more seconds,” the female bodyguard reported.

On the stage, the auctioneer tried to liven up the room once more. “Lindberg Corporation offers three hundred billion. Any other bidders?”

There was no response.

“If there’s no other bidder, we shall just wait for Divine Corporation’s response.” The auctioneer turned to look at Johann.

Johann gave Lucy a steely look.

Lucy pointed at her phone with beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. Her call had not gone through yet. Mr. Nacht should be at the company at this time, but why isn’t he picking up?

“Three seconds left…” The auctioneer announced.

“Can’t we wait a little longer…” Just as Lucy uttered those words, Zachary finally answered the call.

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 677

“Hey!” Zachary exclaimed in a serious voice.

“The Lindberg Corporation has upped their bid to thirty billion. What should we do now?” Lucy asked.

“The Lindberg?” Zachary raised his brows. “Danrique Lindberg?”

“No, it’s…”

“Time’s up!” The girl interrupted all of a sudden. She looked up at them with a scowl. “Are you all trying to buy time for the Nacht Group?”

“Oh, no, no, no…” The person in charge immediately explained, “I noticed Ms. Wright has made a call.”

“So what?” The girl bellowed. “Start your chant right now!”

“Yes, Miss.” The person in charge instantly gave the host a hand signal to proceed.

“All right. Thirty billion going once!”

“Thirty billion going…”

“What do we do? Should we?” Lucy panicked, “Mr. Nacht…”

Zachary froze for a bit and finally asked, “Who’s that person?”

“She’s…”

“Going thrice!”

“Mr. Nacht, we’re running out of time! Should we…”

“Sold!”

Before Lucy could complete her sentence, the deal was sealed.

Everyone there was stupefied. The Nacht Group had lost in a bid for the very first time.

It was also Lindberg Corporation’s very first auction in the country, and it was a successful one.

This also meant that the Lindberg Corporation had checkmated the Nacht Group for the very first time!

“Congratulations to the Lindberg Corporation for securing the South Sea territorial waters,” the host announced, “We’ll be contacting your company to make the necessary arrangements.”

“Thanks!” The girl curled into a smile and walked out of the building, looking awfully smug.

Everyone in the hall started giving her a big round of applause.

They were all dumbstruck upon witnessing how the Nacht Group lost a bid to a young girl.

They were also impressed by her steadiness during the bid. It was as if the Nacht did not intimidate her at all.

“Miss!” Johann ran up to her.

“Yes, Mr. Sterk?” The girl turned around and asked respectfully but with an aloof expression.

“If I may ask, are you Charlotte Windt?” Johann whispered in her ear.

“I’m a Lindberg.” The girl smirked. “Charlotte Lindberg!”

The girl then strode across the hall and left.

Johann looked at her back and was stunned.

“Mr. Sterk!” Lucy ran up to him. “Mr. Nacht is coming over right now, and she wants me to stop the girl from leaving. What did she say?”

“I asked if she’s Charlotte Windt, but she said her name is Charlotte Lindberg.” Johann shook his head in disbelief. “Not only do they look alike, but they even share the same first name.”

“That must be her.” Lucy immediately ran after the girl.

Charlotte looked extremely charming when she walked out of the hall with eight female bodyguards behind her.

Before they got into the car, Lucy shouted from a stone’s throw away. “Ms. Charlotte!”

Charlotte stopped walking. She turned around and looked at Lucy indifferently.

“Ms. Charlotte! I’m Lucy Wright, the vice president of the Divine Corporation. Do you remember me?” Lucy panted after a slow jog.

“Why should I remember you?” Charlotte said in a cold voice.

“I…” Lucy froze for a bit and immediately apologized, “I’m sorry. What I’m trying to say is, Mr. Nacht wishes to get to know you better.

“Is it possible for you to wait a while? He’s on his way here now…”

“Zachary Nacht?” Charlotte raised her brows.

“Yes, that’s right.” Lucy nodded repeatedly.

“Ask him to make an appointment with my secretary then.” Without hesitation, Charlotte turned around and got into her car.

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 678

“Ms. Charlotte…”

Just when Lucy wanted to take a step closer, one of Charlotte’s grim-faced female bodyguards walked up and stopped her.

Lucy had no choice but to take a step back and watch Charlotte leave in her Rolls-Royce Phantom.

She let out a sigh. All of a sudden, she found herself surrounded by businessmen. They were all talking behind her back.

Wow, Nacht Group tries to get into someone’s good books? What a surprise!

I must say Ms. Lindberg is really one of a kind!

It looks like the Lindberg Corporation is ready to make a comeback after staying low for two years. Nacht Group has finally found themselves a worthy rival now!

“She left?” Johann came over and asked when he saw how awkward Lucy was. He could not help but give her a wry smile. “She must have given you a hard time, huh?”

Lucy nodded in embarrassment. “I told her Mr. Nacht is on his way here and hope she could wait for him. Guess what she said?”

“What did she say?” he asked.

“She asked him to make an appointment with her secretary.” Lucy was bemused.

Johann instantly burst out laughing. “That girl is quite something, I could tell.”

“Indeed.” Lucy nodded while letting out another sigh.

“She’s so different from the always clueless Charlotte Windt.” Johann suddenly put on a serious face and said, “But how is it possible that they look so alike, yet their personalities are so different?”

Lucy could not help but sigh upon recalling the way she talked and moved.

“Charlotte Windt and I spent almost every day together when she was working with me, and I remember how adorable she was,” she said.

“Yet, Ms. Lindberg is not only domineering but also arrogant,” she added, “I don’t even dare to look into her eyes.”

Johann nodded. “That incident that had happened a few years ago was definitely a huge blow to Mr. Nacht. He may have eventually overcome his grief, but he had also become more reticent now.”

“No one else knew about this incident except Ben, you, and I. Though there’s someone new in Mr. Nacht’s life, the love of his life will forever be his wife, Charlotte Windt.”

“Oh, well.” Lucy sighed. “I was so stunned when I first saw Ms. Lindberg…”

All of a sudden, a speeding Maybach arrived and parked right beside them. Zachary came down from the car and asked, “Where’s she?”

“She has left.” Lucy said in a weak voice, “I’ve tried my best to stop her from leaving, but she didn’t even want to talk to me…”

“Any contact details?” Zachary asked anxiously.

“Nope,” Lucy shook her head and said sheepishly, “She asked you to make an appointment with her secretary if you wish to see her.”

Zachary was at a loss for words.

Charlotte wouldn’t say something like that.

“Mr. Nacht, though she looked like Ms. Windt, her personality is totally the opposite…” Johann said.

“Let’s get into the car.” Zachary interrupted and ordered Ben, “Look for the person in charge of the auction. Get the footage of the surveillance cameras from them.”

“All right, Sir.”

Once they got into the car, Lucy and Johann told Zachary everything that had happened during the auction.

Zachary instantly knitted his brows.

Based on their descriptions, the girl was unlikely to be Charlotte Windt. The Charlotte I knew was a scaredy-cat. She would always hide behind me and nudge me when she was curious about the things she saw.

Does that mean she’s not my Charlotte?

“Mr. Nacht, we’ve gotten the footage.” Ben took out a notebook and played a clip.

Zachary was thunderstruck the moment he saw the girl. “It’s her. It’s definitely her!”

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 679

Zachary took one look at the girl and immediately recognized her.

Though she had been missing for two years, the image of her face was clearly etched on his memory. He knew, for sure, she was Charlotte Windt!

“But she said her family name is Lindberg,” Lucy said cautiously, “And she said her name is Charlotte Lindberg.”

“She didn’t seem to know Lucy and me, and I don’t think she was acting.” Johann added, “We have to be careful, Mr. Nacht, since she’s one of the Lindbergs.”

“I know.” Zachary waved his hand in the air to dismiss his concern. “I know my limits.”

The bodyguard then opened the door for Lucy and Johann to get down from his car.

“Find out who Charlotte Lindberg is,” Zachary ordered while trying to suppress his emotions.

“Yes, Sir,” Ben answered.

Zachary kept looking at the clip on the notebook was overwhelmed by mixed emotions.

Is that her?

She has returned!

Did she decide to come back after adopting a new identity?

It was as if she intentionally outbid him merely to challenge his authority.

“We have updates,” Ben immediately reported after ending a call, “Charlotte Lindberg is Danrique Lindberg’s younger sister. She has just returned to the country to help run the Lindberg Corporation after completing her studies in Anglandur.”

“She holds twenty percentage of Lindberg Corporation’s shares and is the second major shareholder of the company,” Ben continued, “She has yet to make a mark in the business world, and she has made her first public appearance in today’s auction!”

“Twenty percent…” A sudden frown warped Zachary’s face. “Zara holds ten percent of the shares, and whereas Chris owns five percent. This means the girl named Charlotte has more shares than the two combined!”

“That’s right.” Ben nodded. “She’s definitely not a small fry! Come to think of it, if Danrique was the one who rescued Ms. Windt a few years ago…”

Zachary’s eyes instantly darkened. “We didn’t know much about what happened in Coldbridge as a lot of records had been erased. We’ve been looking high and low for Charlotte but to no avail. The Lindbergs must be the mastermind behind her disappearance.”

“That’s right. I can’t believe we actually overlooked it.” Ben nodded. “We’ve spent the last two years tracking Ms. Windt down, but we never suspected the Lindbergs, who clearly have all the power and resources to keep her away from us!”

Ben then paused for a moment before making a disclaimer. “But that’s merely our speculation. This Ms. Lindberg might not be Ms. Windt. Or she could be someone Danrique hired to play mind games with you.”

Upon hearing that remark, Zachary kept mum and went deep in thought. If this mysterious Ms. Lindberg really is Charlotte, then it’s clear that Danrique was aware of Charlotte’s identity. This is why he intentionally hid her away for a few years before bringing her back to take me down.

But even if that girl is not Charlotte, I still believe Danrique had already found out who Charlotte was. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken the trouble to find Charlotte’s doppelgänger to mess with my head. But what are the odds?

I have a hunch that Charlotte Lindberg is Charlotte Windt.

Nothing else bothered Zachary anymore. At this point, he just wanted to find out if Charlotte Lindberg was Charlotte Windt. “Get someone to investigate Ms. Lindberg. And I want to meet her.”

“Yes, Sir!” Ben replied.

Suddenly, Zachary’s phone rang. Upon seeing the number on the screen, he answered immediately, “Yes, Robbie?”

“Daddy, the school’s orientation day is going to start soon. Where are you?”

Robbie, who was now six years old, seemed more mature than his peers.

Zachary took a look at his watch. “I’ll be on my way!”

“Hurry up, Daddy. Jamie and Ellie are waiting for you too.”

“All right,” Zachary gave Ben a hand signal.

Ben then instructed the driver, Marino, to speed up by patting him on the shoulder.

After ending the call, Zachary ordered, “The gifts for the kids are at home. Get someone to retrieve it as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Sir.” Ben made another call.

Zachary took another glance at his watch and told Marino to drive even faster.

Marino accelerated and sped to the Golden Apple elementary school.

All of a sudden, they rammed into a Rolls-Royce Phantom…

Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort Chapter 680

Bang! Both cars crashed into each other and stopped at the same time.

The collision was so strong that it caused a dent in the hoods of both cars.

Bodyguards from both cars got down and walked toward each other steadily.

“We’re in a hurry, so we’ll not pursue this matter any further. Move,” the female bodyguard said before Ben could say anything.

“Excuse me?” Ben instantly expressed dismay. “We’re driving on the straight road, and you’re the one who made an illegal turn. You should move instead!”

Ben had never met someone as arrogant as this woman in his life.

“Are you done talking?” the female bodyguard sneered while clenching her fists, “You’re not going to move, are you?”

“You want to fight, huh?” Ben straightened his back and approached her.

How dare this woman challenge me? Does she know I’m the top bodyguard of the Nachts?

“Ben!” Zachary called. “Stop it. Let’s go.”

“All right.” Ben gave the female bodyguard a sullen glare. “Count yourself lucky!”

“Get out of my face, wuss,” she sneered.

The color drained out of Ben’s face. Just when he was about to explode, the female bodyguard turned around and returned to her car.

Her outrageous behavior caused a vortex of anger to swirl inside Ben. “I would have taught her a lesson if I’m not in a hurry…”

Before he could complete his sentence, the person at the passenger seat behind winded down the window.

Ben gasped upon seeing that familiar face.

Charlotte took a sidelong glance at the cars. Upon realizing they were at fault, she frowned and instructed her bodyguard to reverse.

The bodyguard immediately reversed and made way for Ben.

“Ms. Windt!” Ben exclaimed.

Zachary was dumbstruck. He instantly winded down his window and looked at the person in the car. Indeed, it was the woman he missed the most – Charlotte Windt!

Her face, her eyes, and her dark silky hair. I can even smell her scent from afar.

Though her dressing style and the way she carried herself were different, Zachary knew for sure she was Charlotte Windt!

Zachary could hardly breathe anymore. He immediately opened the car door and mumbled, “Charlotte…”

Yet, the Rolls-Royce Phantom made a quick turn into a minor road and was nowhere to be found anymore.

“Charlotte…”

A few cars almost knocked Zachary down when he started running after them.

All the cars on the busy road started honking Zachary. He had no choice but to take a few steps back.

“Mr. Nacht…” Ben got down and pulled him aside, “Come on, let’s go to the school first.”

Zachary was very agitated. He knew that was Charlotte. The love of his life had finally returned.

Meanwhile, one of the female bodyguards who sat beside the driver suddenly made a remark, “That person looks like Zachary from the Nacht Group!”

Charlotte looked up and stared at the man from the rear mirror.

She could not see his face clearly, but when she looked at his body from a distance, she somehow thought he looked familiar.

An indescribable feeling surged through her all of a sudden.

She clenched her upper chest and knitted her brows. “Danrique said we’re Nacht’s enemy. I guess I’ve already developed feelings of hatred toward him.”

“I should have rammed into his car harder had I known it was him,” the driver said in frustration.

“Don’t worry.” Charlotte squinted while looking at the man. “We can take them down slowly in the future.”