Ch. 1441..1450

Chapter 1441 Waiting For My Date

Initially, it was the Gaudette family who used the Pann family to murder Jiminy. The incident had nothing to do with Jerry, but the one who ordered his subordinate to carry out the task was actually a relative of Jerry.

Since Charlotte's mother passed away when she was still young, Jiminy practically spoiled her in the family.

If she knew that her father's death was related to Jerry, even if she had feelings for Jerry, she would still be cruel enough to deal with him.

Just by observing how Charlotte dealt with Henry and Regina, one could tell how ruthless she was.

Charlotte thought that Genevieve was referring to Jerry's scandal with other women. She snorted coldly, "I don't need to investigate. I can see it all clearly with my own eyes! Do you think I'd be unable to let go if we broke up?"

She then continued, "I'm tired of dating him for so long. Breaking up with him gives me the perfect chance to find a man who knows how to take care of a family well, so that Jessica can stop nagging me."

"I wasn't talking about this." Noticing that Charlotte had misunderstood her words, Genevieve sighed deeply.

Charlotte was annoyed, and she was swamped with work as well. Therefore, she didn't want to hear Jerry's at the moment. Without waiting for Genevieve to speak again, she used her work as an excuse to chase her out.

For quite some time, Charlotte had been working at her desk. As she picked up her cup to drink some water, she glanced at her phone casually.

Ten minutes ago, Sean sent a WhatsApp message, Are you feeling better now?

Only then did Charlotte remember that since she woke up, she had been rushing to Baykeep, busy with Henry and Jessica's divorce matters. She hadn't even had the time to thank Sean.

My life would have been over if it hadn't been for him that day.

Charlotte replied to his message, I'm doing well. The wound on my head has healed well already. Are you free tonight? I'd like to treat you to dinner.

Shortly after, Sean replied that he was free and asked where she wanted to dine.

Just as Charlotte was about to send the name of the restaurant to him, she suddenly remembered that she used to frequent this place with Jerry. Revisiting the old place would surely make her feel uncomfortable.

Coincidentally, there was an Epean restaurant in that mall that claimed to offer a breathtaking view of the stars. It seemed quite a novel concept to her.

As the sky began to grow dark at half past five in the afternoon, Charlotte went to the restroom to touch up her makeup. With the ash-pink lip gloss, she looked bright and playful, like a warm ray of sunshine in winter.

Genevieve was also getting ready to leave work when he saw Charlotte heading toward her. She glanced at her and said, "Your lipstick looks all done up. You don't seem like you're heading home."

"Of course," Charlotte replied as she took out her perfume and sprayed it on her wrist. "I'm going on a date."

"You found a date so quickly?"

Charlotte closed the perfume bottle and tossed it into her bag, humming lightly, "With my beauty, do I even need to search? A simple beckon of my finger and a bunch of handsome guys would line up to ask me out."

Genevieve glanced at Charlotte again, acknowledging her reply.

While she was also narcissistic, she was not like Charlotte who would flaunt her beauty to the fullest, reveling in the feeling of being adored and surrounded by many people.

Genevieve, however, cherished loyal, wholehearted, and undivided love. Captivating Armand with her beauty alone was enough for her.

After reaching the underground parking lot, Genevieve was about to get into her car when Charlotte hurried over to her and asked, "Are you going to pick up your husband?”

"Of course."

"Perfect! I'm also heading to the government office. Could you give me a ride, Genevieve?" Charlotte went around the car before getting into the passenger seat.

Genevieve quickly got in the car too, asking with curiosity, "Why are you heading there for?"

"To wait for the man who's going to meet me later," Charlotte replied as she fastened her seat belt. It's too cold today with the melting snow, and I don't feel like driving. It will be a good opportunity for him to give me a ride home after our dinner."

Genevieve was stunned for a few seconds. She then turned her head to look at Charlotte, as if she had guessed something. "Did Sean ask you out?"

"Can't he do that?" Charlotte also turned to meet Genevieve's gaze.

It was obvious to Genevieve that Sean was not Charlotte's type, and she could guess what Charlotte's intentions were. Genevieve wanted to say something, but there were too many things that she couldn't interfere with.

Chapter 1442 One Of My Many Exes

Charlotte sent a message to Sean five minutes in advance. After Genevieve's car pulled over to the side of the road, she happened to see Sean driving out in his BMW.

After thanking Genevieve, she opened the door and got out of the car.

The restaurant with a starry night view that Charlotte booked had opened in the mall's dining area about three months ago. Not only did they serve Epean cuisine, but also Chanaean cuisine as well.

Through the restaurant's decor, one could immerse themselves in a starry view, as though they could see the stars just by looking up. The experience was truly amazing, and there was a constant stream of diners coming here to dine every night.

Charlotte had reserved a seat in the morning, and upon arrival, the waiter led her and Sean inside.

The long corridor leading to the dining room was adorned with a starry sky. Despite this, the lighting seemed quite dim. Charlotte was so engrossed in the oil paintings on the wall that she didn't notice where she was going. She almost fell when she stumbled, but Sean quickly reached out to steady her.

"Be careful," Sean said.

Charlotte hummed in response, casually resting her hand on his arm. As they arrived at the table assigned by the waiter, she was caught off guard by the sight of a familiar face.

In fact, there were two familiar faces instead.

There was a young man and woman seated at the dining table on the left side of the hallway. The woman, eager to talk to her boyfriend, insisted on sitting right next to him. Both of them were cuddled up in the banquette, looking sweet and affectionate.

"Try this cherry juice, Jerry." Lindsay held up the straw to his lips.

Charlotte's eyes went to Lindsay, who wore a knitted sweater and a short wool skirt, her legs resting closely against Jerry's. It's around minus four or five degrees outside, and you're wearing such little clothing. How are you not freezing to death?

Whenever Charlotte wore a short skirt, Jerry would get upset and give her the cold shoulder. She would even have to coax him after that. But it's okay for other women to wear short skirts and snuggle up to him? What a hypocritical j*rk!

Jerry glanced at Charlotte and Sean, who were approaching them, but his gaze shifted away immediately. He lowered his head and took a couple of sips of his cherry juice.

Then, he lifted his hand to wipe the fruit juice from the corner of Lindsay's mouth and said, "I prefer the color of your lipstick today."

Lindsay blushed immediately after he flirted with her.

This scene made Charlotte feel extremely uncomfortable. Wanting to change her seat, she called over a waiter who hadn't left yet, but all the available seats had been reserved. It was impossible for her to switch to another table, even if she offered more money.

As a result, Charlotte could only remain in her seat, forcing herself not to pay attention to the couple across the hallway. She then chatted with Sean to distract herself.

Sean asked her, "Has your hair grown out yet?"

"It won't be that soon. It'll take at least half a year." Charlotte knew what he was curious about. "It's too stuffy and hot to be wearing a hat in the office every day, so I bought a wig to conceal my wound."

Sean looked at her hair and laughed. "Really? I can't tell at all."

"I bought this wig made of real hair, it cost me several thousand, and I even had a hair stylist color the wig too," said Charlotte. "If anyone can tell it's a wig, I'm going to give the store owner a piece of my mind."

Sean couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Lindsay had been engrossed in her conversation with Jerry. It wasn't until she faintly heard Charlotte's voice that she realized the latter had sat across the hallway.

Her thoughts turned to that night at the bar when Charlotte humiliated her. She had never expected that Jerry would end up breaking up with her in such a short time. Now, it was finally Lindsay's turn to hold her head high and breathe a sigh of relief.

She said to Charlotte, "Ms. Benson, are you also dining here?”

Noticing that Charlotte didn't hear her, Lindsay called out again. Only then did Charlotte turn her head to glance at her. "Do we know each other?"

Gritting her teeth, Lindsay reminded her, "We had drinks at the bar that night."

After acknowledging casually, Charlotte added nonchalantly, "There have been too many people who've shared a drink with me. I don't have the time to remember their names or faces."

Seeing Charlotte treat her like a stranger, Lindsay felt even more upset.

Taking Jerry's arm and looking at Charlotte triumphantly, she said, "I told you. You're not a good match for Jerry. I'm his girlfriend now."

"Are you showing off to me?" Charlotte found Lindsay's behavior quite amusing.

"I've had plenty of ex-boyfriends, and each of them has a great physique and is good-looking. Only you would treasure something that others have discarded."

Chapter 1443 He Is The One In The Wrong

Charlotte pointed at Sean across the table and asked Lindsay, "Do you think the man dining with me now is worse than my ex-boyfriend?"

Without thinking, Lindsay glanced at Sean, who was sitting opposite Charlotte.

Although Lindsay was mostly involved in the social circles of the Baykeep, she was also aware of the ongoings in Jadeborough and naturally knew who he was.

She couldn't understand how a terrible woman like Charlotte always managed to snag a boyfriend who was better than the last.

Charlotte caught a glimpse of the cold expression on Jerry's face. The realization that her words angered him instantly lifted her spirits.

Clearly, it was Jerry who was in the wrong. He always threatened to break up with her, expecting her to pacify him every time.

It was one thing to have others inform her about the breakup, but what followed was even more shocking. She had exposed details about Lindsay and caused Jerry to step in to defend her. He even posted online that both of them were dating, claiming that he never had a girlfriend before.

Charlotte had simply not seen a man more despicable than Jerry.

Ignoring Lindsay, Charlotte turned back to continue her conversation with Sean. They chatted away, lost in their own world of joy.

However, Lindsay couldn't swallow her pride after being insulted by Charlotte.

She constantly fussed over Jerry, either feeding him juice or fruit. Her sole purpose was to flaunt their affection in front of Charlotte.

Halfway through the meal, Lindsay pulled out a light blue box from her bag. "Jerry, as I didn't get to celebrate your birthday, here's a custom-made gift I ordered for you. I just received it the day before yesterday. Happy belated birthday."

Jerry opened the gift box to find a wide HW charm bracelet inside with his initials engraved on it.

With an ingratiating tone, Lindsay asked, "Do you like it, Jerry? Shall I put it on for you?"

"Mmm-hmm." Jerry handed her the box.

The thought of Jerry returning all the gifts she had given him, yet accepting gifts from other women and even letting them put them on for him upset Charlotte.

His taste in women leaves much to be desired. Couldn't he have chosen a wealthy woman instead? What's so special about this one? Even the gift she has chosen is cheap!

As Charlotte reached into her bag for her phone, she noticed a chestnut-red ring box. As if to vent her frustration, she pulled out the ring box and stuffed it toward Sean.

"Mr. Little, I don't really have anything to thank you for, but here's a small gift for you."

Sean picked up the ring box and opened it. He glanced down at it, then looked up at Charlotte with a teasing smile. "You're giving me a ring? Are you proposing to me?"

Charlotte propped her chin with her hand, her voice sweet as honey. "If you like me. It's certainly a possibility."

Lindsay craned her neck to look their way. Noticing the logo on the ring box, she said, "Jerry is the brand ambassador for this ring brand."

"Am I not allowed to buy the ring just because he's the spokesperson?" Charlotte asked in return.

Lindsay snorted. "I mean, it's one thing for you to be fickle when it comes to men, but aren't you worried that buying a ring endorsed by your ex to give to your current lover might upset him?"

"Do you feel upset hugging the man I've been with?" Charlotte retorted with a cheeky smile.

Lindsay was so irritated by the sharp retort that her face turned red.

"Babe, weren't you planning to ride the Ferris wheel?" Jerry wrapped his arms around Lindsay's shoulders, speaking to her softly. "Shall we go after we finish eating?"

"Alright."

Jerry helped Lindsay with her bag attentively as his hand gently slid around her waist. The two of them quickly departed.

Charlotte glared fiercely at their leaving silhouettes.

She still remembered Jerry's promise to her that, apart from acting, he would not hug and cuddle with the opposite sex, nor would he call anyone else "babe."

As of then, he had broken both promises in front of her.

Sean took out the ring and fiddled with it but never put it on. Now that the two had left, he asked Charlotte, "Was this ring meant for your ex?"

"No, I bought it for you specifically," said Charlotte. "Try it on. It should fit you perfectly."

Sean chuckled. "I don't know if the ring size fits, but I can tell that you're unable to move on. If I wasn't here, you would probably have lunged at the woman and pulled her hair out."

Charlotte snorted coldly. "He informed me of the breakup through someone else and immediately found a new girl. Of course I can't move on."

Chapter 1444 Because He Was Born Blind

After finishing their meal, the two left the restaurant together.

Sean asked Charlotte if she wanted to ride the Ferris wheel. Charlotte confessed her fear of heights and expressed her reluctance to return to her desolate apartment. She asked Sean to take her to Jessica's place instead.

Upon arrival, Sean got out of the car to open the door for Charlotte and took out a bouquet of irises from the trunk.

He hadn't had the time to take it out of the car before.

Sean handed the irises to Charlotte along with the ring box. "I'm sure my intentions are clear given the fact that I agreed to dine with you."

"I just wanted to thank you by treating you to a meal," said Charlotte.

Sean smiled without exposing her thoughts. He raised his hand to adjust her crooked jersey hat. "If you're thinking about dating again, do consider me first."

Charlotte's grudge against the Gaudette family was something he was aware of. He also knew what she intended to do when they ran into each other at the hotel entrance a month ago.

Charlotte is not only stunningly beautiful, but also extremely intelligent.

All this while, Sean had been keeping an eye on matters concerning Henry and Jessica. If Charlotte was not smart and ruthless enough, Genevieve lending the former her subordinates would be no help at all.

A woman like her who understood men on top of being beautiful and intelligent was coveted not only by Sean but also by most other men.

"Sure." Charlotte accepted the bouquet.

The weather was bitterly cold at minus seven or eight degrees. After Sean got in the car, Charlotte also hurried into the condominium.

She was completely unaware of another car quietly parked on the other side of the flower bed.

The man in the back seat watched the BMW drive away. Only then did the hostility in his eyes diminish considerably.

He looked again at the condominium, his eyes dark and brooding. Silently, he smoked his cigarette. Just as it was about to burn out, his phone suddenly rang.

It was Lindsay who called. "Jerry, I've looked around but I can't seem to see you."

Upon arriving at the amusement park and just about to ride the Ferris wheel, Jerry said he needed to use the restroom. Lindsay had no choice but to ride with the other guests. However, when she came down, Jerry was nowhere to be found.

Jerry said nonchalantly, "I forgot to tell you that I have to leave early for work. You'll have to take a taxi back on your own."

After he finished speaking, he hung up the phone.

He rolled down the car window and tossed out the cigarette butt. Catching sight of the bracelet on his wrist, he tore it off with his left hand and casually threw it into the flower bed.

When Joash turned his head and saw this scene, he scratched the back of his head in utter confusion.

He really couldn't figure out what was going on between Jerry and Charlotte. Hadn't they broken up? All the gifts were returned. Moreover, Jerry even announced his relationship to the public on Twitter.

However, an hour ago, Jerry had called Joash to pick him up and tail Charlotte's BMW all the way to the residential area.

Ah, love is truly a baffling thing.

After stepping into the house, Charlotte saw her niece playing with clay in the living room. Feeling playful herself, she ran over and shaped a little figure out of the clay.

Sasha recognized it instantly. "Uncle Jerry isn't that ugly."

"Who said I molded him?" Charlotte shot her niece a glance. "I was molding a random passerby. Besides, this clay man has a nose and a mouth, how is he ugly?"

"But he has no eyes." Sasha pointed at the little man's face with a quizzical expression. "Why is that?"

"Because he was born blind."

Jessica had just finished her work and came out of the study when she heard Charlotte talking with Sasha in the living room. She joined them and said to Charlotte, "I have to go on a business trip to Sloummont tomorrow for about a week."

Charlotte sighed. "As long as you can make it back before New Year's Eve it's fine. Mary and I will hold the fort."

Jessica pulled Charlotte to the side of the window for a private chat. "When I looked downstairs earlier, the man who sent you home seemed familiar. Is he Sean Little?"

"Your eyes are quite sharp, Jess," Charlotte said. "You can see his face clearly even in the darkness."

Faced with Charlotte's admission, Jessica fell silent for a moment. Charlotte was her younger sister. Although a little spoiled and arrogant, she was also very smart and willing to go all out for whatever she wanted to do.

Jessica said, "Lottie, Mr. Gaudette has already passed away, while his wife has become a vegetable. Life must go on."

Her father's death and the bankruptcy of his company made her hate the Gaudette family. However, they had been in politics for decades and established deeply rooted networks. Even with Mr. Gaudette's death, there were still others in the Gaudette family. Continuing the struggle would only lead to mutual destruction.

Kenneth has a family, while I, too, have a child. No matter how much resentment there is, we have no choice but to move on.

She also wanted Charlotte to live a good life.

Chapter 1445 The Heartless Jerk

"Jess, I really didn't do anything," Charlotte said. "After Sean saved me last time, I didn't have the chance to thank him. What's wrong with inviting him out for a meal?"

She paused for a moment before continuing, "Didn't you ask me to find someone from the Gaudette family? He's quite eligible and is in a position of power."

Jessica's lips moved slightly in an attempt to speak when Charlotte cut her off. "Mary's house is situated close to my condominium. I'll have Sasha stay with me for a while."

She knew that Jessica was a suspicious person. If she stayed there for the night, the latter would nag her again after a while.

In pursuit of some peace and quiet, Charlotte helped Sasha pack a few sets of clothes. She quickly stowed the living room toys into a box, then hopped in the car and drove back to her own condominium right away.

Sasha looked around the condominium. "Is Uncle Jerry not here?"

"He's not around. We broke up," Charlotte said as she opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of milk, poured a cup, and put it in the microwave to heat up.

Sasha immediately said, "Just as expected. Your bad temper must have driven him away, Aunt Charlotte."

"He broke up with me, not the other way around. Don't slander me," Charlotte said, pinching her niece's chubby cheeks. She then picked the latter up and carried her to the bedroom for a bath.

After taking a bath, Charlotte slipped into a set of silk pajamas and returned to her bedroom with a warm glass of milk in hand.

Sasha was standing on a chair, curiously eyeing the rectangular box on the table. She was well-behaved and didn't mess around with it.

"Aunt Charlotte, what's inside this?"

"It's a calligraphy scroll."

Sasha took the milk and gulped down a big mouthful. She licked the milk stains around her mouth and asked curiously, "What is a calligraphy sheet? Is it like the notebook we use for writing?"

Sasha was now in the senior class of kindergarten, where the teacher was teaching them to recognize simple characters and how to write them.

Charlotte didn't know how to communicate with such a child. Hence, she opened the box, took out the calligraphy scroll from inside, and unfolded it for Sasha to see.

"Do you recognize any of the characters?"

Sasha stared at the calligraphy scroll for a long time, then shook her little head. "I don't recognize it. The characters this person wrote are like messy drawings. They're really ugly."

Charlotte laughed joyfully, "This is a form of calligraphy. Of course a little rascal like you wouldn't know how to appreciate it."

She wasn't fond of calligraphy or paintings, nor did she understand the nuances of regular or official script. She also found no appeal in the various calligraphy works of different calligraphers.

However, Jerry's elders were fond of Edouard Frenhofer's calligraphy works, indicating that they must have some understanding of calligraphy. In order to hold a conversation with his family in the future, she specifically brushed up on her knowledge of calligraphy.

She was so good to Jerry, but in the end, he still broke up with me.

"What a heartless j*rk."

"What's a j*rk?" Sasha faintly heard her aunt's complaint and looked up quizzically at her.

Charlotte, fearing that the little one might pick up her bad habits, simply said it was nothing.

After finishing her milk, Sasha watched as Charlotte rolled up the calligraphy scroll and put it back in the box. "Aunt Charlotte, why did you buy this scroll? Do you really like it?"

"I don't like it, but Jerry's family does." Charlotte pouted. "I bought it intending to give it to him as a birthday gift. Well, turns out he doesn't care for it. No matter. I can sell this scroll for quite a bit of money still."

Sasha didn't understand. "Why isn't Uncle Jerry interested?"

"You're just a little rascal. Where do all these questions come from?" Charlotte patted Sasha's bottom twice. "Keep asking and I'll make you sleep alone and let the boogeyman crawl into your bed at night..."

Sasha was frightened and quickly rushed over to hug her. "I won't ask anymore, Aunt Charlotte. Please don't scare me."

Charlotte let out a wicked laugh.

When Charlotte woke up the next day, she found the bed to be warm and cozy. She sleepily snuggled towards the other side of the bed, wondering why Jerry's chest muscles, which were usually firm, felt so small and soft in her embrace.

Waving her little hands, Sasha complained, "Aunt Charlotte, I can hardly breathe with your chest pressing on me."

Charlotte quickly let go of her hand.

Seeing her niece's face turn beet red, she chuckled awkwardly. "I thought you were Jerry. My apologies, sweetie."

Chapter 1446 You Are Doomed

By the time Charlotte finished washing up and came out of her bedroom, Mary had already come over and prepared breakfast.

The New Year was fast approaching, and Charlotte still had a lot to do. Unable to stay at home with Sasha, she left her in Mary's care before heading out after breakfast.

Charlotte busied herself at the office until after ten o'clock when she received an email on her phone.

The sender was a business representative from a shampoo brand. They had evaluated Scarlette and found her image to be excellent. They were interested in signing an endorsement contract with Scarlette, hence they sent an email to Charlotte to inquire about it.

Charlotte added the representative's contact to her phone and reached out to chat.

The other party had arranged a business lunch with her to discuss matters in detail. Their office was not far from Twilight Tower, so she offered to pick Charlotte up on the way. Charlotte happened to be free that afternoon and gladly agreed.

Charlotte finished packing and went downstairs, only to find the sky overcast and the wind blowing.

When the representative sent a message saying that she had arrived, Charlotte looked up to see a black Volkswagen slowly pulling up at the side of the road. She braved the wind and strode briskly over.

The car door opened from the inside, revealing a woman dressed in business attire. "You must be Ms. Benson, am I right?"

"I'm she." Charlotte bent over and got into the car.

No sooner had she sat down than she heard the sound of the car door locking. Instinctively, she glanced at the door, feeling that something was off.

The bespectacled woman handed a bottle of mineral water to Charlotte and politely asked, "I'm buying lunch, Ms. Benson. Would you prefer Chanaean or Epean cuisine?"

"Let's go to Golden Restaurant," Charlotte said, taking the bottle in her hand. She had a faint feeling that the driver's gaze was fixed on her.

With a subtle glance at the woman next to her, she casually asked, "Greta's contract with you isn't up for another six months, yet you're already scouting for a new brand ambassador?"

The woman said, "Yes, there's half a year left, but our brand has decided not to renew her contract."

"Scarlette is really making waves now. I'm sure many partners are seeking you out, right?" The woman joked, "That's why my boss asked me to talk to you sooner rather than later. He wanted to avoid paying a sky-high endorsement fee down the road."

Charlotte smiled, then opened her bag. "You're right."

In the few seconds when the woman was distracted, Charlotte swiftly pulled out her pepper spray from her bag and sprayed it decisively at the woman's face.

The woman closed her eyes and screamed out loud due to the spiciness.

However, the driver was vigilant. As Charlotte aimed her pepper spray at him, he immediately floored the accelerator, then slammed on the brakes to stop the car abruptly.

Charlotte lunged forward and crashed into the back of the front passenger seat. The pain from the impact made her head spin.

Shaking her head, she gritted her teeth as she picked up the pepper spray from under the seat. As soon as the woman could open her eyes, she lunged at Charlotte immediately.

Charlotte struggled against her for a while, just as she was about to restrain the woman, the driver stopped the car, putting her at a disadvantage. In the end, the woman sprayed her with pepper spray, leaving her unable to open her eyes.

While Charlotte's eyes were aching, she cursed herself for not being careful.

Who conducts business by going out to meet people, yet still hires a driver to follow them around? They don't even know when their own brand ambassador's contract expires. Moreover, as soon as I entered the car, they immediately locked the car doors, clearly preventing me from escaping.

After a long while, Charlotte felt the car come to a halt. When the door was opened, someone approached her, slapping her face harshly twice. "You wretched woman, I finally got you!"

Upon hearing this familiar voice, Charlotte immediately recognized it as Brody's. His voice echoed in the surroundings as he spoke, suggesting that they were in an underground parking lot.

Charlotte could guess why Brody was acting against her.

During the meal at Jazona Clubhouse, Jerry smashed a wine bottle over his head in front of everyone. Later on, while his company was investigated for tax evasion, she seized the opportunity to steal the copyright of Adam's Garden.

Having lost the copyright to Adam's Garden and failing to attract investments for other variety shows, Brody essentially lost his influence in the industry.

That was why it was inevitable for Brody to resent her.

Upon hearing several people talking, Charlotte calmly said to Brody, "Mr. Lohan, there are always winners and losers in business. Someone else would have gotten in the way of your success even if I didn't."

At most, she could be accused of stealing Brody's wealth, but there were many others out there who were more ruthless than she was.

After hearing her words, Brody slapped Charlotte forcefully and cursed, "You wretched woman, I wouldn't be in such a mess if it weren't for you. Now that you're in my hands, you're doomed!"

Chapter 1447 Get Rid Of Her

"What kind of death are you suggesting? Gang raping me before posting the photos?" Charlotte laughed coldly. "Are you unaware of my reputation in Jadeborough? The number of men I've slept with is more than the number of men you can ever find.

"Go ahead and post the photos you took. Do you think I'd be scared?" she went on, "But if you really do this, you're the one who's finished."

She had dealt with Brody before. He was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. Any hint of fear one showed would become his leverage, only encouraging him to push further.

One had to be tougher than him to intimidate him.

When Brody didn't respond immediately, Charlotte knew her words had had an impact.

"My family may be bankrupt, but I still have my brother and sister. My father and Mr. Jenson have a deep relationship, and Mr. Jenson treats me like his own daughter. If anything happens to me, they will surely come looking for you," Charlotte said, "Mr. Lohan, you're just after money and power. Do you think it's worth it to risk your life just to get back at me?"

Brody glared fiercely at the woman in the car.

He planned to find a few men to rape Charlotte and take videos and photos of her to spread around, aiming to ruin Charlotte's future. But the young woman was sharp-tongued, and every word she spoke struck terror in his heart.

If Charlotte didn't have a good relationship with Timothy, her elder brother and second elder sister wouldn't have become executives at Forlisle Medical.

Even if he were to take Forlisle Medical's relationship with major hospitals across the country and the government out of the equation, he could not dismiss the fact about how Timothy supposedly had a good relationship with the new mayor, Armand.

Messing with businessmen might not cause much trouble, but crossing paths with those in the government could be life-threatening.

Just as Brody was hesitating whether to be harsh on Charlotte or to have a friendly chat with her, about eight or nine people suddenly surrounded them, swiftly knocking down all the men around Brody.

"I didn't lay a hand on her!"

Seeing their towering figures and their resemblance to bodyguards, Brody thought that Charlotte's reinforcements had arrived. Just as he was about to beg for mercy, one of the approaching men knocked him out with a single punch.

Charlotte was blindfolded and couldn't see, but she could hear the sounds of fighting and the words of Brody.

She was wondering who had come to her rescue, when the next second, she was roughly yanked out of the car, only to be thrown onto the seat of another vehicle.

A revelation dawned upon her, and her heart sank.

It seemed like those people were afraid of Charlotte speaking, for after getting in the car, they sealed her mouth with tape.

Charlotte felt like she had been in the car for an eternity before she was abruptly tossed onto a speedboat. The biting sea breeze that hit her face caused her to shiver uncontrollably.

In the end, Charlotte was thrown to the ground.

When the blindfold was yanked off, Charlotte realized that she had been brought onto a cargo ship. No matter where she looked, there was nothing but an endless sea. It seemed like she was far away from the port.

Several burly men stood beside her, their eyes cold and indifferent.

Charlotte had no idea who these people were or why they had brought her onto the cargo ship. However, she soon saw a few men approaching the deck.

The middle-aged man at the forefront exuded an imposing aura, the kind only those long in power possessed.

He walked unhurriedly to Charlotte, lowering his head to look at her. His gaze was terror-inducing, but Charlotte was not intimidated. She tilted her head back to meet the man's eyes.

Charlotte was taken aback to find that Jerry's facial features greatly resembled this man's.

The middle-aged man's gaze swept over Charlotte's beautiful face, his expression gradually darkening. "He really is a fool to do so many stupid things for a femme fatale like you."

Then, he turned around and casually waved his hand toward the person next to him, his tone icy cold.

"Get rid of her."

The bodyguard acknowledged with a "yes," before instructing others to roll over a one-meter-high steel drum. The man standing next to Charlotte grabbed her and threw her into the barrel.

Charlotte hit her head on the steel drum, and the resulting pain made her feel dizzy.

She had barely collected herself when she saw a person pouring sand into the steel barrel as if intending to bury her in it.

Fear and a sudden surge of survival instinct made Charlotte struggle to stand up. She wanted them to call that man over. She wanted to confront him, to ask what she had done wrong and why he wanted to kil her to silence her.

But her mouth was sealed with tape, and her hands were tied behind her back. She was defenseless.

Charlotte, with her thin figure, barely took up half the space in the steel drum. The remaining gap was filled with sand, which eventually covered her head.

A bodyguard sealed the steel drum with its lid and rolled it into the sea.

After the steel drum was thrown into the sea, the seawater seeped in through the countless tiny holes chiseled on its surface, soaking the sand inside.

The steel drum quickly sank, plummeting into the boundless depths of the sea.

Chapter 1448 A Birthday Gift

Just after participating in a brand event, Jerry was removing his makeup in the dressing room when the phone on the table suddenly lit up.

The call came from an unfamiliar number.

Jerry lowered his gaze to his phone, only picking it up to answer after a few seconds. From the other end of the call, a child's voice stuttered out, "Uncle Jerry."

Jerry immediately rose from his chair, "Sasha, why are you crying?"

"Mary took me out to play, but now I can't find her. I'm really scared of being all alone." Sasha sniffled. “I don't remember Aunt Charlotte's number, but I remember yours, Uncle Jerry. Uncle Jerry, can you come pick me up?"

Jerry couldn't care less if this was a trap set by Charlotte to appease him. Upon learning that the little one was alone in the mall, he hurriedly grabbed his phone and rushed out.

Just then, Joash was just coming in with a coffee, "Jerry, where are you going?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Jerry reached into Joash's down jacket pocket, pulled out the car keys, and briskly walked past him, heading out.

Around ten minutes later, Jerry arrived at the mall.

The KFC restaurant was quite crowded. Jerry adjusted the mask on his face, pushed the door open, and immediately spotted Sasha sitting by the window. Her cheeks were rosy, and her hair was tied into two cute little buns. She looked adorable.

At the same time, Sasha also spotted Jerry. She leaped off the chair and rushed toward him. Jerry bent down to pick up the little one.

Sasha said, "Uncle Jerry, you came so quickly."

After scanning the store and not spotting Charlotte, Jerry's gaze fell back on Sasha. "How did you get separated from Mary? Did she intentionally let go of your hand?"

Feeling the intense gaze from Jerry's dark eyes, Sasha soon became uneasy.

She said softly, "Uncle Jerry, I tricked you. It was me who asked Mary to leave. I haven't seen you for so long. I missed you a lot."

As she spoke, Sasha leaned in and gave the man a kiss.

Jerry guessed that after the little one was scolded by Charlotte for sneaking out of the kindergarten last time, she must have been scolded again by her mother when she got home. Therefore, she no longer dared to wander off on her own.

Jerry carried her as they walked toward the ordering area, "Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?"

It was currently noon and the shop was crowded. Fearing recognition, Jerry bought two sets of takeaways and led Sasha to the car.

He handed the hamburger to the little one, who bowed her head and took a big bite.

Seeing Sasha eating happily, her little legs swinging back and forth, Jerry chuckled. He reached out to brush off the food crumbs on her down jacket. "Your aunt eats just like this too."

"What do you mean?" Sasha curiously looked at Jerry and asked, "Uncle Jerry, do you miss my aunt?"

Jerry didn't respond to that; he simply asked, "Where do you want to go after we finish eating?"

"Don't you need to work, Uncle Jerry?"

"All the work is done." Jerry gently rubbed her cheek. "If you don't want me to accompany you, shall I take you to your aunt's workplace?"

Sasha could tell that Jerry seemed to still be angry with Charlotte. If he were to take her to her aunt's workplace, he would surely hand her over to someone else and not meet her aunt.

She needed to figure out a way to end her uncle-in-law's silent treatment toward her aunt.

Sasha's mind was racing. Then, she pointed her little hand out the window and asked, "There's an amusement park in the mall. Can you take me there, Uncle Jerry?"

"All right."

After finishing their meal and heading to the amusement park in the mall, Sasha took advantage of Jerry's distraction to borrow someone else's phone and call her aunt.

However, it seemed that her aunt was busy, for she did not answer her phone.

Sasha was tired after playing in the amusement park until after three o'clock, so she asked Jerry to take her to her aunt's condominium.

After entering the condominium, Sasha was terrified that Jerry would run away. Without even having the time to change into house slippers, she dragged Jerry all the way to the bedroom, then pulled out a rectangular box from under the desk.

"Uncle Jerry, this is the birthday gift Aunt Charlotte wants to give you."

Jerry opened the box and took out the painting, discovering it to be La Belle Noiseuse by Edouard Frenhofer.

Chapter 1449 Those Misunderstandings

Her father was quite fond of Edouard Frenhofer's paintings and had collected a couple of his works. Once, when they were in Saintnam, he saw one of Edouard Frenhofer's paintings being auctioned. However to appease Charlotte, he didn't attend the auction.

Later, when his father passed away, he asked someone to purchase that painting to bury it with his father, only to find out that bought by Zander.

Sasha also craned her little head to look at the painting. In her youthful voice, she said, "Aunt Charlotte said that one of the older members of your family likes this painting, so she bought it.”

After a pause, she continued curiously, "Aunt Charlotte said you couldn't care less. Uncle Jerry, what does that mean?"

Although Sasha had started learning to read and write in kindergarten and was a smart girl, there were still many words she didn't understand.

Jerry explained to her, "It simply means 'I don't like it."

Sasha seemed to understand and responded with an "oh." Then, she asked, "Did you have a fight with Aunt Charlotte because you didn't like the birthday gift she prepared for you?"

"No."

Charlotte had previously mentioned that the birthday gift she had prepared for him was something special and that he would definitely like it. He didn't expect it to be this.

"Why did you guys argue?" Sasha asked, confused again.

Hearing silence from Jerry, Sasha tugged at his sweater sleeve and said, "Although my aunt can be a bit temperamental, she really likes you, Uncle Jerry. Can you please don't be mad at her anymore? Last night, after my aunt fell asleep, she kept calling your name, Uncle Jerry. She was telling you not to be with other women-that she was jealous."

Jerry recalled an incident from a long time ago. That day, Charlotte received a phone call and left the house early. The person he had tailing her captured Charlotte meeting with Zander at Imperial Club.

Not long after, Charlotte emerged from the club, cradling a rectangular box in her arms.

Jerry glanced at the painting on the table, seemingly realizing what Charlotte was doing at the club that day. He had mistakenly thought she had yet to cut ties with her ex.

Jerry asked Sasha, "On the twenty-ninth of last month, did your aunt bring a man to your house?"

Sasha had no concept of time and looked at her uncle-in-law in confusion. It was only when Jerry spoke about the night it snowed that Sasha finally understood what he meant.

She told Jerry, "That day, my parents had a fierce argument, and I was so scared that I called my aunt. When my aunt arrived, she started arguing with my father, and then my father pushed her. She hit the coffee table and bled a lot. Later, a man came in and helped my aunt treat her wounds."

Sasha was so scared that she kept crying at the time. She couldn't remember what happened later, but it seemed like many doctors came in to treat her aunt's wounds.

From Sasha's explanation, Jerry finally understood what happened.

Charlotte had returned to the capital with the intention of meeting him at the restaurant. However, she received a call from Sasha en route, learning that Jessica was quarreling with her husband. Fearing something might have happened, she had no choice but to rush over.

It was snowing heavily and she couldn't hail a cab. She ran into Sean on the road and asked him to give her a ride to her sister's house.

Jerry had assumed wrongly what Charlotte had wanted to do. Considering her previous scheme of bumping into Sean "coincidentally" and her unresolved connections with her exes, he thought this was another drama orchestrated by her.

Unexpectedly, this time she really did bump into Sean by chance on the road.

That morning, after Jerry left Charlotte's condominium, he flew out of town for an event. For the next two weeks, he barely touched his phone, fearing he might see a message from Charlotte.

He only knew about Jessica's divorce from Joash, but he had no idea what Charlotte had been up to during this period.

Thinking back on the past half month when he had completely ignored Charlotte and the absurd scenarios he had imagined, Jerry muttered regretfully, "Why didn't she tell me about this?"

He then abruptly fell silent.

That day, after Joash received a call from Charlotte, he told him that Charlotte had something to explain to him, and asked if he should return the call.

At that time, he was disheartened by Charlotte and didn't want to hear any more of her excuses.

Sasha didn't know that in such a short time, Jerry had resolved all the misunderstandings he had about Charlotte. She also couldn't understand what he was murmuring.

She said, "Uncle Jerry, don't be jealous. Aunt Charlotte doesn't like that man in that way. It was he who said Aunt Charlotte had lost a lot of blood and that it wasn't good to go to the hospital in the heavy snow, so he called a doctor to our house."

"I know." Jerry lifted her from the chair. "Let's go pick up your aunt and have pizza for dinner. Does that sound good?"

"Yeah!" Sasha nodded happily.

After arriving at the Twilight Tower, Jerry carried Sasha to the floor where Genevieve Orsi was located.

Upon seeing Jerry, everyone in the company greeted him. However, when they noticed the cute little girl in his arms, their eyes widened in surprise.

"Jerry, is that your kid?"

"No," Jerry chuckled, "She's Lottie's niece."

The person made a sound of acknowledgment, and just as he was about to leave, he seemed to remember something. "Did you bring her to see Lottie? Lottie left around eleven this morning. It looked like she was going to discuss a collaboration with some brand's representative."

Chapter 1450 If He Had Taken A Minute

Jerry assumed that Charlotte was still at the company, so he brought Sasha to the office to find her, not expecting that she had already left in the morning.

He then pulled out his phone and dialed Charlotte, but no one answered the call.

Unsure if Charlotte was angry with him and was intentionally not answering his calls, Jerry tried calling her using her coworkers' phones at the company. But still, no one picked up.

As time slowly passed, everyone at the film and television company left work, and yet he still couldn't get in touch with Charlotte. A thought occurred to Jerry, and he managed to get Sean's number and gave him a call.

After the call connected, Jerry asked in a deep voice, "Has she gone to find him?"

"I was actually looking forward to her inviting me out for a meal." Sean instantly understood who Jerry was referring to when he said "she." "But she hasn't reached out to me."

Then, Sean continued, "Can't you really tell that she was deliberately trying to upset you last night?"

Of course Jerry noticed it.

But he couldn't bear what he saw, so he made an excuse to leave with Lindsay first.

Charlotte's office computer was password protected, and the tech staff had already left for the day. Hence, Jerry made a phone call to Armand, asking if he could ask for help from his son.

The boy was extraordinarily talented, and he managed to remotely turn on the computer in just two minutes.

When Jerry was checking Charlotte's email, he saw a message sent to her from a brand's staff in the morning. He also saw her chat content with a business representative on WhatsApp from her computer. He sent the business company's name and phone number to his subordinates, instructing them to investigate.

Upon exiting WhatsApp, Jerry noticed his pinned message.

Over that period, Charlotte sent him numerous messages on WhatsApp, coaxing him not to be angry anymore and explaining to him that she didn't forget his birthday.

She also sent a picture of a ring box, saying it was his birthday gift.

Up until two days before, Charlotte was still trying to get him to add her on WhatsApp again. However, Jerry hasn't been checking his phone much lately, so he couldn't see her unsent messages.

Jerry deeply regretted being too harsh on Charlotte recently. He wished he had taken a minute to listen to her explanation.

But he didn't.

Right then, Jerry received a call from his subordinate, who had found out where Charlotte had gone in the car that morning. However, something about the tone of the call was off, which made Jerry's heart pound with unease.

Jerry then dropped Sasha off at Charlotte's condominium and only left after Mary arrived.

In less than ten minutes, Jerry arrived at an underground parking lot. This parking lot had been out of service for two years, and there were hardly any cars in the garage. The lighting was dim and the atmosphere was chillingly cold.

A few of his subordinates were standing in front of a black Volkswagen, chatting. As soon as they saw Jerry approaching, they immediately straightened up.

Jerry's eyebrows were tightly knitted as he asked, "Where is she?"

The man standing closest to Jerry spoke cautiously, "We checked the traffic surveillance and found that Ms. Benson's Volkswagen entered this parking lot, but she..."

The parking lot had been out of use for a while, so naturally, the surveillance in the parking lot was also defunct.

Although there were surveillance cameras outside, due to its proximity to the motorway with a high volume of traffic, they spent several hours reviewing the footage. But still, they failed to spot any trace of Charlotte.

It was then Jerry noticed traces of other car tires next to the Volkswagen, confirming that other cars had followed it in.

The ground, covered in dust, bore the marks of many people having fought there. The dried bloodstains left behind only served to amplify the unease in his heart.

Jerry ordered his men to continue the investigation. After a long time, his men reported the information they had found.

The person who emailed Charlotte in the morning was not a representative from Asos at all. She was merely using the brand name to chat with Charlotte and invite her out for a meal.

His subordinates quickly located the woman through surveillance and brought her before Jerry.