Ch. 1421..1430

Chapter 1421

q“Is this for real? If that's the case, are you aware of his current whereabouts?” Charlotte asked.

Robbie shook his head and answered with his face scrunched up, “I'm still trying to locate him as of now.”

“If he's no longer in Erihal, where is he?”

Charlotte was confused by the news of Danrique's disappearance. She thought he might have been brought somewhere else after the incident.

Sighing, Robbie remarked, “It's quite challenging to locate Uncle Dan because he's a pretty cautious man. In short, he's a nasty target.”

Charlotte found her son hilarious because he made it sound as if he had been in the industry for a few decades. She teased him in return, “You do realize you're just a seven-year-old boy, don't you?”

Grinning, her son shared his plan with her, “Haven't you promised them to look for their mother? Why don't you hand me her contact number? I'll give it a try and see if I can locate our mysterious aunt.”

“Unfortunately, her phone seems to be out of reception at the moment. Can you locate her when she wasn't even involved in the trial?”

Once Robbie took note of his mysterious aunt's phone number, he started trying his luck with the system. It was a fruitless attempt, but he wasn't about to give up just yet.

“Aunt Charlotte, we're hungry! Is it time for dinner yet?”

The three little girls finally returned to join them at the dining hall.

“Of course!” Charlotte brought them to their seats and introduced the dishes she made to the rest, “I've made a lot of everyone's favorites, including hot cross bunnies!”

“Great!” The little girls couldn't stop gulping because of the tempting delicacies in front of them.

Things were lively in the dining hall. The maids put the bibs around the little girls' necks and served them their meals.

“Robbie, it's time to put your laptop away.” Charlotte served her eldest son a hot cross bunny and reminded him it was time for dinner.

Robbie had to put his computer aside and get his hands washed again before joining the rest of the family.

Throughout the meal, they had fun catching up with one another. The little ones would share the things they went through at the playschool with Charlotte.

They couldn't stand staying home without the companion of their cousins. Therefore, Charlotte got them enrolled in a playschool associated with her children's elementary school.

More often than not, they thought peers of their age were childish because they were too mature. With that being said, they weren't allowed to join the kindergarten because they were too young.

Gamma brought Little Fifi to the classroom and garnered the attention of her peers. Intrigued by its presence, they couldn't resist the urge to touch it.

As a result, Little Fifi flew away because it was startled by the curious children. It refused to return to Gamma until Jamie and Ellie showed up.

“You must've had a long day as well, Little Fifi.”

The horrified Little Fifi growled when Charlotte started running her fingers across it.

“Therefore, we've made up our mind to bring Fifi to the classroom with us instead of Little Fifi!” Gamma announced once she gulped her mouthful of food.

Charlotte was very close to spilling the food in her mouth when she heard her niece. “There's no way I'm allowing it because I'm pretty sure it's going to startle your classmates.”

“No, Aunt Charlotte. That won't be the case. Fifi's going to listen to us,” Alpha begged in a mellow tone.

“She's right, Aunt Charlotte. Fifi is so adorable as compared to Mommy's fierce pet eagle,” Beta remarked in a barely audible voice because of her mouthful of food.

“Mommy also has a pet python and leopard,” Gamma said nonchalantly shortly as she chewed her food.

The confused Charlotte couldn't help but wonder if her future sister-in-law was just another ordinary woman from the streets.

Jamie couldn't care less and thought those were merely jokes from his cousins. “I'm pretty sure they're just kidding. They once mentioned their mother was a supermom.”

Chapter 1422

qEllie commented, “We have quite a mysterious aunt, huh? Well, they might have mistaken her as the characters from their favorite shows.”

Robbie was of the same idea. He said, “That's most probably the case because children only develop the capacity to remember when they're almost three years old. Maybe they've mixed up the identity of their mother with someone else.”

As her children's analysis made sense, Charlotte repeated herself, “I think so. Anyway, none of you are allowed to take Fifi to school along with you. Am I clear?”

Charlotte's nieces were slightly upset, but they knew they had to listen to their aunt. “All right, Aunt Charlotte. We'll keep that in mind.”

“My nieces are such good girls. I'll think of something to locate your mother as soon as possible. Just leave everything to me.”

“Thank you so much, Aunt Charlotte.”

Charlotte took them out for a stroll in the garden after their meal. Once she tucked them in and read them a bedtime story, she returned to her room to give Sean a call.

It turned out that the little ones weren't the sole reason Charlotte had to spend another two days at Northridge.

She might have appeared to be carefree whenever she was around Zachary, but she was equally anxious because of his condition. After all, Ben told her Zachary's condition might spiral out of control after a month.

Francesco's whereabouts were still unknown when Charlotte was in the middle of a race against time. Unable to remain calm anymore, the latter returned to Northridge in an attempt to work something out.

Charlotte thought of trying out her luck with Gordon because she couldn't reach Sean. It took Gordon quite some time to pick up her call.

“Hello, Ms. Lindberg.”

“I tried calling Sean, but I couldn't reach him. Is he in the middle of something again?”

“I think that's most probably the case. Ms. Lindberg, Sean has told me that now is probably not the best time to locate Francesco,” Gordon said tactfully.

“What? Why? Someone's life is at stake!” Charlotte was on the verge of letting loose of her emotions.

“May I know whose life are we talking about?” Gordon asked in confusion.

Charlotte went dead silent and lost herself in a train of thoughts.

I'm afraid Sean's going to turn a blind eye to Zachary's condition. Gordon might consider returning Zachary's favor of saving his life, but that's not the case for Sean. There's no way he's going to locate Francesco on behalf of Zachary because of Danrique's current situation.

To her surprise, the man on the other end asked, “It's not Mr. Nacht, is it?”

Charlotte thought there was no point in hiding from Gordon. Hence, she confessed, “Yes, he is poisoned because of me. Besides, I can't possibly watch the father of my children die.”

“I'm well aware of your concerns, but—” Gordon paused again. A few seconds later, he added, “I'll inform Sean and see if he has an alternative way. Meanwhile, you need to try to look for other doctors.”

“Thank you so much! Could you tell Sean to revert to me once he's free?”

“I'll definitely deliver the message on your behalf.”

Charlotte felt a strong sense of unease immediately after she hung up the call.

Is Sean reluctant to help me because he's aware Zachary's the one in desperate need of medical attention? It's safe to assume Sean is currently keeping Danrique safe. In short, Danrique must be aware of Zachary's condition as well.

However, he might not want to do anything about it since he's in an equally nasty situation. If I can meet him in person, I can try asking him to do me a favor, but I don't even know his current whereabouts.

Sighing, Charlotte thought it was over. Suddenly, her eldest son knocked on the door and greeted, “Mommy!”

“Robbie? Come on in!” Charlotte answered the door and gestured for her son to enter.

He joined her in the room with his laptop. Unable to contain his excitement, he gasped out the great news, “Mommy, I've finally found our mysterious aunt! She's currently in Zarain!”

“Are you serious? Which city is she currently in?”

“I'm not sure, but I have the record of her entering the border of the nation. It's merely one of my speculations, but I think she's currently with Uncle Dan.”

“Are you telling me as soon as I find her, I'll find Danrique?”

 

Chapter 1423

qRobbie said while nodding, “I'm not sure, but that might be the case! It's not much of a challenge to locate her as compared to locating Uncle Dan.”

“Well, we'll try our luck with your mysterious aunt and bring her daughters to her even if Danrique isn't here with her.”

“I'll try my best, but it's going to take some time.” Staring at the screen of his laptop, Robbie was determined to bring her cousins back to their mother.

“It's okay. Just try your best.” Charlotte leaned over and kissed her son on the cheek.

As a result, her son flushed and asked, “Mommy, what do you think you're doing? I'm no longer a kid!”

“Who's this flushing little boy in front of me? You're aware you'll always be my son no matter how old you are, aren't you?” Charlotte teased the flushing Robbie.

“T-That's it for today. It's time to call it a day.” Robbie rushed out of the room with his laptop once he wrapped up the conversation with his mother.

Charlotte laughed, thinking that things weren't as terrible as she thought since Robbie had finally gotten his hands on a useful lead.

She had faith she would reach Francesco in no time and acquire his aid to do something about Zachary's condition.

Charlotte had a great night sleeping like a log because of the great news. Meanwhile, Zachary, who was at Southridge, couldn't even fall asleep.

He picked on Ben, who was there to keep him safe, out of something trivial more than once to vent his frustration.

Ben felt aggrieved and thought it would be another hectic night because Zachary showed no signs of sleeping at all when it was already one o'clock.

Zachary got increasingly irked as he couldn't toss and turn due to the racking sensation he would feel.

When he was about to pick on Ben, Ben asked in a hushed voice, “Shall I go get Ms. Lindberg?”

Zachary had the same idea, but he played hard to get and remarked, “You're aware it's your suggestion and not mine, right?”

It wasn't much of a challenge for him to converse with others after the countless naps he had throughout the day.

The intelligent Ben played along with him and asserted, “Yes, I'm the one who's trying to get her to keep an eye on you on my behalf because I wish to drop by the hospital and visit Lupine.”

Glaring at his assistant in the eyes, he asked, “Come again? Are you telling me you're going to ignore your employer because you're in a relationship now?”

“H-Huh? N-No! I'm not! Are you saying I'm not supposed to get Ms. Lindberg?”

When Ben thought Zachary was against the idea of having Charlotte there, Zachary urged, “Get her at once unless you wish to get on my nerves more than you already have.”

“There's no way—” Upon another glance at Zachary, Ben rephrased himself, “I'll go get her immediately!”

“I want you to make the call in front of me,” Zachary instructed as he couldn't wait to figure out Charlotte's reply.

“I wonder if she's currently asleep since it's literally the middle of the night,” Ben muttered to himself while trying to reach Charlotte through a phone call.

Zachary had his eyes glued to Ben's phone in anticipation of Charlotte's voice. However, the person on the other end failed to pick up the call.

Zachary's heart sank to the bottom of his stomach once Ben hung up the call.

Ben glanced at the man on the bed and asked, “I think Ms. Lindberg has fallen asleep. Am I supposed to keep trying until I reach her?”

“That won't be necessary.”

Zachary's dejection was written all over his face. He thought she couldn't care less about him. Otherwise, there was no way she could fall asleep when he was in such bad shape.

“Maybe she's going to return early in the morning. I'll call her if she doesn't.”

“It doesn't really matter. It's time to call it a day,” Zachary remarked petulantly.

“All right.”

Ben thought it was finally time to sleep, but once he put his phone aside, the increasingly irked Zachary reprimanded him, “Why did you bring up such a silly suggestion when I'm about to sleep? If she reverts to you in the morning, tell her it's your idea to get her back!”

Ben's lips twitched against his will because of Zachary's mood swings.

Chapter 1424

qCharlotte tried calling Ben when she saw a missed call once she roused from her sleep in the morning.

“Hello, Ben. Why did you call me? Is everything fine? Has Zachary's condition—”

“Mr. Nacht is doing fine. I thought of dropping by the hospital to keep Lupine company. Therefore, I needed someone else to look after him. I couldn't think of anyone else other than you.” Ben was pretty mindful of his reply as he had to carry on with the conversation in speaker mode.

Charlotte heaved a sigh of relief. “I literally had the shock of my life a few seconds ago! I thought something had happened to him!”

“He was—” Ben was about to tell Charlotte the truth until he caught a glimpse of Zachary's glare. He rephrased his reply again, “He was fine last night, but he doesn't look too good now.”

Astonished by the news, Charlotte asked, “What's wrong? Have you summoned the doctor to check on him? I'm on my way there!”

“All right, we'll talk once you're here.”

It was Ben's turn to let out a long sigh of relief when he caught a glimpse of Zachary's satisfied beam. He asked, “Ms. Lindberg will be here soon. So—”

Zachary finished on Ben's behalf, “Go keep Lupine company at the hospital once she's here. You're not really supposed to leave your girlfriend alone at a time like this.”

Thrilled, Ben expressed his gratitude, “Thanks, Mr. Nacht!”

Zachary reminded Ben once more, “With that being said, you need to keep in mind that you were the one who asked her over to check on me!”

“All right. Don't worry. I know what to do.”

“Come over and help me up! It's time for me to get myself a shower after spending such a long time in bed!”

“Yes, Mr. Nacht.”

Charlotte couldn't even join her children and nieces for breakfast because she was in a hurry to Southridge.

Shortly after she got out of the car, she rushed upstairs to the man's room.

“Zach—” Once she barged into the room, she saw Zachary savoring the dumplings prepared by Hanna.

When Zachary noticed Charlotte's presence, he pretended to be weak and stammered, “T-Take this away. I-I don't have the appetite.”

Ben immediately took the dumplings away and played along with his boss. “Mr. Nacht, this won't do. You haven't had anything in days! Is there anything else you're craving for?”

“What's wrong? Is he in pain because of the wounds? Is something else wrong with him? Have you summoned the doctor, Ben?” Charlotte asked once she joined the duo.

“He couldn't even sleep due to the pain, but he stopped me from summoning the doctor to check on him,” Ben remarked while shrugging his shoulders.

“You're not supposed to listen to him! Go get Dr. Wright at once,” Charlotte instructed.

Taking a peek at Zachary, Ben carried on with the conversation with a melancholic look. “Dr. Wright told us there was nothing she could do. We have no choice but to wait until a miracle occurs.”

“What about the pain killer?” the heartbroken Charlotte asked because of Zachary's haggard look.

“It doesn't really work against the serious wounds—”

Cough! Cough! Zachary cleared his throat, signaling Ben to stop exaggerating as it would arouse Charlotte's suspicion. After all, it was only a flower vase that struck him.

At that point, Zachary was still unaware that Charlotte already knew about his actual condition.

Overwhelmed by guilt, Charlotte murmured, “It's all my fault. You're hurt because of me. I'll go make you some oatmeal. You're not allowed to have something as greasy as such.”

When she was about to rush out of the room, Ben got in her way and said, “I'll get Mrs. Rawlston to make Mr. Nacht something to eat. Why don't you stay here and keep him company?”

“Great, thanks!” Charlotte sat by the bedside and asked while placing her hands on his forehead, “Are you still having a fever?”

“I'm still kicking and alive.”

He made it sound as if it wasn't a big deal all while playing weak because it worked like a charm against Charlotte.

As long as he continued playing weak, she would get increasingly worried. In other words, she would stay around to keep an eye on him.

 

 

Chapter 1425

qOverwhelmed by sadness, Charlotte leaned over and wrapped her arms around him.

All this while, she played the role of a heartless woman to prevent him from figuring out that she had found out about his actual condition.

She has been counting down ever since the day the doctor shared the bad news with her.

He only has twenty-six days left! I need to get Francesco here during this time! Otherwise, his life is going to be at stake again!

Zachary figured he had gone overboard, looking at Charlotte's response. Thus, he confessed, “I'm really fine. It was just another attempt to pull your leg.”

Unwilling to show him her vulnerable side, Charlotte went dead silent with her arms wrapped around him.

It doesn't make any sense! Has she figured out something's wrong with me? Why is she weeping?

“You wouldn't have sustained such a serious injury if it weren't because of the flower vase.” Charlotte was guilty. After all, she was the reason he was injured in the first place.

Otherwise, his condition wouldn't be as severe; his life might not be at stake as well.

Zachary made use of the things she brought up and threatened, “You need to take care of me since I'm injured because of you.”

Chuckling, she pinched his cheeks while asking, “Why are you bringing up something similar to the ones you've brought up at the hospital? What else do you want from me when I'm already here?”

“I'm not talking about the present! I want you to stay with me till death do us part!” Zachary repeated himself in a serious manner.

Irked, Charlotte reprimanded him, “What sort of nonsense are you talking about? Can you stop making it sound as if you're about to die in such a casual manner?”

“I-I—”

“If you're really dead, I'll get married to someone else and get our children to acknowledge a stranger as their father!” It was finally Charlotte's turn to threaten him.

“How dare you!” Zachary's face scrunched up in irritation the moment he heard her.

“Go ahead and try me! On top of that, I'm going to spend all the fortune you're giving our children! Since no one is around to stop me, I'll splurge to my heart's content!”

“Charlotte, you...” Zachary was enraged. He felt a strong urge to vent his frustration on her, but he felt his limbs turn stiff when he tried moving around.

“What? You can't even move around without others' support! What else can you do?” Charlotte went all out in an attempt to provoke the man.

“You!” The man next to her glared at her in the eyes to express his frustration.

Charlotte found the helpless man hilarious, but she continued threatening him, “If you don't want that to happen, then listen to the doctor and stop being such a difficult patient! You can pick on me all you want once you're fully recovered! Otherwise, I'll bring upon the downfall of the Nacht family soon!”

Zachary was no longer infuriated when he figured out it was merely an attempt of hers to motivate him. He stretched his arms and held her in his arms intimately.

I know she's merely trying to provoke me and motivate me to stay alive. It seems like she's aware of the truth as well. She's just worried something bad is going to happen to me.

It's not really necessary to address the elephant in the room as long as she's here with me. I need nothing else as long as she's around.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Hanna walked into the duo in the middle of an emotional session. “I-I'll return in a while!”

Charlotte stopped her from leaving and requested, “It's fine, Mrs. Rawlston. Just hand me the oatmeal.”

“Sure, Ms. Lindberg.” Hanna rushed out of the room after she took a peek at the duo and placed the oatmeal on the nightstand.

Seated next to the man on the bed, Charlotte urged, “You need to hurry up and finish this.”

He was against the idea of finishing the oatmeal, but he couldn't bear to turn Charlotte down since she truly cared about him.

Chapter 1426

qApart from returning home to join her children for a meal in the evening, Charlotte spent most of her time taking care of Zachary. She would return to keep Zachary company once she tucked them in and read them to sleep.

Occasionally, she would drop by the hospital to check on Olivia and Lupine.

Lupine was recovering well. Her relationship status with Ben was confirmed. Therefore, Ben would drop by the hospital to take care of the injured woman.

Morgan was envious of her colleague. Although Ben wasn't as romantic as Marino, the former was quite a reliable man.

They had fallen for one another after making it through life-threatening situations more than once together. That was precisely the reason they knew they weren't supposed to take each other for granted.

Charlotte was glad those affiliated with her had finally found their significant half.

Olivia's condition had drastically improved after the surgical operation conducted by Helen.

Although it would take a long time until her complete recovery, Peter thought it was the best out of the worst possible outcome. He paid Charlotte and Zachary a visit to express his gratitude.

At that moment, everything seemed to progress smoothly, except she still couldn't get her hands on Danrique and Francesco's whereabouts.

Furthermore, Sean and Gordon had disappeared into thin air as well.

To make things worse, Robbie was having a tough time locating his targets.

Charlotte had no intention to pressure her son. Therefore, she tried getting in touch with Gordon. Soon, she figured out she wasn't supposed to do so. Otherwise, she might put Danrique and his party at risk.

Her mind was all over the place, but she had to put on a strong front, especially in front of Zachary and her children. Otherwise, the situation might get increasingly tense.

When Ben figured out the situation, he knew it was time for him to stop getting his hopes high. Thus, he started getting in touch with renowned specialists from all around the globe as an alternative.

Zachary had finally regained the capability to walk around without others' support after another five days.

His condition had improved significantly as well. However, his diet was under the strict regulation of Charlotte. She would make him different servings of oatmeal with a variety of condiments.

Initially, he thought it was fine. However, it merely took him a few days to figure out he was wrong. Occasionally, he would get his hands on things Charlotte forbade him from eating.

Charlotte would rush to him and stop him from finishing the food the moment the maid informed her.

Zachary stuffed the food he had to Ben and reprimanded the innocent man, “You need to stop tempting me with these! Aren't you aware I'm not allowed to eat these?”

“I-I'll keep that in mind and stay away from you whenever I'm eating in the future.” Ben had to play along with his boss when he wasn't even the one at fault.

Glaring at the man she loved, she said, “You can have your favorite food once you're fully recovered, but please bear with me for the time being.”

“All right, I'll keep that in mind.”

Once Zachary nodded obediently, she urged, “Now, you need to head downstairs and finish your oatmeal for today.”

Charlotte tiptoed and kissed him on the chin before walking out of the room.

Sighing, Zachary turned around and took another peek at his favorite snack Ben bought him.

I guess it's true when others consider health as wealth, huh? I can't even enjoy my favorite snack! Well, I need to make sure I'm in my prime again soon!

It was very ignorant of me to ignore dad's advice when he warned me to take good care of myself. I thought health would never be an issue bothering me, but I was very wrong.

 

Chapter 1427

qThree days later, Zachary was no longer a helpless patient. He could spend a few hours every day sorting out the pertaining issues requiring his attention.

Helen told Raina it was fine for Zachary to consume everything he desired. However, he wasn't supposed to tire himself or hurt himself again.

Thrilled by the great news, Zachary instructed Hanna to prepare the things he had been craving for ever since the day he regained consciousness.

Without a second thought, Hanna instructed the maids to get the ingredients ready for the feast to celebrate the joyous occasion.

Zachary, who was in a great mood, instructed Marino to pick up his children and nieces to join them for dinner. He promised to take them elsewhere for a stroll after the meal.

When Zachary learned of Lupine's discharge from the hospital, he asked Marino to invite Ben and Lupine to join them in the evening.

He instructed the maid to get the entire place decorated for the guests of Northridge and Southridge and thought of holding a banquet to celebrate the joyous occasion.

Things were lively for those affiliated with the family because it had been such a long time since they gathered for a feast.

As soon as everyone had their respective tasks assigned, they headed out to get everything ready.

Charlotte didn't stop Zachary as it had been such a long time since she last saw the man smiling. Moreover, the ones affiliated with them were equally thrilled. Hence, it wouldn't be wise to be a party pooper.

Zachary wrapped his arms around her and asked when he found her in the courtyard, “Are you happy?”

“Of course.”

In truth, she wasn't happy at all because the man had only eighteen days left and Francesco had yet to be found.

Zachary seemed to be in his prime, but he had lost quite a lot of weight over the past few days. In fact, he was skinnier than he was before the accident.

She was heartbroken, but he couldn't care less and started carrying himself in a friendly and courteous manner whenever he was around others.

To be precise, he stopped reprimanding Ben and Marino over every trivial thing. Her mind was all over the place when she thought his drastic change of attitude had something to do with his condition.

Out of the blue, he asked, “Have you prepared the little ones' favorite chicken nuggets? You're not going to let them down, are you?”

“I've asked Mrs. Rawlston to get me the ingredients I need. Once Ben returns with the ingredients, I'll join them in the kitchen.”

“Great!” Zachary was in a great mood. It almost felt as it was a banquet held for the festive season.

“Daddy, Mommy!”

“Uncle Zachary, Aunt Charlotte!”

Once Marino and Morgan returned with the little ones, the atmosphere got increasingly lively at the gigantic mansion.

Jamie and Ellie were about to catapult in the direction of their father, but Robbie warned them, “Don't forget Daddy's still not feeling well!”

They brought themselves to a halt in the nick of time and remained standing in their spot.

Meanwhile, the three little girls had come to Charlotte's side and shared the things they went through at the playschool with her.

Fifi was also there. It landed on a tree nearby to join the family of its owner.

“Robbie, Jamie, Ellie, come over here!” Zachary asked his children to join him, but they were afraid of hurting him.

“Daddy, how are you feeling? Are you still in pain?” Ellie caressed her father's cheek and asked in a hushed voice.

 

Chapter 1428

q“I'm fine. It doesn't really hurt anymore. See? I'm a strong man.” Zachary showed his children his triceps, assuring them it wasn't a big deal.

“Hooray! Daddy has recovered!” Ellie started jumping for joy.

“Soon, I'll pick you up from your piano class again.” Shortly after the man promised his daughter, he turned around and held Jamie in his arms. “Jamie, we can go for a soccer session too.”

“Robbie, if there's anything you need, you can always let me know—”

“All right, that's it! Why don't all of you show your cousins the way around the mansion since they're here for the first time?” Charlotte interrupted their conversation because she was afraid he might hurt himself if he continued squatting.

“Sure, Mommy!”

Jamie and Ellie went to their cousins and brought them around the courtyard.

Robbie remained standing as he had something to tell his father. After much consideration, he changed his mind and thought of keeping his concerns to himself. “Daddy, I'll go ahead and join them as well.”

Zachary spanked his son playfully and urged, “Run along now.”

Robbie ran away with a smile, but he was heartbroken deep down. He knew their father hadn't recovered. Otherwise, their mother would not bring up something else to divert their attention.

“Why did you chase them away?” Zachary staggered as he felt lightheaded when he tried bringing himself up after squatting for a little more than a few minutes.

Thankfully, Charlotte was there to stop him from falling. In order to stop the man from overthinking things, she remarked in a sarcastic manner, “See? I'm sure it's one of the aftereffects of your injuries.”

Despite saying so, the couple was fully aware that it was not the aftereffects of his injuries. However, they seemed to have a consensus to not address the elephant in the room.

He leaned over and whispered intimately, “Can you stop nagging me over something trivial? I have recovered. If you don't believe it, try me—”

“Ben and Lupine are here!” Charlotte rushed in the direction of the duo when he wasn't even done with his suggestive speech.

Zachary was slightly irritated since he was very close to persuading her to spend a night with him. Nonetheless, he was glad Charlotte had a great time with her friends from Northridge.

It was finally time for the commencement of the banquet since everything was ready after a few hours of preparation.

Zachary asked the members of the household, including the maids and the bodyguards, to join them for the first time in forever, expressing his gratitude towards their hard work over the years.

The man was never a friendly figure throughout the past twenty-eight years.

The ones who were unaware of the things going on were touched and thought they were finally acknowledged. Meanwhile, the ones who were aware of his actual condition were upset.

They knew he wished to return the favor of those around him since he might not make it through another fortnight.

It seemed to be another banquet for a joyous occasion, but that was not the case—it might be the last supper for Zachary.

With that being said, there were only a few aware of Zachary's actual condition. He thought of keeping it confidential to stop troubling others.

It was the same for Charlotte—she had to force a smile and join the rest in spite of the concerns she had in her mind.

Similarly, Ben and Zachary's most-trusted aides pretended as if they weren't aware of the truth and joined the rest to have some fun.

“Thanks, Mr. Nacht!”

Surprised by the speech that came out of nowhere, most of them brought themselves up from their seats to express their gratitude.

“Just take a seat and enjoy yourself for the night!” Zachary beckoned the rest to remain seated since it was merely a gathering amongst close acquaintances.

“Hooray, it's finally time for dinner!” The little girls officiated the banquet with their cheers.

The rest started savoring the dishes along with the commencement of the symphony.

Charlotte served Zachary a serving of steak and asked, “I made this. Give it a try.”

Surprised by her announcement, he asked, “Are you serious? Since when have you learned to prepare steak?”

He took a bite and remarked, “Mmm! It tastes not bad at all!”

Chuckling, Charlotte said, “I'm glad it turns out fine because this is the only successful one amongst the several pieces I have prepared.”

Chapter 1429

qZachary replied nonchalantly, “Actually, you don't need to tire yourself out since others are around to prepare our meal.”

“What? Are you telling me to stay away from the kitchen because of my subpar culinary skills?” Charlotte brought up something else for a change of mood.

“You know what? Just cook whenever you feel like it. I'll finish everything you make.”

Zachary was no longer the arrogant and indifferent man—he had no intention to spend the last moments of his life arguing with the ones he held dear in life.

It's fine as long as she's around to keep me company. As awful as it might taste, I'll finish everything she cooks.

“Speaking of which, you're not really against the idea of them getting into a relationship with one another, are you?” Shortly after she directed the question at him, she took a peek at Lupine and Ben as well as Morgan and Marino.

Zachary rolled his eyes and asked rhetorically, “Do I really have a say when you're the one in charge of Northridge, Southridge, and the family?”

“You're right, but are you against the idea of them getting into a relationship?” Charlotte guffawed in a mischievous manner.

Halfway through their conversation, Zachary mentioned something in a suggestive tone, “Well, you need to show your sincerity if you want me to agree to it.”

Unaware of the filthy thoughts he had in mind, she asked, “What do you want?”

“What do you think?” Zachary leaned over in an intimate manner and started running his fingers across her arms.

Once she returned to her senses, she stuttered, “Y-You! There's no way I'm allowing it since you're not fully recovered yet!”

“Go ahead and see for yourself if I have fully recovered or not!”

He pressed her hands against his pecs, allowing her to feel his heartbeat.

“Cut it out! Aren't you aware we're in the middle of a banquet with a lot of people around us?” Charlotte reprimanded the man with reddened cheeks.

“I'm going to teach you a lesson to behave yourself once we're back in the room.”

Zachary pinched her face before turning around to savor his meal.

It was a great night for everyone. As the adults continued drinking after the meal, the children gathered around for some fun in the courtyard.

Marino and Morgan, who had tagged along to keep an eye on the children, couldn't stop themselves from flirting around with one another.

On the other hand, Ben was next to Lupine throughout the banquet. Occasionally, he would turn around to check on Zachary.

Zachary thought it was too much of a hassle for Ben to tend to him and his significant half at the same time. Thus, he said, “Just take good care of our guests and leave me alone.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Nacht!” Ben was thrilled and thought Zachary was also a caring employer at times.

“Lupine, how are you feeling?” Charlotte asked concernedly.

“I'm doing fine, Ms. Lindberg. You're the one who seems to have lost quite some weight.”

“Are you serious?” Charlotte started examining her face when she heard the remark.

Zachary interrupted the duo's conversation and said, “It might have something to do with her exhausting herself for my sake over the past few weeks. She hadn't been eating properly since oatmeal was the only thing available for us.”

“Shall we forget about it since you no longer have to consume those on a daily basis? With that being said, you're not really supposed to have too much greasy food. Most importantly, you're not allowed to drink,” Charlotte warned.

“See? She's going to nag on me over something trivial again! How have you guys been dealing with her all this while? Is she different in front of you?” Zachary directed the question at Lupine.

Lupine defended Charlotte, “I'm sure she's merely trying to remind you to take good care of yourself. She's one of the most caring employers out there.”

“Mr. Nacht is a pretty great employer as well,” Ben remarked when it had nothing to do with him. As a result, Lupine turned around and shot daggers at him.

What's wrong with him? Is he trying to prove he has a better employer than me? Is it even necessary?

Aware he was the one at fault, Ben turned around and looked elsewhere to avoid the confrontation awaiting him.

Charlotte couldn't resist the urge to laugh because of the duo's interaction. Similarly, Zachary played along with Charlotte and remarked, “At the end of the day, it's doesn't really matter since we're a

family.”

“What are you talking about?” Charlotte asked in a sarcastic manner, but she was all smiles.

Instead of answering her question, Zachary held her firmly in his arms and kissed her in front of others.

 

Chapter 1430

qAfter the banquet, the group drove up to the mountain for some fireworks.

Ben had made prior arrangements for someone to get an array of fireworks ready at the peak.

When the fireworks were displayed, they bloomed brilliants across the horizon, illuminating Rokan Hill.

The children were enthralled by its beauty. They jumped for joy while clapping and cheering gleefully.

Little Fifi hid inside Ellie's hoodie, trembling in fear. Yet, from time to time, the curious parrot would pop its head out to admire the night sky.

As for Fifi the eagle, it rested on a tree branch steadily, as if nothing in this world could ever startle it. However, its claws gave it away. They were seen clenching on the branches tightly, quivering a little.

Animals were generally afraid of fire. On the contrary, men, be it young or old, would always be thrilled by fireworks.

The two couples, Marino and Morgan as well as Ben and Lupine, enjoyed their romantic moments.

“Folklore has it that when you wish upon the fireworks, your dreams will come true. Let's make a wish!” Morgan pointed at the sky and yelled happily like a little girl.

“Oh, really?” Everyone followed suit.

Charlotte pressed both hands together, shut her eyes, and made a wish.

Zachary was hugging her while quietly appreciating the colorful skies above their heads. Though his lips were curled up, his eyes had gradually lost their sparkle.

He had been undergoing intensive training to inherit the family business since he was eight years old. To date, twenty years had passed.

Zachary attained fame at a very young age. Over the years, he had been very active in the business world, living by his own rules arrogantly. There was absolutely nothing that he was afraid of; neither had he lost any battle.

However, fear had crept up on him all of a sudden. He was worried that all the success that he had was just a dream. Besides, he was also disturbed by the thought that he would not live long, and soon, he would leave his beloved family and lover.

Although he did not believe in fate, he made a wish with the hope that he could stay alive.

I don't want to die. There are many things I wish to do. More importantly, I don't want to leave Charlotte and the ones I love...

“I'm done.” Charlotte opened her eyes and kissed Zachary.

“What did you wish for?” He gazed at her gently. She looked exceptionally enchanting under the illumination of the fireworks.

“I want us to be together forever,” Charlotte said with a pair of smiling eyes as she doted on Zachary.

He did not say much but proceeded to hug her tightly. I really want to tell her the truth, to pre-empt her that I may not be able to continue this journey of life with her. Perhaps, she needs to shoulder the responsibility of leading this family on her own. All that I owe her can only be repaid in the next life.

Unfortunately, he did not have the heart to ruin the blissful moment for her. It was also his selfish desire to cling on to the precious moment as long as he could.

“Zachary...” Charlotte was feeling sentimental while hugging him. She tried to control her emotions and put on a bright smile. “Will you marry me?”

“Of course!”

Zachary heard her enunciating the words clearly in the midst of the loud fireworks.

He did not doubt his hearing, neither did he pursue further. Instead, he seized the opportunity to share the feelings that had been buried inside his heart for years.

On a serious note, he said, “Let's get married. I'll hold a perfect wedding ceremony!”

“Sure!” Charlotte's eyes welled up. No matter what happens in the future, I just want to cherish all of our time together. Even if it means we only have a day, two days or a month left. Every second counts as long as we're together.

The decision made them both extremely delighted. Immediately, Zachary shouted, “Ben!”

“Yes, Mr. Nacht?” Ben hurried over.

“Tomorrow, no, go prepare for my wedding now! I'm getting hitched!” Zachary declared loudly to ensure that everyone present heard it.

Ben froze for a moment, but quickly caught on and blurted, “Is that for real? You two are seriously tying the knot?”

“What nonsense!” Zachary glared at him. “Hurry up and go get ready!”

“Got it. I'm on it now.” Ben nodded.