NATHANThe elevator doors slid open, and I exited the building complex and headed toward my car.As soon as I got in and started the ignition, I rolled down the windows, letting in some cold air.But even though it was a good thirteen degrees outside, and a heavy breeze flew in as I drove, I was still sweating like crazy.Every part of me felt hot, and my mind was racing. I placed a hand on my forehead, rubbing my temple to ease my discomfort, but it didn’t work.I tried closing my eyes briefly, wanting to focus on anything other than the gut-wrenching ache in my head and my groin, but as I did that, all I could see was her.The source of my torment. And agony. The one thing that had been running through my mind constantly for the past few days, even when I didn’t want it to.Charlotte.I saw her.Every fucking inch of her.Every single goddamn detail.From her fragile half-naked body trembling as she undressed herself to the pert curve of her breasts…God, those breasts!She looked so
NATHANTo salvage what was left of my thoughts and put the days’ events behind me, l decided to take an icy shower before preparing for the night.After the long bath, I proceeded to my bed, hoping to fall asleep quickly, but instead, my mind went into overdrive with all the things that had happened today.One particular event stood out amongst the rest.It was my last encounter with Charlotte in that damned apartment.“Fuck!” I cursed frustratingly and rolled onto my side.I grabbed a pillow and held it tightly to my chest, breathing rapidly as my eyes burned.I closed them tight, trying to get rid of the images that still plagued my subconscious, but to no avail.“I think about you at the office. I think about you at home. When you’re near, I think about you still…” I trailed off into an incomprehensible murmur before releasing the pillow and burying my head in it. “…what the fuck are you doing to me, Charlotte? Just what?!”Why wouldn’t she leave my head? And she had to strip naked
NATHAN“Charlotte…”The name left my lips, and my heart jolted as I met her dark gaze.No, it couldn’t be. It was not her.“Charlotte…” I mumbled again, easing up as I tried to caress her face, but just like she’d not been there, she vanished, and I—I panicked, a hoarse cry escaping me as I bolted upright in bed.The sheets around me were damp with my sweat, and my breathing was rapid and uneven.A dream. Just a fucking dream. That was what this was.But when I looked around my room, everything felt so real. My head was lightheaded, as though I’d just orgasmed inside her physically, and my body thrummed violently.Shit.I placed my palms on the mattress, trying to stop the trembling.I closed my eyes briefly, then forced myself to breathe deeply again.Charlotte.There was no way the mysterious one-night-stand woman could be Charlotte. No fucking way.My mind was possibly playing some trick with me. Yes.The only reason why I’d seen Charlotte in my dreams was because of the pent-up e
CHARLOTTEA strangled cough echoed through the office, and I turned to my new boss, Nathan, whose face was buried in a document.Since I’d entered his office, he’d barely acknowledged me. He just spared a fleeting glance at me and talked to his assistant, who left soon after, and then he started coughing.Was he ill?Or did my presence make him uncomfortable somehow? That was ridiculous, so choosing my first thought, I took a few steps towards him and asked. “Na…Mr. Nathan, are you okay?”There was a pause as he stopped coughing, but he said nothing.I prodded. “Are…are you feeling sick? Should I call your assis—““No.” He cut me short, jerking his head up.He looked straight at me, and although we weren’t close enough, it felt like we were.I saw every feature on his face, especially his piercing eyes, and they burned a hole right through me. He—“I am perfectly fine, Charlotte.” As though in a daze, he blinked rapidly and waved his hands. “My throat was just a bit itchy, that’s all.
CHARLOTTEOn hearing my statement, Nathan froze.When I repeated the offer, looking up at him, suddenly his expression changed, and he grabbed my wandering hands and pushed me away forcefully.“I do not need your help!”My heart skipped a beat.“I do not need your fucking help!” His eyes flashed as he spoke angrily, and I stared at him blankly, a flash of hurt and embarrassment washing over me.I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I closed it back. I feared that my words would make everything worse once again.There was only so much I could do— only so much I could say.“Damn you, woman!” He ran his hands through his hair, turning towards his desk.He sat back on his chair and grabbed a telephone ringing for his assistant through the intercom.In less than a minute, his assistant walked in.“Sir, you called for me.” The young man I’d come to know as Dan said calmly, his eyes flickering suspiciously between Nathan and me.It was as if he knew we had just shared a moment.N
CHARLOTTE“Everyone, it’s okay. It’s okay. Let’s stop with the gossip.” The HR lady plastered a saccharine smile on her lips and waved her hands as she spoke, trying to calm the gossiping workers.She rounded her desk and walked towards me, grabbing my arm gently but firmly, making me flinch.“I will take care of her now, Dan.” She winked at Nathan’s assistant. “You may take your leave.”He nodded and left without another word.She turned back to me, pulling on my arm. “Now, sorry about that rude welcome.” She cleared her throat. “My name is Lily Collins. I’m the HR manager of Hamilton Group & co. Welcome to the company.”She dropped her hand from my arm and stretched it out for a handshake, which I reluctantly accepted.My palms were a tad sweaty, and my body shook from the force of Lily’s handshake, but I didn’t show any discomfort. I tried my hardest to keep my composure, and I didn’t want to give the still-gawking workers something to discuss.“My name is Charlotte Smith,” I said,
AUTHOR’S POVLily dropped her phone on the desk and crossed her legs on the desk.She’d just finished speaking to Mrs Hamilton, her boss - she might work for Nathan Hamilton, but his stepmother had helped her secure the job, so she was the actual boss.And ever since she stepped in, she became an eye, reporting everything in the company to the old hag.Now, though, she had a new target to chase - Charlotte Smith.When she’d spotted the bitch for the first time today, at first glance, Lily had despised her.She gave off bad energy, from her clothes to her dirty, innocent looks. It was disgusting.With a hiss, Lily leaned forward and grabbed a file from her desk. It contained everything she needed to know about the new bitch in her care.Everything that could tell Lily the slightest hint of the kind of person Charlotte was, from her personal records to health records to school records.And damn if Ma’am Melina wasn’t right, she thought.Someone as dirty as Charlotte didn’t even deserve
NATHAN“Have you heard the rumors flying around?” Dan said, catching my attention as I glanced up from the pile of documents cluttered on the conference table.I’d left my office earlier wanting a much bigger space for the work that piled up for me. In truth, I’d also left the office because I kept thinking of Charlotte and the incident between us earlier.“What?” I asked, shaking my thoughts away.My brows knitting together in concentration, I listened to the report from Dan. He went on and on about how the HR assistant regarded Charlotte as too incompetent for the job.“The HR doesn't seem to approve of Charlotte. It was said that Charlotte is unfit for this position given her academic background. A high school diploma and a criminal record at that is utterly outrageous,so she said." He continued, seating across the rounded table.“Plus, she caused quite the ruckus earlier when I introduced Charlotte to the manager, Lily.”My brows arched in curiosity as I asked, “what did she do?”
CHARLOTTEMy heart thumped a thousand times its normal pace per second.I couldn’t believe it. Did I say that? Did I just ask for Nathan’s hand in marriage?Yes, I did. And the thick silence enveloping the room proved that.While I shook internally, outwardly, I maintained a confident front, hoping something good would come from my insane request.I never meant to say this, but it was my only resort with everything happening.I never intended to force Nathan to marry me. I wanted Sir Williams and Lady Melina to see how headstrong I was.They couldn’t control or manipulate me however they liked. If they thought I would let Liam go easily after everything he’d done to me, then they would have another thing coming.I bit my lips anxiously before turning to steal a glance at Nathan.His dark eyes shone in surprise briefly before changing to a calm look. He wasn't offended, nor did he rebuke me.
CHARLOTTEEvery second that ticked past as we remained in this awkward silence made me nervous, and I couldn't meet Nathan’s eyes.He stared at me, his gaze boring a hole so deep into my skin that it almost hurt.After some minutes, I decided to break the fucking silence by speaking up.“I—”“How—”We spoke at the same time and laughed nervously like two teenagers caught making out.I cleared my throat. “You should go first,”His eyes twinkled amusingly, and he leaned forward.“I don't mean to push it…” he sighed, and then his eyes narrowed with that same concern I was getting used to seeing. “…but you're okay, right?” He asked.“I am, sir Nathan.”“Nathan, please.” He cringed. “Call me, Nathan.”My lips stretched into a smile. “I’m fine, Nathan.”&l
CHARLOTTE(PRESENT DAY)The initial numbness that had held me in its grasp earlier vanished the moment my eyes blinked open for the second time.As the harsh sunlight rays made me squint my eyes, my consciousness spiked from bleakness to awareness, and I was suddenly aware of everything.The smell of antiseptics reminded me that I was in the hospital.And Nathan.My heart caught in my chest at the thought that he might have left, but when I snapped my head to the side, my worry melted, and my heart bubbled.His head leaned sideways against the bed just by my side, his eyes were shut, and his soft snores floated through the monitor’s recurring beep to my ears.Watching him this close-up did something inside me. I almost didn't want to sit on the bed, but I did. I noticed he'd removed his suit jacket and draped it over the headrest of the chair he was sitting on.And his tie hung loosely from his neck.He was a worn-out mess.A handsome mess who'd kept to his word and stayed beside me f
NATHAN(Flashback continued)Sanity was far from reach, and maintaining patience was excruciating. I could barely count how many times my heart thumped in a second or put an end to the nerve-wracking turmoil inside me.Charlotte wasn’t fine.Her heart had stopped.That was the only information they left us with, and almost an hour passed, and still nothing.My hands were cold and shaking, and with shallow breathing and impatiently tapping feet, I muttered. “You should leave now,” I said to my assistant.“Now?”“Yes. Go get the evidence before it is tampered with.”“Alright then,” Dan muttered, and with a hesitant nod, he left.I sank my gaze to the ground.God knows that if Liam were to come within my line of sight now or any moment from now, I’d choke him with my bare hands.Strangle the bastard and make him almost taste death so he can experience what Charlotte was going through.He—The emergency room door opening caught my attention, and a relieved breath escaped my lips as my gaz
NATHANA DAY EARLIER (Flashback)I changed my mind.I’d considered going home before visiting Charlotte but decided against it.Facing my father wasn’t at the top of my list right now.So I told my driver to drive straight to the hospital.When I arrived, I went straight to the receptionist's desk, signed off on Charlotte’s card, and was swiftly directed to her room.When I arrived, I met Dan, Charles, and Noah sitting beside a still-unconscious Charlotte.Noah’s face looked pale, and his eyes were puffy, indicating he was crying. Dan had his hands around him and squeezed every once in a while.Charles also looked miserable and kept looking up anxiously. The little kid was the first to spot me.“Uncle Nathan!” His squeaky voice called out, drawing everyone in the room's attention.He jumped up from his chair and ran over to me.“Uncle Nathan!” He repeated as he wrapped his tiny arms around my leg. “Thank God you came. I thought you wouldn’t come.” He sniffed loudly, then began sobbing
CHARLOTTEI saw him again.The monster.His evil laughter echoed through the cold silence like a rumble of thunder, and I could barely hold a breath as I ran from his hot pursuit, my body slipping into weakness as I tumbled against something on the ground.He was terrifyingly close, and even in the frenzy of my heart and the horror that befell me as I stared at him, all I could think about was my son. Charles.I had tucked him away from the danger, but who was to tell he hadn’t befallen another?I let out a shocked gasp as he approached and suddenly lifted his hand so I could see what he was holding.Charles.My little boy.Blood oozed from a gash on the side of his head, soaking his hair and clothes. He was staring at me wide-eyed, and I returned the stare with a horrifying one.How? How did he get to Charles? How?“No. No, no, please. Let my son go.” I begged, but he ignored my pleas—the vile man.“Mommy,” Charles whimpered, a tear falling from his eyes. “Mommy, save me,”“Please, l
NATHAN‘…Marry my daughter, and your apology will be accepted.’That was a laughable request, and as it repeated in my head, I couldn’t help snorting at it.Felix Chandler grimaced as if offended.“You think it’s stupid?” he frowned deeper.“I can’t be made to marry your daughter over some mistake of the past, Mr. Felix,” I stated matter-of-factly. “but I can recompense.”His anger grew evident on his face.“You can recompense?”“Yes. I can compensate Wendy or you for—““Are you trying to buy our apology?” he interrupted harshly, his lips curled up in a sneer. “Do you think we’re cheap enough to—”“First, Mr. Felix,” It was my turn to interrupt him. “I don’t intend to ‘buy’ apologies. I want a situation where both parties are happy, and marriage doesn’t do it for me.”“I don’t—"“I’ll give her anything else she wants except marriage,” I stated. “A healthy space? A good phycologist? A dating partner? Even money, millions? Name it.”“Mr. Nathan—”“I won’t offer your daughter marriage,”
NATHANIt took me a few seconds to regain my self after the bombshell dropped.“Tony really confessed.” I said more to myself than Dan but I heard him hum.“Who is she?” I asked, my brows furrowing with attentiveness and briefly one name stood at the back of my mind.Charlotte.“Do you remember Wendy Chandler?” Dan asked in reply and my brows furrowed even more.The Chandler name wasn’t a strange one, as they were one of the influential families in the country.Third only to the Windsors and Hamiltons.So, of course, I knew who that woman was and I face palmed myself, groaning loudly.As if sensing my dread, Dan spelt out who she was clearly. “She was the girl that mistakenly entered your room that night, five years ago…and to further repeat Tony’s confession, the woman you slept with.”“Fucking hell.” I cussed, gritting my jaw so hard it hurt. “This must be a joke.”While I didn’t remember that night in clear details, there was no way I could forget my encounter with Wendy.Daughter
AUTHOR’S POVIt only took the briefest moment, as everyone remained still with visible shock at what Charlotte had done to herself, before chaos ensued.“Charlotte!” Noah called out in a yell as he watched his sister fall the ground again.Unsheathed panic streamed through his blood vessels as he tried to writhe out from the guards holding him to get to her, but every struggle turned useless as they held him in place and he could only wail.Liam, however, had frozen with a bolt of shock.He hadn’t expected that.That she could ever pull off self-harm to protect someone she loved.Yes, he’d known things about Charlotte in the years they were married, and he wouldn’t deny that she was kind and selfless but hurting herself because of a loved one.Willingly embracing death to save her kin…it was new to him. And for the first time, he felt totally discombobulated, and afraid.“Let me go!” Noah’s determination to get to his sister was still unfettering as the bodyguards resilience in lettin