With consistent practice, both Charlotte and Ben found their rhythm again and swiftly worked through the scenes slated for rehearsal.
With some time to spare, Charlotte, not too occupied, rehearsed early at noon and then awaited at the crew's rest area.Just then, the staff began distributing boxed lunches. Charlotte was about to receive hers when Carl called out to her, "Charlotte, your lunch is ready and waiting in Kingsley's private lounge."Slightly taken aback, Charlotte thanked him with a smile and headed towards the designated area.Entering Kingsley's private lounge, Charlotte looked around with curiosity. The simple and sleek decorations matched Kingsley's always impeccable style. Several exquisite dishes were laid out on the table, kept warm on a hot plate. Not far off, a small table held scripts and documents. Charlotte approached, picking up the script and scanning through it, marveling at t"So he can't offer you anything, and being with him won't benefit you much either," Ben said. "Instead of choosing him, you should choose to be with me! My family background may differ from his, but compared to ordinary folks like you, I come from wealth, don't I?" "Who do you think you are? I've never seen anyone as conceited and shameless as you!" Sherry, who was standing nearby, overheard Ben's words and walked over, furious, her arms crossed as she sneered at him. "I heard you at least resemble a man, and rumor has it your family isn't lacking in resources. Did your parents forget to give you a brain when they brought you into this world? How dare you compare yourself to Kingsley? How dare you pursue Charlotte like this?" Charlotte, still a little angry, found herself amused by Sherry's outburst. Sherry's sharp tongue was refreshing. Ben, however, turned red with anger. He had always been revered everywhere! Now Sherry dared to mock him? And worse,
Charlotte, however, lowered her eyes and laughed out loud.In the light of Ben's gloomy eyes, she raised her lips into a bright smile and said, "You have to give me time to think about it, right?"Ben lost his concentration for a moment, almost blinded by her smile. He couldn't help swallowing hard and said a little eagerly, "How long do you need to think about it?""One night?" Charlotte tilted her head innocently and said, "One night to consider your offer isn't too much to ask, is it?"Ben smiled.
On this day, in the restaurant, Charlotte and Kingsley were sitting together in a private booth, waiting for their dishes to arrive.Kingsley had his laptop with him and was currently tapping away at the keyboard, working diligently."Kingsley, what are you working on?" Charlotte asked. He always seemed to be busy and hardly ever had any personal time."Some work with the Livingston Group, and..." Kingsley paused and gave a low chuckle, "some work with my future brother-in-law.""Huh?" Charlotte's eyes widened in response. "You mean...""Yes, your brother." Kingsley's expression showed a mix of helplessness and admiration as he said, "The Livingston family and the Scott family originally had some business dealings, and before, my sister handled them all. But lately, your brother's frequent interactions with the Livingston Group seem to be testing something, so my sister handed this piece of business to me.""Does my brother know about us being tog
Ben listened and instantly came to his senses.Yes! He had almost forgotten that he still had quite a bit of leverage over Charlotte! Not to mention the fact that he had recorded their conversation this time. Just based on those photos of her hooking up with another man, it was enough for people to see her true colors clearly!He believed that if he sent them to Kingsley, Kingsley would no longer treasure and protect her.Ben sneered fiercely, vowing that he wouldn't let Charlotte get away with this.He found the contact information of Kingsley's staff and directly sent the photos he had received before, along with the recording of his conversation with Charlotte that afternoon.The recording wasn't sent in its entirety; he had cropped some parts of the conversation:"I can totally understand if you want to move up. As long as you follow me, your future will be absolutely bright!""You have to give me time to think about it, right
The next day, Charlotte climbed out of bed as the sun shone brightly outside her window. She glanced at the time; it was exactly 7:30 a.m. She got up, changed her clothes, and walked to the dining room where a beautiful breakfast was already on the table.Charlotte's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Wow! It smells so good. It's my favorite food!" She quickly took out her cell phone, snapped a few pictures, and shared them with Kingsley.At that moment, Charlotte's cell phone suddenly rang. It was Sherry calling. Charlotte picked up the phone."Charlotte, have you heard about what happened to Ben and his family? Does it have anything to do with you?" Sherry's voice immediately rang from the phone."What happened? I got up late and haven't checked the news. What happened to him?" Charlotte asked, confused."Mendel Group took a turn for the worse last night and is on the verge of bankruptcy," Sherry explained without hesitation. "And Ben seems to have disappear
On this day, Charlotte vaguely overheard the crowd murmuring during intermission after rehearsal at the drama club."Is that true?""Rumor has it that he got his arms and legs broken. It's tragic. Even his house had a big fire, and all his family members except him were buried in that fire.""Geez! Don't the police care? Who is so powerful that they can do such a thing to him?""That goes without saying. Remember Zelda, who offended Charlotte before? I heard she broke her leg, and it's still not healed!""It's horrible. I didn't realize that she looks so soft and harmless, so easy to get along with, but whoever gets close to her has bad luck!""Hey! What are you all babbling about? Shut up!" Sherry's face reddened with anger as she spoke.Zelda and Ben, both of whom were in the drama club and with whom she had had conflicts, now all occurred accident.Charlotte couldn't help but wonder if this had anything to do with her.For exampl
The days passed unhurriedly as the rehearsals for the play Romeo and Juliet neared their end.On this day, Charlotte walked out of the school gate after rehearsal and saw Kingsley's car waiting. Kingsley saw her and sweetly opened the car door for her.Sitting in the car, looking at Kingsley's calm and handsome face, Charlotte narrowed her bright eyes and spoke, "Kingsley, is there something you haven't told me?"Seeing her unusually serious expression, Kingsley was slightly stunned before a trace of panic swept through his deep eyes.Could it be that she already knew what he had done to Ben's family?His fingers resting on his knees curled up a bit, and the knot in his throat rolled as he replied, "You mean, what is it?""I'm asking you to confess yourself," Charlotte said. "Come on, say it. No hiding it from me."Kingsley's face turned vaguely pale, but fortunately, the glass in the back seat had a peep-proof compartment, and th
Rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet had finally concluded, and the school's production had officially begun its run in the city. The performances had quickly created quite a buzz. As the lead characters, Charlotte and Kingsley naturally garnered a lot of attention.On this particular day, Charlotte had just finished her performance and was changing backstage to rest. Nearby, a staff member walked in and shouted, "Charlotte, someone is looking for you outside!" His tone carried a hint of excitement."Looking for me?" Charlotte was surprised.Who would be looking for her?Her heart was inexplicably uneasy.Could it be Chris? Had Diana told Chris everything about her and Kingsley?Charlotte's eyes trembled slightly at the thought, but she quickly shook her head, banishing the idea. No way, Diana wouldn't snitch.As Charlotte was lost in her thoughts, an exclamation came from outside, followed by a wave of gasps, as if something sig
Time flied, and before everyone realized it, a year had gone by.During this time, Charlotte's life abroad appeared calm and routine. She woke up early every day for classes, diligently completed assignments, engaged in academic discussions with her classmates, and participated in various club activities. In the eyes of her friends, she was a positive and energetic girl.Only she knew deep down that she had been waiting, waiting for the one she loved so dearly, the prince who had promised to come back for her.Late at night, Charlotte often found herself sitting alone at her small dormitory desk, gazing out the window at the starry sky, feeling a lingering sense of loss and loneliness in her heart. She had asked herself more than once where Kingsley was and why he never wrote or called.On this sunny day, Charlotte went to the school library as usual, ready to work on an important paper. She sat by the window, her desk piled high with various referenc
Kingsley knew deep down that Charlotte wasn't that kind of person, but the beast suppressed within him was roaring uncontrollably, and the malice rooted in the marrow of his bones surged through him, causing even his blood to boil.His eyes turned cold and gloomy as he glanced towards Charlotte's siblings, emotions spiraling out of control within him.If without them...If...Kingsley suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders.He turned to see Freya's hand resting there, her expression hardened, eyes gazing up at him with concern.Charlotte pushed past Aaron and edged forward.Seeing Kingsley's obviously troubled eyes, her heart raced, her voice becoming raspy and hard to hear. "Wait... for me..."At the sound of her voice, Kingsley visibly froze, then the darkness in his eyes lifted abruptly as he stared into hers, his tone somewhat uncertain. "Charlotte? What's with your voice?"Charlotte's eyes reddened, but she bit her
On this day, Charlotte's siblings took her to the hospital to visit Kingsley at Derek and Emily's insistence.At the hospital entrance, Freya and Chris chatted as they walked toward Kingsley's room. Charlotte's footsteps behind them were eager, and Diana held her back, squeezing her hand to calm her.Charlotte glanced at her sister, understanding the concern in Diana's eyes, biting her lip to suppress the impatience in her heart.She couldn't be blamed for being eager; since witnessing Kingsley jump from the school building rooftop, she hadn't exchanged a word with him.Their closeness was stark, yet they were almost separated by life and death. The image of Kingsley jumping from the building was like a nightmare etched in her mind.Thinking about it brought back that choking feeling, making her breath quicken. She forced herself to endure it, following her siblings into the exclusive elevator that took them straight to Kingsley's floor.&nb
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the cracks in the curtains, spilling onto the carpet.Charlotte opened her eyes just in time to see Emily changing the water at her bedside. Emily was surprised when she noticed Charlotte waking up. "Charlotte, you're awake!"Charlotte nodded silently.There was a faint sound coming from outside the door. Charlotte glanced over, her expression puzzled. Emily explained beside her, "Ian and Diana are both back, and your father is outside interrogating them."Charlotte's expression shifted slightly at that news. She looked somewhat anxious.This matter was clearly her own problem, yet it seemed her father was pursuing it as if her brothers and sister were solely responsible, which felt unfair to them. The guilt inside her intensified as she thought about it.Seeing Charlotte attempting to get up, Emily quickly intervened, "Hey, Charlotte, don't move! Your injuries haven't healed yet!"As if sensi
The Scott family manor was brightly lit.After more than three years, the Scott family once again activated the first level of defense. The black-clothed bodyguards, who were early at the Scott family manor, stood firmly on guard, while the Scott family servants gathered in the hall and garden, heads lowered, waiting strictly.Vehicles neatly lined up and entered the gates of the Scott family, bypassing the open-air fountain and proceeding towards the main house.Chris's face was vaguely pale; he had learned from a phone call with Diana on the way that their parents had returned. Emily and Derek were already aware of everything that had happened.Judging by their current demeanor, one could see that Emily and Derek were genuinely angry. After all, they had kept the truth from Emily and Derek for so long, and now it was revealed after such a significant accident.Beside them, Charlotte remained silent and withdrawn. Her once clear and bright
It was hard for her to believe that the clean, even a little shy Kingsley she knew and the bloodthirsty, horrible person in front of her were the same person.She had always known that Kingsley's condition was serious, but it was only when she was confronted head-on for the first time that she realized just how horrible it was. Kingsley didn't even look like a normal person at this point."Kingsley!" Freya's expression changed; she became nervous and cautious as she slowly stepped forward. "Drop the knife and come here, let me see your wound."At this point, Theo's death was completely unimportant. If Kingsley is allowed to see more bloodshed or even directly kill Theo, I'm afraid his condition will worsen, and he won't be able to regain his sanity at all.In the face of Freya's coaxing, Kingsley did not react at all. Holding the knife in one hand, he pressed his other hand against Theo's neck harder and harder."Kingsley!" Freya was anxious, but she d
Outside the school, Charlotte was escorted to a waiting car. The vehicle was equipped with special materials, bulletproof and resistant to various thermal weapons. Even though the school's premises had been cleared of bombs, Theo had come prepared, and no one knew if he had any other plans lurking in the shadows. Chris wasn't about to let his sister take such a risk.The people at the school had no idea what kind of life-and-death disaster they had just narrowly avoided. They all emerged from the school, unaware of the danger they had faced. They got into various luxury cars and departed one after another. Originally, Carl wanted to wait at the door, but with too many acquaintances coming and going, he had no choice but to hide in the Scott family's car.Chris voiced his concern, "Are you sure Theo will keep his word?""Not entirely," Carl replied, taking off his gold-rimmed glasses and impatiently rubbing his brow. "But Kingsley had to take a gamble on whether Theo still had it in
When these words were spoken, all the bodyguards present were shocked. Theo was filled with disbelief."What did you say? You're going to declare war on me in the manner of the Livingston family?" Theo almost laughed out loud. "Do you know what you're talking about?"Carl's face hardened for a moment as well. "Kingsley, calm down!"Kingsley, however, paid no attention to him. He stared into Theo's eyes, showing no hint of hesitation or fear. He said, "I know exactly what I'm doing, so don't you dare underestimate me."This declaration made Theo's face darken, his expression obscure, filled with deep thoughts.Charlotte looked at Chris somewhat helplessly. She didn't understand what was happening. Was this a big gamble by Kingsley?Chris composed himself, looked towards Kingsley and Theo's confrontation, and softly explained, "The Livingston family has rules. Members can challenge each other when there are disputes or unavoidable conflicts. They fight one-on-one in a life-and-death due
Ben held Charlotte at gunpoint, then glanced at Theo, who sat calmly and inquired, "What do you want?""I know you plan to use her against Kingsley and the Livingston family. My request is simple: ten million dollars and a getaway car," Ben stated viciously."Oh? You're not seeking vengeance for your family?" Theo remained composed."I'm not naive! I know how to negotiate with someone like you for maximum gain. You never intended to aid in avenging my family, did you?"Theo chuckled softly. "Looks like you're still somewhat sharp, but... still an idiot!"At Theo's words, two black-clad bodyguards suddenly emerged, advancing toward Ben."Aren't you worried I'll kill her? Then you'd have nothing to hold over Kingsley!" Ben exclaimed in panic."Foolish! My aim was always to destabilize Kingsley mentally. If you did kill Charlotte, I'd owe you gratitude."Hearing this, panic flashed in Ben's eyes, and in his haste, he aimed his pistol at Theo.