Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 108-112

Chapter 108

Sofia’s already pale face immediately changed when she saw Miss Amores walk inside. However, she chose not to say a word as she did not want Lawrence to suddenly use the gun in his hand.

“Miss?” Miss Amores said. Her initial relief at seeing Sofia standing in the doorway evaporated the moment her gaze landed on Lawrence. Her eyes widened in shock, taking in the gun glinting menacingly in his hand.

“Throw your phone and bag on the floor and close the door…” Lawrence smiled. “Slowly…”

Sofia remained silent, her jaw clenched, her eyes pleading with Miss Amores to understand without words. The unspoken message was clear: don’t make a scene, don’t provoke him.

As if understanding what she wanted to say, Miss Amores clenched her jaw and slowly threw her phone and bag towards the floor.

“Slowly move towards the bedroom… both of you,” Lawrence said. “Do not do anything funny… I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot…”

Sofia nodded at Miss Amores and the two made their way towards the master bedroom where Lawrence instructed Miss Amores to put on a handcuff that he had and handcuffed herself into the bathroom. Again, Sofia only nodded. She did not want to rile up Lawrence and cause an accident.

Sadly, Miss Amores did something unexpected.

Miss Amores’s act of defiance was a blur of movement. One moment she was about to accept the handcuff, the next she was a whirlwind of limbs. With a strangled cry, she lunged for Lawrence, aiming for the gun clutched in his hand.

Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Sofia barely had time to register what was happening before the world seemed to tilt on its axis. She stumbled back, a gasp escaping her lips.

Surprised by the unexpected attack, Lawrence reacted with a snarl and a flailing arm. The gun went off with a deafening bang, the bullet embedding itself somewhere in the wall with a spray of plaster dust.

Sofia screamed, a primal fear tearing through her. This wasn’t a standoff anymore. This was a fight for survival.

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In the split second of stunned silence that followed, Lawrence roared with fury. He shoved Miss Amores back, sending her sprawling onto the hardwood floor. Before she could scramble away, he was on top of her, the gun pointed at her head with sickening finality.

“You stupid woman!” he bellowed, his voice tight with rage. “You ruined everything!”

Sofia’s scream ripped through the tense silence, a raw plea that echoed off the walls of the room. “Don’t!” Her voice trembled, laced with desperation that clawed at her throat.

“I will do everything!” Sofia choked out, eyes darting between Lawrence’s cold fury and Miss Amores’s terrified gaze. “Please don’t shoot… please… I will do everything that you

want!”

A flicker of surprise crossed Lawrence’s face, then morphed into a twisted smile. He glanced down at Miss Amores, who flinched beneath him, her eyes wide with a mixture of defiance and fear. “Anything?” he sneered, the gun unwavering in its deadly aim.

Sofia’s heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drum against the chilling silence. “Yes! Anything!” she cried, the words tumbling out in a desperate torrent. “Just put the gun down. Please.”

BO BAD HERE KJ Z Z

Lawrence considered her for a long, agonizing moment. Finally, with a slow, deliberate movement, he lowered the gun from Miss Amores’s head, but not by much. He kept it pointed at her chest.

“Then handcuff her,” he rasped, his voice cold and emotionless.

Relief flooded Sofia, so intense it almost made her dizzy. She reached for the handcuffs Lawrence tossed at her feet, her hands shaking so violently she fumbled for a moment. Miss Amores, understanding the unspoken command, offered her wrists, her face pale but resolute.

Sofia knelt beside her, the metal of the handcuffs icy against her skin. Each click of the lock echoed in the room like a death knell.

*BANG*

A fresh wave of nausea washed over Sofia as the metallic tang of blood suddenly filled the air.

She froze, her gaze snapping up to meet Lawrence’s. Her blood ran cold. A single red bloom stained the sleeve of Miss Amores’s blouse, spreading outwards with horrifying slowness.

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Seeing Sofia’s reaction, a cruel amusement danced in Lawrence’s eyes as he held the smoking gun inches from Miss Amores’s arm.

“Y-You-

“Flesh wound…” Lawrence shrugged. “Did you truly expect me to reward defiance?” he

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asked, a twisted smile on his face. “Now… drag her towards the bathroom, leave the door open. One mistake and I will shoot.”

“She’s bleeding…” Sofia said. “She needs medical attention. I-”

“Defiance… will not be rewarded, Sofia. Unless you want the next bullet in her head…”

“Alright,” Sofia bit her lower lip. Bile rose in Sofia’s throat as she grabbed Miss Amores’s limp arm. Tears welled in Sofia’s eyes, blurring her vision. She couldn’t let them fall.

Not now.

With a strength born of desperation, Sofia hoisted Miss Amores to her feet. A choked moan escaped the secretary’s lips as her legs buckled beneath her weight. The metallic tang of blood intensified, a sickening counterpoint to the frantic hammering of Sofia’s heart.

Each step towards the bathroom felt like an eternity. Miss Amores’s weight dragged on Sofia, and the raw, exposed wound on her arm left a trail of crimson on the pristine white carpet. Sofia gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move, ignoring the tremor in her legs and the strangled gasps escaping Miss Amores’s lips.

Reaching the bathroom doorway, Sofia paused, her gaze darting nervously towards Lawrence. He hadn’t moved, the gun still a constant threat pointed at Miss Amores’s back. With a silent plea, Sofia met his gaze. The amusement had vanished, replaced by a cold, predatory glint.

“Just the bathroom,” he rasped, his voice devoid of any emotion.

Sofia swallowed the lump in her throat. There was no arguing. No defying him further. Not with Miss Amores bleeding out in front of her. With a herculean effort, she

managed to maneuver Miss Amores into the bathroom.

“Slowly come out of the room… place both of your hands on your head…” Lawrence said. Sofia gritted her teeth as she followed his instructions.

“She will bleed to death if we do not give her any medical attention,” Sofia said.

“Isn’t it entertaining how you thought I would care about such trivial matters?” he responded without batting an eyelid. Hearing this, Sofia’s gaze shook. She could only

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hope that Miss Amores would find a way to stop the bleeding.

There should be a first-aid kit in the bathroom and some medicine for the pain.

“Now… go out of the room. We are leaving.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear me?” he asked. “We are leaving.”

Her mind reeled with a horrifying question – where were they going? Escape? Another hostage situation somewhere else? The possibilities were as endless as they were terrifying.

Sofia complied. She stumbled out of the bedroom with Lawrence in tow.

“Open the door. Slowly,” Lawrence ordered.

Sofia’s hand trembled as she reached for the knob. Every muscle in her body screamed at her to run, to do something, anything to defy him. She could only hope that the person who informed Miss Amores about Lawrence and asked her to return would somehow find it strange that Miss Amores did not call them back and check the flat themselves.

That would be the only way.

Sofia’s heart raced against her chest as she took a step out of the flat. However, the world seemed to suddenly lurch sideways as a figure slammed into Lawrence, sending them both crashing into a heap on the living room floor. Sofia’s scream died in her throat, replaced by a gasp of stunned surprise. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drum solo threatening to burst out of her chest.

Through the haze of shock, she recognized the figure as Alexander, her husband. Relief washed over her, so sudden and intense it left her legs shaky. But relief quickly morphed into fear again. Alexander was unarmed, completely outmatched against a man with a gun.

“Alexander!” she shrieked, her voice cracking with a mixture of terror and panic.

Lawrence snarled a feral sound that sent shivers down Sofia’s spine. He wrestled with Alexander, his face contorted in rage. The gun clattered to the floor a few feet away, forgotten in the struggle. For a few seconds, the two started what looked like a fist fight with Lawrence being pinned down on the floor.

However, this was not the time for Sofia to blank out.

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Sofia didn’t hesitate. She lunged for the weapon, scrambling across the carpet on hands and knees. Reaching it, she snatched it up, her grip slick with sweat. Her finger hovered over the trigger, her gaze fixed on the two tangled figures on the floor.

“Get off him!” she screamed, her voice surprisingly steady considering the tremor running through her hands. “Get off him now!”

Lawrence, momentarily distracted by Sofia’s shout, managed to shove Alexander away. He scrambled to his feet, a murderous glint in his eyes. But before he could react further, Sofia had pointed the gun directly at him.

“Don’t move,” she commanded, her voice surprisingly firm. “One step and you’re dead.”

This wasn’t Sofia. This was a stranger, fueled by a primal urge to protect her loved ones. Lawrence stared at her, his expression a mix of surprise and disbelief. Then, a slow, humorless smile spread across his face.

“You wouldn’t shoot,” he scoffed, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. “You wouldn’t have the guts.”

Sofia gritted her teeth, her finger tightening on the trigger. The metal was cold against her skin.

“Don’t test me,” she growled, her voice low and dangerous.

“Test you?” Lawrence scoffed. “Your mother raised you to-

*BANG*

Lawrence was not able to finish his words as Sofia suddenly pulled the trigger.

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Sofia cradled the mug of tea in her hands, the warmth sceping into her chilled skin. Her eyes darted nervously towards the bathroom door, where the murmur of voices and the sterile scent of disinfectant told her the paramedics were tending to Miss Amores.

Each ciang of a dropped instrument or muffled curse sent a fresh jolt of adrenaline through her. The echo of the gunshot that sounded sharp and final still reverberated in her ears. It was deafening.

She took a small sip of the tea and then winced at its bitterness. Nothing tasted right. The world felt muted, and the vibrant colors of the living room dulled to a washed–out

gray.

Her gaze drifted to the spot on the floor where Lawrence had crumpled, the memory of his lifeless eyes sending a fresh wave of nausea churning in her stomach. He was gone, a monster eliminated, but at what cost?

The metallic tang of blood that was faint but unmistakable lingered in the air. Miss Amores. Was she going to be alright? The image of the secretary, pale and wounded, flashed in Sofia’s mind.

Had she done the right thing? The question hammered at her, a relentless drumbeat against the backdrop of the approaching sirens. Relief warred with a chilling sense of dread.

Just as her mind was about to spiral, she felt a warm hand over hers. Her gaze immediately turned towards Alexander. “He is going to live…” his gaze was kind and gentle. For a moment, she recalled what Lawrence told her. “But there is a probability that he might be disabled.”

Sofia nodded without saying a word. Somehow, his hand around hers felt warmer. She quite liked it.

“Come here…” Alexander said as he pulled her towards his chest. “I’m sorry…”

Sofia said nothing as she bathed herself in his familiar and comforting smell. She closed her eyes as she thought about everything that happened. If Alexander did not arrive… what would have happened? The police informed her that there was a car waiting for Lawrence outside.

Apparently, the driver was Min- Lawrence’s son. He was able to fool everyone by going abroad and quietly coming back to help his father escape. Luckily, he was arrested too.

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However, this was not the only news that they received as Min and Charlotte’s mother

Lianne had been found dead in another motel in California just that morning. Sofia thought that the woman left the States. She was wrong.

A choked sob escaped her lips, startling even herself. Alexander tightened his hold, his silence a comforting weight against her back. He didn’t need to say anything. He understood the storm brewing within her.

He tightened his hold on her, his silence felt like a powerful language that spoke volumes. He understood. The news about Lianne was just another layer on a horrifying cake, but it wasn’t the grief for a woman she barely knew that caused the dam to break.

It was the weight of everything. The terror, the adrenaline, the split–second decision that had altered the very fabric of her reality. A fresh wave of nausea washed over her, and a tremor ran through her body. Tears welled up in her eyes, hot and stinging, blurring the world around her. She buried her face in Alexander’s chest,

“It’s okay,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. “You’re okay now. You’re safe.”

The tears spilled over, hot and silent, soaking the front of his shirt. She clung to him, her body shaking with the aftershocks of trauma.

Sadly, there were no words for what she felt. She had survived, yes, but at what cost? The echo of the gunshot reverberated in her ears, a constant reminder of the line she had crossed.

But in that moment, wrapped in Alexander’s embrace, surrounded by the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat, she allowed herself to surrender to the raw emotion. He held her close like a silent pillar as she sobbed.

The world outside might be a mess, the future uncertain, but for now, in the haven of his arms, she could let go. The tears would come again, the nightmares too, but for now, she had this – a moment of solace, a shared breath, a flicker of hope that she could

face what came next.

Suddenly, the bathroom door creaked open, immediately drawing their attention. A young paramedic stepped out.

“Ms. Sofia, Mr. Beaumont…” he said gently. “The ambulance is ready for your friend. She’s lost some blood, but she’ll be alright with treatment.”

Relief washed over Sofia, a wave so fierce it almost knocked her off her feet. Miss Amores would be okay. A flicker of guilt pricked at her conscience. Amidst the chaos, she hadn’t even considered the toll the ordeal must have taken on the secretary.

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“Thank you,” she managed to choke out, her voice thick with emotion.

The paramedic nodded curtly and turned to help Miss Amores, who emerged from the bathroom with the help of the paramedics.

Not long after, Sofia found herself in Alexander’s arms as he carried her out of the flat. This time, she did not ask where they were going or ask for him to stop carrying her as she was perfectly capable of walking. Instead, she buried her face on his neck and closed her eyes.

She stayed in his arms until they arrived in his car and left the area.

The next thing that Sofia knew, she was already drifting off to sleep.

When she woke up, Sofia found herself in an unfamiliar room. Instead, a soft golden glow filled the room, filtering in through the floral–patterned curtains. The sunlight outside cast a warm, dappled effect across the ceiling, dancing playfully with the dust motes swirling in the air.

She was tucked beneath a quilt that felt impossibly soft, the woven pattern a kaleidoscope of calming blues and lavenders. The air held a faint scent of lavender and chamomile, a soothing aroma that instantly put her at ease. Her gaze drifted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

The walls were painted a pale cream, adorned with simple botanical prints – delicate watercolors of wildflowers and ferns.

A plush armchair sat tucked in a corner, a knitted throw draped casually over its back. The sunlight streamed through the large window, illuminating a bookshelf overflowing with worn paperbacks and a few framed photographs.

A low rumble suddenly erupted from her stomach, shattering the peaceful silence. Sofia flushed, embarrassed by the sudden noise. Just then, a delicious aroma wafted into the room. Her stomach grumbled again, a much louder protest this time.

A chuckle sounded from the doorway, and Sofia turned to see Alexander leaning against the doorframe, a smile playing on his lips. He held a tray piled high with golden brown pancakes drizzled with warm syrup and topped with a mountain of fresh berries.

“Someone seems to be awake,” he said, his voice warm with amusement. “And apparently quite hungry.”

Sofia’s cheeks burned even hotter. “I, uh…” she stammered, unsure of what to say. He

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was wearing a simple white shirt and sweatpants yet, he looked like a model just casually walking out of a magazine.

Was it the lighting of the room?

Alexander raised an eyebrow playfully. “Come on,” he said, setting the tray down on a small table beside the bed. “Let’s get you some breakfast. You deserve a feast,” he said.

A slow smile spread across her face. The exhaustion still clung to her like a shadow, but for the first time since the ordeal, a flicker of normalcy, of comfort, sparked within her. She sat up

in bed, leaning against the plush headboard.

However, before she could say another word, Alexander suddenly held a fork towards her with a slice of pancake. “Say ah?” he said.

Almost immediately, the peaceful environment shattered.

Sofia stared at the fork, then at Alexander, his face alight with playful mischief. Her mind, still sluggish from sleep, struggled to catch up. “Say… ah?” she echoed, completely bewildered.

“Come on now,” he teased, jiggling the fork in front of her nose. “Open wide. You wouldn’t want these delicious pancakes to get cold, would you?”

Sofia blinked, the absurdity of the situation finally dawning on her. A choked laugh escaped her lips, quickly turning into a full–blown fit of giggles. Here she was, exhausted, traumatized, and possibly facing a lifetime of repercussions, yet Alexander was trying to feed her pancakes like a child?

“Oh my god,” she gasped between giggles, wiping tears from her eyes. “You are unbelievable!”

Alexander’s playful grin faltered slightly. “Hey, I was trying to be nice! You looked like you could use some cheering up.”

Sofia’s laughter subsided into a contented sigh. “You are nice,” she admitted, a genuine smile gracing her lips. It was the first real smile she’d managed since the ordeal, and it felt like a tiny ray of sunshine breaking through the storm clouds that had been hanging over her.

“And handsome too,” he uttered, his face serious. “Any woman would be lucky to have me. Now, open wide. These pancakes aren’t going to eat themselves.”

Hesitantly, Sofia leaned forward and took a bite. The warm, fluffy pancake drizzled with sweet syrup instantly brought a smile back to her face. Maybe, just maybe, amidst the

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chaos, there was still room for a little kindness, a little normaley.

“See?” Alexander said triumphantly, “Delicious, right? I even snuck in some blucherries, your favorite,”

Sofia chewed thoughtfully, “Actually” she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “strawberries are my favorite?

Alexander’s face fell comically, “Wait, what? But… I spent ages looking for blueberries”

Sofia burst out laughing again, the sound filling the room with newfound lightness. As she took another bite of the pancake, a delicious combination of sweetness and tartness exploding in her mouth, she knew that the road ahead would be long and possibly difficult. Strangely enough, she didn’t feel heavy at all.

Was it because she was with him? Was it because he was her husband?

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After a rather comical yet comforting breakfast, Sofia washed herself up in another cozy bathroom before she walked out of the room and found herself in one of the most comfortable cabins she had ever seen.

Alexander had already explained that they were currently in a cabin that once belonged to his mother’s family, a small cabin by the lake.

She found him sitting by the window, reading a book. “Japanese?” she asked.

A soft smile played on Alexander’s lips as he closed the book, his gaze meeting Sofia’s. “Trying to decipher the kanji?” he asked, his voice warm and inviting.

Sofia sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. “Actually, I recognized it. I used to want to learn Japanese, but…” she trailed off, a hint of self–deprecation tinging her voice. “I convinced myself I wasn’t smart enough.”

Alexander’s smile widened, the amusement reaching his eyes. “There’s a reason they call it learning a language, not knowing it. You could always give it another shot.”

Sofia considered this, a flicker of interest sparking in her eyes. “Maybe,” she admitted. Maybe soon?

The warmth of their conversation settled around them like a soft blanket, but a nagging thought pricked at Sofia’s conscience. She glanced out the window, where the winter sun cast a silvery sheen on the frozen surface of the lake.

According to Alexander, Lawrence survived, but the bullet hit his spine, and he might become paralyzed from the neck down. And because it was all self–defense, Sofia just needed to submit her statement once she was back.

Sofia recalled what Lawrence told her but ended up not saying anything about it to Alexander. After much deliberation, she realized it wasn’t worth it. After all, she and Alexander had a pretty strong prenuptial agreement. Both of them are pretty capable. Was there a need to talk about wealth between them?

She still had so many questions but in the end, she said nothing and continued her conversation about languages.

Apparently, Alexander knows not just two or three but five languages aside from English!

He knew how to speak French, Japanese, Mandarin, Arabic, and Spanish. He

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emphasized that this was needed for his business.

“Speaking of your company…” she lifted an eyebrow. Her gaze landed on the laptop and some paperwork on the table in the living room. “Are you planning to work while we are here?”

“Just something that I needed to finish. Josef will take them later.”

She smiled.

“Do you want to go to the lake?” he asked.

She turned towards the lake beyond the trees. “It’s frozen…”

“Isn’t it perfect for skating?”

“Skating…” she frowned.

A playful glint lit up Alexander’s eyes as he noticed Sofia’s frown. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little ice?” he teased, a hint of amusement dancing in his voice.

Sofia scoffed, puffing out her chest in mock indignation. “Afraid? Please,” she countered, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Ice doesn’t scare me. It’s the inevitable faceplant that comes with it.” Actually, she liked to skate when she was younger, but Charlotte was always better than her. Slowly, she simply lost interest and now, she definitely sucked at it.

Now, all she wanted was to save herself from the embarrassment.

“Come…” he got up and held her hand. “Unless you just wanted to stay in bed all day with me. Obviously, I can do that but-”

“I will skate!” she interrupted him, causing him to laugh.

It didn’t take too long for them to change into their appropriate outfits that were prepared in advance by Josef.

The crisp winter air hit them as they stepped outside, the sun glinting off the vast expanse of the frozen lake. The ice stretched before them like a smooth, white canvas, dusted with a light layer of snow that sparkled like scattered diamonds. In the distance, a snowy pine forest edged the horizon, adding a touch of picturesque charm to the

scene.

Alexander stopped by the porch, pulling a pair of thick winter boots from beside the door. “Here,” he said, kneeling down and helping her untie the laces of her sneakers.

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These will keep your feet warm while we get to the smoother ice.”

Sofia slipped on the boots, a comfortable fit thanks to Josef’s foresight. As they reached the edge of the lake, Alexander pointed towards a specific area. “See that stretch there, closer to the center?” he said, his voice warm. “The ice looks nice and clear. Perfect for beginners.

“I am not a beginner…” she mumbled.

“Of course,” he said before he explained that they should take small steps at first, getting a feel for the ice and how their weight transferred with each movement. He suggested keeping their knees slightly bent and their arms out for balance. For stopping, he said they could simply try slowing down gradually until they came to a halt, or they could practice a simple snowplow technique where they pointed their toes inward to create a wedge against the ice.

“Don’t worry,” Alexander reassured her, a smile playing on his lips. “I’ll be right beside

the whole time. And if you do take a tumble, it’ll be soft with all this fresh snow. Or you can grab my hand and fall into my arms instead.”

you

She immediately glared at him. Why was he treating her like a complete newbie? “I know how to skate…” she does. She really does!

“Right…”

“Hey! I am telling the truth!”

“I know,” he said. His playful wink did little to quell the nervous butterflies fluttering in Sofia’s stomach. The ice looked beautiful, serene even, but the memory of past tumbles was a nagging reminder of her lack of grace on skates.

Ignoring Alexander’s teasing wink, Sofia puffed out her chest in a show of false confidence. “Fine,” she conceded, a hint of defiance lacing her voice. “Let’s see these beginner tips in action.”

Alexander chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. “Alright, alright,” he soothed, guiding her towards the smoother ice he had pointed out earlier. “But remember, even Olympic skaters started somewhere.”

He helped her lace–up a pair of ice skates he’d retrieved from a hidden compartment near the cabin door. They were surprisingly comfortable, fitting snugly around her ankles. Taking a deep breath, Sofia gripped the edge of a nearby wooden bench and slowly pushed herself onto the ice.

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The first few steps were wobbly, her legs feeling like jelly beneath her. Self–doubt threatened to bubble up, but Alexander’s encouraging presence beside her kept her going. He skated a slow circle around her, holding his arms out just out of reach, a silent promise of support.

Gradually, Sofia started to find her rhythm. The initial awkwardness gave way to a tentative glide, the feeling of the smooth ice beneath her blades surprisingly exhilarating. She focused on keeping her knees slightly bent, just like Alexander had instructed, and found that it helped her maintain some semblance of balance.

With each successful push, Sofia’s confidence grew. She dared to take a little more speed, a giddy laugh escaping her lips as she glided across the ice. The winter sun glinted off the snow, casting a dazzling display of light that danced before her eyes.

Laughter and the rhythmic scrape of blades against ice filled the air.

Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. There were a couple of wobbles, a near tumble that made Alexander shoot out a hand to steady her. But even the stumbles felt different here, somehow less embarrassing and more like part of the learning process.

With each wobble, Sofia felt a sense of accomplishment as she managed to regain her balance, a silent victory over her self–doubt.

“I didn’t know you were actually good…” Alexander said as he stood beside her.

“Me too…” her answer came before she could even think about it. “I mean… them… I am really good at it, right?”

He chuckled in response.

Sofia beamed then she started moving again. “If I knew I would be this good… I would have become a professional skater instead.” Obviously, she was simply bragging.

A bead of sweat trickled down Alexander’s temple as he watched Sofia skate. He couldn’t deny a wave of surprise washing over him. Despite her initial protests about being a beginner, she was gliding across the ice with surprising grace, her laughter echoing through the crisp winter air.

He skated a parallel path a few feet away, keeping a watchful eye on her. She seemed to be finding her rhythm, her movements growing more confident with each push.

A smile tugged at his lips as he saw a genuine sense of joy light up her face. It was a far cry from the guarded woman he’d encountered just a few days ago.

Suddenly, Sofia wobbled, her arms flailing out for balance. Alexander’s heart lurched in

his chest. He reacted instinctively, pushing off the ice with a powerful stroke and propelling himself towards her. “Sofial” he called out, panic lacing his voice.

But before he could reach her, Sofia tripped over a hidden patch of uneven ice. With a surprised yelp, she landed squarely on her backside, the soft thud muffled only slightly by the fresh snow. Alexander skidded to a halt beside her, his chest heaving with

exertion.

“Sofia, are you alright?” he asked urgently, his eyes scanning her for any signs of injury. He knelt down beside her, offering a hand to help her up.

Sofia lay there for a moment, a comical look of surprise plastered across her face. For a few seconds, she just stared at the sky. She slowly turned her head towards him. Then, a giggle escaped her lips, quickly turning into a full–blown belly laugh. “Oh my god,” she gasped between fits of laughter, “Did someone tell you how good you look up close?”

Alexander stared at her, momentarily speechless. Relief flooded through him, quickly replaced by bewildered amusement. The fear that had gripped him moments ago seemed utterly ridiculous now. Here she was, sprawled on the ice, and all she could muster was a cheesy pick–up line?

He couldn’t help but chuckle, a warm sound that rumbled in his chest. “You know,” he said, wiping a stray snowflake from his cheek, “that’s the second time you’ve fallen for me today.”

Sofia, red–faced and breathless from laughter, finally managed to sit up. “Hey!” she protested, swatting him playfully with a gloved hand. “That was a compliment! Besides, technically, I fell on the ice, not for you.” A sly grin spread across her face. “I mean… it’s not actually that bad to fall for your face, right?”

“My face?” he extended a hand to help her pull herself up. “Is that a confession?”

Sofia dusted the snow off her backside, then looked at him. “No,” Sofia finally blurted out, her cheeks burning red. “It’s not weird. I, uh…” She stammered, completely flustered. “I like your face, okay? Just your face. A lot.”

The unexpected confession, delivered with such flustered honesty, did the trick. Alexander burst out laughing, the sound echoing across the frozen lake. Sofia, mortified, glared at him.

“My face?” he repeated between chuckles, wiping a tear from his eye. “Just my face, huh?”

Sofia opened her mouth to retort, but another wave of laughter bubbled up

inside her.

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She couldn’t help but join him, the tension dissolving into a shared moment of

amusement.

As their laughter subsided, Alexander reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind Sofia’s car. His gaze held hers, his smile turning tender. “Well,” he murmured, his voice husky, “your face is pretty darn amazing too”

The playful banter was forgotten, replaced by a sudden seriousness that sent shivers down Sofia’s spine. Before she could respond, Alexander leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a soft, unexpected kiss.

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“It has been a week since you ran away from me… are you sure he’s not planning to hide you from the world or something?” Karina asked.

“He’s not…” Sofia said.

“He is not holding you against your will, right?” Karina asked.

“Of course not!” Sofia chuckled at that.

“You sound different…” Karina said. Hearing this, Sofia smiled. She got out of bed and walked towards the window where she could see Alexander chopping up some firewood for the cabin. It had been a week since they stayed in this cabin. A week since that ‘incident‘ happened.

Seeing him chopping wood for the fireplace was no longer new to Sofia. A familiar warmth bloomed in her chest as she watched him work. The crisp air sent tendrils of smoke curling up from the woodpile, momentarily obscuring the play of corded muscles in his back and arms.

She couldn’t deny a thrill that shot through her every time she saw him like this, so domestic yet undeniably primal. He glanced up, catching her eye through the window. A slow, teasing smile spread across his face, a silent promise that sent a shiver down her

spine.

“How are you feeling?” Karina’s question pulled her out of her stupor.

“Well… I feel better now that you told me that man will not be able to walk and will rot in prison,” Sofia said. Alexander already told her this. However, hearing Karina confirm everything made it sound even better. Does that make sense?

“Then when are you coming back?” Karina asked.

“Probably two or three days more…”

“You are not really planning to leave your company behind, right?”

“Of course not,” Sofia chuckled. It’s just that… this place felt so peaceful and different. She wanted to stay here longer but she knew that would be impossible. Both of them have responsibilities. A sigh escaped her lips.

“What’s wrong?” Karina must have sensed her unease.

“Did you once dream about living a life in the mountains? Away from everyone

else?”

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she asked.

There was laughter on the other line. Sofia immediately frowned. “What?” Sofia asked.

“Are you joking?” Karina asked.

“Well…”

“I would love a life like that…” Karina interrupted her before she could say ‘never mind‘. “But I can’t exactly do that… can I?”

“Right…” What was Sofia thinking?

“A week in a cabin and you are already thinking of giving up your mansion and living in a place like that?” Karina chortled. “I mean… I know your husband is hot and you are probably spending a lot of time in bed with him but let’s be honest here… your man had a multimillion–dollar company to run and you you are going to take over LH Group once the dust settles.”

Sofia sighed. “I know…” Sofia said.

“Do you?”

“I really do.”

Karina chuckled. “But you can go back there every month, right? I mean… I know you will be busy once you get back but a day or two away should not harm you… right?”

Sofia’s expression brightened when she heard that. “Why do you always say the right things?” she asked.

“Because I’m pretty?”

Sofia laughed.

“Anyway… I should go now.” Karina said. “He only asked me to update you about the case. I should probably not spend the whole day chatting.”

“Right… send my regards to Adam.”

“Do it yourself. That man is grumpy right now.”

“Right…” Sofia said before the two bid each other goodbye. Sofia’s gaze landed on the ‘lumberjack‘ once again. Luckily, they have no neighbors or she would have told him to stop doing what he was doing. She chuckled at her thoughts.

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What was she thinking?

She moved away from the window and once again made her way into the bed where a book was waiting for her. With a smile on her face, Sofia started reading her book until she fell asleep.

The darkness around her jolted her awake. For a short period, panic surged inside Sofia. Then she realized that the room wasn’t completely dark now as there was a lamp not too far away from her. She had actually fallen asleep while reading her book!

Alexander must have come inside the room and tucked her in. Checking her phone, Sofia realized that it was already seven in the evening. She walked towards the window and just as she expected, it was already dark.

Then she made her way out of the room. “Alexander?” she called out when she smelled something good. Was he making something delicious again? Since they stayed here, Alexander started showing off his culinary skills and decided to cook a lot of delicious meals for her.

“Alexander?” she called out once again as she made her way into the first floor of the cabin. When she didn’t hear any answer, Sofia checked the kitchen. Sadly, Alexander was nowhere to be found. However, just as she was about to leave the kitchen, she spotted a fire outside of the cabin.

Sofia arched an eyebrow as she found her thick coat and boots. She then made her way outside and finally found the man that she was looking for.

The crisp night air hit Sofia like a slap as she stepped outside, the thick winter coat doing little to ward off the sudden chill. But the cold was forgotten the moment she saw the source of the flickering light a crackling campfire blazing merrily in a clearing just beyond the cabin porch.

Alexander stood beside it, his broad form silhouetted against the dancing flames. He was lost in concentration, flipping something over a cast iron pan that hung precariously from a tripod above the fire. The scent of woodsmoke mingled with the aroma of sizzling food, a delicious combination that instantly made her stomach rumble.

“Hey,” she called out, her voice soft in the crackling silence of the night.

He whirled around, a surprised smile splitting his face. “Hungry?”

The firelight cast warm shadows across his face, highlighting the planes of his cheeks and the glint of amusement in his eyes. She couldn’t help but feel a familiar warmth

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bloom in her chest.

“The smell woke me up,” she admitted, stepping closer to the fire, the heat radiating outwards a welcome comfort. “What are you making?”

“Just some steaks I found in the cabin’s pantry,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Figured we could have a proper campfire dinner.”

“This place is amazing, isn’t it?” Sofia finally broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper.

“It is,” he agreed, leaning back against a tree trunk. “But it’s even better with you here.”

This escape from their usual hectic lives, this stolen moment in the wilderness, seemed to be heightening everything between them.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, the only sound of the crackling fire and the occasional sound of what seemed like insects or animals nearby. Sofia watched as the flames danced, casting an enchanting glow on Alexander’s face.

“Want to see something special?” he asked suddenly, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Before she could answer, he was already holding out a hand towards her. Taking it without hesitation, she allowed him to pull her up to her feet.

“Where are we going?” she asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “What about the food?”

A grin spread across Alexander’s face. “Don’t worry, the steaks need to rest a few minutes anyway. Besides, I wouldn’t let you starve.”

He took her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers, sending a spark of warmth through her. “Come on,” he said, his voice a husky murmur. “It’s just a short walk.”

They followed a narrow path that led away from the cabin, the snow crunching softly under their boots. Fairy lights strung along the way cast a soft glow on the snow- covered trees, creating a magical atmosphere.

“Wow,” Sofia breathed, gazing up at the star–dusted sky. The city lights were a distant memory here, replaced by a breathtaking canvas of twinkling stars.

They reached a small clearing, and Alexander led her to a rocky outcrop that jutted out from the cliffside. The world seemed to fall away beneath them, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding valley.

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Sofia gasped, speechless at the beauty before her. The moonlight cast an almost magical glow on the snow–covered landscape, and the distant mountains seemed to pierce the night sky.

Alexander wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. Their body heat radiated against the crisp night air, creating a warm haven in the vastness of the wilderness.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he murmured, his voice low and intimate.

Sofia leaned her head against his shoulder, a contented sigh escaping her lips. “It is,” she whispered back. “This whole place is magical.”

They stood in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the moment, the breathtaking scenery, and the warmth of each other’s company. The weight of their responsibilities back in the city seemed to melt away under the vast expanse of the night sky.

“I don’t want this to end,” Sofia finally admitted, a hint of sadness in her voice.

He squeezed her hand gently. “Me neither,” he replied, his voice husky with unspoken emotion. “But we can always come back, right?”

She pursed her lips. “Hey, Alexander?”

“Hm?”

She turned her head towards him, meeting his warm gaze. “I think I am falling for

you…”

The silence that followed almost made her heart burst. Was he going to reject her?

A smile slowly appeared on his face. “Isn’t that unfortunate?” he asked.

“What is?” she frowned, confusion laced her gaze. The amusement in his voice sent a playful jab through her nervousness. She swatted at his arm lightly. “Unfortunate? Why would that be unfortunate?”

He chuckled, the sound warm and rich in the quiet night air. “Because, darling,” he leaned in, his voice dropping to a husky whisper, “I thought you fell first. After all… I fell for you a lifetime ago.”

Chapter III

Sofia gasped, speechless at the beauty before her. The moonlight cast an almost magical glow on the snow–covered landscape, and the distant mountains seemed to pierce the night sky.

Alexander wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. Their body heat radiated against the crisp night air, creating a warm haven in the vastness of the wilderness.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he murmured, his voice low and intimate.

Sofia leaned her head against his shoulder, a contented sigh escaping her lips. “It is,” she whispered back. “This whole place is magical.”

They stood in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the moment, the breathtaking scenery, and the warmth of each other’s company. The weight of their responsibilities back in the city seemed to melt away under the vast expanse of the night sky.

“I don’t want this to end,” Sofia finally admitted, a hint of sadness in her voice.

He squeezed her hand gently. “Me neither,” he replied, his voice husky with unspoken emotion. “But we can always come back, right?”

She pursed her lips. “Hey, Alexander?”

“Hm?”

She turned her head towards him, meeting his warm gaze. “I think I am falling for you…”

The silence that followed almost made her heart burst. Was he going to reject her?

A smile slowly appeared on his face. “Isn’t that unfortunate?” he asked.

“What is?” she frowned, confusion laced her gaze. The amusement in his voice sent a playful jab through her nervousness. She swatted at his arm lightly. “Unfortunate? Why would that be unfortunate?”

He chuckled, the sound warm and rich in the quiet night air. “Because, darling,” he leaned in, his voice dropping to a husky whisper, “I thought you fell first. After all… I fell for you a lifetime ago.”

Chapter 112

Sofia wondered how the state would accommodate Lawrence and his new paralyzed state but soon, Alexander explained how the state had a facility that would house criminals like Lawrence.

The facility was less like a prison and more like a specialized hospital.

Alexander explained it had all the security features of a high–security prison – fences, guards, the whole package.

But instead of cramped cells, there were modified rooms with adjustable beds and accessible bathrooms. Therapists and nurses would be on staff 24/7 to handle everything from physical therapy to medication.

Sofia stared at Lawrence who was slumped in the wheelchair, a far cry from the arrogant figure who’d orchestrated their misery. His once–booming voice was reduced to a raspy whisper, his eyes dull and vacant.

He seemed to shrink under the weight of his crimes, the reflection of the sterile white walls mirroring the emptiness in his gaze. A sliver of satisfaction flickered in Sofia, a tiny flame against the overwhelming sense of relief. This was his new reality a world confined to a metal frame, his once–powerful limbs reduced to useless appendages.

The life he’d tried to steal from them was now his own prison, a constant reminder of the havoc he’d wreaked. Lawrence’s head twitched ever so slightly, his gaze landing on Sofia and Alexander.

A flicker of something – maybe hate, maybe fear – sparked in his cloudy eyes before a grimace contorted his face, a silent scream trapped within his paralyzed body. Sofia met his gaze for a fleeting moment, then turned away.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t want to talk to him?” Alexander asked.

“I am…” fia said. She thought she would feel something while staring at Lawrence, perhaps the triumph of being the victor or the relief of having the justice that she and her mother deserve.

“I don’t want to waste my time here…” she said. The only reason she came was because she wanted to see him one last time. She wanted to see the face of the

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man who would suffer in this place for the rest of his miserable life.

“Alright…” Alexander held her hand and the two slowly walked away from

Lawrence.

“Do you think I am too weak?” she asked as they reached the parking lot of the facility.

“No… you’re fine.”

“Really?”

“Well… I would prefer it if you told him that you would poison his food or something,” Alexander looked at the cloudless sky. “But letting him rot in that place without knowing anything is good too…”

Sofia smiled. Right. Letting Lawrence live in that place without knowing if he would one day succumb to poison or something else is better. She did not want to give him the satisfaction and show him that his ending affected her.

She made herself comfortable inside Alexander’s car. Everything just happened so fast, but at the end of the day, she was safe and sound and she found a man like him.

“Where to?” he asked.

“Lawrence told me that you only married me because of Eulanda’s scheme…” Sofia said as she met Alexander’s eyes. “Is he telling the truth?” she asked.

“If the scheme was to make me marry the woman that was supposed to be mine the moment she was born then… perhaps he was right,” he simply started the car. Then he turned towards her, and a sly smirk appeared on his face. “But then again… my words wouldn’t hold any meaning. Why not live a life with me and find out if what he said was true?” he casually asked.

She arc‘ I an eyebrow, her eyes glued at his. The two had already confessed to each other. “Are you-” Before she could finish her words, he took something from the compartment of the car and handed it to her.

“What is this?” she asked as she opened the velvet box. “A ring?” he already gave her one.

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Marry me?” he asked.

“I thought we were already married?”

“Again.”

She widened her eyes, surprise flickered in her gaze as she stared at the blue diamond.

“And if I say no?” she asked, smiling.

“Then I’ll ask you again tomorrow.”

“What if I say no again?”

“I’ll simply ask you to marry me every day until you say yes…” he turned his gaze towards the road. “It’s not like you have a choice or something…”

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She pursed her lips as she took the ring and placed it on her ring finger. “Then… I guess I will be forced to marry you again.”

6 years later

Sofia opened a box that Miss Amores handed her. “Please make sure that everything is well taken care of…” Sofia said and Miss Amores slowly left the room without saying another word.

Sighing, Sofia held the metal box closer before she opened it. Almost immediately, she found the pictures that she was looking for.

A family picture of her, Lawrence, Charlotte, and her mother Eunice. Aside from this, there were other images of Sofia and Daniel and some other things from the past. Just a few hours ago, she received news that Charlotte unfortunately ended her own life. She had been in a mental facility for years now an ‘t seemed that she was not able to handle everything and just wanted to leave.

For years, Charlotte had always been her sister, a confidant, her best friend. Sofia never thought that one day, Charlotte would betray her and hurt her. Sofia examined the images for the last time before she got up and walked

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towards the fireplace. Without having second thoughts, she dumped all of the contents of the box on the fire, letting it consume it.

“What are you doing?” A voice suddenly echoed behind her. She immediately turned and found Karina standing by the door, her long flesh–colored gown perfectly accentuating her figure. “Why did you send everyone out?” Karina had a look of worry on her face. “Please don’t tell me you are having cold feet?”

“What are you talking about?” Sofia snorted.

“This gown of yours suits you better than the last…” Karina said. “I didn’t think that pregnancy would make someone’s body this good.”

“Stop it.”

“I am not joking. Since you gave birth, your hips seemed to have become wider…” Karina narrowed her eyes at Sofia’s chest. “And we can start talking about-”

k

“Silly…” Sofia flicked her best friend’s forehead. “Where’s mom?” she asked.

“Hiding somewhere… she’s a nervous wreck. After all, this would be the first marriage that she would be with you.” Karina laughed. “I told her this would not be the last either. After all, that husband of yours decided to renew your vows every five years. She wouldn’t stop fidgeting.”

Sofia thought of her mother who woke up just six months ago. She smiled at the thought of wearing another one of Eunice’s designs.

“She’s probably with Jenny… Don’t worry about it. I know she’ll get used to it soon.” Karina said. “By the way… you look lovely.”

“I know…” Sofia smiled. She was wearing a pink–colored ball gown that her mother designed. It was a simple yet elegant gown that she loved so much.

“I can’t wait for you to get pregnant for the second time and give me another niece to tease.”

“…” Sofia rolled her eyes. “Where is Nico?”

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“With his father,” Karina shrugged. “Alexander wouldn’t want his son to see you first. That selfish man would probably put his own son in a cage if he needed to. Good thing Adam and Hugo are with them.”

Sofia laughed at that. The thing is, Karina’s words might just be right. Lately, Alexander’s rivalry with his four–year–old son, Nico Alexander Beaumont was reaching its peak. The fact that the two looked identical almost made this rivalry comical.

“We should go… I think everyone’s ready.” Karina said. She stared at Sofia. “Nervous?”

Sofia looked at her friend in disbelief before she chuckled. “Really?”

“Right. This will be your third wedding…” Karina giggled as she walked towards the door. Then she slowly opened it, revealing Sofia’s mother Eunice, Alexander, and Nico outside.

A beautiful smile appeared on Sofia’s lips. She walked towards her mother who looked like she was about to cry then towards Alexander who was already approaching her with a smile on his face.

He then held his hand towards her. “Ready?”

“Always,” Sofia said as she took his hand.

Sofia and Alexander walked away, the firelight casting flickering shadows on the retreating figures. The past burned in the hearth, leaving only warmth and the promise of a future together.

THE END…

For some reason, my heart felt really heavy while writing this scene. I love Sofia an Alexander so much. T.T

Big thanks to Letterlux for giving this novel a chance. To Naty, I really appreciate your help. This is the end of Sofia and Alexander’s love story but I will be writing more stories about other characters like Hugo, Alex and Karina, and of course, NICO! I am also planning to post their images on my Instagram

 

Chapter 112

so please check it out.

Please check out my other novel: INSATIABLE DESIRES available on all LETTERLUX platforms. It’s steamy and hot and leaves you breathless. Don’t read it in public. hahahaha

Instagram for images of Sofia and Alexander and other characters: @b.mitchylle

Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 106-107

Chapter 106

“You– * Sofia’s hand trembled the moment she saw Lawrence calmly sitting down on the chair next to the bed, a gun in his hand.

Sofia’s heart lurched into her throat, squeezing with icy terror that instantly eclipsed the exhaustion that had moments ago been her only concern. Lawrence. How? It was impossible.

He was supposed to be rotting away in some godforsaken prisoncell, a consequence of the years of torment he’d inflicted upon her. Yet, here he sat, casually perched beside the bed, a glint of manic amusement dancing in his eyes as he regarded her with the same chilling smile that he used to fool her mother and her!

“Hello… Sofia,” Lawrence spoke.

“How?” Sofia asked, her voice trembling. How was he able to get out of prison?

The question tumbled out of Sofia, laced with a tremor that betrayed the storm raging within her. But even as she demanded answers, a horrifying realization dawned. It didn’t matter how he escaped. He was here. In her sanctuary. A predator in her den. Panic threatened to consume her.

Lawrence, however, seemed to relish in her reaction. He uncrossed his legs, the casual movement sending a fresh wave of nausea through Sofia.

“Let’s just say,” he drawled, his voice dripping with sickening amusement, “prison wasn’t exactly living up to its name. But hey,” he shrugged, his gaze flickering around the room, taking in the subtle signs of Alexander’s presence, “looks like I found myself some rather… comfortable accommodations.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked. This man must have escaped prison just now or a couple of hours ago. Meaning, he should have had the time to run away from Illinois, but he didn’t. Sofia thought about her dead phone. Again, she had forgotten to charge it earlier.

Perhaps someone tried to call her, informing her of Lawrence’s escape, but she wasn’t able to receive it as her phone died.

A cruel amusement glinted in Lawrence’s eyes. “Is that really a question that you should be asking right now, princess?” he drawled, his voice dripping with condescension. He gestured lazily with the gun in his hand, the casualness of the movement making Sofia’s stomach clench.

up on.”

“Sit down, Sofia,” he commanded, the amusement fading into a steely glint. “We have a lot to catch

The order scraped against her raw nerves. “Go on…” Lawrence smiled. “Do not make me say it again.”

Sofia swallowed.

“Uh-uh… get your things out of your pocket and throw them on the bed,” he added.

This time, Sofia complied. She took her keys and phone out and then threw them on the bed.

“Now sit…” Lawrence gestured towards the bed. “Hands on your head.”

“Really?” Sofia asked. “Do you really think I am a threat?” Disbelief flashed in her eyes. When she was younger, she always wanted to learn martial arts and well, she tried to. But Lawrence insisted that she follow her passion. The next month after that, she quit and started going to art school.

Lawrence only smirked in response. “I never saw you as one…” he said. “But look at me now?”

She frowned but slowly complied. In the end, Lawrence was in prison because he underestimated her.

A tense silence filled the room, broken only by Sofia’s breaths. Lawrence watched her with amusement, the gun still a constant, chilling reminder of his power. Defiance simmered within her, but it was tempered by a cold dose of reality. This wasn’t the time for heroics.

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Taking a deep breath, Sofia forced her voice to remain steady. “Alright, Lawrence, she began, each word measured. “Let’s” talk.” Her eyes flickered towards the discarded phone on the bed “What do you want?” she asked. “You could have used the time that you stayed here to run away from this place.”

Was that a brilliant thing to do?

By all means, Sofia found it a bit stupid. If he wanted revenge, he could have run away first and then come back when he was ready for his revenge.

“Where is Eunice?” he asked.

Almost immediately, her face turned ugly. “In a safe place.”

“Hmmmm…” Lawrence pursed his lips. “It seems that you still do not understand the question.” Out of nowhere, he pulled out what looked like another black metal. It took Sofia a few seconds to realize that it was a silencer for the gun.

The metallic click of the silencer attached to the gun echoed in the tense silence, shattering Sofia’s fragile hope.

Panic clawed at her, but she forced it down, shoving it deep where it wouldn’t cloud her judgment.

“Eunice,” Lawrence repeated, his voice a low growl. “Tell me where she is, Sofia. Now.”

The glint in his eyes wasn’t amusement anymore. It was a cold, predatory hunger, and Sofia knew exactly what it meant. He wasn’t here for some twisted reunion, for some pathetic attempt to recapture a past that never truly existed. He was here to finish what he started.

“She’s safe,” Sofia answered as her gaze darted around the room, searching for an escape, a weapon, anything. But there was nothing.

For a few seconds, she wished Alexander would come barging into the door with the authorities, but she knew it would be impossible. The man was not even in the US!

“So, she is indeed alive,” Lawrence smiled. “But we both know that is useless, yeah?”

“You-”

“The poison should have been enough to ruin her insides. She would stay in that state forever until she breathes her last.”

“You are evil.”

Lawrence beamed as he leaned back without saying anything. However, Sofia did not miss the amusement in the man’s

eyes.

“Why?” she spat, her voice ragged but laced with steely resolve. “Why did you want her dead?”

“Curious, aren’t you?” he drawled, his voice devoid of emotion. He tapped the silenced gun against his knee, the rhythmic click a constant reminder of her precarious situation. “Let’s just say, your dear old mother knew a little too much about some… unpleasant things.”

“What?”

“I wasn’t originally planning to end her just like that… after all, we were in love. I did love your mother if you were curious.” Lawrence answered, the smile on his face did not vanish.

“She…. Did she discover the smuggling?” she asked. Right now, this was the only thing that Sofia could think of. Lawrence was meticulous. He slowly poisoned her and her mother. He had been patiently waiting for years.

Why would he do something drastic? Why would he suddenly tell Dr, Mulach to increase the dosage?

Sofia was talking about the conversation that she managed to hear between Mr. Oh and Lawrence when she just discovered that Daniel was cheating on her. At that time, Lawrence must have already known that Eunice would not wake up again. What was the point of trying to end her life?

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“Hmmmm….”

A flicker of genuine emotion, something akin to sadness, flickered across Lawrence’s face before he quickly masked it

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with his usual amusement. “Love?” Sofia scoffed, the word a bitter taste in her mouth. “You poisoned her! How can you call that love?”

Lawrence chuckled, a hollow, humorless sound. “Love can be a complicated thing, Sofia. Especially when it’s tangled with hate and a thirst for revenge.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I mean… how can I not love my little sister?”

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“What?” It was as if the world narrowed down on her. “What did you just say?” she asked. Did he just call Eunice, his sister? Wait…

Wait what?

“You heard me,” Lawrence shrugged. “Oh my… I have always dreamed of this day. Watching your face when you hear the truth about everything.”

“What?”

“Since you seemed a bit confused then let me just let it out.” He leaned a bit closer and smiled. “Your grandfather took advantage of my mother. Despite this, my father still treated me like his real son. Sadly, when your grandfather discovered my existence, he tried to kick my father out of the company and us out of the States.”

Sofia’s face turned ugly. “Stop talking nonsense.”

“I mean… how much do you even know about your grandfather and grandmother? Tell me… how much do you know outside of your comfortable bubble?” Lawrence asked.

His words struck her like a dull knife. How much does she know about her family- the Lockhart Family?

She grew up close to Lawrence and Eunice and not to her grandmother. She doesn’t interact with most of the Lockhart Family either. Everything that she knew about them was stories from the news, her mother, or her grandmother. Aside from that, she doesn’t know a lot.

“Your grandfather raped my mother and wanted me-

– his son- Lawrence cackled. “But guess what? He ended up dying instead.”

“You-”

dead! He wanted me to die to cover up his mistakes!”

“Not only that…” Lawrence’s eyes were wide. “The woman who covered his mistakes… ended up dead too!”

“Did you- “Sofia’s lips trembled. “Did you want to kill my mom because she discovered that you were… siblings?”

Chapter 107

Lawrence’s laughter echoed inside the room. The manic glint returned to Lawrence’s eyes, replacing the twisted amusement that had played there moments before. A cruel chuckle escaped his lips. “Kill your mother? Sofia, darling, where on earth did you get that idea?” He shook his head, the movement theatrical.

“Eunice, bless her heart, knew the truth all along. She knew about my past, about the darkness that stained our family history. She knew that I was her brother.”

Sofia blinked, unable to believe what she just heard.

What?

What did he just say?

Eunice knew about him?

“Then why?” she asked. What was the point of everything? If her mother knew about Lawrence then…. why would he harm

her?

“Because your mother is weak…” Lawrence shrugged. “I cannot be with a weak woman. Unfortunately, even love is not enough to change someone like that.”

Sofia pursed her lips. Lawrence’s revelation was something that she never expected. “You are lying…” she said. “My mother would never….”

Before she could finish her words, Lawrence suddenly took something out of his pockets. It was a black rectangular object; a recorder.

He played it and almost immediately, Eunice’s voice filled the room.

“I can’t do this…” Eunice said.

“What do you mean?” Lawrence’s voice responded.

“She is my mother. I know you and I are blood-related siblings and I love you but she… she is still my mother.”

There was silence for a few seconds before Lawrence let out a sigh. “I’m sorry if I put you through a difficult situation,” he said, his voice mellowed. “But Eulanda would probably not agree that you give your fortune to me. It’s impossible. She would rather die.”

“You are a Lockhart. You deserve everything that you will get once I die.”

“Can you not talk about dying?” Lawrence said, his voice lower.

Eunice only snorted in response. “Sofia adores you. Please don’t let her know the truth.”

“Why protect her from the harshness of this world?” he asked. He chuckled. “Eventually, she needed to know the truth or Eulanda would probably cook up something making her hate you, hate us.”

Lawrence pressed another button, and the recording stopped.

“You- “Sofia’s lips quivered.

“Your mother knew about me. She wanted to give him half of her inheritance which Eulanda would never allow. I mean… why wouldn’t she give me what was rightfully mine?” Lawrence gave a nonchalant shrug. “That greedy woman.”

“Was it true that your father- the one who raised you- killed my grandfather?” Sofia asked. This was what Eulanda told

her.

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“It was self-defense,” Lawrence said. “My father raised me… he treated me like his own. Yet that grandfather of yours wanted us away. I mean… the only good thing about it was the fact that your grandfather ended up dying. So…”

The world spun around Sofia, the plush carpeting beneath her suddenly a precarious tightrope threatening to send her tumbling into oblivion. Lawrence’s words slammed into her with the force of a tidal wave, each revelation a crushing blow that knocked the wind out of her lungs.

Sofia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shut out the sound, the image of her mother wrestling with a truth too monstrous to face.

“Why?” she whispered, her voice hoarse, barely a thread. “Why did you….” The question trailed off, choked by the storm of emotions churning within her.

Lawrence’s dismissive shrug only served to fuel her growing rage and confusion.

He spoke of inheritance, of a birthright stolen, yet his actions – the slow, insidious poisoning of her mother – screamed of something far more sinister.

A flicker of doubt, a single ember of hope, sparked within her. “My grandmother wouldn’t have let you take everything,” she rasped. “She wouldn’t have allowed it.”

Eulanda, the ever-controlling matriarch, wouldn’t have stood idly by. She would have fought, tooth and nail, to protect her legacy.

Lawrence’s smile, however, remained cold and calculating. “Oh, she tried. But look at where she is now?” he conceded, his voice dripping with amusement. “Even the great Eulanda Lockhart couldn’t fight the inevitable. Besides,” he leaned forward. his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “she wasn’t the only one who knew.”

Sofia’s breath hitched. “What…. what do you mean?” she stammered, a dread so profound stealing the air from her lungs.

“Your precious Alexander,” Lawrence purred, his eyes gleaming with a malicious satisfaction. “He knew the truth too. He and Eulanda have been business partners for so long… he knew about her schemes. He knew about your mother and me, a long time before your marriage.”

Lawrence’s words echoed inside Sofia’s ears like a tolling bell. A strangled laugh escaped Sofia’s lips, a humorless sound laced with disbelief. “Alexander? No. That’s impossible.” Denial, a desperate shield, rose to the surface, a flimsy barrier against the onslaught of revelations.

The very notion of Alexander, her confidante, her rock, harboring such a secret was ludicrous.

“No. Impossible,” she mumbled.

“Don’t be naive, Sofia,” Lawrence scoffed, his amusement morphing into something akin to pity. “He was probably using the information to his advantage all along. Think about it. How convenient was it that he swooped in and married you, the sole heir to the Lockhart fortune?”

“I mean… I have always known that you are naive but, can’t you really see it?” Lawrence asked. “Can’t you see everything?”

His words somehow sparked a flicker of unease over her. Why would Alexander suddenly marry her?

He was the one who approached her and offered the deal. He told her they had been engaged since they were younger and she believed him without asking questions!

Was it really possible that he had something else in mind?

“Did you realize it now?” he chortled. “Alexander Beaumont was working with Eulanda all along! Eulanda wanted you to marry Alexander so he could help her secure the wealth of the Lockhart Family.”

Sofia frowned at that. Believing this man would be foolish.

However, just as Sofia was about to say another word, she heard a doorbell. Her expression immediately changed, her face paling.

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+5

Sofia flinched, a flicker of something akin to hope sparked in her eyes. Could it be help? Someone who might break her free from this nightmare?

Lawrence, however, seemed unfazed. A cruel smile twisted his lips. “Well, well,” he drawled, his voice dripping with amusement. “Looks like we have a visitor.”

Sofia’s heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the chilling silence of the room.

“Now, listen to me and do exactly as I say or you will end up dead, do you hear me?” he said. Sofia nodded.

“Slowly, get up…” Lawrence gestured the gun. “Check the door,” he commanded, his voice a cold order. “And if you value that little friend of yours,” he gestured towards the

door with the gun, “You won’t breathe a word of what’s transpired here today.”

Sofia’s breath hitched in her throat. “I- I know.” Slowly, she marched out of the room and walked towards the living room where she could see the security system. In fact, there is a way to check the CCTV in the bedroom, but Lawrence didn’t

know that.

“It’s Miss Amores, my secretary.”

“Answer her…” Lawrence said.

“Miss Amores?” Sofia said after she pressed a button.

“Miss Lockhart, is everything alright?” Miss Amores was still wearing the clothing that she had worn earlier. Did she receive a call about Lawrence and rush back here?

“Oh… sorry, I was in the shower, I forgot to charge it,” Sofia said. She cannot falter now and involve someone innocent.

She stared at Miss Amores’s expression for a few seconds and wished that she would somehow leave now.

“Is Is there anything else?” Sofia asked when she saw the hesitation in the woman’s eyes.

“Well, Mr. Josef told me to check the whole flat. Would you mind opening the door? I really apologize but….”

Sofia immediately looked at Lawrence, whose expression had turned ugly. “No need,” Sofia said. “I am about to sleep. We both had a very long day. You should go home.” Sofia added.

“But-”

Just as Sofia was about to tell her to leave, she felt the cold nuzzle of the gun at the back of her neck. Her heart almost jumped out of her chest.

“Let her in…” Lawrence whispered.

Sofia gritted her teeth. “She’s innocent,” she hissed.

“She knew something wasn’t right…” Lawrence said as he pushed the gun against her neck. “Let. Her. In.”

“Miss Lockhart?” Miss Amores called out. “Is everything alright?”

Sofia gritted her teeth as she met Lawrence’s gaze. “She’s innocent. Don’t— “

Before she could finish her words, Lawrence suddenly pressed a button that would open the main door.

There was a hiss, and the door opened.

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Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Chapter 105

“Huh?” Sofia arched an eyebrow when she looked at the photographs that Josef handed her. “This-” This was the current update about Charlotte’s state. The Charlotte in the images was far from the Charlotte that Sofia knew. “Teresa was hiding her?” Why?

However, her question was answered by the next few images and videos from the tablet. Apparently, Teresa caused the miscarriage and instead of ending Charlotte’s life, she chose to hide her somewhere remote.

Because of this, the Charlotte in the video looked like she had already lost her mind. She was so thin; that no one would probably recognize her as the beautiful starlet. Her face was pale with large bags under her eyes. Even her gaze seemed lackluster as if she had already lost everything in life.

Josef informed her that Charlotte had been in this place for a month. “And… Alexander told you that I can do everything with this

information?” she asked.

“Yes,” Josef said.

Just as she was about to ask more questions, her phone vibrated. She quickly answered it. “Have you had your lunch?” It was Alexander. His voice sounded too warm, as if… as if he had no idea about the images that Josef had just handed her.

“Isn’t it currently midnight on your end?” she asked. Alexander was currently abroad for some project.

“I missed you,” there was a husk in his voice.

Sofia signaled Josef to leave her office. Alexander’s secretary complied without saying anything. “Josef just arrived. Why did you send him back? Who is going to help you there?” she asked.

“I will be going back tomorrow, anyway. I am going to assume you have already received my gift?”

“A gift…” she pursed her lips, her gaze landed on the images on her table. For a few seconds, she said nothing. “A gift you say?”

“You didn’t like it?”

“I was wondering where Charlotte was…” Sofja said. From time to time.

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she would wonder about the woman that she had treated as her sister for years. Her social media had been deactivated and it seemed like she disappeared off the face of the Earth. However, she never searched for her whereabouts.

To Sofia, it would be better if they did not see each other again. So much has happened in these past few months, and all she wanted was to move on. Currently, she is doing fine.

The company is flourishing and even her relationship with Alexander was going well. Lawrence was still in prison, and Daniel was currently in Asia doing some therapy to calm him down. The last time she heard, Daniel was in Bali, Indonesia. It was Alexander who told her this information.

“It seems that you already knew about this information for a long time now?” Sofia uttered.

“Hmmm….”

“What do you want me to do with this? Report it to the police?”

“I originally wanted to use it against Teresa Beaumont,” his honesty astounded her. “A video of her doing something like this would be enough to ruin her life. But that would not be enough.”

“Then….”

“Daniel now refused to talk to his mother.”

“You mean?”

“He cut off contact.” Alexander made a deliberate pause. She could hear some movements on the phone, and then she heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore. Alexander told her that the hotel he was staying at was next to the Ocean and promised to bring her there one day. “What could be worse than a son hating the mother that loved him so much?” he asked.

“You wanted him to hate his mother?” Sofia asked. Until now, Alexander refused to tell her why he was doing this. She did not ask him, as she knew that he would tell her his reasons once he was ready.

“Yes.” His answer came almost immediately. “Do you think that was cruel?”

Cruel? “Yes,” Sofia said. Everyone in the business world already knew that

17

Chapter 105

Alexander Beaumont was a cruel man. The thing is… Sofia doesn’t actually care. Perhaps it was her selfishness. Perhaps she is just cruel. But Alexander never treated her badly. If anything, he was the one who helped her the most.

She heard him chuckle. “Really?” he asked.

“Yeah…” Sofia said.

“And… do you dislike that?” he asked, his voice a little low.

Dislike? “No,” the answer came before she could even think about his question.

“So what do you want to do to Teresa and your sister?” he asked.

“I would like to report it to the police.”

“Hmmm….”

“Then Adam will be helping you. He already received the details and will

be working with the authorities tomorrow. A news agency will then release news about you and your efforts to investigate your sister’s disappearance. The news…” Soon, Alexander started telling her everything that was going to happen. From the press to making sure that this would not ruin her name, to Teresa’s arrest and some other safety

measures.

“You already knew that I am going to report this to the authorities?” she asked. Was she that predictable?

“Yes.”

She pursed her lips, her breathing calm and collected. Soon, a smile appeared on her lips. “Silly…” she mumbled.

“What did you just say?”

“There is no need to involve me in this matter.” Yet he did. Why, you ask? Because he wanted to make sure that Sofia’s name wouldn’t get dragged into the mud by Charlotte’s fans.

In the online world, everything was pretty unpredictable. One person could easily create a story that would affect Sofia’s name. To prevent this, Alexander made it seem like it was Sofia who wanted to find her sister and accidentally stumbled upon the kidnapping. Then Sofia immediately reported this matter to the authorities and in response, the police rescued

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Charlotte from the evil Teresa.

This would take care of both Charlotte and Teresa too! This was killing three birds with one stone. A simple move that would wrap up everything.

“But I really appreciate it,” Sofia said. “Thank you.”

“I am your husband…”

“I know. I just want to thank you,” she interrupted him. She knew that he would start telling her about his responsibility to protect her but this was different and Sofia knew it.

There was a brief silence on the other line before she spoke.”Then thank me when I get home.”

“What?” a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.

“I said-

11

“What do you want me to do to show my gratitude?” she interrupted him.

“I thought you already knew?” he asked.

She chuckled in response. “Did I?”

There was a low chuckle in response. “My flight will land at six… in the evening,” he said.

“I thought you would be home at nine” she beamed. His flight was scheduled to arrive at nine in the evening.

“What can I do? My wife just told me she’s willing to do everything to show how much she appreciates my efforts.”

“I did not say that.”

“You did.”

“I didn’t.”

“Then are you not going to do it?” he asked.

That shut her up real quick. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow,” she mumbled. “Ah… by the way… didn’t I already tell you not to call me during office hours?” It was distracting her.

“Are you blaming me for missing you?” he retorted.

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“Fine… I’ll forgive you this time.” The man had been in China for three days and he had been acting like this since he left. She already told him not to call her at least during the day, but he kept on doing that. “It should be around midnight on your end. You should sleep.”

“I will… I just wanted to hear your voice.”

Sofia did not know what to say. For some reason, she could feel her face

heat up. She frowned. “Then I will see you tomorrow.”

“Call me before you sleep,” he said.

“Right,” she responded before ending the call. Then Sofia immediately held her head back, her expression unreadable. Her face felt hot-too hot. Was she going to have a fever?

In the end, she could only smile. Silly Sofia, she thought inwardly. They had been in this limbo for a few weeks now. Their relationship had improved and they had been treating each other like husband and wife, yet not one of them had uttered ‘I love you’ first.

Why was it bugging her too much? Those are merely words. What was so important about it?

Well, if she wanted to, then she could just tell him that, right? But does she really love him? She closed her eyes.

Love.

What is love?

She thought about her relationship with Daniel in the past and quickly realized how different her current relationship with Alexander was.

Currently, her relationship with Alexander seemed warmer. It is more comfortable. But does that mean she is in love with him? Or does she just love the feeling of being with him?

“Aish…” she slapped her own forehead. It’s still daytime and she had a lot of things to take care of. She straightened her back and then placed the images of Charlotte back into the folder. Then she called Josef and asked him to take care of everything.

She cannot just sit down here and think about Alexander all day! She has a company to manage!

“Miss Amores, please ask the team to go to the board room so we can

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proceed with what was scheduled today,” Sofia said. The only thing that could calm her mind was more work. So, she started working.

What started as her trying to forget about Alexander soon turned into Sofia overworking herself. She turned the lights inside her office before she eyed her watch. If her phone hadn’t died just now, she wouldn’t have stopped what she was doing.

It was a few minutes after one in the morning. Slowly, she made her way out of the building and into the car waiting for her. Then she instructed Miss Amores to drive her back to Alexander’s place.

Sighing, Sofia walked inside the flat, intending to take a nice quick bath before going to sleep.

To her surprise, however, the light inside the bedroom was already on when she walked in.

Almost immediately, her eyes widened.

 

Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 100-104

Chapter 100

Chapter 100

“I want to talk to Mr. Beaumont….” Charlotte glared at the maid who was standing outside her door. “Call him. I want you to call him now!”

“Miss Charlotte, Mr. Beaumont is busy with- ”

“It is six in the morning. He should have the time to talk to me. I need

to-

“Miss Charlotte, a pregnant woman should not strain herself too much. Please get back inside. It is cold out here.”

Cold? Charlotte gritted her teeth. She had been staying inside this room because these damn maids are insisting that it was cold outside!

me ho

“You cannot keep She walked back inside the room and grabbed the things that she had packed in advance. She expected the maids to stop her, but this time, the maid simply opened the door wider, holding it out for her. She paused. “You-”

“Mr. Beaumont said that the moment you leave the door, you will not be welcomed back inside the Beaumont Mansion,” the maid calmly said.

“I am carrying the child of-

“Mr. Beaumont said that he will have his very own soon.”

“…” What kind of answer was this?

800

“And the DNA has yet to confirm anything.” Right now, they have yet to do the test as the doctor told her that they needed to wait for a few more weeks to make sure that her pregnancy is healthy. She was here waiting because of that very reason.

However, her conversation with Teresa kept on repeating inside her head.

Alexander Beaumont might just be playing her all along. He is not trying to protect the blood of the Beaumont Family. Instead, he was trying to trick her into staying in this place to protect his wife!

“Tsk!” Charlotte hesitated. Then she slowly composed herself. The fact that the maid did not stop her might mean that Alexander already knew that this was going to happen and even told the maid what to say to her. She let out a chuckle.

No matter what, she was still carrying the blood of the Beaumont Family

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inside her stomach. Struggling won’t change this fact. “Do you really think you can threaten me?” she chuckled. “I cannot support this child without the Beaumont Family’s help.” She said. “Tell him, I will be waiting in his office.”

Then Charlotte dragged her suitcase out of the room and then out of the Beaumont Mansion.

Pregnancy is not going to stop her. She chose to have this child and was fully ready to support-

“I apologize, but it seems that Miss Johnson is busy. She told us that if you wanted to meet, you should set up an appointment.” The female voice who answered her phone call interrupted her stupor.

“What did you just do you know who I am?” Charlotte asked.

66

“Yes, Miss. I can perfectly see your name on the phone. As I said-

“Then, you should know that Alice is my agent. I don’t need to schedule

66

“I apologize, but it seems that Miss Alice’s messages and emails might have ended up in your spam. Two weeks ago, Miss Alice already ended the contract between you two. If you want to know more details, please proceed to your agency as they handle everything and—“

“What did you just- “Charlotte could not believe what she was hearing. After leaving the Beaumont Mansion, she immediately called her agent, but her call ended up in voicemail. So, she called Alice’s business phone, and Alice’s secretary was quick to answer her call. “You said our contract was canceled?” she sneered. “Do you understand what you are talking about?” she hissed. “Alice will pay me for breaching the contract!”

“Ah…. Please pick up the check in Aresan’s building. We already prepared it for you.”

” 52

‘They are willing to pay her for breaching the contract? Where did Alice get the money? “You-

66

“If there is nothing else, then… I needed to end this call. I still need to finish a few things for Miss Johnson.”

Before Charlotte could say another word, the call already ended.

What?

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What just happened?

She stared at her phone, her expression unreadable. Then she dialed Harper- her PA’s number.

To her surprise, Harper’s phone was unreachable too.

“What is going on here?”

Disbelief flashed in her eyes as she continued calling people that she knew, but almost all of them seemed to have blocked her or even changed their phone numbers.

A shiver ran down her spine as she dialed the last contact on her phone book. Just like the others, she wasn’t able to get through!

Her hand tightened around her phone. She had the urge to throw it into the wall. Sadly, she was currently inside the car. “Take me to this address…” she handed the address to the driver that she hired. It did not take too long for her to arrive at her flat. The moment she walked in, she quickly realized that the flat had not been cleaned for weeks.

Almost immediately, her anger erupted.

For a few minutes, the sounds of glass hitting the wall and various things breaking echoed inside the flat.

LH DESIGN

“It should be Alexander Beaumont…” Karina said with certainty in her voice. “He must have done something to change it. Even Adam was certain of it.”

Sofia pursed her lips. She continued reading the documents in her hand. Despite all this, one thing remained clear- she needed to work. Especially now.

“That Mr. Beaumont is scary…” Karina said. “Here… Here are the things that you need to know before the trial starts. For now, this is going to be a waiting game. The fact that Lawrence is already in prison without having any chance of bailing is already a win for us. However, this is just the start of the fight.” Karina gave her a worried look. “It will be a long and arduous one.”

“I know,” Sofia smiled. This time, she didn’t hide the confidence in her

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“You look especially beautiful today,” Karina narrowed her eyes at her.

“Don’t tell me…’

99

“What?” Sofia blinked.

“You are pregnant?”

“What?” Sofia did not expect that question. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, so this was just because Lawrence was caught… hmmm…. Alright. Alright. Don’t mind then. Let’s continue. Read it, and you can ask me anything that you don’t understand.” Karina calmly changed the topic.

For a while, Sofia just stared at the papers without even attempting to read them.

“Alright, let’s start with the specifics. All of Lawrence’s people have been kicked out of the mansion. His son- Min- has submitted his resignation. It seems that Lawrence set up some emergency funds for his bastard in case something like this happens. He is on his way out of the country, and we are doing our best to prevent him from leaving, but it might be futile as he is clean. He doesn’t have a case against him. A good citizen. Moreover…” Karina started talking about the actions that they have taken so far and their future actions against Lawrence and his

cohorts.

BEAUMONT EMPIRE

“This is the final assessment of the project in SEA,” Josef said as he pla a stack of reports on Alexander’s table. “We are convinced that Koh Samui ticks all the boxes. Pristine beaches, diverse marine life, and relatively undeveloped compared to Phuket.”

“And the sustainability?” Alexander started reading the reports.

“We are already having some preliminary discussions about potential partnerships with their local government.”

“Hmmm…” Alexander continued reading the reports. However, before he could finish them, a commotion echoed outside of his office. “What is that?” he asked.

Josef immediately checked and came back in just a few seconds. “It seems

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that we have a small breach in security. But there is no need to worry. They will take care of everything.”

Alexander lifted an eyebrow as he stared at Josef. “Was it that woman?” he asked. Earlier today, he was informed that Charlotte already left the mansion. He knew that she would eventually come to his office and already told Josef to tighten their security.

Josef nodded in response.

“Bring her to the board room,” Alexander said. How could he still let this woman try to harm Sofia? He knew that if he didn’t take care of Charlotte now, she would once again start bothering his wife. And Alexander would never allow that to happen.

“Mr. Beaumont…” Charlotte immediately got up when she saw him.

“Take a seat, Miss Charlotte…” Alexander said. This was not the first time that he met this woman in this very same board room. How shameless can this woman be?

“I believe your people already informed you that I left the mansion?” Charlotte calmly said.

“I am aware.”

Charlotte sneered. The thing that she hated the most about people who were born with money was the fact that they looked down on people like her! People who did their best to achieve their dreams! People who worked so hard for their money!

“Then let me tell you my terms…” Charlotte started.

“Terms?” Alexander raised an eyebrow. “What terms?”

Even the usually calm Josef was unable to believe Charlotte’s audacity.

A/N: Hello. Author here. This novel is about to end. Don’t worry about revenge. It will come in the next 2 – 3 chapters. Thank you for reading!

Chapter 101

“I will be staying in my flat and have the DNA on my own time,” Charlotte said. “The Beaumont Family will then start paying for everything that this child needs, and we can arrange visitation rights once I give birth. You cannot-”

“It seems that there is a misunderstanding, Miss Miles…”

“Miles- “Charlotte gritted her teeth. In fact, she was indeed Charlotte Miles but was later changed to Lockhart because Eunice wanted it that way. This caused a lot of problems between Eunice Lockhart and her mother, Eulanda. However, Eunice didn’t care.

“I thought it would be appropriate to still call you Lockhart, knowing that your father tried to poison and kill Eunice and Sofia Lockhart,” Alexander leaned back and gave her an infuriating smirk. “Or did you believe that you still deserve to be called a Lockhart after everything that you did?”

“My father is innocent.”

“All people inside the prison will tell you that they are innocent,” Alexander said.

“My father is different. He was framed. This was Sofia’s way of revenge.”

“Hmmmm…. Of course,” Alexander said. “Now let us go directly to business as I still have a few things that I need to do.”

Charlotte frowned. Alexander’s face had turned serious. She never thought that the man would actually act like this around someone who was carrying a Beaumont.

“That child in your stomach…” Alexander uttered. “Might not be Daniel’s.”

“I have not slept with anyone aside from- ”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Then let’s do a DNA.”

а

“The Beaumont Family will not tolerate someone who wants to steal our money. You wanted to do the DNA on your own terms. That is your right. However, the Beaumont Family will not provide you anything unless we do our own DNA test. We will not talk about custody or whatever it is that Miss Miles wanted.”

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Charlotte narrowed. She already expected this to happen. “I am still the mother of a Beaumont.”

“Are you?” Alexander smirked. “As far as I know… you were already in Europe when the child was conceived. My brother was not with you. So…

“This is Daniel’s child!” Charlotte said.

However, Alexander got up.

“Where are you-

77

“We are done talking. The next time you try to disturb anyone, I will file a case against you and use it to have full custody of Daniel’s child,” Alexander said without even looking at her. “Trust me… the fight will be very nasty, but it is a fight that I can win.”

“Was it because of Sofia?” Charlotte suddenly asked. Despite the anger inside her, she managed to calm herself down. “Your wife?” she added.

However, Alexander did not answer. Instead, he only gave her a knowing look which made her more irritated.

“Was it because of her? What did she say? Did she tell you that I stole Daniel? I did not do anything like that. Daniel has always liked me. You should know better than to listen to

“You may leave, Miss Miles. I don’t see any reason for us to continue this useless conversation.”

Charlotte gritted her teeth. Despite all her expectations, she never expected this man to treat her so coldly. After all, she is still the mother of Daniel’s child. She deserves to be treated with respect.

“I refuse to-

“”

“I know that you know about the poison, Miss Miles,” Alexander suddenly interrupted her.

“W-What?” Charlotte’s face turned ugly. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her brows frowning.

“I know that you are aware that your father has been slowly poisoning Sofia and her mother. You knew… yet you said nothing,” Alexander’s lips turned upwards into a sly smirk. “You are an accomplice. Have you thought about giving birth in prison?”

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“I don’t know what you are talking about!”

“And you think the jury will believe you?”

Almost immediately, Charlotte’s face paled. She blinked at him as she tried to understand the meaning behind his words. Would the jury believe him?

“A starlet that would do everything for fame? A jealous human being who wanted to steal everything from Sofia Lockhart?” Alexander continued. “I mean… my lawyers could make up motives and stories that would leave you dizzy, Miss Miles. I am certain you wouldn’t like to hear any of those

stories.”

“No- No one will believe that.”

“Then why not explain the fact that you are pregnant with Daniel Beaumont’s child?” Alexander lifted an eyebrow. “You can act sweet and innocent, but I can assure you that destroying your life would be as easy as killing a fly. It’s simple. It’s easy. You will either end up in prison or in a cemetery somewhere. Worse… you would end up somewhere as fish food. Isn’t that a little too tragic?”

Charlotte’s pupils shook. Alexander’s tone was too calm; it felt like he was talking about business instead of talking about destroying her life! She met his cold gaze.

Despite the smile on Daniel’s face, Charlotte could sense something suffocating from the man. It was a thick pressure that threatened to devour her at any time.

For the first time, Charlotte did not know what else to say. The script that she had practiced earlier disappeared into thin air. The arguments that she had created in her mind as she walked inside the building evaporated as if they were never there in the first place.

She shivered inwardly.

Alexander only continued smiling. “You are not going to harm Sofia,” Alexander said. “This is not a request. It is an order.”

“You” she wanted to say more words, but her lips literally started trembling; she had to bite them to calm them down.

“You wouldn’t actually want the poison inside your stomach… right, Miss Miles?”

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“You-You are threatening… Are you threatening me?” she asked, her voice quivering.

“I am warning you,” Alexander said. “Threatening someone is a waste of time.”

“You cannot do this. Sofia is

“You will not bother or even think about bothering Sofia. Once you do… that child in your stomach is going to suffer with you,” Alexander smiled. “If you think I am bluffing, then why not try it?”

Charlotte bit her lower lip. Try it? Try what? She wasn’t even thinking of doing anything!

Seeing her reaction, Alexander smiled. “Then… call my secretary once you are ready to do the DNA,” Alexander said before he left the room without looking back at Charlotte.

The moment he left, Charlotte held the table and used it to support herself.

“Miss… she will be taking you out of the building,” Josef said as he pointed at the guard. Once Charlotte left the room, Josef immediately went to Alexander’s office. He then started preparing coffee for his boss.

“Something is bothering you?” Alexander asked. He was standing near the floor-to-ceiling walls, staring at the cityscape outside the building.

“Isn’t it too cruel?” Josef asked.

“What is?”

Josef pursed his lips. He stared at Alexander’s back before he added. “Making her think that it was young master Daniel’s son?”

“What was cruel about it?” Alexander asked without looking at him.

“If she realized that it was not Daniel’s child, she might… she might do something to harm the Madam.” Josef decided to change the topic instead. He always knew that

Alexander was cruel, and talking about his reasoning would only make his head hurt. So, he focused on what could happen in the future instead. “She might start blaming the Madam for everything that happened in her life.”

“Wrong,” Alexander accepted the coffee that Josef handed. Then he

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turned his attention towards the cityscape. “Charlotte is not that smart.”

“I— I apologize but I don’t understand.”

“She is not patient either.”

Josef frowned.

“She wouldn’t wait around until the DNA is done.”

“Then…”

“It’s a trap.” Alexander smiled before he took a sip of his coffee.

“A trap… “Josef said.

“Remember this, Josef…” Alexander said. “A cornered rat will always fight back. Charlotte will soon start fighting back.”

“Wouldn’t that put the Madam in danger?” Josef asked. Right now, he was even more confused. The first person that Charlotte will go after would be Sofia. So… what is Alexander talking about?

However, instead of answering him, Alexander only smiled and said. “Good coffee…”

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Chapter 102

“You are showing signs of recovery…” Hugo’s remarks when he saw the tést results made Sofia smile. “One more treatment and I can assure you that the poison will be completely gone. Out of your body,” he continued, his eyes on the tablet that had the result of her blood tests. Then he lifted his gaze and looked at Sofia. “Good job.”

“Thank you,” Sofia said, her words almost like a whisper. “How about my mother?”

“Good and bad news,” Hugo said as he eyed Alexander who stood next to Sofia. “Which one?”

“Good,” Sofia said.

“The good news is that your mother is responding to some new treatment that we discovered.” Sofia smiled. At least there was a response. “And the bad?” she asked.

“Well… we don’t know if that is enough to wake her up. Again, the

damage is irreversible. We can only stop the poison from killing her but we cannot reverse all the damage inside her body.”

“But there is hope,” Sofia said.

“Well,” Hugo was about to say a few pessimistic words when he noticed Alexander’s glare. Instead, he chuckled and shook his head. “As long as she’s breathing then… there is still hope.”

“Thank you.”

“No need.” Hugo got up and handed his tablet to his female assistant. “The donation that you gave is-” Again, he noticed Alexander’s glare so he stopped talking and once again started chuckling. “You are welcome.”

“You are already leaving?” Sofia asked.

11

“As much as I wanted to stay yet more experiments are waiting for me,” Hugo said. “Besides… I don’t think your husband wanted me to stay any longer.”

Sofia looked at Alexander who seemed to look confused. Alexander immediately shrugged when he noticed her eyes on him.

“You are surprisingly docile in front of your woman… hehehehe…. ” Hugo smirked. “However, I have no time to waste. I only came here to bring

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some good news about your result. We can immediately schedule the third treatment as soon as you are ready. The fact that you didn’t feel anything during the second treatment was a good sign that your body is adapting very well.”

“Thank you,” Sofia said. She could not contain her happiness. The fact that the second treatment went really well was enough to make her day. After seeing Hugo off, she immediately looked at Alexander. “Shall we celebrate?” she asked.

“I already called Adam. He will meet us with Karina at a private bar.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Did you already know the result before Hugo told me?”

His lips lifted into a sexy smirk. “Well… he told me to expect some good news before he arrived.”

“Oh…” Sofia said. “Then let me get ready.” She ran towards their room with a smile on her face.

However, unlike Sofia, Charlotte was currently frowning as she glared at the woman smiling before her.

“You wanted to use me to harm Sofia?” Charlotte sneered. “Is that what you are trying to say?”

“You are making me sound so evil…” Teresa snorted, her gaze on the wine in her hand.

“You cannot touch her because you are scared of her husband and no you wanted to use me?” Charlotte smirked. The woman used some te and even talked about propriety among other things that could easily confuse anyone.

However, Charlotte is not dumb. After all that Teresa’s goal in meeting her in secret was really simple. She wanted to entice Charlotte to do something about Sofia.

“Do you not envy your sister?” Teresa asked, ignoring Charlotte’s previous \question. “I mean… do you really think she deserves everything that she

currently has?”

Charlotte turned her head away. Since she could not drink wine, she chose to have a simple chamomile tea to hopefully calm her nerves but it was not doing its magic. She pursed her lips. “Stop talking in circles. I don’t like wasting my time,” Charlotte said.

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“Are you not angry

that the Beaumont Family is treating you like this?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Charlotte said. Obviously, she was angry but her fury was not her priority. She is with a child! All she wanted right now was to make sure that the child was born into this world. She could always have her revenge later.

“Sofia is currently enjoying the company of the heir of the Beaumont Family while you- you are pregnant. Daniel is not in his right mind to help you. In fact, he might have just abandoned you or harmed you when he sees you. Your career is dead. Your father was in prison while your mother is currently MIA. Isn’t that miserable?”

“And?” Charlotte lifted an eyebrow. Indeed, she was not having a very good time right now but that will change once she has this baby. All she needed was to endure for the next few months.

“If you want to do something about it then… I can help you,” Teresa smiled.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “What can you do?” she asked. “Are you not helpless in front of Alexander?” she asked. She had seen the woman in front of Mr. Beaumont, and it was pretty obvious that Teresa Beaumont and even the whole Beaumont Family did not have the courage to fight against Alexander Beaumont. Just thinking about this made her more irritated.

Why was it that Sofia was with a man like that?

No. Sofia was not just with him- she was actually his wife. Just how lucky was she to be able to fool Mr. Beaumont?

Charlotte’s mood worsened. Just thinking about a smiling Sofia in the arms of that man was enough to make her blood boil.

That woman doesn’t deserve it!

Sofia was already born with everything. She was able to get anything that she wanted, anytime, anywhere. And just like most things, Sofia married someone who would dare to bully a pregnant woman just to keep her happy! Why does she deserve to have happiness when Charlotte is currently struggling?

Why?

Just why was the world like this?

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“Calm down’ Charlotte slowly composed herself.

“Alexander and I have… a complicated dynamic,” Teresa said after a brief silence. “The fact that I am not doing anything against him doesn’t mean that I cannot. It’s just that… I do not want him to harm my son. As a mother… you should understand what I feel, right?”

Charlotte slowly nodded. Right now her priority is also the child in her stomach. She would do everything to protect it from anyone!

“I cannot help you,” Charlotte said. If protecting her little one meant stepping away from all this then she would gladly do that.

Teresa looked surprised. “I can promise you-

“”

“Oh please stop it, woman.” Charlotte interrupted her. “Can you not see that you are helpless against him? You cannot even protect your son and yet you wanted to scheme against him?”

“I do not appreciate your tone, Charlotte. I only wanted to see you because I thought you were smart enough to-

,

“To harm my child?” Charlotte sneered. “You should understand me. After all, you are a mother too.” Charlotte was not dumb enough to risk it. She doesn’t know if Alexander was only bluffing and she was not interested to find out. Slowly, she got up. “I am leaving.”

Teresa narrowed her eyes at her. “Sit down,” she hissed.

However, Charlotte was no longer interested in listening to the woman words. Instead of sitting down, she started walking towards the door d the private room that Teresa booked for this meeting. To her surprise, however, Teresa suddenly approached her and grabbed her arm.

Charlotte flinched, surprised at the woman’s aggression. “What are you Let me go!”

“I told you to sit down!” Teresa said. “I am not done talking!”

“I said let me go!” Charlotte used her other hand to try and pry Teresa’s fingers, but the older woman was stronger. Charlotte yanked back, her surprise morphing into anger. “Get off me!” she spat. The fight for control escalated.

Fueled by anger and desperation, Teresa dug her fingers into Charlotte’s arm, her grip surprisingly tight. Charlotte’s adrenaline surged as she shoved back with all her might.

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Chapter 103

Discomfort settled heavily over Charlotte as consciousness crept back, slow and reluctant. It wasn’t the sterile antiseptic kind – the kind that stole your breath and told you something was terribly wrong.

This was a deeper, more suffocating kind of unease, a feeling of being utterly out of place.

Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing an unfamiliar room. White walls, yes, but not the stark, institutional white of a hospital. These walls were adorned with swirling floral patterns, the kind that belonged in a grandma’s guest room, not a medical facility. Panic, cold and sharp, clawed at her throat. Where was she?

She tried to sit up, but a dull ache throbbed in her lower abdomen, anchoring her to the bed. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to pass. When it did, a horrifying memory jolted back – the fight, the fall, the searing pain that had ripped through her like a fist.

Unease gnawed at her. The fall. Was that all? It felt like more, a dull ache that pulsed with a strange rhythm. But the memories were hazy, fragmented.

A faint scent of lavender oil wafted through the air, cloying and somehow suffocating. She hated lavender. It was Daniel’s favorite scent, the kind he used on his aftershave, the kind that lingered on their sheets after a night together.

The sound of a door creaking open made her head snap towards the source. A woman stood framed in the doorway. It was someone she didn’t recognize.

“I’m glad you’re awake,” the woman spoke, her voice gentle. She moved closer, concern etched on her face. Her name tag read ‘Roni,’ the friendly script a stark contrast to the cold, clinical setting Charlotte had expected.

Roni reached over and carefully fluffed the pillows behind Charlotte’s head. “Here, let me help you sit up a bit.” Her touch was surprisingly light, devoid of the rough urgency she might have encountered in a hospital.

Charlotte leaned back against the pillows, wincing as the ache in her

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abdomen intensified. Roni held a glass of water to her lips, her

expression softening further. “Slow sips,” she murmured.

The cool water eased the dryness in her throat but did little to quench the thirst that seemed to burn from within. As she lowered the glass, Roni lingered beside her.

“I know you’re probably confused,” Roni said, her voice dropping to a hushed tone. “You’re at a private residence. Mrs. Lockhart – “Charlotte’s breath hitched. Teresa.” – insisted you needed a quiet place to recover,” Roni continued, oblivious to Charlotte’s silent panic. “She’s very concerned about you.”

A humorless scoff escaped Charlotte’s lips. Concerned? Teresa was the reason she was here, wherever ‘here’ was. The throbbing in her abdomen felt… different. It wasn’t like a regular period cramp. But what else could it be?

Roni seemed to misinterpret the sound. “How are you feeling?” she asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

Charlotte opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. Her mind was a tangled mess of confusion and unease. The fall, the pain, Teresa’s unsettling presence – it all combined into a thick fog that obscured her head.

Roni squeezed her hand gently. “Don’t worry,” she said softly. “The will be here soon to check on you. I really apologize for your loss, M Lockhart.”

“What loss?” Charlotte frowned. Again, memories of what happened filled her head. The fall. Teresa pushed her and she saw…. Blood. Blood… The sound of her scream soon started to fill the room.

“Sir, it seems that you are right. Miss Teresa is indeed hiding Charlotte Lockhart. She’s currently in a small private property near Alaska. According to our sources, she lost the child,” Josef said as he stared at Alexander.

When he heard the news, he immediately recalled the time when Alexander said it was a trap. As for who? Josef doesn’t know.

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At first, he assumed it was a trap for Charlotte. But… what if it was for Teresa?

Josef prided himself on being smart yet for some unknown reason, he could never figure out Alexander’s schemes.

Alexander nodded without saying a word. Then he lifted his gaze away from the documents that he was reading. “Where is Daniel now?” he asked.

“Miss Teresa sent him to a facility just outside of Chicago.”

“Facility?”

“A mental institution. It seems that she’s planning to send him abroad as soon as he calms down.”

Alexander sneered. “Then let us go see him.”

Sterile white walls, devoid of personality, mocked Daniel with their emptiness. A single, barred window offered a sliver of a view a scraggly patch of untended grass and a skeletal tree, its branches clawing at the iron-grey sky.

The only furniture was a metal cot, a rickety chair bolted to the flo a small table scarred with countless scribbles.

Daniel sat hunched over the table, a sharpened pencil clutched in his hand with a piece of paper. It wasn’t the fanciest instrument, but it was his weapon of choice in this battle against the suffocating silence.

Music, something that he disliked in the past, flowed through him, a desperate attempt to connect with something, anything, beyond these four walls.

“Sofia,” he muttered the name a melody on his lips. He scrawled it across the worn paper, the graphite etching a desperate plea into the sterile surface. The song poured out of him, raw and unrefined. Sofia liked writing songs. Surely, reading what he wrote would at least appease her anger, right?

But is that enough?

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The thought of what Sofia showed him in the hospital immediately made him crumple the paper and throw it behind him where a bunch of paper

was.

A song wouldn’t be enough, he thought inwardly.

No.

That wouldn’t be enough to make her leave that man.

The creaking sound of the door caught his attention. He immediately looked at the person who walked inside and smiled. “Nurse Judith… what brings you here?” he asked.

The woman, who was already in her fifties, smiled. “It is time to take your medicine.” She placed a tray in front of Daniel. On it was a bottle of water and some medicine that he needed to take before he ate his lunch.

“Alright…” Daniel nodded. He was not dumb enough to resist them. Daniel believed that the only way for him to leave this place as fast as possible was to do whatever it was that they wanted, to pretend.

Pretending wasn’t something new to Daniel. In fact, he had been pretending all his life. To attract his father’s attention, Daniel had done everything to compete with Alexander. He pretended to know that Alexander knew.

He took the medicine without any fuss and finished the bottle

“Thank you…” Judith smiled. “I will go and get your lunch. Pleas a few minutes.”

erything

“Alright,” Daniel nodded. However, the moment Judith left, the smi his face immediately vanished. Since he was younger, he already had various medicines to keep him at bay.

To get away with it, Daniel used to pretend that everything was fine. Then, he would bury himself in work and other activities to keep busy and get away from the slump that he was in.

It would be the same this time.

After a few minutes, the door once again opened. However, the smile that Daniel prepared vanished when he saw Alexander standing by the door.

 

Jam-e-Shirin Ronaq-e- Ramadan

 

“You- What are you doing here?” Daniel asked, his expression turning ugly.

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The video in front of Daniel was enough to make him shiver. It was a video of his mother and Charlotte.

“You-”

“Your mother wanted to get rid of the baby…” Alexander said. “I thought you should know.”-

Daniel narrowed his eyes at the tablet, his expression unreadable. Then he slowly lifted his gaze as he stared at Alexander. “Why- Why are you doing this?”

“I thought you already knew?” Alexander casually leaned back and stared at his younger brother.

Daniel pursed his lips. From the video that he just saw, his mother tried kicking Charlotte out of the mansion and did not believe that she was pregnant with Daniel’s child. However Alexander asked her to stay and do a DNA test. But with everything that has been happening, Charlotte decided to leave the mansion and had a secret meeting with Daniel’s

mother.

In this meeting, his mother tried to instigate Charlotte to harm Sofia and perhaps Alexander. However, she did not succeed and Charlotte wanted to leave. This is where the problem happened. Teresa accidentally pushed Charlotte. Daniel could clearly see the blood on the floor as Teresa instructed her people to take the unconscious Charlotte.

“You wanted me to hate my mother…” Daniel uttered. At this point, he no longer doubted that Alexander was capable of doing something like this. Alexander was a cruel- cruel man indeed. “Not only did you steal my bride… you also manipulated my mother and now, you want me to hate her?”

“Bride?” Alexander smirked. “But aren’t you cheating with the bride’s sister?”

“It was a mistake.”

“The fact that you are fully aware it was a mistake does not excuse your behavior,” Alexander answered almost immediately.

Daniel gritted his teeth. A mistake is a mistake. However, he fully believes that Sofia will soon forgive him- at least before he is aware of Sofia’s

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marriage to his older brother. Hatred filled his gaze. He was certain that Sofia was manipulated by Alexander. He must have done something to mess with her head.

“It seems that you still think she would forgive you…” Alexander chuckled. Isn’t this because Daniel grew up thinking that the world would forgive everything that he did because of how he was treated in the past. This man believed that the world owed him everything. He was raised to believe that he had been treated unfairly by everyone around him.

But this is no longer Alexander’s business.

“Your mother wanted to harm Sofia…” Alexander said. “I could of course intervene but… I am certain you and your father wouldn’t like that.”

Daniel said nothing. He only stared at his brother, his expression placid. Seeing this, Alexander got up. “I have reasons to believe that your mother is going to keep on trying. There will be no next time, though.” With that, Alexander got up and left the room, leaving the tablet in front of Daniel.

Once alone, Daniel looked at the tablet once again. Then his gaze darkened.

Why was it that Alexander was trying to punish him? Just why?

LH GROUP

“What do you think of this?” Sofia asked her secretary, Miss Amores.

“Well…” Miss Amores hesitated for a few seconds. “I think that might be too plain.”

“Hmmm….” Sofia nodded, her gaze still on the portrait of one of the wedding dresses that her mother had designed. “I think so too… but then again, there is something beautiful about it.” Sofia then closed the album of the wedding dresses and smiled. “Let’s not talk about this matter now.” After her grandmother’s death, she was given access to everything that belonged to Eulanda, including the large vault that contained her mother’s dresses.

It was mostly composed of wedding dresses and some Haute couture and long gowns. They were all pretty so she decided to have a professional create a brochure of all the designs. Seeing the designs actually made her excited.

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However, this was not the right time to choose a wedding gown.

Everything was currently very hectic. Big changes are expected to happen inside and outside LH GROUP. Moreover, Alexander seemed really busy with everything too. Sofia momentarily thought of Daniel and Charlotte.

Alexander told him that he could take care of them- legally. For some reason, he especially emphasized this fact. The last news that she heard was that Charlotte was pregnant with Daniel’s child. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

For some reason, memories of the past filled her head. Indeed, she was still too weak. How could she easily let them go? Shouldn’t she go ‘nuclear’ and destroy them?

After a few minutes of contemplation, she smiled and got up from her seat. Her gaze landed on the beautiful view of Illinois. That’s right. Living a good life while they suffer is the best thing that she could do for herself.

And just like that, Sofia spent the rest of her day in the office, busy with her business and the future plans of the company. It was already eight in the evening when Sofia decided to go home. To her surprise, Alexander said that his meeting just ended and now, he was waiting for her outside so they could go home together.

“What is this?” Sofia asked when Alexander handed her a blue paper bag that was as big as Sofia’s handbag.

“Open it,” Alexander said as he started driving the car. Sofia smiled. Without asking any more questions, she opened the paper bag.

“Pierre Hermé?” Sofia asked in astonishment when she spotted the colorful macaroon inside a box.

Inside the box nestled a beautiful assortment of Pierre Hermé macarons. Unlike the typical pastel colors, these were little works of art. A vibrant emerald green hinted at pistachio, a deep fuchsia screamed of raspberry, and a sunshine yellow promised the tang of lemon.

Each perfect dome was smooth and flawless, their delicate shells promising a satisfying crack when bitten.

“I thought you would like it,” he said when he saw her reaction. These macarons were famous all over the world, and Sofia had mentioned them once while they were having coffee. She mentioned it in passing, just a part of their conversation.

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Sofia’s surprise melted into a warm affection for Alexander. “You shouldn’t have,” she said, touched by the thoughtful gesture. “But these look incredible.”

Alexander glanced at her with a hint of a smile. “I figured you could use a little sweetness after a long day.” He winked. “Besides, I know how much you love Pierre Hermé macarons.”

A blush crept up Sofia’s cheeks. He remembered. It was a tiny detail, a conversation from weeks ago, yet it felt significant.

That was when she noticed that he took a different road. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“I booked a restaurant for dinner…”

Sofia’s expression immediately changed. “I— Did— Are we accelerating something?” Did she miss his birthday? Or his aunt’s or mom’s birthday? Anniversary? She rummaged through her brain but could not find anything. Did she really forget something because she had been so busy with everything else? Just what was it? Panic set inside her chest as she waited for his answer.

.

“Can’t I book a restaurant with my wife without celebrating something?” the corner of his lips lifted.

“Eh?” she blinked, a little confused.

“Both of us had been working really hard in the past few days.

we deserved some steak and wine.”

Well, he was not wrong.

Everything has been very chaotic lately.

Sofia opened her mouth, wanting to say something but ended up closi it instead. Slowly, a smile appeared on her face as she turned her head outside.

Having him as a husband was not too bad at all…

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Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 99

Chapter 99 

Chapter 99 

“They are going to offer him a deal…” Sofia mumbled as the soft sheets hit her body. 

“That would not happen….” Alexander suddenly said. 

“Huh?” Sofia widened her eyes and stared at his face. This only made her realize how close his face was to hers. Sofia blinked, caught off guard by Alexander’s proximity. 

“They wouldn’t dare offer him a deal after everything he’s done…” Alexander said, his voice full of confidence that Sofia did not have at the 

moment. 

“That-” Sofia frowned. She was speechless for a moment. As if on cue, her phone that was still in her pocket vibrated. She immediately answered Karina’s call. Hearing Karina’s words about what just happened, Sofia’s face slowly changed. She looked at him, still flabbergasted by what Karina just told her. 

The FBI found strong evidence that Lawrence was one of the top bosses of the smuggling ring. However, they also found a lot of evidence of him committing multiple crimes using other people’s names. 

While listening, Sofia could not help but look at Alexander. She asked Karina to do a background check on Lawrence and even paid people to follow him around. However, she failed to find out anything. She even failed to find out any problems in the company. 

The only proof that she had was Lawrence’s confession when he attempted to hurt Lianne. Sofia’s plan was honestly very simple. She talked to Lianne and offered her money to talk to Lawrence. Then she would be the star witness of the case against Lawrence. 

In exchange, she prepared a new identity for Lianne with enough money for her to live for the rest of her life without working. It would be 

something that would change Lianne’s life. 

And the woman delivered. 

She agreed to everything that Sofia wanted and seemed very happy to put her ex in prison. This would have been the nail in the coffin! The thing that would drag Lawrence to prison for life. 

“Alright…” Sofia said. “Thanks for letting me know.” 

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“You should rest. will see you tomorrow,” Karina said. 

“Alright. You too… thanks.” Sofia ended the call then she stared at Alexander without saying another word. 

She was lying on the bed while he was sitting next to her. By now, he had already straightened his back yet this was not enough to hide the smug expression on his face. 

“You can say it…” he uttered, his voice incredibly low. 

Unable to stop herself, a smile appeared on Sofia’s lips. Just now, Karina informed her that there would be no deal. Lawrence would most likely rot in prison for the rest of his life. 

“Was it Dr. Mulach?” she asked. The only thing that she could think of was Dr. Mulach’s testimony. If Dr. Mulach provided enough information that the state needed then they would no longer need Lawrence. 

“And Mr. Oh,” Alexander said, still smirking. 

“Thank-” 

“Pay…” Alexander suddenly said as he lifted an eyebrow. 

“What?” 

“I need payment… it wasn’t for free…” he mischievously smiled. For a while, Sofia stared at his handsome face. Then she smiled and suddenly pulled him in for a kiss. 

The kiss was unexpected, a wild spark igniting in the quiet aftermath of tension. Sofia felt a surge of emotions – relief, gratitude, and a simmering heat that had nothing to do with the case. Alexander, caught off guard for a moment, recovered quickly, his hand cupping her face as he deepened the kiss. 

The kiss wasn’t gentle, but it wasn’t rough either. It was a dance of raw emotion, a hunger that had been building for longer than they both cared to admit. The sheets tangled around their legs as they stumbled back, Alexander pressing her against the cool headboard. Her body throbbed with a delicious ache, her senses overwhelmed by the feel of him, the scent of his cologne mixing with the musk of adrenaline. 

“You’re injured-” his words ended in a growl. Was he perhaps expecting her to tell him to stop? To let her rest for the night? 

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Both of them knew that her injuries were superficial. 

“You smell divine…” he mumbled as he started kissing her neck, his hand slowly stroking the side of her breast. Heat radiated through her as she closed her eyes. 

It didn’t take too long for him to get rid of the rest of her clothes. After allthis was not about seduction or finesse. This was about the heat, the want and need that both of them felt. 

Sofia let out a strangled moan when he slowly pushed one of his fingers inside her. It didn’t take too long for her moans to echo inside the room. 

She was completely dazed, too drunk to focus on the things happening outside of the pleasure that she felt. Then her brain immediately turned into mush the moment he sank fullness into her. 

“Too good,” he groaned as he drove into her once more. Pleasure lashed through her insides, making her quiver and beg for more. 

Harder. 

Faster. 

More. 

Her heart raced frantically as he complied, giving her what she was begging for. It did not take too long for her body to start quaking from the intensity, the pleasure rippled through her once more before she reached the pinnacle along with him. 

… 

“What did you just say?” Lawrence’s face turned ugly as he turned towards his lawyer. The blood drained from Lawrence’s face, leaving a pasty mask stretched tight over his skull. His eyes, usually calculating and cold, bulged with a mix of disbelief and terror. “No deal?” he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. “But…but we had everything lined up! Witness protection, a new identity…” 

“It appears the prosecution has gathered enough evidence to render a deal unnecessary,” his lawyer answered. 

Lawrence let out a strangled sound. “Impossible! There’s no way they could have found out…” he trailed off, his gaze darting around the room like a trapped animal seeking an escape route. 

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Apparently,” Mr. Brown continued. “They found out quite a bit. Enough to bury you under a mountain of charges that would make Alcatraz look like a weekend getaway.” 

“Then what can we do? I don’t want to be in this place for- I’m innocent!” Lawrence said. 

Mr. Brown leaned back in his chair, a deep crease forming between his brows. “Innocence, unfortunately, is a matter for the court to decide, Mr. Lockhart. Right now, the prosecution has a strong case against you. Witness testimony, forensic evidence…” he trailed off, letting the weight of his words hang heavy in the air. “The poisoning of your wife and stepdaughter…those are very serious charges. 

A flicker of desperation ignited in Lawrence’s eyes. “I would never— 

“Explanations will be for the courtroom,” Mr. Brown interrupted gently but firmly. “Our focus now is on building a strong defense. We need to examine the evidence the prosecution has gathered, identify any weaknesses, and explore all possible defense strategies.” 

Lawrence slumped back in his chair. He tried calling Thompson and th people that he knew but none of them seemed to be available to talk to him. At the end of the day, Lawrence realized that those people only became his friends because of Eunice. The ‘connections‘ that he built over the years left him without even batting their eyelids. 

He gritted his teeth. “What are the chances…?” he whispered. 

“Upon seeing the evidence, I am going to be very honest with you. It will be a difficult fight, Mr. Lockhart,” Mr. Brown admitted honestly. “The prosecution seems to have a compelling case. However, we will not give up. We will explore every avenue, every shred of evidence that could work in your favor.” 

“The witness…” 

“Lianne- your ex will be the primary witness.” 

“Lianne…” 

“And of course, Mr. Oh,” Mr. Brown said. “This is going to be a difficult fight but we will do our best.” A tinge of cruelty flashed in Mr. Brown’s 

eyes. 

“Then…. Do your best.” 

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Beaumont Mansion 

“Husband?” Charlotte’s hands shook as she looked at Teresa Beaumont. “You’re lying. There is no way that Sofa would marry someone she doesn’t love.” she continued as her gaze turned sharp. “Mr. Alexander Beaumont assured me that I will be safe in this mansion. He-” 

“He placed guards around you and made sure that you cannot leave this place until the DNA test is done. But are you really certain that the man wanted to protect your child?” Teresa glanced at Charlotte’s stomach. “And not his wife?” 

“I told you… there is no way that Sofia will-” 

“Why the hell would I lie to you?” Teresa sneered. Right now, Alexander was putting pressure on everyone around him just to keep Sofia–his wife safe. Sadly, Teresa could not make a move without putting Daniel in harm’s way. One mistake and she truly believes that Alexander would harm his own brother. 

Yes. That man is a beast. 

Just because of something that happened in the past, he was willing to scorch the Earth. He ruined his brother’s relationship and even married the woman that his brother loved just to hurt him. 

What kind of brother would do something like that? 

A/N: Soon, I will write a proper sex scene. My previous novel was called Insatiable Desires and it had 70% sex scenes. hahahaha (hides) 

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Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 96-98

Chapter 96

Chapter 96

“I know this is your fight,” Alexander said, his expression serious as the car started moving away from the hospital. Since she did not sustain any serious damage, their doctor allowed her to leave. Moreover, it was safer this way as she did not want to deal with Daniel or Teresa or maybe even Charlotte right now. “But I can no longer let you do this alone.”

His words lingered inside the car, and for a moment, Sofia did not know what to say. She stared at his serious expression. Despite his healthy-looking face, there were still some bandages that can be seen on his forehead. The doctor said he did not suffer any major injuries, just some cuts here and there, nothing to be worried about. However, this is not enough to remove the fact that he suffered because of her.

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“The game has changed,” he clenched his jaws. “Lawrence might leave the -country anytime soon. I know you wanted to have your revenge on your

but risking your life is not the way to do it.”

own,

She narrowed her eyes. As much as she wanted to punish Lawrence for his sins, Sofia was still aware of the laws. She was not planning to kill him. No. Killing is an easy way out. Lawrence deserves to suffer until the day he dies. But leaving the country?

“To where?” she asked.

“I have yet to confirm this.”

She let out a sigh. “What are you thinking?” she asked.

“The spark that you did was too small,” Alexander said. “You are too forgiving.”

“What do you-” Forgiving? Too forgiving? She frowned. She already thought that she was being ruthless yet he is still calling her forgiving?

“Let me take care of it,” Alexander said,

She lifted an eyebrow. This was not his fight, and she didn’t want him to do something that could break the law. Why?

Because living with peace of mind is better than being awake at night, scared that your enemies found your dirty laundry and would use it against you.

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This might sound cowardly, but this was the harsh reality in the real world. She doesn’t want to sleep with one of her eyes open. And she didn’t want that kind of life for him too. “Are you asking for my permission?” she asked. He could do this without her. He could do whatever he wanted without her permission.

“Yes,” he nodded. “Playing games and scheming is fine but… I don’t want to see you die.”

She pursed her lips, her expression turning serious. In fact, she never expected that Lawrence would go to such lengths to harm her. She was the one who dragged Alexander into this matter. “Let me finish this off,” Sofia said. As much as she wanted to rely on him, this was indeed her fight. “I apologize for dragging you into this matter. I-” Her words stopped when he suddenly grabbed her hand.

“You didn’t drag me into anything,” he uttered, his voice almost like a whisper.

She stilled, surprised at his reaction. For some reason, his touch sent a jolt through her. It wasn’t a painful shock, but a sizzle that danced up her arm and settled low in her belly. His eyes, usually a cool gray, seemed to smolder with a different kind of intensity. Maybe it was the adrenaline from the attack, or maybe it was the way he was looking at her, but suddenly the air in the room felt thick and heavy.

Sofia swallowed hard, suddenly aware of the space between them. It wasn’t vast, just a breath really, but it felt charged. “Alexander,” she started, her voice husky, “I appreciate what you’re saying, but-‘

He cut her off, his thumb gently stroking a circle on the back of her hand. The simple touch sent shivers down her spine. “But what, Sofia?” His voice was a low rumble, sending goosebumps erupting across her skin.

She met his gaze, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. “This is my mess. I should clean it up.” The words came out in a breathless whisper.

A wry smile played on Alexander’s lips. “Maybe,” he conceded, his voice a husky murmur. “But sometimes letting someone help doesn’t make you weak, Sofia. Sometimes, it allows you to fight a little harder, a little smarter.”

She bit her lower lip. “I already had a plan.”

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The smell of alcohol immediately made Lianne frown as she opened the door of her rented motel room.

“What the…” she kicked the empty can of beer near her foot before Lianne slammed the motel door shut, the stale air whooshing out and momentarily pushing back the thick, acrid stench that assaulted her senses. It was a gut punch of stale beer, burnt cigarettes, and something else, something chemical and vaguely sweet that made her nose wrinkle. This place reeked of desperation and bad decisions, the kind that clung to the threadbare carpet and stained the faded floral sheets like a physical manifestation of regret.

Sunlight sliced through a gap in the dusty curtains, illuminating the chaos of the room. Clothes littered the floor alongside crumpled fast food wrappers and overflowing ashtrays. An overturned chair lay sprawled near a chipped nightstand, a half-empty bottle of some amber liquid glinting accusingly beside it.

The pounding in Sofia’s head wasn’t a headache, it was a jackhammer. Every beat echoed in the cavern of her skull, a relentless rhythm that vibrated through her teeth and down to her bones. It felt like someone had stuffed a live grenade in there and pulled the pin a dull ache punctuated by sharp explosions of pain behind her eyes.

Each pulse sent a wave of nausea rolling through her stomach, a sour reminder of the cheap tequila shots she couldn’t quite seem to forget. “Disaster…” she uttered. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the pain to recede, but it was a losing battle. This was the price she paid for a night spent drowning her anger, and right now, the hangover felt a hell of a lot worse than whatever she was trying to forget.

“Fuck!” she hissed as she struggled to remove her heels. Unable to remove the other one, Lianne slumped into her bed, ready to rest. To her surprise, however, the light inside her room suddenly turned on. She squeezed her eyes shut. “What the hell?” she jolted-up. “Who-”

“You reeked.” A voice echoed. It took Lianne a few seconds to realize that it was the voice of a woman. “Drag her to the bathroom…” the woman’s cold voice echoed inside the room. Before Lianne could react, two strong hands held her arms and forcibly dragged her out of her bed.

“What- Hey- Let me go!” Lianne screamed as she tried to shake the hand off. “I said let me go! What are you doing?” she struggled and tried to kick the man, but it was futile. The next thing she knew she was already in the shower, cold water pouring against her face. “What are

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you- ugh-

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“Bring her outside once she’s done…” the woman’s voice echoed.

“Hey- “Lianne called out, but the harsh water once again made her

silent. She trembled. The icy water hit Lianne like a physical blow. It stole the breath from her lungs, turning her scream into a choked gasp. It wasn’t just cold, it was bone-achingly, teeth-chattering frigid, a shock that ripped through her hangover fog with a vengeance.

For a while, Lianne’s muffled voice echoed inside the motel room.

A/N: I will start releasing chapters today. My doctor told me to rest for a couple of days because of some health problems that are preventing me from sitting down. I was supposed to have surgery but I had to decline and opt to rest instead. So, I just spent my days lying down. The good thing is that I used this time to finish my plot and now, I have a complete outline of Devious Wife! Yey! Thank you for the support as always! Happy Reading!

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4/5

Chapter 97

“Who did you say it was?” Lawrence frowned when he heard his secretary Min’s words.

“Miss Lianne Ramirez is causing a scene outside,” Min said, his face as cold as his voice. “She refused to leave.

“Do everything to make her leave.”

“She’s threatened to use social media to-”

“Then let her in, you idiot! What are you waiting for!?” Lawrence hissed before he leaned back in his chair. Just the mention of Lianne’s name was enough to ruin his already ugly mood. He glanced at his passport and other documents on his table before he grabbed each and every one of them and hid them in the drawer, making sure it was locked before Lianne arrived.

Lianne Ramirez…

He gritted his teeth.

He should have silenced that woman a long time ago, but he couldn’t. Sadly, he couldn’t.

Not long after, Min came back with Lianne in tow. Just as Lawrence expected, the woman looked like hell. Eyebags, a pale appearance, and a face that looked like she had drunk all booze in a store and snorted all drugs all day. Fucking hell.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Lianne looked around his office, eyebrows lifting as if she couldn’t believe that he was staying in this place. Then she looked at Min. “You couldn’t even say Hi to your mother?”

“This is not the time for that,” Lawrence said, trying to calm his voice.

“Not time for greetings?” Lianne snorted. “Is this how you trained your children? To not even know how to greet their own mother?” Lianne looked at Min. “I spent forty weeks carrying you, bitch, the least that you can do is smile at me.” Her eyes were full of hatred-as always.

“If you came here to cause a scene

“I came to talk,” Lianne interrupted Lawrence. “I know you are leaving.”

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“Where did you hear that from?” Lawrence asked.

“Please” Lianne sat on the couch as she snorted. Then she looked at Min. “Can I get at least some coke? I am thirsty. Maybe whiskey if you have one. On the rocks.”

Hearing this, Min left the room without saying anything. Satisfied with her son’s reaction, Lianne looked at Lawrence. “I need money.”

“I can’t give you more.”

“Before you fucking leave…” Lianne said. She then took a cigarette and a lighter from her purse.

“You can’t smoke here…’

“Oh please…” Lianne snorted as she lit the cigarette. “The house isn’t even yours. Stop acting like you own it.”

Lawrence’s face immediately turned ugly.

“What?” Lianne snorted. “Your bitch is no longer here. Do you think she would care if your office smells like cheap smoke?” Seeing his face turn red as if he was about to explode from anger, Lianne let out another snort. “I came for money and you will give me what I want unless you want me to tell everyone that you poisoned your own wife for her money.”

“Shut up.”

“A hundred grand.”

“You-”

“You know what? Let’s make it half a mil. What do you think?” Lianne smirked before she started smoking.

“I should have killed you a long time ago.”

“But you couldn’t, right?” Lianne snorted. “I mean… wouldn’t that break \my kid’s heart?”

“Lianne….” Lawrence growled, his glare already containing daggers. “Do not push me… you know how I am.”

“Then kill me.” Lianne shrugged, leaning back on the large couch. “Come on…”

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“I called Charlotte. She said she’s pregnant with a Beaumont’s child.” Lianne sneered. “Can you believe that?”

“What did you-

“Currently, the Beaumont Family is hiding here somewhere until they do a DNA test and confirm the child has the blood of a Beaumont,” Lianne said. “What do you think? Should I just call the Beaumont Family and ask them for money in exchange for some of your secrets?”

“I mean…” Lianne continued. “It shouldn’t matter… right? Just a few secrets wouldn’t actually hurt you right?”

“You-” Lawrence frowned. Min informed him that Charlotte was in the

US, but she soon vanished from their radar. He assumed that she went back to Europe or was trying to salvage her career by doing god knows what. Who would have thought that she was being hidden by the Beaumont Family?

But isn’t this a very good opportunity for him?

“Make it a million then…” Lianne’s words brought him back from his stupor. “A million and I will leave this fucking country. I should go somewhere and start doing Buddhism or something. You won’t see me again.”

Lawrence narrowed his eyes. How could he believe someone who had been an addict all her life?

“You wouldn’t really want me bothering your precious daughter’s right?” Lianne said. “Unless of course, you wanted me to tell them everything that I know.”

“You have no proof of anything…” Lawrence said. At one point, his landed on his other drawer where he kept his gun. His office is soundproof. Moreover, no one would actually care if this woman die She was an orphan and most of her friends were either high or drunk stuck in a casino somewhere.

He was confident that no one would look for her if she disappeared. Almost immediately, Lawrence created a perfect alibi in his mind, the perfect cover if she disappeared. With money, everything can be very easy. Plus, getting rid of her corpse would be a breeze.

His only concern is Min who is standing outside of his office.

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“You are lucky, you are my kid’s mother…” he grumbled.

“Of course, I am.” Lianne chuckled. “Now… you should start calling people for money. I am not leaving this place until I get my money,” Lianne said, her eyes met his before she started chuckling again. She was mocking him. The woman thought that she could do whatever she wanted because she was the mother of his children.

She was wrong.

“Ah… speaking of proof. Did I tell you that I recorded this conversation and most of our conversations in the past?” Lianne asked. “One click and they will be sent to Sofia Lockhart and you— you, my dearest, will rot in prison. Hahahahaha!” Lianne started giggling.

“You really think I cannot do something about you…” Lawrence smiled. As always, the woman was bluffing him. To get what she wanted, Lianne had a habit of bluffing him. She had been doing this for years!

In the past, Lawrence would always give her what she wanted because he feared that she would ruin Charlotte’s career or bother Eunice Lockhart and Sofia Lockhart’s lives. However, everything is different now. Slowly his hand opened the drawer where he kept his gun.

“What?” Lianne cackled. The woman was clearly too high to even know that coming in here was futile. She must have spent the whole night drinking and snorting cocaine and that made her fearless. Again, she laughed and started smoking, ignoring him. “Time is ticking, Lawrence. Get me my money now and I am leaving.”

Lawrence held his gun, his hand wrapped around the handle tightly.

“You know…” Lawrence calmly said. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

“What?” Lianne’s voice wavered.

“I already poisoned one person, Lianne…” Lawrence said. “Do you really think that I wouldn’t dare to end your miserable life?”

Just as he expected, Lianne stared at him. For the first time, fear flashed in her eyes. The sudden change in her expression, however, surprised Lawrence. What the hell is wrong with this woman?

“Are you going to kill me?” Lianne said. “Just so you know… if I don’t walk out of that gate, a friend of mine will

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“You have no friends, Lianne,” Lawrence said. This woman had been

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using his money to pay for everything. She had been staying in cheap motels for years now. She moved to different states every now and then and never stayed long enough to have ‘friends’. Lawrence knew this as he had his people follow her around. “You have no family too,” Lawrence smirked as he got up, showing the gun that he was holding.

Just as he expected, Lianne looked like a deer in headlights. Just as he expected, the woman was still high. She’s confused. It was as if she just realized the fact that she was alone.

“You-” Lianne immediately got up. “What are you-” she stumbled back. “Stay away from me.”

Lawrence did not move. Instead, he just stared at her, stared at his prey.

“Let go of your phone, Lianne…” Lawrence said.

“What-I-”

**BANG**

The loud sound of the gun echoed inside the room. A broken lamp next to Lianne crumbled on the floor. “The room is soundproof… for my meetings,” Lawrence said. “No one would know if I used this gun on your head.” Lawrence smiled.

“You- Are you not- the police-

“Please…” Lawrence snorted. He was already planning on leaving this country. In fact, his flight is just a few hours from today. Obviously, this was done under a new alias that Mr. William Clarence provided the panic on Lianne’s face, Lawrence smiled.

Oh… he never even realized how good it would be to see someon pupils dilate with fear as they stare at him. If he knew, he would done something like this a long time ago.

“Tsk- give me your phone- ” Lawrence said. “I am not the most på person in the world, Lianne, so you better-

“No-” Lianne interrupted him. “If-if you really- ”

**BANG**

ing

A loud bang interrupted Lianne’s words. However, this was not the soun of a gun. Instead, it was the sound of the door of his office as it was

abruptly opened by… police officers.

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“Drop your weapon!” a man wearing a SWAT uniform pointed his rifle at him. For a moment, Lawrence did not know what to say. “Drop your weapon! NOW”

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7/7

Chapter 98

The sound of chaos echoed inside the mansion as Min and a few other servants tried to block the police. Yet it was futile. It took Lawrence a few minutes to realize that he was already walking outside of his study, police and SWAT members around him. What just happened?

Lawrence blinked, the harsh sunlight hitting his eyes after the dimness of his office. Confusion swirled in his head. Outside, manicured lawns stretched towards a wrought iron fence.

A picture of perfect suburban life, shattered by the black and white figures swarming the property. Police cars, their red and blue lights a jarring contrast to the blooming flowers, choked the driveway.

Lianne. Where was she? His eyes darted around, searching for the crumpled figure he expected to find sprawled on the plush carpet. But there was nothing. Just a gaping hole in his meticulously planned scenario.

A cold dread clenched his gut. Then, a glint of white caught his eye. Through the throng of officers, he saw her. Lianne. But something was wrong. A smirk played on her lips.

Before he could process what was happening, a loud slap rang against his ears. His cheek stung. His gaze immediately landed on the woman who stood before him. Sofia Lockhart. Lawrence was about to respond when the SWAT that was holding him hauled him inside the car.

Lawrence could only frown, still speechless from what just happened. He even forgot to ask them to call his lawyers. All he could do was stare at the handcuffs that now restricted his hands.

“How dare you!” Sofia hissed as Karina tried to hold her back.

“Murderer!” Sofia screamed. “You will rot in prison! I promise you! You will rot in that place!”

“We have to leave this place…” Karina held Sofia’s arm and pulled her away from the car.

“I will make you regret everything!” Sofia hissed, her eyes full of hatred. Yet a part of Lawrence knew- a part of him knew that this woman just orchestrated everything! Just…. What just happened?

The journey to the police station was a blur. Lawrence found himself staring blankly ahead, unable to comprehend the gravity of his situation.

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He was booked, processed, and thrown into a cold, impersonal cell.

Hours passed like seconds in that dim, claustrophobic space. Lawrence’s thoughts were a tangled mess, his mind unable to grasp the reality of his predicament. He was a man accustomed to power and control, but now he was nothing more than a prisoner.

Lawrence had to get a personal lawyer. He was informed by a representative earlier that Mr. Thompson and Atty Arian Smith would not be able to help him as the two were affiliated with LH GROUP.

Aside from the smuggling cases, Lawrence was now booked with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Moreover, he was not allowed bail because the police found his fake passport and documents that he was using to go out of the country. Apparently, more cases will soon be filed. A mess…. Everything was a mess.

“Mr. Lockhart… I am Sander Kent, the prosecutor. I am glad that you agreed to meet with me…” A middle-aged man smiled and greeted him the moment he arrived inside another room.

“I was expecting to talk to my lawyer… alone.” Lawrence glared at his lawyer Mr. Mason Brown. “You didn’t tell me-

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“Just hear him out.” Mr. Brown immediately said. “Maybe he could help you.”

“Mr. Lockhart…” Mr. Kent said as he sat on the chair. “Please take

your seat…” he gestured towards the chair opposite him. “This will be a long conversation.”

“Why are they offering him a deal?” Sofia was frowning inside the car as she looked at the man sitting next to her. This man was none other than Mr. Thompson- the legal counsel of LH Group.

“Miss Lockhart, please understand that this was the prosecutor’s choice. We cannot do anything about-“

Sofia looked away, Mr. Thompson just told her that they are going to offer Lawrence a deal for a lesser sentence as long as he cooperates with the investigation of the smuggling case and the poison that he used. Again, this was the prerogative of the government.

“As much as we want to put him to prison for life- ” Mr. Thompson made a deliberate pause, his expression darkened. “It seems that they

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think Mr. Lockhart is an important individual in the current smuggling syndicate in the country.”

Sofia gritted her teeth. So what now?

So, she wanted to put him in prison because she wanted to abide by the law and they actually offered him a deal instead? How is that fair?

Frustration bubbled within Sofia like a pot of water about to boil over. “They just want him to become a snitch,” she spat, the word leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. The image of Lawrence’s smug face, even in handcuffs, ignited her anger.

Here was the man who threatened her life, poisoned her and her mother, and likely had a hand in countless other atrocities, and now he might get a slap on the wrist in exchange for potentially valuable information.

Mr. Thompson sighed, his weathered face etched with the weight of countless legal battles. “Unfortunately, Miss Lockhart, the justice system doesn’t always operate on a ‘fairness’ scale. They prioritize convictions and building a case against bigger players. Sometimes, that means cutting deals with the lesser evils.”

Sofia slumped back in the leather seat, defeated for a moment. This wasn’t the vengeance she craved. She craved to see him broken, stripped of his power and arrogance, and left to rot in a cell for the rest of his days. But as Mr. Thompson’s words sunk in, a sliver of pragmatism began to chip away at her anger.

“So, what does this deal entail?” she asked, her voice calmer, albeit laced with a steely resolve.

Mr. Thompson straightened, a hint of relief flickering in his eyes. “The details are still being finalized, but the gist is this: Lawrence confesses to his crimes, particularly the attempted murder of Mrs. Lockhart and the conspiracy to murder you. He cooperates fully with the investigation, revealing everything he knows about the smuggling operation and its suppliers. In exchange, they’ll likely offer a significantly reduced sentence, with witness protection thrown in for good measure.”

Sofia’s brow furrowed. Witness protection?

Witness protection?

Are they insane?

She balled her hands into tight fists, so tight she felt her nails graze her

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“Obviously, we are doing our best to make sure that he gets a few years in prison. However… this will still depend on the prosecutor.” Mr.

Thompson said.

Sofia scoffed. A few years? That was a pittance compared to the damage he’d inflicted. Her rage flared anew, tinged with a bitter irony. “A few years? He’s lived like a king for most of his life, thanks to my mother!”

She slammed her fist on the armrest, the leather groaning in protest. “Do they even know the kind of life he’s been living? The sprawling mansions in Malibu and Aspen? The private jets and yachts? All funded by Eunice’s hard-earned money, money he leeched off of like a parasite!”

Mr. Thompson’s expression darkened. He was well aware of the Lockhart fortune and Lawrence’s extravagant lifestyle. “They’re starting to piece it together, Miss Lockhart. The financial crimes unit is investigating the sudden influx of cash into his accounts after your mother’s… accident. There’s also the matter of the multiple properties under his name all purchased with funds that can’t be easily traced.”

Sofia listed a few of them off, her voice laced with cold fury. “The vineyard in Napa Valley, the beachfront property in Hawaii… that ski chalet in Switzerland he barely even uses. It’s all blood money, Mr. Thompson. Every single opulent square foot of it.”

The lawyer nodded grimly. “We’ll make sure the prosecutors are aware of all this during negotiations. Seizing his ill-gotten gains will be a priority, along with a hefty fine. However, recovering all of it…” he trailed off, a hint of frustration in his voice. “It might be a long and arduous process.”

Sofia understood. Untangling Lawrence’s web of deceit wouldn’t be easy. He was a master manipulator, likely using offshore accounts and shell companies to hide his assets. But she wouldn’t give up without a fight. Eunice deserved better, and so did she

“Then fight,” she said, her voice hard as steel. “Fight like hell to get back every single penny he stole from my mother. Make him pay, not just with prison time, but by dismantling the empire he built on her kindness.”

The two started talking about some other details about the case before Mr. Thompson bid her goodbye. Almost immediately, she turned towards the person sitting in the front seat. It was none other than her friend Karina. “What do you think?” Sofia asked.

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Chapter 98

“Look,” Karina began, her voice carefully measured, “I understand your frustration. This deal feels like a slap in the face, a mockery of everything your mother went through.”

Sofia nodded curtly, her jaw clenched tight.

“But,” Karina continued, leaning forward, “We have to play the game. This deal, if structured correctly, could be our best chance to bring Lawrence down. He might not rot in a cell for life, but if he cooperates, it could expose the entire smuggling operation. Think about the bigger picture, Sofia. Think about taking down the entire network he’s built, not just Lawrence himself.”

“I know you’re right,” Sofia admitted, her voice heavy. “But there has to be a way… a way to make sure he doesn’t just walk away from this a free man.”

A sly smile tugged at the corner of Karina’s lips, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Now that,” she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “is where my expertise as a lawyer comes in handy. We can’t tamper with the core of the deal his confession and cooperation – but there might be ways to make it a bit less… comfortable for Mr. Lockhart.”

Sofia raised an eyebrow, a spark of interest igniting in her eyes. “Explain.”

Karina leaned in closer, her voice barely above a murmur. She began to outline a plan, a legal maneuver that would exploit loopholes and push the boundaries of the deal, ensuring that even with witness protection, Lawrence wouldn’t exactly be living a life of luxury.

It wouldn’t be vengeance in the strictest sense, but it would be a form of justice, a way to ensure Lawrence paid a price beyond just prison bars.

Soon enough, their car started moving. Finally, she arrived at Alexander’s house. Exhausted, Sofia walked inside. She then removed her heels and sat on the couch.

The house was in complete silence and if she was right, Alexander might still be in the office.

She already bothered him enough so she decided to only tell him that he was going home to rest. She did not update him about the case as she knew he had been very busy since the accident.

Sofia closed her eyes. Her mind was in turmoil. She was tired, physically and mentally.

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Chapter 98

She was angry and helpless and…

“Hey…”

Sofia’s eyes snapped open when she heard a familiar voice.

“Don’t sleep here…”

Alexander’s face welcomed her gaze. “Let me take you to the room.”

He did not wait for her response as he carried her in his arms giving her the warmth that she did not even know she needed.

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Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Chapter 95

“Married…” Teresa couldn’t stop pacing inside her room. Alexander and Sofia got married? This – “How is Daniel?” she asked the maid who was standing nearby.

“The young master was still sleeping.”

Teresa gritted her teeth. No. Something must be done. She couldn’t believe that Sofia would actually marry Alexander just for revenge! She wasn’t stupid! Why would she-

No. This can’t continue.

“I was in the middle of a meeting. What was so-

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“Did you know that Alexander got married?” Teresa interrupted her husband’s words the moment he walked in. “Your good son got married without informing us.”

“Married to who?” Arthur frowned.

“Sofia Lockhart.” Teresa no longer had the energy to even talk to her husband about this matter. “The least you could do was be there for Daniel but-”

“Wasn’t it Alexander who just had an accident?”

“Why was it always Alexander?” Teresa screamed. “Why was it always him?”

For a few seconds, Arthur just stared at her. “Do you really want to know?”

“You-”

“If you want to blame someone, then… why not blame yourself?” Arthur said, his expression was cold. This was not a new scandal inside the family. The fact that the Beaumont Family had never been close to each other was not a secret even outside the family.

“Daniel did nothing! He is still your son,” Teresa said. After everything, she no longer had the energy to even say that she was angry- no- she no longer had the strength to be angry. “Why can’t you at least-”

 

Arthur snorted, interrupting her words. “Do you truly think of us as stupid?” Arthur asked as he took a step towards Teresa.

“You” Seeing the coldness in Arthur’s eyes, Teresa was unable to stop her hand from shivering. She took a step back, fear flashed in her eyes but she quickly suppressed her reaction.

“We both know whose son he is… right?” Arthur asked, his words sending shivers down her spine. It was as if the world around Teresa narrowed. “It seems that you have truly underestimated the Beaumont Family.” Arthur clicked his tongue. “Do not worry. Daniel will never know the truth and I do not intend to reveal it to him. You are right. He is my son and he will forever think that way. However… I believe you have no right to utter those words in front of me again.”

Just like most families, the Beaumont Family once had trouble with succession.

Once the Beaumont Family had two sons. The eldest grew up thinking he would inherit everything so he studied hard, followed his father’s footsteps, and started working in his father’s company when he was still young. He married the woman his father wanted him to marry and lived the life his father wanted him to live.

Meanwhile, the youngest grew up spoiled. He continued messing around with women and substances.

Then one day, the patriarch said he would give the youngest a position in the company. Out of nowhere, the youngest started showing potential more than his brother. He started gaining praise from the shareholders. He started gaining influence. He was allowed to do what he wanted and even marry the woman he liked!

So… what did the eldest do?

The eldest, who had been following everything his father wanted, started to feel suffocated. Why was his younger brother, who did not follow their father’s words, given that opportunity? Why was he given a chance when the one who worked so hard to impress their father was him?

During all this, the eldest son got closer to another woman who showed him the care he needed- a woman who was not his wife. Seeing his brother’s accomplishment, the eldest started to doubt his own ability.

  

Threatened by his own brother, the eldest brother did something unthinkable that caused the demise of his younger brother and his then-pregnant wife- it was something so terrible that until now, it haunted his dreams.

However, the suffering did not just end with this. The endless nightmares and guilt were just the beginning.

The eldest’s wife suddenly succumbed to death and soon, he discovered that his mistress was pregnant with his second child. He quickly married his mistress without having second thoughts.

For years, he had treated his first son horribly. To him, the first son was a reminder of his past self— the man who did not hesitate to follow all of his father’s orders. Obviously, he pampered his second son. That was when he discovered something… something that destroyed his world.

It turns out that his younger brother, whom he ‘accidentally’ killed, was indeed planning to become the heir. His younger brother was meticulously planning everything behind the scenes and pretended to be a waste for years before deciding it was time to show off his skills.

He planned to take the position of the heir and become the new pillar of the Beaumont Family. However, his sudden death halted everything— well, not everything.

The eldest son soon discovered that the woman he married- his mistress was colluding with his younger brother and even bore his child. He soon discovered that everything had been a lie from the start! That everything had been planned like a game of go! In the end, the one who lost everything was him.

He lost his brother.

He lost his first wife.

He lost the affection of his only son.

The child that he loved so much was not even his own!

A family scandal.

A family secret that no one will ever know.

 

A family affair that made Arthur- the eldest child- speechless.

Yet, he knew that this was the consequence of his own actions- the consequence of his own greed.

It was karma.

Karma for everything that Arthur did in the past.

Many were asking why Arthur did not fight his father when he willed everything to Alexander. Many thought he was stupid and weak. Many laughed behind his back. Many mocked him for lowering his head in front of his son.

That was because those people didn’t know the truth. They didn’t know the shame, the guilt that made him want to end his life. But death was easy… wasn’t it?

Arthur was not foolish enough to end his life just like that.

Yes. He deserved everything that happened to him, and he would continue to live just to pay for his sins.

“Daniel is suffering for the sins that he did not commit,” Teresa said her voice just barely a whisper. “How could you punish someone who did nothing.” To her, it didn’t make any sense. Daniel had the blood of the Beaumont Family in his veins. The child was innocent since he was born. Why was he being treated like this by his own father?

“Yet you said nothing when I was punishing Alexander…” Arthur smirk “Wasn’t it pathetic?”

“You-”

“Don’t worry…” Arthur smiled. “You are not alone. Both of us are being punished for something that we did in the past. So… endure.” Why was it that he did not leave Teresa despite knowing everything? Why was it that he refused to divorce her? Isn’t it because he wanted them to endure their karma forever?

“Daniel is innocent.”

“Was he?” Arthur asked.

“He did nothing!” Teresa hissed, tears brimming in her eyes. “My son did

 

nothing!”

“Then you tell that to Alexander,” Arthur said.

“You-You are not really- You raised Daniel- how could you— ” Teresa

stopped her lips from trembling.

Arthur said nothing. Until now, he still thought of Daniel as his son. He did not have the heart to tell him the truth. However, this did not change anything. At the end of the day, Arthur was still a coward who could not face everything on his own.

“I am leaving…” Arthur said. “It is best that you send him abroad. Europe would be nice. Or send him to Asia. I heard Indonesia has some good facilities focused on meditation among other things. My secretary will show you a list of some meditation retreats.”

“Daniel is a Beaumont! You cannot just

“The only reason why Daniel is alive is because he is one!” Arthur gave

her a cruel smile. “Do you understand me?”

 

 

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Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 93-94

Chapter 93

Miss Paine slammed her office door shut with a resounding bang, the force of it rattling the picture frames adorning composed demeanor had evaporated, replaced by a simmering rage.

Cee wall. Her normally

“That little…” she muttered, her voice laced with venom as she stalked toward her mahogany desk. Sofia Lockhart, the woman who had just outsmarted her in the boardroom, was the target of her ire. Miss Paine had spent the week carefully laying the groundwork, subtly maneuvering to position herself as the ideal candidate for a chairman role. But Sofia, with her unexpected call for transparency, had snatched the rug right out from under her.

With Eulanda and Lawrence gone, Miss Paine was confident that she was the next qualified chairman not just because of her family’s share but because of her capabilities. Instead, Sofia really had to get the approval of the shareholders who did not waste their time and immediately agreed on Sofia’s proposal.

Clearly, Mr. Lee and Mr. Anderson had been aware of her intentions. She had separately met them since Lawrence’s demise. Who would have thought that the two of them would not even hesitate to support Sofia? “Those bitches…” she hissed as she sat on her chair.

What irked her the most was the fact that Sofia now had the trust of a few shareholders simply because of how magnanimous and trustworthy she sounded. The fact that she was humble enough to accept that she was not yet capable of ruling a conglomerate made her look mature and concerned about her employees!

A low growl escaped Miss Paine’s lips. She wouldn’t deny feeling a grudging admiration for Sofia’s audacity. The woman had played a risky game, publicly advocating for a transparent process while holding the very power to simply claim the chairmanship herself. But Miss Paine wasn’t about to give up so easily. There had to be a way to turn this situation to her advantage.

Her sharp eyes darted around the room, landing on the sleek phone sitting on the corner of her desk. A slow, predatory smile spread across her face. This game was far from over, Miss Lockhart. You may have won the first round, but the battle for LH Group had just begun.

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“To think that you would openly decline the position…” William Clarence smiled before he took a sip of his tea. I never saw you as someone that wise.”

“I am going to take that as a compliment,” Sofia responded. Then she slowly placed the box on the rectangular coffee table between them. “Here’s the thing that you want.”

“You didn’t have to bring that here-personally.” William gestured to the man standing behind him to get the box.

“Are you not going to check if this was the same music box that you wanted?” Sofia asked.

“Should I?”

“No. There is no need.” Sofia smiled.

“So, I take it that you personally came here because you need something?” he asked, a curious glint apparent in his eyes. For a while, all she could see was the steaming tea in front of her.

“I simply came here to thank you for your help,” Sofia said. “I heard from the FBI agent that you lost millions because of that shipment. I was not aware.”

“Consider it some business risk…” William said. “It is a part of having a

business.”

Sofia nodded at that. Actually, she came here to wrap things up. She does not want to owe something to people so…

She took her bag and placed it on top of the table. Seeing this, William arched an eyebrow yet he waited for her to say a word.

“Compensation…” Sofia said.

“The ballerina is enough.”

“I dislike owing things to people.” With this, her relationship with William will end. She then got up. “I appreciate your help.”

With that, she left the restaurant without looking back. The moment Sofia left, her cold expression slowly changed. She got into the car waiting for her and immediately looked at Alexander. “Pretending to be cold is a little hard…” she immediately mumbled. “Do you think I will get used to it?” she asked the man who already started driving the car.

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“You will…” Alexander said.

Sofia said nothing. She actually agreed with him. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“Charlotte is pregnant with Daniel’s child…” Alexander said. “I thought we should celebrate.”

Her gaze snapped back at him. Surprisingly, the pain that she expected to feel did not come. There was simply indifference.

“Celebrate?” she asked, confused.

“Your sister and ex are going to end up with each other… isn’t that something that you should celebrate?” he asked, smirking.

“You-” Sofia didn’t know what to say. Was it possible that Alexander had a hand in this pregnancy? But isn’t that too impossible? “You wanted them to end up together?” she asked.

“Do you not want that?” he asked.

Sofia shrugged. “I didn’t think I cared enough…” she was busy with everything else! The poison, her grandmother, Lawrence, the company. The distraction worked wonders. Now, she was thinking about Daniel and Charlotte without breaking her heart.

“Isn’t that the best punishment for the two?” he chuckled.

Sofia pursed her lips. Well, she thought about these things. She wanted them to grow closer and maybe end up together but at the end of the day, Sofia was not that cruel. Being successful and happy was the best revenge that she could give them. Perhaps, it was weakness or maybe even stupidity.

However, all she wanted was for them to live a life wondering what would have happened if they succeeded. She wanted them to lay in their beds at night and think about the possibilities. She wanted them to reach heights while they stayed the same in their bitter world.

Isn’t that the greatest punishment that she could give them?

Still, a pregnancy?

That is completely unexpected of Charlotte!

She has dreams of becoming an actress and as far as Sofia could recall,

Charlotte seemed to claim that she is going to become childfree because

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of her dreams.

“There is no need to overthink things…” he said, his eyes still on the road.

She looked at him wondering what he did. Did he do it himself to keep her conscience clear? If so… then a part of her was really thankful. He did a lot of things to help her and get her back up and now, he was doing something to the people that hurt her. She was indeed very lucky.

“Hey…”

“Hm?”

“What do you think will happen if – Sofia was not able to finish her words as the car suddenly swerved to the left.

The screech of tires tore through the bustling city street, shattering Sofia’s train of thought. Alexander, his face contorted in sudden panic, yanked the steering wheel left. The car lurched violently, the world outside blurring into a sickening smear of color.

Sofia, thrown against the door by the force of the turn, cried out as her shoulder slammed into the hard panel. A searing pain shot through her arm, momentarily stealing her breath. Through the ringing in her ears, she heard the unmistakable crunch of metal as the car slammed into something.

The momentum of the impact sent the car spinning. Sofia felt herself rolling, tumbling against the leather seats, her purse spilling its contents

onto

the floor. Her head slammed against the window, a sharp crack echoing before a wave of dizziness washed over her.

The car finally came to a jarring halt, tilted precariously at an angle. Smoke started to curl from the crumpled hood, a metallic tang filling the air. Silence descended, thick and heavy, broken only by the rapid drumming of Sofia’s heart.

Disoriented and dazed, Sofia tried to right herself. Her vision swam, spots dancing in front of her eyes. A trickle of warmth spread down her forehead, sticky and wet. Panic clawed at her throat. She fumbled for the seatbelt release, her fingers trembling, finally managing to click it open.

“Alexander?” she croaked, her voice hoarse. There was no answer. Fear, cold and sharp, stabbed at her. She twisted in her seat, her gaze falling on the driver’s side. Alexander was slumped against the window, his head

 

lolling at an unnatural angle. Blood stained the fabric of his shift, spreading like a crimson stain.

Terror choked her. She reached out, her hand shaking, but didn’t dare touch him. However, before she could do anything, her gaze started to turn blurry. All Sofia could see was Alexander’s face before her consciousness left her.

Chapter 94

A harsh white light assaulted Sofia’s eyes as she jolted awake. A throbbing ache pulsed through her entire body, making her wince. Disoriented, she tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her, forcing her head back down.

The sterile smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils, and the rhythmic beeping of a nearby machine cut through the silence. Her gaze slowly fluttered open, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. She was in a hospital room, stark white walls adorned with a single, cheery painting of a brightly colored landscape.

Her arm was immobilized in a sling, a dull ache radiating from the bandaged bump beneath. A sharp sting on her forehead drew her attention, and she reached up gingerly to touch a bandage there.

“Let me see her…” a voice echoed from outside the room. Sofia -immediately frowned. Was that Daniel’s voice?

“Are you deaf?” Alexander’s voice echoed.

“I want to see her! You have no right to stop me from seeing my fiancée!”

“What fiancée?” Alexander snorted. “Have you forgotten how you cheated on her with her very own sister?” Their arguments rang in her ears like a tolling bell.

“That is none of your business.”

“Ridiculous!” Alexander said. “Take him away from this place.”

“Alexander, can you at least-”

“Take him away!” Alexander hissed.

“Alexander, your brother just needed to make sure that she’s safe.” A

woman’s voice that Sofia recognized as Teresa chimed in. “Please… let’s-

LL

“He had no right to see Sofia. Take him away or I will have the guards make him leave this place.”

“What right do you not have to do that? What? Didn’t you just get close to her because you wanted to piss me off?” Daniel said. “What? Say

something…”

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“Daniel, calm down… please…”

“No. I need to see Sofia!”

There was more chaos then, a few footsteps. Were they fighting?

“Let me see my fiancée- ”

“She’s no longer your fiancée!” Alexander said. “She’s my wife!”

Silence.

A loud, suffocating silence followed.

“What did you— What did you say you son of a

Sofia sighed inwardly when another chaos started. It seems that some people are physically restraining Daniel while the latter is trying his best to approach Alexander.

Sofia glanced around the room and found her phone on the bedside table. From the lack of an IV or any machine, she concluded that what she had were just small wounds and perhaps concussions. Taking her phone, she quickly opened it while ignoring the large crack on the screen. It worked perfectly fine.

Good, she thought inwardly. Slowly, she got out of her bed. Luckily, she didn’t feel any alarming pain, only a few numb parts of her body. But aside from that, she felt perfectly fine. Upon reaching the door, Sofia did not hesitate and opened it, revealing the group of people outside.

Aside from Daniel, Alexander, and Teresa, there were doctors, nurses, and even guards. Seeing her, Alexander immediately moved to her side, holding her waist.

“What are you doing? You just woke up!” he hissed, his expression dark.

“Sofia- “Daniel immediately teared up the moment his eyes landed on Sofia. “I what is he saying? What- Wife? Did you-

66

However, Sofia really had no time for this bullshit. She opened her phone and pressed play.

“Do you still dislike how I smell?” Daniel’s voice echoed inside the corridor. Almost immediately, Teresa covered her mouth but both of her hands as she realized what was happening on the video that clearly showed Daniel and Charlotte.

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Chapter 94

“Hmph! Stop acting cute. You’re not.” Charlotte’s voice followed.

“Really?”

“Really!” There was a pause. “And you lied to me. You said we would stay

here for a week.”

“The meeting is only for three days, Sofia would know.”

“You already spend most of your time with her at home. What’s wrong with spending a few days with me? Aren’t you leaving her soon?”

“She’s to turn 26 very soon,” Daniel chuckled. “You know I cannot live without you, right?” In the video, they could clearly see how he started kissing her neck as his other hand started moving on her body, caressing, pinching, stroking.

“She has yet to promise you, that she would give you her shares even if you have yet to marry. How confident are you that she would hand you the shares without conditions attached?” Charlotte asked.

“Can we stop talking about something irrelevant?” Again, he peppered Charlotte with kisses, causing the latter to giggle.

“I am getting impatient, Daniel. I have been waiting for two years.”

“Her birthday’s in a month, babe,” Daniel reminded Charlotte.

“I know… I just…”

“You-”

Then, Daniel helped her sit down on the bed.

“A ring? You- “

“Will you marry me?” Daniel asked. “Of course, after I get the shares.”

Seeing everyone’s reaction, Sofia smiled as she turned the phone off. “What were you trying to say, again?”

“You-

“What was that? That Recording is illegal; it must have been edited.” Teresa immediately said. “Who would dare do that to my son? Go and call our lawyers, I—

“I was there.” Sofia interrupted her. “I sneaked inside the room and

recorded that. Of course, you can easily say that it was edited but I was

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Chapter 94

there.” Her voice was rather cold. She thought that seeing Daniel like this would somehow make her angry or emotional. To her surprise, however, she felt nothing. She couldn’t feel a single anger or pity. She just felt… nothing.

Sofia met Daniel’s pleading eyes. There was a time when she wanted to slap him, skin him, kick him. She wanted to ask him why he did what he did. She wanted to ask him why he betrayed her. She wanted to ask him if he ever loved her. Not today.

Oh, not today. “Now… let’s stop fooling each other. You have no right to be here.” Sofia coldly said. “I don’t want to release the video so you don’t have to worry about that. However… you should stop. It’s exhausting. You made your choice a long time ago. There is no need to avoid the consequences that come with it.” Sofia said.

“Sofia, let me explain. It was Charlotte-”

“I’m married,” Sofia said. “To your brother.”

“You-”

“So…” Sofia forced a smile. “Now, you can have

my sister.”

“Sofia, what are you- ”

However, Sofia already turned around and went back inside the room. Dealing with him now was better as it was getting exhausting. Still, she hoped that he would finally stop all this crazy behavior. The moment the door closed, Alexander suddenly carried her into his arms.

“What are you- ” she gasped.

“You just woke up. Why would you go out there? I can deal with him.” Alexander said, frowning.

“It would be nice to end it once and for all,” Sofia said as Alexander carefully put her back on the bed. “You

don’t look injured?” she asked.

“Just a small cut…” he straightened his back and pointed at his head.

“The accident- “Sofia’s gaze darkened. By now, she knew that there were no coincidences in this world. “How long did I sleep?” she asked.

“Just a day. The driver of the truck that hit us was already in the custody of the police. He was not saying a word.” Alexander said.

  

“But my people were able to trace it back to Lawrence.”

Sofia snorted. It seems that Lawrence will never stop until one of them… ends up dead.

 

Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Chapter 92

LH GROUP

“We are in unanimous decision to accept Lawrence Lockhart’s resignation,” Mr. Lee said, his expression unreadable.

Mr. Lee’s voice echoed in the opulent conference room, bouncing off the polished mahogany table., Silence, thick and heavy, followed his pronouncement. Unlike the usual murmur of agreement or polite disagreement, there was only the nervous clenching of fists and the rustle of expensive clothing.

The recent smuggling scandal has shaken the very foundation of LH Group. Stocks had plummeted, and whispers of panic danced on the tongues of every employee. Here, at the board table, the air was thick with a different kind of tension.

Lawrence Lockhart’s resignation, a carefully worded document delivered that very morning, lay splayed on the table like a discarded hand. It was a formality, a public acknowledgment of the inevitable. Yet, the weight of that resignation pressed down on each board member.

Mr. Anderson, a portly man with a perpetually worried expression, dabbed his forehead with a monogrammed handkerchief. Miss Paine, known for her sharp wit and sharper tongue, remained

uncharacteristically quiet, her gaze fixed on the intricate floral pattern of

the rug.

Across from them, Sofia Lockhart sat with a cold indifference that masked a simmering satisfaction. The public might see Lawrence’s departure as a noble sacrifice, but Sofia knew better.

It seems that now, the shareholders who were ever wary of scandal had lost all faith in their chosen successor.

At one point, Sofia wanted to laugh in their faces and tell them how foolish they had been to be fooled by Lawrence himself. However, wasn’t she just like them a couple of months ago?

A ghost of a smile played on Sofia’s lips as her gaze met Mr. Lee’s.

“While Mr. Lockhart’s resignation has been accepted,” he began, his voice measured, “we must address the issue of succession. The board previously expressed its interest in Mr. Lockhart assuming the chairmanship after… well, after recent events. However, the current

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r

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Chapter 92

circumstances necessitate a reevaluation.”

The room remained silent, each member waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sofia knew this was where the real battle would begin. The chairmanship of LH Group was a coveted prize, and with Lawrence Lockhart out of the running and Eulanda’s death, the wolves were circling.

“First and foremost, we need to project stability. A press release announcing Mr. Lockhart’s resignation and the board’s commitment to a smooth transition is paramount. We’ll need clear messaging that emphasizes our unwavering dedication to ethical business practices.”

He paused, letting his words sink in. Miss Paine, finally looking up, spoke with a hint of her usual sharpness, “And who will be appointed acting chairman in the interim?”

This was a crucial question. The acting chairman would be the face of LH Group during this critical time, and their actions could significantly impact investor confidence. All eyes turned to Mr. Lee.

“The board will convene a special meeting within the next week to discuss the selection process for a permanent chairman,” he explained. “In the meantime, I propose that the role of acting chairman falls to a committee of three board members. This will ensure a collaborative and transparent approach during this sensitive period.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room. A committee would help to quell any accusations of favoritism and demonstrate the board’s commitment to good governance.

“Who will be on this committee?” Mr. Anderson piped up, his voice trembling slightly. Everyone had been wanting to ask this question, yet no one had been able to voice anything… until now.

Mr. Lee steepled his fingers, his gaze sweeping across the table. “I propose myself, Miss Paine, and Ms. Lockhart.”

Sofia’s heart skipped a beat. Being on the committee meant significant influence in choosing the next chairman. It was a power play, a subtle acknowledgment of the shifting tides within the company.

She met Mr. Lee’s gaze, a silent challenge passing between them. This was far from over. The fight for control of LH Group had just begun, and Sofia, no longer an outsider, was now a player at the table.

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Chapter 92

As the one with the largest shares in the company, many people would think that she would immediately use this opportunity to become the chairman. However, she knew this was not the right time for that. With her votes alone, Sofia was confident that she could actually have the position if she wanted to, and perhaps, these foxes around her were expecting her to grab this opportunity and become the chairman of a conglomerate.

Sofia cleared her throat, the sound sharp and clear in the tense silence. All eyes darted toward her, curiosity and a hint of wariness flickering in their gazes.

“While I appreciate the proposed committee, Mr. Lee,” she began, her voice calm and measured, “I believe ensuring true stability requires complete transparency in the selection process for the new chairman.”

A murmur rippled through the room again. Miss Paine leaned forward, a spark of interest glinting in her eyes. Mr. Anderson, however, seemed to shrink back slightly in his seat.

“What exactly do you have in mind, Ms. Lockhart?” Mr. Lee inquired, his voice betraying a hint of curiosity.

Sofia straightened in her chair, her gaze sweeping across the faces of her fellow board members. “First,” she stated, “we need to establish a clear set of criteria for potential candidates. This should include proven leadership experience, a deep understanding of our industry, and an unwavering commitment to ethical practices.”

She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing. “Second, the selection process itself should be open and impartial. We should consi engaging a reputable search firm to identify qualified candidates. This will demonstrate our commitment to finding the best person for the job, not just someone within our immediate circle.”

A tense silence followed. Sofia knew this wouldn’t be an easy sell. The old guard, accustomed to backroom deals and power plays, might resist the idea of a transparent search. But she also knew that the recent scandal had shaken investor confidence, and a commitment to openness was crucial to rebuilding trust.

“Finally,” Sofia pressed on, her voice firm, “we need to ensure shareholder involvement in the final decision. Perhaps a shortlist of qualified candidates could be presented for a shareholder vote. This would show that we value the voice of everyone invested in the future of LH Group.”

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Mr. Lee stroked his chin thoughtfully. An interesting proposal, Ms. Lockhart. It would certainly be a departure from our usual practices, but perhaps a necessary one in these circumstances.”

Miss Paine chimed in. “I second that. Transparency breeds trust, and trust is what we desperately need right now,

The room remained abuzz with murmurs. While some, like Mr. Anderson, seemed hesitant, others, sensing the changing tide, appeared intrigued by Sofia’s suggestions.

“Although…” Miss Paine smiled. “I am quite curious why Miss Lockhart is advocating for transparency when you have the right to become the chairman yourself. Are you not going to grab this opportunity?”

Finally… Sofia smiled inwardly. The moment that she has been waiting for has come.

“As much as I wanted to continue my grandmother’s legacy, there are other things that I must focus on, Miss Paine,” Sofia said.

“Things

that you must focus on?” Mr. Lee asked.

Sofia held Miss Paine’s gaze, a hint of steel in her voice. “Look, taking over as chairman right now might seem like the obvious move, but it wouldn’t be practical. This company is facing a critical moment, and we need a leader with a proven track record, someone who can navigate us through this crisis.”

She swept the room with her eyes, each board member a face etched with worry. “I may be the largest shareholder, but I lack the experience this role demands. Leading a company of this size takes more than just good intentions. It requires a steady hand, someone who can inspire confidence and make tough decisions that impact thousands of employees.”

A flicker of respect crossed Mr. Anderson’s face, a subtle shift from his previous nervousness. Sofia pressed on.

“Besides,” she continued, a wry smile playing on her lips, “there’s a lot to be learned from a truly transparent selection process. It allows us to evaluate candidates objectively and choose the best person for the job, not just someone who fits a certain mold.”

Her gaze met Mr. Lee’s once more. “Let’s face it, a fair and open search

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will not only rebuild trust with investors but also send a strong message to our employees. It shows we’re serious about putting the company back on the right track, and that we value good governance over personal gain.”

A thoughtful silence descended upon the room. Sofia knew her argument resonated. While some might still harbor ambitions for the

chairmanship, they couldn’t deny the logic in her words. The company needed stability, not another gamble.

“So,” Sofia concluded, her voice firm, “let’s focus on finding the right leader. I’m confident that with a transparent process, we can identify someone who will not only restore LH Group’s reputation but also lead us into a brighter future.”

Hearing this, Miss Paine pursed her lips. A part of her refused to believe that this woman was not scheming something. However, the other part of her was convinced that Sofia Lockhart was just a weak entity, a coward. She looked at Sofia, surprisingly, the latter was already looking at her with a beautiful smile on her face.

Mr. Chairman’s Devious Wife by Brey Mitchylle Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Chapter 91

“Do you not understand anything?” Teresa chided. “To think that you are a daughter of someone like Lawrence Lockhart, yet you are actually this stupid.” Teresa arched an eyebrow.

“We cannot intervene in this matter, or our enemies will think that we have something to do with your father and this smuggling ring that the government is trying to destroy. Do you think we are that stupid?”

“But my father is innocent.”

“Innocent?” Teresa smirked. “Did you truly believe your father is a saint?”

“He is not. He might have committed some sins but… he would not do something so stupid as this. He worked so hard to slowly crawl his way up to the top of the food chain. Why would he risk everything for something like that?” Charlotte came here because she was helpless. She thought that the support of the Beaumont Family would help her father. However, she never thought that Mrs. Teresa Beaumont would become this useless.

It was a good thing that she knew a few pieces of information about Teresa and the Beaumont Family- information that was enough to ruin their perfect family image.

Charlotte was forced to reveal her cards when Teresa threatened to harm her unborn child. Because of these cards, Teresa asked her people to let Charlotte go, and they finally had the chance to have a decent conversation.

However, it seems that Teresa is still not convinced that she is worth helping.

“I never thought of doing something pointless,” Teresa said. “Why would we involve ourselves in your matter when it has nothing to do with us? Besides…” Teresa narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you know that Alexander Beaumont is currently helping your sister?”

“What?” She heard rumors and even saw some gossip about the two online. However, she never thought that Alexander Beaumont would involve himself in the matters between the Lockhart Family. “I— I don’t understand. This has nothing to do with Mr. Beaumont. Besides, Sofia doesn’t exactly have anything that could give him. Mr. Beaumont was a man who was even greater than Lawrence. He has the wealth, the power,

 

and perhaps women.”

“Besides, Mr. Beaumont is your son… can’t y

you-”

“Let’s stop wasting each other’s time,” Teresa said. “I do not owe you any explanation. The only reason why I am letting you go now is because of what you told me earlier. However, you do not have to act confident around me. I still do not accept you in the family. You may raise that child as yours, but that child… will never be one of us.”

“You-”

“Daniel will never marry you nor will he father that bastard of yours. However, I will allow you to live but do not mistake this as benevolence. I only wanted to see how far you will go until you… terminate that pregnancy yourself,” Teresa said. “You may leave…”

“What about my father?”

“What about your father?” Teresa asked. This matter doesn’t really concern her so she was not interested in involving herself. Besides, Alexander’s warnings still echoed inside her ears until now. Alexander is currently helping Sofia. Right now, she doesn’t want to provoke Alexander anymore as she knows how ruthless that man is.

She doesn’t want Alexander to harm Daniel just to hurt her.

“Leave… you already know where the door was. There is no need for me to escort you out.”

Charlotte gritted her teeth as she glared at the woman before her. How could someone be this ruthless?

“Can’t you at least let me see Daniel?”

“And why would you want to see my son?”

“He needed to know that he has a child.”

“Says who?” Teresa lifted an eyebrow. This time, Charlotte was unable to answer her question. She let out a sigh before she got up and turned towards the exit. Today, she will never forget the suffering that she experienced in front of this woman.

However, just before she could go out of the mansion, the large gates opened, a black Maybach drove straight inside. Seeing the familiar car, a small light of hope suddenly appeared inside Charlotte. She quickly

 

made her way towards the car.

“Mr. Beaumont…” she called out the man who just got out of the car. “I am certain that we have not met before, but I am Charlotte Lockhart. I am Sofia Lockhart’s stepsister and I carry the child of Daniel Beaumont.”

Alexander looked at Charlotte. “Then-

“1

“Alexander, I didn’t know you would come…” Teresa’s voice interrupted him. “This- you do not have to listen to this nonsense. ” Teresa said. She never thought that Alexander would actually appear at a time like this! “This woman simply wanted money and I—”

“I just want my child to live!” Charlotte screamed. “All I wanted was for my child to survive.”

“Live?” Alexander looked at her stepmother and then turned his attention towards Charlotte. “You do understand that lying to a Beaumont would directly forfeit your life, no?”

For a few seconds, Charlotte was speechless. Alexander should not be that old. So, what was this suffocating atmosphere coming from him? She swallowed as she tried to compose herself.

“I— I am not lying. We can do a DNA. I heard they can do something like that even to a pregnant woman. I am willing to prove that this is Daniel’s child!”

“Then Josef…”

“Master…”

“Arrange a guest room for Miss Lockhart. Call the physicians. We need to arrange a DNA test and if it was proven that this is-”

“Alexander! What do you think you’re doing?” Teresa asked her gaze wide. She never expected that Alexander would immediately budge. “This woman is lying if—”

“If she’s lying then we could just punish her… isn’t that right? Mother?” Alexander smirked.

“This woman was only after the wealth of the-”

“And you know that because?” Alexander asked.

 

“Was it because you can smell it from her?” Alexander asked. Seeing Teresa’s startled expression, he took a step towards the woman. “Was the stench too familiar? Were you able to recognize your own stench…

mother?”

“You-” Teresa was ready to slap Alexander but instead, she balled her hands into fists.

“Josef… what are you waiting for?” Alexander smirked.

“Yes, Miss Lockhart, please follow me..

Alexander smiled as he watched Charlotte’s slightly hunched-back follow Josef. “If that child is indeed the child of my brother, then… I shall protect it.”

“You-

“If something happens to that child… I would immediately think it’s you, mother. So… you should be very careful.” Alexander smiled.

“What are you talking about?’

However, Alexander was already walking away from her. Seeing the man’s proud back, Teresa gritted her teeth. She cannot let that child live as it would only tarnish her son’s reputation and may even worsen his current state. However, she also could not carelessly touch her because of Alexander.

Moreover, if this matter reaches her husband then… she was certain t he would agree with Alexander too! How did this happen? Just years a Alexander was not doing anything against her.

She always knew he hated her for what happened in the past but he loved his father and would not want to see his father’s broken heart. For years, he stayed away from the Beaumont Family and instead focused on

running the Empire.

Why did he suddenly change? Just what the hell happened?

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