Chapter 141

The penthouse suite was spotless, bright, and filled with a soft, clean scent that drifted through the air.
Anthony led Charlotte inside, his dark eyes sweeping over the sofa with obvious distaste. He lowered his voice and said, “Bring me a brand new towel.”
The manager froze for a second, a flicker of surprise on his face. Was Charlotte really that particular? He didn’t dare ask, just turned and quickly sent a waiter to fetch one.
The door swung open and a waiter in his uniform stepped in, holding a towel neatly folded in his hands.
“Mr. Sterling, here’s what you asked for.”
The waiter looked up and caught sight of the girl standing beside Anthony. He stopped short, eyes wide. Wasn’t this the same girl who dropped over a million on wine for Jesse last time? Jesse had lost control and made a scene, blaming it on the wine, insisting they track down whoever was responsible. But the security footage for that night had mysteriously shorted out and the wine checked out clean, so there was nothing anyone could do.
Who would’ve guessed this girl was with Anthony?
Did Anthony even know she’d used his money to spoil another man?
The manager noticed the way the waiter was staring and snapped, “Put it down and get out.”
He gave the waiter a hard kick, sweat breaking out on his forehead. Staring at Anthony’s girlfriend like that was just asking for trouble.
“Yes, sir.” The waiter’s face went pale and he hurried out of the room.
“Mr. Sterling, please relax. Your food will be up soon.” The manager bowed deeply before slipping out. He sneaked one last look at the girl sitting quietly beside Anthony. She looked young, probably a student, but her presence was every bit as strong as his. No wonder Anthony was interested.
…
Kenneth still hadn’t shown up.
Charlotte lounged on the sofa, clearly bored. Anthony sat beside her and grabbed a bag of chips, tearing them open. He picked out a chip and held it near her lips.
“Ketchup flavor. Want to try?”
Charlotte glanced at it, looking uninterested. Still, she opened her mouth and let him feed her. Her face softened a little, like she actually enjoyed it.
Anthony smiled, shifting closer so their shoulders nearly touched. He seemed
perfectly happy to just sit there, feeding her one chip after another.
They were so close now that when he looked down, he could see her expression perfectly. His thoughts drifted back to the spinning kick she’d pulled off at school earlier that day, the kind of move only someone with real training could manage. Most people wouldn’t have stood a chance. Then there was that time at the club entrance. She’d been surrounded by a bunch of guys, but when it was over, she hadn’t even gotten a scratch, while those guys were left bruised and beaten. One against four.
Anthony’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched her, a slow, knowing smile tugging at his lips. She was a genius doctor good with computers and clearly knew how to handle herself.
He’d thought he was taking in a lost girl with nowhere to go. Now, he realized he’d
found a real gem.
He let the smile linger, his gaze
warm and just a little teasing. When
he didn’t immediately feed her
another chip, Charlotte looked up at
him brows drawing together as shë caught him smiling.
“Why are you smiling at me?” she asked. He always seemed to be looking at her like that.
Anthony pulled a napkin and gently wiped the corner of her mouth. “I’m just happy when I’m with you, Lottie.” His voice was soft and sincere.
Charlotte didn’t say anything, just watched him quietly. She thought to herself that when Anthony smiled, it was almost impossible to look away.