Chapter 123
Chapter 123:
“I am not,” Hilliard said. He leaned against the bar and crossed his arms. “But I am done with this arrangement. The engagement was a business merger, Charla. It was never about love. And now you are bad for business p>
“You can’t do this to me,” Charla hissed, stepping forward. “My father will pull his investments. The board will revolt p>
“Let them,” Hilliard said. “I own fifty-one percent. I am the board p>
He met her gaze without warmth. “Go home. We will discuss the dissolution of the engagement tomorrow with the lawyers p>
Charla stared at him, trembling with humiliation. She had offered him everything — her body, her loyalty, her carefully constructed devotion — and he had looked at her as though she were a problem to be managed.
“You will regret this,” she whispered. “You will regret choosing her over me p>
She turned and crossed to the elevator, stabbing the call button. The doors opened at once, and she stepped inside. As they slid shut, she held his gaze one final time. There was no love left in her eyes. Only hatred.
Hilliard watched the floor numbers descend. He exhaled slowly and pressed his fingers to his temples. He needed sleep. He knew he wouldn’t find any.
𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘗𝘋𝘍𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘯
In the parking garage below, Charla sat behind the wheel of her car, shaking so badly she couldn’t fit the key into the ignition. She pulled out her phone and dialed.
“He rejected me, Mother Jeraldine,” she sobbed when the line connected. “He kicked me out. Because of her p>
A pause. Then Jeraldine’s voice came through — cold and precise.
“He is lost. We have to save him from himself p>
“She definitely has the child,” Charla said, the lie forming quickly, her need to remain useful sharpening her desperation. “I saw a toy in her bag yesterday. A boy’s toy. She is hiding an heir p>
“A boy?” Jeraldine’s voice sharpened. “Are you certain p>
“Yes,” Charla said, dragging a hand across her wet cheeks. “We need to expose her. Tomorrow. If Hilliard sees the child — sees the full extent of her deceit — he will hate her. He will come back to us p>
“We need to be certain,” Jeraldine said. “We need to catch her off guard p>
“We go in before she can prepare,” Charla pressed. “Use Hilliard’s override security clearance for the building. You have access. Go in at dawn — an emergency wellness check p>
Silence stretched along the line. Charla held her breath.
“Prepare the lawyers,” Jeraldine said finally. “We go at dawn p>
The call ended.
Charla sat alone in the dark of the garage, staring at her reflection in the rearview mirror. Her mascara was smeared in dark streaks down her face. She wiped them away slowly with the back of her hand.
“If I can’t have him,” she whispered to the empty car, “I will burn her world to the ground p>