Chapter 433
“Yes.” Anthony didn’t even hesitate. He traced his thumb over Charlotte’s lips, his voice low and rough. “Lottie, I’m twenty-eight. I want to be married before I turn thirty.”
“Oh, really?” Charlotte smiled, playing with a button on his shirt. “Following all the rules, huh?”
Anthony paused, a little thrown off. “What do you mean?”
“What?” she teased, then just shook her head. “Nothing.” She snuggled closer, her eyes half-closed, lips curling into a lazy smile. Her voice was gentle and warm. “Anthony, you’d better work hard and make some real money. You know I like men who are loaded.”
Was that a yes? Was she actually agreeing to marry him?
Anthony slid his hands onto her shoulders and leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. His voice dropped into a tempting whisper. “Fine. I’ll make so much money, you won’t ever have to think twice about spending it.”
Charlotte’s smile grew, her whole face lighting up with quiet happiness.
The shrill ring of her phone yanked Charlotte out of sleep.
She groaned, barely awake, and fumbled for her phone under the blanket. Still half- buried in warmth, she answered with a warning in her voice. “This better be important.”
Adonis heard her icy tone through the line and shivered. He tried to sound cheerful. “It is, I swear.”
“Charlotte, I found that painting you wanted-‘Sunset.’
Charlotte blinked, still not fully awake, but before she could say anything, Adonis rushed on, “Someone else is after it too, and they’re offering a crazy amount of money.”
Someone else wanted her ‘Sunset’? At the exact same time? The coincidence was almost suspicious.
Her eyes narrowed, and her fingers curled tighter around her phone.
Adonis probably died broke in a past life, she thought, because he got way too excited whenever money came up.
“Charlotte, they’re offering a lot. Since Patricia only needs an original Halation, why not just paint another one?”
They could sell ‘Sunset’ and make a killing. What was the downside?
Charlotte stretched, pushing off her blanket, lazy but determined. “Not for sale. Bring the painting to me.”
“But the offer-”
“Did I stutter?”
Her tone turned cold. Adonis gulped. “Yes, Charlotte. Right away.”
Two hours later, Adonis and Jackson showed up in a helicopter, delivering ‘Sunset’ straight to Charlotte.
She unrolled the canvas.
The painting glowed with a fiery sunset, casting light over a modern city skyline. The colors melted together, the composition pulling you in leaving you with this haunting, impossible-töspin-down feeling.
It looked modern at first, but if you looked closer, there was an old-soul vibe woven in Every set of eyes saw different Something different. Every
interpretation was personal.
That was Halation’s magic.
“Charlotte, our project with X Organization is almost wrapped up.” Handing over the
painting, Adonis tried to shift the topic. “But there’s a problem
Charlotte gave him a steady look, her eyes serious. “If we hand over our data to X Organization, they’ll know exactly who we are. Organization’s cover will be blown.”
NO
And once that happened, everyone would finally know the two groups were sworn
enemies. There’d be no way to hide it anymore.