CHAPTER FOUR

I stared into empty space, the blood test result trembling in my hand. The words on the paper blurred together, but their meaning remained crystal clear, burning into my mind like a brand.

The test results didn’t just reveal that Genevieve wasn’t mine—they revealed traces of long-term fertility-suppressing drugs in my system. Substances that had been silently destroying my ability to conceive, leaving me weak, exhausted, and convinced I was always the problem in our marriage.

And the funniest part? I never took anything except my daily vitamins. So how had those substances entered my body?

A strangled sound escaped my throat as the realization crashed over me like a wave. The only way for me to have been drugged all these years without my knowledge was if my vitamins had been tampered with!

“Charlotte… Charlotte!”

Lucy’s voice echoed in the background, coming from what felt like a great distance. I could barely register it.

I burst into a heavy laughter as I could barely bring myself to cry at this moment. The doctor's eyes were on me, wondering if I was alright. But how could I?

When I had just discovered that eight years of my life— years of enduring his coldness and working my ass off for his company and this is what I got?

Wasn’t that amazing?

That I had believed I married the most devoted, attentive husband in the world. Not knowing that all along, I was nothing more than a convenient wife.

A placeholder.

And a tool for raising their illegitimate child as legitimate.

How could they be so cruel to me? All I have ever done was to love him. Is that a crime?

My fingers tightened around the paper, crumpling its edges.

“Charlotte, please say something,” Lucy pleaded, her hand gripping my shoulder.

“They did this to me,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “They… all of it. Everything. The weakness, the fainting spells, the doctors telling me I couldn’t conceive naturally…” My hands shook violently. “It was all because of them.”

“It’s fine honey. Just calm down. We are going to press…”

“No.” My voice came out stronger than I expected. I looked up at her, and something inside me hardened like steel. “I’m going to make him pay. Not through the courts—not yet. I’m going to take everything from him, Lucy. Everything he values. His reputation, his company, and that of his precious perfect family.” My jaw clenched. “I will rip it all from him and make him regret every single day he decides to destroy me.”

Then I grabbed my phone beside my bed and with trembling fingers, I scrolled through my contacts until I found the number I had been ignoring for weeks and then pressed call.

He answered on the second ring. “Good afternoon, Miss Charlotte?”

“Good evening, Mr. Walter,” I said calmly. “I’ve reconsidered your offer and I’m willing to accept everything. When can we finalize this?”

There was a brief pause, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. “That’s… that’s wonderful news. Can you come to my office today? We can go over the documents.”

“Ok, I’ll be there within the hour.” I said and then ended the call.

Turning to Lucy. “I’m going to see my father’s lawyer. And I need you with me to go through everything. Can you do that for me?”

“Of course I can but you just woke up. You need to rest.”

“No, what I need is to get out of this hospital,” I said firmly. “Please, Lucy. I can’t stay here another second.”

She hesitated, then sighed. “Fine. But we’re doing this my way.”

I agreed with all her condition and twenty minutes later, we were at the billing counter. The nurse handed me the invoice, and my stomach dropped when I saw the total. I hadn’t expected it to be this much.

“Your card, please,” the receptionist said politely.

I handed it over, waiting as she swiped it. A moment later, she frowned.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but your card has been declined.”

“What” Lucy exclaimed. “No, that’s not possible. Maybe you should try it again,”

But I held her hand and then told her not to bother.

“It seems Clyde has frozen my account. He must have thought that without access to my money, I would come crawling back to him, begging him to take me back.”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. “How pathetic he must think I am.”

Well, I would not blame him. I was the fool who agreed to the joint account and trusted him without question.

Lucy immediately reached into her bag. “I’ll handle it.”

Before she could pull out her card, the receptionist cleared her throat, “Actually, I’m very sorry,” the receptionist added, looking at her screen, “it appears your bill has already been settled by the gentleman who brought you in.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Yes, he paid in full before he left.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow. “The guy who kissed you?”

My cheeks flushed at the memory. The kiss. The way his lips had felt against mine—soft, intoxicating. And then I had slapped him.

“He… he paid for everything?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I stood there, stunned. Why would he do that? He didn’t even know me. And after I slapped him…

“Well,” Lucy said with a smirk, “looks like your mystery man is more than just a pretty face.”

“Let’s just go.”

*

*

*

We arrived at Mr. Walter’s office, located on the top floor of a glass building downtown. He greeted us warmly and led us into his private office.

“Miss Charlotte, I cannot tell you how relieved I am that you’ve decided to accept your inheritance,” he said, gesturing for us to sit. “Your father wanted to make sure you were taken care of, despite… everything.”

I didn’t want to talk about my father. Not now.

“Let’s just get this over with,” I said curtly.

He nodded, pulling out a stack of documents. “Of course. This is your father’s will. As his only living heir, you are entitled to his entire estate—properties, businesses, investments, and liquid assets.”

He slid the papers across the desk, and I began reading through them, my eyes widening with each page. Properties across the country. Shares in multiple corporations. Assets worth billions.

After Lucy checked it over, I signed page after page, my hand moving mechanically. With every stroke of my pen, another piece of my old life slipped away—until, finally, everything was done.

“And finally,” Mr. Walter said, sliding one last document toward me, “there is a private account containing seventy billion dollars.”

I froze, trying to process the figure I just heard.

“Seventy billion?!” Lucy and I exclaimed at the same time.

“Yes. However,” he continued carefully, “there is a clause attached to that particular account.”

“What kind of clause?”

“It will only be released to you upon your marriage to your childhood fiancé.”

I stared at him. “My what?”

“Your childhood fiancé,” he repeated. “Your father arranged the engagement years ago, before you went missing. The agreement still stands.”

I raised my brow, not understanding a word he’d just said, then turned to Lucy. “What is he talking about?”

“Calm down,” she murmured before facing him. “Are you saying she won’t receive her full inheritance unless she marries her childhood fiancé?”

“Not exactly,” Mr. Walter replied. “Mrs. Harper has full control over the companies, properties, vehicles, and most of the funds. However, seventy billion dollars have been frozen in United Trust Bank.”

He pulled out a document and slid it across the table, my eyes roaming over the engagement contract, “That amount,” he continued evenly, “will be released to you as a wedding gift after you marry Alexander Vaughn.”

The moment that name registered, it felt like a bell rang violently inside my head.

“Him?!” I blurted out.

“Yes,” Mr. Walter confirmed. “Him.”

My mind flashed back to the dimly lit bar. The way his hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer. The intensity of his blue eyes as if he could see straight through me. The heat of his lips when they descended on mine…

I shook my head hard, forcing the memory away.

“But what if he doesn’t want this alliance again?” I asked, my voice tight. “I mean… it’s been like…” I paused, counting silently. “Eighteen years. Or is it twenty? Who would wait that long for…”

“Actually, you don’t need to worry about that,” Mr. Walter said calmly. “In fact, the Vaughn family was quite pleased when they heard about you.”

My mouth fell open.

So he…he already knew?

Before I could ask another question, my phone suddenly began to ring.

I glanced down at the screen.

Unknown Number.

I answered hesitantly. “Hello?”

“Miss Charlotte Harper?” a crisp, professional voice said. “This is Evelyn Moore, personal assistant to Mr. Alexander Vaughn.”

My heart pounded.

“Mr. Vaughn has personally invited you to attend a high-profile charity gala tomorrow evening at the Grandeur Hotel. A car will be sent to pick you up at seven o’clock sharp. He looks forward to seeing you.”

The line went dead before I could respond.

I stared at the phone, my mind reeling.

Lucy leaned over. “What was that about?”

I looked up at her, my voice barely a whisper.

“I think my life just got a lot more complicated.“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​