Chapter 53 Nothing Else Matters

Lawrence's embrace around Charlotte was warm and steady, wrapping her in the kind of comfort that made everything else—every doubt, every ounce of chaos—fade into the background. She closed her eyes and let herself sink into the feeling of belonging. A feeling she'd been denied for so many years. "I don't care what that test says," Lawrence whispered against her ear. "You've always been my daughter. You know it, and so do I." He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, his expression full of tenderness. "And now," he added with a grin, "we've got a celebration to get to. Please tell me there's cold champagne waiting." "Four bottles!" Liz's voice chimed in as she popped her head over his shoulder. "Ice cold! I swear—I put them in myself!" Lawrence threw an arm around her too, grateful. Because over the years, Liz had become more than an employee—she'd become something like the voice of his conscience. On the other side of the room, Conrad Pierce was losing it. He ran hi

Chapter 54 Reckoning

Charlotte sat across from Jacob, meeting his gaze head-on. Her expression was steady, resolute—as always. She was seated in his office, surrounded by scattered legal documents, and she could feel it: the moment had finally come. Time to end it. Time to put an end to the chaos that had gripped her life for far too long. Carly. Conrad. Rory. All the ghosts from her past—the ones that had haunted her for years—had to stay in the past. There was no room left for fear. No room for second-guessing. "I want this to be over," Charlotte said, her voice firm and filled with purpose. "I can't keep dragging this war around with me. This… conflict. It's not just for me. It's for all of us. We need peace. And the only way we're going to get it is by making sure everyone involved faces the consequences." Jacob Letterman watched her in silence, weighing the weight of what she was asking. He'd always known Charlotte was a strong woman—but he also knew that beneath all that strength was a

Chapter 55 A Half-Baked Plan

Carly sat in the sleek leather chair of the study in the mansion that, until just twenty-four hours ago, had belonged to the man she'd believed was her father. She twisted the gold ring on her finger—the one she had no intention of taking off, even if she was divorced. It had a spectacular diamond, after all. Beside her, her mother, Doris, was lounging in the chair behind the desk like she owned the place. The tension in the room was thick, but neither seemed bothered by it. In fact, they almost seemed to thrive on it. "I told you, sweetheart," Doris said with a venomous little smile. "This is only the first step. But we still need every piece to fall into place. Claiming your spot at your father's side is one of them." Carly nodded, lips curving into a smug, practiced smile. Her icy eyes scanned the room like she could already feel the power in her hands. "And Lawrence Dalton..." Doris continued, eyeing her daughter with sharp calculation. "You need to win him over, Carly. I

Chapter 56 The End of Everything

Charlotte felt an uncomfortable tingling at the back of her neck as they drove toward the police station. The call from the detective had been brief, with few details, but the tone of his voice had made one thing clear—whatever was happening, it was important. After meeting with Jacob two days earlier to finalize her decision, she'd gone back to the Dalton estate to celebrate—with Lawrence and Liz. Blake had shown up a few hours later… and he hadn't come alone. She hadn't asked why his knuckles were bruised. And Liz hadn't asked why Gideon's hands were crusted with dried blood as she pulled him into the kitchen to patch him up. Whether something had sparked between those two or not, Charlotte didn't know—and frankly, she didn't care. She'd let herself melt into Blake's arms that night, safe and held. Then they'd toasted with champagne… and afterward, when they were finally alone, they celebrated in other ways. But the time for celebration was over. Now it was time to act agai

Chapter 57 A New Beginning

Charlotte sat in the small waiting room, watching as her sister was processed. Carly, now handcuffed and stiff-faced, still tried to hold herself with that same old superiority—but her eyes gave her away. The arrogance was gone. All that was left was fear. Charlotte knew exactly why. It would only be a matter of hours and a few forms before the officers escorted Carly into a patrol car and drove her straight to prison, where she'd be spending the next fifteen years. The deal with the DA was airtight. There would be no parole board, no appeals. No way out. Charlotte inhaled deeply, like it was the first time in years she could breathe without the crushing weight in her chest. Jacob Letterman was beside her, calmly organizing papers back into his briefcase, as professional and unreadable as ever. "You should've let her go to trial," he said, breaking the silence. "With everything her lover gave us, any judge would've given her way more than fifteen years." "And she knew it,

Epilogue

The world kept turning. Maybe that was the strangest part of it all. Her revenge had come and gone. Her enemies had fallen. But the world didn't stop. It just kept spinning like none of it had really mattered. A week after Carly's arrest, Charlotte sat alone in her office, lost in thought. She'd expected to feel euphoric, victorious even, after everything she'd accomplished. But instead, she found herself quiet. Reflective. She had spent so long focused on chasing ghosts, on tearing down everything that once hurt her, that now—facing a wide-open horizon—the question of what now? had caught her completely off guard. Lawrence walked into the room without a sound, like he always did. His calm, fatherly presence instantly softened her expression. "Proposal," he said as he strolled toward her desk. "Let's get the hell out of here. It's time to start a real life, Charlie. The hotels run themselves. The CEOs are solid. Let's disappear for a while. Go live." Charlotte arched a brow