Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 621 - Chapitre 630

Charlotte patted Winnie on the shoulder, exchanged a quick glance with her, and then turned to leave the makeup studio.She and Winnie were still being followed by Ethan. As soon as they entered the mall, Charlotte spotted him immediately.But that was exactly what she expected. Ethan was like a famished hunting dog; once he caught a scent, there was no way he wouldn't follow.Perfect. She needed to have a word with him anyway.Charlotte strode out of the makeup studio, heading straight for the second floor, where the luxury women's fashion stores were. Ethan hesitated for a moment, saw Winnie still getting her makeup done, and then reluctantly fell into step behind Charlotte.Charlotte browsed through several shops, but the store clerks were thoroughly indifferent.It was understandable—these were all high-end luxury stores, and she was dressed plainly, without a designer bag in sight. Naturally, none of the salespeople were willing to assist.She tried to get their attention f

Charlotte was nothing if not practical. In her daily life, every penny was calculated; there was no way she would just stroll into a luxury boutique and buy a single outfit. Even if Winnie and Michael were footing the bill, there was no way she'd suddenly purchase three sets at once—and then try to haggle with the saleswoman like that. Charlotte wasn't a fool.But Ethan had assumed she was.Luxury stores don't bargain, and discounts are rare. Any price reductions could only come out of his own pocket. He had kindly helped Charlotte choose clothes, yet the staff deliberately forced him to bleed for it. Ethan had already committed, though—he called in his own salesperson and, for the sake of face, had to buy the lot.The sum wasn't significant to him, but Charlotte's stunt irked him. If she had asked him directly, he would have paid—albeit she would owe him a favor. And debts owed had to be repaid. But now, Charlotte hadn't asked for anything. She paid her own bill; anything extra

Ethan's presence pressed close, heavy and inescapable.Charlotte barely had time to react. As Ethan's lips drew near, she instinctively raised her hand to shield her face.Ethan had only been teasing—until the warm breath of his mouth spilled against her palm. He deliberately flicked out his tongue, and the heat against her skin made Charlotte's expression twist in surprise and discomfort."Ethan…" she murmured.Seizing the moment, he gripped her wrist and nipped at the side of her neck. Startled, Charlotte reacted like a frightened little animal, scrambling away with all her strength. Her shopping bags tumbled to the floor, and she barely had time to step on them in her retreat.But Ethan was relentless. He closed the distance with long strides, pinning her against another shadowed corner."What's this? You bring yourself here to negotiate, and before we even finish, you want to leave? Do you think I'm that easy to provoke?"He pressed his fingers against her cheek with measure

Perhaps Charlotte wasn't the one being bullied in the situation with Ethan, contrary to what others might have assumed.The dress Charlotte had chosen was stunning. Winnie had wanted to get a makeover alongside her, but time was running short. Charlotte only needed to look presentable to snag a free meal. And she was young, with flawless, supple skin—just changing her outfit transformed her entire presence.By seven o'clock that evening, Michael's French fine-dining restaurant, located on the busiest street in the district, officially opened for its trial run.Tonight, it was invitation-only; the public was not admitted. Media and curious passersby who had caught wind of the event were politely held back by security. The gilded restaurant sign glittered in the night, understated yet luxurious.Winnie and Charlotte arrived early.Michael had initially wanted to drive to pick up Winnie, but she declined, insisting Charlotte accompany her. At the restaurant, when Winnie tried contact

Winnie was only getting bolder because Michael had her back, wasn't she? Never going home, all consumed with currying favor with the Morrison family—did she really think she could ride Michael to some grand reversal of fortune?Too bad. Veronica's father had friends close to Oscar, and they knew that Oscar had already arranged a very suitable fiancée for Michael.The woman was a political heiress in Goldmont City, with a prestigious family background and the rare skill of fluency in six languages—a national-level translator. She wasn't like that pampered, arrogant Starr family heiress at all. From the inside out, she was exceptional. Compared to her, Winnie didn't even come close.More importantly, she and Michael had known each other for years—college classmates who had stayed in touch ever since, and she had even helped him with overseas business. According to Oscar, they were longtime confidants. Just yesterday morning, Oscar posted a photo of them having dinner together, capti