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Home / Romance / EX-HUSBAND REGRET! (I married his billionaire step brother) / Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

All Chapters of EX-HUSBAND REGRET! (I married his billionaire step brother): Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

118 Chapters

31

Susan’s eyes burned with fury as she raised her hand to slap Charlotte, but before it could land, Charlotte gripped her wrist.“I’m not the same Charlotte of six years ago that you can toy with and go free,” Charlotte said, her voice steady and low. Her gaze bore into Susan, challenging her to push further.Suzan’s face twisted in anger as she tried to yank her hand free, but Charlotte’s hold was firm. “Let go of me,” Suzan hissed, her tone dripping with venom. “You’re supposed to be my stepsister, but you betrayed me with William. You’re nothing but a slut,” she spat. “If you cross my path again, you’ll regret it.”Charlotte’s grip tightened for some seconds before she released Susan’s wrist, letting her hand fling backward. Susan stumbled slightly, her composure cracking, but Charlotte had already turned and strode off.As Astor approached, he noticed Charlotte wasn't standing at the bar he left her before and Susan was no where around too.“I thought I saw her..” he muttered.——

32

Astor stood at the edge of the ballroom, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd as the hum of chatter and clinking glasses filled the air. On the surface, it was another glittering evening of business and networking, but something felt off.He had noticed it throughout the night, the way certain associates avoided his gaze or offered stiff, greetings instead of their usual.There were the murmurs that stopped abruptly when he approached, the polite but distant smiles that didn’t quite seem true.Astor’s jaw tightened as he took a sip of his drink, the cool liquid doing little to soothe the growing unease in his chest.“Something wrong, sir?” Brandon’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.Astor glanced at his assistant, who stood beside him with his usual calm demeanor. “Do you notice anything... unusual tonight?” Astor asked.Brandon frowned slightly, his gaze shifting to the crowd. “Unusual how?”Astor hesitated, debating how much to share. “It feels different,” he said finally. “The way p

33

Charlotte was back inside standing by Astor, just then she saw Williams leave the ball room, her eyes had been on him since he was standing.She quickly motioned to leave but then, Astor stopped her.“Where are you going?” Astor’s deep voice stopped Charlotte mid-step.She turned to face him, her hand clutching her clutch bag tightly. “Do you have to study my every move?” she replied, forcing a smile. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”Astor’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t stop her. He watched her until she disappeared around a corner, the hem of her emerald dress swishing as she moved.Charlotte’s heels clicked against the polished marble floors as she walked through the quieter corridors of the estate. Her breath came quicker, though she tried to steady herself. She hadn’t planned to leave Astor’s side, but something had caught her attention.She stopped midstep, pulling her heel so it won't give her away.Just then, she heard the sound coming from one of the store rooms. She recogn

34

Susan crossed her arms, her lips curling into a smirk. “You’ve made a mistake, Charlotte,” she said. “And I promise, you’ll regret it.”———Back in the ballroom, Astor’s unease had grown into full-blown suspicion. He scanned the room again, his sharp eyes narrowing as he noticed William and Susan’s absence.“Brandon,” he said, his tone urgent.“Yes, sir?”“Find Charlotte,” Astor said. “Now.”Brandon nodded, his expression serious as he moved quickly toward the hallway.---Charlotte took a step back, her fingers tightening around her clutch as she stared down at William and Susan. “What do you want to do?” She asked though a bit scared.William chuckled, the sound low. “You’re brave, I’ll give you that,” he said. “But bravery won't take you far..”Susan tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with malice. “You should’ve stayed out of this, Charlotte,” she said. “Now, you can't escape it.”Before Charlotte could respond, William took a step closer, his smile creepy and quickly snatched the

35

“What are you doing, Brandon?” Astor asked, his gaze fully settled on Brandon.“Uhmm..”Before Brandon could reply, Charlotte stepped in, her voice calm but still shaky. “I almost fell, and he came to help me,” she said, glancing back at Brandon. “He saved me, Astor.”Astor’s eyes shifted between them, his sharp gaze lingering on Brandon, who looked as though he were bracing for a storm.Brandon swallowed hard, forcing himself to nod. “Yes... yes, Mr. Astor,” he stammered, his words fumbling out.Astor’s jaw tightened for a moment before he nodded, his expression unreadable. “Alright,” he said finally. “Let’s go.”He placed a firm hand on Charlotte’s back, leading her toward the exit as Brandon watched them leave, he heaved and ran behind them.“Thank God he didn't notice..” Brandon breathed.---The ride home was quiet, Charlotte leaned her head against the window, her body heavy with exhaustion. She could feel Astor’s occasional glances, but he said nothing, he seemed to have somet

36

Brandon appeared at the base of the staircase. “Sir?” he asked, his eyes flicking toward the door.Astor held up a hand, signaling him to stay back as he approached. He opened the door to find a courier standing there, a small package in hand.“This is for you, Mr. Harrington,” the courier said, his tone neutral.Astor took the package, his gaze narrowing as he noticed the lack of a return address.“Who sent this?” he asked.The courier shrugged. “I don’t know, sir. I was just told to deliver it.”Astor nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line as he closed the door.He carried the package back to Charlotte's room as he sat to unwrap it.“What’s this?” Astor thought internally as he unwrapped the folded piece of paper. He sat close to Charlotte on the bed, her breathing steady but still weak from the fever.Astor opened the package carefully. Inside was a single sheet of paper, the words scrawled in bold, handwriting:YOU HAVE TO LEAVE CHARLOTTE AND JASMINE OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES

37

“Where were you last night?” Charlotte’s voice cut through the air, her tone sharp and commanding.Marta knelt on the living room floor, her hands trembling slightly as she avoided Charlotte’s piercing gaze. Around them, a few staff members stood in a semi-circle, clearly confused.Charlotte’s posture was rigid, her phone clutched tightly in her hand as she stared down at Martha. “Answer me!” she demanded, her voice rising. “How much were you paid?”Martha’s lips quivered, but no words came out. She kept her head low, her shoulders hunched in shame.“Don’t make me ask again,” Charlotte said, her tone icy.Astor entered the room, his eyes scanned the sitting room before settling on Charlotte, who stood at the center.“What’s going on here?” he asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge that silenced the murmurs of the staff.Charlotte turned to face him, her chest rising and falling in anger. “It’s her,” she said, pointing at Martha.Astor frowned, his gaze shifting to Martha, who was

38

Susan slammed the front door behind her, her chest heaving with fury as she threw her well designed handbag on the closest chair. Her mom, Eleanor, sat inside the elegantly furnished room, sipping tea from a porcelain cup. She raised are head up, surprised by Susan's sudden outburst. “What is it Susan? Did anything happen this time uh? That's a whole lot of noise.” Eleanor remarked coolly, placing her cup down on the table. “What happened this time?”Susan stormed into the room, pacing backward and forward, her stilettos clicking sharply against the hardwood floor. “It’s Astor!” she spat, her voice trembling with frustration. “He’s completely wrapped around that stupid little girl, Charlotte. She has him and I can’t stand it!”“Charlotte?! She's in town? Oh goodness!” Eleanor shouted raising an eyebrow. “You let your guard down, and now she’s taken your place.”Susan stopped pacing, looking at her mother. “She hasn’t taken it! No!” she snapped. “Astor belongs to me. Charlotte is

39

“What’s up, Astor?” Susan’s voice came through the phone, smooth and almost playful.Astor leaned back in his chair, a pen twirling between his fingers. “Yes, Susan . What do you have to say?” His tone was cool and distant, as if he were barely tolerating the call.Susan pouted, though he couldn’t see her expression. “You shouldn’t be so impolite to me, Astor. At least try to be nice,” she said, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.Astor sighed. “Get to the point, Susan . I don’t have all day.”Susan bit her lip, holding back the irritation that threatened to creep into her voice. She needed to play her cards carefully. “I’ve been thinking… about everything that’s happened between us,” she began. “I feel like we need to clear the air. There’s so much tension, and it’s affecting everything. Let’s meet and talk it over. It doesn’t have to be awkward.”Astor hesitated, his instincts warning him not to indulge her. “What’s there to talk about?” he asked eventually.Susan let out a small,

40

“Right here, let’s have a toast,” Susan said, her lips curling into a smirk as she extended the glass of wine toward Astor.Astor hesitated briefly, his sharp eyes, studying her for a moment. Susan kept her expression neutral, her fingers grazing.“To fresh starts,” Susan said, raising her glass.“To closure,” Astor replied coolly, his gaze unwavering.They clinked glasses as Astor brought the wine to his lips, his focus still on Susan as he took a sip. She watched him closely, her heart racing with anticipation as the spiked liquid began its slow, calculated effect.“So, where's Williams?” Astor asked, his hands tucked in his pocket. “Isn't this odd uh?” Susan smirked, “I'm sure he'll be here soonest.”---Back at the Harrington estate, Charlotte sat in the living room, her hands curled around a steaming cup of tea. Jasmine was sprawled out on the rug nearby, coloring with her crayons. The faint sound of rain tapping against the windows filled the room, creating a soothing atmospher

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