From Desk to Altar: The CEO's Irresistible Bargain
Chapter 55: You'll run away

Liam was taken aback, his face a picture of surprise.

He never eats leftovers or anything that someone else has already taken a bite of.

"It's actually not too bad," Charlotte mused internally, ready with an escape plan involving the spicy fish should Liam replace it unpalatable.

But if he liked it, she could share the meal, making him an accomplice, and he might not chastise her.

"Care for a taste?" she asked, noticing he hadn't moved.

Liam snapped back to reality, his look one of mixed emotions.

The distance that used to define their relationship seemed to have thinned; it was as if they had been both intimately close and strangers at the same time.

It seemed they both had changed since that feverish night.

Without a word, Liam sat down, accepted the chopsticks from her, and took a bite of the fish.

Charlotte watched as he closed his eyes, his face a mix of endurance and distaste.

"It might not be to your liking, Mr. Parker. I'll go outside to eat," she said, ready to leave.

But Liam's hand on her waist pressed her down firmly.

"Just eat," he commanded tersely, stirring a whirlwind of feelings in Charlotte.

Was she imagining things, or was there a hint of indulgence in his tone?

Silently, she resumed her meal.

Just having him stare at her like that made even the tastiest food lose its flavor.

To get him to look away, Charlotte brought up the thing about Evelyn accusing Chloe.

"Mr. Parker, is there really any evidence? What if Evelyn brings it forward..."

Before she could finish, Liam cut in with a cold tone, "It's none of your business, Charlotte. Don't ask questions."

"Okay," she replied, bowing her head to her food.

This time, Liam's gaze didn't intimidate her, nor did the fish taste delightful.

Why did she keep asking questions to which she already knew the answers?

After finishing the fish without savoring its flavor, Charlotte tidied up and took her leave, "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Parker. Sorry for disturbing your rest."

Liam's previously decent mood soured at her words.

"What did you say?"

"I... " Charlotte said, confused by his sudden anger, and cautiously explained, "I'm done eating and won't disturb you any further."

"Charlotte!" His finger pointed at her, his teeth clenched in a way that sent a shiver down her spine.

She knew his true intentions.

He didn't call her to his room in the middle of the night just for some fish.

He wanted to sleep with her.

But Charlotte resisted.

She couldn't bear the thought of being beneath Liam while he was thinking of another woman.

He didn't even give her the chance to talk about Chloe; she really didn't need to waste her time trying to get his attention. "Mr. Parker, I should go then... Ah!"

As she turned to leave, she was suddenly lifted off her feet, her arms instinctively reaching out for something to grasp. "Liam!" she exclaimed, annoyed.

"What now?"

After tossing her onto the bed, his gaze bore down on her. "Not Mr. Parker anymore?"

After tossing her onto the bed, his gaze bore down on her. "Not Mr. Parker anymore?"

"Hey!" Charlotte thought she'd gotten over feeling ashamed after all the times she spent nights with Liam.

But the strong feelings bubbling up inside her right now told her she hadn't.

She was still feeling the sting of shame from the way Liam was forcing her around and acting like he didn't give a darn.

"You can't do this to me..." she trailed off, unable to finish.

And of course, he didn't let her finish, pressing down on her, his thumb caressing her lip, whispering, "Can't do what to you?" "Nothing," Charlotte covered her eyes, not wanting him to see her vulnerability.

She whispered again, "Nothing," and gave in.

Liam arranged for a box of fruit candies to be brought up, popping a strawberry-flavored one into Charlotte's mouth.

"What's with the candy?" she didn't understand his actions.

"I don't like the taste of the fish," Liam said offhandedly, leaning in to kiss her candy-flavored lips.

"I don't like the taste of the fish," Liam said offhandedly, leaning in to kiss her candy-flavored lips.

Charlotte gasped for air, pushing against Liam's chest, "I could brush my teeth."

He nipped her lower lip, "No."

"You'll run away."

Run away?

Charlotte felt dizzy and thought to herself that there was no way she could run away now.

Awakening with a body sore from the night before, Charlotte lay in bed and overheard Liam's discontent drifting from the living room as he instructed the cleaning staff. "I can't stand this stench, get rid of it immediately."

It took a moment for her groggy mind to connect the dots; the stench Liam detested was the spicy fish she had indulged in the previous evening.

Why the pretense of sharing dinner if the smell was so repugnant to him?

Silently, she dressed and sat on the edge of the bed, deciding to wait for the staff to clear out before stepping out.

Her phone chirped from the nightstand, a message that caught her attention and drew her gaze.

"Liam, thanks for having my back, love you."

The message was undeniably in Chloe's flirty tone.

Just a heads up: Narugi.com is the only place to read the complete version of this book for free. Don't miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey! Charlotte averted her gaze, her mind spinning with speculations about what 'having her back' could imply.

Was it about last night's events?

Or was it about the malicious accusations against her, where Liam seemed to aid the real culprit, destroying evidence in the process?

Indeed, that warranted gratitude.

"You up?"

Lost in thought, Charlotte barely noticed Liam returning from the living room, his furrowed brows signaling his displeasure.

She knew it was the fishy smell that irked him, so she nodded in acknowledgment, hoping to avoid any harsh words.

To steer the conversation elsewhere, she broached a subject of her own, "Mr. Parker, when are we heading back?" "Why do you ask?" Liam paused, his expression turning curious as he reached for a glass of water, "Homesick?" "Not at all." The place she once considered home was now nothing more than a house gifted to Chloe's dog. Charlotte looked down, "I just don't like it here in Leiventale."

She needed to return to confirm a suspicion; whether the person who knocked out Malcolm in the storeroom was indeed who she thought it might be.

If her suspicion was correct, it would only spell more trouble and danger for her.

After leaving Liam's room, the front desk called to inform her of a visitor.

In the lobby, she was surprised to replace Evelyn waiting for her.

"What did you want to see me for?"

Evelyn looked exhausted, her eyes puffy from crying, "I... I want to apologize, Charlotte. I was wrong yesterday, I shouldn't have listened to Chloe and falsely accused you." "No need for empty words, what's the matter?" Charlotte had no patience for such nonsense.

Evelyn bit her lip as if making a difficult decision.

"Charlotte, they've searched the entire event space and the jade pendant's nowhere to be found. I know you still have it."

"You really think so? They searched me and found nothing on me."

"Of course, I know!" Evelyn said with a pained expression. "I was the one who slipped the jade pendant into your hat."