From Desk to Altar: The CEO's Irresistible Bargain
Chapter 84: Don't you cross the line.

Chloe was so pissed she nearly smashed her phone on Charlotte's face, but Charlotte sidestepped with a taunting smirk, "Chloe, better get out of here or you'll replace everything you own will be mine soon enough." Chloe was huffing and puffing, her eyes shooting daggers.

Charlotte just ignored her, and casually walked out with her peeled apple, leaving Chloe's furious screams behind the closed door. "What did you do?" Patricia demanded, marching over.

Charlotte smiled back, "Chloe didn't want the apple, thought I had some scheme in mind. Didn't want to intrude on her rest, so I left." "You..."

"Patricia!" an elder with white hair stopped her, gesturing, "Go inside, check on her. It's just a small thing, don't let her get worked up."

"Fine." Seething, Patricia stormed into the room, bumping into Charlotte on purpose. The apple slipped from Charlotte's grasp, rolling to Liam's feet.

Liam glanced at it but didn't move.

Charlotte didn't go to pick it up either; she just nodded to the elders and left the hospital.

She waited for Liam in the car, thinking he'd be out soon, but it took him a good half hour, and he looked none too happy.

"What's up?" Charlotte asked.

"Chloe's getting out," Liam said, annoyed.

"It's normal she'd want to leave; the hospital's not as comfy as home."

"Bullcrap," Liam muttered under his breath, then turned to Charlotte, "What did you say to her?"

Charlotte just kept smiling, not saying a word.

Chloe's discharge was low-key, almost in step with Charlotte and Liam entering the gates.

Dylan came out at the sound, pausing for a moment at the sight of this strange trio.

"You guys..."

Before he could get a word out, Charlotte stepped up beside him, smiling at Liam, "Chloe's still weak, let's get her inside to rest."

This sudden switch in demeanor from what was in the car puzzled Liam.

He didn't understand why Charlotte suddenly stood with Dylan.

But Dylan caught on quicker, leaned towards Charlotte, and made room.

That space naturally split the four into two separate camps.

Liam's face turned stormy, "Some things I can't deal with conveniently, maybe you should help Chloe."

Charlotte had stood with Dylan just to irk Liam; now he was sending Charlotte to Chloe to get back at her.

Charlotte cheerfully agreed, "Alright."

Though she was meant to help, the house had servants for that. She was really just there to boss around in Chloe's room. Chloe soon had enough and booted her out.

Charlotte was washing her hands in the downstairs bathroom when Liam walked in.

"Mr. Parker has a knack for barging into rooms with locked doors, huh?"

"What's biting you now?" Liam rubbed his forehead, clearly irked. Charlotte's sudden distance had thrown him for a loop. He was nearing his breaking point with her.

Charlotte wiped her hands leisurely, tossing out the comment, "Thought you wanted me to be nice to your fiancee, didn't you?"

"Stupid!" Liam's bottled-up emotions burst out again. "Charlotte, you cut it out. I've been more than accommodating with you. Don't overstep." "Why are you losing it at me all of a sudden?"

Charlotte cocked her head, looking puzzled. "So, I'm polite to her, and you're upset... does that mean it's okay if I'm not polite?"

"You!" It dawned on Liam right then - Charlotte was playing him like a fiddle.

If he agreed with her, she'd take it as a license to run wild in his name.

If he didn't, he'd come off as the bad guy, contradicting himself and looking like a jerk.

"Trying to trap me?" He loathed being manipulated.

Charlotte shook her head and continued to dab at his tie, removing a stain.

"I just want to hear you say it - that I matter more to you."

Liam's brows furrowed, trying to spot any hint of mischief in her eyes.

But all he saw was the calmness of her eyes, as serene as a still pond.

"Charlotte," he began, softer now, "you've changed so much."

"I've had to," she answered without missing a beat, still wiping his tie, her tone never wavering.

"I've said I'd handle the thing with Chloe..."

"So, I'm just supposed to sit this out?" Charlotte looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears and a depth of sadness that choked off Liam's next words.

"You know everything, right?" She was behind the video sent to his inbox, at least, Liam knew Chloe was out to get her.

Holding onto the tie like it was her only anchor, Charlotte pressed, "You know everything but still want me on the sidelines, right?"

Liam was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Some things ain't for you to mess with."

"And that means?" Charlotte's voice was soft, but her eyes were fierce.

Tears were sliding down her cheeks, her fingers clenched tight, not bothering to mask her sorrow and anger: "If you really wanted to keep me out of it, the best way would be to send me away, right? Liam, is that what you're planning-to send me off?"

Liam's breaths came out in short bursts, but the words just wouldn't come.

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He didn't want Charlotte involved because he thought he could smooth everything over without her getting her hands dirty.

He had hoped Charlotte would just sit back and watch.

But he never had the heart to actually send her away.

Charlotte let out a sad chuckle, "I've bent over backward trying to get close to you, and it seems like you're going all out to push me away."

She wiped her tears away, splashed water on her swollen eyes until she was calm, and then strode past Liam, heading for the door.

"Where you off to?" Liam reached out and grabbed her arm.

"To clean up Chloe's mess, isn't that what you wanted me to do?"

"Charlotte!" Liam was all twisted up inside, his grip on her hand firm but gentle, "Don't you cross the line."

"What line shouldn't I cross?" Charlotte fired back.

Liam turned his head away, avoiding her tear-stained eyes, "Chloe's still useful. I don't care about anything else, but she needs to stay alive."

He was basically giving Charlotte the green light to do as she pleased.

It was a big step back for him.

Charlotte was silent for a moment, then under Liam's intense stare, she gave a slight nod.

"Fine."

After Charlotte sent the phone number she had dug up to Vincent-she was in cahoots with Malcolm but didn't trust him fully-Liam called her down to dinner.

Charlotte raised her eyebrows, "Isn't it usually the servant that calls me down for dinner? What's got you playing butler today, Mr. Parker?"

Liam's mouth was a flat line, his face stoic.

Charlotte cracked a small smile, not poking fun at him anymore. As she walked by, her fingers lingered on his for a second before she casually let go and headed downstairs as if it was just another evening.