Chapter 4
CHARLOTTE
This time, I couldn’t pretend that I didn’t know what he was talking about.
However, I dared to ask him for his phone. He shockingly handed it over without fuss, and I quickly searched him up on the internet.
After skimming through many articles, I realised that he was indeed the charismatic owner of Royalwood Enterprise.
Then, as I glanced at his face once again, I realised, I often saw him in my husb— I mean, in Brady’s laptop whenever they had online meetings.
“I doubt you’d be able to transfer my money using that, Miss Kissman,” he threatened, the smile in his eyes drilling.
With a little gulp and a squeamish smile, I returned his phone to him. I evaded his eyes even though he was watching me very closely.
Fuck. I won’t be able to escape this.
But… I really don’t want to part with that money. It saved me.
There has to be a way around this.
Of course!
I can dump everything on Brady. After all, he was the one who stole the money in the first place. I only stole the money after he stole the money.
“Mr Royalwood,” I stretched the door wider, “please come in.”
His brows lifted with a silent query.
“I would uh…” My breath was now hot with worry. “I would like to explain everything and-”
“No need.” Like a model, he strode past me, his cologne poking my nose. “I have all the details.”
As I watched him scan the suite, I asked, “You do? What do you-?”
“You hate your husband. He stole my money, so you stole that money and used it to escape.”
My eyes immediately lit with slight relief. “You really know!”
I rushed to his front, my neck craning, my short body struggling to survive his overpowering tallness. “This is not my fault, Mr. Royalwood. Brady has-”
“Miss Kissman,” I watched the slow bob of his bulging throat, “you are a thief. The theatrics of those details don’t change that fact.”
“B-But…”
He scoffed. “If I were like other careless businessmen out there, you would have been safe, but you-”
“Weren’t you stealing money as well?”
“What?”
My arms folded as I gained confidence from my reasoning. “Offshore, paper company accounts. Please, Mr. Royalwood, even the madman on the street knows what that implies. You are also a thief.”
“And I’m not denying it, Miss Kissman,” he said, a sonorous laugh following. “I never will.”
“I-”
“I am the filthiest businessman you’ll find out there. Morals aren’t my cup of tea.”
“Fine!” I didn’t expect him to best me. “I stole your money. Brady, you and I are thieves. But-”
“Still fiesty, huh?” His eyes turned excited. I ignored that tempting fineness. “No problem.” But when he shifted so close that I felt a bit of his suit brush against my robe, especially near my breast, I couldn’t really ignore him. “Continue what you were saying earlier, Miss Kissman. But what?”
“I…” I looked to the side and weakened my voice. “I don’t want to go to jail. I… I can’t.”
“I know that.”
“Huh?”
Before I could turn my head, his lengthy fingers found my chin, the contact increasing the tempting jeopardy of his presence.
With that touch, he lifted my head and made sure I wouldn’t be able to look away again.
“You don’t deserve jail, Miss Kissman. Only Brady Simmons does.”
“Huh?”
“I am more than ready to toss Simmons into jail for eternity. I’ll even spice up his record with the details of the hell you faced in your marriage. Maybe I’ll even wreck his fingers a bit if he refuses to sign those divorce papers.”
My forehead deepened with a frown. “You’ve been watching us?”
“No.” His eyes searched mine for something, his breath fanned the top of my lips as though warming them up before feasting on them. “I’ve been watching you.”
For some crazy reason, that made my heart jolt.
Even though the feeling was nice, I cautioned myself.
I must never make the mistake of falling for another man.
So, I hardened my face and demanded, “So, you’ve been stalking me?”
“Sure.” He shrugged. “If that’s what you’ll prefer to call it.”
“You-”
“Yes.” His lashes blinked. “I want you.”
He… wants… me?
“To be my wife,” he finished after a breath, and I forced myself out of his grip.
Repulsed by the word ‘wife’ and the very thought of marriage, I lashed, “You are out of your mind.”
Without much reaction, he slipped his hands back into his pockets. “Marry me, Charlotte Kissman and I’ll forget about your theft and help you get rid of Brady Simmons once and for all.”
“I- I- If I refuse?”
“What do you think, Miss Kissman?”
“Spell it out so I know, Mr. Royalwood,” I seethed.
“Hmm.” His head tilted slightly, his focus now on the ceiling, his body doing some sort of lean that made him look dangerous beneath the lights. “I’ll make a special arrangement for you and Brady in jail. I’m sure you’d love to live together like old times. As for that business. That logistics company? It’s certainly thriving thanks to my money.”
Everything he said pumped fear into me.
“You are…”
“A little click of my fingers is enough to crumple that business. You think your life’s hard right now?” His eyes flickered back to me as he straightened his posture. “Try being exposed to the public’s scrutiny. They are not exactly kind to thieves.”
“You… fucking…” my voice reached the verge of breaking down. “What do you even gain from this? The money is so little compared to everything you have. Can’t I have this… this… little thing? This little freedom?”
My chest squeezed. I rushed to him and grabbed his hands without hesitation. “I can only have it if I have money. Brady will win over me if I am not equipped to fight against him, Mr. Royalwood. And… my friend… she built the company with her-”
Unmoved by my gradual breakdown, he pushed his hands away from mine. “You have twenty-four hours to make a decision. Any more delay and I might lose my shit.”
That gutted me. “Mr. Royalwood…”
“Choose wisely, Miss Kissman. And for your sanity, I hope you don't consider running away.”
“No, I…” Frustrated, I cried, “How can I do that to myself? I haven’t even survived my marriage to Brady. How can I-?”His silent steps answered my question as he walked away. “Mr. Royalwood! Please! Please! Please, don’t do this to me! Please I-”
The door banged shut.
I fell to the floor and my tears returned.
Just when I thought I would be okay, that my life would change for better, that I’d be totally free from Brady Simmons, a monster worse than him comes along!
Don’t ask me how I know he's a monster.
Wouldn’t a monster ask a woman wounded by marriage to marry him?
Wouldn’t a monster threaten to make me pay for a mistake that barely affects him?
I just…
Why can’t I have a little good thing in my life?!
“Why?!” I cried out loud, my crying turning bigger for many minutes until I forced myself to get up and sleep.
I figured once I woke up, I would be calmer and able to reason the situation better. That is, if I don’t have nightmares about the life I lived with Brady.