Chapter 20: Guardian angel
With the whole room as witness, Liam's audacious defense was irrefutable, leaving the family elders without a retort. They agreed to escort the person in question back home and provide the Beaumont family with a satisfactory explanation. And throughout all this, Charlotte was unaware of anything.
She sat on a bench by the door. Her gaze was lost in the stars while her fingers deftly wove a ring out of stray grass she'd gathered.
At the sound of footsteps, she turned to see Liam approaching and couldn't help but wonder at the ease that seemed to radiate from him.
"Aren't you scared at all?" he asked.
Charlotte shook her head, "I'm not afraid."
Liam's emotions were a whirlwind.
After all, without his protection, Charlotte's defiance against the Beaumont heiress could have left her in dire straits.
Yet here she was, placing her trust in him completely.
"There are pressing matters I must attend to with Daniel," he said, hinting at the storm brewing with the Beaumonts. "You should head back first." Without agreement or protest, Charlotte stepped forward and slipped the humble grass ring onto his finger.
"Mr. Parker, you promised there would be no engagement with Chloe. Don't break your word."
"Sure."
He hummed nonchalantly, allowing her to place the ring. "No engagement."
Just then, Daniel came over with a grimace, "Enough with the sweet nothings. The Beaumont sisters are on their way out."
Straightening up, Liam nudged Charlotte gently towards home.
He referred to the modest two-bedroom flat as 'home,' a word that sent ripples through Charlotte's heart.
As she walked away, she was oblivious to the shadows that trailed behind her.
Before she could grasp what was happening, an unfamiliar presence was upon her, and without a word, she was hooded and rushed into a car!
The vehicle sped off and only came to a halt after some twenty frantic minutes.
Charlotte was led into Chloe's villa, where she was met with the daunting sight of Chloe, her aunt, and a man with a striking resemblance to Liam.
"So, you're Charlotte?" the man's voice boomed with fury. "Did you hit Miss Beaumont?"
"Yes," she admitted boldly.
Dylan Parker's anger boiling over, he slammed his hand on the table. "You think you can act out just because Liam dotes on you? You've got no remorse! The Parker family has no room for a rogue like you!" "Parker family?" Charlotte chuckled. "Do I carry the name Parker? What right do you have over me?"
The man's face darkened with rage. "How dare you!"
Dylan Parker's face darkened completely, "Auntie's right. This woman is reckless and bold, a disaster waiting to happen if she stays by Liam's side. Today, as his brother, I'm going to teach her a lesson on Liam's behalf!" The Beaumont aunt interjected, "How your family disciplines is your business, but she slapped Chloe. This offense cannot stand. We, the Beaumonts, demand justice!"
"Of course," he agreed. "She's here now; we'll proceed as you wish, Aunt."
"Thank you," the aunt said, her gaze shifting maliciously from Chloe to Charlotte. "Since her hands are so bold, let them be the first to suffer. Bring the boiling oil; we'll start with her hands and then ruin that sly face of hers!" With just a few words, these lofty figures decided her fate as if it were nothing.
Did they think their power could crush her spirit?
Charlotte couldn't help but scoff, "You can't touch me."
"Liam's probably getting an earful from grandfather right now. He can't save you," Chloe sneered with malice. "I'd like to see if he'll still care for you once you've become a disfigured monster!"
As Chloe's fingers neared Charlotte's skin, she taunted, "Do you think you've won? You've lost miserably! Liam will marry me!"
"On my command, do it!"
Chloe was convinced Liam wouldn't dare defy the old man's orders to rescue Charlotte.
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The bodyguards moved in, pinning Charlotte to the ground, her face pushed against the carpet as she struggled to breathe.
Chloe smiled with satisfaction at the sight of Charlotte's debased form. "How can a gambler's daughter compete with me?" Charlotte was too overwhelmed to respond as the pungent scent of scalding oil filled her nostrils.
"Be careful. I want her crippled, not dead."
After her command, Chloe turned to Dylan with gratitude, "Thanks. If not for you, this wretch would've gone unpunished."
Dylan smiled, "It's no trouble at all, but it seems my little brother isn't really into Miss Beaumont. Maybe you should consider me instead." Chloe's smile faltered for a moment before she awkwardly turned away.
The mere thought that a distant relation of the Parkers could be an appropriate match for her was laughable.
Only by binding herself to Liam could she wrest control from her overbearing uncle.
After going to great lengths to eliminate that meddlesome Annie, she would not tolerate any further missteps in claiming her heir status.
Chloe whirled around with a venomous glare and commanded, "Do it now! Don't hesitate!"
Destroying Charlotte meant reclaiming Liam and the inheritance with him.
As the boiling oil menacingly drew closer, mere centimeters from scarring her hands forever, Charlotte lifted her head, exerting every bit of strength to declare, "I've warned you, you cannot lay a finger on me!" "Ha! Delusional to the very end!" scoffed Chloe, dismissing her bravado.
But the next second, the sight of a familiar figure at the villa's entrance made Chloe's body quiver with fear.
"How... How did he get here..."
At the Parker mansion.
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The old Mr. Parker sat with his eyes closed in a grand armchair, his cane tapping rhythmically against the floor.
"I heard you struck a Miss Beaumont over a mistress?" old Mr. Parker said.
"Yes," came the curt reply.
Summoned by an unexpected call, Liam returned, visibly irritated.
"I've made myself clear: no engagement with Chloe. If you press the issue, I won't hesitate to part ways with the Parker family."
"Are you threatening me? Over a woman?" old Mr. Parker's eyes flicked open, revealing a flash of sharpness.
Liam locked eyes with old Mr. Parker, unyielding, "I promised her there would be no engagement to Chloe, and I cannot lie."
Old Mr. Parker laughed bitterly, "You would abandon your own family for a fling?"
Liam retorted, turning to leave. "I don't care."Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
"Fine! Fine! Look at you, so self-righteous!" old Mr. Parker said with rage. "Liam, get out of the Parker family and never come back!"
Without a backward glance, Liam exited, only to be met by Daniel's urgent news, "We've been careless. Charlotte's been taken to Chloe's villa, and Dylan is there too. Things don't look good." "Tch," Liam's chest heaved as he got into the car.
"Mr. Parker, think this through," Daniel urged. "If you defend Charlotte now, you'll be at odds with the Beaumonts. Dylan might exploit this, and if he allies with them against you..." "Only I can save her," Liam interrupted.
His brow furrowed in worry. "She's waiting for me."
But upon arriving at Chloe's villa, the situation seemed to have already resolved itself.
Chloe sat disheveled in the courtyard, her face sporting two glaring handprints. Charlotte stood nearby, calm and unharmed.
Chloe sat disheveled in the courtyard, her face sporting two glaring handprints. Charlotte stood nearby, calm and unharmed.
Daniel, puzzled, remarked, "From the looks of it, Charlotte's come out on top. But Chloe's got a new mark on her face. How did that happen?"
Who was Charlotte's guardian angel?