From Desk to Altar: The CEO's Irresistible Bargain

"Have you seen the little dude? What do you think?" Vincent came back home after a long day at the office.

He went straight upstairs to peek at Ethan, who was out like a light but still had tear tracks on his face. The kid curled up in his sleep and looked kinda sad. "What's with Ethan?" Vincent asked one question after another.

Serena filled him in, "The little one's doing okay, all chubby from being well taken care of. He was just bummed out after seeing Liam holding that other kid." Vincent let out a laugh, "That little one, has always been quick to get jealous."

But then his smile faded, and he looked worried, "About that kid..."

Serena caught on quickly: "He's not getting anything out of the whole mess. He's not to blame. I'm not gonna hurt him, so chill."

"Alright." Vincent seemed a bit reassured, but he still had that worried look when he glanced at Serena.

"I want you to let go of all that," he said.

"And can you let go?" Serena threw the question right back at him.

His own brother was an innocent in the thick of it all. Could he truly ditch the hate?

Vincent looked up at the closed door upstairs. He couldn't see Ethan, sure, but he knew the boy was there.

He used to wonder why folks insisted on telling those filled with vengeance to drop it.

But now, he understood.

Holding onto hate was because of the loss you felt.

And holding on meant losing even more.

He loved the life he had now, loved Ethan, loved the quiet moments with Serena and Ethan.

But he knew this bubble might burst at any minute.

"I'm not gonna stand in your way, Serena. You do what you've gotta do."

Ethan didn't wake up till late afternoon, all mopey and out of sorts. It took a good play session with Vincent to coax a smile out of him.

"Dad's only got room for me," the little guy said, clinging to Vincent's neck without a hint of shame: "I don't want you to have another baby. But if you really want one, it's okay, as long as you love me most." "Deal," Vincent promised with a grin, hugging his boy close.

Serena watched them, a smile creeping onto her face. Ethan was so darn serious about love, looking down on anything less than total devotion.

It was weird though. The kid had every advantage in the world and heaps of love.

Serena didn't get, why Ethan was the way he was.

"Ma'am, there's someone outside saying he's your father," a servant came in and whispered.

"My father? Nah, he's off hitting golf balls on the other side of the world," Serena mumbled, then it hit her - it had to be Charlotte's dad.

As Serena got up, Vincent and Ethan stopped their playfighting and looked her way, as if they had some sort of telepathic connection.

"Be right back, guys. I'm gonna hit the kitchen for some water, and yeah, I'll snag some strawberries for Ethan while I'm at it."

"Cool! Thanks, Mom!" Ethan's face lit up for a second before he dove back into his toy universe.

Vincent, with a hint of worry in his voice, asked, "Need me to come with?"

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"Nah, it's just some punk. I can handle it," Serena said, waving it off as if it was nothing.

When she got to the front door, there he was a guy in a suit who had seen better days, looking pretty down on his luck.

As she stepped closer, the guy's face stretched into a grin that was trying way too hard.

"Lottie, you're alive!"

He made a beeline for Serena, brushing past the servants. He gave her the once-over, his eyes welling up.

"My little girl! They said you were a goner four years back, but I wouldn't buy it. Searched the beaches for you, risking it all, but came up empty."

He was all over the place, spinning his tale of woe and shedding tears like he was at an audition.

Serena watched the drama unfold with an eyebrow raised, then cut in, "Let me guess, you're Charlotte's dad, Robert, right?"

He stumbled for a second, but quickly got up in her space, lowering his voice like he was sharing some state secret. "Yeah, I figured you're here to settle some scores, hiding behind the name Serena. So, anything your old man can do to help?" "There is something," she said, playing along.

"Yeah? What's that?" Robert leaned in, all ears.

Serena's smile was all ice. "Disappear."

That single word hit Robert like a slap. His face went from sweet to sour real fast.

"You're kicking me out?!" He lost his cool, his face twisting into a snarl. "Let me tell you, Charlotte, no one knows you better than I do! And if I prove you're really Charlotte, you know how many people will come after you?" "I'm Serena," she stated plainly.

"Bull, you're Charlotte! I could tell the moment I laid eyes on you."

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"Maybe," Serena said, her tone breezy, not giving anything away.

Robert mistook her calm for fear. "You don't wanna blow your cover, do ya, Charlotte? How 'bout this: You're rolling in the dough since you married into the Blackwoods. Fork over eight hundred grand a month, and I'll zip my lips. How's that sound?"

Serena chuckled at his blatant greed. "Eight hundred grand a month? You trying to rob me?"

"I'm your dad! It's like alimony!"

"But you're not my dad, see?"

"Don't play tough with me! Have you gotten all high and mighty since I last saw you?"

He lunged to slap Serena, but she wasn't having any of it. She dodged and stepped back, avoiding his grasp.

"What, you scared? Scared of getting found out? Then cough up the cash!"

"Dream on." Serena was pissed now. She stepped in and slapped Robert back.

"I've said it a million times, I'm not Charlotte! Don't lump me in with someone who'd let a lowlife like you walk all over her! She might have given you a break out of some twisted sense of family, but I'm not so forgiving!" Serena went on the offensive, scratching Robert's face until it was a mess.

"Charlotte this, Charlotte that! If you're so sure I'm her, prove it! Otherwise, it looks like you're just itching for a whooping!"

All this drama played out in full view of someone sitting in a black car not too far away.

"She can't be Charlotte."

Daniel sighed heavily as he watched Serena, who was anything but demure. "Charlotte, no matter how much she hated someone, wouldn't make such an ugly scene."

Liam stayed silent, just gesturing to his guys to bring the now staggering Robert over.

"He might know something about proving Charlotte's identity."