From Desk to Altar: The CEO's Irresistible Bargain

Charlotte didn't really want anything and Vincent? He was only half-interested in the sapphire and pretty much bored with everything else. The three of them were less about the auction and more like they were just out for a chill day.

Ethan was all hyped up, a real social butterfly, and couldn't stand being cooped up in the VIP box for too long. He wanted to go out and play. Charlotte knew Liam was right next door and the last thing she wanted was to run into him, so she stayed put and sent Vincent to take Ethan out instead.

What she didn't see coming was Liam just barging into her VIP box without an invite." "Mr. Parker, what's with the no-knock policy?" she said.

Liam responded, "You wouldn't have let me in if I knocked."

His voice was weak, hinting he hadn't been his usual self lately.

He casually replaced the green tea on the table with milk tea, making himself right. home.

"What's up with the milk tea, Mr. Parker?" Charlotte asked, giving him a cold look.

Looking down, Liam mumbled, "I heard girls dig this stuff."

"I'm not a fan."

"...Noted."

And that was that. The air got all awkward and heavy.

Charlotte was on edge and pretty much fed up with Liam acting all meek and mild - it was sickening.

Just when she was about to leave, Liam dropped a bombshell, "Somebody snatched the kid on the way overseas. No clue where he is now." Charlotte stopped dead in her tracks, her mind racing with disbelief.

She knew that kid wasn't Liam's own, but Liam was clueless.

So his icy attitude was like he couldn't care less if his supposed kid was in danger or not.

"So what now?" she pushed.

But Liam just looked lost.

"What 'now'?"

"Did you find the kid or not?!"

"No." Liam was baffled, not getting why she was getting heated, "Why bother looking? I'm not fond of the kid, and neither are you." Sure, not being fond of the kid is one thing, but we're talking about a human life here!

"Who took him?"

"No idea. Some masked guys grabbed him during a flight transfer."

"Nobody hit you up for a ransom?" It wouldn't be the first time someone would try to get money for Benjamin, being Liam's kid and all.

"Nope." Liam bit his lip, "I checked out the footage from when it happened. The kidnappers were careful, even making sure not to bump his feet against the chairs."

So, they weren't out to hurt the kid.

That being the case, Liam figured it wasn't his problem.

His coldness freaked Charlotte out, but what blew her mind was how he could be so indifferent.

He didn't care about his own kid, yet he put up with Chloe being alive because of something Kenneth said.

"It's like you do what you do because you just don't care," Charlotte's emotions were all over the place.

He'd follow his granddad's last wishes because he cared.

But if it's someone he didn't care about? Whether they lived or died didn't matter to him.

"Liam, I really should've seen through you way earlier!"

"Wait, what?" Liam was totally lost when the accusations deepened his confusion. He always thought Charlotte couldn't stand that kid and would be at least a little bit relieved to hear he was out of the picture. "He's gone for good. You're never gonna see him again. That's gotta be some good news, right?" He just didn't get it.

Charlotte was just as baffled by his lack of feeling, "I hate you, Liam. My hate's for you, not the kid. Whether he's here or not, I still hate you. What's he got to do with any of this?"

At least she had the heart not to blame a kid who didn't know any better.

And...

Liam had just mentioned that the kidnapper meant no harm to the kid, and seemed to actually care about him.

Charlotte's gut told her the kidnapper was probably Dylan.

Sending the kid away had shown Dylan that his dreams of living large on Liam's dime through the kid were slipping away.

He's the dad, after all; he couldn't just stand by and watch his own flesh and blood suffer.

"And Chloe?" Charlotte couldn't help but ask, trying to figure out if Chloe was in on it too.

"Chloe..." Liam paused just for a second.

But that second was enough to light the fuse of Charlotte's anger, and she was ready to explode.

She got up, shaking with fury.

What's the deal with Chloe?

Is she off somewhere enjoying her life?

Charlotte thought maybe she should've just followed Vincent's advice and offed Chloe cleanly instead of trying to get Liam to do the dirty work, just to twist the knife a bit more. Charlotte headed for the door, angry as hell, but halfway there she felt someone grab her hand. She looked down and saw Liam holding her back.

"Chloe's gone crazy," Liam said, all panicked. "Are you upset? Charlotte, I didn't let her off the hook, I..."

She's gone crazy? Who's supposed to believe that?

Thinking that a person who kills without a second thought is insane? Hardly believable!"

Chloe's just putting on a show, and Liam's totally buying it.

"Get off me!" Every time Charlotte saw Liam's face, she felt like smacking him.

She couldn't stand how Liam kept letting Chloe off the hook, time after time.

Liam didn't let go; he clamped down even harder. "I'm not going back on my word, I swear. She's gonna get what's coming to her. Just chill, Charlotte." Chill? As if she could!

Charlotte was so ticked off she wished she could peek inside his skull to see what the heck was going on in there.

"Over and over, Liam. Even when I was head over heels for you, you were never this soft with me."

Mentioning the past dragged a sad look across Liam's face.

"And you were never this mean to me."

He looked like a kicked puppy. "You won't even look at me, acting like we've always been nothing to each other. That's not okay, Charlotte."

"At least give me a shot to fix this mess."

"Didn't I already?"

Bringing that up nearly sent Charlotte over the edge. "I gave you the chance to sort Chloe out, and what did you do?"

"What exactly do you want from me?"

"I want some space." Charlotte jerked her hand free. "Being around you is making me sick, Liam."

That turned Liam ghost white.

"You're mad I didn't do things your way, but you never told me how. That's just not playing fair, Charlotte."

"I was clear-I wanted her to die! Get it now?"

Liam clammed up, his eyes nearly brimming with tears.

His voice trembled when he finally spoke. "I got it."

He knew all along.

"But once she's died, will you even give me the time of day?"