From Desk to Altar: The CEO's Irresistible Bargain

Charlotte's been playing him, and it's not the first time. They bumped into each other at the studio, then last night she showed up all dolled up and slipped him a note on the sly. And then there was that meet-up in the garden where she took his hand. She's got it all figured out, playing it cool as if she's got all the answers.

She knew he'd go soft.

She knew he'd back down.

Yeah, she's got a real thing for money. So when Thomas handed her a black card, she naturally started treating him like he's the boss.

"Mr. Parker," Daniel tried to speak up for Charlotte, but he wasn't quite sure how to put it. He just blurted out, "If Charlotte was just in it for the cash, wouldn't she have kept you sweet too? Why would she bother chasing after Thomas's black card?"

Liam closed his eyes, his voice raw, "If she's willing to use me for revenge, she won't hesitate to use Thomas. He's childless, and as the biological sister of his adopted daughter, it's not out of the question that he might take her in as his own after she's avenged. And with that, she'd leap into the ranks of high society. Isn't that temptation enough?"

Charlotte was always one to chase wealth and status.

Daniel found himself at a loss for words.

He wanted to believe Charlotte was above such schemes, but he couldn't deny the plausibility in Mr. Parker's logic.

Knock, knock-the sound at the office door was Charlotte, arriving with coffee.

Daniel glanced instinctively at Liam and was taken aback by the storm of anger and disappointment in his eyes.

"Mr. Parker..."

"Let her in."

"Of course."

Charlotte entered, carrying the coffee, immediately sensing the tension in the air-probably the aftermath of something Chloe had said.

She didn't dwell on it, simply placing the two cups on the desk.

"Brendan will handle the North Side project. We'll get someone from headquarters to oversee it," Liam said to Daniel, setting aside a business proposal and adopting a casual tone.

The mention of 'North Side' caused Charlotte to flinch, spilling a few drops of coffee.

"Be careful," Liam scolded with a furrowed brow.

"Yes," Charlotte replied, head bowed, as she left with the tray.

Behind her, Liam and Daniel continued their conversation about the project, casually reminding her to take the trash out as well.

Their dialogue flowed naturally.

Charlotte was kicking herself for overreacting. Liam and Daniel were always shooting the breeze about work stuff in the office, and with the North Side project coming up, that was just par for the course. But she'd just had an earful from Thomas that morning, and it left her feeling kind of like she was up to no good.

Shaking her head to get rid of that weird, guilty feeling, Charlotte closed the office door behind her.

What she didn't see was the stormy look that came over Liam's face after she walked out.

"Does she look like someone who's clueless?" he questioned.

This time, even Daniel couldn't find the words to defend her.

"Keep an eye on Thomas, see if he actually reaches out to Brendan," Liam said before closing his eyes again, his forehead veins bulging and jaw tense, signaling his displeasure. Daniel hesitated for a moment, then walked away quietly.

In the afternoon, Sophia sought out Charlotte with a heads-up, "Prepare yourself; you're joining Mr. Parker on a business trip tomorrow."

Charlotte felt a twinge of unease. As Liam's personal assistant, her job was to ensure his suitcase was packed and ready for travel.

Yet, since her promotion, she hadn't so much as stepped foot inside Liam's personal life, let alone his mansion.

Before she could fully process her concerns, Sophia dropped another detail, "We're heading to Leiventale you're familiar, right? Chloe's hometown."

"It's the Beaumont family's stronghold."

With a sympathetic gaze, Sophia added, "Indeed, Chloe will be accompanying Mr. Parker on this trip."

What Sophia left unsaid was that Mr. Parker's trips were typically brisk and efficient. Life assistants, deemed non-essential, were left behind, as were sometimes even project leads.

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Charlotte's name had been scribbled out and rewritten several times on the preliminary travel roster in the president's office, the final inscription almost ripping through the paper.

It was as if... as if Mr. Parker, in a moment of hesitation, had etched Charlotte's name with a tinge of spite.

"Just... be careful, okay?" Sophia wasn't really concerned for Charlotte's well-being; she just didn't want any potential fallout to splash onto her.

Charlotte didn't dwell on worry. Chloe's vengeful comeback was anticipated, and she was mentally prepared.

Stepping out of the secretary's office, she bumped into Daniel rushing by. Greeting him softly," Daniel."

Startled, Daniel's demeanor darkened upon recognizing her, striding past the president's office without a word.

Charlotte was puzzled. Daniel was known for his amiability and had never treated her this way before.

Was there an emergency?

Meanwhile, Daniel came to a halt in front of Liam's desk, meeting his somber gaze, hesitantly informing, "Mr. Parker, Thomas has approached Brendan." Brendan wasn't even on Liam's radar. Mentioning his name in front of Charlotte was a mere test.

She took the bait all too eagerly, promptly relaying the information to Thomas.

This confirmed Liam's suspicions.

Reluctantly, Daniel had to admit, "Charlotte is indeed using you."

After Daniel left the president's office, Liam's fury was palpable, casting a shadow over the entire twenty-fourth floor.

Those who entered, be they executives or secretarial assistants, all emerged with pale, shaken expressions.

At three in the afternoon, with a heart full of apprehension, Charlotte entered to deliver coffee. She found Liam, whose stern rebuke of the project manager was enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine. With the utmost care, Charlotte set the coffee down, hoping to make a swift exit, but Liam's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Did the secretaries tell you? You're going on a business trip tomorrow." He gestured dismissively for the manager to leave, then fixed his gaze on Charlotte.

She nodded quickly, a bundle of nerves, waiting for him to continue.

"Head to my house and get the travel essentials sorted," he commanded in a deep, serious tone.

Charlotte thought her role as his life assistant was finally being acknowledged.

Before she could relish the thought, his next words cut short her budding joy.

"Do I really need to remind you of such trivial tasks, Charlotte? Are you just here to coast through the days?"

Charlotte was momentarily taken aback, catching a fleeting look of disdain in his eyes.

It was as if he had seen something deeply irksome, hardly worth a glance of recognition.

Why?

Just last night, at the engagement party, he had responded to the note.

They had stood together, watching the flames devour the remnants of his engagement ceremony.

Just last night... he hadn't seemed to despise her.

"Sorry. I'll have the travel items prepared," Charlotte said with a bow, apologizing. As she rose, she noticed Liam reaching for his cup of coffee.

She hesitated momentarily before dropping a sugar cube into his cup under his impatient glare.

This had always been Liam's preference. In the beginning, she often mistimed the sugar, earning his rebuke, but for some reason, he seemed to have forgotten today.

"You favor a taste that's slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness," Charlotte explained carefully.

Liam's chest rose and fell in quick succession, and with a thud, he placed the coffee back on the desk.

"Make it again, no sugar this time!"

"Yes, sir."

Brimming with questions, Charlotte prepared a fresh cup of unsweetened coffee and brought it in. Not daring to linger, she placed the coffee down and quickly left, but not without stealing a glance at Liam. He took a large gulp of the sugarless coffee, his brow furrowed tightly, the look of someone struggling to swallow something unpleasant.

Why persist in drinking something he clearly didn't enjoy?...