Asking something like that straight-up was totally out of line. Anyone would say no.

And all that talk of partnership Liam spouted was just a cover to get in with the Blackwood family. He never really planned to team up with Vincent. Serena's gutsy demand nearly hit Liam where it hurt.

He glared at her, trying to spot any trace of Charlotte in her.

If Serena were Charlotte, he'd have no problem playing along with whatever she wanted.

But if she wasn't?

Then caving now would be like cheating on Charlotte.

After a long pause, Liam finally said in a raspy voice, "You're trying to make me bend the knee, aren't you?"

Charlotte had been upfront about it lots of times before she wanted him to bend the knee, and do it for her.

If Serena was Charlotte, then...

"All I'm doing is getting a bit back for my hubby after all the hassle you've caused. How's that making you bend the knee?" Serena said, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Given who I am, avoiding Mr. Parker is the right thing to do. Whether you agree to my terms or not doesn't change that. It's hardly coercion."

She laid it all out there, leaving the next move to Liam.

"Think about it, Mr. Parker."

Then, holding Ethan, she stood there - both of them looking so out of place and chilly.

Liam just couldn't take it.

"Stop giving me that look," he said, his eyes shut tight. "I can't stand it."

"Well, don't look then," Serena fired back coldly. "You don't get to tell us what to do, Mr. Parker."

She scooped up Ethan and led the way downstairs. Daniel was still trying to outsmart Vincent.

The whole partnership thing was just for show, and Vincent was too sharp, chasing them down hard. Daniel was having a rough time of it.

When Serena and Ethan showed up downstairs, Daniel jumped at the chance to switch gears, "Hey, is this little master? What a cutie."

Ethan wasn't in the mood and just snubbed him.

Daniel tried to play it off, "Got a bit of a temper, I see!"

Serena didn't bother to explain that Ethan is actually a pretty mild and polite kid, but ever since he saw Liam holding that other child, he's been in a foul mood. And running into Liam just made things worse.

"Why the long face again?" Vincent asked with a mix of concern and affection as he took Ethan from Serena's arms. "Looks like you've inherited your mother's knack for mood swings." "Mrs. Blackwood has a temper, huh?" Daniel couldn't resist poking a bit.

Charlotte always had a sweet disposition, and Daniel knew that a person's nature is hard to change. Maybe this was a way to figure out if Serena really was Charlotte.

Vincent's frown finally lifted when he talked about his wife and child, "Girls will be girls, a little sass is normal."

They looked at each other with deep affection, Serena blushing and turning away first.

The whole scene made Daniel's heart sink further.

Serena's demeanor didn't seem put on. If she were Charlotte, she wouldn't be able to hide her true feelings so easily.

While everyone was silent, Liam made his way down the stairs.

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Serena looked at him defiantly and brought up the partnership, "So, how did your talk go? When do we start getting into the nitty-gritty of working together?"

Daniel forced a smile, "It's a bit complex, we've got to take it back for discussion..."

"Does Mr. Parker agree?" Serena's gaze clashed with Liam's, who looked a little red-eyed, "Partnerships are about momentum. If we can't get it right today, there's no point talking later." She was clearly issuing a threat.

Daniel didn't like this one bit. Charlotte was always so gentle and considerate, never this pushy.

"Mrs. Blackwood, a lady like you..."

"I think I was talking to your boss," Serena interrupted with a half-smile, "My offer stands. I need an answer now, Mr. Parker."

"What offer?" Daniel asked, sidestepping his irritation to get to the bottom of it.

Vincent pulled Serena aside to ask what was going on.

She laid it out for him, and even though they tried to keep their voices down, the living room's acoustics carried every word.

"He trashes his own life and then plays the grieving widower. Why should we let him mess with our happiness to ease his guilt? What's wrong with me getting a little payback?"

"If Liam doesn't agree, that's fine by me. It means we can finally cut him off and I won't have to put up with that disgusting look on his face."

Liam was visibly shaken, his back quivering and his face turned pale, too stunned to say anything.

"Mr. Parker!" Daniel exclaimed in disbelief. "Can you believe what she's saying? Why are you even second-guessing? She's nothing like Charlotte. Not one bit."

Even when Charlotte was down on her luck, she'd never think of exploiting Liam.

But Serena? She had the audacity to come right out with such an impolite demand!

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Daniel was convinced Serena wasn't Charlotte. "We don't need to entangle ourselves with her. She's just someone with a similar face. The more you entertain her, the more you betray Charlotte." Daniel ranted but Liam didn't respond. When Daniel looked up, he saw Liam fixated on the child in Vincent's arms.

"Mr. Parker?" Daniel recognized that look. He felt a chill, "You're not actually considering her ludicrous demands, are you?"

They were about to hand over their most prized and promising project to the Blackwood group, and now this woman dared to ask for a 70-30 split in their favor.

This wasn't just conceding; it was a self-inflicted insult.

"If you go through with this, you're just kowtowing to Vincent, letting this woman manipulate you!"

"Daniel," Liam's voice was laced with uncertainty, making Daniel's heart skip a beat.

"I believe she's Charlotte."

"She's trying to make me give in."

"I've disappointed her too many times."

Daniel was in disbelief, "You're out of your mind, Liam. For a woman whose identity we're not even sure of, you're out of your mind!"

"I just can't handle losing her again."

Logic told him the woman before him was nothing like Charlotte, but his intuition screamed that she was.

She just hadn't forgiven him yet and was still holding him accountable. holds this content.

"For four years, I've lived day by day with her pictures, slept in her bed, clutched her clothes, and yet I've been restless."

"But just having her appear before me for a few seconds let me sleep well."

"Daniel, let's go along with what she wants."