Charlotte's memory was a haze concerning the recent events.

"So what?" she pondered without a hint of spite. "Am I supposed to harbor a grudge over this?"

"You have the nerve!" Malcolm was on the verge of hurling more insults when something caught his eye, sending him into a panicked flight. Late to the drama, Charlotte turned to see Liam standing there, an unexpected calm in his demeanor.

"He asked for my intercession; I refused," Charlotte offered a brief explanation.

Liam's lips quivered slightly as he fixed a deep, complex gaze on her as if he had a whirlwind of thoughts to share but no words would come out.

Charlotte found his silence peculiar and, concerned for his well-being, she gently suggested, "You should head back inside; it's too chilly for such light clothing."

Liam clenched his fingers involuntarily, fixated on her. "What he just said..."

"I don't remember any of it," she admitted, her memory genuinely failing her.

He searched her face for a trace of resentment, found none, and marveled at how she bore no grudge against him, even comforting him by saying she had forgotten the past grievances.

He was about to speak when Chloe's voice, laced with exasperation, echoed from the room. "How could you forget the shower gel? Charlotte! All that packing and you brought nothing of use?"

Charlotte's lips tightened. Preparing for the trip, Chloe had deliberately left her in the dark about what to pack, forcing her to guess based on Liam's preferences.

And still, she had missed the mark.

"This, this, and this, Liam doesn't use any of these, yet you forgot all the essentials he prefers. Charlotte, what were you thinking?"

Chloe sifted through the bathroom items dismissively, devaluing Charlotte's efforts.

Charlotte listened silently, offering no defense.

Even though Chloe had set her up, she should have taken the time to inquire directly with Liam or to check the secretary's office for his preferences.

It was her oversight, after all, and she had no right to complain.

"If Miss Beaumont could list what's missing, I'll make the purchases..."

"Are you going to buy? Do you even recognize these brands?"

Chloe's sarcasm was sharp. "After all this time with him, you still don't know his preferences. Charlotte, you're true to yourself, caring about nothing but money."

Stung by the biting mockery, Charlotte couldn't hold back her frosty retort. "When he's with me, he's content with whatever's at hand. A smart woman like Miss Beaumont should be able to discern what truly matters to him." "Are you boasting to me?"

"Isn't that what you're doing?" Charlotte shot back, her voice tinged with defiance.

She didn't resist as Chloe grabbed her, pulling her into a state of disarray.

Liam caught this scene as he followed the noise, his brow furrowing in displeasure. "Chloe!"

Startled, Chloe released her grip as if scalded. "Liam, Charlotte didn't bring anything for you, and it's too late to shop now. Maybe you could make do at my place tonight..."

"Head back home," Liam interrupted her abruptly, his voice cutting through the air.

Chloe paused, taken aback by his blunt insistence on sending her away.

"Why?" she asked, her voice a mix of confusion and disbelief.

"It's getting late," he simply said.

"I don't think it's late. I even brought my driver, so there's nothing to worry about..." she trailed off as Liam suddenly called out for Henry, who hurried in, his approach quick and cautious. "What can I do for you, Mr. Parker?" Henry inquired with due politeness.

"Please escort Miss Beaumont home," Liam instructed.

"Of course," Henry bowed slightly. "Miss Beaumont, if you would."

"No... you're kicking me out? Liam, I'm just worried about you! This stuff isn't what you usually go for, it's not your thing, Liam!"

But her pleas fell on deaf ears as Henry, eschewing the usual formalities, ushered her out with a firm hand.

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Once the door shut behind them, tranquility reclaimed the suite.

Liam walked over, his pace halting as he passed by Charlotte. She looked up, expecting him to say something, but instead, he snatched a towel and tossed it onto her head in a fit of irritation. "I'm not covering for you; you were negligent in your duties," he said pointedly.

"I'm aware," she responded, her tone resigned.

She didn't need him to say it; she wouldn't flatter herself into thinking he was defending her any longer.

It was Chloe's foolishness.

Even without his usual toiletries, Liam had managed his routine the previous night just fine. Chloe's relentless badgering was nothing but an annoyance, one that would only serve to weary Liam. He couldn't tolerate another person bossing around on his turf.Content © copyrighted by .

Chloe, his childhood sweetheart with years of engagement, failed to grasp even this.

While Liam showered, Charlotte swept the room clean.

As she was about to leave, he emerged, freshly bathed.

From her vantage point, she could see the mix of impatience and disdain etched on his face.

Did the hotel's disposable toiletries still feel foreign to him?

What about those days in the modest two-bedroom flat? The budget-friendly items she picked out, did he scorn them as well when he stayed over?

They were worlds apart.

The hotel towels were too soft for his liking.

As Liam rubbed his hair dry, he caught Charlotte standing in the center of the room, staring blankly at him, eyes tinged with a subtle melancholy.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, settling onto the couch and gesturing for Charlotte to come over to dry his hair-a familiar ritual from their cohabiting days.

Back when money was tight, Charlotte had juggled countless jobs to afford necessities like sanitary pads, including working as a shampoo girl, where she secretly picked up head massage techniques. Drying his hair, Charlotte kneaded his scalp gently and ventured softly, "Are the hotel's things that unpleasant to use?"

This was the Beaumont family's grandest hotel, the jewel of Leiventale, where everything was top-notch, including the branded disposables in the rooms.

"Is it because they're complimentary and disposable that they seem cheap and unsatisfactory to you?"

The gap between their family backgrounds had never been a source of inferiority for Charlotte, but now she found herself in a fog of doubt.

As her fingers worked their magic, perfectly balanced in pressure, Liam relaxed completely and opened his eyes at her question.

He knew she wasn't really asking about the toiletries; she was alluding to something else.

"Price is never the measure of an item's worth," he said. "It's about preference."

"But would you ever prefer something inexpensive?" Charlotte countered.

Liam paused before closing his eyes nonchalantly once again.

His response was measured, "What I cherish could never be considered cheap."

How could he treasure something truly devoid of value?

Anything he valued held an intrinsic preciousness.

Charlotte's head bowed, shrouded in sadness, "I understand now."

In his eyes, she was just another cheap commodity.

The things he valued were never cheap; therefore, he couldn't possibly cherish her. That's why he maintained the engagement with the well-bred Chloe. After the massage, Charlotte retreated to her room.

No sooner had she lain down than Thomas's call came through.