Charlotte walked into the dining room and saw Chloe and Dylan already planted at the table, one on each side. She plopped down next to Dylan while Liam trailed in and took the seat at the head of the table. The silence at the table was thick enough to cut with a knife. Even Chloe, who's usually got something to say, was shoveling food into her mouth without a peep.

After they'd finished eating, Charlotte was mid-mouthwash in the bathroom when her phone buzzed with a call from Vincent.

She figured there was a breakthrough with the number, "Already?"

"It's not that simple, Charlotte. I've got a lead on the day Chloe dragged Annie to the lake, but I can't be sure. Wanna swing by and take a look?"

Anything about Annie was an urgent business for Charlotte.

She dried off her hands and made a beeline for Liam's study.

"Off to meet Vincent in the dead of night, alone?" Liam's head snapped up, his eyes throwing daggers, "Excuse me, what am I to you?"

Charlotte wasn't phased by his anger, calm as ever, "I didn't even tell Dylan I was heading out."

She was reporting her plans to him, bypassing her boyfriend, seeking only his opinion.

What she meant was, what do you think I take you for?

Obviously, someone important.

It was a sign of obedience and trust.

Liam caught the implication, his chest rose and fell a couple of times, but he didn't try to stop her.

"Just make sure you're back soon."

Vincent told Charlotte to meet him at a fancy vacation home owned by his family. Charlotte didn't know much about swanky places like that, just thought it seemed like a peaceful spot, probably nice for retirees.

"Everything okay with you in the Parker family?" Vincent was worried about Charlotte's situation when they met up, "Yeah, you've got Liam in your pocket now, but you're also taking on some serious risks." "Risk and opportunity go hand in hand."

Charlotte's answer gave Vincent mixed feelings.

The old Charlotte would've sworn up and down she'd never play Liam like that.

The deaths of Annie and Maria had changed her too much.

"Didn't you say you found evidence about Chloe luring Annie to the lake? Where is it?" Charlotte got straight to the point.

"It's a text message." Vincent pulled out a USB drive. "Annie's phone was trashed from water damage, but I managed to dig up this message."

'Want your bracelet back? Come to the lake.'

Just a few words, nothing off at first glance.

"Annie's jewelry box got knocked over when she was moving, and she lost a bunch of stuff. My brother mentioned Annie really missed a bracelet she'd lost and looked for it for ages."

Vincent's face was serious, "Annie wasn't into material stuff, didn't care much for jewelry, but she cried over that bracelet for a long time. Charlotte, back then I didn't get it, but now, that bracelet..." "It was mine." Charlotte felt a chill, repeating, "The bracelet was mine, I made it out of cheap toy shells."

"Right, just some plastic shells." Vincent confirmed, "Losing that bracelet hit Annie hard, she kept searching, but never found it."

Annie was careful. She wouldn't have rushed off to meet a stranger because of a text, not unless the reason was tempting enough.

"You mean..." Charlotte bit her lip hard, struggling to get the words out.

That bracelet was cheap, but it was the only pretty thing she had in her poor home, and she cherished it.

Just a heads up: is the only place to read the complete version of this book for free. Don't miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey!

When it went missing one day, she knew Annie had taken it. She didn't confront her, just said she hoped the bracelet would turn into gold and come back to her someday. Her Annie valued that bracelet so much; she missed her so much.

Charlotte took a deep breath to calm herself down and then asked Vincent, "Are you suggesting that if Chloe has the necklace, it proves she's the one who lured Annie to the lake?" But with Annie gone and Chloe's goal achieved, would she really keep the bracelet and risk getting caught?

Besides, lots of people knew Annie had a bracelet, so how could they prove it was Chloe?

Vincent knew these obstacles too, but he didn't have a solution, "Chloe covered her tracks too well back then. Finding this clue was hard enough, and even though it's a long shot, I want to try." Charlotte went quiet.

If Chloe hadn't thrown the bracelet away, where would she have kept it?

It was going to be a tough investigation.

Charlotte was pinning her hopes on those phone numbers now.

"Finding these people will bring the truth to light."

She was about to ask Vincent for an update on these people when she suddenly felt a wave of heat wash over her.

She thought it was the air conditioning set too high, but Vincent opposite her seemed unaffected.

"Vincent, are you hot?" she asked.

"No, you're feeling hot?"

Then she felt a tingling sensation at the base of her spine, and Charlotte's brows furrowed as she realized something wasn't right.

Just a heads up: is the only place to read the complete version of this book for free. Don't miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey!

"Vincent." She swallowed hard, feeling the strange sensations in her body, the fear of the unknown making her stiff.

Vincent noticed something was off and hurried over to help her.

"Don't come closer!" Charlotte stopped him, the itching on her skin unbearable, biting her lip to stay sharp.Content © copyrighted by .

"Something's not right with me..."

"What's wrong?"

Charlotte described her symptoms, and Vincent immediately understood, "You've been drugged!"

Drugged?

Charlotte tried to think through the fog in her head, but the discomfort in her body was making her lose control, and she had the urge to reach out to Vincent. "Get away... Vincent, don't come near me!"

"I got it." Vincent reacted quickly, filling the bathtub with cold water and then using a towel to pull Charlotte into the bathroom to soak her in the cold water.

He didn't dare stay a second longer, closed the door, and was anxious to find a doctor. But then he thought about it-Charlotte's special identity, alone with him at night, drugged-people finding out would be hard to explain. Especially to Liam. Charlotte was already in a tough spot, and Vincent didn't want to make it worse for her.

He decided against it.

"Charlotte, you're on your own now."

Vincent was pacing in the living room, anxious. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a red light. He instinctively looked for it but found nothing.

"Did I see that wrong?" Vincent muttered to himself, puzzled.

On the other side of the wall, out of Vincent's sight, a man smiled with satisfaction at a photo in his hand that showed the two of them in opposition.

He tucked the camera with its blinking red light into his coat and quickly disappeared into the night.