Liam went back to work after coming out of the break room, while Charlotte left with Dylan.

But ever since Dylan entered the Parker Group building, he looked upset, and it only got worse after stepping out of the break room with Liam. "Why the long face?" Charlotte asked.

To avoid Dylan backstabbing her again, Charlotte decided to clear the air.

"We made a deal. You help me get in with the Parker family, and I help you keep Liam in line. You did your part, I did mine. I don't get why you're constantly unhappy," she said.

They found a coffee shop under the Parker Group building. Charlotte watched the paparazzi outside the window while talking casually with Dylan.

"What if I want more?" Dylan said, his voice heavy.

"More? What do you want?" Charlotte pressed.

"I want you," Dylan stated bluntly, which took Charlotte by surprise for a moment.

She quickly realized it made sense.

Charlotte had felt Dylan's concern for her was more than it should be, but she didn't understand why.

She and Dylan were practically strangers.

Even after she approached Dylan about working together, he still wanted her to be with Liam.

Because she doesn't come from a notable background, it means that Liam won't have the support of his wife's family, which is a big advantage for Dylan in gaining power within the Parker family. Charlotte couldn't fathom what had made Dylan change his mind in just a couple of months.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, thinking he had ulterior motives.

"I don't want you to do anything. I just want you," Dylan said softly, his gaze intense. "Want me?" Did she understand him correctly? "You want me to be your woman?" Dylan didn't reply, but his eyes, filled with aggression and desire, said it all.

"Drop that thought," Charlotte said coldly. "Our deal is over, Dylan."

She stood up to leave but stopped when Dylan spoke again.

"We're the same, Charlotte. We've been through similar things, we're doing similar things, and we'll have a similar future. You belong with me; we're the same kind."

"The same kind?" Charlotte scoffed, "nonsense."

"But you can't deny it," Dylan insisted. "We're the perfect match. I was born into the Parker family, but I'm just like you. No elder's protection, my younger brother took all the affection, and everything I want, I have to fight for. " "I'm after power, and you're out for payback. So why not walk this path together?"

Charlotte inhaled sharply, her gaze frosty as she locked eyes with him. "Because, Dylan, you let Chloe get knocked up. That was a knife in my back. No way am I joining forces with someone who plays dirty like that. Keep to your lane, and we're cool. Start messing around, and we'll be at each other's throats before you know it."

Dylan chuckled bitterly, "You're always giving me the cold shoulder."

Charlotte shot him a final, searing glance before she turned on her heel and left. holds this content.

Dylan watched her determined, effortless stride, and it took him a while to snap out of it.

From afar, she was simply beautiful.

But once he got to know her, he saw her spirit was even more alluring than her looks.

Charlotte was like him, yet she was more carefree and resilient.

She was who he wanted to be but couldn't.

If he couldn't become her, he wanted to have her.

He craved not just a romantic tie with Charlotte, but her very soul, to stand by her side, to have her as his ally.

His yearning for Charlotte was deeper and more sincere than Liam's or anyone else's.

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It was Liam who had Henry anonymously reveal who released the video of Charlotte and Vincent.

And it wasn't Pamela.

It was Chloe.

This was part of a deal he had with Charlotte.

At the same time, the news broke that Charlotte was the adopted daughter of Thomas and his chosen heir.

This, along with her being spotted with various men linked to rumors, quickly squashed the gossip about her.

Online, people speculated that Chloe was worried about Charlotte taking her inheritance, which is why she did what she did.

Despite this, Charlotte's reputation didn't fully bounce back. People still thought that as an adopted child, she had no right to take away Chloe's inheritance from the Beaumont family. Chloe, despite her actions, seemed forgivable to them. Dodging the paparazzi and stepping into her house, Charlotte was about to take off her shoes when she saw someone already sitting in the living room.

"You're home?" Chloe's voice dripped with delight at another's misfortune. "Enjoying your newfound fame? I bet you're getting all sorts of greetings on the streets now, right?"

They did greet her, though it was with disdain and spiteful words.

Charlotte finished changing her shoes and walked over, looming over Chloe from behind the couch. "Looks like you'll be sharing this fame with me."

Chloe let out a loud, scornful snort. "You think the media fuss bothers me?"

"It's enough to put you in a bad mood, at least."

Charlotte's gaze pointedly dropped to Chloe's flat belly. "Stress can lead to all sorts of problems, even miscarriage."

"You!" Chloe knew the child inside her was her lifeline, and she'd eliminate any threat to her unborn child in advance.

She had only come to relish Charlotte's embarrassment, but after that comment, she realized her own vulnerability and hastily got up to leave.

Charlotte didn't try to stop her, just watched with a silent smile as Chloe went to the foyer, fumbling with her shoes.

"Ah!" Chloe almost tripped over some carelessly strewn shoes, nearly falling face-first.

She steadied herself against a piece of furniture, then rounded on Charlotte, accusing, "You did this on purpose! Leaving your shoes out!" Charlotte remained silent, her smile unwavering.

It was only when Chloe was completely out of sight that Charlotte's smile finally began to fade.

Charlotte couldn't stand Chloe.

She couldn't wait any longer; if that kid Chloe was carrying turned out to be Liam's, Charlotte would lose her shot at getting back at her.

She hit up Thomas, and he wasted no time in getting a press conference going, where he got all choked up setting the record straight about him and Charlotte. #CharlotteAnnie#

#Annie DrowningMystery#

#ThomasThinksBeaumonts DidIt

#CharlotteChloeFaceOff

The story about Charlotte being adopted by Thomas to dig into her sister's suspicious death blew up online.

Along with that, the dirt on Robert's gambling, abuse, and sexist attitude, and the tragic death of Maria.

Her sister died in a drowning, and her mom was burned alive in the same place.

Everyone's saying Charlotte's out for revenge, and the way Chloe's been harping on her just convinces people more that the Beaumonts had something to do with Annie's death.

Thomas's presser didn't just drag Charlotte out of the rumor mill; it splashed the Beaumont family's scandals all over the headlines.

"You've gone nuts!" Chloe stormed back in, fuming, glaring at Charlotte like she was prey: "Spilling these beans, how's it help you or Thomas? After what Thomas has done, he won't see a dime from the Beaumonts! And without him, you're on your own! Charlotte! You're insane!"

"I'm not insane."

Charlotte just stared back, cool as a cucumber: "There's twenty-five days left before we can test who the daddy of your baby is."

"Give it twenty-five days, and we'll see who wins this."