Nathan’s words were like a punch in the gut. Charlotte could only lower her gaze dejectedly.
“I know…”
Nathan only realized his tone was too grave when he saw Charlotte’s shift in mood. “I know my words are dreadful, but you should understand what I’m saying, Ms. Wilson. Anyway, you are to never bring this up ever again. Otherwise, there’s nothing I can do to save you from your troubles.”
As soon as he finished, Nathan turned around and left.
If Charlotte was a sensible person, she would choose not to mention what she heard again.
Charlotte stood motionless against the wall for five minutes more before knocking on the door.
“Come in.”
Kenney’s voice was dripping with coldness and indifference and there was a hint of anger mixed within.
When Charlotte entered, she discovered Kennedy wasn’t seated how he usually was behind his desk, but instead, he was taking in the city views outside the French window. With the coldness in his voice at the back of her mind, Charlotte inched forward silently, a depression silence hanging over the room.
When Kennedy realized his visitor had no intention to initiate a conversation, he spun his wheelchair around with a frown on his face. What came into view was Charlotte’s pale and sickly face.
Kennedy asked with a frown on his face, “What are you doing here?”
Charlotte raised her head and met his deep eyes. “I’m, I’m your assistant after all.”
Had he completely forgotten what his grandfather had said previously?
Upon hearing that, Kennedy couldn’t help lifting the corner of his lips and let out a bitter laugh. “Do you think I have any use for an assistant who doesn’t even know how to make coffee?”
Charlotte bit her lip while clenching her fists. “I will try my best next time. It would help if you would tell me how you prefer your coffee.”
“Even if I do tell you, do you really think you can make one that is exactly to my liking?”
Charlotte nodded.
Kennedy formed an ironic smile on his face. “You really think you can do that?”
He still wanted to give her a chance. He placed the cup of coffee he’d been holding on his desk. “I’ll give you one chance. Make one that exactly tastes like this one.”
Charlotte stared at the cup of coffee momentarily before picking it up and turning around to leave the room.
Kennedy moved his wheelchair to the back of his desk and grabbed one of the documents on the top of a stack to study it. After ten minutes had passed, he looked up at the door. There wasn’t any sign of it opening at any moment.
That woman hadn’t come back yet. Was she so intimidated by such a daunting task? Why did she need to need more than ten minutes to make a cup of coffee?
Another ten minutes went by and there was still no sign of her at the door.
Kennedy knitted his brows while wondering what the woman was doing. Was she challenging his patience? How could she just take away his cup of coffee and disappear without a trace?
With a loud slam on the table, Kennedy furiously replaced his documents on the desk. He was about to check on her himself when he heard footsteps coming down the corridor.
Charlotte appeared with a wary look on her face while carrying a cup of coffee into the room. She was obviously trying to dodge Kennedy’s piercing gaze.
“You’ve wasted twenty minutes of my time.”
His bitter voice sounded, and it was like an enormous impact crashing on her.
Charlotte bit her lip and replied timidly. “But you didn’t mention any time limit just now.”
“You!” Kennedy felt his words catch in his throat. His fury suddenly caused him to blurt out a laugh. “Are you trying to reason with me?”
Charlotte knew she was no match for him in a shouting match. She swiftly put down the freshly brewed coffee and motioned to it. “Try it…”
A rich aroma of the coffee slowly permeated the room.
Kennedy got a whiff of that aroma and an imperceptible shift of emotions transpired on his face. His eyes narrowed into a straight line.
“I know this cup of coffee won’t be able to compare with the one you had before, but I promise you I’ve tried my best.” Charlotte pushed the coffee to him, seeing that he was still rooted to the spot.
Kennedy initially wanted to end the farce as quickly as he could, but when he saw her pitiful expression and that expectant look in her eyes, he hesitated. She looked like an abandoned pet.
Inexplicably, Kennedy reached out and hold the cup of coffee. He took a sip and a dangerous gaze appeared in his eyes.
Charlotte was able to sense the sudden shift in his temperament, so she reflexively took a step back and stared at him with fear in her eyes.
“Why are you backing off?” Kennedy raised his eyebrows and looked at her unhappily. “Are you scared of me splashing this coffee all over you?”
Charlotte could only nibble on her lip. It was as if he had read her thoughts in an instant.
Kennedy took yet another sip before finally returning the cup to her.
Charlotte took it carefully and eyed him warily. “H-how was it?”
Kennedy shifted his gaze to a point in space somewhere else, and he replied coldly. “You made the cut. Barely.”
Upon hearing that, inexplicable joy bubbled inside Charlotte. A subdued smile appeared on her face. “Are you serious? Does that mean that I can stay here now?”
Her voice was lively…
Kennedy studied her and recalled the moment she first arrived at the Moore family house. She always had a frightened look on her face, and it was clear she was living her life in a constant state of fear. However, a smile broke out on her face, and it made her pretty face light up considerably. His eyes gradually softened too upon seeing this sight. It was as if something unperceivable was slowly infiltrating the deepest corner of Kennedy’s heart. He was annoyed by it somehow.
He tugged at the tie around his neck and snorted.
“Who told you that you can stay here? What are you going to do with that child?”
Kennedy suddenly brought this topic up out of nowhere, and Charlotte instantly paled as she gripped her fists hard.
“You’re not saying anything? So it seems that you’re going to continue having that child.”
Charlotte looked up at him defiantly. “How can you be so cruel? The child is innocent!”
Kennedy couldn’t hold back his chuckle as he looked at her with hostility. “It is innocent, and somehow you’re innocent too? If that child learns its mother is actually a scheming and calculative person, not to mention someone who likes keeping up appearances, they would regret being born into this world.”
His cruel words were like blades of a knife slashing at Charlotte’s heart. Her face was drained of all colors.
“You…” He had gone too far! “You’ve been dead set on labeling me as a scheming and hypocritical person ever since I was married into the Moore family, isn’t that so?”
“You’re not entirely correct. There’s one more thing to add.”
“What are you talking about?” Charlotte widened her eyes.
“You are also a shameless and worthless woman.”
Charlotte was so infuriated she bit her lip so hard it bled.
“The child really is innocent. Please… please give me a chance.”
Charlotte suddenly felt her head turning into a lead ball. She couldn’t raise her it to see the man in front of her, to look into his eyes and tell him the truth. She could only beg on her knees.
She could only do everything in her power to make sure the child in her belly escaped everything unscathed.
Kennedy stared at her as if she was a dead person. He didn’t even want to move an inch of his muscles at the moment.
“After two days, if that baby is still alive, I’m going to deal with it myself.”
*****
In the blink of an eye, the two days’ time limit was up.
Charlotte hadn’t gone to the hospital to get an abortion, because Diana had come looking for her and advised her to convince Kennedy not to get rid of the child to the best of her ability.
In the meantime, she would look for a doctor for Charlotte to seek for a type of treatment that would avoid causing direct harm to Charlotte’s body even after the abortion.
However, deep down in Charlotte’s heart, she never wanted to get rid of the child. She wanted to carry it to full term and bring them into the world.
The moment Diana learned of her intentions, she labeled Charlotte as a madwoman.
Charlotte replied with unusual calmness, tried to explain her feelings.
“I’m not crazy. I want to give birth to them. They are a new life that is growing inside me!”
“But the child won’t have a father once they’re born. Have you really lost it? Besides, would the Moore family allow you to give birth to them? The Moore family is a distinguished family after all.”
Diana was right. They were difficult emotions she was facing.
Charlotte touched her belly, and her eyes grew serious.
“I will come up with something.”