"If you’re going to place the blame, then place it equally, dad, because I am not the only one involved in this," Sally said, her voice steadier than before, though the tension beneath it was impossible to hide.Her words shifted the tension instantly, and immediately, all eyes turned toward Charlie.Before the silence could settle, Jenny’s head snapped toward Sally, her expression twisting with anger as she stepped closer."What the hell are you doing?" she snapped, her voice sharp and filled with disbelief. "Why are you dragging this onto him now when you were the one who acted without thinking?"Sally flinched at her words, but the fear pressing down on her was far stronger than Jenny’s anger, and instead of backing down, she pushed forward, her voice trembling yet stubborn."I’m just telling the truth," she insisted quickly, her eyes flickering toward Jerome as if seeking protection. "We all believed it was fake because Charlie said so, and if he hadn’t insisted on it, none of thi

"Do we even have a way to get out of this situation?"Hailey's voice trembled as the question hung in the air, heavy and desperate.The silence that followed only making it worse as none of them had an immediate answer, and for the first time, the weight of the situation truly began to settle on all of them.Charlie didn’t respond immediately.He stood still for a moment, his brows slightly furrowed as if he was thinking deeply, his gaze lowered, and his posture was calm despite the chaos surrounding him, and that pause alone made the others look at him unconsciously.As if waiting.... As if expecting.Finally, he exhaled softly."There is one way," he said slowly, his tone measured, careful, as if he had thought through every possibility before speaking. "It’s not ideal… but it will solve the immediate problem."Jenny stopped pacing, Sally looked up and Hailey’s attention shifted completely toward him."What's that way?" Jenny asked quickly, her voice still carrying impatience.Charl

"Using the dowry of their own mother as collateral to cover up debts… and that too through loan sharks, they didn't hesitate to use illegal money… when did the Carvendish family fall to such a level?"Ethan’s voice was low, almost a murmur, yet it carried a quiet disbelief as he stood near the window, his gaze fixed outside while his thoughts lingered elsewhere. The notification he had received earlier still echoed in his mind, not because of the amount, but because of the method they had chosen."For a family that prides itself on dignity and reputation, they didn’t hesitate even for a second," he continued under his breath, a faint, and almost mocking smile forming on his lips. "So this is what desperation looks like when pride starts collapsing."He exhaled slowly and ran a hand through his hair before turning away from the window, as if pushing the matter aside for now. There was no point dwelling on it. They had made their choice, and now they would face the consequences of it

"Of course I do," Scarlett didn’t hesitate, she said immediately, leaning slightly toward him, curiosity evident in her eyes. "Who?"Ethan didn’t answer right away.Instead, he picked up his cup again, taking a slow sip as if the answer wasn’t important at all, as if he hadn’t just dropped something that could change everything she thought she knew.Scarlett frowned at his actions."Don’t tell me you’re doing this on purpose," she narrowed her eyes at him. "You asked me if I wanted to know, and now you’re acting mysterious?"Ethan lowered the cup, his lips curving faintly before he finally revealed the answer. "Mr. Knox."For a moment, Scarlett simply stared at him.Then her expression froze, and the next second—"What?" she blinked, completely thrown off. "Your butler? Is she really messaging your butler thinking of it as you?"Ethan nodded slightly, completely unfazed.Silence lasted exactly one second, then, Scarlett burst into laughter.It wasn’t restrained, it wasn’t polite eithe

"This..." Scarlett said calmly, her voice smooth enough to terrify far more than shouting ever could, "is this a place to commit such acts? Or did you really feel that comfortable enough to act as ever you want in my office?" The silence that followed was suffocating.It froze where she stood, her partially unbuttoned top now feeling less like a calculated move and more like public humiliation waiting to consume entirely. Her fingers moved toward her clothing, but the damage had already been done, and judging by the expressions forming beyond the still-open office door, she was painfully aware that this moment was no longer private.Scarlett stepped forward slowly, each movement elegant and composed, yet carrying a level of cold fury that made even Ethan remain silent."Aunt…" Jenny stammered, her voice losing the confidence it once held as panic began slipping through.The sharp sound of a slap cut through the room before she could continue.Jenny’s head snapped to the side, her br