2025-08-25 19:06:51
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That night, Charles was the only one left in the house after Thomas finally thought it fit to leave. But that was not before stuffing himself with a hell lot of food.The time read 9 p.m. Charles leaned back, lost in thought. His mind drifted to Colombia—the chaos, the people, the mess he’d left behind. He wondered how Ramiro was doing now and that damn August. But if anyone had told Charles on his flight back to New York that he wouldn’t get a single quiet hour to himself when he landed here, he’d have laughed it off. Yet here he was, surrounded by the circus of celebrities and schemes, barely able to breathe.Just as he was about to figure out his next move, his phone buzzed on the table. He picked it up, ready to hang up on whoever it was—until he saw the name.The godfather.“Damn,” Charles muttered under his breath, standing as if the call required him to be on his feet. He swiped to answer.“I just saw your call now,” Charles said quickly. “And it hit me—I haven’t called you b
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“Wow. I would have sworn you were divorced,” the interviewer said.Emmy’s laugh rang fake and perfect. “Still too young for all that.”The interviewer nodded, then turned. “Miss Sadie, you almost married Mr. Cox, and then another man appeared, claiming to be your fiancé. Would you care to clarify?”Sadie’s smile broadened. Calm. Composed. “It would be an insult for me to come here and say I had eggs for breakfast, then come later and say I had candy, and then tomorrow give you a different story. That’s how relationships can be—changing. Unpredictable.”Charles smirked around a mouthful of popcorn. “That’s my influence on her.”Thomas squinted. “On who? You know the interviewer?”Charles tossed popcorn at his head. “You’re impossible.”“Sadie’s been smart since before you met her,” Thomas shot back.On screen, the interviewer asked, “What’s your favorite thing to do, Miss Sadie?”Sadie thought for a seco
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Lauren screamed as she tore across the sitting room like a madwoman.Her voice ripped through the walls, lungs emptying until her throat burned, but it did nothing—nothing to quiet the storm raging inside her head.How? How could she have made that fucking mistake? How could she not recognize the man kissing her wasn’t Charles?Her hands clawed at her hair. Rage, humiliation, disbelief—they were all clawing back at her. And underneath it, one question stabbed like glass:How dare that stupid bastard mess with me?!Her phone rang. The shrill tone sliced through her madness, dragged her back to reality.She didn’t even need to check the screen. She knew who it was. Damien .Heart pounding, she stumbled toward her room. The camera—she had to see if Andrew had at least done something right. She snatched it up, flicked through the gallery with trembling hands.One picture. Two. Five. All of them the same. Blurry. Smu
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Charles strode back into the sitting room. Andrew was already tiptoeing toward the exit, trying to slip out unnoticed. The moment he saw Charles, he froze. His stomach dropped. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that Charles would be smart enough to bring someone else along.Charles shot him a look of pure disgust.“Maybe consider a career in adult films,” he said flatly.“Sir, I swear—I had no hand in this. It was all Miss Lauren’s idea,” Andrew babbled, his voice shaking. “I was just following the script. I don’t even know what she wanted to do with the pictures, I swear!”“I keep running into you, and every time it pisses me off,” Charles said, taking a slow, deliberate step toward him.Andrew stumbled back. His knees gave way, and he hit the floor hard, scrambling like a cornered animal.“Get out before I change my mind,” Charles muttered.Andrew didn’t wait for a second chance. He bolted, swearing under his b
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Charles raised a brow, suspicious. “You’re hitting on her?”Hardin shook his head, firm. “I have something to settle with her.”Charles leaned back in the seat, smirk tugging at his lips. “Wow. This sounds more interesting than it should. Get in. I might want to hear about it.”Hardin didn’t waste a second—he darted around to the other side and slid in.As Charles drove, Hardin explained—how he’d gotten Lauren’s number, how he’d played her for days, made her fall for the game, planning to turn the whole thing into a cruel joke on her.Charles kept his eyes on the road. “I don’t trust you, man,” he muttered. “You’re not exactly known for holding yourself back around women.”“Big boss,” Hardin said quickly, “I swear—I’m going to make Lauren pay for what she did to Sadie.”Charles’ gaze flicked toward him, sharp. “If Sadie finds out we’re related somehow, I don’t know what might happen. Keep your guard up. I don’t want any shit happening.”“I’ve got this, sir. By the way, godfather calle
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Lauren dangled the camera in front of Andrew’s face. He reached for it, eager, but she drew it back at the last second, giving him a cold, condescending smile.“Ma’am… trust me,” Andrew stammered, almost swearing an oath. “I won’t make a mistake this time. I’m good—very good—at taking pictures. About last time, I swear, I didn’t know Charles had already messed with the settings. If I did, I never would’ve gone to Sadie—”“You talk too much,” Lauren cut in, her tone like a knife.Andrew immediately bowed his head as though standing before a goddess. His voice trembled. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”She studied him for a moment. Pathetic. Weak. But useful. That was all she needed. Beauty had always made men crumble, but money—money made them obedient.“He’ll be here in thirty minutes or less,” Lauren said evenly. “I shouldn’t trust you with this. But…” She tilted her head, calculating. “You seem like the type who knows when to keep his mouth shut. Especially since you already have beef with Charl
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