Chapter 16: But I Want To See You

As Vincent stared slack-jawed, a cool breeze seemed to blow through the room. "You're not shocked? Didn't you believe Chloe to be your long-lost sister?" "It was just... coincidence, that's all." Looking back, she realized that all her guesses about Chloe's identity were indeed just coincidences. "You must have pieced together Chloe's true identity using your own clever ways," Vincent mused, admiration in his voice. "Annie was right; her sister has a sharp mind..." Charlotte's heart hammered against her chest, a tumultuous symphony of doubts and exhilaration. Betrayed once, she couldn't afford to lose her composure now. "Hand it over, please." Vincent paused, a resigned smile touching his lips. "Annie was spot-on; not only are you intelligent, but you're also poised and decisive." He presented a box, "Annie's hair has been sent off to match the sample you provided. This is her drawing — she assumed you'd look something like this by now." Charlotte's fingers whitened as they clutched the sketch — it was uncannily like looking into a mirror. "This is a candy Annie clutched in her palm when she arrived at the Beaumont household. She's kept it all this time." A piece of candy, its wrapper cheap and the peach printed on it far from vibrant, was placed in Charlotte's trembling hand. It was the candy she'd given Annie the night they fled, the same night they were recaptured by Robert, the night she shielded Annie and suffered a feverish beating. When morning came, Annie was gone. “She kept it all this time?" Her voice broke with the weight of tears. Vincent's eyes glistened. "Yes, when Mr. Beaumont took her back, she was only eight, with nothing but this candy." He handed her a photograph of a beautiful girl. With one glance, Charlotte recognized her Annie. They were as different as day and night, one resembling their mother, the other their father. How could she have ever mistaken Chloe for Annie? Accompanying the photo was a diary. "This belonged to Annie, you..." "No need to read it," Charlotte interrupted, wiping her tears and pulling Vincent towards the door. "Where is Annie now? Does she want to see me? Can I just catch a glimpse of her, even from a distance?" "No..." Vincent stood rooted, his weak smile betraying his sorrow. "I'm afraid you cannot see her." "Why?" Charlotte's excitement sank like a stone. "What happened to Annie?" "Mr. Beaumont, childless, adopted Annie as his own. His fortune was bequeathed to her in his will." "Chloe, his niece, was the expected heir. But six months ago, pushed by Chloe's jealousy into the lake, Annie drowned." Charlotte's world stopped as she processed his words. Annie, whom she'd sought for years, was dead? Her sweet Annie had finally found a loving home, only to meet her end because of Chloe's envy. She collapsed to the floor, disbelief giving way to despair. "This can't be true... not my Annie..." "I know it's hard to accept, but Charlotte, it's the truth. Annie was killed by Chloe," Vincent's voice was heavy with unspoken grief. "And I swear, Chloe will not live to enjoy her ill-gotten happiness. I'll make her pay for what she did!" "Why?" Charlotte asked hollowly. "Why seek vengeance for Annie? Were you her lover?" "No," Tears spilled from Vincent's eyes. "My younger brother grew up with me and loved Annie deeply. Their promise was symbolized by a pair of hornbills — birds that die of heartbreak if parted." "I'm avenging my brother." Vincent's gaze bore into hers. "Charlotte, if Chloe marries Liam and gains his protection, my cousin's vengeance and your sister's justice will slip through our fingers." "They won't marry," Charlotte's tears streamed down her face, her voice raw with pain. "I won't let Liam marry Chloe." And Liam would never be Chloe's shield. "On the anniversary of Annie's death next year, I'll ensure Chloe lies beneath her feet." ———— Charlotte made her way to the office, a place she had once navigated with ease. However, having severed her ties to the company, she found herself an outsider, and her badge of employment surrendered. The once-welcoming gates now stood before her like impassable guardians. Fate, with its cruel sense of humor, led her to cross paths with the head of the secretarial department. Ever since the deputy manager's termination, a storm of frustration had been brewing within her, and Charlotte had become the unwitting target of her ire. Seeing Charlotte barred from entry, the head sneered with disdain. "Oh, what's the matter? Our esteemed Ms. Perry seems to be locked out. Has Mr. Parker replaced you with one of those fancy automatic coffee makers? No need for a jack-of-all-trades anymore?" Her words were like daggers as she reached out to drag Charlotte aside, "A wise dog doesn't block the path. Keep out of the way and spare us the eyesore!" A colleague, tethered to a sense of decorum, intervened. "That's a bit much, don't you think? After all, Mr. Parker personally selected her as his assistant..." "What does it matter if she's resigned? Is she still an assistant? Even when she was in service, Mr. Parker didn't shield her. Now that she's gone, do you think he'll place her among the stars?" The department head's voice grew embittered as she pushed Charlotte, who remained immovable. When their eyes met, Charlotte's gaze was ice, a stark contrast to the anger in front of her. "I know you were fond of the deputy manager, and her dismissal must feel unjust to you, but her mistakes warranted it. What does that have to do with me?" Charlotte's sudden assertiveness stoked the fire within the department head. "You, a mere assistant, were right to be under the deputy manager's wing. Using your charms to seduce Mr. Parker, you've manipulated him into firing..." Charlotte cut her off, "You always thought I was seducing Mr. Parker? Well, to set the record straight, I did indeed captivate him." Under the envious glare of the department head, she dialed Liam's number. Liam had set clear boundaries: no displays of affection at the office and no private contact. Charlotte had once complied with trepidation, swallowing any grievance without protest. But not anymore. The best way to thwart Chloe's designs on a union with Liam was to make him fall for her. "Charlotte?" Liam's voice crackled through the phone, laced with surprise. "Didn't I say no private calls?" "But I want to see you," she said, a boldness in her tone that was usually reserved for their intimate moments. A silence fell on Liam's end, and the anxiety was palpable among the department head and the colleagues nearby. If Liam acquiesced to Charlotte's request, it would spell disaster for them. But how could that be? If Mr. Parker truly cared for Charlotte, why would she be left out in the cold, unable to even step through the company's doors after her resignation?