Chapter 5: she was adopted?!

As soon as Charlotte saw the woman before her, she knew what a 'substitute' is. She bore a striking resemblance to this highborn lady. Yet, while the lady exuded a serene elegance, Charlotte felt like a mere shadow, her presence dusted with life's trials and hardly worth noting. Lost in thought, Charlotte's reverie was broken by the click-clack of Chloe's heels approaching. Chloe had this easygoing way about her that you only see in really high-class people. She was not just pretty and smart; the fancy background of her family made her all the more impressive. Feeling Chloe's curious gaze, Charlotte instinctively bowed her head. "Going to take some coffee?" Chloe's voice was super smooth, and she had a friendly smile. "Mandheling for Liam, right?" Suppressing the turmoil within, Charlotte nodded meekly, "Yes." "Would you mind making an extra cup for me? Same as his," Chloe asked, her tone casual. "Of course," Charlotte replied, retreating to the break room to prepare the coffee. As the coffee percolated, whispers of Liam's past with his 'ex-fiancée' filled the room. "Some people dream about shooting for the stars, but real life has a way of bringing you down to earth – like the idea that someone fresh out of college could ever measure up to Mr. Parker." "Miss Beaumont's kindness might just keep her around for amusement, no?" Ignoring the snickers, Charlotte carried the twin cups of coffee to the office. The door swung open to reveal Liam's hand on Chloe's knee, bending as if to bestow a kiss. Charlotte's heart skipped a beat, spilling a few drops of coffee onto the tray. To hide her discomposure, she quickly regained her composure and placed the coffees on the desk with steady hands. "Mr. Parker, Miss Beaumont, enjoy," she murmured. Chloe, cheeks flushed, rose, claiming a need for fresh air, "I... I need a moment." Liam stood, offering to accompany her, but she lightly tugged at her dress, "Thanks, I’m ok, you can stay here." He chuckled, not pressing further, but his eyes challenged Charlotte as he turned to her, "What are you waiting for? Go with Miss Beaumont to get some fresh air." In a soft voice, Charlotte agreed, setting down the tray and departing without once looking back at Liam, missing the fleeting look of disappointment in his eyes. After a breath of fresh air with Chloe, Charlotte returned to the buzz of the break room, where talk of Liam and Chloe's impending nuptials dominated. "The alliance is set. Miss Beaumont and her parents are here to finalize the engagement date." Hearing just that much knotted Charlotte's brow and it stayed that way, locked in concern. There was still a debt of two hundred thousand looming over her, and even with her assistant's salary at Parker Group, she'd have to save for over two years without spending a dime. Time was a luxury she couldn't afford. But if Liam were to marry and start a family... With a soft sigh, Charlotte waited for Chloe to leave before knocking on the office door once more. "Mr. Parker." Standing before the desk, she braced herself for the unpleasant conversation ahead. Liam glanced up, a hint of irritation in his eyes, expecting another plea for money, "Not again, Charlotte. I'm not your personal ATM." Approaching her, he fixed her with a stern gaze, "Nor am I a toy at your disposal." Charlotte bypassed his comment, "Are you getting engaged to Miss Beaumont?" His expression faltered at her unexpected question, but quickly shifted to amusement, "Jealous, are we?" "Not at all." "Really?" His smile dropped, realizing she wasn't concerned about losing his financial support. "Why would my engagement matter to you?" His brows furrowed, impatience creeping in. Did she fear that his marriage to Chloe would cut off her financial lifeline? A needless worry; the Parker empire was vast, hardly affected by such trivialities, and furthermore... "What does my engagement, or who I engage to, have to do with you?" Liam's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her. Head bowed, Charlotte received his indirect confirmation. "Mr. Parker, let's end it here." He thought he had misheard, "End it here?" "Yes," Charlotte said, her voice growing firmer with each word. "You're planning to commit to another, and our... relationship isn't fair to Miss Beaumont." Liam challenged her with a question, "What kind of relationship do we have, exactly?" "A transaction of money for... intimacy." She admitted, her heart aching with the confession. But... being near a man who's so handsome and powerful, someone who's head and shoulders above everyone else, a man like that is something else. How could anyone's heart remain still after half a year? The air turned thick with tension. Liam's gaze was heavy, his anger tangible as it seemed to press down on Charlotte. Was she using the end of their relationship as leverage to make him call off the engagement? He preferred it when she yielded when a simple pout would solve their issues. Why did she have to make everything so complicated? "Are you trying to blackmail me, Charlotte?" "No," she countered quickly, "I just don't want to hurt someone who's innocent..." "Don't pretend to be so noble!" "Mr. Parker," Charlotte stood her ground, "I've compromised my dignity, my reputation, and possibly my future. I took the money, so I have no grounds to refute your judgment." She continued patiently, "But Miss Beaumont truly is innocent compared to me." Finally, she added, "The sum you've given me was a lifeline, and for that, I'm grateful. I wish you and Miss Beaumont a lifetime of happiness." With a loud crash, Liam's fury manifested in the form of an overturned chair. She was still so foolish. “Get out!” Charlotte didn't look back as she decisively walked away. She still owed two hundred thousand, and yes, she had sold herself, but she wasn't entirely devoid of morals. She wasn't lying—letting go of Liam, her wealthy benefactor, was simply because she didn't want to harm another innocent woman. Handing in her resignation to HR, Charlotte overheard the manager gossiping on the phone. “Everyone knows that the Beaumonts' daughter was adopted – it's not like it's some big secret. That one winter, Mrs. Beaumont spotted the girl getting rough treatment from a gambler and just couldn't ignore it – she stepped in and offered to take her in. And can you believe it? That gambler had the nerve to ask for two million just to let her go! ” Charlotte froze at the doorway, her heart missing a beat. The Beaumonts' daughter... Chloe was adopted? The word 'adopted' clicked something in Charlotte's head, and it was like she started putting together pieces of a puzzle. Chloe's resemblance to her. A gambler for a father. Two million. Her heart started pounding. Her sister was sold when she was only seven, and Charlotte had imagined more than once that if her sister had been lucky enough to end up with nice people, she'd look a lot like Chloe does today, fifteen years later. She had laughed it off when others mentioned the resemblance between her and Liam's fiancée, never imagining that the person who would resemble her the most in this world would be her own sister! Without regard for decorum, Charlotte rushed to the HR manager's desk, "The Beaumont family's daughter, she was adopted?!"