Chapter 9

Charlotte was caught off guard. Could Daniel see through walls? How had he known she was standing there? She was about to turn around and pretend she hadn't heard him when she saw a short shadow on the floor. Looking up, she noticed the soft light above her head, perfectly angled to cast her silhouette right at the door. Reluctantly, she stepped forward and stood at the doorway, head lowered, not daring to meet his eyes. "I… noticed that the lights in the study were on," she said before swallowing nervously. "I just wanted to check if you were here." "I live here." Charlotte was taken aback. "But… there's only one room and one bed." "Do you have a problem with that?" "No," she muttered before scurrying back to her room. Whatever. She was pregnant. If they had to share a roof, so be it. After unpacking, she grabbed a book and curled up on the couch by the window, reading under the floor lamp. She hadn't read far when her phone rang. "Charlotte Moore, you're only 22 years old! Why did you get married? Have you completely lost your mind?" Even without the speaker on, Charlotte could feel Bianca's rage through the phone. She turned on the speakerphone and set it beside her, letting Bianca rant. "You're still a student, for God's sake! Now you're someone's wife? You're driving me nuts! My parents will probably lose it, too." "After you graduate, you could have any guy you want! But no—you just had to go and tie yourself to some man who probably thinks with his lower half!" Bianca fumed, pausing to take a sip of water. "Divorce him right now, Charlotte Moore! That man is not good enough for you." "He's the baby's father, Bianca. He's also covering my mom's medical bills. He even transferred her to a VIP suite. Honestly, I think… he's a decent man." Bianca went silent. She knew exactly how expensive Elyse's treatment was. Anyone who could afford it had to be either ancient, ugly, or both. Charlotte was brilliant. How could she end up married to someone like that? Bianca's stomach twisted with frustration, but she couldn't argue with reality. She had wanted to tell Charlotte not to marry for money and not to treat marriage like a solution to all her problems. But the words died in her throat. Because Charlotte had tried. She'd worked herself to the bone. She had barely slept four hours a night, drowned in coursework, and juggled multiple part-time jobs that barely paid enough. Now, she was pregnant. No one wanted to hurt the baby—least of all Charlotte, who had always been gentle and kind. Bianca could scream and scold all she wanted, but she couldn't solve every one of Charlotte's problems. So, she had no right to judge. She was entitled to her own opinions, but she wasn't the one carrying the burden. In the end, marrying Daniel really was the most realistic option. It gave the baby a family and covered Elyse's medical bills. It was the best choice Charlotte could make, even though she had to sacrifice her own happiness. "I, too, think he sounds decent, Charlotte," Bianca gritted out. Charlotte nodded with a smile, as much to reassure Bianca as to convince herself. "Yeah…" "I'll come visit when I get a chance. I've been so busy working overtime lately. I'm literally still at the office," she groaned. "Our boss is a freaking lunatic! When he works overtime, the whole company is forced to do it, too. Sure, the pay is good, but I think I'll drop dead from exhaustion before I even get to spend it." "Ugh, classic capitalism!" Charlotte chimed in. "They love squeezing their workers dry. You're about to become a lawyer, yet you don't even get a break. What hope is there for the rest of us? Your boss sounds like a real piece of work." "The worst part is… half the time we're not even working. We're just pretending to be busy." "Wait, seriously?" Charlotte was bewildered. "That's… just awful!" "Exactly! When my internship is over, I'm definitely not staying at Brighton Group!" Charlotte absentmindedly doodled in her book as she continued to complain about Bianca's boss and management at Brighton Group. She didn't even realize Daniel had returned to the room. Daniel had stopped outside the room the moment he heard the name "Brighton Group". His expression twisted. He eavesdropped at the door and realized Charlotte hadn't mentioned any of the company's projects. Instead, she was just complaining about the boss of Brighton Group, who was him. It was the first time he had heard that the company's managers made everyone work overtime just because he did. Usually, when he finished work, he always left through the executive elevator and used a different exit. He'd never paid attention to the lights in the building. Charlotte spotted him entering and panicked. "I've got to go, Bianca!" she blurted and hung up before Bianca could respond. She glanced at her phone and noticed it was already past 10:00 pm. Daniel had probably come to sleep. "I'll tidy up right away." Charlotte had already brushed her teeth in the shower. While Daniel brushed his, she folded her book, set it aside on the couch, and opened her planner to tomorrow's schedule. This way, she wouldn't have anything to do in the morning. With no more part-time jobs to worry about, she had more time—time she intended to devote to her studies and Elyse. After getting everything ready, she was about to crawl into bed when she noticed a schedule on the nightstand. It was for her, and it was meticulously organized around her class timetable. It included meal times, daily yoga routines, and the times for prenatal counseling and maternity classes. The entire sheet was filled with the week's plans, squeezing activities into every spare block of time. Besides her evening and lunch breaks, she barely had time to spend with Elyse. Charlotte stared at the schedule, her hands slightly trembling. Right then, the bathroom door opened, and the faint scent of body wash filled the air. Charlotte gathered her courage. "Mr. Hoffman… I don't think I can live by this schedule." Daniel's deep gaze lingered on her for a few seconds before he responded, "Charlotte, this is a marriage of convenience. You have to follow my terms if you want me to uphold my end of the agreement." Charlotte bit her lip, the sting of humiliation burning deep. His words hit her like a slap. From the moment she signed that contract, her life had belonged to Daniel. There was no respect and no room for refusal. And if she didn't comply, he would use Elyse to threaten her. A cold, heavy sense of helplessness washed over her. So, this was what it meant to be in a marriage of convenience. Since it was all about business, her feelings didn't matter. Charlotte didn't even know how she felt anymore. She felt relieved that Elyse's treatment was covered, joy at being able to keep her baby, and gratitude for the chance to study. But beneath it all, she also felt sad about losing herself. She turned her back to him, curling up on her side and staring out the window with stubborn silence. The lights in the room went out one by one, and the bed sank behind her. When the last lamp clicked off, the room plunged into darkness. It was quiet, and she could hear the sound of a stream outside. The soft rush of water served as natural white noise. "Come closer," Daniel's voice rang out. "I'm fine like this," Charlotte answered.