Chapter 7 A Master at Calculations

Frank trailed behind Charlotte into her office, a triumphant grin on his face. He had always been like this, but it wasn't as noticeable back when they still had feelings for each other. As strangers now, his indifference was clear. Shutting the office door, he broke the silence. "I actually like the ring you designed. I just wanted to make you look bad in front of Luke." Charlotte was composed and avoided confrontation with him. "He didn't believe what you said. You're the one who ended up looking foolish." "You've become so confrontational. I miss the gentler you from before." Frank let out a mocking smile. "Your feelings about me don't matter. There's no need for mockery. People change. Marrying Lorraine must have been quite beneficial for you, right? That's probably how you grew the business so quickly. Now I see why you were so keen on IVF and then giving the babies away. It was all part of your plan." Frank scoffed, "You agreed to the pregnancy and the divorce. Don't pin everything on me." Charlotte had grown wiser over the last three years. No longer blinded by love, she was determined not to repeat her past mistakes. "You're quite skilled at protecting your reputation. If you hadn't spread rumors to Harper about me cheating, I wouldn't be in this awful situation." Her own family had turned their backs on her; Bill regarded her as a disgrace and hadn't bothered to check on her well-being in years. Misjudged by Frank's lies, everyone believed she had left for another man, but she didn't even know her children's father. "I never claimed you were unfaithful," Frank retorted. "You might as well have. You never stood up for me, allowing everyone to think it was all my fault, that I was unfaithful." Charlotte was filled with anger and a desire to expose his lies. "This argument is pointless. You better leave now. Luke isn't as friendly as he appears. What do you think he'll do when he learns you're my ex-wife?" Convinced by the previous night's events, Frank believed Charlotte had charmed Luke. He was sure they were involved. Luke publicly gifting her such lavish jewelry raised suspicions about their relationship. Plus, the photos of them together at the hotel that morning added to the suspicion. Frank, and anyone else, would naturally doubt the innocence of their relationship. "If Lorraine found out you're a jerk, do you think she'd forgive you?" Charlotte was fed up with Frank's same old tactics. "You don't have the guts," he taunted her. Charlotte looked at her nails casually. "Why wouldn't I? If you can do this to me, why can't I do the same? You're still too self-assured." "Let's strike a deal. Tell me what you want, and if it's within my means, I'll give it to you." Seeing his worry, Charlotte decided not to let him off the hook so easily. "I want the villa we owned when we were married." Selling it would fetch a good price, and she wouldn't need to stay at Sofia's with her children. "That's out of the question," Frank immediately rejected it. He valued the villa for its prime location and design. He hadn't even allowed Lorraine to live there after their marriage, let alone Charlotte. "Then we have nothing to talk about. I'm not afraid anymore. The old scandal is already public knowledge." Charlotte was defiant. "I've found the IVF documents and have a good lawyer. I'm not afraid to fight." "What good will that do? People will just think you made them up." Frank was confident. He believed that even if the matter came up again, people would still blame her for the alleged affair and not link it to him. Charlotte was acutely aware of the societal biases against women, often putting them at a disadvantage, particularly in emotional matters. "I'm curious how Lorraine would react if she saw the evidence I hold." She had left her marriage to Frank with nothing, understanding that she couldn't face their power alone. Her savings were the only thing that had kept her afloat. The betrayal after eight years of commitment left her feeling more than just disappointed. "If you're not open to a compromise, we have nothing left to talk about. I'm almost done for the day. If you're happy with the work, then that settles it." Charlotte was about to leave when Frank, visibly anxious, tried to stop her. At that moment, Luke's assistant walked in. "Ms. Hall, the boss has invited you to lunch." Frank hastily released Charlotte's hand, eager to avoid any implication of a connection between them. "Alright, I'll be right there." The assistant didn't concern himself with their exchange, focusing instead on carrying out the boss's instructions and doing his job efficiently. Frank's face twisted into a mocking smirk. "You've really learned how to play the game, haven't you? I didn't expect you to change into such a person since we parted ways." "What kind of person?" Charlotte was aware that his words wouldn't be kind but curious about his thoughts nonetheless. "Luke's attitude toward you since last night has been notably different. I've never seen him behave like that with anyone in all these years." Charlotte responded with a calm smile. "That's quite a compliment. If there's nothing else, I need to get back to work." Watching Charlotte walk away, Frank was left feeling bitter and resentful. Charlotte, on the other hand, was thankful for Luke's intervention. She realized that Frank's reactions stemmed from his own guilt and insecurity. If he wasn't so agitated, there would be no reason for her to challenge him. Their recent conversations, dredging up past agonies she preferred to forget, only solidified her perception. 'How deep must his guilt run for him to be this fearful?' she wondered.