bChapter /bb39 /b

Charlotte didn’t let herself look tired until she was safely home, the front door shut behind her.

She nced at her phone–Dean Chase had messaged. He’d reported Director Fontaine’s unauthorized job shuffle that dyed the surgery, but all upper management had done was issue a warning. No real consequences.

She wasn’t surprised. As long as nobody died, these things were always swept under the rug.

She didn’t bother replying. Instead, she pulled a crumpled note from her pocket, stared at it for a long moment, then tore it to shreds and tossed the pieces in the trash.

The next morning, Charlotte was jolted awake by her phone ringing. Eyes half–shut, she fumbled for it on her nightstand and answered without checking the caller ID.

“Miss Sterling, are you awake?”

That voice… She nced at the screen. Natalie!

“Natalie?”

“Your parents showed up at thepany because of Mr. Hiram. Mr. Howard wants you toe in and handle it.”

Charlotte froze. Before she could respond, Natalie had already hung up.

Her parents had gone straight to Howard Enterprises? Just like that? Did something happen to Hiram?

Charlotte didn’t have time to wonder. She threw on her clothes, skipped bbreakfast/b, and hurried out the door.

bHoward /bbEnterprises/bb, /bbAdministration /bbOffice/b.

bEvander /bbsat /bbbehind /bbhis /bbdesk/bb, /bblegs /bbcrossed/bb, /bbflipping /bbthrough /bbpaperwork /bbwith /bban /bair of bplete /bbdetachment/bb, /b

Mr and Mrs Sterling stood before him, all but bgroveling /bEvander, we’re family

we? Please, for the sake of our two familles just let Hiram go. He cant has ninal record, ill ruin his future.

terling had always hoped that with his son inws influence, Hiran cou

Now all those dreams were crumbling. If Hiram ended up with a record, the government job was out of the question. As for business? Xavier knew his son’s capabilities–if Hiram managed not to lose money, it would be a miracle.

Rachel, Charlotte’s mother, nodded and forced a smile. “She’s right, Evander. And Hiram is your brother–inw, after all. Please, don’t hold this against him.”

Natalie stood by, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Funny–when it was their own daughter, in trouble, she’d never seen them beg like this.

Evander finally closed the file and set it aside. “Family?” he repeated, looking up.

The Sterlings froze.

He spoke with chilling calm, “Did I ever acknowledge that?”

His words left them speechless. The tension in the room thickened. Years ago, when their daughter married into the Howard family, they thought their fortunes had finally turned. But Evander insisted on a “secret marriage“-if anyone breathed a word, they’d be cut off for good.

???????

They’d spent years keeping up the charade. Their son–inw was the famous Mr. Howard, but who would ever know?

“But… but you and Charlotte are married, Evander,” Xavier stammered. “No matter what, there has to be some room for negotiation…”

Evander’s smile never wavered. “You’ve already enjoyed plenty of benefits from the Howard family over the years. What makes you think you’re in a position to negotiate with me now?”

Xavier was at a loss for words. He’de here to beg, but now he could bonly /bswallow his resentment and humiliation.

bOutside /bthe doorb, /bCharlotte paused. bShe /bbheard /bbevery /bbword/bb–/bbespecially /bbthat /bbst/b, bcold /bbquestion/bb: /b“bWhat /bbmakes /byou bthink /bbyou’re /bbin /bba /bbposition /bbto /bbnegotiate/bb?/b”

For ba /bbmoment/b, bher /bbheart /bbached/bb. /bbBut /bbthen /bbshe /bbremembered /bbthe /bname “bHoward /bbscrawled /bbon /bbthat /bbnote/bb, /bbremembered /bbhow /bbTricia /bbhad /bbset /bbher /bbup/bb, /bbeverything /bbshed /bbsuffered /bbin /bbthat /bbhotel /bbsuite/bb. /bbShe /bbbit /bher blip/bb, /bbher /bbresolve /bbhardening/bb. /bbShe /bbwould /bbnever /bfet herself bbe /bbmoved /bagain.

She bpushed /bbopen /bthe bdoor/b. “Mr. Howardb, /bbyou /bbgave /bbyour /bbword /bbon /bbthis/bb. /bbYou’re /bbthe /bbone /bbbreaking /bbyour /bpromise bnow /band you’re bwilling /bbto /blet bHiram /bbgo /bto Jail bbecause /bof it

Is this how a CEO of a major corporation does business? Do your promises mean

nothing?”