CHAPTER 88: CHAPTER 88- UNFAIR

Manfred was clearly stunned by the three dark, formidable figures now standing before him. Each of them exuded an icy, dangerous aura and carried a devilish handsomeness. Only now did he realize—these three shared the same kind of presence as Charles.

The confident smile on his face faltered slightly.

Steven.

Shaun.

Brian.

These were titans in the world of business, each a legend in his own right. Even dealing with one of them would require extreme caution, and now all three were standing in front of him, united. What was their connection to Charles?

"I’m not really a fan of causing a scene at someone else’s wedding," Shaun drawled lazily, his tone casual, his smile mischievous. But his eyes—dark and razor-sharp—locked onto Manfred with deadly precision. "But if some clueless fool wants to stir up trouble, I won’t bother being polite just for Charles’ sake."

"Manfred," Brian spoke calmly, but with unmistakable weight, "is there something you’d like to say?" He recognized the man from the Golden Bay bidding project, which SK had competed in alongside the ZT Group. And he knew very well why Manfred was here today. As Shaun implied, if someone had to handle the dirty work, better it be them than the groom.

"Why so tense?" Manfred lifted his chin, keeping his voice steady despite the growing pressure. "Come on, I’ve met the groom before. Today’s his big day—I just came to offer my congratulations. Is that a crime?"

"Oh, by all means," Shaun responded with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. "Since you’ve delivered your blessings, I’ll accept them on Charles’ behalf. You may leave now."

His narrowed gaze gleamed with threat. Shaun had never liked this guy—especially after learning how he’d tried to set Janet up. He knew Charles would retaliate in due time, but for now, he wasn’t going to let Manfred cause the slightest disruption.

Manfred’s eyes flicked forward—landing on Janet.

She was breathtaking. More than that—she was devastatingly beautiful. His heart thudded hard in his chest just looking at her. But she wasn’t his. She had become someone else’s bride.

He knew this wasn’t the time or place to pick a fight. Facing off against these three in Charles’ stronghold would be nothing short of reckless. No—he had to retreat. For now.

His gaze, full of longing and unspoken emotion, lingered on her a moment longer.

But Janet turned away coldly, her expression unmoved. There was nothing left of the tenderness she once held for him. What he had done to her... had completely shattered her heart.

"You’ll come back to me, Janet," Manfred murmured, casting a final, defiant glance at the groom—like a challenge tossed into the fire.

Then, with a flourish of practiced ease, he turned and walked away.

Even if he’d gotten close to her today, he knew—there was nothing he could do to stop the wedding.

It felt as if a bloody gash had been torn through his heart—a pain far worse than the day he’d seen his woman lying beneath his father.

Charles could hold his liquor well. He had downed glass after glass at the wedding banquet, yet when they returned home, he was still perfectly sober. When Janet stepped out of the shower, wrapped in a faint cloud of steam, she was suddenly swept up into his strong arms. Her cheeks flushed red, but she let him carry her to the grand, festive red bed. A heart-shaped embroidery adorned the center of the covers, and the soft glow of the room bathed her figure in her white slip. In Charles’ burning eyes, everything radiated the essence of their wedding night.

"Janet, you’re finally my wife," he whispered hoarsely, unable to wait any longer as he pressed his body over hers. Ever since the moment he saw her walking toward him in the church, looking like a dream in white, his gaze hadn’t left her for even a second. The thought that from this day forward, every day and night she would belong to him made his blood surge with longing.

In all twenty-eight years of his life, he had never wanted anything this intensely. Only her. Since the first time he tasted her sweetness, he had been hopelessly addicted.

"Charles, and now you’re mine too." Janet met his passionate gaze with a soft, radiant smile. What had she done to deserve this man’s unwavering devotion? From the moment she married him, she had resolved to give him all of herself—completely, without holding anything back.

And yet, whenever she looked into those deep, expectant eyes of his, a wave of guilt would well up inside her. He loved children so much... but she couldn’t give him one. The hatred buried in his heart had already made him cold enough—if he were to discover what kind of father he had, one who cared so little for his own flesh and blood, would it turn him even colder?

Janet was torn. On one hand, she feared Derrick—feared he would do what he had done before, force her to get rid of the child in her womb. If this life was doomed to be taken away, she would rather never conceive at all.

But what about Charles? What were they supposed to do?

"Where would you like to go for our honeymoon?" he asked gently, sensing her distraction. He trailed kisses down her neck, his lips pressing with more force this time, drawing a soft moan from her.

"Haven’t we just been to Paris?" she said, breathless. "To me, it doesn’t matter where we go... as long as it’s with you."

Their time in Paris had marked a turning point in their relationship. It was where she had opened her heart to him—where love had truly begun. It would always be their eternal memory.

"Mm... once I wrap up a few things, I’ll take you abroad again. Use the time to think about where you’d like to go," he murmured in his husky voice, low and sensual, charged with an irresistible heat. His bare, sculpted chest pressed fully against her soft body, and even his breathing grew heavier.

"Charles... ah—" she gasped as his hands, confident and eager, molded her tender curves. The sheer fabric of her nightgown slipped from her skin, revealing her delicate figure under the amber light, like a decadent dessert waiting to be savored.

"My wife," Charles whispered against her ear, breath hot with desire, "now it’s time to do what a wedding night is for. We can’t let it go to waste."

And just like that, he entered her fully. The night, tinged with the golden hues of falling autumn leaves, was filled with endless tenderness and desire.

The next morning, Charles took Janet back to Snowpeak Villa. Derrick had only shown up for the evening banquet—he hadn’t attended the wedding ceremony itself. And perhaps that was for the best. If he had seen Manfred there, things might not have ended so peacefully. Philip, on the other hand, hadn’t shown up at all. For the past six years, he hadn’t left the villa except for his regular hospital visits.

"He agreed? Philip really agreed to this?" Charles was clearly surprised when Derrick told him that Philip had consented to the artificial insemination procedure. Philip had always resisted Derrick’s attempts to interfere in his personal life—so why the sudden change?

"The procedure is scheduled for tomorrow. You don’t have any objections, do you?" Derrick said with a casual tone, but his sharp gaze landed not on Charles, but on the silent Janet.

When Janet met his warning glance, her heart sank even further. He would rather have a lab-created grandson than accept a child born of her and Charles. How unfair was that?