Thanks to the combined efforts of the mother and son, they managed to sell the general store within two weeks, minimizing their losses. They also sold all the merchandise, not only through Charlotte’s shop but also by setting up street stalls and working hard. Charlotte even helped by paying several months’ rent in advance, doing everything she could to assist.
“Now, all that’s left is to repay the money we borrowed for running the boarding house, and we’ll be debt-free!”
“That’s wonderful news, Mrs. Sarah.”
“It’s all thanks to you. I don’t know how I can ever repay this kindness…”
Sarah hugged Charlotte tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Don’t think of it as a favor. I’ve received so much more from you.”
Charlotte meant it. Despite working hard for two years to learn the trade and open her own shop, she still felt an emptiness. She often dreamed of her mother, Cynthia, holding her tightly. Sarah had filled that void, becoming a mother figure in her life.
Though she tried to hide it, Charlotte was always yearning for family and affection.
“If you don’t mind…”
Sarah wiped her tears with the back of her hand, released Charlotte from the hug, and looked her in the eyes.
“I’d like to treat you as part of our family.”
“What…?”
“Actually, Derek told me you don’t have any family.”
Holding Charlotte’s trembling hands tightly, Sarah asked cautiously.
“If you have nowhere else to turn, Cecile… Would you let me be your mother and Derek your brother?”
“Mrs. Sarah…”
Charlotte’s hands shook. Sarah, seeing her unexpected reaction, looked uneasy.
“Oh, if you don’t want to, then—”
Before she could finish, Charlotte buried her face in Sarah’s ample bosom.
“I’d love that. Oh…”
“Cecile…”
Was this really okay? Could she, with her hidden past, be part of their family? Despite knowing it was wrong, she couldn’t help but yearn to be with them, to share in their family love. Hearing Sarah say aloud what she had always secretly wished for brought tears streaming down her face.
“But there’s something I need to confess first.”
Sarah had opened her heart and accepted her sincerely. So Charlotte decided to tell her everything, hoping she would still be accepted afterward.
Holding Sarah tightly, Charlotte hesitated before speaking.
“My real name is… my real name is…”
Ding dong.
Just as she was about to reveal her secret, the doorbell rang.
Sarah was the first to regain her composure. Smiling, she released Charlotte from the hug and went to answer the door. A man she had never seen before stood there.
“Who are you?”
“Are you Mrs. Sarah?”
“Yes, I am…”
“I’m here to deliver this.”
The man handed her a debt collection notice. As Sarah read the paper, her face turned ashen, as if all the blood had drained from it.
“This can’t be! This is…”
“What happened?”
Charlotte, who had approached from behind, took the paper from Sarah’s trembling hands. Her face also turned pale as she read it.
“I… I borrowed money from Mr. Hans next door, not from some company like this!”
“Yes. And Mr. Hans transferred that debt to us.”
The man continued his explanation nonchalantly.
“So, please confirm the due date and sign here.”
“A week from now…? This is so one-sided!”
“If you have any complaints, take them up with the creditor directly. I’m just the collector and have no authority.”
It wasn’t just him; two more burly men stood behind him. With Derek not around and only an elderly woman present, they had no chance of resisting.
“Hey, you can’t just—!”
Charlotte tried to block them, but the man pushed past her and barged in.
“I’m not leaving until you sign.”
His face showed he was ready for a fight. As Charlotte wondered what to do, she noticed the creditor’s name on the paper.
[Gerald Hacker]
“This can’t be happening…!”
The rosy future they had envisioned crumbled in an instant. Sarah, already drained from previous hardships, lacked the strength to face this new misfortune. She signed the document helplessly and handed it over. The men left the house in a rush.
“That bastard! How could he stab us in the back like this! What did we do to deserve this?”
When Derek returned and heard what happened, he slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
“I’ll handle this. I promise.”
“How? Those people… they don’t play by the rules.”
Sarah, leaning against the couch and sipping water, shook her head.
“I heard they’re involved in the rental business too. I didn’t pay much attention, but now it’s come back to bite us…”
Charlotte had heard similar rumors but had been too focused on the gambling side to give them much thought.
The silence among the heartbroken trio was broken by another knock on the door.
“Mail delivery!”
When no one responded, thinking the house was empty, the postman slipped a letter under the door and left. Derek picked it up.
“Cecile, this one’s for you.”
The sender was Zhenya. Charlotte had forgotten about the letter. She had an idea of what it might contain, but the “urgent” label gave her a sense of foreboding. She quickly tore open the envelope.
[To Charlotte,
Charlotte, I looked into the businessman you mentioned. His name is Gerald Hacker. He used to run a small company and lost his wife early on.
He was almost bankrupt but miraculously revived his company two years ago. Since then, he’s grown his business into a monstrous entity in the underworld.
He has a partner, though the name is unknown, there are many rumors. One thing’s for sure, he’s described as a strikingly handsome man in his thirties.
A former lawyer.
I’m not certain, but I have a bad feeling about this.
Please be careful, Charlotte.
Zhenya Clitwood]
“Oh…”
Her heart sank. As Charlotte collapsed to the floor, Sarah screamed.
In her collapsing vision, Charlotte realized that this warm, kind-hearted mother and son were innocent. The guilt lay solely with her.
The endless game of hide-and-seek was over, and the seeker had found her. It was time to face the consequences of her escape.
***
The next morning, before Charlotte could even gather her thoughts, a carriage stopped in front of the house. A man introduced himself as being sent by Gerald and pointed directly at Charlotte, instructing her to get into the carriage. It was as if Gerald was certain she would understand by now and had sent someone accordingly.
Charlotte wondered how much of this had been planned by Gerald and how long she had been a pawn in his game. The more she thought about it, the more chills ran down her spine, making her shudder repeatedly.
“What is this, exactly…?”
“I know Gerald’s business partner.”
“Cecile…?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”
Charlotte reassured the alarmed Sarah and Derek before turning around. Surrounded by men in black suits, she climbed into the carriage on her own.
The ride was silent. Despite the pity one might feel for the small woman trembling like a lamb being led to slaughter, no one spoke a word. The men treated Charlotte as if she were a mythical creature that would turn them to stone if they made eye contact.
“…”
In the suffocating silence, Charlotte found herself standing before a massive door once again. She considered knocking, but the man leading her opened the door immediately.
“Please, go in.”
Without a moment to prepare herself, Charlotte swallowed hard and stepped forward. Contrary to her expectations, the reception room was bright. Sunlight streamed through the windows, warmly illuminating the carpeted floor. It was so serene and soft that it made her question if this was the same place she had entered before.
But Charlotte wasn’t fooled. She had experienced it before: the road to hell was often paved with heavenly illusions.
She saw a familiar yet almost forgotten profile. His light brown hair, which could appear blonde in the right light, was illuminated by the midday sun as he stood by the open window, basking like a contented cat. The sunlight highlighted his sharp features and chiseled jawline.
The suffocating silence pooled in the room like a deep swamp. Charlotte stopped four steps away from him and slowly called his name.
“…Richard.”
She had always known they would meet again. He was a tenacious man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, so she knew she could never escape him forever. However, stepping back into the giant spider web she thought she had escaped was more horrifying than she had imagined.
“Richard.”
Only after calling his name clearly again did he slowly turn his head. The moment their eyes met, a powerful shock coursed through Charlotte.
She had expected him to strangle her, to push her ruthlessly, and perhaps even be prepared for death. But the face she saw was as calm as a still lake. It was her own face that was contorted with fear.
“Since when…?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
Her question was loaded. Since when had he known her whereabouts? How much of this was a trap he had set, and what lengths had he gone to for it?
Unlike her, who was on the verge of an emotional explosion, Richard remained composed. He tilted his head slightly and responded.
“Does it matter now?”
“What…?”
His next question was even more shocking.
“Where is that Derek or whatever his name is?”
“What are you talking about…?”
“I asked where that bastard you’ve been cozying up to is. Did he run off when he heard you were coming here?”
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