"Mr. Sterling, I'm sorry! I was wrong to have cheated on the accounts. I abused your trust..." Eric pleaded for mercy.

Dylan glanced at him in disgust, gesturing to his bodyguards, indicating he didn't want to hear any word from him.

The two bodyguards immediately pulled out a handkerchief and put it in Eric's mouth, pulling him out of Dylan's sight.

Dylan took another deep look at Charlotte, who was trembling uncontrollably. The chill in his eyes fell on her, freezing her. Without saying a word, he turned and strode toward the car.

historical

Charlotte shivered, drenched in the tide of despair. If Dylan asked her to explain, questioned her, or even scolded her, there was still hope, but he didn't even bother to say a word.

"Dylan! Let me explain!" she recovered herself and ran after the man, catching him by the sleeve with tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, I know I was wrong. But I did that because I love you too much! Dylan, even if I never saved you, you should have seen what I've done for you over the years... Isn't it more important? Dylan, don't be mad at me, please... Please, listen to me,"

"Let go," he said coldly, not even looking back.

Charlotte's heart sank, but she still clung to his sleeve in a last desperate struggle, "No, unless you forgive me...I want to hear, you forgive,"

She knew that if she let him go, she might never see him again.

Dylan used to be cold to her and never accept her, but at least there was a tenderness in his manner towards her because he thought she was that girl...

However, after this, she knew that he would hate her or even completely disappear from her world. He wouldn't give her little chance again.

"I never hit a woman. I hope you won't be the first one." His voice was cold and unrelenting.

Her heart stopped, and her face turned white. She knew he was not joking. She knew Dylan's temper.

Did he hate her so much?

Her gasp relaxed, her hands hanging rigid at her sides.

He drew his hand and got in the front passenger seat without another glance at the girl behind him.

Garwood started the car, studying the expression on Dylan's face through the mirror before he said, "Well, I never! So, Miss Rowe's been pretending to be the girl you were looking for and put so much effort into it... And Eric, he really went too far! You entrusted him with so many important tasks, but he cheated you on the matter you cared most.."

Eric was an old staff member from the Sterling group and native in Chicago, honest and loyal, so Dylan had promoted him to be his special assistant responsible for some important work in the branch office in Chicago. But he betrayed his trust. He couldn't think that Eric will do it.

Dylan didn't say a word. For some reason, he was not surprised to know that Charlotte wasn't the girl he wanted.

Three years ago, when Eric told him that Charlotte was the girl, he had an intuition that something was wrong.

Although he didn't see the girl's face clearly the night of the fire happened, the girl's eyes were deeply printed in his mind. Charlotte didn't have the same eyes, and he had no strong feelings for her when he looked into her eyes.

Then he remembered something and looked at Garwood seriously.

"Now it's your turn to explain. Why did you send the words to everybody in the branch office in Chicago, saying that we're going to audit the accounts? And why did you know that Eric and Charlotte have a problem so I could enjoy a good play just now?"

"Actually... It was all arranged by Miss Schultz." Garwood gave a little laugh.

***

At noon, a silver Bentley creaked to a halt under the office building of the Sterling group.

The door opened, and Granny Rowe got off with a grim look on her face.

Last night, Charlotte came home looking deadly pale, shut herself in her room without eating anything. Ethan and Joanne knocked on the door for a long time but received no response.

At last, Granny Rowe took out the spare key and opened the door.

She was shocked to know her granddaughter had been pretending to be Dylan's lifesaver, and it was discovered by Dylan.

She could imagine how angry Dylan was for her cheating on him on something he valued so much.

All night long, Charlotte kept crying in Granny Rowe's arms, saying that Dylan would never forgive her again and that he would never be with her in any way.

It took Granny Rowe hours to lull her dear granddaughter to sleep. She was heartbroken when she saw Charlotte, with a tear-stained face, murmuring in her dream, "Dylan, I'm sorry, don't leave me.."

She knew that Charlotte might break down if Dylan refused to see her or speak to her again.

After breakfast, Granny Rowe called the driver and decided to come to talk to Dylan herself. The deadline for the bid project was the day after tomorrow. Dylan had to make his choice before that.

Granny Rowe was about to enter the building when a young female voice called behind her. "Mrs. Rowe, are you coming to see Dylan?"

She turned and saw Savannah walking to her with a sardonic smile.

"What are you doing here?" Granny Rowe snapped, frowning, "what? Afraid I'll get Dylan and Charlotte engaged, and you'll get kicked out?"

Savannah slowly walked up the steps and stopped in front of her, "I heard last night that Dylan saw something that made him very angry. I wonder why you are so confident that you could convince Dylan to get engaged with Charlotte."

"Anyway, even if Charlotte had done something wrong, Dylan still belongs to her at last. As for you.. Stop dreaming!" Granny Rowe lifted her lips in triumph.

"If you want to threaten Dylan with the lost document for the bid project, I suggest you give up," Savannah whispered with a smile.