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Chapter 32
publish date:
2026-07-15 11:44:31
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Entangled by Design Chapter 60
Charlotte stood in the center of James’s apartment, turning Darrien’s old emergency key over in her hand.“It has to be Emma.”James nodded slowly.“It explains how she got in.”“But not why she only took the photograph.”Darrien leaned against the kitchen counter.“I should’ve changed the locks.”Charlotte immediately crossed the room.“No.”She rested a hand against his chest.“This isn’t your fault.”“I gave her access.”“You gave access to an employee you trusted years ago.”She looked him in the eyes.“She abused that trust.”“That’s on her.”Not you.Darrien let out a slow breath.“Thank you.”⸻James disappeared into his office for a moment.When he returned, he was holding a small lockbox.Charlotte raised an eyebrow.“I thought you said nothing important was missing.”“I did.”He placed the box on the coffee table.“Because everything important is still here.”Inside were several folders.The acquisition contracts.Personal journals.The silver key.Charlotte looked confused.
Entangled by Design Chapter 59
Charlotte didn’t waste a second.She looked around the conference room at James, Darrien, and Monica.“They’re counting on us to react emotionally.”She slid the forged financial documents into a folder.“We’re not going to.”James smiled.“That’s my Charlotte.”She looked at him with a playful smirk.“Your Charlotte?”He didn’t hesitate.“Absolutely.”Darrien leaned back in his chair.“I was wondering how long it would take before one of us said it out loud.”Charlotte laughed.“You two really do have terrible timing.”James shrugged innocently.“I thought it was excellent timing.”The laughter eased the tension just enough for everyone to breathe again.Then Charlotte’s expression became serious.“Monica.”“Yes?”“I need every copy of these documents.”“I also need IT to preserve every email they came from.”Monica nodded.“Already done.”“And…”She hesitated.“I didn’t tell anyone before bringing them to you.”Charlotte smiled gratefully.“Thank you.”Monica left, quietly closing t
Entangled by Design Chapter 58
Charlotte stood frozen in the doorway.The hallway stretched in both directions.Empty.The voice had been close.Too close.“I know what you love…”“…and I’m going to take it away.”Every instinct screamed that someone was still there.She stepped into the corridor.“Who’s there?”Silence.The fluorescent lights hummed softly overhead.Nothing else.Her phone vibrated.James.“Charlotte?”“I heard something.”His tone changed instantly.“What happened?”“I don’t know.”“There was a voice.”“I’m coming back.”“You don’t have to—”“I’m already in the elevator.”The line went dead.Charlotte smiled despite herself.“So much for convincing them to leave.”⸻Less than a minute later, the elevator doors opened.James was first.Darrien only a step behind him.The moment Charlotte saw them, some of the tension left her shoulders.James walked straight to her.“What happened?”She explained everything.The empty hallway.The voice.The threat.Darrien searched the corridor while she talked.
Entangled by Design Chapter 57
Charlotte remained standing long after the board meeting ended.One by one, the board members filed out of the room.Some nodded politely.Some avoided eye contact altogether.No one had voted against her.But no one had openly defended her, either.That unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.The room finally emptied.James quietly closed the door.Darrien loosened his tie and let out a long breath.“Well…”“I’ve definitely had better Mondays.”Charlotte laughed softly.“I think it’s Tuesday.”He blinked.“That makes it worse.”For the first time all morning, she smiled.⸻James walked over to her.“You okay?”Charlotte looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Manhattan.“No.”She answered honestly.“I’m angry.”Neither man interrupted.“They’re questioning everything I’ve worked for.”“They’re questioning my integrity.”She turned around.“I’ve spent years proving I belonged in that chair.”“And now…”“…someone writes one article…”“…and suddenly I’m defending my ent
Entangled by Design Chapter 56
Morning sunlight streamed through the bedroom windows.Charlotte stirred first.For one blissfully ordinary moment, she forgot everything.The Bridge.The attacks.Emma.The mysterious man.She only noticed warmth.James was asleep on one side of her.Darrien on the other.At some point during the night, the three of them had drifted together on the oversized bed after falling asleep watching movies in the living room.Charlotte smiled to herself.This…This is what I’ve been fighting for.Not power.Not destiny.Just this.Peace.James slowly opened one eye.“I know you’re smiling.”Charlotte laughed softly.“I can’t smile?”“You can.”He stretched lazily.“But you were definitely looking at me.”She rolled her eyes.“I was looking at both of you.”Darrien groaned dramatically without opening his eyes.“I refuse to participate in a conversation before coffee.”James chuckled.“He’s awake.”“Barely.”Charlotte leaned over and kissed Darrien’s temple.“Good morning.”He finally opened
Entangled by Design Chapter 55
The drive back to Hartwell Industries was unusually quiet.Not because anyone had run out of things to say.Quite the opposite.Every glance.Every accidental brush of hands.Every smile carried the weight of what had almost been lost.Charlotte sat in the passenger seat of Darrien’s SUV while James drove.Neither man had argued over who should.Charlotte simply hadn’t wanted either of them out of her sight.She wasn’t ashamed of that.Not anymore.⸻James broke the silence first.“I remember everything.”Charlotte turned toward him.“The Between?”He nodded.“The tree.”“The Keeper.”“The moment I heard you.”He hesitated before continuing.“I thought I’d accepted dying.”Charlotte immediately reached across the center console and took his hand.“Don’t.”“I don’t want to imagine that.”James squeezed her fingers.“I know.”“I don’t either.”⸻Darrien looked out the windshield.“I imagined it enough for all of us.”Both of them turned toward him.He laughed softly, but there wasn’t mu
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