All Chapters of Entangled by Design: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter TwelveCharlotte had never dreaded Monday.Until now.She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of her office, coffee untouched on her desk, replaying the previous evening over and over in her mind.James’s fingertips against her cheek.The way he’d stopped himself.“When I kiss you… I want to know it’s because you chose me.”She closed her eyes.Then, without warning, another face slipped into her thoughts.Darrien.The rooftop.His hand tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.The way he’d looked at her as though forgetting, just for a moment, that the two of them were supposed to be discussing business.Charlotte let out a frustrated sigh.“This is impossible.”A knock interrupted her thoughts.Emma stepped into the office carrying a stack of folders.“You’ve sighed three times since I walked in.”“I have not.”“You have.”Emma set the folders on Charlotte’s desk.“Want to tell me what’s going on?”Charlotte hesitated.She trusted Emma with almost everything.

Chapter FourteenCharlotte had spent fifteen minutes standing in front of her closet.She held up a navy blazer.“No.”Too formal.A black dress.She stared at it for a moment before hanging it back up.“Definitely not.”She wasn’t going on a date.She was meeting Darrien Blackthorne to discuss a business proposal.Over dinner.Outside the office.Charlotte sighed dramatically.“It is not a date.”She finally chose a soft emerald wrap blouse, dark jeans, and ankle boots.Comfortable.Professional.She reached for a pair of small emerald earrings.Then stopped.“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”She laughed at her reflection.“I’m accessorizing for a business meeting.”Her phone buzzed.Emma: Have fun tonight.Charlotte smiled despite herself.Charlotte: It’s a meeting.Emma replied almost instantly.Emma: Whatever helps you sleep tonight.Charlotte rolled her eyes.“Traitor.”⸻The restaurant was tucked into a quiet corner of the city, warm lights glowing through the windows.It wasn’

Chapter SixteenCharlotte had never looked forward to bedtime before.The realization followed her all day.She hated it.She also couldn’t deny it.Every spare moment, her mind drifted back to the dream.Not the kiss.Not this time.The feeling.The strange sense of peace she’d found standing with James in that impossible ballroom.It had felt…Real.More real than any dream had a right to feel.She buried herself in work, hoping the feeling would fade.It didn’t.⸻Emma knocked softly before stepping into Charlotte’s office.“I’ve got your revised schedule.”Charlotte looked up from her laptop.“Please tell me tomorrow is quieter.”Emma offered a small smile.“I wish I could.”She handed over the tablet.“I did move your breakfast meeting to nine.”“Thank you.”“And…”Emma hesitated.“Mr. Blackthorne’s office requested another dinner next week.”Charlotte smiled before she could stop herself.Emma noticed.“You seem happy.”Charlotte looked down at the schedule.“It’s just easier to

Chapter EighteenCharlotte glanced at the clock for the third time in ten minutes.12:17.Darrien was never late.She smiled to herself.If anything, he usually arrived early.A soft knock sounded on her office door.Emma stepped inside.“I’m so sorry.”Charlotte looked up.“What happened?”“Mr. Blackthorne’s assistant just called.”Emma frowned apologetically.“Something came up.”“He had to cancel lunch.”Charlotte’s smile faded, but she nodded.“That’s alright.”“Things happen.”Emma offered a sympathetic smile.“I’ll see if they want to reschedule.”“No rush.”Emma left the office, quietly closing the door behind her.Charlotte looked at the untouched menu she’d printed from the little café down the street.She folded it in half and slipped it into her desk drawer.“Another time.”⸻Across town…Darrien checked his watch.12:18.He looked toward the restaurant entrance again.No Charlotte.His phone buzzed.A message from his executive assistant.Charlotte’s office says something

Chapter TwentyCharlotte stared at the two text messages on her phone.Darrien: Did you really cancel lunch last week?James: I have a feeling we’re all missing something.She read them again.Then a third time.A knot formed in her stomach.She hadn’t canceled lunch.Darrien hadn’t canceled lunch.James hadn’t even known there was supposed to be a lunch.Someone…Somewhere…Had gotten something very wrong.Or someone had made sure it went wrong.Her phone buzzed again.Darrien: Would you be willing to meet us? No agenda. Just the three of us.Charlotte smiled despite herself.Charlotte: Business meeting?Three dots appeared almost immediately.Darrien: If it makes you feel better.A second notification appeared.James: He’s lying.Charlotte laughed out loud.For the first time all day.⸻An hour later, she walked into a quiet coffee shop on the edge of downtown.No conference room.No executives.No reporters.Just three people trying to make sense of something that no longer made se