Chapter 138 Charlotte's Proposal
Olivia: POV
"Olivia, I know you're incredibly capable. Would you help me?" Charlotte's voice was quiet but determined.
We stood on the sidewalk outside the police station, the early morning traffic beginning to pick up around us. After giving our statements about what happened at Lorenzo's restaurant, we were finally free to go, though Charlotte looked anything but relieved.
I studied her face. Despite everything she'd been through, there was a fierce toughness in her eyes that I respected. She reminded me of myself in some ways—ready to fight back when pushed into a corner.
"Help you with what exactly?" I asked, sipping the lukewarm coffee some sympathetic cop had given me before we left.
"Taking down my father and stepmother." Her jaw tightened. "They've controlled my life for too long, using my mother's family money while treating me like I'm nothing. I need someone who gets business and isn't scared to play dirty."
I raised an eyebrow. "That's a pretty big ask from someone I barely know."
"I've looked you up, Olivia. The way you handled Jason when he cheated on us both? That took guts and brains."
I felt a weird connection with Charlotte. Her bold, fearless attitude was something I respected. The way she'd finally stood up to her father tonight showed she wasn't just a victim—she was a fighter.
"I feel like your family situation might be complicated," I said carefully. "If you're okay sharing, I'd like to hear more about what you're dealing with."
Charlotte's eyes darkened as she started her story. "My birth mother, Emily, was the only daughter of the Caldwell family. My grandfather couldn't stand to let her go, so he arranged for a son-in-law to marry into the family—my father, David."
She twisted the strap of her purse nervously. "Everyone thought David was gentle and family-oriented. But they'd let a wolf into the house. Not only did he keep mistresses, but he even had kids outside the marriage who were older than me."
"Jesus," I muttered.
"When the scandal broke, my mother, already sick, died from heartbreak." Charlotte's voice cracked slightly. "Within a few years, my father brought his mistress Susan into our family home."
I noticed her knuckles turning white as she gripped her coffee cup. "Some kids get a stepmom after a stepdad, but I always had a worthless father. This scumbag took over the Caldwell family money with his mistress, let his illegitimate kids take their place in our home, while treating his own daughter like garbage."
"That's awful," I said, genuinely feeling for her. "What about your mother's side of the family?"
"Before dying, my mother wrote a will leaving all the Caldwell family assets to me." A hint of satisfaction crossed Charlotte's face. "The will had a crucial clause: if I don't live safely to thirty, all my inheritance gets donated to charity."
"Smart woman," I nodded appreciatively. "She protected you the only way she could."
"It was her safety net for me." Charlotte's eyes glistened. "They want me to give up my inheritance. Because I refuse, they constantly try to scare me, creating panic, but they won't actually kill me—they just want me to give in..." She sobbed quietly.
Clearly, over the years, she had suffered a great deal of mistreatment.
"Car accidents, kidnappings, threats—all those dramatic tactics from bad TV shows—I've been through them all," she continued. "Including last year when my father tried to hand me over to Sean. All ways to force me to comply."
"Haven't you tried getting help?" I asked, shocked by what I was hearing.
She sighed deeply. "When I was dating Jason, I thought if I married him, his family would help me take back everything from the Caldwell family. I didn't care if the assets went to his family—as long as those scumbags didn't get them. But then..."
"You found out he was just a bastard," I finished for her, remembering our shared experience with Jason.
"Exactly. Finding out he was a total player, two-timing both of us, completely disgusted me." She shook her head. "So I went abroad to focus on my studies and career. I was working and living freely until my grandfather got really sick, forcing me to come back."
Her eyes hardened. "It was all a trap. My grandfather was in a nursing home, completely ignored by my father, who had forced me to return just for the money I controlled. He wants to completely change the Caldwell family name to Grant."
She looked straight into my eyes, unflinching. "He can keep dreaming! If they push me too far, I'd rather not make it to thirty than let those scumbags win!"
After hearing everything, I found myself respecting Charlotte. Having gone through so much crap and so many dirty tricks, she could still talk about it without falling apart.
"Would you consider being my personal manager?" Charlotte asked suddenly. "I need someone with your business acumen and... frankness. When I get my family assets back, I'd be willing to give you 2% of the company shares."
I was surprised by the offer. It was generous—potentially worth millions if the Caldwell assets were as substantial as they sounded.
I nodded, since we had previously fought against Jason together.
As I stood there on the sidewalk, I felt I should share something important: "Now, as your personal manager, my first suggestion is to get a paternity test with Mr. Grant. When a father is this awful, something seems fishy."