Chapter 173
"Alexander can protect her openly and proudly, while you can only stand here raging like a pathetic fool."
"If you're really so capable, then get Charlotte back! Make her come back to you!"
At those words, Benjamin's face twisted even more violently, his hands clenching into fists.
"You—"
"You don't dare! Because you can't even handle a single glance from Alexander!"
"Charlotte only has eyes for Alexander now. She'll never look at you again. You're nothing to her."
The mockery in Chloe's eyes grew thicker with every word.
"Face it—all you can do is take your anger out on me. You're completely powerless!"
"I said shut up!"
Her words pushed Benjamin over the edge, his eyes bloodshot as he raised his hand again.
But Chloe didn't flinch. She even lifted her chin defiantly.
"Go ahead, hit me! Do it!"
"If you don't kill me today, I swear I'll make Charlotte and that mother of hers pay!"
Benjamin's hand froze mid-air.
He stared at the vicious, twisted woman before him, feeling like he was looking at a stranger.
How had she become like this? Hadn't she once been understanding, innocent, and kind? When did she turn so cruel?
Or had she always been this way, and he'd simply been too blind to see it?
The thought struck him as deeply absurd.
He locked eyes with her rage-contorted face, suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness and exhaustion.
Slowly, he lowered his hand and looked at her one last time, his gaze filled with endless disgust.
"Chloe, you truly are... beyond saving."
With those final words, he grabbed his keys from the table and walked out the door without another glance.
Bang!
The deafening slam echoed through the room, marking the end of their fight.
Chloe stood frozen in place, watching the taillights fade through the window. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she slid to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest and burying her face as broken sobs escaped her throat.
At that same moment, in the master bedroom of Gold Valley District, Charlotte jolted awake from a nightmare.
She sat up abruptly, gasping for air, her forehead beaded with sweat.
The dream had been filled with Victoria's desperate, helpless face and her inconsolable sobs.
Just thinking about it made Charlotte's heart twist painfully.
After a long moment, she finally calmed down enough to realize she was back at the estate. The air still carried a faint trace of Alexander's crisp, cool scent.
She threw back the covers to get out of bed and noticed she'd been changed into a silk nightgown.
Suddenly, she remembered last night in the car—she'd been thinking about her mother with her eyes closed. She must have been too exhausted these past few days because she'd fallen asleep without realizing it.
Charlotte took a deep breath, rubbed her temples, and stepped out of the room.
As she passed the study, she noticed the door was slightly ajar. Just as she was about to enter, she heard a man's icy voice.
"You still don't have the exact location?"
After whoever was on the other end responded, his tone grew even more impatient.
"I don't care what methods you use. If you don't have results within two hours, you can go collect your punishment yourselves!"
Charlotte's hand paused mid-reach, a flicker of light passing through her eyes.
After a moment, she pressed her lips together, lowered her hand, and headed downstairs instead.
When Alexander emerged from the study, he found Charlotte standing by the table drinking water. The sharp edge in his expression immediately vanished, replaced by complete gentleness.
"Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"
Noticing her flushed face, Alexander even reached out to touch her forehead.
Once he confirmed she wasn't running a fever, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"I couldn't sleep anymore." Charlotte pressed her lips together. "Any news?"
Alexander met her eyes and sighed before shaking his head.
Disappointment flickered across Charlotte's face at his gesture.
Just then, her phone screen lit up on the living room coffee table.
[I intercepted an extremely unstable signal source in that area. A few minutes ago, it had a brief external data exchange. I reverse-traced the pathway—they detected me and cut the connection, but I still caught some breadcrumbs.]
[Based on data analysis, I've pinpointed a location near the steel mill. There should be an underground entrance there.]
[But their counter-surveillance capabilities are strong. This could very well be a trap. Be extremely careful.]
After reading K's message, a flash of ruthless determination crossed Charlotte's eyes.
She set down her glass, grabbed her coat, and headed for the door.
But the next second, Alexander caught her wrist.
"Where are you going?"
"I have a lead now. I need to check it out myself."
"I'm coming with you."
Seeing his unwavering determination, Charlotte frowned.
"This is my business. And it's dangerous."
Sensing her coldness, Alexander felt something tighten around his heart, making his chest ache.
But this time he didn't back down. Instead, he stood even firmer.
"I know it's dangerous. That's exactly why I can't let you go alone."
"And have you already forgotten what happened at the docks last time?"
"Or are you really so heartless that you'd let me worry about you like this?"
Seeing the hurt in his eyes, Charlotte found she couldn't bring herself to refuse him.
She had to admit—Alexander had become incredibly important to her.
She could no longer push him away with a clear conscience like before.
Finally, Charlotte compromised with a sigh.
"Fine. Go change. We'll go together."
Hearing her answer, a glint of triumph flashed in Alexander's eyes. He'd known Charlotte would soften.
"Okay. Give me five minutes."
……
Half an hour later, a black SUV appeared silently on the outskirts of the steel mill.
The moment the vehicle stopped, Rhett approached with several bodyguards dressed in black tactical gear.
"Mr. Harris. Ms. Johnson."
"What's the situation?" Alexander stepped out of the car, his expression cold and stern.
"We've cleared the surrounding area as you instructed," Rhett reported rapidly, his expression serious. "After confirming it was safe, we swept the area again with drones and discovered there is indeed a very well-hidden entrance inside."
"But the signal inside is blocked. We can't determine the exact situation."
After hearing Rhett's report, Alexander's frown deepened. He turned to Charlotte.
"Do you want to take a look? Or should I have Rhett and his team scout it out first?"
Charlotte paused briefly. "Let's go take a look."
After all, she didn't want to waste any more time here.
Alexander had known she'd choose this. He nodded.
"Alright, let's go. If there's any danger, stay behind me."
With that, he strode forward.