Chapter 476: Charles's Charm

Chapter 476: Charles's Charm

He finished speaking, then raised his hand to rub his temples as if realizing his outburst, revealing a trace of exhaustion. "Sorry. If you'll excuse me."

He turned to leave, but Anouk gently caught his sleeve.

Charles stopped, lowering his gaze to her, his eyes distant and cold.

Anouk looked up at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, her voice as light as a feather. "Mr. Windsor, I... I just wanted to tell you that just because some people don't know how to cherish what they have, doesn't mean everyone is like that."

She paused, the tips of her ears faintly flushed, but she stubbornly refused to look away. "You deserve better."

Charles looked at her in prolonged silence.

The noise of the ballroom seemed to fade away in that moment, leaving only the subtle tension between them. The coldness in his gaze gradually melted, replaced by something complex and ineffable.

He finally spoke. "Ms. Montgomery. You—"

The words stopped before he could finish.

As if something had lodged in his throat, preventing him from continuing.

Anouk's heartbeat skipped.

She had seen the way Charles looked at Emily—burning hot enough to scorch anyone in its path. But now, the way he looked at her, though restrained, held a certain give she had never seen before.

"Mr. Windsor, I... from the first moment I saw you, I..."

Charles closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, clarity had returned to his gaze, though a ripple of emotion still lingered beneath.

"It's getting late. I'll have my driver take you home." He interrupted her, his tone no longer as hard as before.

"There's no need to trouble yourself—"

"It's no trouble."

He had already resumed that detached, aristocratic demeanor, though his gaze lingered on her face a moment longer. "Ms. Montgomery, tonight... thank you for the drink."

He didn't wait for her response, turning to leave. But after a few steps, he turned his head slightly, as if reluctant, or perhaps hesitant.

Anouk stood there, watching his silhouette disappear down the corridor, slowly tightening her grip on the champagne flute.

She lowered her gaze to the golden liquid swirling in her glass, her lips slowly curving into a smile.

In that smile lay satisfaction, ambition, and the thrill of a hunter watching prey step into a trap.

Charles.

She whispered his name, a gleam of determination flashing in her eyes.

You're not so impenetrable after all.

On the other side of the ballroom, Ollie leaned on his cane, coldly finishing his "reprimand" of Emily. As he turned to leave, he used the angle to shield his movement and gave her hand a light, almost imperceptible pat.

The gesture was so quick it could have been imagined. The next second, he let out a heavy snort and swept away.

Emily lowered her gaze, hiding the smile in her eyes. When she looked up again, she wore the expression of someone barely holding back tears.

She turned and walked toward the terrace. The night breeze brushed her face, carrying the coolness of early autumn.

Footsteps sounded behind her. She thought it was Charles, but when she turned, she met Anouk's meaningful gaze instead.

Anouk leaned against the doorframe, swirling the wine in her glass. "Ms. Johnson. Getting some air alone?"

Emily composed her expression, nodding faintly. "Aren't you doing the same, Ms. Montgomery?"

Anouk stepped closer, coming to stand beside her at the railing. Her gaze settled on the distant city lights. "Not quite the same. I just finished chatting with Mr. Windsor. He... didn't seem to be in the best mood."

Emily's fingers tightened slightly, but her voice remained calm and measured. "His mood has nothing to do with me."

Anouk turned to look at her, lips curved in a smile. "Is that so? I thought you two were quite close."

Emily fell silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed—a laugh tinged with self-mockery. "Close? Ms. Montgomery, you worked at Nerea. You should understand that in the adult world, interests matter more than anything else."

She paused, her voice dropping as if talking to herself, yet also as if speaking to someone specific. "I thought... I thought we were different. Turns out, we're just like everyone else."

Anouk watched the flash of pain in Emily's eyes, and the last trace of doubt in her heart evaporated.

She let out a soft sigh, her tone carrying a note of genuine pity. "Ms. Johnson, don't be too upset. Some people are only meant to walk part of the journey with you. Since you're already divorced, not interfering with each other is the dignified thing for adults to do."

Emily didn't respond, only gazed into the distance, her silhouette thin and stubborn.

Anouk drained her glass and turned to leave, her steps light and buoyant like a butterfly about to take flight.

She didn't see that behind her, Emily slowly raised her hand, fingertips lightly touching the corner of her lips, wiping away that "pain" and replacing it with a cold, predatory smile.

The terrace door closed again. The night breeze swept through, scattering their lingering presence into the city's darkness.

 

As Anouk left the ballroom, she was about to instruct her driver to bring the car around when she paused mid-step, looking up.

Charles leaned against a stone pillar in the portico, an unlit cigarette between his fingers. Ollie stood beside him, leaning on his cane. When his gaze fell on Anouk, it softened in a way that was strikingly rare.

Ollie stepped forward, his voice carrying the warmth characteristic of an elder. "Ms. Montgomery. It's late. It's not safe for you to go home alone. Let Charles take you."

A flicker of surprise crossed Anouk's eyes before she curtsied respectfully. "Mr. Ollie is too kind. I wouldn't dare trouble Mr. Windsor."

Ollie shot a sidelong glance at his grandson. "What's there to dare? Ms. Montgomery, with your grace and talent, you're exactly the kind of person the Windsor family should welcome."

He said this while casting a pointed look back toward the ballroom, then snorted coldly. "Unlike some people who rely on a pretty face and think they're above everyone else, lacking even basic decency. When Charles was in the hospital, she was nowhere to be found. What use is a woman like that?"

Charles lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting shadows beneath his eyes. His fingers tightened around the cigarette until his knuckles went white. He seemed to be forcibly suppressing something. After a long moment, he spoke hoarsely. "Great-Uncle, enough."

"What, am I wrong?"

Ollie glared at him, then turned back to Anouk with a kindly expression. "Ms. Montgomery, don't take offense. My grandson is too sentimental. That's why he was deceived by certain people. If you were willing to... "

He paused, smiling meaningfully. "If you were willing to offer him some guidance, I would be deeply grateful."

Anouk lowered her gaze, the tips of her ears flushing a delicate pink at just the right moment. Her voice was as soft as a whisper in the night breeze. "Mr. Ollie is too generous. Mr. Windsor is... Mr. Windsor is an exceptionally capable man. He has his own judgment. I wouldn't presume to advise him."