Chapter 69
CHARLOTTE
4完40%會
I walked out of Damien’s company building with my mind racing, heart pounding, and a triumphant smile threatening to take over my face. I had her. I finally had her. The cleaner. The damn cleaner. All this time, I’d been panicking, losing sleep, imagining my life crumbling–and it was her. A nobody with a mop and a bad attitude.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, I sat for a moment, gripping the steering wheel, letting the realization sink in. Rita. She must have thought she was clever, playing games with me like this. But now, the tables had turned.
I fished my phone out of my bag and dialed Liam. He picked up on the first ring.
“Charlotte?” His voice was sharp with anticipation. “What’s going on? Did you find something?”
“Oh, I found something, alright,” I said, smirking as I pulled out of the parking lot. “More than something. You’re not going to believe this, Liam. It’s the cleaner. The blackmailer is a cleaner.”
There was silence for half a second before he burst out laughing, a deep, genuine laugh that only fueled my own disbelief. “You’re kidding! A cleaner? That’s who’s been blackmailing you?”
“I swear to you, I’m serious,” I said, shaking my head as I navigated through traffic. “Her name’s Rita. I ran into her by complete accident. And, Liam, she was wearing that stupid ring. The same heart–shaped flower ring from the time I saw her.”
“Unbelievable,” he said, still chuckling. “This has to be a joke. A cleaner? Are you sure she’s not just some pawn?”
“Oh, I’m sure,” I said firmly. “Her face when I bumped into her? She was nervous, Liam. Shaking. She’s not just a pawn; she’s the one pulling the strings. Can you believe the audacity?”
“You’re something else,” he said, the humor in his voice softening. “You actually figured it out. So, what’s the plan now? We can’t let her get away with this.”
I could hear the shift in his tone–the excitement, the readiness to strike. And for the first time in days, I felt like I wasn’t drowning. I had control again.
“Relax, Liam,” I said, smirking. “I’ve got this under control. I’m not about to let some janitor hold my life in her hands.”
“Good,” he said, his voice darkening slightly. “Then let’s move. You know what I think? You should kidnap her. Grab her, take her somewhere quiet, and make her talk. It’s the quickest way to shut this down.”
I laughed dryly, shaking my head. “Kidnap her? What do you think this is, some crime drama? Do you have any idea how messy that could get?”
“So? Messy isn’t always a bad thing,” he said.
“No,” I said firmly, cutting him off. “We’re doing this my way.”
“Alright, genius,” he said after a pause. “What’s your way?”
“If she wants to blackmail me, I’ll blackmail her right back,” I said, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “Everyone has skeletons, Liam. Everyone. I just need to find hers.”
There was a long silence on the other end before he spoke again. “And how, exactly, are you planning to do that?”
1/3
DramaBox – Stream Drama Shorts
Watch exciting episodes for free!
K
14:39 Tue, 18 Feb
Chapter 69
M
40%
“That’s for me to worry about,” I said, my lips curling into a smirk. “Trust me, by the time I’m done with her, she’ll regret ever messing with me.”
“You’re dangerous, Charlotte,” he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
“Dangerous is exactly what I need to be right now,” I said, my tone ice cold. “Anyway, I’ll keep you updated. I’ve got some things to take care of first.”
“Alright, just don’t get in over your head,” he said, though his voice lacked any real concern.
“I never do,” I said before hanging up.
1 let out a long breath, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat. My plan wasn’t fully formed yet, but one thing was clear: Rita was going to pay.
When I got home, I kicked off my heels and sank onto the bed, exhaustion tugging at me. But my mind wouldn’t rest. Every second, I thought about Rita–how she’d dared to threaten me, to put me in this position.
The buzz of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen. Unknown number.
I didn’t need to guess who it was.
I answered, keeping my voice steady. “Hello?”
“You’re cutting it close, Charlotte,” the blackmailer’s voice came through, calm and smug. “Your time is running out. I hope you’re not thinking about backing out.”
“I–I’m not,” I stammered, injecting as much desperation into my voice as I could. “Please, I just need more time. I’m trying, I swear, but five hundred thousand isn’t easy to come by. Can’t you give me just one more week?”
There was a pause on the other end, followed by a sharp laugh. “Ni world finds out what you’ve been up to. Tick tock, Charlotte.”
try, but no. Pay me the damn money, or the whole
“Please,” I begged, gripping the phone tightly. “You don’t understand. I just need-”
The line went dead.
For a moment, I sat there staring at the phone, my heart racing. And then, slowly, I began to smile.
She thought she had me. She thought I was desperate, that I was helpless. Well, she wasn’t entirely wrong. I was desperate- but not helpless.
I laughed softly, tossing the phone onto the bed. “Oh, sweetheart,” I muttered under my breath. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”
Still smiling, I picked up the phone again, scrolling through my contacts until I found the name I was looking for.
“Sam,” I said as soon as he answered. “I’ve got a job for you.”
“Charlotte,” he said, sounding surprised. “It’s been a while. What kind of job?”
“The kind where I need answers fast,” I said. “I need you to dig up everything you can on someone. Her name’s Rita. She works as a cleaner at Damien Hale’s company. That’s all I’ve got for now.”
“Alright,” he said, his tone shifting to one of intrigue. “What are we looking for? Financials? Scandals? Secrets?”
2/3
DramaBox – Stream Drama Shorts
Watch exciting episodes for free!
3/3
14:39 Tue, 18 Feb
Chapter 69
“All of it.” 1 said. “Anything she doesn’t want people to know, I want to know. She’s a blackmailer, Sam. I need dirt- something I can use to shut her down”
“Got it,” he said. “Give me a couple of days-
“You’ve got one.” I interrupted. “This is urgent.”
“One day?” he repeated, a note of uncertainty in his voice. “That’s impossible, Charlotte.”
Just make it happen.” I said firmly.
“Alright,” he said after a pause. “I’ll call you the second I have something”
“Good.” I said before hanging up.
40%
1 set the phone down and leaned back against the pillows, a sense of control settling over me for the first time in days. Rita thought she had me cornered.
But by the time I was done, she’d be the one begging for mercy.
