Chapter 8
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Charlie leaned against the windowsill. The red ember at the end of his cigar flickered between his fingers as he unlocked his phone screen. He had yet to receive any news about Yasmine.
Amidst his thoughts, the door swung open with a creak.
Zara sauntered in dressed in a gauzy, wine-red nightgown and wrapped her arms around Charlie from behind.
One of her spaghetti straps gently fell off her shoulder and onto her forearm, adding a sensual touch.
“It’s cold. You’ll get sick,” Charlie said, looking away as he took his jacket off and laid it on her shoulders.” Did you want to ask me something?”
Zara could smell the cigar smoke on his jacket. Her ears blushed red as she gazed at him with undeniable admiration. “Charlie, I’ve been thinking a lot these past few days. I don’t want to just be an outsider to you and the kids. I want to officially be part of your family.”
Charlie met her gaze. Her eyes were so similar to Yasmine’s that he froze while staring at them, but the moment her lips were about to touch his, his gaze suddenly became clear.
“I’m sorry,” he said, taking a half-step back to distance himself. “I’m only treating you well because you’re my kids’ biological mother. My true love is Yasmine.”
Zara froze. “I don’t believe you! If you never loved me, then why did you sleep with me six years ago?”
That faithful night, he had been as desperate and ferocious as a beast. Zara had been forcefully pressed against the bed, feeling like she was about to break from his strength.
Once she was pregnant, he arranged her work for her and tossed Yasmine aside to go shopping at maternity stores with Zara. When she vomited from morning sickness, he had even caught it with both
hands.
Zara was unconvinced. “Didn’t you make Yasmine adopt our kids so you could eventually marry me in the
future?”
Charlie remained as silent as a soulless husk.
Six years ago, Josephine had drugged him and locked him in a room with Zara.
She looked similar enough to Yasmine that Charlie had mistaken Zara for her.
When he found out she was pregnant, his first reaction was to abort the fetus and toss some money her
way to chase her off.
Josephine, however, threatened him with her own death if he didn’t let Zara keep the baby. Charlie
couldn’t bear it and was forced to let them live.
He thought everything would go back to normal once they adopted the twins, but Zara cried to him about
Chapter 8
missing them. He found an excuse for her to see the twins every now and then.
However, from that moment onward, Zachary and Rachel had begun to treat Yasmine horribly.
His beloved Yasmine began to fade away.
He closed his eyes.
Maybe he had been wrong from the beginning.
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“You should leave after the study trip is over,” he said as he rubbed his wedding ring. His lips parted as he murmured, “Yasmine and I will take good care of the kids.”
Zara began to panic and was about to say something when someone knocked on the door.
“Hello, Mr. Listford. Mr. Zachary and Ms. Rachel are demanding that Ms. Zara tuck them in,” a housekeeper said politely.
“Go,” Charlie said, massaging the tired frown that had appeared on his brow. He no longer wanted to look
at her.
While reading their bedtime story to the twins, Zara was so distracted that she stumbled over a few
sentences.
“Ms. Zara, are you feeling unwell?” Rachel reached out to touch Zara’s forehead.
Zara didn’t know what to feel at their concern.
The kids had been away from her since they were babies. She didn’t feel anything for them.
However, she knew they were her only chance at marrying into the Listford family.
“Kids, you shouldn’t call me Ms. Zara,” she said as she leaned closer to them. “Actually, I’m your real mom.
The twins just laughed as if she had told a joke. “You’re lying, Ms. Zara! You’re not our mom!”
Zara continued convincing them. “I’m not lying. You guys aren’t her kids. That’s why you hate your mom so
much.”
At that, Zachary snatched the storybook from her and tore it to shreds. “Liar! We hate Mom, but she’s from a rich family in Blairville! That’s why she could give birth to kids as smart and cute as us!”
Zara’s face twitched in shock.
Rachel hurriedly tried to console her. “It’s okay, Ms. Zara! Even though you’re too poor for our dad to like
you, Zach and I still want you!”
Rachel had unknowingly poured salt on Zara’s wound. Zara’s expression grew dark and menacing.
The smile that had begun to form on her lips was fading from the anger she felt.
