Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game-Chapter 34 - 032 Shadow

Perhaps in some aspects, Charlotte Miller is like a genius, but in others, she is incredibly foolish.

Did she really think that by pairing up with another man, he would be completely oblivious?

"Why would you care, why didn’t you tell me sooner?" Charlotte was still wearing a long dress but had no energy to fuss anymore, so she sat down on the sofa next to him, leaning intimately against him.

"Besides, there’s really nothing between Ethan and me, just friendship that might be more like the bond between confidants or siblings, but that’s it. If there were anything, I would have married him two years ago, you understand?" She spoke solemnly, her small face serene. Perhaps she was a bit guilty before, but after bringing it up, she felt much calmer.

"You’re sharp-tongued. Don’t you find anything inappropriate about a married woman spending the night at sea with a single man?" Atlas Hallow held her small hand in his large palm, slowly squeezing it as if he might crush it. The pain made her let out a small cry but she allowed him to knead it like soft clay. If it could ease his anger, that would be great.

"I will tell you from now on. If you don’t like it, I won’t go..." Charlotte sighed inwardly. Ethan Baird still hoped to continue working with her, but judging by Atlas Hallow’s current reaction, it seemed unlikely he would agree.

"From now on?" She was still thinking about the future, which was quite bold, but her gentle words did quench a lot of the fire in his heart.

"Atlas Hallow, can we discuss this over dinner? You wouldn’t want me fainting here, would you?" Charlotte was really struggling. She’s the kind of person who needs to eat as soon as she’s hungry, otherwise, the emptiness in her stomach makes her feel terrible and unable to do anything.

The restaurant on the fourth floor had a large glass dome. When the lights shone at night, the dishes there were all fusion cuisine. Looking at them made Charlotte’s mouth water. When Atlas Hallow sat down, his brows never relaxed, the furrow deep like a carved Sichuan character, making him seem excessively serious.

Charlotte ordered a few dishes, not knowing what Atlas liked, and passed the menu over, seemingly to ask for his opinion. frёewebηovel.cѳm

"If you order a dish I like, then today’s issue will be forgotten. If not, guess what your consequence will be?" There was a hint of playfulness in his voice, making it hard to gauge his intentions. If she couldn’t guess his favorite dish, what could he possibly do? Have the chef cook her right then and there?

Charlotte bit her lip, handed the menu to the waiter, and softly said, "Please serve every dish on the menu, thank you..."

He was looking for trouble with her, it was downright annoying. After ordering, Charlotte smiled sweetly at him, "Is this okay, Mr. Hallow?"

A clever woman indeed, Atlas lifted a glass of water from the table and took a sip. "What a waste, can you eat all of it?"

Atlas Hallow never wasted food; it was his habit.

"I don’t need that many clothes, yet you bought them all anyway. Isn’t that more wasteful? Or is it only the state officials who are allowed to set fires while the common people can’t light a lamp?" Charlotte thought about how he really did buy an entire store just now—it was a bit much. Those clothes would last her for years.

"Learned to talk back, have you?" Atlas put down his glass of water, his eyes meeting hers. She was intelligent yet mischievous.

Spend enough time with her, and you’d find her different qualities. Like today, she had the boldness to order every dish just to avoid missing the one he liked, evading the punishment he spoke of.

"This isn’t talking back; it’s a survival instinct." Charlotte spoke earnestly, then watched as the dishes were served one by one, indiscriminately devouring them.

"You don’t even know what your husband likes to eat. Isn’t that a good reason to punish you?" Atlas feigned dissatisfaction, watching her eat with abandon.

"I truly can’t figure out your tastes. Why do you drink coffee for breakfast? That’s not strange, but why pair it with potstickers?" She honestly had never seen anyone pair coffee with potstickers before. Was it her fault she couldn’t guess his taste? He never had a consistent taste.

"Besides, what era is this? I have my own judgment. Of course, I should have told you earlier, and that’s my fault. But don’t you think you’re being a little unreasonable by being angry?" Charlotte smiled, speaking so gently that there was no sense of blame in her voice, leaving no reason for one to stay angry.

The cunning girl, blaming him on one hand while smiling knowingly—which was so charming, it felt more like praise than a scold. It truly made it difficult to be harsh with her.

Ava Walker, eager to watch the drama, stayed in the living room all day despite not feeling well. By dusk, a delivery of clothes arrived, reportedly bought by Mr. Hallow for Mrs. Hallow. The delivery workers were supposed to organize them in Mrs. Hallow’s closet, but the Hallow Family servants dared not let them enter the master bedroom. So, two maids who frequently tidied the master bedroom hung them in the closet instead.

"Didn’t expect the young master to be so considerate. The clothes are beautiful."

"Not just clothes, but shoes, bags, scarves—everything coordinated..." The servants whispered as they exited Atlas Hallow’s room, unexpectedly catching sight of Ava Walker’s resentful face.

What was Atlas Hallow thinking? Knowing his wife spent a night on a yacht with another man, yet showering Charlotte Miller with clothes to please her? It was unbelievable.

Yet such an inexplicable event happened, with racks of clothes filling the living room. The servants busied themselves with folding and organizing them. She used to be the most favored woman in this house, but now it seemed her role had been replaced. Charlotte had become the number one lady here. And her?

The previously most cherished status had vanished, creating a gap so immense it was excruciating, like a constantly gnawing creature with sharp teeth biting into her heart.

She couldn’t believe that Atlas Hallow would truly fall for Charlotte Miller. There was a shadow in his heart, one that had accompanied and occupied him over a long period.

There was no way he could fall for Charlotte so soon. Ava thought that a lifetime of companionship would make Atlas like her, accept her. The fact he ultimately didn’t love her wasn’t surprising, but what about Charlotte?

Nobody in this world could replace or defeat the shadow, not even Charlotte...