CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97- IMPOSSIBLE!

Ever since August left Black Rock Co., neither of them ever mentioned his name. But after seeing him today—his downfall so clear—Janet wondered if her sudden fiery passion was just because she felt sorry for him and wanted to win Charles over.

Suddenly, a jealous fire blazed up inside Charles. Was all this effort she was putting in—this desperate need to please him—just so he’d let August off the hook?

"Woman, do you even know what you’re saying?" Charles called her that every time anger flared up in him. Janet knew all too well the deep hatred between Charles and August. She had planned to pretend she knew nothing and just stay by his side. But if one day he found out the truth, the conscience crushed by hate would make him regret—and suffer even more. When tragedy struck, it would be too late for regrets.

The father he always looked up to was nothing but a devil pushing him into hell. And August—he was the only family Charles had left.

"You can’t hurt him, Charles. Please, let August go!" Janet’s heart was torn apart by contradictions. She longed to tell him the truth but forced herself to stay silent. The heavy burden she carried was exhausting, and she couldn’t bear to see them destroy each other while Derrick watched coldly from the sidelines.

"So, now you’re pleading for him?" Charles pushed himself up from the bed, eyes sharp and unforgiving. He thought her heart was fully his—that she was his woman, his wife. Knowing how much he hated August, she was now begging on his behalf. He gave a cold smile—was his Janet too kind, or did he simply not know her at all? He didn’t need her whole-hearted love, just to stand quietly behind him, say nothing, ask nothing. Then he could go ahead and finish what needed to be done.

He promised Derrick—only by getting rid of August could he be with her without any obstacles. Had she not felt the weight of this?

"Please... even for me... can you spare August’s life?" Janet winced under his icy gaze. She knew she shouldn’t have put herself in the middle again—she hadn’t even learned from the last mistake, foolishly hurting him with the most direct plea.

"Impossible! Janet, I love you, but I have my principles. Don’t ever try to provoke me—that benefits no one!" Charles swung his legs off the bed and strode naked to the wardrobe, grabbing clothes to change.

It was nearly midnight, but for the first time, after losing his temper, he stormed out without looking back. Janet called after him, but his proud silhouette didn’t waver.

With a loud slam, the door shut behind him, footsteps echoed downstairs. Janet scrambled out of bed and chased after him, only to see him already driving away.

"Charles! Where are you going?" The night breeze lifted her nightdress and tousled her long hair. She ran after him, but it was like he didn’t even hear her. The black Bugatti vanished into the dark, leaving nothing but an empty space where he had been.

The sharp pain in her chest was unlike anything before. Charles never stayed out all night—today, she had truly broken his heart. He couldn’t bear to stay another moment in this suffocating home.

Tears fell like rain as Janet stood trembling in the wind, hands covering her mouth to stifle her sobs.

"Did I do something wrong?"

The pressure weighing on her was no less heavy than his. The torment she endured, she swallowed alone, with tears held deep inside. She just wanted to protect him, to ease his pain—even if he didn’t know it.

Charles rolled down the window and slammed the accelerator to the floor. The night road was nearly empty. Janet’s pleas weighed heavily on him. There was no way he could let go of that hatred just for a woman. Yet she kept pushing him into impossible corners. Derrick was right—once love got involved, there was no turning back.

The cold wind whipped against his cheek, but his mind remained clear. Even now, he worried about that foolish woman running out without proper clothes—would she catch a cold?

He was losing his mind.

Loving her was exhausting. From the very start, it was all his one-sided demand. Since that wrong night, he’d forced himself on her, inexplicably kept her close as his secretary, and she’d unknowingly carried his child. Without that child, without that trip to Paris, would she still be by Philip’s side—his sister-in-law?

The answer was no. Even without all those outside factors, he would still be helplessly drawn to her. He wanted her. Ever since the moment he first saw her ten years ago, he could never let her go.

He flipped open his phone and dialed a familiar number. After a long wait, Shaun’s disgruntled curse came through the line. "Who’s this? Who’s bothering this young master in the middle of the night?"

"What are you up to? Come out for a drink!" Charles plugged in his Bluetooth headset. Through the phone, he caught a few suggestive sighs. Frowning, he listened to Shaun’s irritated tone, realizing he really was interrupting something.

"Of course I’m busy getting cozy with my wife. Charles, seriously? Drinking at this hour? Your wife can’t satisfy you?" Shaun’s disbelief was clear. The usually rational ’Shura’ was calling him for a drink at night?

"Cut the whining. You in or not? If not, I’ll go find Chen!" Charles growled impatiently, one hand on the wheel as he steered toward Hell’s Bar.

"Alright, guess I’ll sacrifice myself. Chen’s emotionally unavailable right now—we married guys better not poke the bear!" Shaun hung up, catching Angela’s curious gaze as she blinked at him. He turned and pounced on her, lingering as he said, "Wifey, I gotta head out. Looks like Charles got his heart bruised—need to go comfort him."

"Fine, go quick!" Angela had been nearby during the call. She could hear the loneliness dripping from Charles’s voice and didn’t ask more. Their brotherhood wasn’t something easily measured. Angela rarely saw Charles so sorrowful—could Janet be the cause?