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Charlotte is the daughter of Charles’s late best friend. Her father, a man Charles deeply respected, died when she was just a child. On his deathbed, he entrusted Charlotte’s safety and future to Charles, making him promise to protect her no matter what. For years, Charles financially supported her and acting as a father figure, ensuring she had everything she needed.

But now, Charlotte has turned 18, and circumstances force her to step into Charles’s world. No longer a helpless child, she is a beautiful, intelligent young woman, and for the first time, Charles sees her differently. He fights against his emotions, knowing she’s too young, too pure, and most of all—someone he has sworn to protect. But Charlotte, unaware of his internal struggle, finds herself drawn to him, eager to prove that what they feel is real.

Torn between Duty and Desires

The teasing from Chapter 5 lingers in the air like an unspoken challenge. Charlotte notices the way Charles has started reacting differently—how his jaw tightens when she gets too close, how his fingers flex when she brushes past him, how his gaze lingers just a second longer than it should. And tonight, she decides to push a little further.

It happens in the mansion's study. Charles is at his desk, going over some documents, but his mind is elsewhere. He's distracted—by her. By the way she's sitting on the armrest of the chair opposite him, her legs crossed, playing with the pendant of her necklace.

"You seem tense," Charlotte muses, tilting her head. "Long day?"

Charles exhales slowly, keeping his focus on the papers in front of him. "Something like that."

She watches him, a teasing glint in her eyes. "You know, for someone so composed, you're awfully fidgety tonight."

He finally looks up, and that's when it happens—his mistake. Their eyes lock, and something in the air shifts. The tension crackles, thick and undeniable. Charlotte doesn't move away. If anything, she leans in just a little, challenging him without words.

"Charlotte," he warns, his voice lower than usual.

She smiles, but it's softer now, more real. "You're looking at me differently, Charles."

His throat bobs as he swallows. He should shut this down. He should stand up, put distance between them, remind her of the boundaries that should exist between them. But instead, his hand moves on its own—brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering for just a second too long.

Charlotte's breath catches. For once, the teasing is gone. It's just them now.

A confession hovers between them. It's not spoken, but it's there, in the way her lips part, in the way his hand still hasn't moved away. And just when it seems like one of them might say something—

Charles pulls away so fast it's as if he's been burned. Charlotte blinks, the spell breaking.

Mrs. Harris's voice filters through the door. "Mr. Carter, a call for you. It's Victoria Lancaster."

Silence. Charles exhales sharply, pushing back his chair. "I'll be right there."

Charlotte watches as he leaves, as if he's running from something. From her.

And for the first time, she realizes—she's not the only one playing this game.

Chapter 6: A Line Almost Crossed