The Illegitimate Flame: Bride of Ashes-Chapter 22- gift

Appreciative and approving gazes lingered on Charles for a few seconds before shifting to the white figure standing nearby. At that moment, Terrence released his hold on Zixi and stepped forward to embrace Janet warmly. "Long time no see, Janet—you just keep getting more beautiful!"

The heartfelt compliment was thick with genuine affection and concern. It was that wide, warm embrace that instantly brought tears to Janet’s eyes. She hugged tightly back at Terrence, who stood a solid six feet tall, nodding as she said, "Bro, you’re finally back!"

Janet had spent ten years with the Louis family, but hadn’t spent much time with Louis Terrence himself. Later, when he went abroad to study, they kept in touch from time to time. His messages always carried care and fondness—he truly treated her like a younger sister. Well, more than that—they shared half their blood; they were siblings by blood.

When Charles heard the name Zoey, his sharp eyes narrowed slightly. His cold and distant gaze seemed to pierce through mountains and rivers as he carefully appraised the charming, mature woman before him. The thin curve of his lips lifted into a captivating, yet enigmatic smile. Undeniably, the moment Zoey saw Charles, her heart churned wildly. Charles—those three letters burned into her memory like an indelible shame. She could never forget how, as his former fiancée, she had been deceived and toyed with by him.

"What a coincidence," Zoey said smoothly, extending her hand to Charles with a composed grace. Her big, seductive eyes sparkled with a mixture of admiration and resentment. After her engagement was broken off by the Elwin family, she had met Terrence in France. Though he was a fine man, he was just another wealthy playboy living life extravagantly without the unique charisma of a self-made man. Compared to Charles, Terrence clearly paled in comparison.

"Zoey really is everywhere," Charles sneered, offering only a mocking handshake, brushing his fingers over the back of her pale hand with a disdainful glance that betrayed his true feelings.

Zoey’s cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment—she hadn’t expected him to be so cold and disrespectful. Had she not been tangled in rumors and dumped by the Elwin family, she might already have been the woman by his side.

Terrence had just returned to the country and only recently learned that Janet was married—but Anila had kept that from him. Janet had been forced to marry into the Elwin family in Elvira’s place. Now, looking at the handsome, elegant man standing before them—with his dangerous charm—Terrence’s affectionate gaze rested on Janet’s serene face. Then, noticing the charged exchange between Charles and Zoey, he asked with some curiosity, "Did you two know each other before?"

"Zoey’s a world-famous supermodel—everyone’s heard of her," Charles said with a faint smile before Zoey could even speak. Without making it obvious, he gently pulled Janet—who was in Terrence’s arms—into his own embrace. His inscrutable gaze told Janet right away that things were far more complicated beneath the surface.

"Elwin is too kind. Didn’t expect you to get married so quickly!" Zoey’s eyes flickered with a brief flash of jealousy as they landed on the petite woman in his arms. She hadn’t imagined that Terrence’s little sister would turn out to be Charles’s wife.

"No, that’s not—" Janet tried to explain the nature of her relationship with Charles. Even though the man beside her was so impressive, he ultimately didn’t belong to her.

But Charles didn’t give her the chance to speak. Instead, he cupped her soft cheek with one hand, his eyes silently telling her to stop before she said anything more.

The intimate gesture between Charles and Janet instantly looked like something flirtatious to Terrence and Zoey. Janet’s eyes widened as she glared at him in mild displeasure, but then she caught the faint, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Whoa, what wind blew the second Miss Louis back here?" A slender figure appeared from upstairs, her tone sharp and laced with her usual spoiled arrogance, cutting through the moment like a knife.

"Elvira, that’s no way to speak," Terrence said, frowning at the newcomer, not noticing the flicker of something in Zoey’s eyes.

The next second, Elvira—wearing a flowing Vanesa August chiffon gown—froze when she spotted the handsome man standing next to Janet.

"Y-you are..." Elvira stared at Charles, who looked striking and elegant, the very image of grace. There was no trace of the rumors she’d heard about Philip Elwin being disabled.

"Charles!" Charles, ever the gentleman, caught both Janet’s and Elvira’s contrasting gazes with effortless charm, patiently stating his name.

At the sound of it, Elvira was stunned once again.

Why had no one told her that Charles was actually Philip Elwin’s son?

"Mom!" Elvira cried out, heading toward Anila, who was busy arranging dinner in the living room. Her sharp eyes were full of shock and disbelief.

Charles casually pointed a finger at Janet’s tightly bitten lip. The simple touch sent a jolt like electricity through them both. His gaze reassured her silently—where he was, she would never suffer any injustice.

The identity of Charles as the mysterious behind-the-scenes CEO of Black Rock Co. had always been shrouded in secrecy. Before now, no one had realized that Charles was also Derrick’s son—the very man betrothed to the Louis family ten years ago.

The unexpected revelation made Elvira unable to take her eyes off Charles the moment she saw him.

Handsome, noble, elegant, and unfathomable—Charles embodied all the best qualities of a man. Elvira finally understood what it meant to be truly captivated.

Meanwhile, sitting beside Terrence, Zoey had already clearly seen the look of admiration in Elvira’s eyes. As a woman herself, facing such a perfect man stirred feelings that defied reason and beckoned to her heart.

"From now on, Janet, I’ll be counting on President Elwin to look after you," Harold said with a hint of doubt, but seeing how close the two were, he actually felt comforted—especially compared to the resentment and regret flashing in Elvira and Anila’s eyes.

"That goes without saying," Charles replied smoothly. "Whether it’s work or life, I’ll take good care of her." He deliberately paused just before those last words, then turned to Janet with a captivating smile. Under the table, his hand slowly found hers, entwining their fingers. Janet’s heart skipped several beats all at once.

He was saying all this for Philip, wasn’t he?

Janet glanced sideways at his sharp, defined profile, half-listening to the words flowing from his thin lips—words that tugged fiercely at the deepest, most unbreakable chords within her.

The atmosphere suddenly stiffened. The mother and daughter, who had never shown Janet a kind face before, remained silent throughout the entire meal. Whether it was because Terrence was present or because of Charles, they didn’t utter a single word. Even Janet noticed the unabashed admiring glances Elvira kept casting at Charles, but he deliberately avoided meeting her eyes.

Then, just before leaving, Charles shocked everyone by tossing a check along with deeds to two adjoining hotels and an undeveloped island to Harold—as a parting gift.

A stunned silence fell over the room.

But Charles couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his handsome face. Without looking back, he took Janet’s hand and walked away.