Chapter 4 Tangled

Chapter 4

Tangled

"Exactly, without Mom, what are you even capable of? Dad, even if that bitch Charlotte is now Mrs. Conley, you should see the current situation clearly. Do you really think she can take over the Dakota family? I never thought you'd stoop so low as to collaborate with a sick woman. Honestly, I'm ashamed of you." Dakota Charles's insults continued mercilessly.

Dakota Will face darkened instantly, his patience wearing thin as he warned through gritted teeth, "Don't forget-I'm still your father. No matter how much I dote on you, you should know your place."

"My father? A real father wouldn't team up with Charlotte," she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

"It's... It's all Charlotte's scheme! She's pitting us against each other-"

"Pitting us against each other? You think that's the right term to describe *us*?" Anita scoffed, her disbelief evident.

"I'm not lying to you."

"But the damage is already done. Instead of sitting here making excuses, why don't you take some real action? Otherwise, don't expect us to believe a word you say. The Tems family will be back soon, and I'll make that bitch pay for everything she's done to me. I'd hate for us to reach that point, don't you agree?" Anita arched an eyebrow, her tone laced with cold challenge.

"Fine. I'll give you a satisfactory answer. Charlotte's manipulation is insidious, but I'll prove it to you." Dakota Hurley clenched his fists, his restraint pushed to the limit.

Silence engulfed the car.

That same suffocating silence filled the living room of the Gu residence.

When Charlotte stepped back inside, all eyes locked onto her.

"Impressive. Rumor had it you married a fool, but now? I'm genuinely surprised. Having a woman like her by Conley Crack's side... I suppose that's reassuring." Conley murray narrowed his eyes, his voice low and calculated.

Conley Crack would *never* marry an idiot. If this woman was already making moves, did it mean...? He couldn't allow this branch of the family to gain momentum.

Conley Pan frowned. How could he possibly explain this now?

"So you teamed up with my sister just to put my husband in the hospital? You're a bad person, and so is she! From now on, you're not allowed in my house. If you dare bully my husband again, I'll beat you up every time I see you-until you cry for your mom!" she warned, her voice fierce and unyielding.

"Wasn't she perfectly normal just now? And now she's acting dumb again? What a waste of talent not becoming an actress," Conley murray sneered.

Charlotte covered her cheeks, her lips curling into a grin. "Hehehe, that means I can leave now. Assistant Liu, you can come out-I won."

Louis slowly stepped forward from the shadows.

"Master Conley, Mr. Conley, Second Young Master."

"What's going on here?"

"Young Master Conley stumbled upon some clues suggesting the Dakota family would cause trouble today, so he asked me to investigate. We did uncover some things. To prepare, we coached the young mistress to put on a convincing act. As you can see, everything went smoothly," he explained in a hushed tone.

"So you trained her in advance?"

"Yes."

Charlotte rubbed her eyes and stretched lazily. "My performance is over, so the rest has nothing to do with me. I'm going to stay with my husband now. Grandpa, if you don't care about him, I do. If anything happens to him, I'll fight you all to the death."

For Charlotte, this night had finally come to an end.

Winning this little game had lifted her spirits considerably.

"I never expected Conley Crack to dig up so much."

"Mr. Conley, we have to survive somehow. Even when we mind our own business, people won't leave us alone. Even if Young Master Conley has no interest in competing, some still refuse to back off. Should we just sit around waiting to die?" Louis shot back.

"Are you sure Charlotte was acting? Are you sure she's really a fool?"

"You trust Dr. Margret, don't you? He confirmed it himself. We're not afraid to have her examined again if you doubt it."

He knew Margret Sonia well enough-if the man said someone was sick, it definitely wasn't a lie.

Maybe he was just overthinking it.

"Elder Cousin, don't team up with shady people to do anything that harms the Conley family. Grandfather always said fair competition is acceptable, but anyone who schemes behind the scenes will regret it," Conley Pan warned with genuine concern.

"Grandfather, I wouldn't-"

"If you fail to secure the 'Hua'an' project, I'll reconsider the family succession," Conley Sage cut in, his voice as cold as ice.

"Grandfather-"

"When Conley Crack was in charge, I never had to worry. If you lack the ability to handle this responsibility, learn to share it. And if I find out you've done anything to harm the Conley family-or its members-you know the consequences." His tone left no room for argument.

Though resentful, Conley murray nodded stiffly. "Grandfather, I won't let you down."

With that, he strode out, leaving the three of them alone in the vast living room.

"Louis, be honest with me-is Charlotte really faking her madness? Does Conley Crack know everything?" Conley Sage pressed sharply.

"I wish Young Master Conley did know. I wish his wife could actually support him in every way. But things didn't turn out that way. If he had known the truth from the start, he wouldn't be lying in that bed right now. Every word Charlotte said was scripted by me." Louis spoke plainly.

After all, no one truly understood Charlotte's capabilities.

"You're certain?"

"If Young Master Conley were truly capable, would he have been constantly outmaneuvered by Mr. Conley? Even if his health has declined, his temperament hasn't changed. The truth is, his abilities have always been limited."

Conley Sage seemed convinced by these words, letting out a heavy sigh. "I thought Charlotte... This birthday will be unforgettable for me. I'll get to the bottom of the Dakota family and Conley madison affairs. If they've crossed my principles, none of them will get away with it."

With that, Conley Sage left as well.

Conley Pan frowned and shot Louis a sidelong glance. "I hope my brother isn't lying to me."

"At least for now, there's no concrete evidence that the young mistress was faking her condition. Young Master Conley wouldn't deceive you."

"Good. Take good care of my brother, then." He stood and walked away.

Louis's gaze darkened before he, too, departed.

Back in the room, Charlotte sat beside the sleeping Conley Crack, her small hand clutching his larger one as her eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen. I never thought you'd get hurt because of me."

"Don't be afraid, Charlotte. I'll protect you," he murmured in his sleep.

Her voice softened to a whisper as she leaned into his embrace. "For three years, no one cared whether I lived or died. No one would ever risk their life for me... Conley Crack, I promise-I'll save you."

Suddenly, Conley Crack stirred.

"Husband? Are you awake? How do you feel? Does anything hurt?" Her lips trembled, tears spilling over in an instant. "I was so scared something would happen to you..."

"I'm fine."

"How can you be fine? You lost so much blood..."

Slowly, he sat up, cupping her face in his hands as he gently wiped away her tears. His voice was tender, filled with quiet devotion. "I'll always protect you."

Entwined of all

"Everyone says I'm an idiot, so why are you so good to me?" Charlotte trembled with confusion.

"No, you're just sick. If you follow the treatment properly, you'll be fine," Conley Crack replied, his words filling her with a warmth she'd never felt before.

"Wow, hubby, don't be so nice to me. I-I can't handle it if you're this good. Hug me, hubby. Please, please don't ever get hurt, or I'll fall apart. I just need you by my side." Charlotte buried herself in his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

He couldn't help but chuckle, gently lifting her chin until their eyes met.

"I'll always protect you like this," Conley Crack murmured, gazing at her tenderly before slowly pressing his lips to hers.

This time, Charlotte didn't resist. She closed her eyes, surrendering to the kiss-her first time truly embracing his affection.

She couldn't put her emotions into words. Maybe it was love. Maybe it was gratitude. All she knew was that it felt warm.

When Conley Crack finally pulled away, he smiled softly. "Never be afraid. I'll always be here to guard you. My wife deserves all my love. Now sleep tight."

Cradled in his arms, Charlotte felt safe and content.

Only after she was certain Conley Crack had fallen into a deep sleep did she stir. She had to be sure-last time, she thought she'd drugged him, only for him to catch her meeting Scotfield Mark.

After triple-checking, she slipped out into the night and made her way to the Dakota residence.

Dakota Charles was half-asleep when she rolled over and glimpsed a shadowy figure in the dark. At first, she thought it was a dream-until she rubbed her eyes.

With a startled scream, she flicked on the light.

"Dakota... Charlotte, what are you doing in my room? How did you-"

Charlotte eyes were glazed over as she suddenly leaped onto the bed. Without hesitation, she stuffed a corner of the quilt into Dakota Charles's mouth and raised her hand-a sharp slap landed with a resounding crack.

"Mmph! Mmmph!" Dakota Charles's muffled cries for help were utterly futile.

Charlotte didn't stop until she had beaten Dakota Charles's face swollen beyond recognition. Only then did she finally release her.

Terrified, Dakota Charles scrambled to the far side of the bed, trembling as she stared at her assailant. "Y-you're insane! How dare you hit me like this?"

"Of course I'm insane," Charlotte retorted, her voice icy. "But you're the ones who keep provoking me. I warned you-no one lays a finger on my husband. Cross me once, and I'll strike back twice. Dakota Charles, maybe I can't outsmart you, but my methods are simple and brutal. Come at me again if you've got a death wish." Her tone dripped with unshakable dominance.

"I... I..." Dakota Charles gulped, too frightened to continue.

"Still want to play games?"

"Charlotte, you're too much!" Dakota Charles spat, her voice shaking. "First you tamper with our videos, then you manipulate all of us like puppets. Tell me the truth-did Dad really team up with you? Or is this just another one of your schemes?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Charlotte smirked. "But one thing's for sure-Dad loves me best." Her voice was unwavering.

"Ahhh!" Dakota Charles shrieked in frustration.

Charlotte merely crossed her arms, unfazed.

Anita and Dakota Hurley hurried into the room, their faces etched with anxiety.

"What-what did you do to Dakota Charles, Charlotte?" Anita demanded, her voice tight with tension.

"She bullied me and hurt my husband, so I gave her a beating," Charlotte replied coolly.

"Charlotte, tell them the truth! There was never any collaboration between us. You're not stupid at all-why keep pretending now? How could I have a daughter like you?" Dakota Hurley blurted out, finally revealing the deception.

"Dad, you already took the money. Isn't it a bit late to back out now? You said yourself that with the money, you could regain your standing in the Dakota family. You told me Auntie was too domineering, that you couldn't stand her. I was helping you! And now you're blaming me?" She pouted her crimson lips, radiating defiance.

"You-you're lying!"

"Dad, when did I lie? You were the one who told me the real USB drive was in your safe, and then-"

"Dakota Hurley, you'd better watch your back. If I find out you were behind this, I'll make you pay!" Anita hissed before storming out with Dakota Charles to hunt for the USB drive.

"Charlotte, you little-"

"Dad, your choice of words for me is truly unique. But I get it-you're furious. I warned you not to play games with me. You didn't listen. Whose fault is that?" She smirked, her expression dripping with disdain.

"You-you really-" Dakota Hurley sputtered, too enraged to form a coherent sentence.

"I know you love them. Even when it comes to self-interest, you'd still weigh the pros and cons. Did you really think I'd trust you? That USB drive has been in my hands all along. The money you got? That was from me. I wanted them to lose faith in you. No matter how much love you pour into them, no matter how much evidence you gather, it's useless-just like three years ago, when I told you I wasn't sick and you ignored me. How does it feel now?" Her smile was radiant, almost mocking.

"You're a monster. You're terrifying."

"Me, terrifying? Dad, I'm just showing you their true colors. You've sacrificed everything for them, and what did it get you? Let's be honest-Anita only sticks around for the shares you control. And has Dakota Charles ever respected you? To them, you're nothing but a lapdog." Her words were deliberate, each one a needle to his pride.

"Stop trying to turn us against each other, Charlotte! I-"

"Shh, stop howling like a banshee in the middle of the night, unless you want me to personally deliver you to the psych ward. Care to test me?" Charlotte threatened in a hushed tone.

Dakota Hurley was genuinely terrified and immediately clamped his mouth shut.

"I knew you'd see reason. After all, Dad, you raised me for so many years-it's only fair I give you a little gift. Here, this is for you." She handed him an envelope.

Though reluctant, Dakota Hurley opened it.

The moment he saw the photos inside, his face darkened instantly.

"That's right. Anita has been keeping a toy boy on the side. They've been working together to bleed the Dakota family dry. Why else do you think our company's performance has plummeted? Every single business plan leaked-it was her doing," Charlotte said, watching him closely.

"No way, she wouldn't-"

"No way? Have you forgotten how she seduced you in the first place? Or how she and Dakota Charles lived before she clawed her way up? You can't be that clueless. Did you really think she'd stay faithful?" Another lethal question.

"You don't have to believe me, but at least do some digging. Look back at the last three years since I left-how your standing in the Dakota family has crumbled, how much control over the money you've actually lost. If you keep groveling for Anita like this, she'll toss you aside for her boy toy. And you're just going to take it?" Every word from Charlotte struck like a dagger.

"I... I..." Dakota Hurley stammered, unable to form a coherent response.

After all, even if Charlotte was lying, the truth would come out with the slightest investigation.

And the past three years had unfolded exactly as she described.

Could it be true? Had Anita really been cheating on him all this time?