With one decisive bite and a firm stomp, he raised the cup of tea to his lips and gulped it down in a single motion. By drinking this tea, he was silently agreeing to Charlie’s new terms, which unexpectedly transformed his one-year sentence into a two-year ordeal.


    Sam felt utterly devoid of tears; a profound emptiness washed over him, leaving his body devoid of spirit. Loreen was taken aback by the turn of events. While the others were unaware of the underlying tensions between Charlie and Sam, she was fully in the know.


    It was Charlie who had initiallypelled Sam to ride his bike all the way from Eastcliff to Aurous Hill, where he endured hardship and transformation. Now, with Charlie once again ying cryptic games with numbers, Loreen felt a wave of unease wash over her.


    In a hushed tone, she turned to Sam and asked, “Brother, what’s happening?”


    Defeated, Sam handed his phone to Loreen. The screen disyed a message from his mother, Lydia, on WeChat.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    After reading the message, Loreen was left in shock!


    She never imagined that Charlie would be so ruthless as to double her cousin’s suffering. Yet, her sympathy for Sam was fleeting.


    Her mind raced as she reyed the events leading up to this moment, searching for where Sam might have crossed Charlie.


    “Did my cousin offend Charlie?”


    “It doesn’t seem like it… He has always been extremely polite to Charlie, practically bowing and calling him ‘big brother’.”


    “What about ire? Did he offend her?”


    “That doesn’t seem likely either! Cousin is terrified of Charlie, knowing that ire is his wife; he wouldn’t even dream of having any ill thoughts about her.”


    “Could it be that he offended ire’s parents?”


    “No way! Cousin has been nothing but humble since he arrived; he certainly doesn’t act like a spoiled second son.”


    “Then where exactly did he go wrong with Charlie?”


    Loreen found herself deep in thought.


    Suddenly, her gazended on Ms. Young, who was discreetly observing Charlie from the side.


    At that moment, her heart skipped a beat!


    “Could it be… did my cousin offend Charlie by showing interest in Ms. Young?!”


    “But what connection does Charlie have with Ms. Young? She’s the vice-chairman of the Emgrand Group and has interacted with ire, but their rtionship with Charlie can’t be too close!”


    “Even if there is some connection, why would Charlie be upset with my cousin for something rted to Ms. Young?”<fnd6b4> Chapters first released on FindN()vel</fnd6b4>


    “And the way Ms. Young looked at Charlie… something seems off! Is there something more going on here?!”


    Loreen’s thoughts spiraled as she contemted this possibility.


    Logically, she reasoned that there shouldn’t be any link between Charlie and Ms. Young. However, her instincts suggested that their rtionship was far moreplex than she initially perceived!