The Illegitimate Flame: Bride of Ashes
Chapter 73- happiness

Chapter 73: Chapter 73- happiness

Harold had been wheeling and dealing in the business world for decades, always leaning on the family’s power to get where he was today. Now, with the aging Zanya out of the picture and the rising powerhouse ZT Group backing him, Harold felt unstoppable—fearless like never before.

"But I’m curious," Manfred said, crossing his legs casually, completely unbothered by Harold’s presence, his tone sharp and deliberate. "As your future son-in-law, how come the young master of Black Rock Co. just stood by and watched his own father-in-law fall into trouble without lifting a finger?"

Harold blinked, shaking his head. "Manfred, you’ve got it all wrong. The boss of Black Rock Co. isn’t my son-in-law. My youngest daughter is married to Philip Elwin—Philip, not him."

Manfred, now the major investor behind Louis Corp, naturally had no reason to doubt Harold’s words.

"Tsk, tsk," Manfred scoffed, a twisted grin creeping onto his face. "Louis, you don’t know your daughter as well as I do. Your little Janet’s been carrying Charles’s child. They even went abroad on vacation together last month. How conservative can your thinking still be? Philip, ha! Do you really think your daughter’s some chaste maiden, waiting faithfully by a cripple’s side?"

His laugh was wild, half-mocking, half-revealing a bitter truth he hated to admit. Ever since Charles took Janet overseas, Manfred knew he had seized the upper hand—Janet’s heart belonged entirely to Charles.

"What did you say? That’s impossible!" Harold stood up in disbelief, like he’d just heard a nightmare come true, repeating the words as if to make sure.

"Oh, and I’ve heard the latest cooperation between Louis Corp and Meibang was all orchestrated by Charles. It was intentional. Do you get that?" Manfred said lazily, as if discussing the weather.

"Why would he do that?" Harold knew all too well Charles’s ruthless methods. He thought Charles was just too powerful to escape, but if this was deliberate sabotage, then why had Charles coldly refused him when he came begging? Even invoking Janet hadn’t moved him.

Harold recalled that day vividly. Charles had outright rejected him—unmoved, indifferent.

"Well, that’s for you to figure out. Everything he’s done—every move—was for the woman he loves. Harold, what have you ever done for your daughter?" Manfred teased with a sly grin.

He already knew Janet was Louis’s illegitimate child, so everything Charles did was justified in his eyes.

"N-no, Janet..." Harold’s mind was spinning. He should have seen this coming. When Janet first married into the Elwin family, it was Charles who brought her back to the Louis household.

Charles and Janet—they were truly meant for each other, weren’t they?

Harold hurriedly left ZT Group and immediately dialed Janet’s number.

"Janet, where are you?"

"At the office. What’s wrong?" Janet’s brows furrowed slightly. Harold sounded unusually anxious. Ever since she left the Louis household, he had barely said a word to her, let alone asked how she was doing.

"Janet, are you with Charles right now? What about Philip? He’s your husband!" In Harold’s mind, Janet had always been the obedient, sensible daughter. She wasn’t someone who would act out like this. It didn’t make sense.

"Why shouldn’t I be with him?" Janet’s voice rose, her tone sharp with anger. "You were the one who pushed me into the Elwin family, remember?"

Back then, when she was married off like a pawn, Harold hadn’t even bothered to attend her wedding. All they cared about was the Louis family’s public image.

"You know Elvira likes Charles. Are you doing this on purpose?" Harold snapped. Her rebellious tone irritated him. He knew he hadn’t been a good father, but that didn’t mean he didn’t care.

"In your eyes, is it always just Elvira?" Janet’s heart chilled at his words. Just moments ago, she had been pleading with Charles to help Louis Corp. And now... thinking back, she felt like a complete fool. She had sworn she wouldn’t care about anything related to the Louis family anymore, and yet she still couldn’t bear to watch them fall.

But the man who was supposedly her father—he only ever spoke of his precious eldest daughter.

"Janet..." Harold softened. He knew she’d misunderstood. What he feared wasn’t that she was with Charles—it was that history was repeating itself. He didn’t want her to end up like Cornelia, caught in a love that would only bring pain. Charles was dangerous, powerful. Could a man like that truly love someone like Janet?

"I’ve already divorced Philip," Janet said coldly. "Who I’m with now is none of your business. I haven’t brought shame to the Louis family. As for your precious Elvira—who she likes is her problem, not mine. All I know is, I’m going to fight for the man I want."

Janet hung up the phone without hesitation. Harold’s figure—his very existence—needed to be erased from her mind once and for all.

She had no father. Not someone like him.

At this moment, she felt deeply insecure.

Harold had never protected her—not when Elvira bullied her, not when they forced her into that marriage. And now, when she had finally found her own happiness, he dared to take someone else’s side?

"Charles!"

She had just reached the office when Charles’ tall, imposing figure stepped out from a call. The sharp edges of his features softened as he saw her. A gentle smile tugged at his lips as he reached out and tenderly brushed a hand through her hair.

The moment she saw him, her heart began to race. That phone call—the bitterness and ache—faded instantly. Charles had always been her safe place.

"Janet, come somewhere with me tonight, will you?"

He held her shoulders gently, his eyes alight with some unspoken joy, lips curled into a half-smile as he asked.

"Where are we going?" Janet asked nervously, seeing the seriousness in his expression.

The last time he had taken her to a business banquet hosted by SA Group, the incident that followed had left her deeply shaken. Ever since then, Charles hadn’t taken her to a single event. And honestly... she had preferred it that way.

"To meet some people very important to me. I think you’ll like them."

Charles smiled mysteriously, tapping her nose with a teasing affection, his expression softening even further.

It was time. Time to introduce Janet to Shaun and the others—his brothers in arms, friends forged through fire and blood.

For the first time in a long while, Charles felt no envy when he thought of Shaun and Angela’s passionate bond, or Brian and Samantha’s steadfast devotion. Because now... he had his own happiness.

When Charles brought Janet into a gorgeous estate surrounded by blooming lilies, she finally realized—they were attending a birthday party for a friend’s daughter.

And that friend... was Shaun.

"Well, well, who do we have here? Charles, about time you showed up!"

A charming, dark-suited man with a roguish smile pushed past the crowd, making his way toward them.

"Miss Janet! We meet again. My son’s still talking about you, you know!"

Shaun’s teasing eyes fell on Janet, and his smile widened knowingly. Charles hadn’t known they’d met before—much less that even Shaun’s little son, Callum, had already met her.

"You two... know each other?"

Charles raised a brow in surprise. But his arm instinctively tightened around Janet’s waist, holding her closer.