C2 A glimpse encounter

As Charlotte glanced at the marked date on her calendar, she realized that only eight days remained until she discovered whether her aspirations would come to fruition, or whether she must devise an alternate plan for her future.

The insemination performed by Sophia last week had consumed her thoughts, leaving little room to process the deceitful actions of Fernando. Despite her efforts to remain composed, she frequently fantasized about the prospect of pregnancy and the new life it would bring. Even during her morning routine, she caught herself humming and lost in daydreams.

As she approached the opulent residence of her employer situated in the upscale neighborhood of Dark Valley, she was greeted by the enthusiastic voices of two youngsters calling out her name.

The exclusivity of this locality was unrivaled, as Dark Valley boasted of being one of the most expensive cities globally.

Emma, the three-year-old, promptly wrapped her arms around Charlotte's legs while Sam, her elder brother, embraced her from the middle. "Good morning, love puddles!" she exclaimed, reciprocating their warm embrace. "Are you excited about going to the museum?"

Without hesitation, they both shouted "Yeah!" and rushed out of the door, overlooking the need for winter coats. It took some effort to persuade them to come back indoors and dress up for the frigid winter day, but eventually, they ventured out into the snow.

As they headed to the science museum, Sam rushed ahead of his younger sister and Charlotte, paying no attention to his little sister struggling to keep up. Charlotte chuckled and picked Emma up, placing her on her hip. "You're growing too fast, munchkin," she remarked jokingly.

Emma grinned mischievously and replied, "No way, you're just too small." Admittedly, she might be right. At only five foot one, Charlotte wasn't exactly built for lifting heavy objects, despite being in great shape.

While laughing with Emma, Charlotte glanced ahead and saw that Sam had come to a sudden stop a few feet away. Her heart raced as she realized why. They were in front of Andrade's mansion, and its owner, Collin Andrade, was standing right in the middle of the sidewalk. His piercing gaze unnerved her as they approached. Although he was undoubtedly one of the most attractive men she'd ever seen, he was also one of the most intimidating.

He possessed dark hair and striking green eyes, along with chiseled features and a muscular body that could make anyone swoon. It hardly seemed fair that he wasn't only good-looking but also incredibly wealthy.

Standing at a towering height of at least six-foot-four, he exuded an imposing presence that could intimidate anyone.

Yet, it wasn't his wealth or height that made him so intimidating. There was something inexplicable about him that screamed danger, an animalistic energy that made it seem like he was the only one in the room.

Charlotte took a deep breath and closed the gap between them, allowing Emma to greet him.

Collin's attention shifted from her to Emma, and he greeted her with a genuine smile that tugged at Charlotte's heartstrings.

As he talked to her, she recalled Sophia's revelation about Collin's infertility struggles. Despite this, he had a clear affection for children, and she felt a surge of empathy for him. As someone who knew what it was like to yearn for a family, she understood his pain.

Collin was currently being shown Sam's new toy airplane. Sam pulled the matchbox model from his pocket and demonstrated how far it could fly by sending it gliding through the air. The toy landed in the middle of the street, and without hesitation, Sam raced after it right into the busy road. "Be careful, Sam!" Charlotte cried, but fear froze her in place as a car approached from behind.

Before she could contemplate setting Emma down to chase after him, Collin became a blur of movement, darting past her. He moved so quickly that he appeared little more than a hazy outline of himself, chasing after Sam and pulling him out of the way just before an oncoming car slammed into them.

Collin set Sam down beside Charlotte, his expression suddenly stern. "That was very dangerous," he scolded gently. "You should never enter the street without looking both ways first."

Sam lowered his head, remorseful. "I'm sorry. I didn't want my toy plane to get run over."

Collin spoke firmly, "You are much more important than a toy. You frightened your nanny to death."

Sam looked up at Charlotte with pleading eyes, "I'm sorry, Charlotte."

"It's okay, sweetheart. Just don't do that again," she said, hugging him. "Thank you, Collin. I'm so grateful. You moved so fast, like a superhero."

"It was probably just adrenaline," Collin shrugged, giving Emma a smile before leaving. "Have a good day, and stay safe, young man!"

"Yes, sir!" Sam replied, putting his toy plane in his pocket. "I'm really sorry," he said to Charlotte.

"It's okay. But hold my hand so you won't run off again," she told him softly.

Charlotte took the kids to the museum, and they had a very good time.

Afterward, she made her way to see Sophia.

When she got to Sophia's workplace, she was gloomy.

"What's the matter?" Charlotte asked.

Sophia confided in her, her voice trembling with emotion. "It's gone, and I'm afraid I'll be fired. I was the last one who had it, and it was in my custody."

Charlotte was confused. "What do you mean it's gone?"

"I was in charge of keeping Collins sperm but I couldn't find it."

"How can a vial of sperm just disappear?"

Sophia's eyes filled with tears. "Someone must have stolen it. But if there's an investigation, I could lose my medical license. And to make matters worse, Collin is one of our biggest donors, and he's furious. He wants to see me gone."

Charlotte was shocked. "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? We have to do something!"

Sophia shook her head. "There's nothing we can do. It's my word against his. And he's a powerful man who gets what he wants."

Charlotte was stunned. She knew Collin was a bit of an intimidating person, but she never thought he would go this far. "That's... that's insane," she managed to say.

Sophia nodded grimly. "I don't know what to do. I feel so violated."

Charlotte reached out and took her hand. "We'll figure it out," she said firmly. "We'll confront him and make him pay for what he's done."

Sophia nodded again, looking slightly reassured. "Thanks," she said softly.

As they sat there in silence, Charlotte couldn't help but feel grateful for her sister. Even though she was going through her own struggles, she always had her back. And she knew that no matter what happened, they would always be there for each other.

But Charlotte couldn't give up that easily. She remembered how kind Collin was with the children earlier today. Maybe there's a chance he'll show some mercy. "I have an idea," she said. "Let me talk to him. I'll explain that you would never be so careless."

Sophia looked at her hopefully. "Do you think that would work?"

Charlotte nodded. "I have to try. I'll do anything to help you."

With that, Charlotte set out to find Collin. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was determined to save Lydia's job and reputation.