Claimed by the Powerful Billionaire (Charlotte and Matthew) novel Chapter 2

The hospital Isabella stayed in was an upscale international maternity and pediatric hospital—so expensive it made people swallow hard just looking at the bill.

Just in case anything happened, the old madam, Lillian Collins, had even brought in a top specialist from Hang Kong to personally deliver the baby.

In the VIP suite, Isabella lay back on the bed, her cheeks rosy. She looked so healthy it was hard to believe she’d just gone through something that painful.

Matthew sat by her bedside with a bowl in his hand, feeding her soup one spoonful at a time.

Every time, he blew on it first, afraid it might be too hot for her.

Charlotte couldn’t help but think back on the three years she’d spent with Matthew.

That kind of careful tenderness—he’d never once given it to her.

Between them, it had always been polite. Distant. Half-hearted.

Even when they were in bed doing that, it felt like he was checking off a duty.

Charlotte had always believed maybe that was just who Matthew was.

After ll, he was born into spotlight, raised above everyone else—how could someone like that ever lower his head?

It wasn’t until after John died that Charlotte realized she’d been wrong.

Matthew’s precious pride only bowed for one person—the one he truly liked.

Charlotte pushed the door open and walked in.

Both of them turned to look.

Isabella’s face lit up the moment she saw her. “My dear sister-in-law! You’re here!”

That “sister-in-law” made Charlotte’s skin crawl.

Matthew pulled a napkin and gently wiped Isabella’s mouth before he finally spoke. “You came.”

Charlotte replied, “Yeah.”

Matthew added, “Stay with Bella for a bit. I’m going downstairs to buy some fruit. She suddenly wants grapes.”

Isabella smiled, half sweet, half coy. “Ugh, just have a maid go. Why do you have to go yourself?”

Matthew replied, “I’ll go. I know what you like. I’ll see if there’s anything else too and bring it back. It’s just downstairs. I’ll be right back.”

Isabella lowered her lashes, looking shy. “Okay.”

As he passed Charlotte, Matthew glanced at the bouquet in her hands.

“Put the flowers on the balcony later. Bella doesn’t like sunflowers.”

Charlotte forced down the urge to slam the bouquet into his face. She tugged her lips into a thin smile. “Sure.”

Isabella reached out. “Charlie, come sit.”

Charlotte deliberately avoided that hand, dragged a chair over, and sat down.

Isabella asked softly, “Charlie, are you still mad at me?”

The moment the words left her mouth, her eyes reddened.

An Oscar-level performance.

“I know using Matt’s sperm made you unhappy, but I…”

Tears came instantly.

“Before I married John, we already agreed. After we got married, we’d enjoy our life as a couple for a while, then we’d have a baby, but…”

“But I never expected something like that to happen.”

“I love John. I also love this family, so… I wanted to leave John—leave the Russell family—an heir.”

“Matt and John are twins, so I begged him…”

“Charlie!” Isabella’s tears blurred her eyes. “We’re both women. You understand how I feel, don’t you?”

“So… don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?”

Charlotte’s clear eyes flickered. She swallowed the words she actually wanted to say and was about to speak when a shrill voice suddenly cut in.

“Bella! Why are you crying? You just gave birth—crying is the worst thing you can do. It’ll hurt your eyes!”

Everly walked out of the nursery with the baby in her arms. Then she shot Charlotte an unhappy glare.

The baby was still tiny. The features weren’t distinct yet, so it was impossible to tell who he looked like.

But the imperial-green jade pendant around the baby’s neck was eye-catching.

Charlotte knew that pendant all too well.

An imperial-green jade piece carved from a single stone—a heirloom-level treasure, rare and priceless.

The Russell family had two of them: one Guanyin, one Buddha.

They’d been a wedding gift Old Master Russell gave to the old madam back then.

When the Russell brothers got married, the old madam gave the Guanyin to the eldest grandson—Matthew.

The Buddha went to the second grandson—John.

So Matthew had handed that legendary treasure to this child.

It said everything about how much he valued this baby.

“You still can’t let this go, can you?” Everly snapped. “You even came here just to make things hard for Bella?”

Charlotte was accused out of nowhere.

Had she even said anything?

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