Claimed by the Powerful Billionaire (Charlotte and Matthew) novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40 Unrequited Love Rarely Ends Well

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After that, everyone dove into the feast, laughing and talking as the dishes kept coming.

Everyone except Charlotte. None of it tempted her.

Ruby saw it, and sighed to herself.

She picked up a piece of plum-braised ribs and set it in front of Charlotte, then leaned close and whispered, “Since you’re already here, be happy. Eat, drink-do what you

should. If you punish yourself, all it does is make those assholes who hurt you feel

satisfied.”

“And didn’t you say you’d treat me at Legend Hotel last time? Perfect timing. Gordon’s

paying today. Let’s eat until we’re full.”

Charlotte’s lips curved, the tension finally loosening. “You’re right.”

Gordon came over with a wine glass in hand. “You two, stop whispering all the time. Come on-drink! This is my good stuff I koop it stored bore I don’t just pull it out for

Chapter Unlocked, Enjoy Reading! anyone.”

As he spoke, he poured Charlotte a glass.

Charlotte was about to refuse, but Ruby cut in first.

“Charlie quit drinking. I’ll drink this one for her-to toast you.”

Gordon wouldn’t have it. “Last time I blocked the drinks for you because I couldn’t stand people forcing alcohol on you. But today’s my birthday. Just one glass, okay? Besides, it’s

such good wine-I want you to taste it.”

Charlotte didn’t want anyone knowing she was pregnant, so she had to make something

“I’m on my period.”

Gordon’s brows shot up. “Your body really picks its days, huh? Not early, not late-has to

be my birthday?”

Charlotte shot back, “Who told you to have your birthday when I’m on my period?”

Gordon got hit so cleanly he had nothing to say. Then he laughed out loud.

<Chapter 40 Unrequited Love Rarely Ends Well

“You haven’t changed at all. Still as sharp-tongued as ever.”

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He drained his glass in one go, then let out a quiet sigh.

“But you also… don’t feel the same as before.”

Charlotte said, “I’m still me.”

“No, no, no.” Gordon wagged a finger, then suddenly turned to Nathan, who hadn’t said

much. “Do you know what she used to be like?”

In the man’s cool, detached eyes, a trace of softness surfaced.

“I don’t,” he said.

“Then I’ll tell you.” Gordon slung an arm over Nathan’s shoulder, getting worked up.

“When I met her, she was just a little girl. Always wore a ponytail, dressed plain.”

“But she was gorgeous!”

Gordon fell into his memories.

“Not that tacky kind of pretty. The kind where you look at her once and you feel

comfortable. Clean. Fresh. And her vibe was good, too. Back in school, she had more

guys chasing her than you could count.”

“Too bad this girl was ice-cold. And when she rejected people, she didn’t soften it at all.”

Gordon ground his teeth. “Me, the campus heartthrob of Sunriver University, at least

that’s what people said. But in her eyes? I wasn’t even worth a blade of wild grass.”

Nathan smiled faintly. “She didn’t treat you like wild grass. You were just too confident.

And honestly, rejecting you was the right call. Your reputation for wandering through a s

ea of women was something everyone knew. You can’t force a flower to be stuck in

manure.”

Charlotte lowered her head and laughed under her breath.

So Nathan could joke, too.

Ruby clapped like she was watching a show. “Mr. Hall! Well said! He’s a whole pile of

manure!”

Gordon wasn’t mad-he laughed harder. “Only you guys would dare joke with me like

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<Chapter 40 Unrequited Love Rarely Ends Well

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Then Gordon leaned close to Nathan’s ear and whispered something. Whatever it was,

Nathan’s brows were full of amusement.

Ruby wrapped an arm around Charlotte and whispered in her ear, “You really not going

to tell him who the father of the baby is?”

Charlotte answered with a shake of her head.

Ruby said, “What a shame. And now he’s got a fiancée. Otherwise, after your divorce,

you two would actually be a great match.”

Charlotte replied casually, “I’m not thinking about that anymore.”

Ruby spit out, “Come on. You get bitten by a dog once and you never go outside again? Learn your lesson and stop being love-stupid. If you’re going to find someone, find someone you both like each other-or at least someone who likes you. Anything’s better than you secretly loving someone and losing so badly you get crushed.”

“These days, how many unrequited loves end well?”

Charlotte dropped her gaze and sighed.

She really had lost-miserably.

But at least she could still stay clear-headed enough to stop.

“Men are like this,” Ruby went on. “Anything they can get easily, they won’t cherish. But something they can only see and never have? They’ll treat it like treasure.”

After she said that, she couldn’t help glancing at Nathan.

“But Mr. Hall… he doesn’t seem like that type. He feels different.”

Charlotte teased, “You into him?”

Ruby joked, “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him.”

Charlotte said, “He has a fiancée.”

Ruby said, “What if they break off the engagement one day?”

Charlotte couldn’t help laughing. “Try wishing people well.”

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<Chapter 40 Unrequited Love Rarely Ends Well

Ruby said, “You never know.”

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Gordon suddenly turned his head and pointed at Charlotte. “You! Apologize to me, right now! You made me get laughed at by everyone for all these years!”

Charlotte knew he’d had too much to drink, so she didn’t take it seriously.

He’d always been like this-whatever was on his mind came straight out.

Compared to the ones who hid things, schemed, and played games, he was a thousand

times better.

And his title wasn’t something he inherited-it was something he earned on his own, without relying on his parents.

No one knew if his relationship with them was terrible, or if he didn’t have parents at all. Gordon had never brought up his family in front of anyone.

Charlotte still remembered once, long ago, someone had casually asked about Gordon’s

parents.

His face had changed instantly.

From then on, Charlotte understood-maybe that was his weak spot.

Or his pain.

Something you couldn’t mention.

So she never asked.

When Gordon saw Charlotte staying silent, he muttered, “Apologize to me.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “Gordon, don’t make me beat you up at your own birthday party.”

Gordon said, “You’re everywhere. One day I’m gonna find a chance to deal with you

properly.”

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