Chapter 266
Charlotte had been terrified from the beginning.
Not of Khloe.
But what might happen after?
If Ethan decided to retaliate, it wouldn’t stop with her—it could easily extend to her mother, her younger brother, the fragile stability she had spent years trying to maintain.
That was why she had hesitated at first.
Why had she even gone to Khloe’s office under the pretense of “cooperation”
But in the end, she hadn’t handed over anything real.
Not a single usable file.
Just enough to keep Ethan’s suspicion off Khloe.
And when it came time to choose, Charlotte made her decision.
She would rather disappear from Goldmont City with her family than become a pawn used to hurt someone who had never wronged her.
That was what she told Khloe later—everything, without omission.
Khloe listened without interrupting.
She trusted her.
Completely.
Even if she hadn’t expected Charlotte to carry so much fear alone, or to bear Ethan’s pressure without breaking sooner.
But there was another layer to it.
Ethan wasn’t careless.
He was calculated.
By dragging Charlotte into this, he had effectively shifted the pressure onto Khloe—forcing Charlotte to seek protection, knowing it would inevitably entangle Khloe in direct conflict.
And that was the real trap.
Khloe and Ethan were already on opposing sides within Morrison Group. Any added friction would escalate quickly, pulling attention away from the bigger picture.
That was his intention.
But Charlotte had chosen to come clean anyway.
Which changed everything.
Khloe didn’t see her as a liability.
She saw her as someone who had been cornered into survival.
So instead of letting fear linger, Khloe cut it cleanly.
She reassured her. Took responsibility. And gave her space to breathe.
“You don’t need to handle this alone,” she told Charlotte simply. “If someone pushes you, you push back. If they escalate, we escalate properly.”
Her voice was calm but unwavering.
“We’ve survived worse than Ethan.”
That was enough.
Charlotte finally exhaled like she had been holding her breath for days.
Khloe even arranged two days of leave for her—enough time to reset before the situation was formally addressed.
When they entered the HR meeting room later, the atmosphere had already tightened.
Everyone present knew exactly what kind of confrontation this was.
Ethan was already there.
Relaxed posture.
Faint smile.
The kind that didn’t reach his eyes.
Khloe didn’t waste time.
She placed the documents on the table—chat logs, internal records, and Charlotte’s supporting statements.
Then she spoke clearly.
“You sexually harassed my subordinate and attempted to interfere with internal project data.”
A pause.
“Ethan, this crosses the company's red lines.”
Ethan glanced at the documents, then at Charlotte.
His tone was light.
“Was this your doing?”
Charlotte lowered her head immediately.
The fear was still there—but now it was mixed with resolve.
She didn’t answer.
Ethan let out a faint scoff.
Then leaned back.
“This is nothing,” he said casually. “I was just joking with her.”
He turned slightly toward HR.
“Our company is very humane. Office relationships are allowed as long as they’re declared.”
A lazy smile formed.
“So I’ll declare it now. I’m pursuing Charlotte.”
His eyes flicked back to Khloe.
“What she’s saying is just a personal misunderstanding.”
The shamelessness of it was almost clinical.
Like he had already rehearsed every possible angle.
Khloe’s expression didn’t change.
But her voice cooled.
“So it’s harassment when it’s unwanted, but ‘pursuit’ when you’re confronted?”
She tilted her head slightly.
“Shall we let Legal decide that distinction?”
Ethan exhaled through his nose, irritation finally surfacing.
“We’re family here, Khloe,” he said flatly. “Do we really need to escalate this?”
His gaze sharpened.
“Even if it goes higher, I’ll at most receive a warning.”
A pause.
“But Charlotte?” His smile thinned. “Her reputation won’t recover from this.”
The threat was quiet.
But deliberate.
Then he stood.
Not waiting for permission.
Not waiting for resolution.
Just ending it on his terms.
The chair scraped back once.
And the meeting room fell into a tense silence as Ethan turned to leave.