Jack froze for a moment before sighing helplessly. "Fine. What do you want then?"
"You're not allowed to leave! And as punishment, you have to drink that awful bitter coffee. No—wait. Make it two cups! Actually, no—five. No, ten cups would be more like it!"
For once, Charlotte showed a rare hint of playful stubbornness. Her charming demeanor made it impossible not to be captivated. It reminded him of that wonderful moment earlier when he had touched her soft, flawless skin. The memory sent a warm rush through his heart once again.
Sure enough, she turned and left, only to return shortly with a cup of coffee.
Jack had expected her to make it even more bitter.
But as soon as he took a sip, he was met with a rich, aromatic brew. Though still slightly bitter, it was just the natural taste of coffee.
The bitterness carried a hint of sweetness. She hadn't intended to tease him further but had earnestly prepared a delicious cup of coffee for him.
"What are you staring at? Surprised?" Charlotte shot him a playful glare. "Maybe I should've made it way more bitter after all!"
After speaking, her face turned slightly red. She quickly retreated downstairs to watch TV.
Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening echoed from below, followed by Charlotte's voice. "Uncle Frank, you're back!"
"Yeah, Char, do we have a guest?" A gentle voice responded, noticing the shoes by the entrance.
She answered, "Yes, a friend of mine. And it's the one you've always wanted to meet. His name is Jack Holland. He's upstairs in the study right now."
As the sound of approaching footsteps grew nearer, Charlotte did not come along.
Jack turned his head and saw a refined, bespectacled man standing at the door, wearing a gentle smile. "I see you're reading "Das Kapital". Are you into that whole macroeconomics thing?"
"You're Jack Holland, right? Char has told me about you. Mind if I call you Jack? Thank you very much for your help. According to Char, it was you who contacted the Paria authorities, ensuring the safety of everyone at the Crawford Embassy."
Had it not been for Jack's intervention, Paria would never have opened its borders. It certainly wouldn't have provided high-level reception for the entire embassy staff.
Back then, the lives of everyone stationed there had hung in the balance.
Even now, Frank still found that miraculous night hard to believe.
And yet, the one who made it all possible was this unbelievably young man standing before him.
Faced with his praise, Jack remained humble.
"Oh, you're giving me too much credit, Mr. Grant. I just happen to know some people at Paria. When you were in trouble, of course I'd do whatever I could to help."
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