Broken Bond: Claimed by My Ex-Husband's Alpha Billionaire Uncle-Chapter 42: Unexpected Date

"Good work today, Charlotte." Abbie smiled brightly and patted her shoulder. "We should have dinner sometime."

By 10 p.m., the show had finally wrapped up. The atmosphere on set completely shifted once the cameras were off—no more forced smiles, no more perfect posture. Charlotte finally allowed herself to relax, slouching slightly on the couch.

"Of course! Just let me know when you’re free," Charlotte replied with a warm smile. "And thank you for making me feel so comfortable tonight. You’re an incredible host, Abbie."

"Haha, you’re flattering me too much," Abbie chuckled, but her eyes softened. "I’m really glad you’re back in the industry, Charlotte. I mean that sincerely."

She gave Charlotte’s shoulder a reassuring pat. "I hope your journey from here on will be smooth."

"Thank you." Charlotte offered her a warm smile. She had a feeling that if their relationship grew stronger from here, Abbie could be such a great ally.

• • •

Charlotte cracked her neck as soon as she left the studio. Even though she had only been sitting and answering Abbie’s questions, her entire body felt sore from having to maintain a perfect image in front of the cameras.

Being a celebrity was tough—but she liked it.

A smile appeared on her face, and she bounced slightly as she walked toward the drop off lobby. She glanced around, searching for Chloe, but she couldn’t find her anywhere.

"Where is she?" Charlotte muttered, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "She said she was calling the chauffeur."

Just as Charlotte was about to call her manager, a black sports car suddenly pulled up in front of the drop-off lobby.

Charlotte wasn’t a fan of sports cars, but just by looking at its design, she could tell it was an exclusive model—not something just anyone could buy.

Most celebrities loved collecting sports cars and showing them off whenever they attended events. She wondered which one of them was inside this car.

As Charlotte watched, the roof of the car smoothly retracted, revealing a familiar figure behind the wheel.

Damon.

His sharp features were illuminated by the city lights, his black shirt slightly unbuttoned at the top, giving him a casual look.

One hand rested on the wheel, while the other draped lazily over the door, exuding effortless confidence. His gray eyes locked onto her, a warm smile appeared on his face.

"Need a ride, sweetheart?" he teased, leaning back slightly in his seat.

Charlotte hesitated, her hand hovering over her phone as she momentarily forgot about calling her manager.

"Damon?" She took a cautious step closer, narrowing her eyes as if to make sure she wasn’t imagining things. "What happened to you—no, I mean, what are you doing here?"

It had never crossed her mind that Damon could look like this—what was the right word? Oh. Hot. And ridiculously handsome.

All this time, Charlotte had only known Damon as the composed, business-minded man who spoke with firm and authority.

Yet now, here he was—leaning back in his sleek sports car, smirking like some reckless heartthrob from a movie.

Was this his true self? Had the aloof and rigid demeanor just been a front?

Maybe not. Maybe Damon had always been like this from the start.

Well, sometimes he could be romantic and warm toward her, but this? This was on another level.

"I happened to be driving near this place, so I thought I’d pick you up." He opened the car door for her. "Hop in. Anyway, do you have any plans for the rest of the night?"

Charlotte slid into the seat without hesitation, not even bothering to check on her manager anymore.

It seemed Damon had already handled that, likely telling Chloe to head home and leave Charlotte in his care.

"I don’t have anything tonight. Why?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Damon leaned in closer. "I know you’ve been stressed lately, so how about we let loose for a bit? Just you and me, having fun tonight. What do you say, Charlotte?"

She tilted her head, barely hearing his question because her eyes were too busy looking over his biceps that were visible thanks to the way he had casually rolled his sleeves up to his elbows.

Charlotte was used to seeing him in suits and formalwear, whether at the office or at home when he was coming and going for work.

But now?

Dressed in a simple button-down with the top undone and sleeves pushed up, he looked effortlessly attractive and somehow, even more handsome.

No, if she was being honest, Damon was handsome no matter what he wore. Even if he wore nothing at all—

Charlotte inhaled sharply, heat creeping up her neck as she mentally smacked herself. What the hell was she even thinking?

"Charlotte?" Damon’s deep voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Yes! Let’s go somewhere. I don’t have anything to do at home anyway."

And honestly, she could use a break from Louis and Diana’s never-ending arguments. Their voices had practically become the soundtrack of her life.

"Alright, then." Damon smiled, leaning in to buckle her seatbelt. His fingers brushed against her arm slightly, sending an unexpected warmth through her skin.

Charlotte held her breath for a moment until he pulled back.

"Let’s forget all of our problem tonight," he said.

For once, she was more than willing to do just that.

Damon started the engine, smoothly driving the car through the city streets, where neon lights flickered against the pavement and late-night crowds still bustled along the sidewalks.

Charlotte ran her fingers over the car interior and she couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity. "I don’t think I’ve seen this car before. Do you keep it elsewhere?"

Damon smiled, keeping his eyes on the road. "I pre-ordered it last year, but it just arrived today. That’s why I thought I’d take it for a spin."

Most rich people would’ve said something like that to show off, dropping the price tag just to make others feel small. freēnovelkiss.com

But the way Damon said it—so natural, so casual—it was like he was talking about picking up a new brand of coffee rather than a limited-edition supercar.

It wasn’t arrogance. It was just Damon. Being wealthy wasn’t something he flaunted, it was simply carved into the way he existed.

Charlotte wasn’t born into poverty either, but compared to his wealth, her parents’ money was nothing.

"This car looks nice." She said, "So, where are we going?"

Damon smiled faintly but didn’t answer right away. Instead, he shifted gears, the engine humming as he took a turn down a quieter road.

"You’ll see," he said simply.

Charlotte didn’t ask any more questions and simply enjoyed the experience of riding in a supercar.

This was probably her first time in a convertible car. At first, she thought it would be uncomfortable, but after a while, she found it quite nice.

She closed her eyes and smiled as the wind caressed her face. Her hair scattered in the air, almost like a symbol of the freedom she had long yearned for.

Damon’s car soon left the city behind, driving toward the highlands on the outskirts. The further they went, the quieter it became, with barely any houses in sight.

"You’re not planning to kidnap me, are you?" Charlotte asked suspiciously, eyeing the deserted surroundings.

Damon chuckled. "Why would I kidnap you? Sure, this place is a bit far from the city, but I promise it’ll be worth it."

Soon, the road leveled out, and Charlotte noticed a bright light from afar.

As they got closer, she finally could see a beautiful hilltop restaurant, nestled among tall trees with a beautiful view of the Northbridge City below.

Damon pulled into the parking area and turned to her with a small smile. "We’re here."

Charlotte stepped out of the car, feeling the cool night breeze against her skin. Since they had arrived in the highlands, the temperature had dropped, making her shiver slightly.

Damon reached into the backseat and pulled out a fur coat for her. "Here, wear this. I don’t want you catching a cold because of me."

Charlotte chuckled softly. "If I get sick, it’ll be because of the cold weather, not you."

As they entered the restaurant, Charlotte noticed that it was completely empty. She leaned in and whispered, "Damon, did we come too late? The restaurant might be closing soon."

"No, they’re not," Damon said casually, wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked. "I rented out the whole place just for us."

Charlotte furrowed her brows. Just by looking at the atmosphere and the breathtaking view, she could tell this was an extremely expensive restaurant. Renting out the entire place just for the two of them must have cost a fortune.

"Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Dawson, we’ve been expecting you," a waiter greeted them with a warm smile. "Please follow me to your table."

The waiter led them to a table in an open-air area. As Charlotte looked up, she was mesmerized by the clear night sky, dotted with countless shimmering stars.

"Did you bring me here for stargazing?" she asked, turning to Damon in surprise.