Charlotte let out an easy laugh, unfazed. “That’s right. Because you never really knew me.” Then, with a mischievous glint in her eye, she turned to Wendy. “Miss Cooper, are you sure you don’t want a picture? I’m about to drive off.” Wendy’s expression darkened. She wanted to—badly. But with Cha
The night before the trial, Charlotte was in the shower when she suddenly heard the sharp crash of something shattering in her bedroom. Her heart clenched. She quickly rinsed off, threw on her nightgown, and rushed out to check. The room was empty. But on the floor—scattered in jagged shards—w
The day Sue was discharged, the sky was a clear, crisp blue after a night of snow. Trees on both sides of the road glistened under the morning sun, their branches coated in ice. Desmond drove to the hospital himself to pick her up. The car ride was silent, weighed down by an unspoken heaviness.
She ran after it as fast as she could, chasing it down the snowy road. But no matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t catch up. She could only watch as the white ambulance carrying her mother disappeared from view. That night, Sue passed away.Desmond stayed by her side, grieving until he was co
After hanging up, Charlotte carefully replayed the night’s events in her mind.Why had Wendy snuck into her room while she was in the shower? It definitely wasn’t just to look around like she had claimed.She was up to something.Charlotte walked around the room, scanning every detail, but aside fro
There were pictures attached. Wendy’s hand was wrapped in thick layers of gauze, looking alarmingly serious. “Charlotte, you really went too far this time. Get to the hospital and apologize to Wendy now.“I’m not forgiving you until you do. Be good, say you’re sorry, and you can keep staying at
Sean must have noticed that Charlotte felt a little uneasy around him, because he said, “Take a look around and see if you need anything. Let me know. I’m going upstairs to take a shower.” “Wait a second.” Sean paused mid-step and turned back to her. “What is it?” Charlotte unzipped her backpa
After breakfast, Sean and Charlotte took the elevator down to the underground parking garage.Charlotte walked over to the blue Bentley.Sean suddenly asked, “How does it feel to drive?”Charlotte pressed her lips together and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I drove it last night. It’s grea
Sean and Charlotte were walking close, chatting and laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world.Zac muttered under his breath, “Out of the hospital already? Tough guy.”Eugene guessed the man beside Charlotte had to be her fiancé.Before he could say anything, Zac opened the car door and ste
Lately, Zac had been running around nonstop trying to secure investors.Most of the businesses in Jersey City weren’t even considering putting money into the Gibson Corporation, so he had no choice but to look elsewhere. He had been spending more time in hotels and on airplanes than anywhere else.T
Charlotte wasn’t ready to let it go. “There’s no rough timeline? Not even a guess?”“If I had to say,” Sean replied, “probably when you were in high school. That time Eric Lee was bothering you. I punched him, and that’s when it hit me. I realized there was something different about how I felt about
Zac’s words echoed in Charlotte’s mind like a curse, refusing to let her rest. They kept swirling in her head, leaving her distracted and uneasy.So much so that when she visited Sean at the hospital the next day, she looked completely lost in thought.“Lottie, what’s on your mind?” Sean asked.Her
“Yes, Mrs. Jasper,” Charlotte replied.Lillian turned to Sean. “Did you eat enough? I brought all your favorites. Do you want a little more?”Sean shook his head with a soft smile. “No need. Lottie made lunch herself. It was perfect and I finished every bite.”Lillian’s face lit up with a warm, moth
By the time Sean snapped out of his daze, he saw that the tray table in front of him was already filled with a plate of sautéed greens, tender poached beef, fluffy white rice, and a bowl of homemade soup“You made all this?” he asked with a soft smile. “What kind of soup is it?”“Chicken soup,” Char
Sean’s lips, still pale as paper, curved into a faint smile. “Alright. I promise.”Not long after James and Lillian stepped out of the ICU, James’s phone rang. The voice on the other end was sharp with urgency.“Mr. Jasper—bad news. Something’s happened!”At the detention center, Judy claimed she wa
Charlotte had been worried sick all afternoon. Now that Sean was finally out of danger, she just wanted to see him.After all, he had taken that knife for her.“Let’s go. You’re coming home with me,” Desmond said sternly, his tone leaving no room for argument.But Charlotte shook her head, her eyes
Charlotte lowered her head. “It was all my fault.”Lillian turned to her sharply. “What do you mean by that?”Charlotte took a deep breath and explained everything from the rooftop—every detail, every decision.Mrs. Jasper Sr.’s expression darkened. “So Sean took that knife for you?”Charlotte’s lip