Soon after, Zachary arrived at the living room. His gaze fell upon Charlotte at once.Charlotte, who had been staring at him, couldn’t avoid him in time. They locked eyes, and she felt as if an electric current had surged through her. She blushed.“Hehe, I just wanted to say… I love these bracelets. Thank you.”“You’re welcome.”Zachary’s chiseled face showed no signs of emotion, but his icy pupils displayed a tinge of warmth like lava, flooding through his gaze.He had already intended on giving Charlotte a gift long ago. However, not only was he unsure of what she liked, but he was also worried about her stubborn nature and that she might refuse his gift. It would be very humiliating for him if he failed to be attentive to her.Zachary never imagined that he, who was always perfect and regal, would become so useless.He actually felt as if his heart was consumed by sweetness as if he had consumed honey, just because Charlotte had accepted his gift… The next day, Charlotte we
Miranda sneered. “You may not acknowledge Lorraine as your sister, but are you going to refuse my brother too?”Charlotte’s expression immediately changed when Miranda mentioned Zachary. “What… Are you talking about?”Miranda’s smile filled with even more disdain. “Hah! Oh, Charlotte… You’re a d*cks-before-chicks kinda gal, aren’t you? You scheming b*tch? You looked so cold and distant when I brought up Lorraine, but when I mentioned my brother, you got so anxious that your eyes nearly popped out of your head. Look at you, you tramp. Disgraceful!”Charlotte couldn’t be bothered to explain herself to Miranda. Instead, she lifted her face proudly. “How is it that you’re just like Tiffany, adept at talking smack?”“You…”Miranda went red from rage. Then, she smirked, containing the bubbling rage in her heart.“Hehe, I’m a cultured, educated lady myself. I’m not going to waste my breath being angry with a fake like you. I just wanted to tell you that my brother is taking Lorraine t
The song’s overture began to play.Charlotte snuck a peek at Zachary, then looked at the big screen. Her clear gaze was filled with anxiety.Miranda smirked.She had chosen the song “Love After Death”. This song required a particularly low singing voice and particularly high notes too. Even a professional singer was at risk of sounding like a wailing ghost if she lost focus, let alone Charlotte.‘Charlotte Simmons, I’m going to completely humiliate you in front of my brother today, you fake!’“Love, long after death… Ugh…”As expected, Charlotte’s voice cracked due to her nervousness. She let out a noise that sounded like a squealing pig.“Pfft!” Miranda snorted so hard that she nearly spat out blood. She stuck her middle finger at Charlotte and said. “Well, you have the microphone now. You’re gonna have to finish the song, even if you’re going to scream through it. Or I’m going to scorn you.”Charlotte looked at Zachary awkwardly.Zachary simply raised his brows, looking abso
Lorraine immediately turned her “friendly” gaze toward Charlotte. “Carlie, Mimi called and told me that Zachary’s organized a karaoke party for my birthday. I was so happy, but it’s made me even happier to know that you’re here too.”“Oh, really?”Charlotte gently raised her dark brows.“My arrival shouldn’t bring you joy, should it? It should come as a shock instead, am I correct?”Lorraine’s pale face immediately filled with hints of embarrassment.Charlotte openly snapped back at Lorraine and continued speaking to her in a curt tone. “It’s Miranda who organized this party for you. Zachary and I were tricked into coming here. Zachary never planned on celebrating your birthday with you. I’m afraid your little surprise is an empty celebration.”“Is this true, Mimi?”Despite having orchestrated this charade with Miranda, Lorraine still acted shocked.Miranda played along with Lorraine. “So what if I did? Besides, you’re our aunt now. Uncle Jebediah’s been out of the country for
Miranda was speechless from shock.Lorraine felt as if she had fallen into a cave of ice. Her smile froze in place.Zachary refused to look at Lorraine any longer. His magnetic, regal voice showed no signs of warmth. “I find singing such a sentiment song with my own aunt utterly disgusting. It’s dishonest.”Lorraine’s beautiful figure wavered. Her pretty, limpid eyes filled with disappointment.Charlotte immediately felt a warm current washing over her heart. Her gaze upon Zachary gradually filled with warmth.“Zach! It’s Lory’s birthday! You won’t even sing with her? When did you become so unreasonable?” Miranda was extremely indignant.Zachary’s inky, dark eyes were only filled with ice. “If you’re so eager to be reasonable, you can sing with her.”“You…” Miranda angrily stomped her foot. “Hmph! Big deal. I’ll sing with her then. Come on, Lory, let’s sing together!”Lorraine, who was pale with disappointment, looked at Zachary. Her sultry red lips replied in a heartbroken ton
“Hmph! My brother’s gone too far, Lory! He knows you’re here because of him, yet he’s tossed you aside and left without so much as a word. Why the hell should we even continue with this karaoke? Let’s go!”Miranda sulkily glared at Charlotte and dragged Lorraine away, leaving Charlotte all alone.‘I’m not leaving! I promised Zachary to wait for him to pick me up. So I’m going to stay here and wait for him.’The excitement and songs from next door served as a foil for her loneliness.Time passed slowly. Finally, after an unknown measure of time, someone pushed the door open.“Za—” Her voice immediately trailed off when she saw that it was Miranda. The joy in her eyes instantly turned to disappointment.Miranda stood by the door and stared at her with disdain.“What a joke. Zach’s abandoned you long ago, and you, his deserted wife, are still waiting for him like an idiot.”Charlotte lifted her face curtly.“Miranda, I know you don’t like me, and I’ve never once expected for anyt
“Wait here, Miranda.”She climbed up the wooden ladder as she spoke and poked her head out of the skylight. Suddenly, she felt as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water. The smirk on the corners of her lips immediately froze in place.She had actually seen Zachary, and he wasn’t alone. The woman held tightly in his arms was most definitely Lorraine.Initially, she wondered if she had been imagining things. However, she focused her gaze and saw Zachary’s chiseled face underneath the sun, clear as day. There was no mistake!“Zach, I felt like the world’s luckiest woman when you told me you still loved me. I want to hear you say it again.”Lorraine, who lay the side of her face against Zachary’s chest, looked like she was drowning in bliss.The man’s thin lips gently nibbled against Lorraine’s ear.“Lory, I love you. It’s always been you.”“Zach…” Lorraine’s beautiful figure trembled while tears streamed down her face like pearls.“I love you too. My heart will always
Charlotte returned to the karaoke room.Charlotte sat on the loveseat that she had shared with Zachary. She had been consumed with thoughts of Zachary when she waited for him here, and her heart was filled with warmth.Now, this room felt more like an ice cave. Every pore in her body was screaming from the chill.“Lory, I love you. It’s always been you.“I will continue this nominal marriage with her. Lory, as long as our hearts are one, no one can tear us apart.”Zachary’s voice reverberated in her ears like a spell. That kiss he shared with Lorraine felt like a poisonous dart to her heart. Her heart ached every time she thought of it, and her body trembled.However, she was determined to wait for Zachary here!Zachary had told her to wait for him here, so he would come back to her.She was going to ask him, personally, once he returned—he clearly still loved Lorraine, so why was he still lying to her and making her think that he was determined to break it off with Lorraine?