<b>Chapter </b>44
<b>Charlotte </b><b>followed </b>the <b>rescue </b><b>team </b>out <b>of </b>the field<b>. </b>
Lena and Mia <b>had </b>just arrived, <b>jogging </b>over with anxious expressions<b>. </b>
Mia rushed <b>to </b>Charlotte’s <b>side</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>What </b>happened?<b>” </b>
<b>Charlotte’s </b>mind was still spinning. Her expression was dazed <b>as </b>she muttered<b>, </b><b>“</b><b>I </b><b>don’t </b><b>know</b><b>… </b><b>Vivian </b><b>asked </b><b>me to </b><b>teach </b>her <b>how </b>to ride. <b>Everything </b>was fine and <b>then </b><b>suddenly</b><b>, </b>Snowbell just went <b>wild</b>. She <b>got </b>thrown off and it looked pretty bad.”
Lena <b>frowned</b><b>, </b>deep <b>in </b><b>thought</b><b>. </b><b>“</b>Snowbell <b>gets </b><b>a </b>full vet check <b>every </b><b>month</b><b>, </b>and we even ran a quick one before bringing <b>her </b><b>out </b>today<b>. </b>Everything came back <b>normal</b>. There’s <b>no </b>reason <b>she </b>should’ve freaked <b>out</b><b>.</b>”
Mia clenched her <b>fists</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>You </b><b>don’t </b>think Vivian did something, do you? I mean<b>, </b>didn’t she insist on having Sean teach her in the first ce? She clearly didn’t like <b>you</b>. Why the sudden change of heart?”
Lena added<b>, </b><b>“</b><b>The </b>stable team’s <b>sedated </b>Snowbell and brought her back <b>for </b>another checkup. Charlotte<b>, </b>don’t me yourself. This wasn’t your fault<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Charlotte nodded faintly, but her gaze drifted toward the direction the rescue team had disappeared.
She kept thinking about that strange little smile on Vivian’s <b>face </b>right <b>before </b><b>the </b>ident.
Something about <b>it </b>didn’t sit right.
<b>Her </b>gut told her Vivian had something to <b>do </b>with what just happened.
But why?
<b>And </b>if that really was <b>the </b><b>case</b><b>, </b>wasn’t she worried she could actually <b>get </b>seriously hurt?
Then she thought of Sean’s expression when he arrived and how he looked at her with suspicion.
And suddenly, it made sense. Vivian wanted to drive a wedge between them.
She was willing <b>to </b>risk her life just <b>to </b>make Charlotte look bad.
They had <b>only </b><b>met </b>twice <b>and </b>she was already willing <b>to </b>pull a stunt this extreme?
<b>Charlotte’s </b>heart <b>sank</b>.
Vivian <b>wasn’t </b>just maniptive<b>–</b>she was dangerous.
In the ambnce<b>, </b><b>Vivian </by pale and tearful<b>, </b>looking small and pitiful on <b>the </b>stretcher
She clutched <b>Sean’s </b>hand and whimpered<b>, </b><b>“</b><b>It </b><b>hurts</b><b>, </b>Sean. It <b>really </b>hurts<b>…</b><b>” </b>
<b>Sean’s voice </b><b>was </b>gentle as <b>he </b><b>tried </b><b>to </b>calm her<b>. </b><b>“</b><b>We’re </b>almost at the hospital. The <b>doctors </b>will take <b>care </b><b>of it</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
Tears streamed <b>down </b>her <b>face</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>I was </b><b>so </b>scared, When <b>I </b><b>fell</b><b>, </b><b>I </b>really thought I wouldn’t <b>see </b><b>you </b>again<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Her grip on his hand <b>tightened</b><b>. </b><b>She </b>sobbed <b>softly</b><b>, </b><b>“</b>I must’ve ruined the whole day. Everyone was having <b>fun </b>and then I went and <b>I’m </b><b>just </b>a <b>burden</b>, aren’t <b>I</b>?<b>” </b>
<b>got </b><b>hurt</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>Don’t </b>say <b>that</b><b>,</b><b>” </b><b>Sean </b>said, his <b>eyes </b>full of concern<b>. </b><b>She </b><b>wasn’t </b><b>his </b>blood sister, but he had <b>watched </b>her <b>grow </b>up. In many <b>ways</b><b>, </b>she <b>was </b>
family.
“Alright<b>, </b><b>stop </b>crying<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>he </b>coaxed. “We’ll be <b>at </b><b>the </b>hospital <b>soon</b><b>.</b>”
Vivian sniffled<b>, </b>still whimpering. <b>“It </b><b>doesn’t </b>hurt <b>when you </bfort me…<b>” </b>
<b>Sean </b>reached over and <b>gently </b>patted <b>her </b>head. “<b>You’re </b><b>just like </b>when <b>you </b>were <b>little</b><b>.</b>”
After an <b>X</b>–ray and full evaluation at the hospital<b>, </b>the doctor confirmed <b>Vivian’s </b>injuries weren’t <b>life</b><b>–</b>threatening. <b>She </b>had <b>a </b><b>fractured </b>tailbone, same <b>soft </b><b>tissue </b>bruising, a mild <b>dislocation </b>in her elbow<b>, </b><b>and </b>several scrapes and bruises<b>. </b>Thankfully<b>, </b>there was no internal trauma<b>. </b>
<b>They </b><b>cast </b>her arm<b>, </b><b>gave </b>her a painkiller, and said <b>she </b>would <b>recover </b>in about a <b>month </b><b>with </b><b>proper </b><b>care</b>.
<b>1/2 </b>
<b>Once </b>she was settled in her <b>hospital </b>bed, and the pain meds <b>kicked </b>in
,
finally quieted down.
<b>Charlotte </b>had followed <b>them </b><b>to </b><b>the </b>hospital and had just reached the <b>room </b>when she heard Vivian’s syrupy voice <b>from </b><b>inside</b>.
“Sean<b>, </b><b>my arm’s </b>in a cast. I <b>can’t </b>eat <b>by </b>myself. Can you feed me<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Charlotte <b>stopped </b><b>in </b>her tracks.
Was this really the <b>right </b>time <b>to </b>
<b>in</b><b>? </b><b>go </b>
Then Sean’s voice came<b>, </b><b>calm </b>but distant. <b>“</b>I’ll call a nurse.”
Vivian pouted<b>, </b>still whining<b>, </b><b>“</b><b>Nooo</b>, <b>I </b>want you to do <b>it</b><b>. </b>Why won’t you,
Sean?”