As <b>soon </b>as the two men were pulled apart, Charlotte rushed <b>to </b>Sean’s side. Her eyes were full <b>of </b><b>worry</b><b>, </b>shimmering <b>with </b>unshed <b>tears</b>.
Her voice trembled, almost breaking<b>, </b>“Sean<b>, </b>you’re <b>hurt</b>. You need <b>to </b><b>go </b><b>to </b>the hospital.”
At the sight of her<b>, </b>the fury in Sean’s eyes vanished. His expression softened. <b>“</b>I’m fine.”
Not far away<b>, </b>still restrained <b>by </b>the police, Zac watched the scene unfold. <b>His </b>heart shattered.
His <b>face </b>was a mess <b>of </b>blood and bruises<b>, </b>and he lookedpletely wrecked–like a stray dog abandoned by its owner.
His voice <b>cracked </b>as he <b>asked</b><b>, </b>“Charlotte<b>… </b>who is he?”
The anger red in Charlotte’s <b>eyes</b>. She turned her <b>head </b>sharply to face him<b>, </b>her gaze <b>icy </b>and unwavering.
Her hatred was so raw, <b>so </b>visible<b>, </b><b>it </b>pierced Zac straight through.
Then came her voice–<b>frosty </b>and sharp as a de.
<b>“</b>Zac Gibson, I <b>don’t </b>want <b>to </b>see you ever again. Do me <b>a </b>favor and disappear from my life–for good<b>.</b>”
Each wordnded like a hammer. She was practically gritting her teeth as she said it.
Zac felt like his chest had been cracked <b>open</b><b>, </b>a de slicing straight through his heart. The pain was raw, suffocating.
His face was smeared with blood<b>, </b>battered and bruised but not once did she look at him with concern. There was not a flicker of care.
All he saw in her eyes was coldness and hatred.
Was <b>it </b>because he had hurt that man?
He thought back to how she used to be. Back when he <b>got </b>injured in the street racing with his friends, she cried until her <b>eyes </b>were swollen, refusing to leave his side at the hospital. Even when he caught a cold, she would tear up and insist on feeding him medicine by hand.
But now<b>? </b>He was a bloody mess, and she didn’t so much as blink.
Her heart and her eyes were entirely focused on someone else.
Still unwilling to give up, Zac’s voice trembled as he asked again, “Who is he?”
Charlotte looked him straight in the eye and answered<b>, </b>calm and clear, “My fiancé<b>.</b>”
Zac <b>froze</b><b>, </b>stunned. His eyes widened, rimmed with red. His lips quivered. “No… <b>you’re </b>lying. You’re lying, right?”
As the paramedics helped Sean into <b>the </b>ambnce<b>, </b>Charlotte didn’t spare <b>Zac </b>another nce. She turned and followed Sean.
Zac tried to run after them<b>, </b>but a medic held him back and loaded him into a different <b>ambnce</b>.
Both <b>men </b>ended <b>up </b><b>in </b><b>the </b>same public hospital<b>. </b>No VIP suites. Once their wounds were treated<b>, </b>they were
Zacy <b>on </b><b>the </b><b>bed </b>closest <b>to </b><b>the </b>door<b>, </b>his head wrapped in bandages, an IV in his arm.
Charlotte walked in and spotted him right away but acted as if <b>he </b>wasn’t even there.
assigned to the same room.
Without a <b>pause</b><b>, </b>she went straight <b>to </b>Sean’s bedside. She sat down and gently asked about his injuries, pouring him water and helping him drink, her movements tender and attentive<b>. </b>
To her, Zac might as well have <b>been </b>invisible.
<b>Zac </b>turned his <b>head</b><b>, </b>gazending on Charlotte, watching her in silence. His entire <b>being </b>radiated a kind of wounded misery.
But Charlotte acted like she didn’t notice him at all. <b>She </b>just sat by Sean’s bedside, speaking softly to him, not sparing Zac even a single nce.
He called her name <b>a </b>few times, but she pretended not to hear.
When the police arrived for a routine follow–up, both <b>men </b>gave their statements and agreed to settle things privately. <b>The </b>officers <b>left </b>shortly after filing the <b>report</b>.
Soon after<b>, </b>Sean’s assistant, Sam<b>, </b>rushed in with two bodyguards, looking frantic.
“Mr. <b>Jasper</b><b>, </b><b>what </b><b>happened</b>?” Sam was pale<b>, </b><b>drenched </b>in cold sweat. Clearly panicked.
He had only been gone for two hours. Two hours<b>–</b>and now <b>his </b>
Jasper <b>Sr. </b>found out, he would be done for<b>. </b>
Sean’s <b>expression </b><b>was </b>stone <b>cold</b>. “<b>It’s </b>nothing. Don’t breathe a word <b>of </b><b>this</b><b>. </b>Especially not to my family. Understood?”