The house waspletely still. Not a sound,
So when the phone buzzed on the table, the vibration seemed unusually loud.
Sean nced at the screen. It was Charlotte calling.
His eyes darkened. He answered<b>, </b>his volce hoarse.
“Hey, Lottie.”
On the other <b>end</b>, Charlotte immediately picked up on the rasp in his voice
Hyon y, Sean? Did something happen on your way back?”
Charlotte <b>paused</b><b>. </b>
<b>“</b><b>‘</b>ve made it here safely. No trouble on the road. The ce is really hidden, and thedy taking care of me is kind and thoughtful. Everything’s fine.” She wanted to say <b>that </b>she missed him terribly, that not seeing him was breading her heart, that she worried about <b>him </b>every second, But she said none of it.
Now wasn’t the time for sweet words. Sean had more important things to deal with. She just needed to be good and stay hidden like he asked. Sean gave a vague *Mm.”
Charlotte noticed how cold and distant he sounded today. Maybe the earlier attack had left him shaken.
“Then..” she hesitated, unsure if he wanted to keep talking. “Then I’ll let you go. Take care, okay?”
Sean leaned his head back, eyes nk as he stared at the bright winter sunlight outside the window. His voice came out tight and raw
“Lottle. let’s break up.”
No more waiting.
His
grandfather was right. The Riley family were legitimate businesspeople. They didn’t stand <b>a </b>chance against someone as vicious and <b>ruthless </b><b>as </b>joseph. Every day he dragged this out, the more danger they were in.
Charlotte traze, stunned silent with the phone still pressed to her <b>ear</b>. Her lips pacted, but she couldn’t get a single word out.
Tears slipped down her face before she even realized it,
Fully she whispered, voice trembling, “<b>Is </b><b>it </b>because.. <b>you’re </b>afraid I’ll get hurt?”
Sean paused, then forced <b>a </b>breath in to keep the <b>pain </b>from cracking his voice.
“It just let me this whole thing isn’t worth it. You..”
He swallowed hard, the lie catching in his throat
“I used to think you’d make a good wife. You’re smart, beautiful, from the rightnd of family… the perfect choice for the future Mrs. <b>Jasper</b>. But now..” He closed his eyes, pressing down the ache in his chest<b>, </b>and finished with effort
“But now I’ve changed my mind<b>. </b>I’m not done ying around, I don’t s one who let you down.”
want to spend the rest <b>of </b>my life with just one woman<b>. </b>So let’s break up. Forget me<b>. </b>I’m the
Charlotte was ying in a two–story vi just outside the city, with <b>a </b>small garden below her window.
This time of year, the garden looked withered and lifeless, like it <b>was </b>grieving <b>along </b>with her.
Shipy curled up on the bed, clutching <b>a </b>nket, crying silently.
It had been over an hour since the call ended, and the tears hadn’t <b>stopped</b><b>. </b>
How could one person have so many <b>tears</b><b>?</b>” she thought.
<b>No </b>matter how much she cried, it felt endless
She didn’t believe Sean meant what he said
He wasn’t like that.
It had to be because of Joseph.
Sean didn’t ware her getting buit, so he was pushing her away,
But the <b>things </b>he said, they really cut deep.
She couldn’t just brush them off like they didn’t matter.
She didn’t <b>want </b>to cry, but the tears came anyway.
They wouldn’t s
<b>I </b>stop.
The winter sky darkened <b>early</b>. By six–thirty, the world outside was already cloaked in dusk
Knock, lock knock
Mrs. Sanders, the housekeeper<b>, </b>called gently from outside the door.
Charlotte sniffled<b>, </b>her voice soft and hoarse.
“I’m not hungry, Mrs. Sanders.”
Maybe Mrs. Sanders didn’t hear her, because she knocked again.
Miss Liley? Are you asleep?”