A faint pale light spread across the horizon. Moming broke slowly, and the soft glow of dawn filtered through the ss window, gently falling across Charlotte’s face, illuminating her pale and exhausted features.
She had spent the entire night sitting by the window, unmoving. It wasn’t until sunrise that she finally drifted off, resting lightly a
lott, resting lightly against the ss.
Even then, her sleep was shallow and restless. She kept walding from fragments of dreams–all of them about Sean
In thest dream, she saw Sean standing hand in hand with Lucinda. There was a soft simile in his eyes, his expression glowing with happiness. He told her he was getting married and asked her toe to the wedding.
In the dream, Charlotte cried.
When she woke up, her face was streaked with real tears.
There was a knock at <b>the </b>door.
“Miss Riley? Are you awake?” Mrs. Sanders called gently from outside. “Lunch is <b>ready.</b>”
Charlotte wiped her tears and walked over to the door<b>, </b>pulling it open.
“You go ahead and eat, Mrs. Sanders. I need to take <b>a </b>shower and get changed. I’lle down after.”
Mrs. Sanders noticed how pale and worn out she looked. There were dark circles under her eyes. She hesitated, then asked carefully<b>, </b>“<b>Did </b>you not sleep wellst might, Miss Riley?”
Mrs. Sanders didn’t use Twitter. She had no idea about the scandal, or that Charlotte and Sean had once been engaged–or that the engagement had now been
broken off.
She simply assumed the two were dating, and that Sean genuinely cared. He had instructed her clearly to take good care of Charlotte, and seeing her in this state, Mrs Sanders couldn’t help but be concerned<b>. </b>
Charlotte was beyond exhausted.
She had barely slept five hours and even
even that had been broken, shallow cest
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me,” she replied, voire low and weary.
Mrs. Sanders didn’t prese further.
“All right, then. <b>You </b>go take your shower. I’ll keep the food warm in the pot, otherwise it’ll get cold.”
“Thank you,” Chadotte murmured<b>. </b>
“No need <b>to </b>thank me. It’s my job,” Mrs. Sanders <b>said </b>kindly before heading downstairs.
Charlotte <b>quietly </b>dosed the <b>door</b>, leaned <b>back </b>against it, then <b>slowly </b>slid to the floor, her <b>back </b>pressed against the wood.
These were dozens of missed calls and messages on her phone.
Suscrolled through them one by one.
None were from Sean.
She hadn’t eaten anything since <b>the </b><b>day </b>before. On top of that, she had gone the entire night without sleep. Her body was at its limitpletely drained, limp and shaky, her face as pale as if she <b>would </be <b>down </b>with a serious illness.
sitting against the <b>door</b>, her fingers gripped her phone so tightly they had gone numb.
suddenly, her phone rang.
It was Desmond<b>. </b>
She remembered he <b>had </b>said he would send someone to pick her up today. She answered the <b>call</b>.
“Lottie,” his voice came through, low and gentle, filled with the warmth and worry of a father. “How are you feeling? Have you been eating? Getting enough rest?”
<b>Chadoite’s </b>throat tightened. Her eyes welled again the forced her voice out, hoarse and faint.
“Ho okay. Nothing serious”
Drand paused
He could hear it. She was lying.
Het voler sounded weak, barely there. It was obvious she hadn’t slept or eaten properly. She sounded utterly drained
He sighed quietly, trying topose Insell
“Lottle, the press conference was held this moming 11’s official — <b>we’ve </b>announced the end of the engagement. I’ve already sent the car to pick you up. Eat something, thene home.”
Charlotte’s lips parted as if she wanted to say something. But in the end, she only gave a weak nod and matured, “Okay”
“Good. Then go have <b>your </b>lunch. I’ll hang up now,
Desmond knew she was hurting. She needed space. After exining everything, he gently ended the call.
Charlotte stayed sitting on the floor for a long while before finally dragging herself up, her body numb and aching Moving like a ghost, she made her way into the bathroom