RedNovelRegret 182 Charlotte made a trip back to the Sterling house to visit her mother.
The door was opened by the housekeeper. Before Charlotte could say a word, her mother's voice called out from inside, "Who's here?" Rachel stepped into the living room and paused for a moment when she saw her daughter. "Lottie?" Once the housekeeper slipped away to her chores, Charlotte guided Rachel to the sofa. "Mom, has someone been here to take care of you these past few days?" Rachel settled herself on the couch with measured calm. "Don't worry, dear. He's made sure I've been looked after." Evander's arrangements really were quite thorough.
But no matter how well he tried to manage things, she couldn't bring herself to feel grateful to him. Something on her mind, Rachel glanced toward the kitchen, then took Charlotte's hand and lowered her voice. "Are we really leaving the city? Is your brother... is he able to cwith us?" Charlotte nodded. "Everything's set. I even found us a place." Rachel's eyes wandered wistfully around the spacious house. "Your father left this place to us. After all these years, I can't help feeling it's hard to let it go." But if she didn't sell it, the rest of the Sterlings would just keep coveting it, and as for the city-there was no place left here for her.
Maybe leaving really was the best choice.
Charlotte was about to speak when her phone rang-Evander's nlit up the screen.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtShe excused herself and stepped out to the balcony to answer. "Is something wrong?" She expected him to ask about Hans, but his tone was unreadable. "Are you back at Tranquility Manor?" "I'm here with my mother." "Don't trust my arrangements?" Charlotte pressed her lips together. "That's not it." He made a noncommittal sound in his throat. "You were at the old house today.
1/3 Chapter 102 What did Grandmother say?" What could she possibly say? Charlotte was silent for a few seconds, then spoke quietly. "There's something I think you misunderstood." He didn't answer, so she drew a steadying breath and continued, "I did buy a pregnancy test that day, but I took it. I'm not pregnant." He said nothing.
If not for the faint sound of his breathing, she would have thought he'd hung up.
"Not pregnant?" His voice came, as if needing confirmation.
"No," she replied with certainty.
"Did you tell Grandmother?" His question caught her off guard. She hesitated.
Then, unexpectedly, Evander gave a short laugh. She heard the faint click of a lighter on the other end. "Just because you're not pregnant now doesn't mean you won't be." He took a drag, his words drifting out with the smoke. "I have plenty of time." Charlotte clenched her fists, color draining from her face. "But you promised-" He hung up before she could finish.
Staring at the dead line, Charlotte's jaw tightened. Trusting a single word from Evander-she'd have to be out of her mind.
Charlotte stayed with her mother through dinner before returning to Tranquility Manor.
Evander chlate, as usual. He slung his coat over his arm, loosened his tie, and stepped into the master bedroom-only to find a scene he hadn't seen in a long while, a rare moment of peace.
Charlotte sat at the vanity in her robe, applying moisturizer, as if she'd just stepped out of the shower. The pale silk hugged her figure, her long hair twisted up with a clip. A pool of golden lamplight spilled over her, making the whole scene look almost unreal.
Evander leaned down, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Staying in the 2/3 14:48 Chapter 182 master bedroom tonight?" She met his eyes in the mirror. "If I sleep in the guest room, does that mean you'll leavealone?" A faint smile flickered at the corners of his lips. He pressed a kiss to her neck, voice low. "Cto the bathroom." She didn't answer, but he swept her into his arms and carried her in.
Back in bed afterward, Charlotte lay still, letting Evander hold her as darkness settled around them.
Facing away from him, she slowly opened her eyes and spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Didn't you say you didn't wantto have your child?" He hesitated, staring at her for a long moment. "Maybe it's twe did." He said "time," not "because I want to." Charlotte didn't reply.
What he didn't know was that she'd been taking long-term birth control. She hadn't adn't exactly accepted her situation-she'd just cto terms with it. He just wanted her body, didn't he? If spending the remaining two weeks could make him drop his guard-if it meant a few more nights in his bed- well, she had nothing left to lose.
The next morning, Lana was in the kitchen sorting through the trash when she noticed an opened m ve medicine box at the bottom of the bin. She assumed someone must be sick, but when she pulled it out, she froze. Birth control pills? Evander stepped from the bedroom, fastening his cufflinks. He looked in high spirits. "What are you looking at?" Lana hesitated, unsure how to respond.
Evander started to walk over, his eyes falling toward the box-just as m Charlotte rushed in, throwing her arms around him from behind.
"Evander!" 3/3
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