Loretta’s expression twisted. “You—”

“If you’re so eager to take my ce, at least wait until Mr. Howard and I are divorced. After that, you two can have all the candlelit dinners you

want. Stuff yourselves until you burst for all I care–it won’t be my

problem anymore.”

Charlotte never once nced at Evander as she spoke. She tossed the words over her shoulder, turned, and strode away.

Loretta’s eyes filled with tears. She looked at him, wounded. “Mr. Howard, your wife–she acts like somemon shrew!”

“She is a shrew,” Evander said darkly, his gaze turning icy as itnded on Loretta. “And what exactly does that make you?”

“…”

Evander didn’t wait for her to finish. He spun on his heel and left without

another word.

Natalie shot Loretta an unimpressed look, shaking her head with a sneer. “If you want to y the part of Tricia and climb the socialdder, you should at least master her subtlety first, idiot.”

That pushed Loretta over the edge. She snapped, shouting after Natalie, “You’re just some working girl. Who are you to talk down to me?”

Upstairs, Sean stood behind the window on the second floor, watching the entire scene unfold in the garden below.

A housekeeper hovered nervously behind him, offering a quiet report. “Sir, Miss Sterling really was brought here as a guest by the young master. And, um, thedy of the house seems to like Miss Sterling… actually, she seems to prefer her over your own daughter…”

Sean’s hands, which had been idly rolling a rosary, stilled. He fell into silent contemtion.

b14:44 /b

This daughter, revealed by the DNA test, had none of his wife’s poise. Every gesture, every word, was tinged with small–town pettiness.

He could hardly me her, raised as she was by adoptive parents. She was his own flesh and blood, after all. With proper guidance, surely she could ovee these bad habits.

But was it really so simple?

The image of Charlotte lingered in his mind, filling him with doubt.

Where had everything gone wrong?

Charlotte had just reached the curb when a hand caught her arm.

Caught off guard, she stumbled right into a man’s chest. She looked up, recognized him, and immediately tried to push away, but his grip only tightened on her shoulders.

“Charlotte,” Evander said, voice low, “do you still care about me?”

She stared at him for a few seconds, meeting his intense gaze. “Care about you? You think I don’t mind you having dinner with another woman while you’re still married to me? If you want to be with her, just sign the divorce papers already!”

“If you really didn’t care, would it bother you?”

“I just don’t want to be some married woman sneaking around with other

men. That’s all!b” /b

Evander’s jaw clenched, veins standing out on the back of his hand. His eyes darkened. “What did you say?”

He tightened his grip, making her wince.

Charlotte struggled harder. “Let go of me!”

“I won’t let you go to another man.” He pulled her firmly into his arms. “Charlotte.”

b211 /b

14-45

With his head bowed, his voice grew rough as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. “Don’t push me.”

Charlotte stiffened.

She almost forgot–when this man lost control, there was nothing he

wouldn’t do.

And she was in the capital now, on his turf.

If he decided to keep her here…

She drew a shaky breath, forcing her tone softer. “Evander, let go of me.

Please.”

He held the back of her head in his palm, lips brushing close to her cheek. “I want to show you something.”

A chill ran through her.

She grabbed Evander’s arm, her face pale. “Where are you taking me?”

Seeing her so on edge, Evander’s expression darkened, but he gave a wry smile. “Do you really think I’d hurt you?”

No, he wasn’t the type to hurt her.

But he was the type to imprison her…

Charlotte bit her lip. “Just tell me where we’re going.”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Charlotte fell silent.

As the car drove on, Charlotte stared out the window, mentally running

through a dozen different escape ns.

Finally, Natalie pulled into a driveway she recognized.

Sterling Mansion looked exactly the same as it always had.

Not much had changed at all.

That’s when she remembered–Evander had told her he’d bought the

14

Sterling family estate.