Rosemary ignored Tricia’s feeble attempt to defend herself, letting out a cold snort. “Who else should I me, if not you? Six years apart, and your shamelessness hasn’t changed a bit.”

Humiliated, Tricia’s face drained of color.

Evander’s brow furrowed. “Grandmother, please stay out of this–it’s between me and her. And stop taking it out on her.”

He scooped Tricia up in his arms, not sparing Charlotte a single nce, and carried

her away.

Rosemary watched the scene unfold, heaving a long, weary sigh. She turned to Charlotte, who stood there dripping wet. “Seems the Howard farnily owes you an apology now.”

“It’s all right,” Charlotte replied with a bitter smile.

The divorce was inevitable anyway.

Whatever Evander thought of her, it wouldn’t change her decision.

She started to get up, but Miranda, for once, stepped forward to help her. “Mom, I’ll take her downstairs to get changed.”

Rosemary nodded.

Upstairs in the bedroom.

Charlotte changed into dry clothes and stepped out of the closet, expecting Miranda to be gone. To her surprise, she was still there.

Charlotte approached her. “Mom, I’m finished changing. I’ll head home now.”

Miranda straightened her cor for her. Charlotte, startled by the gesture, stood still as Miranda spoke in a calm, almost gentle voice. “Now you know what it feels like to be married to a man who doesn’t love you. But you’re still young. You still have

choices.”

Charlotte froze, half–convinced she’d misheard.

Miranda hardly ever spoke to her beyond what was strictly necessary between a mother–inw and daughter–inw–let alone say anything heartfelt.

07:57

“Mom, did you just-?”

“I’m just saying what’s obvious. You saw how Evander treats you,” Miranda replied, her tone uncharacteristically candid. “I don’t like you, but I’ll never ept Tricia either. I just think you’re too young to tie yourself down to one man for life. If I were your age again, I wouldn’t…”

She stopped herself, the old coldness flickering back in her eyes. “Not that you’d understand even if I exined. You should go.”

Without another word, Miranda left the bedroom.

Charlotte was baffled, but didn’t dwell on it. Maybe her mother–inw just suddenly pitied her, she thought…

Downstairs, as Tricia changed out of her wet clothes, Evander pulled surveince footage from a camera near the pool.

By the time Tricia returned, she was walking with Genevieve toward Evander.

“Evander,” Tricia called, not noticing the surveince video ying on his phone. “I’m sorry about everything today. I shouldn’t havee. I made things difficult for you and Genevieve.”

Genevieve rushed tofort her. “Don’t say that, Tricia. It’s not your fault at all! Clearly, Charlotte-”

“So it was Charlotte who pushed you into the pool?” Evander cut in, his voice calm and unreadable as he turned to look at Tricia.

Tricia’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly took his arm. “Evander, I did get pushed. At the time, aside from Genevieve, only Dr. Sterling was nearby. Genevieve would never do that to me.”

“Exactly, brother. Why are you even hesitating? It was obviously Charlotte-”

But as she spoke, she caught sight of the footage ying on Evander’s phone and

fell silent.

The video was crystal clear: it was Tricia who had grabbed Charlotte and pulled her

into the water.

Genevieve stared at Tricia in disbelief. If Charlotte hadn’t pushed her, why would Tricia lie?

Tricia finally realized what Evander was holding.

Chapter TUJ

All color drained from her face.

Evander’s voice was icy. “So, this is what you meant by ‘she pushed you‘?”

Tricia stammered, “Evander, I…”

“I thought you were above these petty tricks, Tricia.” Evander tucked his phone away, expression unchanged, and turned to leave.

But Tricia caught his arm, her voice breaking with tears. “Yes! I did it. I shouldn’t have let jealousy get the better of me–I pulled her in! But Evander, you keep saying there’s nothing between you and her, but is that really true?”