Charlotte’s eyes flickered with a hint of sorrow–so fleeting it might have gone unnoticed by anyone else. But Tricia caught it perfectly, and her lips curled into a satisfied, triumphant smile. She stepped forward, chin lifted. “So what if you restored the security footage?” she taunted. “Did you really think that even if Evander knew the truth, he’d stick his neck out for you–a mere ything–just to make things difficult for me?”

“Face reality, Charlotte. Don’t overestimate yourself. Evander would never believe you.”

Convinced she’d won, Tricia was about to sweep out of the room when Charlotte’s voice stopped her cold.

“I recorded everything you just said.”

Tricia froze, spinning around. Her gazended on the pen in Charlotte’s hand.

In a sh, Tricia lunged and grabbed Charlotte’s wrist. “You dared to record me?” she hissed.

Before Charlotte could answer, Tricia snatched the pen away and hurled it to the floor. It shattered instantly, pieces scattering across the polished hardwood.

Tricia let out a cold, dismissiveugh. “Charlotte, take my advice–don’t waste your energy on these pathetic little schemes.”

Staring at the ruined recorder at her feet, Charlotte suddenly smiled. “You keep calling me overconfident, but if you really had nothing to hide, why would you be so afraid of a recording?”

For a moment, Tricia was caught off guard. Charlotte crouched down, scooped up the broken pen, and held the empty barrel out as if to prove a point. “It’s just a regr pen, Director Winthrop. What’s with all the drama?”

“You’re ying games with me!” Tricia spat, knocking Charlotte’s hand aside. The pen barrel slipped from Charlotte’s grasp, rolling under the corner of the desk.

“So what if I am?” Charlotte shot back, meeting her gaze head–on. “You framed me for stealing your bracelet, and you set me up in the loungest week. I haven’t forgotten any of it.”

“You-” Tricia’s retort died in her throat as a noise echoed bfrom /bbthe /bbhallway/bb. /bbHer /bbface/b, twisted with anger ba /bmoment bago/bb, /bnow crumpled binto /bban /bbexpression /bbof /bbwounded /bbinnocence/b. She bstaggered /bbbackward /bband /bbcopsed /bbto /bbthe /bbfloor/bb, /bbshoulders /b

b1/3 /b

shaking in feigned sobs.

“Dr. Sterling,” she choked out, “I know you’re still angry with me. It was wrong of me to use you I never should have gotten you suspended. This is all my fault. I…I don’t deserve forgiveness.”

She grabbed a fruit knife from the table and pressed it to her wrist, dragging the de across her skin.

Charlotte lunged to stop her.

At that moment, the office door flew open.

Evander’s eyes immediately zeroed in on Tricia, who now sat on the floor, blood streaming from her wrist and staining the sleeve of her white coat. He rushed forward, shoving Charlotte aside, then crouched to press his hands tightly over Tricia’s wound.

“Tricia!” he called, rm etched across his face.

Charlotte staggered from the force, her hip mming into the corner of the desk. Pain shed across her features, but Evander’s world had narrowed to the woman bleeding in his arms.

Tricia leaned against him, her face drawn and pale. “Evander… It’s all my fault. I nearly got Dr. Sterling hurt, and on top of that, she lost her job because of me.”

“None of this is iyour /ifault,” Evander said sharply, his tone icy as he swept Tr. his arms and nced back at Charlotte. His eyes were cold as steel.

into

“If anything happens ito /iher, neither you nor the Sterling family will get away with it.” With Tricia cradled in his arms, he strode to the door, calling for help.

People who’d gathered in the hallway began to disperse, leaving Charlotte standing alone in the center of the office.

The silence pressed in on her, making it hard to breathe.

Evander’s coldness–his suspicion–cut deeper than any wound.

She unclenched her fist, noticing the crescent moon marks her fingernails had left in her palm. But the pain had faded; she barely felt it at all.

Tricia’s cut wasn’t deep, and the bleeding stopped quickly after treatment.

08:41

Chapter b33 /b

Evander returned to the hospital room, standing by the bedside. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m sorry, Evander. I lost control. I just… I didn’t want Dr. Sterling ito /imisunderstand me.” Tricia’s face was drained of color, her voice trembling. “I really do want to get along with her, I just don’t want to make a bad impression or cause you any trouble.”

Evander was silent for a long moment. “You don’t need to worry about any of that.” “Evander,” she whispered, reaching out to embrace him.