b“/bbDivorce/bb?/bb” /b

Hiram froze in ce, stunned. “You and Evander are getting divorced? Is bit /bbbecause /bof me…b?/bb” /b

“No!” Rachel, Charlotte’s mother, stepped to his side and cut him off. “This bisn’t /babout you, Hiram. Don’t overthink it.”

She knew her son’s impulsive temper all too well. If he ever found out the real reason Charlotte was divorcing Evander, he’d probably go after Evander’s mistress himself. And if he caused trouble for Evander, the Sterling family would be the one to pay the price.

It wasn’t that she didn’t feel for her daughter. It was just that…the Howard family was their one shot at redemption. If anyone was to me, it was her, for not having the wealth or power to give her daughter a better life.

“That’s right. Your sister doesn’t know how good she has it,” Xavier chimed in, his tone harsh as ever. “Marrying into the Howard family was the best thing that ever happened to her, and now she wants to throw it all away arguing with Mr. Howard?” He criticized Charlotte relentlessly, as if she existed only to embarrass him and couldn’t see how hard they’d worked for her sake.

Hiram lowered his gaze and fell silent, lost in thought.

***

Meanwhile, Charlotte had been in surgery since eight that morning, not leaving the operating room until well into the afternoon. She went into the locker room, changed out of her scrubs, and retrieved her phone from her locker. The screen was lit up with several missed calls–most from Hiram, and one from Evander.

She frowned, but only called back her brother as she left the staff lounge.

“Charlotte! Dad says you’re divorcing Evander. Is it true?” Hiram’s anxious voice came through the line, urgent and insistent. “Did Evander do something to hurt you?”

“No,” Charlotte replied, rubbing her aching shoulder, her tone calm. “We just see things differently, that’s all. I think it’s time to end things.”

Hiram was hot–headed and reckless; she didn’t want him knowing the whole story.

“If

you want to leave him, then just do it,” Hiram said, defiant. “Mom and Dad are

b09:38 /b

always bgoing /bbon /bbabout /bbhow /bbthe /bbHoward /bbfamily’s /bbdoing /bbus /bba /bbfavor/bb, /bbbut /bhonestly I bthink /bbthey’re /bbjust /bblying /bto themselves. The btruth /bis bwe /bwere bthe /bbones /bbreaching /babove bour /bstation–bthose /bpeople never respected bus/b. Divorce might bbe /bbthe /bbbest /bbthing /bbthat /bcould happen.”

Charlotte stopped in her tracks, her heart softening.

She hadn’t expected the only one who understood her in this family would bbe /bbthe /bso–called “rebellious kid” everyone else had spoiled. She knew Hiram wasn’t ba /bbbad /bperson–just quick–tempered and impulsive, made worse by years of their parentsb‘ /bindulgence.

She pressed her lips together, then said sincerely, “Hiram, after all that’s happened, you need to keep your temper in check. Focus on your studies, work hard, and prove yourself. Make it so no one can ever look down on us again.”

He was still young. She truly hoped he’d find his own path–at the very least, she didn’t want their parents‘ stubborn ideas to drag him down. Even if he never rose to the top, he should at least live with purpose and integrity. Some lines, she knew, simply couldn’t be crossed.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. If you hadn’te to my college that one time and that jerk hadn’t seen you–then started spreading rumors about you–I wouldn’t have even bothered with him,” Hiram snapped, his anger ring at the memory.

His sister was the prettiest girl in the world, and that loser dared to spread lies about her? Said someone as beautiful as Charlotte must’ve had plenty of “experience” with the med school guys? If he weren’t forbidden to use Evander’s name, he’d have settled it with his fists long ago.

Charlotte paused, taken aback. So that’s what it was about.

She had gone to Hiram’s university a couple months ago at the request of his academic advisor–he’d skipped ss for a week. She was used to it by now. Back in high school and now in college, whenever Hiram got in trouble, their parents always sent her to clean up the mess.

“Whatever happens, don’t get into fights anymore. I can’t always bail

you out.”

“Fine, fine, don’t nag me like Mom. I get it! I’ll behave, okay?”

17

Charlotte stepped out of the elevator, just as she ended the call. At the nurses‘ station, Director Fontaine called out to her, setting a file on the counter. Sterling, as of today, your new direct supervisor is Director Winthrop. Congrattions.”