bMrs. /bFontaine was enjoying her little power trip, arms bfolded /bbacross /bbher /bbchest/b.pletely unfazed by the tension in the room. “Oh, what? Angry nowb? /bbI /bbknew /bit

Before she could finish, Director Fontaine quickly mped a hand over bher /bbmouth/bb. /b

He turned to Jonathan, his face full of nervous apology. “Mr. Pembroke, bmy /bbwife /bdidn’t realize who she was speaking to. She was out of line. Please, let me apologize on her behalf.”

The Pembrokes might not be quite as influential as the Howards, but they were bstill /ba powerhouse in the city’s elite circles. If Jonathan wanted to make trouble for them, it’d be all too easy.

Jonathan frowned. “Your wife shoved her. Doesn’t she owe an apology?b” /b

Director Fontaine nudged his wife hard with his elbow.

Finally realizing she wasn’t dealing with ordinary people, Mrs. Fontaine forced herself to mumble a grudging apology.

Jonathan’s eyes swept over the couple, a chill flickering in his gaze. “Well? Get out

of here.”

Neither of them dared argue. Director Fontaine hustled his wife away in shame.

Charlotte nced at Jonathan’s arm. “You hit your arm. Let me take you to get it checked out in orthopedics.”

He withdrew his gaze, offering a faint smile. “Sorry to trouble

She helped Jonathan into the elevator.

you, Charlotte.”

The crowd, who’d been watching the drama unfold, now only whispered more furiously.

“Dr. Sterling could have a man like Mr. Pembroke–why would she ever even look at Director Fontaine?”

“Exactly, this whole rumor/sounds bogus to me…”

Charlotte apanied Jonathan to radiology for X–rays. When the results came back, Jonathan sighed, “See? No broken bones, just a little bruising. bYou /b

much.”

Fry btoo /b

b1/3 /b

b09:43 /b3

bCharlotte /bblowered /bbher /bbeyes/b, her bvoice /bbapologetic/b. “bEither /bbway/bb, /bbI’m /bbjust /bd you’re bokay/b.”

bJonathan /bpaused in the hallway, turning to look at her. “bYou /bknow, bevery /bbsingle /bbtime /bI run into you, someone’s picking on you.”

Charlotte blinked, momentarily at a loss. Thinking about it, he wasn’t bwrong/bb…. /b

“If Professor Carstairs knew his favorite student was being treated like bthis /bbin the /bcapital, I doubt he’d sleep at night.”

“Jonathan, please don’t tell him about any of this. I don’t want to worry him. Besides, I’ll be gone in just over a month.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than a low, familiar voice sounded behind her. “Gone where?”

Charlotte startled, turning to see Evander standing there, having appeared out of nowhere.

Jonathan met Evander’s gaze with a faint, polite smile. “Mr. Howard, aren’t you supposed to be with your girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend?”

“That’s what you said yourself, isn’t it?”

Evander’s face remained calm, though something shed in his eyes. “You certainly have good timing, Mr. Pembroke. Heard everything you wanted, I suppose.”

Jonathan just smiled, offering no response. He turned to Charlotte. “Charlotte, I have to go see my rtive in the ward. Take care of yourself.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Jonathan brushed past Evander, and as he did, Evander’s faint smile faded.

Charlotte barely spared Evander a nce as she moved to leave.

But as she passed him, he suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

Wherever she moved, he blocked her path.

Charlotte looked up, confused. “Mr. Howard, is there something you need?”

“What did you mean by what you said to Jonathan?” Evander pulled his jacket tighter, his eyes cold and almost menacing. “nning to run off with hi.

“Evander, what is wrong with you?”

b09:43 /b

Charlotte actuallyughed in disbelief, throwing his own favorite words back bat /bhim. “Whatever happens between us, leave Jonathan out of it.”

She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist, his displeasure unmistakable. “Say that again.”

Charlotte shook off his hand. “Why? Does it bother you to hear your own words thrown back at you, Mr. Howard?”

His jaw clenched, but he said nothing, his gaze fixed on her.

She pressed on. “But it’s not like anything I say would bother you, right? After all, with the deep bond between you and Miss Winthrop, why would you care what an outsider like me thinks?”