The chief strode out with a grim expression, waving for the younger officers bto /benter the house first.

The middle–aged couple exchanged a nce, still clueless about the gravity of the situation. “Director Sinir, what’s that supposed to mean? You’ve always bcut us /bsome ck out of respect for my brother, haven’t you? Besides, you know exactly what’s going on with our son!”

Director Sinir’s face darkened, his voice cold. “I know, but don’t you, as his parents, know as well?”

“How many times is this now? You just let him wander off without anyone watching him. Every single time something happens, who’s the one bailing your son out?

Me!”

The couple were left speechless, unable to argue back.

Sinir shook them off and turned his back. “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but this time, he’s picked the wrong people to mess with. If I step in, I might as well clear out my office right now.”

“I don’t care. My son is sick. I’d like to see who exactly he’s not supposed to cross!”

Seeing the woman’s ignorant defiance, Sinir’s expression turned almost ck with exasperation. Poor Commissioner Yates, saddled with such a foolish sister–he’d used up all his good luck just having her in the family.

“That’s the Howard family. If you’re so tough, why don’t you go after them yourself?” The woman froze, as if reality had pped her hard across the face. She stood there, stunned and silent.

Night had fallen. Charlotte was in that hazy ce between dreaming and waking when she suddenly sensed a presence by her bed. She jolted fully awake.

In the half–light streaming from the hallway, she finally made out the man’s face–handsome and shadowed in the dimness.

Evander sat there with his legs crossed in the visitor’s chair, idly turning his wristwatch. “Why didn’t you tell anyone about the hospital?”

Charlotte, her heart still racing from the scare, slowly sat up. “bWould /bbit /bbhave /bbmade /b

υπαμαι Ο

any difference? But really, Mr. Howard, you showing up here is a bsurprise/bb.” /b

Hearing her toss out “Mr. Howard” again and again, Evander’s eyes bflicked /bbup/b, locking on her pale face.

After a long pause, he leaned forward, looking straight at her. “Do you have bto /bbbe /bbso /bsarcastic with me?”

“Didn’t you say, out there, we should act like strangers?”

He stared at her for a moment, jaw clenched, silent.

The quiet stretched on, making Charlotte increasingly ufortable. She pulled the nket closer. “If there’s nothing else, Mr. Howard, I’d like to get some rest.”

Shey down again, turning her back to him.

She figured he’d leave soon–but he didn’t.

Charlotte frowned. Even without looking, she could feel his gaze burning into her.

iup /ito?

What was he

Finally, the man in the chair stood up.

Charlotte let out a soft sigh of relief.

But then, in the next moment, she stiffened in shock as he climbed into the hospital bed beside her, slipping an arm around her waist.

Her mind went nk for a full thirty seconds before she scrambled out of his grasp and sat up. “Evander, have you lost your mind?”

He propped himself up on one elbow, looking annoyinglyposed. “Am I not allowed to sleep here?”

Sleep?

He wanted to spend the night here?

Charlotte was sure one of them had lost it–she just wasn’t sure which.

“Mr. Howard, you’re not seriously nning to stay here overnight, are youb?/bb” /b

“Yes.”

Charlotte stared at him, half–convinced she was hearing bthings/bb. /b

b+ /bbhafora /bche bcould /bbstop /bherself.

Back when she was sick before, he’d never spared her a nce. And now, he wanted to stay with her?

Evander’s eyes were dark, unfathomable.

Why?

He didn’t know why either. He wanted to know what it was about this woman that unsettled him so much.

“Charlotte.” He said her name softly.

She looked at him, utterly confused.

“Have we met before?”