bpter /bb89 /b

Charlotte pushed open the hospital room door. Inside, only Tricia was bthere/bb. /b

Tricia eyed her warily. “What are you doing here, Charlotte?”

Charlotte stopped by the bedside, drew a steady breath, and met Tricia’s bgaze/bb. /bb“/bbI’m /bwilling to let the past go. We’re even. But I have one condition: stay iout /iof bHiram’s /btrial.”

Tricia let out a derisiveugh, tilting her chin up with a look of disdain. “Let the past go? What exactly have I ever done to you? If you’re going ito /imake usations, you’d better bring proof.”

“And besides, your brother kidnapped me–threatened me. Why shouldn’t I get involved in his sentencing? Or are you just hoping I’ll let him off easy?”

Charlotte smiled, too. “Tricia, there’s no one else here. I’m not recording anything. We both know exactly what happened. Why pretend?”

Tricia refused to budge. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m the victim here, Charlotte. Are you threatening me?”

Charlotte clenched her hand at her side, silent for a few seconds. “I’m not threatening you. I know you want to marry Evander, but you’ll never get past his grandmother.”

Tricia’s face changed instantly at that.

She red at Charlotte, her look cold enough to cut through steel.

Charlotte went on, “Even if you try to go through Evander, I’ll make sure his grandmother steps in. What Evander thinks doesn’t matter to me–I’ve yed the viin before, you know.”

“If I get her involved, she’ll find out you’ve been hanging around her grandson ever since you got back. Do you really think she’ll let you stay with him?”

Tricia bit her lip, her face suddenly pale. “If you’re so capable, why bothering to me? Why not just go to the old woman yourself?”

“I’m giving you a chance,” Charlotte said, settling into the visitor’s chair, her tone measured and calm. “If I bring her in, do you really think you’ll have any future with Evander?”

Tricia was speechless.

bChapter /bb89 /b

She knew all too well how much that old woman despised bher/bb. /b

For six years, she’d wished nothing more than for that bitter old bcrone /bbto /bdie bthen /bnothing would stand in the way of her marrying Evander.

But the olddy just kept living.

Tricia’s clenched fist slowly rxed. She let out a coldugh. “Why should I btrust /b

you? Don’t think I haven’t noticed–you’re living with Evander. Don’t tell me byou /bbdon’t /bwant to be Mrs. Howard.”

Charlotte rolled her eyes.

Mrs. Howard?

Did she even have to think about it?

She already was.

After a moment, Charlotte gave a small smile. “You’re right. I don’t want that anymore.”

Tricia stared at her, half believing, half doubting.

Charlotte stood up, her voice calm. “In forty–five days, I’ll be leaving the city. After that, no one will be in your way. Miss Winthrop, I hope you’ll think over what I said today. Let me know your answer when you’re ready.”

Without waiting for a reply, Charlotte walked out of the room.

As the door shut behind her, Tricia’s face darkened, her nails digging so hard into her palm they nearly broke skin.

Charlotte was supposed toe begging her for mercy, not act like she was granting favors and handing out chances.

Give her a chance? Spare Hiram?

The humiliation she’d suffered–she nned to pay it all back in full.

Tricia picked up her phone and called Mrs. Fontaine, telling her toe to the hospital for an urgent discussion.

Charlotte was back in her office, seeing patients. A figure appeared in the doorway, moving with calm deliberation. Without looking up, she thought it was a patient. “Did you check in at reception?”

bChapter /b

“What bdid /byou say to Triciab?/bb” /b

The voice made her pause, and she nced up to meet Evander’s bcold/bb, /bbblue /bbeyes/bb. /b

Her grip on her ipen /itightened. She’d expected Tricia might run to Evanderb, /bbbut /bbshe /bhadn’t thought he’d care this much.

Tricia mattered to him.

“You didn’t want to negotiate with me. So, I went to Miss Winthrop instead. Is bthat /bba /bproblem?”

Evander’s gaze lingered on her. After a moment, he gave a short, bitterugh, his words edged with irony. “You really are relentless, aren’t you?”

bChapter /bb90 /b