When she looked closer, she realized it was the booking page for Pine Mist Ind Resort. He had booked an entire month-enough to hit the VIP spending tier and receive an exclusive invitation to the Christmas g. The page showed the

invitation had already been imed.

Charlotte immediately opened her phone''s tracking app-the one she had secretly installed before.

Without another thought, she jumped in the car and sped off.

At the entrance to Pine Mist Ind, she finally spotted James''s car. Her steps slowed as she approached.

James was leaning against the car door, a cigarette in hand.

She moved slightly-he didn''t notice. Quietly, she crept closer.

From behind, she couldn''t see his expression, but she could see what he was staring at intently.

Charlotte pressed her lips together and leaned forward. Finally, she saw what it

was.

A gold-trimmed invitation-understated but luxurious.

But the distinctive seal on the back made her blood run cold.

Her mind went nk. In a blur, she lunged forward and snatched the invitation

from his hand. His voice rang out in protest, but it blurred in her ears.

''Pine Mist Ind Resort invites you to our exclusive Christmas G.''

So, it was real.

In that moment, Charlotte felt like a fool.

She''d spent the whole afternoon nning a getaway, full of hope. She''d stayed upte preparing a surprise for the man she loved, all to give him a warm wee home.

What she got in return was silence and indifference. And she had thought- naively that maybe he was just tired from work.

What a joke.

Suddenly, she felt something wet on her cheek. She reached up and wiped it.

She was crying.

Her heart felt hollow, her chest tight. Eyes rimmed red, she looked up at James whose expression was cold as ever. She wanted an exnation but the words wouldn''te.  s

Then James opened his mouth-and what he said crushed herpletely.

"Give me the invitation. Just do your part as Mrs. Chancer and stay out of things."

Charlotte couldn''t hold it in any longer. Her fragileposure snapped.

She let uta bitter, brokenugh and looked at him with tear eyes, voice racking you''re still thinking about her, aren''t you?"  s

James''s brow furrowed. "This has nothing to do with you. I''ll say it again-give me the invitation."fnbbac Content originallyes from ?ovelFind/fnbbac

"Invitation invitation... is that all you

care

intout?" Charlotte''s voice rose

into a scream, her tears falling freely. "Is she all you see?!"  s

She started tearing at the invitation with both hands. The stiff paper cut her fingers, and blood began to seep out, staining the edges.

James''s face twisted with disgust. "What the hell is wrong with you? You''re acting like a lunatic."

Charlotte''s eyes widened. She stared at him in disbelief, her heart shredded, her soul frozen.

"You think I became like this for no reason?" she said hoarsely. "Who do you think turned me into this?"

She raised her hand and pped him.

He stepped back, dodging instinctively. That only fueled her rage.

She broke downpletely-crying, shouting, hitting-unraveling right in front of him.

"Why?! What does she have that I don''t?! After all this time, why are you thinking about that slut?!"