Chapter b13 /b

Charlotte called Sean, and he picked up almost instantly, his voice gentle.

“Lottie, do you like the dresses?”

“Yes” Charlotte nodded. “Which one do you think looks bestb?/b”

On the other end, bSean /bchuckled, his tone Indulgent. “Didn’t I already say you should just get them all? I had my assistant ce the orders alreadyb./b”

“That fast? I only just posted about them.”

“Didn’t want to risk them selling out. They’re limited editions.”

b“/bThank you, bSean/bb./b”

“Lottie, you’re my fiancée now. We’re family. You don’t have to thank me.”

Logically, she knew he was right. But deep down, she still couldn’t quite step into the role of his fiancée To her, Sean was still the same patient, dependable boy who had once tutored her in math–the caring older brother she had known for years.

“By the way, Lottieb, I /bknow getting around Harbor City isn’t the easiest without a car, so I bought you one. The paperwork just went through. Send me your address, and I’ll have someone deliver it to you.”

Charlotte stiffened.

Three years ago, she had run away to avoid marrying Sean. She knew he must have been aware of how her father had cut her off financially, leaving her stranded in a city where she had neither a bcar /bnor a home of her own.

Her best friends had once joked about “sponsoring” her, but she had turned them down.

During those first two months, bwhen /bshe could barely make ends bmeet/b, she had reluctantly epted ba /bsmall loan from them to get by. But as soon as she got her jobb, /bshe bpaid /bback every penny.

Now, here was Sean, the very person she had tried to escape, offering to buy her a car. And instead of holding ba /bgrudge, he was still looking

after her.

A bwave /bof guilt washed over her. She gripped her phone tighter.

“That’s not necessary. I usually just take bcabs/b. It’s really not a big deal.

Sean was silent for a second before he spoke again, his voiceced with quiet burt

“Lottle, are byou /bbeing this polite because you still don’t want to marry me?”

Qarlotte instinctively shook her head–only to realize a beatter that they were on the phone, and he couldn’t see her.

She softened her tone. “It’s not that, Sean. I wouldn’t have agreed to the engagement if I wasn’t willing. I just… I’ll be back in Jersey City bsoon/b. There’s no point in buying a car now.

___“That’s fineb,/bb” /bSean replied easily. “When youe bback/bb, /bI’ll just have it sent over there.”

“I really” Charlotte started to protest.

b“/bYou have a hearing in a neighboring city in a few days, don’t you?” Sean said casually. “A car would make things easier.”

Charlotte’s eyes widened.

“How did you know about that?”

“bYou /bposted about it two months ago,”

She blinked, stunned.

He was right. The court date had been set months ago–September b25th/b, at a courthouse bone /bcity over.

At the time, she had made a casual post bon /bher Instagrau bstory/b, joking about how it was basically ba /b“business–funded vacation” and that she would finally get to eat the spicy Cajun pasta she had been craving. She had even listed a few must–see tourist spots.

Sean’s voice was warm, with a hint of amusement. “Having ba /bcar bwould /bmake it bmore /bconvenient. After your hearing, byou /bcan btake /bba /blittle detour and visit those ces.”

.25 Bonus

Right nowb, /bSean stood by the floor–to–ceiling windows of his high–rise office, looking out over the city’s shimmering skyline.

Three years ago, when he learned how difficult Charlotte’s life had been after she left home, he had wanted so badly to send her money, buy her a house, make sure she had everything she needed.

But he hadcked the right identity to do so. Back then, if he had suddenly gifted her something, she bwould /bbhave /bnever epted it.

? ?

But now?

Now, things were different.

She had agreed to the engagement.

And finally, he had every reason to take care of her.

Charlotte sat in silence, caught off guard by the thoughtfulness behind his words,

For the first time, something shifted inside her–like a tiny stone dropping into a still pond, sending ripples outward.

Instagram Stories vanished after 24 hours. Sometimes, she even forgot what she had posted. But Sean always seemed to remember.

Zac, on the other bhand/b, never pa

paid attention to her posts.

There bhad /bbeen times when she had told Zac in advance about her business trips–only for him to call her on the day of departureb, /bbdemanding /bto know why she wasn’t in Harbor City.