After taking the photos, Sean handed the phone back to Charlotte, his expression calm and unreadable.

His tone was casual, almost indifferent. “You got a message from a friend.”

“Huh? Let me see.

Charlotte nced at the screen, and her expression stiffened.

She knew that texts automatically popped up as a banner not fleation, Sean must have seen it.

Feeling a little guilty, she tumed to him, quickly exining, “Ex–boyfriend. It’s over.”

“Mm.” Sean’s reaction was bneutral/b,

utral, his gaze giving nothing away.

Charlotte took a deep breath, feeling oddly flustered. “I already blocked him on the messaging app. I just forgot to block his number.”

Why bwas /bbshe /beven nervous? She was twenty–five. Having an ex waspletely normal.

Besides, she had dated Zac before agreeing to the engagement. bShe /bhadn’t done anything wrong–so why

why did it

feel like she had?

Realizing how ridiculous it was, she steadied herself, “I’ll block him now.”

Right in front of Sean, she pulled up her contacts, tapped Zac’s number, and added it to her ck list.

Then, as if to reassure him, she said lightly, “Don’t worry. Since I agreed to this engagement, my ex is nothing but the past.”

Sean gave a small bnod/bb, /bhis dark eyes revealing nothing. His expression remained unreadable.

But the moment Charlotte turned away, a faint smile flickered across his lips.

After spending a few days traveling with bSean/b, Charlotte finally flew back to Jersey City.

She hadn’t btold /bher family she was returning today, so no one was there to pick her up. Insteadb, /bSean’s assistant was waiting at the airport.

A sleek ck Rolls–Royce Cullinan pulled up in front of the Riley estate.

“Want me to go in with byou/b?” Sean asked.

Charlotte shook her head. “No need.”

“Alright.”

She stood at the bgate/b, hesitating for a moment.

Sean seemed to notice but didn’t linger.

Once his car drove off, Charlotte took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell. When she had left three years ago, she hadn’t taken her house keys.

Now, returning home like a guest, she feltplicated.

The door swung open, revealing Mrs. Coleman, the housekeeper.

The woman froze, staring at her in shock. “M–Miss Charlotte, you’re back?” Her voice trembled slightly, thick with emotion

Charlotte’s heart clenched. She bnodded /bsoftly. “Mm.”

Mrs. Coleen’s eyes welled up. “You’re finally home. This is wonderfull I’ll call your father right away.”

“He’s not home?”

“No, Mr. Riley is at the office. Mrs. Riley went to your sister’s school for a parent event.”

Neither of them was home. Charlotte let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding

She had just returned home and needed a moment to breathe. She wasn’t bready /bto face them yet. bJust /bthe thought of her stepmother, half- sister, and the father she had been at odds with for years gave her a headache.

She made her way upstairs to her bedroom.

b-25 /bBonus

Everything was exactly as she had left it. The fumiture, the decorations–It was all the same. 7h

cleaning it regrly.

She unpacked, put her things away, and took a long shower.

room was spotless, as if someone had been

When she stepped out, a gentle knock sounded on the door. “Miss Charlotte, what would you like for dinner? I’ll go buy the ingredients now.”

Charlotte pulled the door open and smiled. “Same as beforeb./bb” /b

“Of course!” Mrs. Coleman beamed, her joy unmistakable.

She had been with the Riley family for over a decade and had watched Charlotte grow up. To her, Charlotte was like a daughter.

The night Sue passed away, she was the one who found little Charlotte copsed in the snow and carried her inside.

After losing his wife, Desmond fell into despair, btoo /boverwhelmed with grief to care for his daughter.

When Charlotte came down with a relentless fever, it was Mrs. Coleman who bstayed /bby her side at the hospital, tending to her day and night.

Charlotte had been devastated by her mother’s passing. She barely ate and barely spoke.

But Mrs. Coleman stayed with her through it all,forting her, patiently coaxing her to eat, no matter how many times it took.