bChapter /b44

bCharlotte /bbfollowed /bthe brescue /bbteam /bout bof /bthe fieldb. /b

Lena and Mia bhad /bjust arrived, bjogging /bover with anxious expressionsb. /b

Mia rushed bto /bCharlotte’s bside/bb. /bb“/bbWhat /bhappened?b” /b

bCharlotte’s /bmind was still spinning. Her expression was dazed bas /bshe mutteredb, /bb“/bbI /bbdon’t /bbknow/bb… /bbVivian /bbasked /bbme to /bbteach /bher bhow /bto ride. bEverything /bwas fine and bthen /bbsuddenly/bb, /bSnowbell just went bwild/b. She bgot /bthrown off and it looked pretty bad.”

Lena bfrowned/bb, /bdeep bin /bbthought/bb. /bb“/bSnowbell bgets /bba /bfull vet check bevery /bbmonth/bb, /band we even ran a quick one before bringing bher /bbout /btodayb. /bEverything came back bnormal/b. There’s bno /breason bshe /bshould’ve freaked bout/bb./b”

Mia clenched her bfists/bb. /bb“/bbYou /bbdon’t /bthink Vivian did something, do you? I meanb, /bdidn’t she insist on having Sean teach her in the first ce? She clearly didn’t like byou/b. Why the sudden change of heart?”

Lena addedb, /bb“/bbThe /bstable team’s bsedated /bSnowbell and brought her back bfor /banother checkup. Charlotteb, /bdon’t me yourself. This wasn’t your faultb./bb” /b

Charlotte nodded faintly, but her gaze drifted toward the direction the rescue team had disappeared.

She kept thinking about that strange little smile on Vivian’s bface /bright bbefore /bbthe /bident.

Something about bit /bdidn’t sit right.

bHer /bgut told her Vivian had something to bdo /bwith what just happened.

But why?

bAnd /bif that really was bthe /bbcase/bb, /bwasn’t she worried she could actually bget /bseriously hurt?

Then she thought of Sean’s expression when he arrived and how he looked at her with suspicion.

And suddenly, it made sense. Vivian wanted to drive a wedge between them.

She was willing bto /brisk her life just bto /bmake Charlotte look bad.

They had bonly /bbmet /btwice band /bshe was already willing bto /bpull a stunt this extreme?

bCharlotte’s /bheart bsank/b.

Vivian bwasn’t /bjust maniptiveb–/bshe was dangerous.

In the ambnceb, /bbVivian /by pale and tearfulb, /blooking small and pitiful on bthe /bstretcher

She clutched bSean’s /bhand and whimperedb, /bb“/bbIt /bbhurts/bb, /bSean. It breally /bhurtsb…/bb” /b

bSean’s voice /bbwas /bgentle as bhe /bbtried /bbto /bcalm herb. /bb“/bbWe’re /balmost at the hospital. The bdoctors /bwill take bcare /bbof it/bb./bb” /b

Tears streamed bdown /bher bface/bb. /bb“/bbI was /bbso /bscared, When bI /bbfell/bb, /bbI /breally thought I wouldn’t bsee /bbyou /bagainb./bb” /b

Her grip on his hand btightened/bb. /bbShe /bsobbed bsoftly/bb, /bb“/bI must’ve ruined the whole day. Everyone was having bfun /band then I went and bI’m /bbjust /ba bburden/b, aren’t bI/b?b” /b

bgot /bbhurt/bb. /b

b“/bbDon’t /bsay bthat/bb,/bb” /bbSean /bsaid, his beyes /bfull of concernb. /bbShe /bbwasn’t /bbhis /bblood sister, but he had bwatched /bher bgrow /bup. In many bways/bb, /bshe bwas /b

family.

“Alrightb, /bbstop /bcryingb,/bb” /bbhe /bcoaxed. “We’ll be bat /bbthe /bhospital bsoon/bb./b”

Vivian sniffledb, /bstill whimpering. b“It /bbdoesn’t /bhurt bwhen you /bfort me…b” /b

bSean /breached over and bgently /bpatted bher /bhead. “bYou’re /bbjust like /bwhen byou /bwere blittle/bb./b”

After an bX/b–ray and full evaluation at the hospitalb, /bthe doctor confirmed bVivian’s /binjuries weren’t blife/bb–/bthreatening. bShe /bhad ba /bbfractured /btailbone, same bsoft /bbtissue /bbruising, a mild bdislocation /bin her elbowb, /bband /bseveral scrapes and bruisesb. /bThankfullyb, /bthere was no internal traumab. /b

bThey /bbcast /bher armb, /bbgave /bher a painkiller, and said bshe /bwould brecover /bin about a bmonth /bbwith /bbproper /bbcare/b.

b1/2 /b

bOnce /bshe was settled in her bhospital /bbed, and the pain meds bkicked /bin

,

finally quieted down.

bCharlotte /bhad followed bthem /bbto /bbthe /bhospital and had just reached the broom /bwhen she heard Vivian’s syrupy voice bfrom /bbinside/b.

“Seanb, /bbmy arm’s /bin a cast. I bcan’t /beat bby /bmyself. Can you feed meb?/bb” /b

Charlotte bstopped /bbin /bher tracks.

Was this really the bright /btime bto /b

bin/bb? /bbgo /b

Then Sean’s voice cameb, /bbcalm /bbut distant. b“/bI’ll call a nurse.”

Vivian poutedb, /bstill whiningb, /bb“/bbNooo/b, bI /bwant you to do bit/bb. /bWhy won’t you,

Sean?”