bChapter /bb45 /b

bSean /bbgently /bbcoaxed/bb, /bb“/bbBe /bbgood/bb. /bYou’re bnot /ba child banymore /band bI /bhave ba /bgirlfriend bnow/b. Charlotte and I are bgetting /bengaged bsoon/bb. /bbIt’s /bimportant to bkeep /bboundariesb./bb” /b

bCharlotte’s /bheart gave a subtle bjolt/bb. /b

She hadn’t bexpected /bSean bto /bturn Vivian down for herb. /b

Vivian’s demeanor instantly shifted. Gone was the sweetness and her voice rose sharply.

b“/bBoundariesb? /bBetween siblings? bSeriously/bb? /bbSo /bCharlotte’s really that pettyb? /bShe pushed me off that horse and now byou’re /btaking her side?”

Charlotte turned bto /bbleave/b.

She wasn’t shameless enough bto /bstick around where bshe /bclearly wasn’t wee.

bIf /bVivian bdidn’t /bwant her bthere/bb, /bthen bshe /bhad no reason to force herself in.

But just thenb, /bSean’s voice rang outb, /btinged bwith /bfrustrationb. /bb“/bVivianb, /bI’ve told you–Charlotte bis /byour future sister–inw. Don’t be bdisrespectful/b.” 1

At that bmoment/b, ba /bnurse arrived with an IV drip. Spotting Charlotte by the doorway, she said, “Excuse me,ing through.”

Both Sean and Vivian turned to look.

Charlotte sighed and followed the nurse inside.

Vivian’s eyes narrowed bwith /bundisguised hostilityb. /bb“/bWhat are you doing hereb?/b”

Almost at bthe /bsame time, Sean bspoke /bmore gently. b“/bLottie, you

bcame/b.

The nurse began preparing the IV. Vivian’s re didn’t waver. Her gaze was cold, sharp, and pointed directly at Charlotte.

But Charlotte didn’t flinch. She met Vivian’s bstare /bhead–on, her bvoice /bbcool /band even. “You’re saying bI /bcaused the horse bto bolt/b?” Vivian hadn’t bexpected /bCharlotte bto /bstay bso /bcalm. It threw her off a little.

Still, bshe /bquickly slipped back binto /bcharacter.

She didn’t brespond /bright away. Instead, she turned toward Sean, her voice soft and trembling, eyes brimming with tears.

b“/bSean, I know I didn’t make the best impression when we first bmet /bbut today, I really wanted to get along with Charlotteb. /bShe’s bgoing /bbto /bbe my bsister/bb–/bbin/bwb, /bbso /bI thought maybe if she btaught /bme how to ride, we’d bond a littleb…/bb” /b

She sniffled, voice quiveringb. /b“I didn’t bexpect /bher bto /bhate me bthat /bmuch. While I wasn’t looking, she suddenly kicked the horse and it went bwild/bb. /bI was terrified.”

Her tearful usations bpoured /bbout/bb. /bb“/bCharlotteb, /bbI /bbget /bbit /bbif /bbyou /bbdon’t /blike me. But bI’ve /bnever done anything bto /bbyou/bb. /bbWhy /bwould byou /bwant bto /bhurt me like that?b” /b

She pausedb, /bsneaking ba /bnce bat /bSeanb, /bbtrying /bbto /bbgauge /bhis reaction.

Sean’s brows drew together slightlyb, /bbut his tone bremained /bcalm.

“Lottieb, /bwhat exactly bhappened /bbat /bthe stables this afternoonb?/bb” /b

Under the nketb, /bbVivian’s /buninjured hand curled tightly into a bfist/b.

He bdidn’t /bbelieve her.

He actually bdidn’t /bbelieve bher/b.

bWhy /bwas he being so gentle with Charlotte?

Back in middle school, bwhen /bbgirls /bbullied herb, /bSean had bthem /bbexpelled /bwithout hesitation.

bIn /bhigh bschool/bb, /bwhen some thugs harassed her, he sent bpeople /bbto /bbeat them so badly bthey /bended bup /bbin /bthe bhospital /b

bIn /bcollege, when a stalker btried /bbto /bsecretly film bher/b, Sean had his bhand /bshattered.

But now after she had bbeen /bthrown off a horseb, /bbcovered /bbin /bbruises and hooked bup /bto an IVb–/bhe bdidn’t /bbscold /bCharlotte at allb. /b

Chopter b#/bb45 /b

bHe /bbdidn’t /bbeven /bbseem /bbangry/b.

bHe /bwas bjust /bcalmly asking Charlotte what had happened.

bJealousy /bbsurged /bbthrough /bVivian like wildfire.

She wanted bnothing /bmore than bto /bleap bout /bof bbed /band p Charlotte across the bface/b.