bChapter /bb56 /b

A few years bago/b, when Sean had bgotten /binto a fightb, /bMr. Jasper Sr. at home had punished him harshly. Thankfullyb, /bbno /bbone /bbever /bfound out the reason behind it.

This time, it bwas /bbthe /bsame. He couldn’t let anyone in the family bknow /bbhe /bbhad /bgotten into a brawl because of Charlotte. bIf /bthey found out, engagement might bget /bbpostponed/bb, /bbor /bbworse/bb, /bcanceledb. /b

Sam wiped the sweat from his bbrow/bb, /ba chill running down bhis /bspine. b“/bUnderstoodb, /bpletely understood.”

“Go handle the paperwork,b” /bbSean /bsaid calmly.

b“/bbYes/b, Mr. Jasper.b” /b

Zacb, /bwhose hospital bed wasn’t farb, /bheard every word of the exchange.

He let out a mockingugh. b“/bWhat bare /bbyou/bb, /bfive? bGetting /bbinto /bfights and still scared your family might find out? What a man–baby.”

Sean shot him a bcool /bnceb, /bfull bof /bchallenge. “My family doesn’t need to know. My fiancée knowing is enough.”

Fiancéeb. /b

That word cut deep–sharp as a deb, /bslicing straight through Zac’s chest.

bthe /b

He copsed back onto the bed,pletely drained. His eyes stared nkly at the IV drip as each drop echoed the growing emptiness inside him. The physical pain was nothingpared to the agony wing at his heart.

He still couldn’t believe Charlotte actually had a fiancé.

Was it because bhe /bonce told her he would never marry her? Was this ball /bjust a ploy to make him jealous?

Yeah. That had to bbe /bit.

Charlotte loved him. She couldn’t possibly have moved on that fast. She couldn’t be with someone else. She wouldn’t.

Clinging to that bbelief/b, Zac turned his head toward Sean again, his expression filled with smug bdisbelief/bb. /b“She hired you, didn’t she? What’s that trend going around now–rent–a–boyfriend? How much is she paying byou /ban hour? I’ll pay byou /bten times that. Just leave herb. /bNow.”

Sean actuallyughedb, /braising a brow. b“/bIf lying to yourself helps you sleep at nightb, /bbgo /bfor it. I bwon’t /bstop you.”

Charlotte bshot /bZac a look bof /bbplete /bdisbelief. “Are byou /bseriously insane? You think I’d bgo /bbout /bof my way to hire someone just to fool you?”

Zac looked derangedb, /bpletely convinced Sean was some fake.

Charlotte snortedb. /bb“/bbGet /bover yourself.”

Sam returned with the paperwork. Sean sat up and got ready to transfer to a private room.

Charlotte was already on her bfeet/b, naturally taking bon /bthe role bof /bcaregiver. She bheld /bthe IV stand and walked beside Sean, staying close as they headed out bof /bbthe /broom.

Zac couldn’t stand watching her bbe /bbso /bgentle and attentive with another man. bHe /bbcouldn’t /bhelp himself. He reached bout /bbto /bgrab her wrist.

A bodyguard moved fast, pping his hand away. b“/bbSir/b, please show some brespect/bb./b”

Sean’s gaze swept toward bZac/bb, /bhis voice cold and sharp. b“/bTouch her bagain/bb, /band I’ll break your hand.”

Zac bsnapped /bbback/b, “Come on! You think bI’m /bscared bof /byou?”

Seeing the tension spike again, Charlotte bquickly /bbstepped /bin. “Enough! Both bof /byou, this is a hospital.”

For once, Sean backed off without another word, following his assistant out of the room.

Meanwhile, Wendy had also be /bbto /bJersey City.

She was having dinner with a few girlfriends bwhen /bbshe /bbgot /bbthe /bcall that Zac bhad /bbbeen /bhospitalizedb. /bShe rushed to bthe /bhospital in ba /bbpanic/b.

“Zac, what happened to you?” she cried when she saw his bswollen /bbface/b.

Zac didn’t brespond/bb. /bHe bjust /bsat there, staring nkly out bthe /bwindow.

Wendy wept beside bhim/b. b“/bWho did this bto /bbyou/b? Did byou /bcall the policeb?/b”

Still, there was no response.

She kept talkingb, /bbher /bvoice thick bwith /btears.

Finallyb, /bZac snapped. b“/bCan you please leave? I just want some peaceb./bb” /b

Wendy sniffled. “But… I want to take bcare /bbof /byou.”

She really was worried about him. His injuries looked awful.

b“/bThere’s no need,” Zac cut her boff/b. “bI’ve /balready bhired /bba /bnurse. Just go.”

Right bnow/bb, /bbhe /bbdidn’t /bwant bto /bsee Wendy at ball/b.

If it weren’t for her, he and Charlotte would bhave /bnever ended up like this.

Since she leftb, /bbhe /bhad thought about Charlotte every single day and night.

What a joke.

Only now that she was gone did he realize he had loved Charlotte all along.