Desmond gave a slight nod. “When you have timeb, /b1991 take you to meet a few contacts – fileruds of mine, It could help you build up a client base,”

Charlotte understood he was trying to offer her resources and connections. She didn’t turn him down.

“Alright, How about next weekend?”

Just then, little jodie came bounding down the stairs, her footsteps light and quick, she ran straight to Charlotte and hugged herleg.

“Charlotte! bYou’re /bback!”

Charlotte reached down and patted her head b“/breali, bl’on /bhouse.”

Isnap back like she used to,

standing off to the side, Xena smiled warmly and asked how she had been, if she was adjusting well to living on her own. Charlotte didn’t s She simply gave a small nod.

“I’m just heading upstairs to bgrab /ba few things.”

Upstairs in her roomb, /b

bpause/b.

Charlotte changed into a new outfit and made her way toward the vanity, just as she sat down, her eyesnded on something that made her

sat on the vanity–bright and colorful, showing a cheerful family of four.

A crayon drawing sat on th

It was Jodie’s drawingb. /bbTwo /badults on either side–Desmond and Xenia–with two girls in the center. The taller one was her. The shorter one was Jodie.

Charlotte stared at it for a long time, a mess of bemotions /bstonning quietly behind her eyes. After a whileb, /bshe rolled up the bdrawing /band carefully ced it into a storage box

She did her makeup, then came downstairs to leave for the Jasper estate.

bToday /bshe wore a cream–colored long–sleeve dress paired with white heels–elegant, polished, exactly the kind of outfit elders would approve of

Judar was dressed in a bright red dress, with her bhair /bin two yful buns and little strawberrylial clips.

bCharlotte /band Jodie walked ahead while Desmond and Xena followed behind. The four of them entered the Jasper estate together..

Seancame out personally to greet them.

Inside, Mr. and Mrs bJasper /bweed them warmly.

Standing beside them, Vivian offered the usual polite pleasantries.

Charlotte’s gaze brushed past her with a nk expression.

Druier was Larish, clearly prepared bwith /bbcare/b. The entire spread featured all of Charlotte’s bfavorite /bdishes

After dinner, both families bsat /btogether in the living room to go over final details for the uing engagement ceremony, which bwas /bonly a few days baway/b.

but before Mis Joper couldaprak, bSean /bcut in

#Salice everyone’s here, there’s something I bneed /bto address.”

All eyes turned to ham

– “Vivian,” Sean said coldly, e over and apologize todurlotteb./b”

bVivian’s /beyes widened. Her lips trembled.

Mrs. Jasper frowned. “Bean!”

But he ignored bhet/bb, /bgaze fixed en bVivian /bwith sharp, unwavering intensity

” saide over and apologize. t?ida’t you hear me?

Mis: Jasper lookedpletely confused “What is going on?”

dean’s voice was bicy/b, radi word cutting like a de. “bWhy /bdon’t you tell everyone what really happened at the stables that by/b?”

Vivian paled She nced at the older woman beside lies with a pleading expression

Mis Jasper ?i pave Vivian a sympathetic nce, then looked at bean with a

(of disapproval.

“Seanb, /bbVivianalgrady /bexined the situation at the stables to me. It was just abundestanding There’s no need to put her on the spot.” Cudatte brand this and gave a tatte, uneadable sinde, but said nothing.

Desmond and Yvonne exchanged confused looks, clearly in the bdark /babout what was going on.

Desmond leaned closer to Charlotte and asked in a low veier, “Why is Sean making Vivianapologize? What exactly did she do?

Charlotte’s tone was calm and even “Let’s see how she decides to exin it.”

Sean’s patience was weer

wearing! thin. His expression bhad /btumed sharp and cold,

“Vivian,” he said, voice clipped, “hell everyone exactly what happened at the stables that day. Every detail. Either you tell the truth, or I will.”

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