Charlotte couldn’t help but feel that Mrs. Jasper Sr.’s tone held a hint of impatience.

Was she seriously implying that if charlotte didn’t forgive Vivian, she would be the one in the wrong?

Charlotte was just about to speak when Sean cut in fest.

b“/bGrandma,” his voice was calm but cold, “with all

bhall /bdue respect, whether she forgives her or not is Cudotte’s choice. No one has the right to pressure her.”

Mrs. Jasper St.’s expression darkened. “Sean, are you ming nw now?”

“I’m not,” Sean said evenly, his face unreadable. “I’m just asking you not to put her on the spot.

Seeing Sean stand up to his grandmother for her, Charlotte no longer hesitated. She gently squeezed his hand and said, “Alright, I forgive her.”

Sean caught the signal in her eyes and her soft touchb, /bband /bthe sharpness in his expression beased /bslightly-

Viviansaw it all, and her jaw clenched so btight /bit nearly cracked.

Her nails dug into her bpalms /bbas /bshe thought darkly, “Charlotte Riley. One day, I’ll make sure you disappear from this world,” she bsilently /bbremarked/b.

Later that night, Charlotte was jolted awake by the shrill ring of her phone.

Gruaning, she humbled under the pillow and squinted at the screen through heavy eyelids, without checking the number, she sleepily hit e

Ast of loodb, /bchaotic bbar /bnoise erupted from the speaker, making her wince and hold the phone way

b“/bWhat the hell…she muttered, already annoyed “Who is this?”

There was to response.

Say something!

There was still no answer. Just loud, chaotic bbackground /bnoise.

Charlotte forced her heavy eyes open and nced bat /bthe caller ID.

Unknown mumber

“Zar Gibson?” bshe /bstappedb, /bbher /bvoice sharp with initation.

Fully, bthere /bbwas /ba response,

Zac’s voice came through–raspy, slurredb, /bdiendied in alcohol “bCharlotte/b, it hurts so much. Why won’t you even look at me? I really love byou/bb. /bPlease, just, just look at meb, /bonce. I’m so much pain…”

That did it

Charlotte’s patience snapped like ba /brubber bband /b

She already had trouble falling basleep/b. It had taken her bforever /bto drift offb, /band she had finally been having a nice dream. Now, thanks to bZac /band bhis /bdrunk dialing, Ut

bAnd /bshe had work in r inseming

a fury bubbling inside her wouldn’t let her.

She nearly hung up then and that but the bi /b

If she didn’t give him a piece of her mind toniglu, she would never get any bprace /b

*Zat, ate you out of your damu mand? If you’re in so ulipain, go bdie /bbalready/b. Don’t drag me bjuro /bbyour /bdrama to jump ott a bridge bor /bcheck into a bpsych /bward- bjust /bstopcalling the T’in sick of your crap t?t loub!/b”

Zac didn’t seem the least but fated intact, Jur even let out a dazedugh

“Maybe I trally ametary,” lie manured. “bBecause /bball /bi cangilink abusit bis /bbyou/bb. /bI can’t even pletuse anything else. bAnd /byeah.. I wanna die. But it I die, I won’t see

“You’re insane!” Charlotte yelled and hung up. She nted herpbosetace down, hit the mute bswitch/b, and pulled the bcovers /bback over her head.

At the ban, Zat waspletely wasted, slumped in a booth with two overly made–up women pressing into bus from both sides.

“Bally, you’re drunk,” one of them patred, stroking hitched “Let me btake /bcare of you tonight…..”

The other leaned in, her valce ayudy–aweed. “Ward somepany, handsome? I’ll make you feel so much better

That was when Wendy stored in and saw the bper /b

“Get the hell away from him!” she shouted, livid. “All of you get lost! Don’t you dare touch my man!”

The two womenbolted like scared cats, scrambling to get out of her way

Wendy red down at Zac, who waspletely out of it. She gutted her teeth, took a deep breath, and half–dragged him out of the bar.