Chapter 8
The wind howled outside the hospital window, making Scarlet burrow deeper under her blankets with a small shiver
Elias noticed immediately
ately and rose to close the window tighter. As he watched the chaotic gusts sending fallen leaves spiraling across the parking int, Charlotte’s image unexpectedly surfaced in his mind.
She had looked so damn fragile today–paper–thin and ghostly pale, just looking at her. Dias could almost feel the echo of her pain. If he had chosen to give i the anesthesia instead…]
jver
Dias shook his head sharply, annoyed at himself for even considering the alternative. If he had chosen Charlotte, Scarlett would have been the one suffering Scarlett had always been sensitive to pain, while Charlotte… well, Charlotte was tough. She’d understand his choice. She always did ||
Decision justified in his mind. Elias turned back to Scarlett with a tender smile, leaning down to press a lingering kiss on her forehead. The nagging thought of Charlotte’s ashen face as she limped away was firmly pushed aside
rive days later, Scarlett was finally discharged from the hospital ||
It wasn’t until Elias had carefully settled her into the back of his Audl that he remembered–with a jolt of something like guilt–that charlotte was still at the Hospital. He smacked his forehead lightly. He should go back for her. After all, she had just donated a kidney to save Scarlett. The least he could do was give her a ride home.
When Ellas returned to the hospital, he suddenly realized he didn’t even know Charlotte’s room number. For the past five days, he had been completely focused on Scarlett, barely sparing a thought for Charlotte’s existence.
Trowning, he stopped a passing nurse. “Excuse me, do you know which room Charlone Whitmore is in?”
“Charlone Whitmore?” The nurse checked her tablet. We don’t have a patient by that name currently-
Clas’s expression darkened. “That’s impossible. She had kidney donation surgery the same day as my fiancée, Scarlett Yates.
The nurse’s eyes widened in recognition. “Oh! The donor without anesthesia. I remember now. She was discharged five days ago.
“Discharged?” Blas stared at her in disbelief. That can’t be right. She had just undergone major surgery“]
“Tm certain,” the nurse insisted. The doctors strongly advised against it, but she was adamant about leaving. Said she had somewhere important to be.
As the nurse walked away, Elias stood frozen in place, an unfouiliar tightness gripping his chest, five days ago–the day of the surgery. That meant when she said she was going for a walk, he was actually leaving the hospital altogether
A disturbing thought suddenly crystallized in his mind: Charlotte was gone:||
But ha ummediately rejected the idea with a short, dismissive laugh. It was ridiculous, Charlotte had been in love with him for years–she’d donated port at her Liver for him, for God’s sake. She wouldn’t just leave. Not Charlotte. Not the girl who wrote him those embarrassing weekly love letters.[]
She must have been uncomfortable in the hospital and decided to recover at home instead. Yes, that had to be it. Charlotte was predictable that way.
Beassured by his own logic. Has hurried back to the car where scarlet waited
“Where’s Charity?” she asked, looking past him expectantly||
Dinu s expression hardened. “Don’t worry about her. Let’s go home ||
When they arrived at the mansion, but he pushed it away!]
impatiently called Charlotte’s name, receiving only echoing silence
isce in response. A flicker of unease crept up
up his spine
He took the stairs two at a time, pushing open her bedroom, dong to find a hunched figure sorting through drawers!|
A smirk of vindication crossed his face. He kurw Charlotte couldn’t leave him. She never could ||
Seriously, Charlotte?” he said sharply. “Thecking yourself out of the hospital without telling anyone? What were you thinking? Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for you? ||
But when the figure turned around, it wasn’t Charlotte–it was Mrs. Peterson, the housekeeper, her eyes wide with alarm ||
Im sorry. Mr. Delaney,” she stammered. “Miss Whitmore left the house five days ago. I was just… cleaning her room.
The smirk froze on Biar’s face as something cold and unfamiliar settled in his stomach.
Chapter 9
Hlas stared around the bedroom, the reality of the situation slowly sinking in. The space that had once been unmistakably Charlotte‘ was now stripped hare. The framed Michigan diploma that had hang above her desk, the collection of dog eared Jane Austen noveli, the ridiculous stuffed penguin she’d kept since she was ten–all gone:]
His pulse quickened as something like panic flared in his chest, though he’d never admit it. He kicked over a nearby chair with enough force to crack one of the legs, his knuckles turning white as a vein pulsed visibly at his temple
“So Charlotte thinks she can
done for her?
Just walk
walk out on me like some angsty teenager?” he snarled, his voice unnaturally loud in the empty room. “After everything Ey
Mrs. Peterson hovered nervously in the doorway. “Should I contact security to look for her, Mr. Delaney? Or file a missing persons report?”
“Don’t bother.” Ellas snapped, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of uncertainty. That’s exactly what she wants–attention and drama. Im not playing her little gane. She’ll be back within three days when she realizes no one’s chasing after her.“]
Even as he sair it, a nagging voice in the back of his mind whispered that something was different this time.
Over the next several days, Elias threw himself into wedding preparations with almost manic intensity. From the specific shade of blush roses in Scarlett’s bouquet to the custom platinum rings engraved with their initials, he personally oversaw every detail–partly to please Scarlett, but increasingly to distract himself from the deafening silence from Charlotte.
With the wedding now less than twenty–four hours away, he could no longer ignore the fact that Charlotte hadn’t appeared once. Not even a text message asking about her things. The rational part of his brain knew this was unusual for her disturbing, even–but he refused to acknowledge what it might mean.]
Finally losing patience. Elias called her number from his study, pacing hack and forth across the hardwood floor.
“Inough games, Charlotte,” he said coldly when the call connected. “It’s time to come home.
er In service. Please check the number and try again.“]
But all he heard was ar automated voler: “We’re sorry, but the number you’ve dialed is no longer
lia’s expression darkened as an unfamiliar feeling–something dangerously close to fear–twisted in his gut. In all their years together. Charlone had never blocked his muunter–not even during their worst arguments. She might give him the silent treatment, but she always kept the line of communication open.
“Tune,” he muttered durough clenched teeth, tossing his phone onto the desk with enough force to crack the screen. I don’t believe for a second you’ll stay away forever
The wedding was tomorrow. She would come–she had to. After all, dus was the same woman who had allegedly created a fake sex tape to try to force his hand. Someone that desperate wouldn’t simply give up and disappear.
The thought temporarily quieted his growing anxiety, though it didn’t explain why he found himself checking his phone every few minutes, or why he d driven past her favorite entree shop twice that day, scanning the tables for her familiar face. |
Charlotte was predictable. She always had been. Shird show up at the wedding, probably make some dramatic scene. She had to.
lam and Scarlett’s wedding was set on a private beach in northern Michigan. When Scarlett had once mentioned dreaming of a seaside ceremony. Elias had immediately secured the perfed location, regardless of the logistical challenges
The venue was transformen is something from a fairy tale. A ten–fout wall of fresh flowers–flown in that morning from Holland–provided a stunning backdrop Michelin started chets had laren brought in from Italy to create an elidiurate dessert display. A discreet security detail of former military personnel patrolled the perimeter, ostensibly to keep out paparazzi, though Elias had privately instructed them to watch for Charlatte specifically ||
As guests took their seats amid whispers about the rumored seven figure cost of the ceremony, the wedding march began to play. Dozens of synchronized drones took to the sky, creating a spectacular light show that formed an inagge of 1llas and Scarlett vondiracing
Scandrit appeared at the end of the belare them.
resplendent in a couture gown rumored to have cost millions. Children gasped at the sight of the real–life princess
Yes Ilias found his gare repeatedly drifting to the entrance, checking for a face that never appeared. His jaw nightened each time a Latecumer entered who wasn’t
Today was his wedding day, yet his plane hadi 1 received a single message from Charlotte. The security team had reported no sightings. No congratulations. No tearful pleas. No dramatic interruptions. Nothing
A cald, uncomfortable feeling settled in his stomach. Could it be true? Had Charlotte actually meant when the said she no longer had feelings for him? 11ad she
really walked away after all these years?”}]
Impole. She was just waiting for the perfect moment to make her entrance. The “speak new or forever hold your peace” moment, probably. Classic Charlotte dramatics_|||
The officiants voice palled him back in the present moment
“This James Delaney, do you take Scarlett Marie Yates to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, from this day forward until death do you part?”
riiss hesitated, microphone in hand, his eyes making one final sweep of the guests. Before he could speak, the massive screen behind them suddenly flickered to
As Elias registered what
was being displayed, his eyes
es widened in shock, the words dying in his throat.
