Chapter 3
Charlotte shook off Edward's hand. "Do whatever you want with the marriage agreement."
Edward straightened up from the doorframe and suddenly leaned in close, his arms caging her in.
"Aren't you afraid I'll pull all my investments from the Sinclair family?" he threatened.
Charlotte had spent her whole life being threatened and controlled, but this time, she walked away with determination.
But Charlotte never expected to bump into Edward and Melissa at the ski resort three days later.
Melissa was screaming uncontrollably, and Charlotte instinctively moved aside.
She was still a step too late.
Melissa slammed into her waist, and her snowboard smashed into Charlotte's calf.
Charlotte sucked in a sharp breath, and her vision went dark as she curled up, trying to protect her calf.
Soon, Edward strode over. His eyes locked on Melissa like Charlotte was invisible.
"Are you hurt? I should've made sure no one else was here." He brushed the snow off her head and coaxed her gently.
Melissa, her eyes red from crying, threw herself into his arms, whining about the pain.
Charlotte stared up at the gray sky, blocking out all the noise around her. She forced herself to stand, pulled out her phone, and called for medical help.
Out of the corner of her eye, Charlotte caught Edward's gaze flickering toward her.
Suddenly, Charlotte remembered how, when they were still newlyweds and things were good between them, Edward had taught her to ski, guiding her every step.
That day, even though Edward had chosen the gentlest beginner slope, Charlotte was tense all over.
Her eyes were glued to the snow.
Edward stood in front of her, his hands hovering protectively at her waist. Suddenly, he teased, "Look at me, not the snow. Am I not way better to look at?"
Charlotte's cheeks burned bright red, and after much effort, she finally managed to stay steady on the board.
Edward pulled her onto his snowboard, and then with a sudden push, they shot down the slope together. He kissed her fiercely, passion igniting between them.
His breath came in soft pants, warm against her ear. "I want you to remember today. Whenever you're on the snow afterward, you'll think of me teaching you."
The pain in her calf snapped Charlotte out of her memories.
Edward let out an annoyed tsk. "What are you doing here?
"Don't tell me you're still thinking about my cringey flirting lines from back then?"
The truth hit Charlotte like a sucker punch to the heart.
Her numb heart skipped a beat, and then quickly settled back into its usual emptiness. Leaning on her ski poles, she slowly shuffled off the ski slope.
Fresh pain layered over old wounds in her calf. She barely made it a few steps before crashing hard into the snow again.
Edward's impatient voice sounded behind her again.
Suddenly, Charlotte felt herself lifted off the ground. Instinctively, she grabbed onto Edward's collar.
"What are you doing?" Charlotte demanded.
Edward gave her a lazy, flirtatious glance. "You're blocking the way. How am I supposed to get Melissa out of here?"
He set Charlotte down at the entrance to the ski slope and strode off without a hint of hesitation.
It was as if all that warmth from earlier had never even happened.
Charlotte had barely stepped into the women's locker room when Melissa came in after her.
She took a seat beside Charlotte.
"I'm really sorry for making you fall earlier. Edward always says I'm hopelessly clumsy, and he was worried you'd blame me, so he made sure you left first," Melissa said.
Charlotte lowered her head, unfastened her knee pads, and set them on the bench.
"I'll send him the medical bill later. If you want to apologize, just cover the costs," she replied.
"Charlotte, you really are as dignified as the rumors say," Melissa sneered. "Bet you didn't know that Edward picked you as his wife because you're so docile. That way, you wouldn't get in the way while he keeps me around.
"He'd never let me go to Foster Manor to take care of the old folks. He knows I'd suffer too much."
Charlotte pushed herself up slowly, her injured leg making every move painfully sluggish.
"So you're honestly okay with being the side chick for the rest of your life?" Charlotte asked.
Melissa's cheerful face suddenly darkened. Without warning, she stomped down on Charlotte's injured calf, forcing her to her knees.
"What are you so smug about? You're Edward's wife, but does Edward actually care about you? Does he even need you?" Melissa spat.
Suddenly, Edward's voice sounded outside. He was chatting with someone else.
Melissa dropped her voice, aiming her ski pole right at her belly.
She said, "I'm pregnant, but the baby's a freak. I was hoping to get knocked over and lose it earlier, but your body ended up breaking my fall."
With a sudden, savage thrust, Melissa stabbed the ski pole into her own belly. "If this kid can't get me into the Foster family, then I'll use it to ruin you instead."
Charlotte's pupils contracted in horror. Amid the chaos, the scene of Melissa dying before her eyes from her previous life replayed itself.
She desperately reached for the ski pole, but Edward was faster. He kicked her away, scooped Melissa into his arms, and rushed out.
Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut, gasping for air like a fish out of water.
The blood on the floor seemed to merge with the blood from her previous life.
It was as if she was witnessing her own tragic fate from her previous life all over again.