Chapter 3

Charlotte's voice was soft. But each word struck Jasper like a hammer, pounding against his chest.

He looked at her reddened eyes. The disappointment in them ran so deep it seemed permanent. His heart clenched without warning.

For a split second, he doubted himself.

But the truth was right there before him. Emily was gentle and kind. She would never throw herself at someone. This had to be another one of Charlotte's tricks.

"Stop pretending," Jasper said. He turned his face away so he would not have to look at her. "I'm sick of watching you put on a show."

Charlotte felt something inside her go completely still and dead. She pulled her gaze away and did not look at him again.

At least everything was out in the open now. With the mask torn off, there was nothing left worth holding onto.

She took a slow breath and let her eyes rest on Emily's tear-streaked face. "Ms. Lane, your acting gets better every time I see it."

Emily flinched and curled closer to Jasper for safety. "Charlotte, I truly don't know what you mean."

"You don't know?" Charlotte let out a short, icy laugh. "Are you seriously going to claim this wasn't on purpose?"

"I-I didn't." Emily's tears fell faster now. Her crying grew more intense.

"That's enough!" Jasper stepped in front of Emily, shielding her with his body. "Charlotte, say one more word, and I swear you won't leave this house."

"Threatening me?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "Jasper, don't forget. We've filed for divorce.

"And until the papers go through, I'm still the woman in charge here."

Her gaze swept over Emily. "She's nothing but an outsider."

"You—!" Jasper was so stunned he could not get another word out.

Charlotte no longer cared what he thought. She walked over to the coffee table and picked up the glass of Coke.

Then she turned and walked straight toward Emily.

Panic flashed across Emily's face as Charlotte drew closer. "Charlotte, wh-what are you doing?"

Jasper eyed her with suspicion. "Charlotte, what are you up to now?"

Charlotte said nothing. She stopped right in front of Emily. Her face gave away nothing.

With both of them watching in confusion and distrust, her hand "slipped."

The glass tipped forward with a loud splash. Coke and half-melted ice cubes were poured right over Emily's head. The dark liquid soaked her from top to bottom and ruined her spotless white dress.

Brown droplets dripped from her hair. The wet fabric clung to her body. She looked embarrassed and completely wrecked.

The air froze. Emily was so shocked she forgot to cry.

Jasper stood speechless, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Charlotte. The woman he had always thought of as gentle and polished had done something so bold and so unlike her. He could not believe his eyes.

Emily shrieked as reality sank in. "No! My dress!"

She had picked this limited-edition dress on purpose to flaunt it in front of Charlotte.

Now it was a total mess.

Charlotte looked at Emily's pathetic state and felt a rush of pure satisfaction.

She set the empty glass down on the entryway table. She put on an innocent face and copied Emily's earlier tone perfectly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Charlotte said, her voice sugary and sweet. "My hand slipped. Ms. Lane, you won't hold it against me, will you?"

She threw Emily's own words right back at her. A blatant challenge.

Emily shook all over. She pointed at Charlotte, too furious to form a sentence. "You—"

"Charlotte!" Jasper's roar was loud enough to shake the walls.

He shoved Charlotte aside, wrapped Emily in his arms, and quickly pulled off his suit jacket to cover her ruined dress.

His touch with Emily was gentle and careful. But the look he gave Charlotte was murderous, as though he could throttle her on the spot. "Are you crazy?"

Charlotte stumbled from the force of his shove. Her back hit the wall with a sharp sting. Still, she stood tall. Not a trace of fear showed on her face.

"I'm not crazy," she shot back. "I'm showing you what 'on purpose' really looks like."

She paused. Her eyes swept over the shattered porcelain on the floor. "Oh, and by the way," she added. "That vase? It's a fake."

Jasper's eyes went wide with shock. "What did you say?"

"I said it's a fake," Charlotte repeated. "Back when your mother was still alive, I was worried I'd break the real one. So I had a copy made. It's been sitting here ever since.

"The real one? I put it somewhere safe."