Chapter 3

She stayed there until she heard the door close, then slid down against the cold surface and sank to the floor.

Her tears had run dry, but her chest felt hollow, like something had carved out a piece of her heart. Cold wind rushed through the emptiness, and the chill spread through her limbs until everything ached.

Charlotte tilted her head back and suddenly laughed.

After the worst of the pain passed, a vengeful impulse ignited in her chest. It burned away what was left of her rationality.

Fine. Edward was scared of his family finding out? Then she'd make sure every single person in the Harrington family saw the truth—saw the disgusting reality behind this fake sibling act.

Just then, Edward's voice came from outside the door. "Charlotte, you're back?"

Edward had checked the kitchen and the bedroom, but Charlotte was nowhere to be found.

Her shoes were by the door, though, so she had to be home. He just wasn't sure when she'd gotten back.

The bathroom door behind him opened.

Edward spotted her and strode over immediately, concern clear in his eyes. "Baby, when did you get back? You should've told me so I could pick you up."

That concern used to be everything to Charlotte. She'd drowned herself in it.

But now, that tenderness felt like a poisoned needle stabbing straight into her heart.

She suddenly remembered how, when they were dating, she'd missed just one of his calls and he'd dropped a million-dollar deal to come find her.

He'd loved her that much. Or so she thought.

It turned out it was all fake.

Her throat felt tight and painful, and in the end, she just forced a stiff smile. "I forgot to tell you, and I went straight to the bathroom when I got back. I didn't have a chance to say hi. Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Edward finally relaxed and grabbed her hand. "I was just worried about you. Next time, let me pick you up, okay?"

Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut and nodded.

Edward led her into the bedroom and sat her down on the edge of the bed. He crouched in front of her, and his warm palms wrapped around her cold hands. "How did the fertility consultation go today?"

Charlotte stared at him quietly and watched the hopeful light in his eyes. "Everything's taken care of."

"Good." Edward reached up and touched her face, and a trace of apology crossed his handsome features. "I'm sorry I couldn't go with you because of work."

Because of work, or because of the woman he loved?

Charlotte's fingers trembled slightly. "Yeah, I know."

"There's a charity gala tonight. We'll go together."

Before Charlotte could respond, he pulled her over to sit at the vanity.

In the mirror, her lips looked pale, her eyes were swollen, and her eyelids drooped heavily. There wasn't a spark of life in her face.

Edward pulled a brush from the drawer and started combing her hair. "Baby, what hairstyle do you want today? I'll do it for you."

Edward rolled up his sleeves, and his movements were practiced and gentle, each stroke careful and almost reverent.

Charlotte watched him in the mirror, a little dazed.

Edward commanded respect everywhere he went, but at home, he'd cook for her and learned to style her hair.

Her hair was long, but she never bothered with complicated styles. She'd only mentioned once, casually, that she envied women whose husbands could do their hair.

So he went to a salon and spent an entire month learning every type of updo and braid.

Once, a reporter asked about this, and when Charlotte mentioned that Edward styled all her hair himself, it even trended on social media.

It was all just for show.

Edward glanced at the mirror and caught sight of her reddened eyes. Panic flashed across his face. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Charlotte shook her head.

"Then someone's giving you trouble?" His expression darkened. "Who was it? I'll deal with them."

Charlotte let out a shaky breath. "No, I'm just tired from being on my feet all day."

"We'll leave early tonight then."

Edward's hands moved faster, as if he really was trying to save her time.

As they were heading out, Charlotte's gaze drifted to Edward's bare neck. "Where's the Lucky Coin? Why aren't you wearing it to the party?"

Something shifted in Edward's expression, but he recovered with an easy smile and a patient explanation. "The Lucky Coin's too valuable. I was worried it might get damaged, so I put it in a safety deposit box at the bank."

He added, "The whole process is a hassle, and it'll take a while to get it back out."

The perfect excuse, delivered with sincere, steady eyes.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Charlotte would've fallen for his flawless performance all over again.

She curved her lips into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I see." Her voice came out soft. "Never mind then."

She turned to the window, her heart sinking like it had been dropped into ice water. The irony wasn't lost on her.

It was just a coin anyway. She'd basically thrown it in the trash.