Chapter 4
The charity gala was being held on the top floor of Kimland's most exclusive hotel.
Edward kept Charlotte close by his side, handling the social scene with ease. Every few minutes, he'd lean in and ask if she was tired or needed a break. His attentiveness drew envious looks from everyone around them.
"Mr. Harrington really is the ultimate devoted husband. He treats his wife so well."
"I know, right? I heard they'd only been together six months before he couldn't wait to marry her. The wedding was massive, and he even flew in that band she loves."
"I heard that when Mrs. Harrington got into that car accident, Mr. Harrington didn't hesitate to donate his own blood to save her life."
"Exactly. Everyone in Kimland knows Mr. Harrington adores his wife more than anything."
Charlotte stood in the middle of the crowd, listening to everyone gush about her and Edward's perfect love story.
The room was warm, but she felt cold all over.
She thought about how no one would ever guess the truth—that this man who loved her so much, who did everything right, was only doing it to hide the woman he actually cared about.
He let her live in the glow of everyone's envy, but he also trapped her in her own personal hell.
"Tired? Want to find a chance to leave?" he asked again, leaning down.
Charlotte couldn't be bothered to play the dutiful wife anymore, so she just nodded.
Halfway through the event, Charlotte noticed Edward's attention drifting. She looked up and caught him staring in one direction, his expression dark.
Charlotte followed his gaze and spotted Diana Shen laughing and chatting with some young guy, all smiles and charm.
So he was jealous.
Something twisted in her chest, and her eyes started to burn.
"What's wrong?" Edward picked up on her mood shift right away.
Charlotte barely had the energy to respond. "I'm just tired."
Edward didn't hesitate. He set down his wine glass immediately. "Let's go home."
Charlotte nodded.
But then a piercing scream cut through the air. "Fire! Oh my God, fire! Run!"
The entire ballroom erupted into chaos.
The massive curtain at the back of the stage had somehow caught fire, and the flames were spreading fast.
What had been an elegant party seconds ago turned into hell on earth. Smoke billowed everywhere, and screams mixed with crying filled the air.
People shoved and pushed toward the exits in a frenzy, and the acrid smoke made it impossible to keep your eyes open.
"Charlotte, hold on to me." Edward grabbed her wrist instantly, and his tall frame moved in front of her like a shield, trying to block the surge of panicked bodies.
Charlotte got swept up in the stampede, and her heels slipped several times.
"Edward, help me!" Diana's voice broke through the chaos, thick with tears.
Edward's head whipped around.
And in that split second, Charlotte felt it—the hand gripping her wrist suddenly let go.
Then something slammed into her from the side. She didn't even see who it was before a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her foot, and she went crashing forward.
"Ah—" She tried to push herself up, but her body wouldn't cooperate. Feet and legs rushed past her in a blur, and she cried out in desperation, "Edward!"
A cluster of blue flames surged toward her, wild and hungry. Thick smoke burned down her throat and made her eyes stream with tears. The flames licked at the hem of her dress, and searing pain shot up from her calf and spread through her leg.
Just before she lost consciousness, Charlotte caught a glimpse of Edward's back through the forest of running legs. He had another woman in his arms, and he didn't look back once as he bolted toward the nearest exit.
Charlotte dreamed.
In the dream, Edward was covered in bruises, but he was smiling anyway.
She punched him—not hard—and her eyes went red as she choked out, "Are you an idiot? Didn't you see how many of them there were?"
"So what if they outnumbered me? They were messing with you." Edward looked defiant. "You're my girl."
"I'm not your girl." Charlotte's face flushed.
"Oh yeah?" Edward leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear, teasing. "So you're saying you won't marry me? Let me tell you something—if you even think about marrying someone else, I'll drag you back myself."
Charlotte laughed despite herself.
But then the dream shifted. She saw Edward and Diana burst through the flames and escape to safety, and they never once looked back for her. The despair hit her all over again.
When she woke up, tears were streaming down her face.
Edward was at her bedside, and the second her eyes opened, he lunged forward and grabbed her hand. "How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"
His eyes were red-rimmed, and his voice cracked with guilt. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. There were too many people, and I got pushed out by the crowd. I tried to come back for you, but I couldn't find you."
He went on, "I'm sorry. Your leg got burned because of me. But the doctor said it'll heal, and even if it doesn't, I'll find the best plastic surgeon in the country to fix it."
Charlotte closed her eyes. Her heart felt like it was being carved out with a knife.
"Are you hungry?" Edward's voice softened when she didn't respond. "What do you want to eat? I'll have someone bring it right away. How about some chicken noodle soup? Or maybe pancakes?"
Charlotte's eyelashes flickered, barely noticeable.
The more he acted like this, the more she felt like he was using this fake concern to cover up his guilt. It meant nothing.
But she didn't want to question him or call him out, and she didn't want to lose it and demand answers—why did he abandon her and let her legs get burned? Wasn't he the one who promised he'd never let her get hurt?
She just said calmly, "Cheesecake from Magnolia Bakery."
Edward froze. Looking at her calm expression, unease crept into his chest.
When Charlotte woke up, he'd imagined a thousand different reactions, but he never imagined this. Her stillness was like stagnant water.
He started to say something, but Charlotte cut him off. "If you can't get it, forget it."
Edward immediately responded, "I can get it. I'll have someone bring it over."