Chapter 6

“It was me who called 911. William—”

Michelle stopped midsentence. She had spoken too fast, and when she saw the look on Charlotte’s face, it was already too late.

Charlotte closed her eyes, her heart turning cold.

Of course. His beloved first love had come back, and she had even brought him a five-year-old son. How could he possibly have time to care whether she lived or died?

Her chest ached so badly that she pressed her hands over her heart. Curling up weakly, she whispered, “Mom, Michelle, my mom just had heart surgery. I don’t want her or my dad to know I ended up in the hospital. Please take me home.”

Mandy immediately turned to Michelle. “Go downstairs and get the car ready.”

She then turned to Charlotte, “The doctor said you fainted from low blood sugar and emotional stress. It’s good to rest at home. It’ll be more comfortable there.”

She added softly, “Don’t worry. I already called William. I told him to come home as soon as he can.”

On the way back, Charlotte reminded Mandy and Michelle not to get involved in her marriage. No matter how much it hurt, she wanted to end things herself.

When they arrived home, Mandy and Michelle stayed by her side all day, feeding her medicine and soup, taking care of her in every way. But William never came home.

By evening, Charlotte had regained a little strength. She persuaded both of them to go home and rest.

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, she barely recognized her reflection. In just a few days, she had become pale and worn out.

She brushed her teeth and placed the cup back on the counter.

A sharp crack broke the silence. The cup slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

Charlotte slowly crouched down and picked up one of the broken pieces. The design printed on the cup was a picture of her and William. It was now split into dozens of fragments.

It was one of the matching couple mugs she had ordered online for their first anniversary. The photo had been a selfie she took while leaning close to him. William had called it childish and refused to use it. She had begged him for a week and cried all night before he finally agreed.

All the emotions she had been suppressing broke loose at once.

She stood up and threw the other cup against the wall, then swept everything off the counter. Bottles, brushes, and glass containers crashed to the floor one after another.

From the sink to the shower, she destroyed everything in sight.

Ten minutes later, she collapsed on the floor, surrounded by broken glass, scattered towels, and ceramic pieces.

She cried until she started to laugh, the sound hollow and bitter.

She had imagined so many futures with William, but never this.

She had never imagined ending up so pathetic and alone.

*

Meanwhile, at the Harris estate, Mandy felt a wave of anger when William finally walked through the door.

“William, what kind of husband are you? Do you even know Charlotte ended up in the hospital?”

William’s face stayed calm. “What did the doctor say?”

Michelle glared at him. “The doctor said she has low blood sugar, and on top of that, you made her so angry that she fainted.”

William didn’t argue. He only gave a quiet hum in response.

Mandy couldn’t hold back anymore. “Your wife fainted at home, and you act like it’s nothing? What kind of husband are you?”

“She’s fine,” William said evenly.

He knew she was pretending. No one could fake it better than Charlotte.

Mandy threw the medical report at him. William glanced at it briefly, his expression unreadable.

So she had really gone that far. Not only had she complained to his family, she had even managed to fool the doctor.

Mandy handed him a thermos of chicken soup. “Take this to her,” she ordered. “Go check on your wife.”

Before William could respond, Steven snapped at Mandy. “You’re just a housewife. What do you know? A man’s duty is to work hard and build his career.”

He continued coldly, “She’s just a bankrupt heiress from the York family with nothing to her name. We never complained about her being a burden to William. Letting him marry her was already generous enough. She’d better not forget that.”

William’s grandfather, Mr. Harris Sr., spoke next, his face dark. “A woman with no career, no children, and no ability to take care of herself isn’t good for anything.”

William didn’t want to continue the conversation. He gave a short, dismissive reply, picked up the thermos, and walked out of the living room.

Michelle hurried after him. “William, is that woman back?”

He froze with his hand on the car door. His gaze hardened as he looked at her. “What woman?”

Michelle clenched her fists. “The woman from your post that night. The one who came back with a child. I saw it with my own eyes.”

William’s expression darkened. “Did you tell Charlotte?”

Michelle was startled by his tone and stammered, “I wouldn’t dare. She’s such a good person. I didn’t want her to run away.”

William’s expression softened slightly. “Keep your mouth shut,” he warned. “If I find out you’ve been talking, don’t expect another cent from me.”

Michelle stomped her foot in frustration as he drove off.

The truth hit her hard. William really was having an affair.

When William returned to the villa he shared with Charlotte, the silence felt heavier than usual.

He set the thermos on the dining table and headed upstairs.

She wasn’t in the bedroom. He took off his jacket, loosened his tie, unbuttoned his collar, and walked toward the bathroom.

She was probably at the hospital with Julia again, he thought.

If she was going to put on a show, she might as well commit to it.

Just as he reached for the bathroom door, his phone started to vibrate.

He glanced at the screen, hesitated, then answered.

Annie’s gentle voice came through the line. “William, you’ve been working so hard and still taking care of me. I’m feeling much better now. You don’t have to come every day. Please discharge me from the hospital.”

William’s expression softened, the tension easing from his brow. “Listen to the doctor and stay a few more days. When you’re discharged, I’ll take you and your son out shopping.”

Annie sounded emotional. “Thank you, William. You’re still the same as you were six years ago. Go get some rest, okay? You’ve done enough.”

After hanging up, William put down his phone and opened the bathroom door.

The moment he stepped inside, he froze. The room was a mess, as if a storm had torn through it.

His eyes darkened when he saw the light still on in the adjoining bath.

He walked in and found Charlotte lying on the floor, her face pale and her body cold to the touch.

His heart clenched before he could stop it. He knelt down, lifted her gently into his arms, and murmured, “Even if you’re upset, you can’t keep hurting yourself like this.”

Charlotte’s eyelids fluttered open. Her gaze was empty and distant. She moved her lips but no sound came out.

A single tear slid down her cheek. His arms still felt so warm, yet she knew they no longer belonged to her.

William’s expression stayed cold as he carried Charlotte to the bed.

She turned away, curling up under the blanket in silence.

He stood there for a long time before he began cleaning up the mess. Halfway across the room, he stopped, turned back, and sat on the edge of the bed.

Pulling the blanket down slightly, he asked quietly, “Have you calmed down now?”