Chapter 5

Charlotte shot Edward a quick look, then turned to Dylan, Zeke, and Arthur with a calm smile.

"Oh, that? He was just teasing me about being a stand-in."

Before they could press her further, Hazel appeared behind them.

She wore a form-fitting gold designer gown that showed off her figure, and her makeup was flawless. She carried herself with the effortless confidence of a wealthy heiress.

Even standing behind the three men, she commanded just as much attention.

"What are you all talking about?" Hazel asked.

Charlotte hadn't expected Hazel to come back now, of all times.

She'd looked into Hazel's background before getting involved with the three men, but this was the first time she'd met Hazel in person.

Now Charlotte understood why they were so obsessed with Hazel.

Maybe that was what happened when someone fell for an extraordinary person at a young age. No one else could ever quite measure up.

And that seemed to be exactly what had happened to Dylan, Zeke, and Arthur.

Hazel noticed Charlotte standing near the entrance and asked, "Is she a friend of yours? Would you like to come in and join us?"

Before Charlotte could answer, all three men spoke at once.

"No need. She has nothing to do with us."

With that, they turned and went inside, leaving Charlotte and Hazel exchanging awkward glances.

Charlotte knew they didn't want her getting in the way of their reunion with Hazel. She took the hint and politely excused herself.

Only after leaving the parking lot did Charlotte remember she'd come in Arthur's car. She had no way home, and the estate was so remote that she couldn't even get a cab.

With no other choice, she started walking.

Virelle Estate sat at the top of a mountain, so at least it was downhill all the way. But walking in high heels was still a struggle.

If Max were here, he'd carry her down on his back.

No. If Max were here, he never would've left her behind in the first place.

Charlotte slipped off her heels and continued down the mountain barefoot.

By the time Charlotte got back to the mansion, she had several blood blisters on her heels. The gravel had left cuts across the soles of her feet.

There was no one to take care of her. Then again, she'd never expected anything from Dylan, Zeke, or Arthur.

She cleaned her wounds and applied ointment herself. She needed to recover before she could meet the person who looked even more like Max.

None of the three men came home over the next few days. Charlotte only found out what they'd been doing when she overheard the housekeepers gossiping.

"Did you hear? Ms. Worsley's back. Those three have been spending every day with her!"

"Of course I heard. The whole city's talking about it. It's even been on the news!"

"Yeah. I heard Mr. Mallory spent a fortune buying her a private island so she'd have her own vacation spot. Mr. Danforth hired a famous designer to make her a one-of-a-kind dance dress.

"And Mr. Gaskell donated 50 million dollars in her name to the piano academy she admired most. They even put up a portrait of her."

Both housekeepers lowered their voices.

"Don't you feel a little sorry for Ms. Lair, though? She's their wife, after all."

The other scoffed. "Wife? Please. Everyone knows she's just Ms. Worsley's stand-in. Now that Ms. Worsley's back, why would they need Ms. Lair anymore? Mark my words, they'll kick her out any day now."

Charlotte wasn't bothered by the gossip. She was planning to leave in a few days anyway.

By her calculations, the divorce papers should be ready any day now. Once she had them, she could finally leave all three men behind for good.

She took out a suitcase and began packing.

She was almost done when her bedroom door suddenly swung open.