When the light above the operating room flickered on, Charlotte sat waiting on a bench, turning a cotton swab over in her hands as a nurse handed it to her for the scrape on her forehead.

She had barely accepted it when her mother–in–law, Miranda, rushed in, flustered.

“Evander!” Miranda’s eyes darted around, landing on Charlotte alone. “Where is he?”

Charlotte slowly rose to her feet. “He’s… in emergency surgery.”

“In surgery?” Miranda strode forward, gripping Charlotte’s shoulders with trembling hands. “You left the house together–how did it end up like this?”

Ilse and her husband entered at a measured pace, followed by Genevieve. Before Charlotte could answer, Genevieve’s voice rang out, sharp and accusing. “Aunt Miranda, she’s nothing but trouble. If she hadn’t insisted on divorcing my brother, he wouldn’t have had to drive her to city hall himself. If not for her, none of this would have happened!”

Jensen Howard shot his daughter a warning glare. “That’s enough! No use throwing blame around.” He turned to Miranda, who looked on the verge of tears. “Miranda, Evander’s a good man–he’ll pull through. He always does.”

Miranda’s eyes were red–rimmed as she let go of Charlotte. “He’s my only son! Charlotte, maybe he’s let you down, but put yourself in his place–he was forced to marry a woman he’d never even met. How could he truly accept that?”

“Yes, you saved his life as a child, but after that kidnapping, he came down with a terrible fever. He was delirious for three days–almost lost him. When he finally woke up, he remembered nothing about what happened. We never spoke of it again, not in front of him.”

Charlotte froze, stunned.

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Chapter 345

family is willing to make it right. But just because you think I’ve turned my back on you, ignored you all these years, does that give you the right to resent him? You married him of your own free will–no one forced you. If anything, you used your good deed as leverage. You got what

from Miranda cut like a knife, each accusation sinking into

Leverage… a debt repaid…

words rang painfully true. She had no defense, because, in the

there was no difference.

kept her

deal she made with Rosemary

this.

came to the Howard estate, all she wanted was to see him

luck would have it, she crossed paths

The old woman had asked, gentle but direct, why Charlotte lingered

and hesitant, lowered her head and admitted she wanted

it was

her that, when her grandson was rescued, it was thanks to a little girl

to

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Chapter

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