Chapter 248
Relatives were over at the house for a visit during the holidays. Charlotte sat in the living room, politely entertaining the guests and making small talk with the
older folks.
Everything was going smoothly until one aunt with a head full of tight curls suddenly turned to Desmond and asked, “Hey, what happened with Charlotte and the Jaspers? I heard the engagement was called off?”
Charlotte’s lashes lowered. She sighed inwardly. There it was. There was no avoiding it.
Desmond remained calm. “The kids just weren’t a good match. So we called it off.”
Another uncle chimed in, “I heard the Jasper boy’s been fooling around with some actress. Is that true?”
Charlotte resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Seriously? Since when are men this gossipy?” she wondered.
Desmond shrugged. “No idea. He and Lottie broke up. What he does now is none of our business.”
But the curly–haired aunt wasn’t done. “Don’t tell me he was already cheating while he was still with Charlotte. Those high–society types, especially the rich and powerful ones–they play around a lot. Models, actresses, you name it.”
Xena quickly stepped in, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. “That bag of yours is gorgeous. I think I saw it in a holiday issue. Wasn’t it a limited edition?”
The aunt brightened instantly and turned to admire her handbag. “It is! The moment I saw it, I had to have it. Isn’t it pretty?”
“Very. I wanted to get one myself,” Xena replied with a smile.
“I think it’s sold out everywhere here. I just got mine yesterday. But if you really want it, I can ask around for you.”
“Would you? That’d be great. Thank you.”
The topic had finally shifted until the aunt abruptly circled back like a dog with a bone.
dit, what were we saying earlier?” she asked with renewed interest. “Oh right, was it true Charlotte dumped him because she caught him messing around?”
Xena opened her mouth to reply, but Charlotte beat her to it.
“No. It wasn’t like that. We ended things because the relationship had run its course. He only started seeing someone else afterward. It wasn’t cheating.”
That clearly wasn’t the answer her aunt wanted.
A clean breakup after a failed engagement? Nowhere near as juicy as a scandal.
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“So what do you mean, it just ran its course?” the aunt pressed. “Didn’t you two just throw an engagement party? Well, almost–wasn’t it postponed last minute? 1 swear your dad told me not long ago that things were going great and you were planning to reschedule soon. What happened?”
Another uncle jumped in. “It’s a shame, really. Marrying into the Jaspers? Most people would kill for that kind of match. If you ask me, you shouldn’t have broken it off. Guys like him… well, they fool around, sure, but it doesn’t mean anything. That actress? Probably just a phase. Families like theirs would never let a celebrity into the picture for real. Once he gets it out of his system, he’d come back and marry you. You just have to ride it out.”
Charlotte frowned, her patience wearing thin. That entire comment was a mess. It was completely male–centric, full of calculations, and not one bit of it was about how she might feel.
“II”
She had just opened her mouth to speak when Desmond cut in, clearly fed up.
“Okay, I’ve heard enough,” he said sharply, his tone darkening. “Just because the Jaspers are powerful doesn’t mean we’re desperate to latch on. Lottie is my daughter–she’s the light of my life. I’d never let her settle for a man who doesn’t treat her right.”
Xena followed up smoothly, “Exactly. She doesn’t need to marry into some fancy family to prove her worth.”
But the curly–haired aunt wouldn’t let it drop. “Still, Charlotte, I was at that garden party last time. You two looked so in love. And I remember when you got into that argument with Mrs. Jasper Sr. and the adopted daughter but Sean actually stood up for you. He told his grandma flat–out that he only ever takes his wife’s side. That boy seemed crazy about you. How did things go downhill so fast?”
