Just then, Xena walked in carrying a thermal container.
Her eyes landed on the charm in Scott’s hand, and she froze.
She recognized it instantly.
It was the kind of charm you could only get by kneeling step by step all the way up Sunrise Chapel.
+25 BONUS
Years ago, when Charlotte’s mother Sue had fallen seriously ill, Desmond had made that exact pilgrimage to pray for her and brought back the same kind of charm.
But in the end, Sue hadn’t made it.
The memory made Xena’s lashes tremble. Her chest tightened with a wave of sadness.
“Scott,” she called softly, her expression uncertain. “Did you get that charm yourself?”
She stared at it, dazed, as if she could see the past through it.
Scott kept his eyes on Charlotte and simply said, “Yeah.”
Xena was clearly surprised.
It took her a moment to collect herself. When she looked at Scott again, her gaze had noticeably deepened.
He had visited the Riley estate a few times with Tiana, so she was familiar with him.
Even back then, Xena had sensed something unusual.
There was always something different in the way Scott looked at Charlotte.
But Charlotte had told her they were just friends, so she hadn’t pried.
Now, looking at that charm, there was no doubt left in her mind.
Scott’s feelings for Charlotte went far beyond friendship. It was love—deep and sincere.
And no matter how you looked at it, it was a heartfelt gesture.
Charlotte didn’t turn him down.
She accepted the charm, then quickly looked away to avoid his eyes. In a soft voice, she said, “Thank you.”
Lena and Mia exchanged glances.
Their expressions were hard to read.
Even Mia, who usually loved to joke around, stayed silent.
She had often said Scott and Charlotte made a great match.
But now wasn’t the time for jokes.
Charlotte had just come back from the brink of death.
Things between her and Sean really did seem over this time.
As Charlotte’s best friend for years, Mia could tell that Charlotte hadn’t fully let go of Sean.
Now that things had come to this, it must be tearing her up inside.
Life really knew how to mess with people.
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Chapter 373
Mia and tena both let out quiet sighs in their hearts.
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About ten days passed.
James’s condition was visibly deteriorating. He looked worse by the day. Ills hair had nearly all fallen out, and he was so thin he looked like nothing but skin and bones.
Mrs. Jasper Sr., already elderly, had taken the blow hard. The grief weighed heavily on her, and coupled with her existing heart condition, she seemed to have aged years in just a couple of weeks.
She was barely holding on. The day James died would likely be the day she went too.
The whole Jasper household felt suffocating, like a storm cloud had settled over it. The air was heavy with dread.
The housekeepers and staff moved quietly, terrified that one wrong word or step might cost them their jobs.
Mr. Jasper Sr. had returned from the capital and stayed in Jersey City for just three days before heading back.
The very next day, he flew overseas for a scheduled diplomatic visil
The trip had been arranged months in advance. It wasn’t something that could be canceled or reassigned. In his position, he had
no choice.
Even though his wife and son were both on the brink of death, Mr. Jasper Sr. couldn’t afford to stay by their side.
At the hospital, the housekeeper laid out lunch—a bland, light meal meant to be easy on the stomach.
But James didn’t touch it. He knew his body best. He was beyond saving.
Across the room, Sean stood by the window with his back to them, on the phone.
It was another call from the police.
Joseph gave a full confession. He admitted that he had ordered Vivian to poison James.
With Sean’s help during the investigation, the case progressed quickly.
The evidence was solid, and the police have now handed everything over to the prosecutor’s office to press charges.
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