It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and the weather couldn’t have been better.
Charlotte’s doctor said her wound was healing well, and if everything stayed on track, she could be discharged if about a week.
That afternoon, with the sun streaming through the windows, Charlotte decided to get some fresh air in the garden downstairs.
This hospital was a private facility under the Riley Corporation. When she was first shot, she had been taken to the nearest public hospital.
On the day of James’s suicide, Desmond had wanted to transfer her immediately. But since she had just been moved out of the ICU at the time, the doctors advised against it. For her health, Desmond followed their recommendation and kept her there.
After the Jasper family funeral, Charlotte was finally moved to her family’s private hospital to recover.
It had been raining for days, gloomy and cold, and everyone’s spirits had been low. So when the sun finally came out, Charlotte pushed open her hospital room door and headed downstairs, with Petra following closely behind.
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator and exited the inpatient wing, she spotted a familiar figure across the courtyard.
It was Wendy.
“What’s she doing here?” Charlotte wondered.
Not long ago, Wendy had been convicted for defamation and inciting online harassment against Charlotte. She had been sentenced to a year in prison, with a one–year probation. Unwilling to accept the verdict, Wendy had filed an appeal. The case was now in its second round of hearings.
Charlotte was the plaintiff. Wendy, the defendant. The two were sworn enemies. What was Wendy doing at her family’s hospital?
She probably had no idea this hospital was owned by the Riley family.
The garden Charlotte wanted to visit was in the same direction Wendy was sitting. She started walking toward her.
As she got closer, she noticed Wendy looked pale, her eyes red and swollen. She had clearly been crying hard.
It was rare to see Wendy like this. The last time they saw each other, she was gloating about being pregnant with Zac’s child, boasting that it might be a boy and that she would soon marry into the Gibson family.
But now, here she was–alone, crying her eyes out.
As Charlotte walked past, she glanced at her a little longer than necessary.
That was when Wendy noticed her too. Her expression froze. “Charlotte Riley? What are you doing here?”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Weren’t you supposed to be busy planning your wedding with Zac? What brings you to the hospital?”
She glanced at Wendy, then thought about the state of the Gibson Corporation. It didn’t take long to piece things together.
Wendy was probably here for an abortion.
Charlotte knew all too well what had happened to the Gibsons. The company’s bankruptcy was the result of a trap she had deliberately set to get back at Zac. He had walked straight into it, pouring money into a project that ended up bleeding losses. Not only did he lose everything, he was now deep in debt. The company had entered bankruptcy proceedings.
The Gibson family was a sinking ship. There was no way Wendy was still desperate to jump aboard.
As soon as Wendy saw Charlotte, she quickly stuffed the document in her hands into her bag, looking flustered.
That one move confirmed Charlotte’s suspicion.
Chapter 382
+25 BONUS
“Didn’t you say you were about to many Zac and become the grang Mrs. Gibson?” Charlotte smiled. “Funny, I haven’t heard a word about a wedding or even an engagement. Did something change?”
She was deliberately twisting the knife.
Sure enough, Wendy’s face turned even paler.
She let out a cold snort. “What’s it to you?”
“Well, we do know each other,” Charlotte said with a smile. “I was even thinking of giving you and Zac a wedding gift when the time came. Looks like that won’t be happening now. What a shame”
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Wendy snapped.
“I am.” Charlotte smiled sweetly, not the least bit apologetic. “Let me guess… You’re here for an abortion?”
“You-“Wendy’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to retort but froze after just one word.
“How did she know?” she thought.
That was close. She nearly said it out loud.
She had no intention of letting Charlotte mock her.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Wendy huffed. “I’m here for a prenatal checkup.”
“Oh, is that so?” Charlotte replied lightly, seeing through the lie but choosing not to call it out.
Her expression was unreadable as her gaze dropped briefly to Wendy’s abdomen. She said nothing more, just turned and walked away y with a faint smile.
Wendy clenched her fists as she watched her leave, her eyes burning with a mix of anger and frustration.
Later that afternoon, Charlotte was sitting by the window reading when a nurse knocked and stepped into the room.
“Miss Riley, there’s a lady outside asking to see you.” The nurse spoke with extra respect, knowing Charlotte was the daughter of the hospital’s owner.
“What’s her name?” Charlotte looked up, a little puzzled.
The first person who came to mind was Mrs. Jasper–Lilian.
The nurse replied, “She said her last name is Miller.”
“Miller?” Charlotte murmured.
She only knew one woman by that name: Monica Miller, Zac’s mother.
If Monica was here, it could only be about the collapse of the Gibson Corporation.
Charlotte didn’t want to see her.
“Tell her I’m still recovering and not taking visitors.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
But how did Monica even know Charlotte was staying at this hospital?
Only her family and a few close friends were aware of her transfer here.
Chapter 382
A few hours later, Jenny came to visit.
The moment she stepped into the room, her expression was full of urgency.
+25 BONUS
“Charlotte, I just saw a really suspicious woman downstairs near e inpatient wing,” Jenny whispered. “She kept glancing at me and looked like she was tollowing me.”
The first person who came to Charlotte’s mind was Monica.
“She’s still here?” she wondered.
Charlotte asked, “Was she in her forties, all dressed up with flashy jewelry and makeup?”
Monica was never one to leave the house without a full face on.
But Jenny shook her head. “She did look like she was in her forties or fifties, but she was dressed really simply. No makeup either.”
“So it wasn’t Monica? Then who could it be?” Charlotte wondered.
She then said, “Take me to her.”
From how Jenny described it, the woman really did sound suspicious. Charlotte wanted to find out what she was up to.
“Petra, come with us,” she added.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The three of them headed downstairs.
Jenny whispered, “Charlotte, that’s where I saw the sneaky–looking woman earlier…”
She led them behind a large pillar and pointed discreetly.
Charlotte followed the direction of her finger and froze in surprise.
七
