Chapter 432
Sean’s voice was low and hoarse. “I didn’t come alone. Sam’s witline. We’ve been taking turns driving. Lottie, I won’t be at ease until I see you with my own eyes.”
The drive from Jersey City was over nine hundred kilometers. Under normal conditions, it would take at least ten hours. But with the flooding in Harbor City, the journey would only take longer.
Charlotte’s grip on her phone tightened. Her heart trembled, and her eyes began to sting.
She was deeply moved, but the words that came out were sharp. “Who asked you to come looking for me? The flooding here is dangerous. Can you stop trying to turn this into some noble act? If something happens to the Jasper family’s golden boy, I’m not taking the blame. I’m fine. Go home. There’s no need to come here”
Sean let out a quiet, self–deprecating laugh. “No one asked me to come. I came because I wanted to. Lottie, if anything happens to me, that’s on me. It has nothing to do with you.”
Charlotte’s throat tightened. Her eyes filled with tears.
“Sean Jasper, I’m telling you not to come. Turn around and go home.”
The village was isolated, surrounded by water. Some nearby areas were still at risk for landslides.
It was too dangerous
She couldn’t let him walk into that.
But Sean didn’t listen.
His voice caught. “Lottie, if something happened to you, I wouldn’t see the point in staying alive.”
Charlotte’s heart gave a sharp, painful jolt.
Then came wave after wave of ache that she couldn’t stop.
Sean’s voice was raw. “I’m not afraid of danger. I’m only afraid of never seeing you again.”
After the storm, the sky turned clear. The setting sun pushed through the clouds, casting a warm orange light across the horizon. The clouds looked like they had caught fire, painting the sky in brilliant, dreamlike hues.
Charlotte let out a long, trembling breath as tears blurred her vision.
That night, Charlotte couldn’t sleep.
She kept thinking about Sean, and her heart wouldn’t settle.
Even though the rain had stopped, the village was still cut off, and the floodwaters hadn’t fully receded.
She couldn’t shake the worry that something might happen to him
Just as she was tossing and turning, a knock came at the door.
She got up and opened it.
Manon was standing outside.
“What is it?” Charlotte asked.
Manon handed her a phone. “The man who called earlier just sent you a text.”
Charlotte’s breath caught.
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Chapter 432
She looked down at the screen.
“Don’t worry about me. Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Her heart, which had been drifting restlessly, finally settled.
Her whole body relaxed. She pressed her lips together and handed the phone back.
“Thank you. I’m sorry to trouble you this late.”
“It’s really no trouble,” Manon said gently. “Try to get some rest
Charlotte gave a small nod.
Back in bed, the unease that had been gnawing at her finally faded
“See you tomorrow.”
Just three simple words, yet they carried so much warmth.
She closed her eyes and drifted into a deep and peaceful sleep.
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The next morning, just as the sky began to lighten, Charlotte was awakened by the sound of voices coming from downstairs.
Her eyes flew open, and a sudden thought jolted her upright.
Sean.
He had said he would arrive around midnight.
She quickly got dressed, ran a brush through her hair, and rushed downstairs.
The floodwaters had receded, but the cement floor still showed patches of lingering dampness.
As she stepped outside, the first thing she saw was a familiar figure standing quietly under the roof.
He was facing away from her, his posture still and solitary.
Sean had always been meticulous about cleanliness, but now his shoes were caked with mud. His pant legs were soaked and streaked with dirt, and even his clothes were speckled with dried mud.
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