Wesley studied her intently, clearly unconvinced by her exnation. The moment he pressed the call button, Loretta scrambled off the bed,nding on her knees in front of him, begging desperately, “Please don’t call the police! I swear I’m telling the truth–I didn’t know it was venomous! I thought it was just a harmless snake!”

    Sean closed his eyes, taking a long breath. After a moment, he asked, “Why would you do something like this?”

    Loretta’s voice trembled, thick with tears. “I–I didn’t want you to send me away. I thought if I scared Lottie with the snake, then came out and saved her, you’d let me stay.”

    “I had no idea it was poisonous–I didn’t even open the box to check, because honestly, I’m terrified of snakes myself.”

    Wesley remained unmoved. “And you think I’d believe that?”

    “–b” /b

    Judd spoke up quietly, “She’s not lying.”

    Wesley frowned, turning to him. “Mr. Carstairs, you believe her?”

    !

    Judd inodded/i. “She probably did bring the snake, but if she’d known it was deadly, would she really be stupid enough to get herself bitten? When everyone realized it was a silver–banded viper, the whole room went into chaos. But Miss Donovan here,” Judd nced down at Loretta, “looked just as shocked as the rest, like she had no idea it was hers–and then she got bitten by her own snake. That’s not something a calcting person would do.”

    Loretta, desperate to save herself, nodded frantically. “It’s true! I swear, I didn’t know the snake in my box was dangerous. I promise!”

    Charlotte locked eyes with her. “Who gave you the snake?”

    Loretta bit her lip, hesitating. “It was… Miss Winthrop.”

    10.10

    “Tricia?”

    “Yes, that’s her!”

    Charlotte let out a dryugh. “So, you’re saying she put iyou /iup to this–and the ident too?”

    Loretta’s face drained of color. This time, she didn’t dare answer.

    Sean stared at her in disbelief. “You caused the ident too? Loretta, what’s wrong with you? That’s attempted murder!”

    “I’m sorry! Mr. Rayburn, I–I lost my mind. I shouldn’t have listened to Tricia,” Loretta was sobbing now,pletely panicked, clutching at Sean’s pant leg in ast–ditch plea.

    Sean turned away, unable to look at her. “You can exin all that to the police.” He didn’t spare her another nce, striding out of the room.

    Loretta slumped to the floor, her face ashen.

    It was over. Completely over.

    Wesley stayed behind to deal with the mess, while Charlotte and Judd left the hospital together.

    Back at the hotel, they stepped out of the car and crossed the lobby, Charlotte walking ahead, Judd trailing just behind.

    In the elevator, as the numbers ticked upward, Judd broke the silence. “That dress looks good on you.”

    Charlotte blinked in surprise. “Did you just give me apliment?”

    “I don’t hand outpliments,” Judd replied, ncing at her. “I’ve only everplimented you.”

    She froze for a heartbeat.

    Was it her imagination, or did she see something… different in his eyes?

    Charlotte quickly looked away, suddenly unsure of what to say.

    12:42

    Judd let out a quietugh. “Does it make you ufortable?”

    Charlotte smirked, raising an eyebrow. “What do you think?”

    “It’s a little embarrassing, yeah.”

    They stepped off the elevator and headed for their rooms.

    Judd lingered at his door, room key in hand, but paused ito /iwatch

    Charlotte disappear inside hers. Thepliment had been genuine–she looked stunning tonight.

    But sometimes, once words are spoken, things can never go back to the way they were.

    The next morning.

    “What did you say? Charlotte is the Rayburn family’s long–lost daughter?”

    Ilse’s face twisted with disbelief as her daughter broke the news. Of all the absurd things in the world, this had to top the list.

    Genevieve, ever since learning that Charlotte was the Rayburn family’s true heiress, hadn’t slept a wink. The revtion had hit her hard—after all, the girl she’d always looked down on had suddenly be the

    Rayburns‘ precious daughter.

    Given her past with Charlotte, it was no wonder Wesley now wanted nothing to ido /iwith her. Any hope of marrying him had vanished. Even if, by some miracle, she did marry into the Rayburn family, with Charlotte there, life would be nothing short of miserable.

    12:42