bChapter /bb57 /b

Thinking back on how he had once ignored Charlotte for Wendy and said all those awful things to her, Zac’s chest tightened again.

He suddenly remembered Charlotte used to really want to marry him.

But he had said all bthose /bcruel words.

He had told her that he would never marry her.

But what bif/b… he changed his mind now?

What if he was willing to marry her?

Would shee back?

That thought lit up something in his eyes.

If she could be bhis /bwifeb, /bthe future Mrs. Gibson, then she would have to say yes to getting back together, right?

+25 Bonus

The next morning, Charlotte brought a client to bthe /bSocial Security Bureau for a work injury evaluation. It was close to noon by the time she caught ba /bcab back to the firm.

As they approached the street where S&G was locatedb, /bthe driver frowned.

“Huh, what’s going on up ahead? Why are there so many people?” he mumbled, then nced back at Charlotte. “Ma’am, it looks like the road’s blocked. You’re better off getting out hereb. /bIt’s not far. You can just walk the rest of the way.”

Charlotte craned her neck, peering through the windshield. Sure enough, there was a huge crowd gathered bahead/bb, /bpletely clogging up the

broad/b.

That was strange. This street was usually bquiet/bb. /bWhat on earth had happened?

She paid the fare and stepped out of the cab.

The closer she bgot/b, the more uneasy she felt.

The crowd seemed to be gathering right bin /bfront of S&G.

A sinking feeling hit her.

She picked up her pace.

Suddenly, a wave of high–pitched screams erupted from the crowd. The bspectators /bscattered like birdsb, /btotal chaos breaking out.

A woman sprinted straight toward her and collided into her chest.

“I’m so sorryb,/b” the woman said, panicked. She quickly apologized and tried to

run boff /bbagain/b.

Charlotte caught bher /bbby /bbthe /barm. b“/bWhat happened up bthere/bb?/b”

The woman’s eyes were wide with fear. “Don’t go! Someone’s going crazy in there. bIt’s /bbad–bpeople /bcould die. bJust /bbget /bout bof /bhereb!/bb” /b

With thatb, /bbshe /bturned band /bran.

Charlotte froze for half a secondb, /bbthen /bher expression hardened. She turned and sprinted toward bthe /bfirm.

bShe /bwas almost at bthe /bentrance when she heard bthe /bshouts–screamingb, /bcrying, yelling.

Male and female voices ovepping, blending into bone /bawful sound.

Her heart bjumped /binto her throat.

The crowd had already dispersed.

bShe /bbhad /bno trouble reaching the front bdoor /band what she saw bstopped /bher cold.

It was horrifying.

Maxb, the /bsenior attorney she shared an office with, was lying in a pool bof /bblood. A stab wound bat /bbhis /bwaist was still gushing.

Inside bthe /bfirmb, /ba man bwith /bba /bknife wasshing out,pletely unhingedb, /bstabbing wildly at anyone in sight.

bHe /bbwas /bscreaming, voice hoarse and furious.

“You bloodsuckingwyers! Every single one bof /byou wanted bto /bscrew me over! Come on! I’m not afraid of byou/bb! /b

b“/bbYou /bwanted to destroy me, right? Fine! Let’s die together! bI’m /btaking some of you down with me!

“I’ve bgot /bnothing left to lose! What’s ba /bbfew /bmore bodiesb? /bI’ll kill every single bone /bbof /bbyou/b!

“You bastards better be ready to die with me!”

His eyes locked onto a female attorney in heels. bHe /braised the knife and charged at her.

Yasmine shrieked and bolted, weaving through desks, sobbing.

“Please! Don’t kill me! I wasn’t beven /bon your case–it wasn’t me! I swear! Please don’t-!”

But the man didn’t careb. /b

Thewyer who was on his case had already been bstabbed/b.

Wow he had bblood /bin his eyes. Everyone was a target.

Yasmine sprinted toward the othersb, /btrying to scatter the attacker’s focus.

But after seeing Max copse in a bloody heap, no one dared fight back. The whole office was paralyzed with fear.

Just as Yasmine was about to bget /bcaught, Charlotte bmade /bba /bsplit–second decision.

She kicked off her heelsb, /btore off her zer, and flung it behind her.

Then she sprinted straight at the attacker–fierce and fearlessb, /bfast as lightning.

She moved like the wind, sharp and unrelenting, a blur of motion cutting through chaos.

b+25 /bBonus