Chapter 163

Cassandra stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a light robe, just as a knock echoed at the door. She opened it and found Charlotte standing there. “Ms. Hooper, what’s up?” Charlotte looked worried. “Miss Taylor, did you meet someone today? Something happened, didn’t it?” Even Mr. Alexander hadn’t asked if she’d been crying earlier — she’d blamed it on the wind. Not exactly a convincing excuse, too deliberate to be believable. Cassandra’s face tensed slightly. After locking the door, she sat down on a single-seater armchair. “Grandpa Gerald wants me to drop the charges against Mara.” Her voice was calm but held a subtle weight. “What?” Charlotte’s eyes widened in disbelief, then her tone turned indignant. “So Mara’s human and you’re not? She almost ruined your life, and now he wants you to just let it go?” Even though she was pushed out of the Hawthorne house by Linda, Charlotte still respected the old man. After all, he was family to Cassandra. But this time, Gerald really was being