Chapter 49

Just a single sentence, and it was like someone flipped a switch—memories came crashing in like a tidal wave. Charisse remembered it was raining that day. A fleet of black luxury cars lined up outside the Walton villa. Bodyguards in sharp suits stood neatly in two rows, while an older man with a sleek black umbrella—a butler, with a golden pin at his chest—stood there waiting to welcome back the long-lost heir of the Grant family. They had broken up just the day before. The argument was awful, loud, and messy—definitely not the kind of thing you could pretend didn't happen. So she didn't go down. She stayed hidden behind the curtains of her bedroom, peeking out. She saw him glance up right before getting into the car. She instantly ducked back, heart racing, as if terrified he'd see her. The engine rumbled to life, slowly fading into the sound of rain, until everything was quiet again. It should've felt like a good thing—Elliot was gone. No more run-ins, no more mess. But who knew why