Cold Husband Burning Regret: The Divorce He Couldn't Handle novel Chapter 162

Charlotte’s expression darkened, and she was just about to speak when Wesley cut her off, his tone sharp with irritation. “Miss Howard, who I keep company with is my own business. And you? You have no right to dictate my choices.”

Genevieve stood there stunned. Other than her brother, no man had ever dared to speak to her like that—let alone do it right in front of Charlotte.

“Mr. Rayburn, you don’t even realize that she’s actually—” Genevieve stopped short, words caught in her throat, her chest tight with frustration.

She’d meant to say Charlotte was her sister-in-law, but she’d never fully accepted it herself. Besides, with her brother keeping the marriage a secret, if she blurted it out now, wouldn’t she just ruin his engagement to Tricia?

Charlotte, fully aware of what Genevieve was trying to say, gave a cold, taunting smile. “I’m actually what, Genevieve?”

Genevieve bit her lip, unable to swallow her anger. “You’re nothing but a gold-digger! A leech! It’s not enough you set your sights on my brother; now you’re trying to cozy up to Mr. Pembroke, and even Mr. Rayburn isn’t safe from you!”

Wesley stepped smoothly in front of Charlotte, giving Genevieve a cool, measured smile. “So this is the kind of manners they teach in the Howard family?”

“Mr. Rayburn—”

“Genevieve!” Ilse’s voice cut through the tension as she hurried over, catching sight of Charlotte standing behind Wesley. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.

In her mind, Charlotte had always been a nobody—a little sparrow who’d gotten lucky, not even worth her attention. She hadn’t expected Charlotte could win Mr. Rayburn’s protection. Maybe she’d underestimated her after all.

Ilse put on a gentle smile as she approached. “Please, Mr. Rayburn, don’t take offense. This is my fault—I haven’t raised Genevieve strictly enough, and she’s gotten a bit spoiled. She always speaks her mind, but she never means any harm.”

“Is that what you call speaking her mind, Mrs. Jensen?” Wesley’s smile faded, though he kept his tone polite. “It’s impressive how an insult can be dressed up so nicely. The Howard family’s approach to education is… astonishing.”

Ilse’s smile faltered. She could hear the bite in his words; her pride stung. But the Rayburn family connection was too valuable for her to risk.

Within the Howard family, she was always overshadowed by Miranda, the eldest daughter-in-law, who had her own family behind her and was the matriarch’s favorite. Ilse, meanwhile, had only given birth to a daughter and suffered from ill health ever since. Her husband was a disappointment, nothing like his older brother Jacques. When the old matriarch passed, everything would fall to Evander, and what place would there be for her or Genevieve then?

But if she could marry Genevieve into the Rayburn family, with a son-in-law like Wesley, things would look very different.

“Go ahead.” Charlotte’s expression was defiant, reckless. “Tell him whatever you want. If Evander actually bothers with your drama, then he’s not a Howard. And if he does, how are you going to explain it to Tricia afterwards, huh?”

“You—” Genevieve was seething, but she couldn’t argue with that.

Ilse stared hard at Charlotte.

This wasn’t the timid, obedient Charlotte she remembered from before—the girl who never dared to talk back in the Howard house. This woman seemed like a stranger. Or maybe, Ilse thought uneasily, this was Charlotte’s true self all along.

“Charlotte, you know full well how much Grandma cares about you. Don’t push your luck.”

“Mrs. Jensen, please stop using the old lady to pressure me. It’s Grandma who’s been kind to me, not you. No matter what I do, she’ll understand.” Charlotte’s voice was calm, almost distant. Back in the Howard family, she’d tried to respect everyone, but aside from the matriarch, not a single person had ever respected her.

She’d loved Evander and put up with everything. Now that love was gone, why should she care about the Howards or anything to do with them?