When Charlotte arrived back at Midvale Estates, her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the vine-covered stone gazebo in the corner of the garden. The greenery inside was perfectly manicured, a vibrant splash of life against the white marble.
Mrs. Rayburn was sitting in the gazebo, entertaining a guest with a gentle smile on her face. The maid, standing by to pour tea, noticed Charlotte's arrival and leaned over to inform her.
Mrs. Rayburn turned and waved. "Honey!"
Charlotte's eyes shifted to the man sitting across from her mother. Even from behind, she recognized him instantly.
"You're back, dear?" Mrs. Rayburn's voice was exceptionally sweet as she reported, "Your friend came to visit, so I took the liberty of entertaining him for you."
Evander slowly lifted his gaze, his eyes landing on Charlotte's face.
Charlotte looked away, walking over to her mother's side and whispering, "Mom, why didn't you tell me? What if he was a con artist?"
Evander heard her, and if it weren't for his mask, she would have seen his exasperated expression.
"A con artist? Of course not!" Mrs. Rayburn blinked. "He knows you so well, dear!"
Oh no. What had this man said now?
Charlotte bit her lip and met Evander's eyes, mouthing silently: *Don't you dare say anything stupid.*
Evander's eyes held a playful glint as he mouthed back: *Like what?*
Mrs. Rayburn looked between them, a knowing smile playing on her lips. She covered her mouth to hide a chuckle and slowly stood up. "Well, honey, I'll let you two catch up. I won't disturb you."
With that, she even waved for the maid to follow her.
Evander rested an arm on the table, propping his head on his hand as he watched her. "You're back so soon? I was hoping to chat with Mrs. Rayburn a little longer."
"What did you two talk about?"
"A bit of everything. The stars above, the earth below, and…" He paused deliberately, a slight smile on his lips. "You and me."



VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Cold Husband Burning Regret: The Divorce He Couldn't Handle