The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 367

Noah always thought things through. He knew that if they skipped preschool, the teacher would probably tell Mom, and that would definitely worry her.

If Mom ever found out he was playing hooky at such a young age, she’d be heartbroken.

The truth was, Noah had already taught himself everything from grade school all the way through high school. Preschool lessons were so childish to him. The only reason he went with his brothers was to experience normal life—and to avoid seeming different from other kids his age.

“Alright, but you guys be careful, okay?” Aiden and Evan said in unison.

Ethan, on the other hand, still hadn’t given up on making Mom wear something pretty to work. Just before she was about to leave, he sprang into action.

All of a sudden, Ethan held up a dress and looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Mommy, could you wear this pretty dress to work today?”

His eyes sparkled, as if he was already picturing how beautiful she’d look in it.

Rebecca glanced at the backless, figure-hugging dress he was holding, then looked down at her own outfit—a tailored, elegant blazer and skirt. Her expression made her answer clear.

Obviously, what she was wearing was much more appropriate for the office.

There was no way she’d show up at work in something like that.

Although Mom turned him down, Ethan wasn’t surprised. He didn’t insist—there would always be another chance.

With a grin, Ethan pulled the dress back and said, “Alright, Mommy. You better get going or you’ll be late.”

Rebecca thought Ethan was acting a little odd today, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. She ruffled his hair, then hurried out the door.

What she didn’t know was that the moment she left, her little boys snuck out behind her, careful not to get caught.

……

Outside the police station, Crystal finally emerged, looking utterly disheveled.

There was a long pause after she finished.

“Crystal, that was reckless. Dylan’s not someone you want to mess with. And why would you try to blackmail him in the first place?”

Crystal hesitated, unwilling to admit she was drowning in debt.

She just told Emily she was strapped for cash, but didn’t want to go crawling to the Thomsons for help, so she’d tried her luck with Dylan instead.

Still, until she married into the Thomson family herself, Emily knew she had to keep things cordial with Crystal, at least on the surface.