The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 1818

Charlotte glanced at the box, her brows furrowed with confusion. She had no idea what it was. What could Grandpa possibly want to give Allanson? Was it something to do with Grandma?

Carrying all these questions, Charlotte got on the plane bound for the Isle of Veil. She curled closer against Anthony, her lips pressed into a firm line as she stared out at the endless white clouds. Anthony stroked her hair gently.

"Are you alright? Not feeling well?"

She shook her head and squeezed herself tighter into his arms, closing her eyes. Deep down, she just couldn’t relax. Something huge felt like it was about to happen, and the feeling weighed heavy in her chest.

Anthony’s gaze dropped to her, his face looking worried too. Maybe he was thinking the same thing… maybe she was thinking about Newell.

...

By midday, their plane touched down on the Isle of Veil. At the airport, a crowd was already waiting for them. This time, though, no one was there to chase them away or hurt them. Instead, it was a welcome party.

"Welcome home."

A line of Hawk family members stood tall on both sides of the exit, keeping all the other travelers at a distance, at least five meters away. The whole thing looked grand, almost intimidating, and not a soul dared to speak out of turn. After all, Charlotte wasn’t just the Hawk family's heir. Everyone on the Isle saw her as their future ruler.

"Charlotte, please get in the car. Allanson is waiting at home for you and Anthony," said the leading bodyguard. He was Allanson’s most trusted man, sent out just in case something went wrong on the way. There was a long scar on his face, which made him look a bit scary, but he was trying his best to be friendly. His smile looked more painful than polite.

Gardeners? Sure enough, the whole castle was wrapped up in roses, climbing everywhere, hanging from every wall. It didn’t feel like a home anymore. It felt more like a carefully decorated grave.

Roses… Grandma’s favorite.

But what was the point of all this? The dead were still gone, no matter how many flowers you brought them.

The car rolled past the garden and came to a stop. Anthony helped Charlotte out. As soon as they steadied themselves, they spotted Allanson waiting on the stone steps. He was dressed sharply, standing tall, but his gaze was locked on Charlotte’s face. The roses faded into the background the second he saw her. It looked like time had folded in on itself, and he was seeing Mrs. W. again for the very first time.

Was this a sign? Was the hour drawing near? Would he finally get to see the person he missed more than anything in the world?