Chapter 25
Charlotte and Theodore stood hand in hand, their fingers intertwined, gazing warily at Jaziel and Nolan.
Nolan’s heart ached at the guarded look in her eyes.
“Charlotte, we’ve been childhood friends. How can you look at me like that?”
Charlotte frowned, unwilling to engage in emotional talk.
After all, weren’t they the ones who first decided to abandon their years of friendship?
Her calm gaze swept over them as she spoke plainly:
“There’s no need to talk about this. I need to get home. Say what you need to say, and make
it quick.”
Nolan opened his mouth to say more, but Jaziel interrupted him.
Standing before Charlotte, Jaziel’s usually icy eyes were filled with stubborn determination.
“Charlotte, we were wrong before. We never had real feelings for Sophie. We only used her to make you jealous, to help you realize who you truly cared about. But we didn’t expect…”
He explained Sophie’s downfall and their reasons for treating Charlotte the way they did.
Hearing that Sophie had come to New Orleans seeking her help, Charlotte couldn’t help but feel a wave of resistance.
She couldn’t fathom how Sophie, after causing so much harm, still had the audacity to ask
for her aid.
Sophie had been sent back to Liam by Jaziel’s men. The Reed family gave up their rental in Miami and returned to their rural hometown with Sophie.
She had received her punishment, and Charlotte could imagine the hard life Sophie would lead upon her return.
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Sophie had always cried poverty to Charlotte, and Charlotte had helped her wherever she
could.
But after learning the truth about Sophie’s past, Charlotte found herself unable to feel pity.
Even so, she couldn’t accept Jaziel and Nolan’s excuses for what they had done.
A cold laugh escaped her lips as she responded:
“Jaziel, Nolan, stop deceiving yourselves. There were so many ways you could’ve helped me see my feelings. Why did you choose the one method that hurt me the most?”
“Can you honestly say that from the moment you met Sophie, you never had even the slightest feelings for her?”
Jaziel froze, his expression a mix of shock and confusion.
Nolan’s face grew tense, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes.
“No… of course not!” Nolan hesitated before speaking.
Theodore, however, decisively tore apart their fragile facade.
“Enough. Stop lying to yourselves. If you hadn’t repeatedly neglected Charlotte, Sophie would never have had the chance to hurt her.”
“And if you’re being honest, I’m sure you still can’t say for certain whether you had feelings for Sophie or not.”
“Your excuses are nothing but childish lies. No man who truly loves a woman would ever use another to make her jealous.”
As Theodore spoke, Jaziel and Nolan’s faces turned increasingly pale. His words hit their insecurities like daggers. They couldn’t argue against the truth.
Charlotte was silent for a moment before speaking softly:
“Jaziel, Nolan, I’ve only just realized something–I don’t think I ever truly loved you.”
“Maybe I was moved at times, but… that doesn’t count as love. Whatever spark there was,
Chapter 25
you extinguished it yourselves before it could grow.”
Her tone was serene, as if she had let go of a heavy burden.
“If you want to attend my wedding, I’ll allow it. But I don’t want you causing any
disruptions.”
“I’m
‘m happy now.”
Jaziel’s chest ached with an unbearable, suffocating pain. He shook his head slightly and forced a weak smile as he looked at Charlotte.
“Charlotte, no… don’t be with someone else. We’re childhood friends. I understand you better than anyone. We’re meant to be…”
His voice wavered, tinged with desperation, as he clung to his refusal to accept reality.
