Chapter 1528:

Ellis froze for a couple of seconds and then gave a short nod.

“Yes.”

Charlette looked up at him, her eyes icy.

“And what authority do you have to hand him money, Ellis? Just who do you think you are to me?”

Charlette’s words sliced through Ellis without mercy.

Charlette leaned in, voice dripping with sarcasm, a cruel smile tugging at her lips.

“You really think I owe you gratitude? Dream on. Honestly, I just pity you. I’ve already said I feel nothing for you, but you just keep hovering around me. Is your pride worth that little? Let me spell it out for you—this is the last time. I don’t want you, I don’t need you, and I don’t ever want to see you in my life again. Stay out of my affairs. Don’t even think about showing up in front of me—”

Her rant was cut short as Ellis stepped forward and wrapped her in an unexpected hug.

That faint, sterile scent clinging to his shirt washed over her, stealing her breath. For a moment, the familiarity anchored her, until she jerked back to her senses and tried to shove him away. Ellis spoke softly, unshaken.

“You’re not well, Charlette. Stop saying things you don’t mean.”

She froze, caught off guard. Why wasn’t he angry? Why didn’t he just walk away? Why was he holding her like she hadn’t wounded his feelings? Hadn’t she said enough cruel things? A guy like Ellis, so pure and so untainted, should never have gotten tangled up with someone like her.

Her instinct was to push him out of her home, but the fever in her mind and the hollow ache in her chest made her falter, just a little. That longing for comfort slipped in before she could stop it.

𝖁𝗶𝖊𝖜 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 ⸮ 𝖌𝖆𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀﹒𝗰𝗼𝗺

Charlette averted her eyes, her complexion nearly ghostly, and let the harsh words die on her tongue.

After a moment, she let her eyes flutter closed.

It was always easier to feel small when one was sick.

Seeing that she had calmed down, Ellis said, “You don’t want me giving him money. I get it. I won’t do it anymore.”

All Ellis wanted was to make sure Maddox would never hassle Charlette again. If she didn’t want him to wire money to Maddox, he’d respect that.

Ellis’s voice stayed soft.

“I’m sorry, Charlette. I shouldn’t have taken matters into my own hands.”

His steady calm slowly took the sting out of Charlette’s mood. She didn’t answer, but she also didn’t pull away.

.

.

.