"Explain!"

Roger sat across from her. Under her suffocating glare, he could only shift his gaze to Anthony, silently begging for help.

Anthony cleared his throat, walked over to his wife, and gently stroked her hair, coaxing her softly. "Don't be mad. You don't want to upset the babies."

Charlotte's frown deepened as she shot a cold glare at Anthony. Just as she was about to redirect her anger toward him, the man wisely nudged Roger's leg with his foot, adopting a stern tone. "Hey, she asked you a question."

His expression clearly read: *Talk fast, and don't drag me down with you.*

"I have absolutely no interest in her," Roger exhaled, looking at Charlotte with total sincerity. "I only like Stella."

"But *she* clearly has an interest in *you*," Charlotte scoffed coldly. "The entire lab knows you're supposedly courting another girl, and yet she keeps throwing herself at you. How fascinating."

"If my sweet Stella catches wind of this..."

"I will handle it," Roger interrupted, his face turning an ashen gray at the mention of Stella. His voice grew hoarse. "Once this case is wrapped up, I'm transferring to the research institute."

The institute had invited him several times, and he had still been considering it.

As for Veronica...

He truly hadn't paid her an ounce of attention.

But if she was going to make Stella uncomfortable, he would fix the problem permanently.

He'd leave the lab and go to the institute.

Charlotte stared quietly at Roger for a long time before finally voicing the thoughts she'd been keeping inside. "Since you came into her life, Stella has changed a lot."

"Roger, she carries a lot of trauma. It hasn't been easy for her to open her heart and try to accept you. I don't want her to get hurt again."

"You're my brother, but Stella is just as important to me. If you dare hurt her..."

"I'm sorry," Roger nodded slightly, his expression more serious than ever before. "I've never navigated a relationship before, and I was careless. I'll be more mindful from now on."

"Good," Charlotte leaned back, her expression softening a bit, though her tone remained casual" was just giving you a friendly warning. mean, I would really love to see you guys work out."

Hearing this, a faint smile touched the corner of Roger's lips. "You will."

After that, the two simply stared at each other in silence.

Charlotte shifted her posture, fixing Roger with a deeply meaningful, sharp gaze.

Roger furrowed his brow, feeling a spike of guilt. Hadn't he just explained himself? Why was she still glaring at him like that?

"How much time until we officially start working?" Charlotte asked.

"Thirty minutes," Roger replied truthfully after checking the time.

"Oh." Charlotte nodded, then poked the man beside her. She drawled lazily, "What would you do in a situation like this?"

"Hmm?" Anthony paused for a

second before his lips curved into a

wicked smile. He toyed

affectionately with a strand of his

wife's hair do To call you t to build up Our relationship."

"After all, you aren't going to have any time to talk to me for the next forty-eight hours."

The comment was clearly meant as a tutorial for Roger.

Roger wasn't an idiot. He instantly picked up his phone and stood up. "Anthony, lesson learned."

Watching the stubbornly dense man

walk away, Charlotte sighed. She

snuggled into Anthony's

emb

their intertwined fingers resting gently on her belly, and grumbled.

"Thank god my Stella is just as clueless and inexperienced. If he was chasing

anyone else, he wouldn't even be able to catch up to their shadows."

"Heh." Anthony lowered his gaze, his smile growing dangerously charming. "Does that mean he succeeded?"

"Eighty percent, I'd say."

Charlotte closed her eyes, relaxing completely in her husband's arms. "As soon as my babies are born, they'll have an aunt to call."

"They'll have two. That's nice."

***