Delete My Love for You novel Chapter 46

“Xena, I have things to take care of.”

As he spoke, he rose from the couch and, towering over Charlotte, gave a curt command. “Keep her safe. I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”

He didn’t linger. The moment he turned to leave, a flicker of disappointment crossed his chiseled features—so brief it nearly went unnoticed.

He’d actually thought the fierce fencer he’d seen in the arena had been Charlotte.

What a fool he was.

But the disappointment was quickly swallowed by a deeper shadow. His jaw clenched, and he strode upstairs with renewed urgency.

A moment later, the heavy study door thudded shut.

Xena stood, her gaze cold and sharp as she strode over to Charlotte. Her voice dripped with contempt. “Come with me.”

Charlotte nodded, though a faint flicker of confusion crossed her mind.

Darren dotes on Xena—yet he won’t even help her with something as important as a dress fitting?

She pushed the thought aside and followed, soon arriving at the bridal boutique.

“Oh, no! I left my diamond bracelet in the glove compartment,” Xena exclaimed, her tone theatrical. “Go fetch it for me. I want to wear it when I try on dresses.”

Charlotte’s eyes stayed cool, but she nodded politely and walked out of the boutique with steady steps.

The parking lot was dim, shadows pooling beneath the overhead lights. As she reached the car, five men emerged from the darkness, faces twisted with malice.

“Ugh, what a plain Jane,” one sneered. “If we weren’t getting paid so much, none of us would bother with you!”

Charlotte’s blood ran cold. She understood instantly.

Xena—just like the kidnapping two years ago—was trying to drag her into the abyss once again.

One day, she promised herself, she’d settle every old score with that woman.

Her bodyguard uniform was dusted with dirt, a shallow scrape on her temple oozing a thin trickle of blood. In her right hand, she dragged a coarse rope.

The real shock, though, was at the other end of the rope: five burly men, battered and bruised, trussed up like cattle.

“Apologies, Ms. Lancaster,” Charlotte said coolly, offering up the diamond bracelet. “Ran into a bit of trouble on my way to get your things. Sorry for the delay.”

The accusation froze on Xena’s lips. Her tears dried instantly, and her face drained of color.

Darren’s gaze hardened as it locked onto Charlotte. “What happened? Why did you leave your post?”

Unruffled, Charlotte replied, “Mr. Harrington, Ms. Lancaster said she needed the bracelet for her dress fitting, so I went to the parking lot to fetch it. That’s when these five men attacked me. They mentioned someone put them up to it…”

She paused, her eyes glinting with amusement as she glanced at the now-pale Xena.

Her tone turned icy. “That someone was Ms. Lancaster.”