Delete My Love for You novel Chapter 11

Noah kept his head down, silent.

Nearby, one of the bodyguards, scalp prickling with anxiety, finally spoke up. "Mr. Harrington, ma’am’s been locked in the cellar by the boy!"

"What did you say? The cellar?"

Darren’s face darkened instantly—the cellar was always poorly ventilated, starved of fresh air.

Without sparing Noah a second glance, he rushed to the basement stairs and yanked open the cellar door.

A harsh, acrid wave of alcohol hit him from below.

"Charlotte!"

She was sprawled on the cold floor, deathly pale, utterly lifeless.

He swept her up into his arms, his expression icily grim, like a judge of the underworld. "Call a doctor. Now!"

"Charlotte! Stay with me!"

"Charlotte! Don’t you dare leave me!"

His panic and fear filtered into Charlotte’s drifting consciousness, and for a heartbeat, she was confused.

Darren always seemed to wish her gone—so why would he care now?

Before she could make sense of it, a blinding white haze swallowed her world.

Ah, she realized, it must be another dream.

When Charlotte finally opened her eyes, she was lying in her own bed, her head throbbing dully.

From downstairs, Noah’s clear, bright voice rang out: "Dad! Mom! Today was the best day ever! Thank you so much!"

Noah’s voice.

The word "Mom" echoed in Charlotte’s mind, something inside her seemed to snap. She forced herself up, gripping the banister, and slowly made her way down the stairs.

The living room was awash in color—balloons, streamers, twinkling lights everywhere.

A delicate banner hung on the wall: **Happy Children’s Day, Noah!**

Charlotte barely registered the insult, turning desperately to Noah. "Noah, did you hear what your father said? He just admitted it—I’m your real mom!"

She took a step toward him instinctively.

But Noah’s eyes were rimmed in red as he shouted, "Stay away from me!"

She stopped, stunned, staring at her son in disbelief.

"Noah, sweetheart, I’m your mother…"

"I don’t want you as my mom!"

His words struck her like a blow to the chest.

Tears brimmed in Noah’s eyes, but he wiped them away with the back of his small hand.

He’d learned the truth last night—his father had told him who his real mother was. But what did that matter now?

"I don’t want a mother who pretends to be the nanny and never cared about me! I only want Xena as my mom. This is my day—anyone else, get out!"