Everest's Guardian Hubby Watched Me Freeze My Ghost Knows Where He'll Burn novel Chapter 50

Chapter 9

Nathan suddenly broke down, his small frame shaking uncontrollably in Sean’s embrace. The sound of his sobs echoed painfully through the room.

The others present lowered their gazes, their breaths caught in their throats, paralyzed by fear. Not a single person dared to meet Sean’s furious glare.

Charlotte bent down and gathered the weeping child into her arms, her eyes locking firmly with Sean’s. “Stop yelling at them,” she said quietly but firmly. “It was me. I was the one who told him.”

Sean’s glare intensified, but then he waved his hand dismissively toward the trembling staff. “Everyone out. Now. All of you.” His voice brooked no argument.

Without hesitation, Sean moved toward Charlotte and gently took Nathan from her arms, the boy still hiccuping with tears. He carried him down the hall to the adjacent bedroom and carefully shut the door behind them, the click of the lock echoing ominously.

Minutes passed before Sean reappeared in the study, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, barely contained. His eyes bore into Charlotte with a mix of frustration and disbelief.

“Why would you say something like that to a child?” he demanded. “We had an agreement! We were supposed to co-parent. I promised to compensate you fairly!”

He took a step forward, voice rising with desperation. “Anything you want—properties, cars, stock options—I’ll give it to you!”

Charlotte’s hand instinctively rested protectively over her belly. Her expression was unnervingly calm as she met his gaze squarely.

Then, without warning, a cold, hollow smile curved her lips as she stepped closer. “What if I want you to stay married? What if I want you to be a good father? A good husband?”

She paused, eyes searching his face. “Can you do that, Sean?”

It was as if she had struck a raw nerve. His reaction was immediate and sharp.

“No,” he spat out, the word cutting through the tension like a knife.

“Charlotte, I promised Lanie I’d marry her,” he said, his voice edged with finality. “She’s been waiting for seven years. I can’t make her wait any longer.”

“Seven years?” Charlotte echoed softly, the number hanging in the air like a bitter reminder. The fragile wall of defiance and control she’d been maintaining shattered, and tears began to stream down her cheeks.

“You say Lanie waited seven years for you,” she whispered, voice trembling with pain. “What do you think I’ve been doing, Sean?”

“I spent seven years pretending to be the perfect wife in your little business arrangement. I hosted dinners, managed your family’s expectations, played the role of Mrs. Winters while you kept your real girlfriend hidden on the side.”

Her voice cracked with bitter irony. “And now, just because you love her, you think you can throw me away?”

“You want to get married? Fine, we get married,” she continued, her tone sharp and unyielding. “You want a divorce? Then we get divorced. But who the hell do you think you are?”

Sean stared at the tears rolling down her face, a suffocating irritation tightening in his chest. Everything he had carefully planned was unraveling before his eyes.

His meticulously crafted scheme was crumbling.

“The number you have dialed is currently switched off.”

Sean froze, disbelief washing over him.

Switched off? I never turn my phone off.

Her battery must have died, he told himself, trying to ease the growing knot of dread tightening in his chest.

He dialed again.

“The number you have dialed is currently switched off.”

Again.

And again.

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the phone tighter and tighter.

A cold bead of sweat slid down his temple, landing on the screen and spreading into a small, wet stain.

The most terrifying thought clawed its way to the forefront of his mind.