Chapter 21
Furious, she nearly stormed after Lottie to confront her. But when she looked up, she saw Nigel stepping out of the car, his gaze fixed in their direction.
Esther quickly swallowed her anger, put on her best smile, and walked out. “Nigel, let’s go.”
But Nigel didn’t move.
She paused-only to realize he was distracted. His eyes hadn’t shifted.
He wasn’t looking at her.
Esther’s nails dug into her palm. Her voice tightened. “Nigel… don’t tell me you’ve really started to fall for her?”
Nigel blinked, then frowned slightly. “What are you talking about?”
Esther took a deep breath. “You were staring at her just now.”
“Was I?”
He furrowed his brows slightly.
Something felt off. He wasn’t acting like himself.
Before, no matter what she said, he always responded seriously.
Even at family gatherings-if she so much as mentioned how close he and Lottie seemed-he’d immediately put at least half a meter between them.
But now, all he did was casually say, Was I?
Esther was not pleased. “You weren’t? I literally called your name and you didn’t even respond.”
“I was just thinking about work,” Nigel replied calmly.
Esther finally relaxed a bit. She reached out and poked his waist. “You’re not allowed to fall for her. Don’t forget the promise you made me when we were kids.”
“Don’t worry.”
At the mention of that promise, Nigel’s expression softened. “I’ve never forgotten.”
*****
Lottie had no interest in imagining how that little family of three was celebrating the holiday,
After dinner, she crouched in the courtyard and built a lopsided Santa Claus out of snow. By the time she finished, her
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hands were frozen red.
She returned to her room for a long soak in the tub.
Corinne must’ve noticed it was still snowing outside and turned the heat up too high.
Lottie couldn’t even be bothered to dry her hair. She leaned back in bed with a book, and before long, drifted off to sleep, curled under the covers.
She was jolted awake the next morning by a loud crash-sharp, sudden, and echoing either from downstairs or just out-
side her door.
Probably Rolland tearing the house apart again.
Wide awake now, she freshened up and headed downstairs for breakfast.
She’d barely reached the top of the stairs when Rolland popped out of nowhere, hands on his hips, eyes blazing.
“You evil witch! Go die!”
Lottie frowned. Before she could say a word, he suddenly charged straight at her.
She dodged quickly-but something yanked hard at her lower back.
Her balance gave way.
In the next instant, she was tumbling down the stairs.
She hit every step on the way down. Her body ached all over, and her head slammed hard against the stone steps. Blood streamed down her face, stark against her pale skin.
Lying crumpled at the bottom of the stairs, Lottie gritted her teeth and slowly lifted her head. At the top of the stairs stood Esther, wearing a smile that was anything but kind.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly. “So stop dreaming.”
She had pulled her.
Corinne came rushing in, panicked by the noise. She froze in shock, until Lottie, barely conscious, rasped, “Call an ambulance.”
“Y-yes! Right away!”
Hands trembling, Corinne dialed 120.
By the time she managed to clearly give their address, Lottie had already passed out.
Pain.
That was all Lottie could feel when she came to-sharp, deep, bone-deep pain.
Cool fluid dripped steadily through the IV into her arm. The hospital room was empty.
But from the balcony, raised voices carried in loud and clear.
Nigel’s voice was cold, furious-unlike anything she’d heard from him before. “Have you lost your mind? I told you last night-this has nothing to do with Lottie. The reason we can’t live together anymore is because we’re not compati
ble!
“It was my decision to ask you to move out with Rolland!”
