The sky was gradually getting dark and a misty drizzle began to fall outside the window.
Charlotte mustered up some energy and assigned a few rooms for the children to rest in.
As she watched them obediently lie down on the bed, she tucked them in. Her heart felt a mix of laughter and tears.
Pulling the curtains shut, Charlotte adjusted the blanket around Olivia’s neck.
Olivia, wide awake, looked up at Charlotte and asked in a soft voice, "Mommy, is it raining outside?"
The air was quiet, filled only with their breathing and the sound of the rain outside.
Charlotte bent down, planting a gentle kiss on the little girl’s forehead, telling her, "Go to sleep now."
Having said that, she got up and turned off the light. The room plunged into darkness. She turned to close the door and returned to the long hallway.
At the end of the hallway was a window. A light flickered on. Standing opposite the window, Charlotte saw the curtain of rain falling outside and her reflection on the window pane.
She jumped in surprise, then turned to look at the man behind her, asking uncertainly, "What are you doing here?"
"Why can’t I be here?" Adam Ross replied, a smirk playing around his mouth.
He closed the gap between them and stood next to Charlotte, continuing, "I saw you guys in the dining room earlier and just followed along."
The window was only half-closed, and with every gust, the scent of mud and rain wafted in. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel⁂fire.net
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte felt her heart begin to calm down. The fear and haste she had felt earlier seemed to have found comfort and stopped clamoring in her mind.
Adam Ross leaned back against the smooth, clean wall, his hand in his pocket. He glanced at Charlotte’s thin clothing and said, "It’s raining outside."
Charlotte responded casually, "I’m not blind."
"Why so touchy?" Adam Ross handed her his jacket, indicating for her to take it. He asked, "I’m just wondering why you’re not cold."
Charlotte didn’t answer him but didn’t hesitate either.
She put on the jacket and stared out at the faint mist and twilight rain curtain outside. She stood still.
Adam Ross seemed to remember something. He looked up at the woman who was just a few steps away from him and said with a smile, "If you’re cold, you can go back first. I’ve already informed Oliver Hudson when I arrived, so we shouldn’t be needed soon."
His words had barely settled when Charlotte froze in the middle of fixing her hair.
A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.
In an instant, Adam Ross caught the momentary panic in Charlotte’s eyes.
Doubting what she heard, Charlotte asked incredulously, "What did you say? Who did you notify when you arrived?"
"Oliver Hudson," Adam Ross shrugged, glancing casually at his watch. "He should be here soon."
Anger flared up in Charlotte’s heart. She turned around, suppressing the urge to hit him, snapped at him, "Mr. Ross, you said you followed us all the way here. In that case, you must have noticed that we didn’t go to the closer Comet Hospital. Instead, we took a detour to a hospital under the BK Group."