For spending so much time with Justin Battleson, Charlotte Thompson wasn’t as surprised as she used to be at his sudden burst of action. She sighed softly as she accepted the menu from the waiter, casually ordering a few dishes before returning it.
Watching her turn, her soft profile tugged at the depths of Justin’s heart, a pang of heartache rising from nowhere.
Despite being just a young girl, she had managed to endure many things that she should not have been able to handle.
This restaurant was very efficient, it didn’t take long for all the dishes to be served. Charlotte lowered her head, scooped a mouthful of white rice into her mouth, and then saw Justin placing a spare rib into her bowl. Her brows rose slightly, and a faint smile graced her lips.
Justin laughed in response, though his eyes betrayed the fact he was distracted.
Seeing her finally relaxing in his presence, he found it hard to broach the topic.
After Charlotte struggled to swallow a mouthful of green vegetables, she inadvertently raised her eyes to meet Justin’s gaze. She couldn’t help but laugh a little at the intensity of his focus.
"What are you looking at?" She paused her meal to touch her face, blinking a few times before asking, "Do I have something on my face?"
In response, Justin shook his head fondly, pressing his thin lips together in a straight line. After a moment’s consideration, he spoke, "Charlotte, I know you went to see Adam today."
Her hand, which had just picked up her chopsticks again, halted for a moment. Yet it only took a few seconds for Charlotte to return to normal. She nodded nonchalantly, asking, "What about it?"
Justin opened his mouth to respond, hesitated and then sighed. "Charlotte, let it go, let Chad and Adam..."
"Acknowledge their lineage."
A wave of darkness drowned Charlotte’s eyes, her expression suddenly freezing onto her face.
Despite feeling reluctant, Justin continued, "After all, they’re the Ross Family’s descendants. They bear the responsibility of their lineage. The Ross family will protect and nurture them."
After a slight pause, Justin reached over to hold Charlotte’s now trembling hand. "Charlotte," he said softly, "for the sake of the children, going back to the Ross Family... it’s the best choice for them."
The years she had spent with them had been dynamic, but would only be a small episode in their lives.
Even after all he had said, Charlotte remained silent, not once lifting her gaze.
His gaze was complex as he watched her, understanding the turbulent emotions that must be surging in Charlotte’s heart.
However, even if she was reluctant to accept it, this was something Charlotte had to face.
After a while, the woman across from him let out a bitter laugh, put down her chopsticks and raised her head to look at Justin. "You know I can’t bear to let them go," she said hoarsely.
Countless fragmented memories began flooding back, slowly piecing together into numerous recollections in her mind. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on n0velfire.net
When Charlotte first met the children, in swaddling cloths, their tiny faces crimson from crying, Chad Thompson braved the rain to rush them to her villa. After days of relentless care, the children, who had been weak, gradually regained their vitality.But Charlotte was never complacent, entrusting the others to the care of a nanny while she rushed Chad and Adam to the best hospital under the Thompson Group, where the best medical equipment kept the children hanging on to their lives.