Charlotte,thefamilyarrangedanengagementforyouwhenyouwereyounger.Nowthatyouvemostlyrecovered,wouldyoubewillingtoreturntoNewOrleansandgetmarried? Ifnot,Illtalktoyourfatheragainaboutcancelingit.
Inthedimroom,CharlotteMurphycouldonlyhearthesilencefillingthespace.Justasthepersonontheotherendofthelinethoughttheyd failedtoconvinceheragain,shesuddenlyspoke,Imwillingtogobackandgetmarried.
Charlottesmotherwasstunnedontheotherend, takenaback.You…youagree? Charlottestoneremainedcalm,Yes,Iagree,butIneedalittletimetowrapthingsuphereinMiami.Illreturnwithintwoweeks.Mom,youcanstartpreparingforthewedding.
Aftersayingthisandafewmorewords,shehungupthephone.Asthecallended,theboomingmusicfromdownstairsechoedup,withfaintsoundsofabirthdaysonginthebackground.
ItwasabirthdaypartyforSophieReed,organizedbyJazielCollinsandNolanRogers.Suddenly,footstepsapproached,andSophieentered,holdingasliceofBlackForestcakewithasmile.Herdoelikeeyesblinked,herdelicatefacetouchedwithabitofmakeup,andafewsmudges ofcreamaddingastrangecharm.Charlotte,comejoinusdownstairs? Charlottehadlongseenthroughherfacade.Hervoicewascold.Istillhaveworktodo.Youguyshavefun.
Almostinstantly,Sophieseyeswelledupwithtears.Charlotte,doyoudislikeme?Isthatwhyyoureturningmedown? Charlottefrowned instinctively.She hadntdoneanything,yetSophieactedasifshedbeenbullied.Inside,Charlottescoffed,unwillingtocontinuelisteningto Sophiestheatrics.SavethatactforJazielandNolan.It doesntworkon me.

Withthat,shemovedtoclosethedoor.
Charlotte,wait… Sophiequicklyreachedout,herhandlandinginthedoorframe.AsCharlotteclosedthedoor,Sophiesentirehandgotcaught,bruisingthepaleskininstantly.
Hiss- JazielandNolan, comingupthestairs,sawthescene.Bothmenrushedforward,cradlingSophieprotectively,examiningherhandwithconcern.Seeingthebruise, Nolanseyesgrewredwithanger.Impulsively,hescoldedCharlotte,ItsonethingifyoudontlikeSophie,butwhydosomethingso despicable,Charlotte?Sincewhendidyoubecomethisway? Jaziel,usuallyreserved,lookedatCharlottewiththesamedisappointmentinhisdeepgaze.
79.7% Chapter1 Charlotte,todaysSophiesbirthday.Youdidntneedtogothisfar.ButasheturnedbacktoSophie,histone.softened.Sophie,doesitstillhurt?Illtakeyoutoputsomemedicineonit.
WatchingJazielleadSophieaway,Nolan followedclosely,comfortingherashewent.Sophie,dontbeupset.Illgiveyoumynewsportscar!Aftertheparty,Illtakeyouforaspin.Thatllcheeryouup! Surroundedanddoteduponbybothmen,Sophiefinallymanagedatearysmile.Thankyou,Jaziel.Then,turningtoNolanwithwateryeyes,shemurmured,Nolan,pleasedontraceanymore.Racing isdangerous,andIdbe worriedaboutyou.
Seeinghersmilethroughhertears,Nolanagreedquickly,Alright,alright,anythingyousay! Watchingthemdisappeardownthestairs,Charlottestoodinthedoorway,feelingastrangesenseofdisillusionment.SherecalledatimewhenshehadstoodbetweenJazielandNolan.

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Fromayoungage,shehadbeenfrailandpronetoillness,withasthma.Thedamp,rainyclimateofNewOrleanswasntidealforher,soattheageoffive,her parentssenthertosunnyMiamitolivewithheraunt,whowasa doctor.ItwasthenthatCharlottemetJazielandNolan,wholivednextdoortoheraunt.
Thethreeofthemgrewuptogether aschildhoodfriends.Fromthemomenttheymether,bothboysweresmitten,stickingtohersideandactingasherprotectors.Theydescorthertoschool,bringherbreakfastandmilk,andeventearupanylovelettersshereceived,forbiddinganyboyfromgettingclose.
Astheygrewolder,onetookoverthefamilybusiness,becomingaCEO,andtheotherbecamearenownedracecardriver.Despitetheirbusyschedules,theyeachboughtahousenexttohers, combiningthespacesso theycouldalllivetogether, cominghomeeachdaytocookforher.
WhenherfamilypressuredhertoreturntoNewOrleans,theyevenpleadedtearfullyforhertostay,sayingthatifsheleft,theyddropeverythingtofollowher.WhereverCharlottewas,theywantedtobe.
Thankstothem,Charlottesconditionstabilized,andshedelayedherreturntoNewOrleans.ButeverythingchangedwhenSophieenteredthepicture.
SophiehadbeenaninternCharlottetookunderherwing.Onherfirstday,Sophieshylyrefusedtojointheothersforlunch.Charlotte later foundhereatingplainbreadandpickledvegetablesaloneandlearnedthatSophiecamefromapoorfamilyinthemountains.Outofkindness,Charlotte,whohadgrownupinluxury,beganlookingafterher.Occasionally,shedinviteSophietojoinherandtheboysformeals.

Andthus,SophiemetJazielandNolan.
Jaziel,whoonceavoidedloudparties,nowmadeexceptionsforSophie.Nolan,wholivedandbreathedracing,wouldabandonitwithasinglewordfromSophie.
Thishadhappenedcountlesstimesoverthepastmonth.Once,Jaziel andNolanopenlycompetedforCharlottes attention,evenpressuringhertochoosebetweenthem.Shedevenconsideredchoosing oneofthem,feelingher heartmoved.
Butnow,accepting herfamilysarrangedmarriagedidntseemsobadafterall.
Charlottesmirked,settingacountdownon herphone.Fromnowon,shewouldnolongerdisruptthethreeofthem.