"l-l'm sorry!" Charles instantly panicked.
"I'll only forgive you if you treat me to a good meal when we get back to Jadeborough," said a puffy-cheeked Clarissa.
"Deal." An apologetic smile curved on Charles' face as he added, "I'll treat you to any meal you want."
"You said it, not me! So you'd better not go back on your word!" Clarissa playfully huffed.
"I won't," replied Charles, who helplessly chuckled. "All right, I need you to stay here while I go downstairs to get the others."
"Okay." Clarissa nodded.
Only then did Charles turn around to leave.
A quiet sigh slipped out of Clarissa's lips just then.
Even the corner of her eyes glistened with tears as she knew some feelings needed to be buried deep in her heart.
There was no way she could ever make her crush known.
After all, Charles would only love Vivian in this lifetime. It did not matter if she were dead or alive; She would remain in his heart forever.
That thought alone was enough to make Clarissa's tears stream down her cheeks.
She gently wiped them away while muttering to herself, "It's okay, Clarissa. At least you can still stay by Charles's side as his sister. That's more than enough."
It was not long before Charles brought the others over.
By then, Clarissa had used up all her tears and was pretending nothing had happened. Instead, she focused on helping Charles take Vanessa away from the hospital.
The group wasted no time rushing to the airport.
Charles had arranged to take a private jet out of that place. Thus, they immediately took off after boarding.
During the flight, Vanessa was under the doctor's constant care, so she returned to Jadeborough safely.
Rory then came to pick the group up when they landed.
Charles had phoned Kathleen before boarding earlier, so all the arrangements were were already made.
Vanessa would get sent straight to Florinia Manor with Charles and Clarissa.
As for the truth about Kathleen still being alive, Charles did not bother to hide it from Clarissa.
The latter also knew not to tell anyone about this.
Soon, Kathleen examined Vanessa's wound before coldly stating, "She won't die. While her wound runs deep, it has not affected any vital organs within her abdomen."
"So when will she awake?" Charles' low voice asked.
"It should be soon," came Kathleen's icy reply.
Just then, Vanessa's eyes fluttered open.
Her hazy vision took a while to settle in while she asked weakly, "W-Where am I?"
"Jadeborough." Kathleen crossed her arms before declaring, "You're now a hostage in my hands."
Those words struck Vanessa like lightning. Fear gleamed past her already ghastly and pale face. "K-Kathleen!"
"That's me." A frosty-looking Kathleen then questioned, "So you still remember me, huh?"
"How did this happen?" Vanessa was wholly startled by the sudden turn of events.
How did I end up in Kathleen's hands? I know for a fact that Lauren and Kathleen aren't a team!
"I saved you." Clarissa walked over and added, "However,
I'm acquaintances with Kathleen, so I brought you here."
A touch of bitterness appeared on Vanessa's face, her tone becoming sharper by the second. "I can't believe it. What a small world.”
"Indeed," Kathleen chimed in.
It was then that Vanessa recalled something and yelled with shock, "Didn't you die?"
"There's no way I'd die so easily." Kathleen snorted. "Even if I had died, I would have taken you down with me!”
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