Charlotte exhaled in relief, her tense shoulders relaxing. She gave him a soft, bashful smile. “Chris, you said you’d grant me any birthday wish this year. About the wish I just made…”
“No.”
He cut her off sharply before she could finish.
Her smile faltered and she noticed the shift in his expression. His eyes had opened, cold and unyielding, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
“I won’t leave Evelyn. Don’t bring it up again, Charlotte. I’ll grant you anything else, but not this.”
For a moment, Charlotte sat frozen, the rejection sinking in. The corners of her lips twitched awkwardly, but she quickly recovered, masking her disappointment with her usual charm.
Disguising her true feelings had become second nature—she knew exactly how to present herself as the woman Christopher admired.
Two seconds later, she giggled lightly, as though his stern words had rolled right off her. “Alright, then let’s pretend I didn’t make that wish. But if that one doesn’t count, you still owe me a wish for later, okay? You’ll have to agree to one condition in the future!”
Her playful tone was enough to make Christopher chuckle. “Fine. Save it for later.”