Devin stepped aside coldly and walked off toward his apartment, while the bouquet of flowers struck Charlotte's stunned face before falling at her feet. She didn't even blink, remaining frozen in place, unable to move.
Just minutes earlier, she had washed her face and brushed her teeth, getting ready to shower and change out of her pajamas, when the doorbell rang for the second time. She thought it was Leonid this time, and opened the door without hesitation… but it wasn't him.
Her shoulders trembled as the sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the hallway. Only then did she push her own door closed and collapse to her knees.
Tears welled in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her palm, desperately trying to hold back the urge to vomit. Charlotte didn't understand what was happening to her, but the sweet scent of the flowers made her nauseous… a scent that reminded her of that cursed day.
She got up with difficulty, picked up the bouquet, and threw it into the trash can with a cold, careless motion. She didn't inspect it, didn't bother.
A choking pain gnawed at her chest as she walked toward the bathroom, and the moment she crossed the threshold, she lunged toward the toilet and vomited.
Fortunately, the day seemed to be smiling on him.
No traffic, no stubborn red lights. The last time, it had taken him a full hour to reach this store. But now, he had arrived in just ten minutes.
He could hardly believe it.
"Let's go."
Leonid parked his car in front of the luxurious jewelry store the same one he had visited before with Charlotte.
He motioned for Daniel to follow and said with a confident tone:
"Your job is to help me."
Daniel wasn't comfortable with the idea of accompanying Leonid to a jewelry store, but after hearing his reasons during the drive, he had no choice.
He had to help him just for Charlotte's sake.
"I want the best. And I don't care how much it costs."
"Trying to look rich now?"
Leonid gave a calm smile and pulled his black bank card from his wallet.
"Trust me... I don't have to try."
Daniel rolled his eyes with a quiet sigh and pushed open the glass door, Leonid right behind him.
Inside, the polished display cases reflected off the gleaming floor, showcasing the jewelry within like pieces of art under professional lighting.
An employee approached them with measured steps and a carefully crafted smile on his face.
"May I help you both?"
Meanwhile, Charlotte was slowly lifting herself up, leaning against the edge of the bathtub. She had no idea how much time had passed, kneeling beside the toilet, vomiting what was no longer even in her stomach.
She drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly, as if trying to expel the nausea that had crept into her body without warning.
With a trembling hand, she turned on the shower, and steam began to rise with the first splash of warm water.
She closed her eyes, strands of wet hair clinging to her face, then slowly undressed and stepped under the spray in silence.
Ten minutes later, Charlotte finished her shower and put on something warm and comfortable. The cramps were unbearable, but she didn't have the energy to get up and prepare a hot drink to soothe them.
She lay on her bed, waiting for her strength to return, when the apartment bell rang for the third time.
This time, she didn't rush or act on impulse.
"I'm coming."
She called out softly and rose slowly, walking toward the door.
When she reached it, she extended her hand to open it but paused and asked first:
"Who is it?"
There was a brief silence, then the response came:
"It's me, Natalia."
Charlotte's eyes widened until her lashes nearly touched her upper eyelids.
"Why... are you here?"
She asked with broken breaths, stunned by her presence especially after Natalia had yelled at her yesterday and cursed her with the harshest words. And on top of that…
She narrowed her eyes and raised a hand to touch her left cheek, where the sting of Natalia's slap still lingered in her memory, if not on her skin.
"Will… you let me in?"
Natalia's voice was softer this time, almost pleading.
Charlotte hesitated, her heart beating with quiet tension. She hadn't forgiven her but didn't have the energy to refuse either.
In a low voice, as if afraid she might regret it, she said:
"Come in."
Then she slowly turned the handle.
The door finally opened, and Natalia appeared looking much better than the day before. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail, and her skin looked clear and full of life.
Even her scent was pleasant, unlike the pungent smell of wine that had clung to her.
"Good morning."
She greeted softly, but Charlotte didn't reply or meet the gaze of her green eyes.
In truth, she couldn't bear standing near her. She took a step back, then turned and walked into the living room, stopping in the center with her arms crossed and her back to Natalia.
Natalia watched Charlotte's steps, then entered quietly, shutting the door behind her in silence.
"Are you avoiding me?"
She asked in a tone laced with light sarcasm, which made Charlotte flinch for a moment.
"You know, I'm not the one at fault…"
Natalia glanced around, then leaned against the wall and continued:
"Even Kaiser didn't see anything wrong with what I did. On the contrary, he was pleased. He smiled at me… and kissed me passionately."
Charlotte hugged herself tightly, fighting off the shiver that surged through her at the mention of his name.
"Do you know what that means? It means he doesn't care about you!"
Natalia exclaimed joyfully and clapped her hands.
Charlotte shut her eyes with each clap, then raised her damp chestnut hair from her face with a trembling hand and slowly turned around.
She saw Natalia swaying where she stood, humming with glee, her eyes wandering to the ceiling, hands clasped.
"Are you… happy?"
Charlotte asked, bitterness burning her throat. She was on the verge of losing her mind over what was happening.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
Natalia raised her eyebrows, then looked at her with provocation.
"Are you jealous?"
"Of course not!"
"Then what do you mean?!"
Natalia narrowed her eyes angrily, waiting for a clear explanation.
Charlotte clenched her teeth, unable to find the words to describe how vile Kaiser was after what had happened between them.
She parted her lips with difficulty and whispered:
"Natalia, please…"
Her voice was hoarse, choked with emotions piling up in her chest.
"You can't trust him. Kaiser… he's not who you think—"
"You! You're talking nonsense!"
Natalia cut her off, her voice rising suddenly in agitation.
"You're playing the victim again! And I won't believe a word you say!"
She waved her hand dismissively, shutting the conversation down completely. She was furious, as she always was whenever it involved Charlotte.
"In any case, Kaiser already told me what happened. I only came to tell you that we're going to live a happy life! While you—"
She narrowed her eyes with disdain, then fell silent, leaving the air charged and Charlotte's imagination bracing for whatever insult might come next.
Charlotte remained silent, her lips trembling soundlessly, as if words had clung to her throat. She didn't respond… in truth, she couldn't.
She turned away, hugging herself, trying to resist a powerful urge to cry.
Meanwhile, Natalia turned decisively toward the door, as if there was no point in exchanging more words.
But just as she reached for the handle and opened it, her eyes widened suddenly and Charlotte screamed:
"That bastard… he used me!"
Natalia froze, her eyebrows rising in shock, her gaze darting between Daniel and Leonid, who had just arrived.
The shock was visible on everyone's faces, but only Charlotte's voice echoed through the room.
Natalia turned back toward her swiftly, staring at her with a mix of disbelief and accusation.
"What do you mean? Are you trying to twist what happened?!"
Her voice was sharp, charged with fury, as if refusing to believe what she was hearing. She didn't care that Leonid was present she flung the accusation recklessly, as though accusing Charlotte of lying.
Leonid, standing on the threshold, felt the thick tension saturate the room. He was about to speak until Charlotte's next words froze him in place:
"When we drank together… he kissed me. Out of nowhere."
Her eyes filled with tears, and her breath trembled as she revealed a secret she had once tried to bury.
A heavy, suffocating silence fell, as if time itself had stopped moving.
"Kaiser didn't stop there…"
Daniel let out a soft gasp, his eyes widening in disbelief. Natalia furrowed her brows, caught between suspicion and confusion.
In contrast, Leonid stood motionless, staring at Charlotte's back with expressionless eyes.
"He kept trying to pull me towards him repeatedly, but I was foolish to ignore all those warnings and trust him… until he almost assaulted me, if he hadn't suddenly let me go."
He hadn't truly wanted to hear that confession but deep down, he had suspected something like this.
Otherwise, why would Charlotte have screamed so fiercely that day?