SWNOVELS Chapter 5
Chapter 5 Dig Into Charlotte
The exposition had just ended when Leo found Zachary, but Charlotte had already left with Gordon.
“Mr. Sullivan…” Leo’s voice wavered with concern.
Over the past three years, the life Zachary led was beyond the comprehension of most, known only to those close to him. Following the Ruby River Bridge catastrophe that consumed the town’s gossip chain for a month, no clues linking Charlotte or their unborn baby to the wreckage had surfaced. Since then, Zachary had become more distanced and closed off.
“I need all the details about Charlotte’s past three years.” Zachary’s demand was delivered with a stern undertone.
“Of course,” Leo answered promptly, eager to assist.
The name “Georgia Lynn” was no stranger to either Leo or Zachary. The brilliant wedding gown, “Destiny,” had sent ripples throughout the fashion world, drawing Zachary’s attention too. But none knew that the creative genius behind the exquisite piece was Charlotte, the woman who had disappeared three years ago.
*****
Within an hour, Leo assembled most of the available information about Charlotte and Gordon, presenting it to Zachary. A stack of pages covered the past three years of Charlotte’s life.
The documents presented a new side of Charlotte. She was previously perceived as insignificant and overly reliant on Zachary. But her recent achievements as a designer, evident by the recognition she received, shattered all those assumptions.
“Gordon Wright? The same guy who leads the Wright Group out of Snowe City?” Zachary queried, his brows knitting together.
“Yes,” Leo confirmed.
An icy mask hardened Zachary’s face. Charlotte and Gordon’s intimate interaction at the conference kept repeating in his mind—a scene that included Charlotte introducing Gordon as her husband. This uncomfortable replay was a stubborn imprint, refusing to disappear.
Seeing Zachary’s thunderous expression, Leo felt a cold sweat spreading across his back. “Mr. Wright set up a studio for Mrs. Sullivan in Snowe City and has been supporting her work for the past three years,” Leo nervously provided the details he had gathered, “And personally, he’s been looking out for her as well.”
“Interesting,” Zachary retorted sarcastically, with a tinge of jealousy cutting beneath his words.
Turning his attention back to the documents, he inquired, “Any word on Jeff Cooper?” Even the mention of the name Jeff made Leo nervous.
Three years ago, when Annie’s health failed suddenly, Leo was tasked with fetching Charlotte. But Jeff interrupted, opting to take Charlotte. Unexpectedly, neither Jeff nor Charlotte made it to the hospital. They both supposedly died in a car crash.
However, after years of searching, Zachary had found no trace of Jeff. This only fueled his steadfast belief that Charlotte was still alive. Jeff’s military background meant he could turn a dire situation around. Maybe he had managed to save Charlotte?
“There’s still no lead on Jeff. But I’ll get on it, right away,” Leo assured, mopping his sweating brow. Everyone that knew Zachary was aware of his intense disapproval of betrayal. Leo ruminated, ‘Did Jeff betray Mr. Sullivan that day, or did he simply fail? If it was the former, death might have been a kinder fate.’
Flipping through the papers, Zachary’s brow furrowed, a disturbing thought surfacing. ‘What about the child?’
A tightening grip around his heart accompanied his own silent question. It was vividly clear to him that at the time of her disappearance, Charlotte was heavily pregnant, about to deliver.
‘If Charlotte managed to survive the car accident, did the baby survive too?’ he dared to wonder.