Chapter 46
Angela POV
The car rolled to a stop at the entrance of the estate, headlights casting long shadows in the cold night.
My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, I wasn't sure how to respond to Elizabeth's words.
I shifted my gaze to Sean.
From the back seat, we'd already spotted Christina-there was no way Sean, in the driver's seat, hadn't noticed her too.
Before the engine even fully died, Christina had already made her way to the driver's side, her small hand tapping lightly on the window.
With a quiet hum, the window slid down. Christina smiled, her voice soft, almost coaxing.
"Sean, you're back. How's your Grandma? I know you told me not to worry, but I still wanted to come and ask in person."
Her gaze flickered past him, landing on me and Elizabeth in the back seat. The warmth in her expression faltered for just a second before she masked it with another smile.
Elizabeth studied her, her brows knitting together slightly.
I kept my voice calm and even. "Elizabeth, don't you remember her? Christina-she once saved Sean."
Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly in realization.
"Oh! Of course! No wonder I didn't recognize you-you've grown even more beautiful. Don't hold it against me, will you?"
Now that she knew who Christina was, her tone softened, polite and appreciative.
Christina shook her head with a sweet smile. "Oh, don't be silly. How could I be mad over something like that?"
She turned back to me. "I actually asked Angela about you before. I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
She seemed like she wanted to say more, but Sean cut in before she could.
"Get in the car. We'll talk inside."
The night air was sharp, and Christina was dressed far too lightly for the weather. The thin fabric of her dress did little to shield her from the cold, and I could already see the way her skin had gone pale, the tip of her nose red from the chill.
She looked delicate. Vulnerable.
She knew it too.
Still, she shook her head with a soft laugh.
"It's too late. I won't go inside-it's not very convenient. I mainly came to check on your grandma after her surgery. Since she's fine, I can head back now with peace of mind."
She made no move to leave, though, standing there in the cold like some tragic heroine from an old film.
I glanced at her dress, piecing it together.
It was obvious-she was putting on a show.
She must have heard Sean and I couldn't divorce yet and panicked, rushing here in the dead of night, dressed like this, to win his pity.
What she hadn't expected was to run into Elizabeth.
To keep Elizabeth from suspecting anything, I spoke up first.
"It's not that late. Just come inside for some hot tea. I'll have the driver take you home later."
Christina looked at me, clearly surprised. She hadn't expected an invitation from me. But something clicked in her mind a second later, and she nodded gracefully.
"Okay, Angela. Thank you."
Instead of getting into the passenger seat beside Sean, she made her way to the back and slid in next to me.
Clever. She knew exactly when to keep her distance, playing the part of the considerate friend.
When we arrived home, Sarah's brows lifted slightly at the unexpected guest, but she quickly smoothed her expression and went to prepare tea.
Elizabeth struck up a conversation about Christina's life in Paris, but Christina seemed different tonight-less confident, more careful. Her gaze kept flickering toward Sean, as if searching for something in his expression.
When the clock struck ten, Sean spoke up.
"The doctor said you need to rest before ten, Grandma."
Christina let out a slow breath, as if she'd been waiting for that. But just as she relaxed, Elizabeth turned to her with an unexpected suggestion.
"Christina, it's late. Why don't you stay the night? Angela can have the maid prepare a guest room for you."
Christina, who had just taken a bite of a pastry, froze mid-chew. She quickly set it down and shook her head.
"Oh, that's really not necessary. I wouldn't want to be a bother."
"Nonsense," Elizabeth said lightly. "There are plenty of guest rooms, and it's no trouble at all. Stay the night."
There was no room for argument.
Christina hesitated for a moment before offering a small nod. "Alright, if you insist."
After Elizabeth left, she turned to Sean, lowering her voice.
"Sean are you sure it's okay for me to stay?"
She asked, but she didn't move. She had no intention of leaving.
"One night won't make a difference," Sean said simply. His face was unreadable.
Christina hesitated, then turned to me, her voice soft, almost cautious.
"Angela you don't mind, do you?"
I looked at her, then let out a quiet laugh.
"Of course not. I'm thrilled. Do you want me to prepare my bedroom for you?"
Her expression faltered, caught off guard.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, a trace of irritation slipping through her usual sweet demeanor.
Sean frowned. "There's no need for that, Angela. Grandma is still home."
I nearly laughed at the irony. If he cared so much about Grandma being here, he might've kept his little mistress on a tighter leash.
Christina's face softened again as she turned to Sean, her voice laced with hesitation.
"Sean, did I say something wrong? I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset Angela. Maybe I should just go."
She stood abruptly, her movements just a little too hurried, her steps just a little too unsteady as she stumbled toward the door.
She barely made it past Sean before he caught her wrist, stopping her in place.
"Grandma asked you to stay. Just stay," he said flatly. "Don't worry about what Angela says."
The grip he had on her arm sent a bitter taste to the back of my throat.
I scoffed under my breath and turned toward the stairs, heading to my room without another word.
I didn't hear Sean follow me.
Instead, I heard Sarah's voice, calm and measured.
"Miss Christina, your guest room is ready."