Chapter 426

“Okay, enough messing around.”
Anthony took Charlotte’s hand and pressed it to his chest. With his palm, he gently smoothed her hair as he whispered, “There’s never been anyone else. It’s always
been you.”
From the very start, whether it was just a crush or something deeper, there had only ever been her.
Charlotte looked up, her bright eyes searching Anthony’s face, a little frown tugging at her brows.
Honestly, his face was just asking for trouble. Why did he have to be so ridiculously handsome?
“Andrew told me you decided to go to Grandma’s birthday party?” Anthony said, noticing the change in her mood. He leaned in, his chin coming to rest softly on her shoulder. “Did you change your mind because you’re worried some other woman might try to get close to me?”
“No,” Charlotte replied, toying with his tie between her fingers. Her voice was soft, almost distracted. “Grandma’s always been really kind to me. It wouldn’t feel right
not to go.”
Anthony chuckled, tracing his finger along her cheek. “Lottie, you know you’ll have to meet my parents at some point. And you’re so beautiful, I’m sure they’ll fall for you the second they see you.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment. “Andrew said Grandma likes paintings. Do you know whose work she likes best?”
She knew a bit about art. Maybe she could find something rare and special as a gift for Grandma’s birthday.
“She’s been obsessed with Halation’s paintings these last few years.”
Halation?
Charlotte froze, not sure how to react for a second. So Patricia actually liked her paintings.
Anthony noticed her silence and spoke gently, trying to reassure her. “Halation is this artist who’s gotten really popular over the past few years. Her style is bold, her colors really stand out, and collectors love her stuff.”
“But Halation doesn’t produce much. There aren’t many pieces out there.”
“Grandma has basically collected everything she could get her hands on, except for one piece, a painting called ‘Sunset.’ No one knows where it is.”
He’d even tried to track down ‘Sunset’ himself just to make Patricia happy, but it had been impossible. When Halation disappeared from the scene, her masterpiece disappeared too.
Nobody’s found it since.
“Just you being there will be the best gift Grandma could ask for.”
Anthony ruffled her hair, his voice
ชั้น èque iso
I warm. “But you could also
low and warm
give her something else. As long as
it’s from you, she’ll be thrilled.”
‘Sunset
Charlotte kept quiet, wracking her brain, trying to remember where she’d tossed that painting. Was it in the corner of the lab? The study? Or maybe the storage room?
“As for my parents Anthony
started, his hand pausing in her hair as he looked at her, his gaze serious, “They’ll be back in Cabinda in a
couple of days. They said they really
want to meet you.”
“If you’re okay with it, we can set up a quick meet-and-greet before the party. If you’re not ready
Charlotte looked at him, waiting to see what he’d say next.
then at the party, after you’ve seen Grandma, I’ll take you home. I promise you won’t run into them.”
“You’ve really got it all planned out,” Charlotte said, smiling softly.
“I’ll think about it,” she said, sounding sincere. “Really, I will.”
Anthony gently pinched her chin, looking at her with those impossibly deep eyes. “Take your time. There’s no rush.”
His parents had only mentioned they’d be coming back sometime soon, with no actual date. Honestly, they had to be the most unreliable parents in the world.
Meanwhile, somewhere under the same sky…
“Achoo!”
Lavinia sneezed as she lounged on the sofa, cradling her phone and a half-eaten bag of chips.