Free Web NovelChapter 227: Chapter 230: Something’s About to Happen
Jackson Shaw said, "Charlotte is back with the Shaw family, what’s there to be so uneasy about? If you ask me, you just have too much time on your hands. After the new year, when Mason and Hannah get married and give you a big, healthy grandson, you’ll be too busy to feel uneasy."
"..." Brianna Bell rolled her eyes, speechless, and ignored him.
Half an hour later, the Shaw family car stopped at the entrance to Julia Dawson’s apartment complex.
Charlotte Shaw tightened her scarf and got out of the car. Just as she reached the building entrance, she ran into an equally bundled-up Renee Sinclair.
Renee Sinclair was carrying two gift boxes and smiled the moment she saw Charlotte Shaw.
"How come you’re alone? Where’s your sister-in-law?"
Charlotte Shaw pointed upstairs. With her mouth buried in her scarf, her voice came out muffled. "My sister-in-law is already here. She’s upstairs bragging."
Renee Sinclair playfully tapped her on the butt with one of the gift boxes, urging her forward. "She didn’t come with you today?"
Charlotte Shaw shook her head. "Her clothing store got a complaint. The person complaining was making a scene at the store early this morning. She rushed over in such a hurry she didn’t even have time to eat breakfast, so she couldn’t come with me."
Renee Sinclair said, "Oh."
Julia Dawson’s building had private elevator access for each unit, which required a key card. Charlotte Shaw pulled a card from her pocket, swiped it to open the elevator, and then dragged Renee Sinclair inside.
Renee Sinclair gave her a once-over, then her brow furrowed and she clicked her tongue.
"What?" Charlotte Shaw glanced at her. "What’s wrong with me now?"
Renee Sinclair put down the gift boxes, turned to face her, and then reached out to undo the button on her hood. "How did Felix Preston put this on you? The button’s all crooked."
She blinked dazedly, letting Renee Sinclair refasten the button. "Felix Preston left early this morning. I buttoned it myself."
"..." Renee Sinclair pursed her lips, her expression a mix of speechlessness and exasperation. "No wonder..."
"No wonder what?" Charlotte Shaw said indignantly. "Are you saying it’s normal for me to button things crookedly?"
Renee Sinclair raised an eyebrow. "You said it, not me..."
Charlotte Shaw: "..."
"There." Renee Sinclair tugged the hood down, then patted her on her fluffy head. "All fixed now."
But Charlotte Shaw suddenly held out a hand to her. "Give me one of your presents."
"Why?" Renee Sinclair looked completely unwilling.
Charlotte Shaw said, "We’re about to go in together. You’re carrying a gift in each hand, and I’m empty-handed. How embarrassing is that for me?"
"Quick, give me one. I need to save face."
Renee Sinclair: "..."
She stared at Charlotte Shaw, her face expressionless. Though extremely reluctant, she still handed one of the gift boxes to her.
’So rich and powerful, and she still needs to snatch a gift...’
"Hee hee..." Charlotte Shaw laughed shamelessly. "Don’t worry, I’ll get you back later."
Renee Sinclair scoffed. "Heh... I’d have to be an idiot to believe you."
As they spoke, the two of them reached Julia Dawson’s front door. The door was ajar, and Renee Sinclair pushed it open with a light touch.
They were the last to arrive, and Julia Dawson gave them a stern scolding the moment they walked in.
Charlotte Shaw offered a cheeky apology, then ran off to inspect the presents, leaving the others in the living room to discuss the wedding details.
They gossiped as they brainstormed ideas for Julia Dawson. But after all that planning, the details for Julia’s wedding were still the same as before. Some of their ideas were even worse than the first version she had come up with on her own.
She looked at the group of lovable idiots on her sofa, fuming with frustration, and simply kicked them all out.
"Sister-in-law, are you going home with me?" Charlotte Shaw asked, standing at the complex entrance and looking hopefully at Hannah Sutton.
Hannah Sutton tightened Charlotte’s scarf and said wearily, "The customer complaint still isn’t resolved. I have to go back to the store. You go on ahead. I’ll bring home some treats for you later."
"Okay." Charlotte Shaw waved to her, then turned and got in the car. "Bye-bye, sister-in-law."
Hannah Sutton: "Bye-bye."
It was nearly dusk by the time she was on her way back. Sanitation workers had cleared most of the snow from the road, but the driver still didn’t dare to drive too fast, afraid the wheels would slip and endanger Charlotte Shaw in the back seat.
Charlotte Shaw was cradling her phone, blushing as she messaged Felix Preston, when she suddenly heard a muffled THUMP from under the car.
The driver slammed on the brakes and cried out in alarm, "Damn it, we have a flat tire!"
"A flat tire?" Charlotte Shaw shoved her phone into her pocket and rolled down the window.
The driver unbuckled his seatbelt, got out, and bent down to inspect the car. Sure enough, he found two long, sharp nails in the rear tire.
"What kind of moron does this? Burying two huge nails in the snow!" The driver cursed as he pulled out his phone to send a message to his work group chat.
Charlotte Shaw pushed the door open and got out, following behind the driver to look at the flat tire. "Oh my god, those nails are huge."
The driver was grinding his teeth in anger. "This is just someone taking their anger out on the world! If I catch the bastard who planted these nails, I’ll beat his face swollen with my shoe!"
Charlotte Shaw was amused by the driver’s words, and her own anger dissipated. "Uncle Young, what do we do now? Do we wait here for someone to fix the car?"
Uncle Young turned and gave her a strained smile. "I’ve already notified Lawrence to come pick you up right away. Just wait in the car for a little while, Miss Shaw. I’ll handle the repairs; you don’t need to worry."
"Oh." Charlotte Shaw nodded.
Uncle Young said, "It’s cold out here. You should get back in the car, Miss. Don’t want you catching a cold."
"Okay." A cold gust of wind blew past. Charlotte Shaw hunched her shoulders and turned to walk back.
But just then, the faint sound of a cat meowing came from the alley to her right.
"Meow..."
"Meow..."
"Meeow..."
’A cat?!’ Charlotte Shaw’s eyes lit up, and she unconsciously took a few steps toward the alley.
"Meow..."
"Meow..."
The sound grew clearer each time. Charlotte Shaw focused and listened carefully. It sounded like a kitten, only two or three months old.
’It’s freezing out here. A kitten this small could never survive.’ She frowned, hesitating for a few seconds, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to just leave it.
By now, the sky was growing dark. The streetlights in the alley weren’t very bright, and standing at the entrance, Charlotte Shaw couldn’t see where the cat was at all.
So she took out her phone, turned on the flashlight, and began to walk cautiously into the alley, calling out in a soft voice.
"Kitty, kitty, where are you? Come on out, and I’ll take you home, okay?"
"Kitty?"
"MEOW!"
A much clearer meow answered her.
Her heart leaped with joy, and she quickened her pace slightly.
"Charlotte, where are you going?" Uncle Young asked from the mouth of the alley, holding his phone.
Charlotte Shaw called back, "There’s a kitten in here! I want to catch it and take it home!"
Uncle Young replied, "Alright, just let me finish this call! I’ll come help you!"
Charlotte Shaw shouted, "Okay!"
The alley wasn’t wide, barely enough for three people to walk side-by-side.
Charlotte Shaw shone her flashlight ahead and spotted a small, shivering tabby cat on a pile of snow not far away.
"Kitty!" She took small, quick steps forward and knelt in front of the tabby.
"Kitty, you’re so cute. Want to come home with me?"
"..."
The little tabby didn’t answer. Instead, its eyes widened warily as it stared intently at something behind Charlotte Shaw.
"Kitty?" Charlotte Shaw didn’t know what it was looking at. Just as she reached out a hand to tentatively stroke its head, it let out a plaintive meow and darted away.
Immediately after, a dark shadow was cast by the streetlight, falling at Charlotte Shaw’s feet.
