Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 379

CHAPTER 207 2

+25 Points

CHAPTER 207-2

Everything was arranged by customer name and service date. It was ridiculously efficient.

“This is actually good.” I said and Charlotte smiled.

“Thank you.” She said.

I could see how much those two words meant to her so I nodded and walked away before

the moment became too emotional.

Outside, Ben was working on a motorcycle with Aiden and I stopped beside him.

“How’s everything going?” I asked.

“Fine.” Aiden said but he didn’t look up.

“You don’t sound convinced.” I said as he tightened a bolt.

“I’m watching.” He said.

“Charlotte?” I asked.

“Yes.” He said and I sighed.

“She hasn’t done anything wrong.” I said.

“I know.” He said.

“Then why are you watching her?” I asked.

“Because Kyle didn’t do anything wrong at first either.” He said.

That stopped me and Ben finally looked at me.

“I trust you, Paige.” Ben said.

“I know.” I said.

“But I don’t trust everyone.” He said and I understood.

“You don’t have to.” I said as he nodded.

“I just don’t want anyone else getting inside this place.” He said.

Neither did I.

Later that afternoon, Charlotte came into the workshop doorway and she stopped

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immediately.

“Can I help with anything?” She asked as Ben looked at her.

“No.” Ben said and Charlotte nodded.

“Okay.” She said and she turned around.

I watched Ben. He didn’t say anything else and after Charlotte left, I looked at him.

“You could have been nicer.” I said.

“I could have.” He said.

“Will you?” I asked but he shrugged.

“Maybe.” He said and I smiled.

“At least you’re honest.” I said as he returned to work.

“That’s what you pay me for.” He said.

Over the next week, something changed.

It was small at first. Charlotte started talking to Mia about ordinary things.

+25 Points

She asked Aiden about his work. She brought coffee into the workshop one morning and left it on the bench for everyone without making a big deal about it.

She remembered Ben liked his coffee black. She remembered Mia preferred tea. She even

remembered which customers needed extra patience because their motorcycles were

sentimental.

Those details mattered.

Not because they proved she had changed completely, but because they showed she was paying attention to people instead of trying to manipulate them.

One afternoon, I found her sitting at the desk while she sorted old service records.

“You’re still here.” I said as she looked up.

“Mia asked me to finish these.” She said.

“You don’t have to stay late.” I said.

“I know.” She said and she glanced at the paperwork.

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“I wanted to finish.” She added as I leaned against the doorframe.

“Why are you trying so hard?” I asked and Charlotte’s hands stopped moving.

“Because I don’t know what else to do.” She said.

“That isn’t an answer.” I said as she looked at me.

“I spent a long time thinking I could fix everything by controlling people.” She said as I

remained silent.

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“I thought if I stayed close to Victor, I could protect myself.” She added as her voice lowered.

“I was wrong.” She said and I nodded.

“You hurt people.” I said.

“I know.” She said.

“You hurt me.” I said.

“I know.” She said as she looked down.

“I can’t change what I did, but I can change what I do now.” She added as I studied her.

“That sounds simple.” I said

“It isn’t.” She said.

“No. It isn’t.” I said.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then she returned to the paperwork and I walked away.

I still wasn’t ready to call her family. I wasn’t ready to trust her completely. But I was beginning to believe she meant what she said.

That evening, Ethan arrived carrying several folders and he placed them on the office desk.

“We found another connection.” Ethan said as Mia moved closer.

“To Ridgeway?” Mia asked.

“Yes.” Ethan said.

I stood beside them and Ethan opened a file.

“The company has been linked to several properties, and one of the names appears

repeatedly.” Ethan said as He pointed toward a document.

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“Charles Black.” He added and my stomach tightened.

The same man who had appeared in Uncle Will’s old photos. The same name that had

surfaced in connection with the network behind Victor.

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