The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 916

Charlotte scrunched up her face, looking completely lost.

Anthony had tried to be gentle, taking things slow, but this was not how he pictured the night going.

Barely five minutes had passed before Charlotte went quiet in his arms.

He pushed himself up a bit, gaze dropping to her face.

She was out cold, sleeping so soundly, eyes shut and lips parted in the softest way. For a second, Anthony’s mind just blanked out.

Then he let out a sigh, helpless but somehow still smiling.

His smile looked a little sad in the warm, dim light. If this kept happening, he was pretty sure he was going to lose his mind.

He watched her sleep for a few more seconds, then finally gave in. He stood up, carefully pulled the blanket over her, and tied his robe before heading to the bathroom.

A cold shower later, he climbed back into bed.

He’d barely settled in when Charlotte, blissfully unaware, rolled right into his arms. The second she touched him and felt how cold he was, she frowned and grumbled, “You’re freezing.”

She shoved him away, turned over, and curled up at the far edge of the bed.

Anthony pressed his fingers to his forehead, letting out a low laugh. Over and over, he told himself, Don’t get mad. Just don’t get mad.

***

Morning came.

On the way to the research institute, Charlotte called Glenn herself to ask for a day off.

The second the call connected, Glenn’s angry voice came through, not giving her a chance to speak. “No days off. You have to be back at the university this afternoon.”

As if Charlotte wasn’t already pushing her luck. Did she forget she was still a student at Kingswood?

“What if I…” Charlotte hesitated, trying to bargain.

“No what ifs,” Glenn shot back.

“I mean, if I finish a research project by tomorrow, could I have the day?”

Glenn went silent for a moment, which was almost a win in itself.

“Just asking. If not, that’s fine…”

“I’m not going to keep secrets from you,” Charlotte squeezed his hand, a crooked smile on her lips. “Not like I could, anyway.”

“Okay.”

He stayed put, watching her disappear into the lab, his eyes growing darker.

She really couldn’t hide anything from him.

Inside, Dr. David led Charlotte to a sofa.

“The results for those two hair samples you brought last night are ready. We compared them with your mother’s genetic data, too.”

Charlotte took the file from him and flipped through a few pages without much care.

Her pretty face tightened.

Just as she thought. Her grandpa and Kevin’s genes were completely normal, no mutations. Her mother’s genes were off, and she’d inherited it too.

“Nine, we can’t say for sure if this genetic anomaly is the cause of your mother’s illness…” Dr. David’s face was serious, his voice gentle. “But your genes are abnormal, too. I really think you should—”

“What?” Charlotte tossed the file on the table, grabbed a milk carton, and took a long drink, her smile easy and teasing. “Worried I’m going to drop dead?”