rlene stood up to clear

strange and awkwa

Jax carefully picked up a dis

oy. Thank you for helping a big

ttle. He turned his head sharply to the two fi

Jax to call her

ldn't be appropriate to call you bi

two dissatisfied gazes were directe

efore continuing, "Well, isn't it true? Older women are c

was digging his own grave

he just call her old? She snorted, then

test smile she could muster, "Jax, I

ly, as if to expr

idened at his s

pressed himself just as he had now. If it wasn't with someone close and famili

ed without hesitation

that could have easily been missed, but Robert had been watch

. Robert looked at Charlene. She was smiling down at Jax, oblivi

ed to look

s time to

and and grabbed the hem of Charlene's shirt tigh

hest was filled with conflicting emotions as

ng, but she understood

ul. We've already bothe

ursed his lips and opened his arms, embracing Charlene's

t tightened at

r. It was a vulnerability that would be seen within the bonds of family. At this

ld Jax's face gently, her eye

ay here comfortably. Go home with your dad today. You can come see me tom

her, as if weighing th

singly pinch

's a promise. Le

ed out her little finger and g

ead and looked a

swear was, because no one

inger, following her movement, but stopped there.

y. Charlene linked Jax's l

swear. I won

her, his eyes filled

smile she could muster and p

promise. So go home with your dad now, okay? You can't break your pro

etly for some more moments,

on her even when

, she was leaning down and gi

ed at Charlene. An adorable blus

lked to the eleva

in

vator arriving rang

and Robert raised his h

m Robert's hold and raced back to Charlene

tted down in

s wron

bright as he looked at her. The next momen

rushed back to

ze to Charlene's cheek. She was touching her cheek with a hand, her mouth

der finger and pressed the bu

sed. Her cheeks burned, the sensation of Jax's lips on her cheek an

favorites with good-looking people. He should not allo

arlene was vis

desperately looking for a way to escape, but al

e was walking towards her, through the haze of smoke. It was a man. She couldn't make out his face, but the comforting smell o

her half-consciousness, the air was sti

ho she had been thinking of,

. Her memory was hazy, but she remembered fragments— enough to piece tog

t of him the

rself under the groun

aydreaming self, Charlene go

". She had planned to go through the script last night, but

n usual in order to familiarize herself

sistant from the project team cam

you want to do some last touch-ups to you

t. Than

sistant politely and, t

e her a once-over and no

w. Get ready. Try to get it right

nk you for t

the stage. She was silently psy

ai

ed at Charlene's feet and

at the directo

re a pr

oot. The cameras may not capture your feet, but it would be best to have the preparations perfect just

eeky smile and stuck out her