Shut Up and Surprise Me

21. Desolate

"I've warned you." Danielle glares at me. "If you screw me up, I'll screw you up."

I'm too baffled and lost to react to her anger. And since all cards are on the table now, her bark means nothing to me. "It wasn't even me who told Ashton in the first place, Dani. You're barking at the wrong tree." With shaky legs from the fight with Ashton, I flop down on the wooden chair behind me. "I told him about my involvement because the cat was already out of the bag."

"Huh? How did he find out about Fred, then?"

My mind jumps to the talk between Ashton and Dickson an hour ago. "Why would I tell you?"

She frowns, looking genuinely confused. "If the people I trust sold me out, I need to know, Charlotte."

I chuckle, but it sounds way too cynical than intended. "After fucking me over without even checking the facts, now you think I'd provide free information for you? Go get over yourself, Mrs. Knight."

She looks taken aback by my reply. "Very well," she says, adjusting her scarf before turning around. "I will find the person myself. But if you lied about this, I wouldn't be happy."

With one elbow on the table, I massage my temple because of the sudden heaviness in my head. "I'm not listening to your threat anymore, Dani. I shouldn't have listened to you or Frederick, to begin with. You twisted my intention to help, and now Ashton sees me as a traitor."

"I'll talk to Ashton if you tell me who told Ashton about Fred."

I look up at her, considering her offer, but then I shake my head. Never take a deal with the devil. "There's no point, anyway. Ashton is not letting go of his shares."

"He will."

I scoff. "Good luck with changing his mind."

"Likewise, good luck with convincing him to not leave you. It happened before with Diandra, how he turned cold to that girl just because of one mistake. Be prepared for it," she replies as she pushes the glass door. "And oh, Merry Christmas, Charlotte. I'm still expecting Chloe for tomorrow's dinner."

Leaning over with my elbows on my knees, I bury my face in my hands. Ashton's cruel words cut deep, but I'm too hurt to even cry over it. How did the conversation turn into a judging fest? They cornered me and didn't give me a chance to defend myself.

Danielle is being Danielle, and I have expected this somehow. What stings me the most is Ashton's blind accusation. I screwed up by bringing up Frederick's name and keeping it from him, but I was also too scared of his mother's threat. Why did I even listen to her in the first place? How did I become so stupid?

Maybe Ashton is right. Maybe I'm still the same person who never learned shit.

I smack myself inwardly from the negative thought. No time for self-pity right now or my body will turn into an ice statue since the temperature is dropping every second. I need to leave this place at once and figure out what I'll do next.

Even though finding a taxi on Christmas day is harder than finding the other pair of socks in a pile of laundry, I turn down Danielle's butler's offers to provide me with Danielle's driver to bring me back home. The hell I'm going to take help from Danielle. I'm just too pissed and disappointed at the moment.

After ten minutes without news from any taxi companies I called, and after my feet are nearly frozen, I sigh and walk out of the gazebo. Our house isn't that far, anyway. I can still walk to reach home if I must, and maybe it's a good idea to ease my jittery mind. I need to think while letting my emotional turbulence wear me off.

I stop short when Angus, the house butler, calls my name as he jogs in my direction, his long coat dancing in the air as he moves.

"Yes, Angus?" I ask.