Chapter 648

"Mother," Nathaniel cut Victoria off before she could continue. "Didn't Isabella inform you? Harrison is actually Jolin."

What?

Victoria's breath hitched.

Of course she'd heard of Jolin. In elite circles, that name carried weight—everyone knew the formidable woman behind it. Never had she imagined Harrison was that very person.

"Harrison wasn't here for me. She was invited to the Zenith Gala. Our meeting was pure coincidence. She's never been one to depend on a man. These past three years have only made her more formidable," Nathaniel explained, his voice steady.

Victoria didn't truly dislike Harrison. Over the years, whenever she recalled her, it was those piercing, intelligent eyes that came to mind. Now, discovering Harrison was the legendary Jolin? Unthinkable.

Yet there she was—radiant, poised, standing beside Nathaniel with effortless grace.

Victoria studied her son. As his mother, how could she not understand his turmoil? A woman like Harrison was irresistible to any man.

But Nathaniel could never have her.

"Nathaniel—"

"Mother, spare me the lecture," he interjected. "Harrison and I are impossible now. I met her daughter today."

Victoria stilled, her chest tightening.

Nathaniel offered a faint, bitter smile. "The child is exquisite—gentle, sweet, everything like her. She's Harrison and Oliver's daughter. They're a family now. I've lost my chance."

With that, he ascended the stairs, leaving Victoria rooted in the hallway, the weight of his words pressing down on her.

Nathaniel entered his room, leaving the lights off. Darkness swallowed the space whole. He moved to the floor-to-ceiling windows, his tall frame a silhouette against the city's glow. A cigarette found its way between his fingers. The lighter flicked open with a soft click, the flame illuminating his sharp features momentarily before he took a long drag, smoke curling around him like ghosts.

His mind replayed it—Harrison, Oliver, little Charlotte. A perfect portrait of happiness. Each mental image was a blade twisting deeper, an ache with no end.

That should have been his life.

His to cherish.

Yet he'd lost it.

Three years of searching, only to find her and realize it was a death sentence for his hopes.

A humorless smile tugged at his lips.

Meanwhile, at The Grand Celeste, Harrison was packing when her phone rang. Rosalind's excited voice spilled through the line. "You're in Metropolia? Perfect! So am I! We must meet—bring Charlotte! I've gifts for her!"

Rosalind, the cherished daughter of the Whitmore family, had returned to their ancestral home in Metropolia a year prior. Everett's younger sister, Lillian, had enrolled at Willowridge University.

In three years, Lillian had blossomed remarkably. By her sophomore year of high school, she'd claimed top honors in statewide mathematics, later dominating an international competition. She entered Willowridge that same year, a prodigy in her own right.

Rosalind had taken Lillian under her wing, treating her as kin. When Lillian moved to campus, Rosalind and her parents relocated to Metropolia to support her—though Lillian had since grown fiercely independent.

It had been too long since Harrison had seen an old friend. Warmth bloomed in her chest.

"Alright," she agreed, smiling. "Charlotte and I will leave shortly."