Love's Change of Heart

The night breeze was especially chilly by the riverside that day, and the water flow in the river seemed to become more intense as time ticked by.

Joseph still had his grip on Charlotte as they stood by the port.

Charlotte's eyes were red and her voice was hoarse from all the crying.

"Uncle Joseph..."

"I won't hurt you, Charlotte.You'll be able to go home safely as long as they let me go,"

Joseph whispered in a hushed voice.She continued to sob as she spoke, "But...things weren't like this in the past...Why don't you come home? Grandpa Philip and Dad won't blame you for anything.You should snap out of this."

Joseph wasn't in his best state then, but the smile on his face was still gentle and soft.

"You're still young, Charlotte.Perhaps one day, when you grow up, you'll realize I never had a place in the Woodley Family.I'm sure there are times when even you resented me, right?" he asked.

"Well, that's because you made Zoe lose her child, and that was why I "

Exactly.What's done is done, and we can’t change the past.I know what I'm doing isn't exactly right, but the Woodleys are the ones who forced me to be where I am now.Of course, I’d prefer to lead a safe and simple life, but did anyone give me a chance to do that? Did that Grandpa Philip of yours give me that chance? Did your father give me that chance? And the woman you mentioned just now...Do you think she'd ever forgive me?" he asked.

Charlotte parted her lips to say something, but not a word came out in the end.

As the skies turned dark, lamps began to light up along the riverside, illuminating the pathway along the river.

Lachlan was standing a distance away from them.He had one hand stuck in his pocket, wearing a blank, emotionless look on his face.

"I don't have the time to hang around here.How long is the boat going to take?"

Joseph shouted to the other man.

"Two minutes," Lachlan replied after glancing at his watch.

"I can't believe you've joined forces with them.I'm honored,"

Joseph uttered with a mocking smile.

Lachlan gazed at Joseph with the same stoic look on his face.

"You shouldn't get too cocky just yet.Both you and I know who supported you in returning to Jamesdon to cause this entire scene."

"Yeah.So? Honestly speaking, I'm pretty curious.Putting Aidan aside, I'm surprised you managed to hold yourself back from doing anything to that person.Are you seriously trying to make up for Old Mr.Woodley's mistakes?" Joseph asked.

business." Joseph

them are still around, and it'd take you forever to get rid of every single one of them.You don't want to go too far with them because you're afraid they might work with people from Highside.If that happens, you will lose all control of the Woodley

Lachlan tugged his thin lips into

smile on Joseph's face fell as he seemed to realize

already expected those elders to

that he also realized

why it had been so easy for me to kill all

of all those people in just two days

Joseph had assumed that he could frame Lachlan

now seemed like Lachlan was the one who had been using him to kill others all

Joseph's boat arrived and was

the boat

her go," Lachlan ordered

before leaning closer to Charlotte

he pushed her away before hurrying off and leaping

stumbled a few steps forward before she felt someone holding onto

steady herself when she heard a loud pow coming froma distance

Charlotte was in shock and couldn't help but cling to Lachlan's shirt

against her back and

fixed on the fire that was spreading on the surface of the river, and his brows were knitted as he glanced into the

"Mr.Woodley, that was Jo—"

speak, but the man quickly clamped

after a long while.She looked dumbfounded as she

that...the boat that Uncle Joseph was

"Yes," Lachlan muttered flatly.

to look at him.Her teary eyes were

you kill him?" she asked in

so," Lachlan responded as he turned around and

that, but her vision turned blurry for a moment, and her body gave up on her just then.She collapsed and fell onto the ground,

Miss Woodley is

Lachlan's underling muttered.

get the boat from?"

port.I had made sure to check that there were no issues with the boat,"

stared at the river before he spread his lips into a

the area.I need to see the dead man's

the

and picked Charlotte up into

already done showering and was