Seven Years a Shadow: The Stand-In's Escape novel Chapter 6

His eyes flicked to my suitcase.

His brow furrowed. 

"Charlotte, you're smart enough to know—without the Miller name, you're nothing." 

"I know you feel slighted, so I had some new jewelry sent over."

"And new clothes. Everything's already taken care of." 

"Noah said he was bored, so I called Anna over to keep him company."

"He likes her. With her around, you won't have to worry about him anymore." 

"Charlotte, don't push your luck." 

Lucas never wasted time on women. 

His assistants knew exactly how to handle them—when to send jewelry, when to send clothes, when to arrange dates.

It was all part of a system. 

I also knew—if a woman started asking for more, and Lucas wasn't tired of her just yet, his assistants would remind him to send gifts first. 

Noah suddenly appeared, tugging at Lucas's sleeve. 

"Dad, let her go. Anna is way better than her!" 

Holding onto Anna's hand with one of his own, he reached for Lucas with the other. 

"I like Anna. Dad, let Anna move in. Let her stay here forever." 

Anna's cheeks flushed as she leaned against Lucas, soft and delicate. 

"Lucas, Noah kept begging me to come over…" 

"I hope I'm not an eyesore to Mrs. Miller." 

Lucas glanced at me, then wrapped his arm around Anna's waist and kissed her deeply. 

"In this house, the most important thing is knowing when to fall in line." 

His eyes burned red as he grabbed a handful of marbles and threw them at me. 

"I hate you! I never want to see you again!" 

I closed my eyes as one struck my forehead, the pain sharp—but my heart felt nothing. 

"Fine. Have it your way." 

His mother had a weak heart.

When Noah was little, he was sickly too. 

I did everything I could to get him to be active—playing marbles, jumping rope. 

At night, he clung to my clothes, refusing to sleep unless I was there. 

For years, I barely had a moment to myself. 

Even the Miller family doctor warned me I was overworking myself, that I could collapse from exhaustion at any time.