Lynn's POV
My hands shake as I stare at Charles's message, my peaceful morning shattered in an instant. He's here. In Los Angeles. Wanting to see me.
For a moment, panic threatens to overwhelm me. But then logic reasserts itself, cold and calculating. If Charles is here, it's not out of love or concern—it's because he needs something. And if he doesn't marry me first, he can't inherit my money when I'm conveniently "accidentally" dead.
I take a deep breath and hit his number, forcing warmth into my voice when he answers.
"Charles! What a surprise. I thought you weren't coming until the wedding."
"I missed you too much to wait," he says, and the practiced sincerity in his voice makes my skin crawl. "Plus, I figured we could take care of some wedding shopping together. You know how much
