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Married Before Midnight - Married Before Midnight by Sienna Quinn - Chapter 52
Author: Novels Audio
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Married Before Midnight
Chapter 52 – First Encounter
The auditorium of Maplewood University’s theater department buzzed with nervous energy as students milled about, clutching scripts and whispering to one another. Charlotte Carter leaned against the back wall, arms crossed, watching the chaos with mild amusement. She had only signed up for the audition on a whim—her acting professor had insisted she had "raw talent," whatever that meant. She wasn’t here to prove anything. She was here because she loved the thrill of performance, the way words could shape emotions, the way a single moment on stage could make an entire room hold its breath. And then he walked in. Jameson Blackwell—Jamie to his legion of admirers—strolled into the room like he owned it. Tall, unfairly handsome, with that infuriatingly perfect smirk that made girls sigh and professors roll their eyes. Charlotte had heard the rumors: rich, reckless, and allergic to commitment. The kind of guy who thought charm was a substitute for character.
She rolled her eyes and turned away, flipping through her script. "Alright, everyone!" Professor Langley clapped her hands. "We’re starting with cold reads for Romeo and Juliet. First up—Jameson Blackwell and Charlotte Carter." Charlotte’s head snapped up. "What?" Jamie, already sauntering toward the stage, shot her a lazy grin. "Guess we’re partners, sweetheart." She bristled. "Don’t call me sweetheart."
He chuckled, unfazed. "Feisty. I like it." Charlotte stomped up the steps, ignoring the whispers from the audience. She didn’t care about his reputation. She wasn’t here to play games. Professor Langley handed them the scene—the famous balcony exchange. Jamie cleared his throat, adopting a theatrically lovesick expression. "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Charlotte barely glanced at the script. She knew the lines. What she didn’t know was how to keep her temper in check when Jamie delivered the next line with a wink aimed directly at her. "O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?" She was supposed to sound lovesick.
Instead, she sounded pissed. Jamie smirked. "With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls, for stony limits cannot hold love out." Charlotte’s grip tightened on the script. "Oh, please. You wouldn’t know love if it hit you with a brick." The audience gasped. Jamie blinked, caught off guard. Charlotte wasn’t done. "You strut around like you’re God’s gift to women, but let me guess—you’ve never actually cared about any of them, have you?" Jamie’s smirk faltered. "Whoa, where’s this coming from?" "This isn’t acting for you, is it?" she snapped. "It’s just another performance.
Another conquest. Well, newsflash, Blackwell—Juliet wasn’t some trophy." Silence. Then— Professor Langley burst out laughing. "That was the most convincing Juliet I’ve ever seen." Charlotte froze. "Wait—what?" Jamie’s grin returned, slow and knowing. "Guess we’re playing lovers, sweetheart." She groaned.
- Rehearsals were a nightmare. Every time Jamie delivered a line, Charlotte countered with sarcasm. Every time he tried to charm her, she rolled her eyes. And yet— The chemistry was undeniable. Even Professor Langley noticed. "Whatever you two are doing," she said after one particularly heated exchange, "keep it up. That tension? That’s gold." Charlotte wanted to scream. Jamie, however, seemed to be enjoying himself far too much. "You know," he mused one afternoon as they ran lines, "most girls don’t insult me this much." "Most girls haven’t met you," she shot back. He laughed. "I like you, Carter." She scoffed. "You don’t even know me." "Then let me." His voice dropped, suddenly serious.
Charlotte hesitated. For the first time, there was no smirk, no arrogance—just something unsettlingly genuine in his gaze. She looked away. "This is just a play, Blackwell." His smile returned, but softer. "Sure it is."