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Married Before Midnight - Married Before Midnight by Sienna Quinn - Chapter 60
Author: Novels Audio
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Married Before Midnight
Chapter 60: Something Shifts
Charlotte woke with a start, her sheets tangled around her legs, the echo of Jamie’s voice still ringing in her ears. "Don’t use the past as an excuse for not daring to start over." The line had burrowed under her skin, refusing to let her sleep. She groaned, pressing her palms against her eyes. Why did it have to be him who could unravel her so effortlessly? She dragged herself out of bed, the morning light filtering through her curtains in soft streaks. The theater called for another rehearsal today, and though she’d spent half the night convincing herself she was fine—just fine—her pulse betrayed her the moment she stepped into the quiet apartment kitchen. Hannah was already there, sipping coffee with the precision of someone who had a spreadsheet for every minute of her day.
She arched a brow at Charlotte’s disheveled state. “Rough night?” Charlotte grabbed a mug, avoiding her sister’s gaze. “Just rehearsals.” “Uh-huh.” Hannah’s smirk was infuriating. “You know, for someone who claims she’s over him, you’ve been awfully preoccupied with Jamie lately.” Charlotte’s grip tightened on the mug. “I’m not preoccupied. We’re scene partners. That’s it.” Hannah hummed, unconvinced. “Right. Well, whatever helps you sleep at night.” Charlotte scowled and downed her coffee too fast, the burn barely registering. --- The rehearsal space was quiet when she arrived, the air thick with the scent of polished wood and old scripts. Jamie wasn’t there yet, and the absence unsettled her more than she wanted to admit. Margot, their director, clapped her hands together, her sharp eyes scanning the room. “Change of plans today. We’re doing an improv exercise—silent scene. Two characters reunite after years apart. No dialogue. Just movement, expression.” She glanced between Charlotte and Jamie, who had slipped in silently. “You two. Center stage.” Charlotte’s stomach twisted. Silent improv meant no hiding behind words.
No deflection. Just raw, unfiltered emotion. She squared her shoulders and stepped forward, determined to keep this clinical. Distant. If she played it cold, Jamie would have no choice but to match her energy. The moment the scene began, she turned away, her back to him, arms crossed. A clear message: This is where we stand. Don’t come closer. But Jamie didn’t follow her lead. Instead, he stood still, his gaze heavy on her. She could feel it—the weight of his attention, the quiet intensity that had always undone her.
When she finally risked a glance over her shoulder, his eyes locked onto hers, dark and unreadable. And then— A step forward. Deliberate. Slow. Her breath hitched. He didn’t touch her. Didn’t speak. But the way he looked at her—like she was the only thing in the room, like every second apart had been a wound—it was unbearable. Charlotte’s carefully constructed walls trembled. She turned fully, her chest tight, her pulse a wild thing in her throat. She wanted to look away, to break the spell, but she couldn’t. His eyes held hers, speaking volumes in the silence. I’m still here. I never left. Her fingers twitched at her sides, the urge to reach out sudden and overwhelming. Margot’s voice cut through the moment. “Good. That’s enough.” Charlotte blinked, the spell broken.
She took a sharp step back, her face burning. Jamie’s expression shuttered, his mask slipping back into place as he turned away. The rest of rehearsal passed in a blur. Lines were delivered, blocking was adjusted, but Charlotte’s mind was elsewhere—trapped in that silent exchange, in the way Jamie had looked at her like she was something precious. And then, without a word, he was gone.
The emptiness of the rehearsal room pressed in on her. The others had left, the space now hollow save for the faint hum of distant music. Charlotte stood in the center of the stage, her arms wrapped around herself. Why did his absence feel like a loss? She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly. In the darkness behind her lids, Jamie’s face appeared—not Liam’s, not anyone else’s. Just his. The way he’d watched her today, like he could see straight through her. Her chest ached. "Don’t think anything of it," she whispered to the empty room. "Just a good scene partner. That’s all." But her heart, traitorous and loud, refused to agree