CHARLOTTE“You look worried. What’s the problem?” I asked, closing the door behind me. She sighed, placed the phone on the bed, and gestured for me to sit. “You’re acting weird. Did anything happen while I was gone?”“Around here? Yeah, the elevator stopped working for a while, but I think it’s fixed now,” she replied absentmindedly.“Yes, I saw the light come back on, but you know that’s not what I’m referring to. Tell me what’s happening,” I insisted, and she smiled sadly.“I wasn’t going to bother you with it, especially now that you’re still recuperating and you have a lot to handle, but there’s no way I could leave without telling you why,” she began.“I know I said you couldn’t stay here for long, but if you left without telling me, that would be very…” I paused, trying to think of the perfect word. “Hurtful,” I added a few seconds later.“Yes, but you see, the problem at hand is going to make you worry, and you don’t need to get yourself involved with all of that right now,” sh
CHARLOTTEWe left the penthouse at dawn the next day. The night before, I had spoken with Sonia about Maria’s departure, and she immediately sprang into action when she heard we’d need the plane. I could tell she had questions, but held back. I knew what she wanted to ask, but I stayed silent until we exited the penthouse. As we got into the car, I noticed some guards entering the SUVs parked behind ours.“Do they really need to come with us? It’s just a trip to the airport,” I said as we settled in and Sonia gently closed the door. She opened the passenger door and got in beside the driver.“Well, using the plane came with a condition—security trailing behind us,” she replied, reaching for her seatbelt. Maria and I watched as she struggled with it for a moment before it clicked into place.“Wait, does...” I started to ask, but the sound of the driver’s door opening interrupted me. We all turned as he got in and started the ignition.A few seconds later, we were driving through the ga
Charlotte“Reginald & Berkley,” I muttered as the car pulled in front of the building, the firm’s name emblazoned on a large signpost. Sonia peered out of the window for a moment before turning to face me.“Are you sure you don’t want me to tag along? I don’t want...” she started, but I cut her off with a shake of my head.“I’ll be alright,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction.Sonia raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound convincing enough,” she noted, glancing again at the firm’s imposing façade.“I don’t think anything I say would convince you,” I replied with a slight smile, and she chuckled.“You’re right. After everything we’ve been through in the last few hours, there’s nothing you could say to make me take my eyes off you,” she responded, pouting slightly.“Well, I need some time alone with the lawyer. You can’t follow me into their office,” I insisted.“You’re right,” she conceded, reaching into her pocket for her phone. After a quick glance at the screen, she took note
CHARLOTTE“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice laced with confusion. He smiled, continuing to fiddle with the pen in his hand. His words had struck a nerve deep within me, leaving me uneasy.“First, you need to tell me why you’re here, Ms. Edwards. Then, I’ll see how I can help. My opinions can wait,” he said, maintaining eye contact as I recounted my experience at the house.“I want my house back,” I said firmly. He sighed. “It belongs to my family, and I can’t let anyone take it away.”He set the pen down and leaned forward to pick up a file. “This is all the information we have on the Narhzy family,” he began, handing the file to me.I opened it and couldn’t help but chuckle as I skimmed through the single sheet of paper inside. “This is it? There’s barely anything here,” I said, looking up at him.“Exactly. The Narhzy family has been holding the corporate world hostage in these parts for years. Their influence even crosses international borders. No one can dig up any dirt on them
CHARLOTTEI let out a relieved sigh as we passed through the gates. Once the car stopped in front of the door, I quickly got out and hurried towards the elevator. I didn’t want to wait for Sonia to finish debriefing the guards—I needed to call Maria back and sort through everything that had transpired at the firm before she had the chance to ask more questions.As the elevator doors closed and it began moving upward, I took out my phone and dialed Maria’s number. She answered on the first ring.“Hi Maria, I’m sorry I missed your calls. I was with the lawyer. How are you?” I said.“Hello, Signora. I’ve been worried since I arrived in Milan. Are you alright? How did the meeting go?” she replied, her tone filled with concern.“I’m alright, Maria—just a little shaken, but I’ll get over it. The meeting…” I paused for a moment, considering my next words. “...It showed me that I’m about to step into a world where people are ready to fight dirty.”“I’m guessing that means the lawyer is willin
CHARLOTTE“Hi, Ms. Edwards,” Mr. Berkley muttered, as I stepped out of the vehicle. He was dressed entirely in black, and I realized I hadn’t paid enough attention to notice his outfit when we met at the office. He was waiting in the parking lot, and he started to take off his coat when he noticed my sleeveless top.It was warm when we left, so I didn’t think about bringing a jacket. But now, the weather seemed to mirror the turbulence in my mind as the winds picked up. I rubbed my palms together and stood beside him, resisting the urge to turn around and look at the car. I could feel Sonia’s gaze burning a hole in my back through the passenger window, and I chuckled lightly.“I see you ditched the convoy,” he said, wrapping the coat around me.“Thank you,” I uttered, nodding. “Getting her to leave the other guards was easier than I expected, but she’s not thrilled about being here again,” I added as we started walking off the premises.“You don’t seem thrilled to be here either,” he
CHARLOTTE"Are you alright?" Sonia asked as soon as I stepped into the car. I closed the door and chuckled, running my hands through my hair."I don't know. I don't think I'll be alright for a long time. Everything keeps taking one drastic turn after another," I replied. She arched an eyebrow and turned to the driver."Drive," she said. He nodded slightly and started the ignition. "Still don't think there's anything I can do to help?""You're getting me away from here before it starts crawling with cops. That's the best thing you can do right now," I answered as the car sped through the streets. I glanced at the night sky and sighed. "I need a bottle of wine.""You mean a glass," Sonia corrected from her seat. She kept her eyes on the road, but I knew exactly what her reaction to my desire for alcohol would be. "Right?" she added, and I rolled my eyes."No, I meant what you heard. I'm going home to drink an entire bottle of wine. Will I wake up feeling terrible the next day? Probably.
CHARLOTTE“Ms. Edwards?” Sonia’s voice called, but it sounded so faint and distant that I thought I was imagining it. “Ms. Edwards,” she repeated, and I felt my body shake lightly. I opened my eyes and blinked in confusion as the room was filled with guards who looked ready to draw their weapons at the slightest inclination.My throat felt dry, and I tried to reach for the bottle of water on the bedside table, but one of the guards snatched it away, muttered something, and handed it to his companion. “What’s… What’s going on?” I stammered as Sonia sat on the bed with a relieved expression. “Sonia?” I continued, but she shook her head slowly.“I’ll explain everything in a moment, but we need to get you out of here first. You need a doctor, and I’m sorry I failed you again,” she answered.My expression morphed into a frown as I looked at her in confusion. I started to say something, but one of the guards stepped forward and whispered something into her ear. She nodded, and they all file
CHARLOTTEWhen I got home that evening, one of the guards was holding a box, which he handed to me with a cheesy smile. I took it, arching an eyebrow, but as I read the note stamped on the side, I understood why he was smiling that way.Thiago had picked the silliest yet cutest way to ask me out to dinner. I chuckled, thanked him, and walked into the apartment.I knew Thiago was just being performative with this gesture, and while I appreciated it, I wasn’t sure I liked the ideas it might put in the minds of others.Hopefully, they’d been around us long enough to know there was nothing between us - or so I hoped.When I opened the box and turned it on the bed, a dark blue dress fell out. It was short, with purple and silver frills, a bodice I feared would be too tight, and small sleeves that let my arms breathe. I picked it up, admired it, and reached for my phone to call him.“What’s the occasion?” I asked, as he picked up on the first ring.He chuckled, clearing his throat before re
CHARLOTTEWhen I was done, I slid the mug over to him, and he inhaled the aroma first."What’s this called?" he asked, and I shrugged again."That’s not an answer," he added."Actually, it is. It’s called anything your taste buds want it to be. I have my name for it, but I like it when customers give their own. So, what do you want it to be called?" I responded, shoving the pen and notepad back into my pocket.He lifted the mug, looked at me with uncertainty, then sipped from it and smacked his tongue as he set it down."Oh, it’s sweet and hot. I like it," he said and downed the contents of the mug in one gulp, stifling a belch. "That’s actually great. Where’d you learn to mix like that?""Well, it’s been a few years since I bartended, but the art isn’t lost on me," I replied, folding my arms. "So, what do you want to call it?""I’m not sure… I might need another round to be certain," he said with a knowing smile. I chuckled and got to work making another drink for him.***The next f
CHARLOTTEWorking at the club was going smoother than I thought, and despite Thiago’s disapproval, I kept working as a bartender on some nights. When I wasn’t in the office with my nose stuck in financial records that I could barely understand, I took a break from that part of the trade by standing behind the counter, taking orders, and mixing drinks.It gave me the chance to familiarize myself with the regulars, whom I introduced myself to as “Charlotte,” but they preferred to call me “Charlie,” establish customer relationships with new customers, become closer with the staff who seemed to appreciate the approach I had taken towards running the establishment, and brush up my bartending skills.It was fun, a little overwhelming when I first set out to do it and stressful given that I hadn’t done it in a while, but still fun, and I made sure I had the best time. As I progressed, I asked the guards to get me a talkie or one of the earphones they used for their operations, and I became t
Elena“Very well. Also, call me when you’ve decided. I’ll reach out later in the week about the wedding plans. Now that a date has been set, everything should proceed smoothly,” she responded, her tone brisk. She said something to someone in the background, then hung up.I lowered the phone and stared at the screen for a few seconds before shaking my head. I never knew what to expect with the Thuthais. As much as I hated to admit it, Maria was right. No matter how much I tried to stay ahead of the curve, something always came up to make me feel like I was twenty steps behind.I knew I had to talk to Rogerio now. There were no more excuses to reschedule outings or avoid meetings. This had to be done soon. But before that, I needed to talk to someone else: my father.He had been the mastermind behind my insistence on the estate that had been given to Charlotte. No matter how much I tried to explain that securing it was nearly impossible, he remained adamant about pushing for it.It didn
ElenaI lowered the windows and closed my eyes as the wind blew tiny ringlets of hair across my face. I couldn’t stop thinking about Thiago’s words in the warehouse, about Rogerio’s insistence on finding Charlotte. Now I had Maria’s words to add to the mix.I tried to force myself to sleep, hoping it would save me from dwelling on the connection between what they had said, but the sound of the bustling city humming in the distance grew louder and closer, pulling me back.The noise reminded me that something else was out there, something beyond my reach. As we inched closer, I focused on the peculiar thought that every single person walking in and out of stores, yelling on street corners, or laughing in restaurants and bars with their partners and friends had their own unique problems. One way or another, regardless of social standing, we all shared that common thread.“Problems,” I muttered to myself, chuckling softly. “We all have problems we’re dealing with.” I shook my head at the
ElenaThey looked extremely stressed about the idea of answering to Rogerio, and I understood it. The power and social currency of the Rogerio name wasn’t something anyone in their right mind would dare go against.I was fully prepared to wield it to its maximum potential until one of the men finally spoke up, saying the only thing they could do was call Maria to come to the gate. That was perfect, as speaking with her had been my main objective all along.I crossed my arms, maintaining my annoyed expression while waiting. Predictably, Maria took her sweet time, and just as I was about to return to the car to sit and wait, she arrived with an expression far sourer than I could have conjured up myself.“You’re not wanted here,” she said coldly as the guards silently retreated to their posts, pretending not to eavesdrop on the conversation.“You have no right to tell me that. You just work here. This house belongs to Rogerio, and—” I began, but she cut me off with a sharp chuckle and an
ELENAThe meeting with Thiago had shaken me to my core. I had put up a brave face during the conversation, concealing my feelings as best as I could, but deep down, I was terrified of what the possibility of Charlotte being pregnant meant for me. If she were found, it would upend the plans I had carefully set in motion to solidify my place as Rogerio’s bride.For days, I mulled over ways to stay ahead of Rogerio and eventually decided to visit the estate. It had been a while since I was last there, and I wanted to see if my presence would provoke Maria enough to reveal any information about Charlotte’s whereabouts.That morning, I rose early, called my assistant, and instructed her to inform Rogerio that our meeting for the evening had been rescheduled. My plan was to spend the morning at the estate and see Thiago before he left Milan.However, the latter didn’t go as planned - my assistant informed me he had already left the city an hour before. I tried to reassure myself that Thiago
ROGERIO The plan was to wait outside her apartment and watch from a vantage point to study her movements. I wasn't sure what I'd be able to decipher from whatever I saw, but I still needed to satisfy the curiosity lodged at the back of my mind, propelling me to act on impulse. I didn't know what to expect, but even if she didn’t leave the house all day, I’d still be able to see if anyone came to visit. Maybe I’d do a better job identifying what exactly was going on. Half an hour later, I had parked the car a few meters away from her apartment block and turned off the ignition. I watched quietly to see what would transpire, and in all fairness, I was ready to stay there all day if I had to. My phone rang. I reached into my pocket for it and glanced at the screen. It was a call from the office, and I knew who would be on the other end. "Hello, Signor, you…" my assistant began as soon as I hit the dial button. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth. "No meetings
ROGERIOI spent the next few days trying to weigh my options and decide the next step to take. "I have to watch her every move, but how?" I said to myself one morning as I prepared for work. Her assistant had called to reschedule the dinner we were supposed to have later that day, and instead of feeling relieved, my suspicion grew in leaps and bounds.I picked up my suitcase and stepped out of the apartment, deep in thought. She hadn't been here since the last time we spent time together. I was delighted to have my space all to myself the way I'd always wanted, but this new information stirred something in me, and I knew I would be restless until I found a way to sate it.I walked down the hallway, ignoring the guards that greeted me, and stepped into the elevator, trying to put the thought out of my mind and focus on the day ahead. But every step I took seemed to renew the desire to get to the bottom of this. As the elevator moved to the ground floor, I decided what I wanted to