Charlotte“Please, just hear me out for a moment," I said, holding up my hands in a calming gesture as I moved closer to the door. “I’m not playing games. This is important to me, more than you can imagine.”“No, you listen to me. This house has been empty for years after the Edwards died in that ghastly accident. Everyone loved them; we held a service for them here, in this house, trying to come to terms with the fact that we would never see them drive down the street again. Their daughter was taken to foster care, and a few months later, we heard she had died too. Suicide. That poor child was so traumatized by her parents’ accident she decided to take her own life, and you think you can disrespect them like that?!” she exclaimed, walking toward me with a menacing look.“Suicide? That’s incredulous; where did you hear that?” I asked, and she scowled at me. “I didn’t kill myself. Well, I wish I had, but I just ran away from my foster parents’ house over and over again because the cond
CHARLOTTEI heard the car in the distance and sighed in relief as it slowly came into view. Sonia slowed the car to a halt and got out at lightning speed. “Are you alright, Signora? What happened?” she asked, staring at me with concern.I chuckled and slowly rubbed my palms together. “I’m alright, just a little shaken. I’ve had quite the experience, and… I need to lie down,” I answered. I tried to stand up, but my legs started to tremble, and she reached out to help me.She held my hand and slowly led me to the car. I sat down, and she ensured my seatbelt was firmly across my shoulder before turning around to get into her seat. “You look like you escaped from a torture room. Where were you, and what happened?” she asked again. I rested my head against the window, staring blankly into space.“I almost got shot,” I said after a while. She started to say something, but I continued talking. “No, you’re not allowed to ask me where it happened. I’m not telling you; I’m still trying to make
CHARLOTTE“Hello, Signora,” a familiar voice said as the speaker opened the door and walked in. I let out a relieved sigh, then chuckled as Maria’s face and warm aura filled the room. My mouth fell open in shock, and I broke into confused laughter for a few seconds before rubbing my eyes to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.For a split second, I thought Sonia had reached out to Thiago about the situation, or, even worse, Rogerio. But seeing Maria filled me with renewed energy. She walked towards the bed with quick strides and enveloped me in a hug. “You should have called me,” she said, tightening her arms around me a little longer before pulling away.“You were so far away, I didn’t want to bother you with all this. I kept telling myself I’d call you soon, and I never got around to it. I’m sorry,” I replied, lowering my gaze.“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I’m here now, and I’m going to take care of you,” she said with a wide grin.I smiled sadly and shook my head.
CHARLOTTE“I find that hard to believe. She’s been watching over you like a hawk the entire time I’ve been here. The nurse or some other guard takes her place when she’s not here,” Maria replied, picking up the sheets. “Sounds like a bodyguard to me,” she added, glancing around the room to ensure nothing else was out of place.I moved towards the chair with slow, steady steps and sat down. I turned to the machine I had been hooked up to while unconscious and stared at it for a moment. The nurse had turned it off before leaving the room, and I was relieved to not have to hear the annoying beeping sound it had made earlier. “She’s just doing her job,” I said after a short silence.“She seems too enthusiastic about it,” Maria commented, gesturing to the sheets in her hands. “It’s great to know someone’s watching your back like that, but I still don’t trust it. Where do I keep these?”“There,” I said, pointing to the wardrobe. “There’s a laundry basket in there. The cleaning staff will pi
CHARLOTTEI spent the next few days recuperating under Maria's and Sonia’s watchful eyes. I tried to leave the house at some point; the grand idea was to take a stroll and enjoy the stillness of the night, but they wouldn’t hear of it. So, I started to detest being cooped up and tried to sneak out of the house when no one was paying enough attention. I had made it past Sonia and the guards stationed at the front door without any hassle until I got to the reception on the last floor and met Maria’s questioning glare.“I’d like to ask where you’re going, but I think we can agree that you’re not well-rested for any escapades,” she said, crossing her arms as I walked out of the elevator.“Maria,” I said and sighed with feigned annoyance. “This is not an escapade; I’m trying to breathe air somewhere that isn’t next to you or Sonia,” I added and walked past her.“Speaking of Captain Hawkeye,” she replied, and I stifled a chuckle. Then I turned around to look at her as I arched my eyebrow. “
CHARLOTTEWalking around the vicinity had proven more productive than I anticipated when I realized I had devised a plan. Sitting under a tree, watching the sunset, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. My first order of business was to start the process of suing the people who had taken over the property, and I knew I had to do some research about law firms in the city. Given the odds surrounding it, I needed to ensure I picked the most suitable one that would guarantee the case’s success.I stood up, wiped the bits of soil and grass that clung to my sweatpants, and started walking back to the penthouse. The distance seemed shorter than when I had stepped out, but I figured it was because of a spring in my step. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and things had taken a different turn. I wasn’t sure how to explain my feelings, but it felt nothing like the last few days. I had spent the last hour thinking about everything that had happened and coming to a definite co
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
CHARLOTTEThis wasn’t the time to cry. It was the time to find out why Thiago was linked to my parents’ death and why this information had never been made public.I kept reading and discovered that he had been a teenager when the accident occurred. While he had been willing to testify, his family had bought off the detective in charge of the case and silenced anyone who attempted to investigate further.I pressed my palm over my mouth to stifle a scream, glancing around the room in a panic. I couldn’t afford to draw attention to myself. My curiosity had led me to this place, and now it felt like I had stumbled into a torture chamber, each revelation cutting deeper than the last.I didn’t know how to process this avalanche of information, but I couldn’t stop now.This was just one folder. The rest of the files still lay scattered on the floor, and the shelves were lined with others. As I looked around, my stomach churned at the thought of what else I might uncover. Would I even be able
CHARLOTTE“What… How did this get here?” I muttered, picking up the picture and staring at it intently. My eyes scanned the room as waves of confusion and curiosity coursed through me.My thoughts were a jumbled mess. Where was I, and why was there a picture of my family in the company vault?One question after another sprang to mind, and as my gaze fell back onto the stack of folders scattered on the floor, I knew there was only one way to get answers.I had to go through the files in this room, every single one of them if that’s what it would take.Ignoring the dust, I sank to the floor and reached for the folder from which I assumed the picture had fallen. Its name tag bore only one word: Edwards. My family name. My voice barely above a whisper, I repeated, “Edwards,” and opened the folder.I tried to calm my nerves as I began reading, but with each sentence, my heart pounded faster. The first page contained details about my parents and their real professions, information similar t
CHARLOTTEThe next day started off well. I got out of bed early, took a bath, grabbed breakfast, and asked Sonia to book a reservation at a restaurant close to school where I would have lunch before attending the classes I had planned for the day.I intended to move around the different departments in the office, familiarize myself with the staff, their supervisors, and learn what each person contributed to the overall outcome of the company.Having a plan made me feel like I was on the right path. I moved around the apartment with a spring in my step and a sense of determination building in my heart as I prepared for the day ahead.I decided to focus on what I had in front of me and use it to my advantage rather than dwelling on what was going wrong. That seemed to be the best decision I had made in a while.I felt lighter, as though things were beginning to fall into place. When I arrived at the office, I asked for the files related to the company’s early days and the financial repo
Charlotte“Well… it might be because you’ve been with the club since its inception. You’re familiar with the system you created for it,” Sonia suggested, turning her gaze back to the road. “If you feel out of place at the firm, why not take some time to learn what makes the company tick?”I mulled over her suggestion for a moment, then chuckled lightly.“That’s a great idea, but I already have so much on my plate. I can’t imagine adding anything more to the pile…” My words trailed off as a spark of inspiration lit up in my mind.“What is it?” she asked, glancing at me briefly before refocusing on the road.I sighed, a small smile forming. “I think you’ve just given me a brilliant idea.”She looked over, her expression confused, before returning her attention forward. “I don’t know what you’re planning, but whatever it is, keep thinking about it. You already look better just talking about it,” she said with a chuckle as the car came to a smooth stop in front of the house.I reached for
CharlotteI took Thiago’s advice and decided to make the best of the situation. Surprisingly, things began to take a turn for the better.The meeting with the board exceeded my expectations; they understood the reasons behind the drop in sales and were eager to suggest solutions, even refining the ideas I’d presented.Their willingness to collaborate reignited a sense of purpose in me.After wrapping up at the firm, I headed to the university to pick up my schedule for the semester and familiarize myself with the campus.It felt strange to be surrounded by so many young people leading lives so different from mine. There was an energy here - a mix of excitement and uncertainty - but I decided to embrace it.I wasn’t ready to dive into any of the pre-formed cliques, nor was I eager to make friends right away. I resolved to take it slow and let things unfold naturally.The other classes I’d been taking to prepare myself for the semester were voluntary, but now it was time for the real de
CHARLOTTEIt had been a week since I started working at Thiago’s firm while also doubling as the manager at the club. Combining both activities had been nothing short of hectic.Every morning, I dropped by the office to review the previous day’s reports, stayed for an hour or two, and then rushed off to school for my classes, which had just begun.At night, I stopped by the club to supervise activities. I’d given up bartending for a while - it was clear that taking on that role too would be overextending myself.I also stopped spending the night at the club like I used to, knowing I needed at least a little sleep to function the next day.After a week of this chaotic schedule, I felt like I needed to drop something and focus on one thing. That morning at the office, I resolved to decide what worked best for me.Abandoning school was out of the question; I’d only just started, and giving up on something I so desperately wanted wasn’t an option.That left me choosing between the club an
ROGERIO“Elena, I assure you, I didn’t mean to hurt you or play any games. If I didn’t want to go through with the wedding, I would’ve let you know. I—”“You know, that’s what I thought for a moment,” she interrupted, pacing. “If you didn’t want to go through with it, all you had to do was call me. Did you even consider that, or was it fun for you to let me walk into the church and get embarrassed in front of everyone?”“Elena, let me explain… I wasn’t… I didn’t…” I stammered, but she stopped pacing and stepped toward me.“Since when do you stammer? Since when do you not know how to articulate yourself? Rogerio, you better say something that makes sense right now, or I swear to—” She stopped short as I raised my hands in defeat.“I was anxious!” I blurted out before I could think. I had been trying to come up with the perfect excuse, but nothing seemed adequate under the weight of her anger. The words tumbled out, unfiltered.“What?” she asked, her expression shifting to one of confus
ROGERIOI hadn’t planned to leave Elena at the altar until I received that message; in fact, I was resigned to my fate.As much as I hated how things had turned out, I convinced myself that I wasn’t going to track down Charlotte to confirm whatever suspicions I had.There was no use pining over a life filled with uncertainty or sulking over the road not taken - until I got that warning.The message warned me there would be a shootout at the wedding, and in all my years of being trailed by security personnel, I knew better than to treat such a message lightly.I discussed the issue with my head of security, instructing him not to inform the other guards or anyone else until we could trace the source of the message.Unfortunately, our efforts proved futile. The lead brought us to an empty, nearly dilapidated warehouse on the outskirts of Milan that was up for sale.When we inquired about the ownership under the guise of buying and renovating the property, we discovered the owners were d
ELENAAs she spoke, I zoned in and out, trying to think of how best to handle the situation my way. It seemed like she was trying harder to convince herself that what had happened was a mistake than to make me feel better.At least she stayed to console my family, unlike my own, whose reputation - now tarnished - was more important than the emotional torture their child was enduring.I inhaled deeply, closed my eyes, then exhaled slowly. When I opened them, I noticed Keisha had gotten up from her seated position and was moving toward me.It felt like she anticipated what I was about to do before the thought even took shape in my head. I stood up, bundled up my dress, and started running out of the church. She followed suit, trying to catch up with me.“Elena!” she yelled, trying to get me to stop or at least slow down. “Elena! Where are you going?”“To fix this,” I answered without looking back or slowing down. “To get to the bottom of this rubbish and fix it before it’s too late,” I