~ CharlesMy father’s words hit me like a sledgehammer, breaking through my reality. The finality in his tone left no room for negotiation. I clenched my jaws, suppressing my anger that shimmered beneath the surface.“What do you mean, Dad?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady, trying to hide my anger. “What does Megan’s return have to do with anything, especially my position and all I worked for?”My father leaned back in his chair, a smug expression on his tired face. “Your marriage to Megan was no coincidence. I wanted that union to stand. I did everything within my powers to ensure that both of you end up together, but your attitude and reckless lifestyle pushed her away. Now, you either find her or…”I scoffed. “Or what, Dad?” I was already tired of my father using the same card on me over and over again. “You are willing to jeopardize everything I worked for over a marriage of convenience?”He smirked, swirling the tea in his cup. “It is not just a marriage of convenience
~ MeganWe stood facing each other, words unspoken hung heavily in the air like toxic gas. I finally broke the silence, my voice filled with emotions. “What brings you here, Charles? Did your father threaten to take away your inheritance again? Are you here to fulfill his wishes by attempting to convince me to return to our fake marriage?”Charles sighed, realizing that settling this matter was not a walk in the park. My feelings were truly hurt, and it would take a lot of convincing to make me return.“Megan, I know I have messed up. I have hurt you over and over again. I am genuinely sorry, and I apologize for how I spoke to you the day you left. I didn’t mean to get you angrier than you already were. But right now, our situation goes beyond just us. My father has made it clear that everything I have worked for will be lost if you don’t come back,” Charles explained, his voice stressed.My eyes narrowed, and a defensive stance replaced the vulnerability I was feeling a while ago. “S
~ MeganMy eyes widened with concern as I heard the news about Charles’ mother. I could see the panic and worry in his eyes, even though he was trying to be strong.Without wasting a moment, he rushed to gather more information from the person on the other end of the line.“What happened?” He demanded, his voice urgent. “Is she okay? Where are they taking her?”The voice on the other end of the phone, which belonged to one of the company’s security operatives, quickly briefed Charles on the situation.His mother had collapsed suddenly in the lobby of the company building. The ambulance was on its way, and they were taking her to the nearest hospital. Unfortunately, some people took photos of her, meaning Bianca would be trending in the news very soon.Charles ended the call and turned to me. “I need to go to this hospital. My mother is in bad shape.”My former expression, skepticism, shifted to genuine concern. “Of course, Charles. Let me come with you.”Charles hesitated for obvious
~ MeganAs Charles made the offer to Bianca to stay with us, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of frustration and apprehension. Despite her illness, Bianca’s manipulative nature seemed to persist.I exchanged a subtle glance with Charles, but he didn’t seem to understand the meaning I was trying to convey to him. I was unsure of how to navigate this unexpected turn of events.Bianca, feigning gratitude, responded, “Thank you, Charles. I appreciate your kindness. I just want to be around family during this time.”Charles nodded, his concern for his mother evident. “Of course, Mom. Megan and I will make sure you are comfortable.”I bit my lips, holding back any objections. It was clear as day that Charles wanted to support his mother in any way he could, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Bianca’s motives were more complicated than I was assuming.In the following days, Bianca’s presence in our home became a reality. My father-in-law had no objections to Bianca staying with us, but he a
~ Charles“If that is the case, then I should take you back home, right?” I sighed, my brows furrowed. “Mom, I don’t know why you wanted to live with us, but if your plan was to cause a rift between Megan and me, I’d suggest you leave. I decided to play along with your charade even though I want nothing to do with you. Regardless of all the things you put me through, I still think that you are my mother.”“I don’t appreciate the unnecessary drama you are trying to cause in my relationship. If you can’t coexist with Megan, one of you must leave, and that person will be you,” I said with a tone of finality.My mother wiped away a fake tear, looking at me with pleading eyes. “I just want to be close to you, Charles. I don’t want her to drive a wedge between us.”“That is enough, Mom,” I yelled, my frustration evident. “There has been a wedge between us long before Megan came into the picture, so stop with all these pretenses already.”My mom, not getting the reaction she desired, changed
~ CharlesI tossed around in bed, finding the weight on me unbearable. It caused me to open my eyes and they instantly widened.“What the fuck?” I yelled, pushing off the nude woman from my body. “Who are you and what are you doing in my bed?”The woman still half-asleep and disoriented, blinked at me. “Huh? What is the matter, babe?”I felt a mix of shock and anger. “Babe? I don’t know you. How did you get into my room?”She sat up, pulling up the sheet to cover her nakedness. “Wait, don’t tell me you forgot?”My frustration grew. “Forgot what? Why are you here and who the hell are you?”The girl shook her head in disappointment. “You are as evil as they say, Charles McCall. How could you forget the night of passion we shared? You even asked me to be your lover.”“Liar,” I refused to accept something I had no memory of, but then I was hit by a sudden migraine probably caused by a hangover.Hangover… Could it be that this girl was saying the truth? I immediately looked around, and not
~ CharlesThe golf club seemed like the perfect place to clear my head, but for some reason, I couldn’t shake off the heavy feeling of guilt pressing down on my shoulders.To make matters worse, Megan was by my side; her presence was like a constant reminder of what I did that night.There was nothing to come clean about, but why was I feeling guilty? What I did with my life was nobody’s business.The game with the mayor's son was just a mere distraction that failed to divert me. Megan cheered from the side, and I tried to ignore her. She canceled her plans to go to the race track all of a sudden to follow me to the club. I was already getting annoyed by her presence, although I refrained from telling her.After the games, we sat at the clubhouse, the silence between us deafening.Megan’s narrowed, piercing gaze demanded an explanation, and I knew I couldn’t avoid the conversation any longer.“Charles, we need to talk,” Megan said, her eyes searching mine.I hesitated, a lump forming
~ Megan“Cousin?” Charles repeated, skeptical.“Mmhmm.” I nodded. “He was my childhood best friend and partner in crime before he traveled to Australia.”Charles looked genuinely confused. “He is from Australia?”“No, silly, he is American.” I chuckled. “Shocked? Well, it is normal; no one ever believes he lives in Australia because he hides his Ocker accent well.”“And Barcode is just his nickname,” I added. Then I turned to Barcode. “This is my husband, Charles McCall.”“Nice to meet you, mate,” Barcode offered his outstretched hand to Charles, using his Australian accent.Charles absentmindedly accepted the handshake, still looking at Barcode like some criminal.In all honesty, I asked Barcode to come to our house looking that way; sleeveless t-shirt, crazy ripped jeans, and a lot of fake tattoos on his hands.At first, Barcode refused to help me, but he eventually agreed after I told him the reason. I wanted Charles to come along because I wanted Charles to relax and finally talk
~ Charles“Megan,” I began, my voice quivering with the burdensome weight of what I needed to say. Her eyes turned to me, full of curiosity and concern, as I confessed the truth that had eaten away at my peace and sanity for years.Megan lost her mind for a moment, kicking, punching, and calling me names. She refused to believe that I was capable of such an evil act. She said she saw the silhouette of the hit-and-run driver, and it wasn't mine. She accused me of taking the fall for someone, and I tried to explain that I was not, but she wouldn't believe me.“Megan, it is the truth, and I can't keep running from it,” I said, my voice steadier with resolve. “I need to own up to what I’ve done.”Megan remained in denial, but I felt ecstatic, more than I have felt in years. It was ironic, huh? I was feeling relieved just knowing that I was going to pay for my crimes. Megan refused to follow me, so after I said my last goodbye to my son, I drove myself to the police station, knowing that
~ MeganI ran out of the office panting. When I saw my sister, I told her everything and I took the flash drive that had the video with me.My sister had a brilliant idea. She smirked as she spoke. “Tomorrow is Charles’ wedding with that snake. Why don't we crash the wedding and expose the truth?”My eyes lit up. “You are so bloody smart and wicked, Lena,” I smirked.With determination burning in our hearts, Celena and I hatched a plan to crash Charles’s wedding, and Lucian was ready to help us in any way possible. We would expose May tomorrow for her deceit. Armed with the evidence that still had its primary source alive, I knew it would be a piece of cake to expose May.The next day, we arrived at the venue of the wedding, our hearts pounding with anticipation and nerves. We were determined to make our move before it was too late.As we stealthily made our way inside, I felt like I was in one of those dramatic telenovelas, and I was the female lead ready to rain hell on the villains
~ MeganThat was the last conversation I had with Charles before our divorce was made public. Without giving an explanation to the public, he began his wedding preparations, forcing people to speculate about the reason for our separation. Unsurprisingly, there were people who guessed it right and immediately began to cyber-attack Charles and May.I avoided the media and crowded locations because I wasn't ready to face them yet.Every day felt like an endless battle as I tried to survive the storm of emotions that raged within me. The pain of my separation from Charles made me feel vulnerable and broken because neither of us wanted it. But then I knew I had to stay strong, for myself and for the life that lay ahead of me with Charles.As the days crawled by, I found solace in quiet moments, mostly spent alone, where I could reflect on the memories we had shared and the love that had once bound us together. But even in the midst of my grief, a flicker of hope remained, a tiny flame tha
~ Megan"But my father... he has always been too focused on the business, even when he is supposed to be retired. He is hell-bent on protecting the family name at all costs. He can't see past that, even if it means our happiness."Tears welled up in my eyes as I shook my head in disbelief. It was as if things were about to head south, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. "I can't believe he is doing this to me... I thought we had his support.""So did I," Charles admitted, feeling a lump form in my throat. "But it seems like... like he is willing to throw everything away for the sake of that company."I wrapped my arms around Charles, seeking solace in his embrace. “We’ll get through this, Charles. We always do, no matter how tough the going gets. As long as we have each other, we are going to be fine.”I knew that no matter the challenges that lie ahead, we would overcome them, as long as we had each other, we would be fine.“I love you, Megan,” Charles whispered, pressing a
~ CharlesIt was a big shock to meet Megan at my father’s house. I could only hide my surprise by pretending to be unsurprised to see her. As she stepped aside for us to chat, her presence seemed to fill the space, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of conflicting emotions.“Charles?” she narrowed her eyes. “You didn't tell me that you would be coming here,” her voice a mixture of apprehension and determination.“Honey!” I replied, mustering a smile despite the turmoil brewing within me. “Why are you here? I mean, you didn't tell me that you would be seeing Father today…”She hesitated for a moment before speaking, her gaze steady. “I needed to talk to your father, Charles. It's about May and her crazy claims.”My heart sank at the mention of May’s name. The mere thought of her sent heavy waves of frustration through me. But I pushed aside the emotions, focusing on Megan, or better still, trying not to break character so she wouldn't know I came here for a reason.I laughed awkwardly
~ MeganI spoke earnestly, my voice tinged with frustration and desperation, hoping to convey my innocence to my father-in-law amidst the gravity of the situation."She deliberately manipulated the situation to make it appear as though I pushed her down the stairs. But I swear, Father, I would never do such a sinister thing, no matter how upset I may be. You know me, you know that I love Charles a lot and care about this family. I couldn't harm anyone, let alone a pregnant woman for that matter."My father-in-law regarded me with a mixture of concern and contemplation, absorbing my words carefully. "Megan, I've known you for years. I know the kind of person you are, and I find it hard to believe that you would intentionally harm anyone, let alone May."I felt a wave of relief wash over me at his words. Perhaps he was beginning to see through May's deceitful facade."But," he continued, his expression serious, "we can't ignore the evidence before us. May's injuries, her condition... Th
~ MeganHearing that May tried to seduce Charles infuriated me, and I couldn't help but confront the insolent girl. I had been excusing her attitude all this time because I could understand that she was going through depression, but trying to seduce Charles was going too far.I found May sitting in the living room, flipping through a magazine as if nothing had happened. My anger reached boiling point as I approached her.“What the hell do you think you were doing last night?” I snapped, unable to contain my frustration.May looked up, her expression shifting from indifference to mild surprise. “Oh Megan, what a surprise. Did you come to keep me company? Don't bother, I am fine all by myself.”I scoffed at her stupid attempt at feigning ignorance. “Cut the crap, May. I know what you tried to do to Charles yesterday. Seducing him? Seriously? Are you that dumb?”May's facade faltered, and a flicker of guilt flashed across her face before it was replaced by defiance. "What are you talking
~ CharlesI don't know if it would be wrong to say I hate the mother of my unborn child, but I really do. She is a literal pain in the ass who cares little about how her actions affect others. I glanced at Megan, who came along with me to the hospital. She was oddly quiet, but I could see genuine concern etched in her brows for a woman who attempted to ruin her marital life.I don't believe people like Megan should exist in this flawed world with people like May and me; she was literally a saint amidst wolves. She didn't even get upset that our day was ruined by the news; she was rather scared that something might have happened to May.The doctor came out shortly after and spoke to us, telling us the situation of that crazy lady. “She is battling with severe depression; she can't be left alone, otherwise, it might not end well next time,” the doctor said.I immediately flared up. “So we have to hire a caregiver for her now? We might as well just put her in an asylum.”Megan shot up to
~ Charles"Please, I need to talk to Megan urgently," I pleaded with Celene, but she wasn't ready to listen."Leave, Charles. I don't want to call the cops on you," she threatened, arms crossed.I had been coming over all week long with the hopes of seeing Megan, but her family was uncooperative. At first, I thought she wasn't home, but after checking all her usual locations, I could only debunk that she was home.I knew she didn't want to see me, but I didn't want to give up just yet. I needed her to know that I was sorry for all the hurt my past actions were causing her.Today, like the previous days before it, I came to plead with her family members to allow me to visit her, but I froze when she opened the door."Megan…" I tried to grab her, but she turned on her heels inside the house. Without a second thought, I followed her. "Megan, please wait.""Leave me alone," she cried, running up the stairs."Mr. McCall, you should leave. My daughter doesn't want to speak with you," Mr. Co