Chapter 5

~Adam

Dylan entered with Eleanor, hand in hand. I observed them with frustration, but as the older brother, I suppressed my anger, maintaining my pride and ego.

"I'll be in my room," I informed Albert, wheeling away from the two betrayers by my side.

Dylan appeared shocked, mouth agape, while Eleanor struggled to conceal the shame of entangling herself with two brothers. I gave them a stern gaze as I prepared to leave.

My grandfather, Albert, called after me as I walked away. "Adam, wait. What's happening? Why are you marrying Charlotte and not Eleanor?" 

He turned to Dylan, "What's going on?" No response from Dylan. Albert halted me and inquired, "Why is Dylan holding hands with Eleanor in a disturbing manner? What's happening?"

I met his gaze and replied, "Dylan and Eleanor betrayed my trust. I believe Dylan is in a better position to answer your question ." I left without further explanation.

The next morning, thoughts of visiting Charlotte's mother filled my mind. I quickly dialed her number. "Hey," I greeted. 

"Good morning," Charlotte replied. 

"I'll be visiting your mom this morning. Should we meet at your place or a cafe?"

Charlotte suggested a cafe. 

"Great. Expect me in the next 30 minutes. I'll pick you up," I said before hanging up.

I picked up Charlotte and her mom, Mrs. Gilbert, from their house. We headed to a five star Cafe with the view of the Ocean. 

Upon entering, we attracted attention and whispers from onlookers. Suddenly, journalists approached, bombarding us with questions about my relationship with Charlotte. Another joined in, and before I knew it, we were surrounded. "Is it true you plan to marry your brother's ex-girlfriend? Please tell us your reasons."

Seeing Charlotte and her mother uncomfortable, I called my chauffeur, Arthur, to help usher the reporters away. In moments, the commotion subsided. Charlotte took a deep breath, and her mother, who seemed unwell, relaxed in her chair.

"I'm sorry for all that," I said with a warm smile, acknowledging the disruption.

I signaled a waiter and asked Charlotte what she'd like – she opted for coffee and a sandwich. Turning to Mrs. Gilbert, I inquired, "And for you, ma'am?" She replied with a warm smile, "I'll have the same."

After the waiter served us, we ate in silence. Charlotte's mom broke the quiet with a cough, then raised a question. "I hear you want to marry my daughter, Charlotte, in a contract marriage. Won't that cause issues between you and your brother, Dylan?"

I dropped the cutlery I was holding, picked up a handkerchief, and stared at Charlotte while I spoke. She appeared a little bit shy. "No, ma'am, Dylan and I have that resolved," I said. She tried to cut in, but I continued, "Charlotte and I will only be married for six months. Afterward, she has a lot to gain in return."

"Okay, that's fine," Mrs. Gilbert said.

My gaze shifted back to Charlotte, who was still eating. I inquired, "Charlotte, when do you plan to move into the mansion?"

She replied, "Oh, about that, I would prefer to do so after our wedding tomorrow. I believe that's the right thing to do."

"Okay," I replied. "If you're finished, we can drop off your mom at home and then go check out the rings. What do you say?"

"Sure, I'm done," Charlotte said, hastily finishing her sandwich. We all stood up and left the cafe.

After dropping off Charlotte's mother at home, we drove to the jewelry shop to check out the rings.

I selected a ring that caught my eye as suitable for Charlotte. "How about this one? Do you like it?" I asked. Charlotte tried it on but declined, opting for another with a diamond. "Let's go with this," she said. I looked into her eyes and smiled, saying, "Sure, whatever you want," which brought a smile to Charlotte's face.

"Let's head to the mansion; you need to meet with your designer for your dress and other things."

At the mansion, Charlotte and I entered. Dylan and Eleanor were in the garden, deeply engaged. As soon as Dylan noticed us, he approached us asking Charlotte, "Why have you chosen to marry my brother, Charlotte? What did he say to you? What did he offer you?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, gazing into her eyes. "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

Charlotte stood there, tears welling in her eyes. She tried to speak, but I gently took her hands. "Let's go inside; we have better things to focus on," I said, leading her indoors and ignoring Dylan and Eleanor.

"Yeah, right, that's all you two are good at—walking away from problems. You deserve each other, cowards!" Dylan cursed at us.

My anger surged; had it not been for my condition , Dylan wouldn't recognize his face after I'm finished with him.

I led Charlotte to a private dressing room, where a rack of beautiful wedding dresses awaited her. Charlotte's eyes lit up as she ran her fingers over the delicate fabrics. "These are all so beautiful," she said, her voice filled with wonder.

"I'm glad you like them," i said.

Charlotte began trying on the dresses, I offered my opinions. I was careful not to be too critical, not wanting to hurt her feelings more, as she already had a bad day.

I watched as Charlotte put on the next dress, and I was blown away by how stunning she looked. The fabric clung to her body in all the right places, and the intricate beading shimmered like diamonds. 

When she turned to face me, I could see the wonder in her eyes. 

After Charlotte made her choice about her wedding dress, I offered to take her home. 

Charlotte and I made our way to the car, and Arthur helped her into the passenger seat. Then, we pulled out of the parking lot, and suddenly, two black jeeps pulled up, blocking our path. 

I looked over at Charlotte, and she was trembling.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.