Part 18

18

"Not yet, Aunt. I'm not sleepy yet; there's an assignment I wanted to ask Chelsea, but apparently, she doesn't understand the task. And, I apologize, but we can chat tomorrow."

Vano interrupted before Margareth could engage in small talk with her future stepson.

"Let Vano rest," Carlos intervened, stopping Margareth in her tracks.

Margareth turned and grumbled in frustration at Carlos's intervention, feeling somewhat sidelined in her own home, even though she had been the first to capture Carlos's heart.

"But, Carlos, I still want to ask Vano something," she said, grabbing his hand. "Wait, Van. What are you doing alone in Chelsea's room at this hour? Why are you coming out of that room so late?"

Vano shrugged and started to leave, not forgetting to take his father with him.

Margareth couldn't hold back any longer, so she entered Chelsea's room.

"What was Vano doing here?"

"Nothing, just discussing campus matters, and it got late, so he went back to his room."

"Only that?"

"Yes."

"Okay, let's discuss something else."

Chelsea put down the book in her hand and focused on her mother, who seemed eager to talk about many things.

"What happened this afternoon? Mother wants a direct confirmation from you about why you and Carlos were alone in a room. Even your attire wasn't appropriate."

"There's nothing special; I'm just getting used to having a father again. Daddy Carlos is a good person, so there's nothing wrong with me being welcoming. Isn't it also good for your relationship with Daddy if he sees I have a child as good and sweet as me?"

Margareth pursed her lips. "Yes, that's true, but you shouldn't dress like that in front of your father. Yes, he belongs to me."

"I know he's your boyfriend, and I know I'm much younger than him." Chelsea narrowed her eyes. "But everything I do is not for Daddy Carlos; it's for Vano. Mother wants to marry Daddy soon, so please don't try to control what I'm doing. I'm doing it all for you, not for myself, understand?" She emphasized each word she spoke.

Margareth clenched her mouth tightly. She couldn't argue because Chelsea's presence here was indeed meant to tempt Vano, and she only dressed like that at home. As for the incident when Carlos and Chelsea got out of the car earlier, her daughter had explained that she felt suffocated in the tight shirt. So, it was reasonable for her to unbutton her shirt when they were in the car.

"Alright, just handle it as you see fit, as long as we can get married soon. And remember, never deviate from the plan."

"Understood, boss." Chelsea saluted Margareth, secretly pleased that she had ignited Margareth's jealousy. This was something her father had felt when Margareth had a lover outside.

Just like the morning before, Chelsea had prepared breakfast. Everything was neatly arranged on the table, ready to be enjoyed by all the residents of the house. And as usual, Margareth was still sound asleep. Lazy or not, she seemed reluctant to wake up early, even just to prepare breakfast.

It certainly won Carlos's favor, much better than succumbing to the desire to sleep until noon.

"Good morning," Carlos greeted, folding the newspaper on the dining table. His appetite was wide awake because this morning, seafood fried rice was neatly arranged there. Chelsea had also prepared cucumber juice specifically for Carlos, as Vano had mentioned it was his favorite. Whether it was day or night.

The man didn't mind; cucumber juice was, in fact, his favorite drink.

"Good morning, Daddy," Chelsea greeted Carlos, planting a quick and unexpected kiss on his cheek, a move he couldn't evade.

"You, can't you wear slightly longer shorts? Vano doesn't like girls like this." Carlos pulled at Chelsea's hot pants.

"No, Daddy, I know who Celine is. She posted on her social media that she likes to dress like this, and I'm sure that's why Vano fell for her." Chelsea whispered directly into Carlos's ear, pretending not to notice that Margareth was standing at the dining room doorway.

"What are you two doing so early in the morning..." Margareth began.

"Margareth, that's enough. I explained everything last night, so don't misunderstand. I'm close to Chelsea because I consider her like my own daughter," Carlos interrupted Margareth.

Meanwhile, Chelsea took a seat beside Carlos, a position she wasn't going to relinquish to Margareth.

"What Daddy said is true. If Daddy is comfortable and close, it naturally means that I can trust that Chelsea is a good girl, caring and just like her mother." Vano chimed in from the dining room doorway, pushing Margareth further towards her own destruction.

She was already jealous that Chelsea had become close to Carlos. Now, Vano was supporting what her daughter was doing.

"Let's not argue again; it's still early. Please finish your breakfast, and then we can all go about our day," Carlos quickly ended the conversation before Margareth started another heated debate like yesterday afternoon. Besides, for some reason, he didn't feel like making an issue out of what Chelsea had done.

Even though it seemed a bit excessive, he pretended that nothing had happened between him and Chelsea, trying to save face in front of Vano.

After breakfast, Carlos returned to his room to prepare for work. Before Chelsea could leave, Vano grabbed her wrist.

"Remember, today you need to be braver than yesterday, but don't dress like that in public. I've prepared what you need in your room, so there's no need to ask about my intentions and goals."

"Yes, yes, thank you for your support and encouragement, Your Highness," Chelsea slightly bowed her body, bidding farewell to Vano as if he were a King.

Of course, Vano was slightly taken aback by Chelsea's behavior. Seeing their closeness, Margareth was thrilled because it meant her plan to marry Carlos was on the verge of success, and his wealth was getting closer within her reach. If only Margareth had overheard what Vano and Chelsea were talking about, she wouldn't dare to smile.

Chelsea shook her head as she saw the clothes Vano had left in her room. This time, it was long pants with a tank top and a blazer. She understood Vano's intention in leaving such clothing. Especially after Vano had told her earlier that she should only dress like that in front of Carlos.

"It looks like I might catch a cold again, just like last night," Chelsea complained, imagining herself wearing only a tank top in front of Carlos later.

However, not wanting to keep Carlos waiting too long, Chelsea hurried to get ready. She made sure to look neat and beautiful, adding a touch of bright red lipstick to her lips to enhance her mature look.

Before leaving, Chelsea made sure her appearance was perfect so that Carlos would be captivated by her beauty. As a result, when she went to say goodbye to Margareth in the living room, she noticed that Carlos couldn't blink at all.

Given that Vano's instructions had significantly changed Chelsea's appearance, Carlos was understandably stunned when she approached and stood right next to him.

"How do I look today, Mom? Am I beautiful?" Chelsea asked Margareth, seeming to seek validation from the woman who was now starting to feel threatened.

Especially since Chelsea was now working at Carlos's office for the duration of her leave. It wasn't too long, just a week, but it was enough for Chelsea to get closer to Carlos.

Margareth forced a smile, reluctantly raising her thumbs up to compliment Chelsea's appearance this morning. She admitted that her daughter was indeed beautiful and charming, so she had to pray a lot that Carlos wouldn't be captivated by her.

"Alright, we're heading out. You take care at home. I hope you won't get bored, and if you do, you can visit the mall or a salon. Just let me know how much you need for your entertainment later." Carlos pinched his nose.

Margareth rubbed her nose, smiling. "You always know how to make me smile, Carlos" Margareth replied bashfully. She did enjoy being treated like this, but with Chelsea around, Margareth felt a bit shy and awkward, especially since Carlos openly mentioned transferring money for her.

Margareth didn't want Chelsea to demand her share of the reward for her hard work over the past few days, capturing Vano's heart. They were working together, but honestly, Margareth intended to secure Carlos's wealth. She saw Chelsea as a rival, but she didn't mind exploiting her daughter if it meant obtaining a larger share of Carlos's inheritance. Margareth didn't consider Chelsea's presence significant unless it served her purpose. Right now, Margareth was determined to gain control of Carlos's wealth, even if it meant competing with her own daughter. She had no qualms about it. After all, she was determined to ensure that Chelsea didn't get a significant share of Carlos's wealth when she eventually married Vano.

Unlike the previous day, Chelsea asked Carlos to use a driver to go to the office so they could sit together in the back seat. And once they were in the car, Chelsea did the same thing as before, unbuttoning her blazer.

The blazer that appeared too tight around her slim body. "Why did you unbutton it again?" Carlos asked without looking at Chelsea.

"There's no Vano here, so why should I wear this tight outfit?"

"Yes, but you can wear something else. Why do you have to follow all of Celine's fashion trends? You can be yourself."

Chelsea raised one hand. "Enough, Dad! I know what I need to do to win Vano's heart. If I continue to be myself following your way, I'm not sure I can execute this plan properly. Vano has really begun to trust me and is shifting his attention to me."

"If it keeps going like this, he might soon forget about Celine, especially since I'm more accessible than that professor."

"Alright then, just do it your way because I can see that Vano has really changed since you came into the picture."

Chelsea pursed her lips. "Dad knows that, so just leave everything to me, okay, Dad? And I hope you won't mind what I do because it's all for Vano, not for you. So, don't overthink it."

"Sure, it's up to you as long as your task goes well," Carlos ruffled Chelsea's hair, seemingly ignoring the rounded object beneath the tank top she was wearing.

In Carlos's mind, everything would be fine once they got to the office. However, Chelsea still wore the tank top in her room.

"Dad, are there no clients or employees coming in here?" Chelsea asked.

Carlos shook his head. "No, To, everyone will knock on the door before entering."

"Alright then, if someone knocks, I'll put this blazer back on." She flashed her neatly white teeth at Carlos.

"In a moment, an office boy will bring coffee and snacks. You should eat something first."

"Okay, Dad." Chelsea raised her thumb. She quickly put on the blazer as Carlos requested, but only temporarily until the office boy arrived with Carlos's order.

While waiting, Chelsea tapped her fingers on the table, thinking about the bold plan she was going to execute while alone with Carlos. Then a dirty thought crossed her mind, recalling Carlos's earlier mention of coffee.

So when the office boy arrived with coffee, Chelsea quickly grabbed the glass and handed it to Carlos.

However, before Carlos could reach for it, Chelsea spilled the coffee on herself instead. It was very hot, but effective in staining her tank top and pants. Moreover, the color she was wearing was pink, so the coffee stain was clearly visible on her clothes.