CHAPTER TWO

FIVE YEARS AGO

Mila's POV

For two weeks I laid on my bed, crying. I still found it difficult to believe where fate tossed me to. All this while, I had endured, complied with, and done all Claudia's biddings, just so I would be seen as good enough to inherit and oversee all of Dad's businesses and investments. But now, I wasn't even sure of anything.

I felt exhausted, weak and my eyes were so heavy from crying. Claudia my step mother came in earlier to let me know I was going to move in with Mr Carter today. This was crazy! She couldn't at the least wait for me to properly getting married to this man. She was in a hurry to get rid of me.

I sluggishly got of my bed and entered the bathroom to do my business. Looking at my face in the mirror, I saw a lost, hopeless and lonely girl. Swollen eyes, dull face and a several maps of dry tears on my cheek. I quickly brushed my teeth, had my bath and went ahead to arrange my bags.

I chose to see my plight in a different and positive light. Atleast going else was better than staying here with Claudia and my very ill father. I felt bad leaving him behind, but I really had no choice.

I put the last piece of my clothings into my bag and zipped up. I sat on my bed waiting for when I would be called down, but for the moment, I wanted to take in as much as I could of my room one last time, which seemed impossible because I kept thinking what kind of person Mr Carter was. He was definitely not a nice man, because a nice and decent man would respect the concept of marriage and not use it as a strategy for business.

But I'll be better off with him, than with Claudia. It was in moments as this that I missed my mom so much. If she were still alive, I would never have a reason to suffer or forced to do anything against my will. Mom's death was very slow and painful. She died of cancer, and what hurt the most was that it wasn't up to 3 months after my mom died, when Dad brought in Claudia as his new wife and my new mom.

I was just 12 as at that time, but I was smart too. Dad had been cheating on my mother with Claudia before she died. That was the reason it didn't take long before Claudia moved in after my mother's death.

I wasn't up to 15 minutes in my thoughts when the squeaky sound of my bedroom door drew my attention. I looked to see Claudia and a guy I've never seen before, come into my room. Was he the Carter?

"I see you've packed all your things, that good" She smiled so sweetly, that someone who didn't know her would think she was the nicest person on earth. She was clearly happy putting me out of her way.

"Alright then, do the needful" she said to the well built man who came in with her, as he quickly carried two of the boxes in each hand like they weighed nothing. 

One box was still left and I definitely knew better than to stand and look at it. I quickly picked it up and left the room with Claudia following behind. I went downstairs and entered the sitting room. I paused for a while and looked around the room.

"Yes my dear. Take your time and look everywhere, because this is definitely the last time you'd see it" Claudia said behind my ear. I was still looking around when I saw the enlarged family portrait taken when I was just a kid. I still couldn't understand how it was possible for that picture to have remained in the sitting room till now. Claudia had burnt all the pictures of my mum, including those my Mom and Dad had together.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes, but I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me cry, so I walked out of the house. Just in front was a black car with an open booth. I went and put in my box in the booth and the huge man from earlier on, which I later understood to be the chauffeur closed the booth and went ahead of me to open the door of the car for me to get in.

I got in and tried to be comfortable, but I wasn't. I kept wondering if my life was going to turn around for the better or for the worse......

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Carter's POV

I honestly had to come to terms with the fact that I was going to marry that Camilla girl, but not with her moving into my house before the wedding. What sort of an opportunist was that? This whole crazy marriage Idea wouldn't have come into this if she hadn't told her Father to make me marry her. 

Why was Dad wven bothered about this whole business deal? For Christ's sake, they were the ones to profit from this deal. Mr Edward's company was already failing, and we are even the ones who have offered to pay for all their business contracts for the next five years until the company becomes stable again.

All my father really cared about was just the shares. I was scared to my marrows when he had ordered my to go ahead with the marriage deal if that meant he was going to get 30 percent shares of the company. I was just a pawn in his game and sadly, he always had me by the balls.

It was already getting late and I had to go home. Manuel already put a call through to let me know that Camilla was already at my house.

I picked up the landline and put a call across to my P.A

"Amber, please come to my office now"

"Right away sir"

The door opened to reveal Amber. 

"I would be leaving now. Please go through the files on the table, and set aside the ones I've reviewed and signed. Then arrange the ones awaiting review on my desk, so I can continue from where I stopped tomorrow"

"Alright sir.... I'll get to it immediately"

"Good" I said as I picked up my briefcase and walked away. I was about opening the door when a thought struck me, and I remembered what I had in mind earlier on for Amber. So far, she had been a wonderful secretary.

"Amber"

"Sir?" She turned back to look at me.

"You've done well this past months, and for that reason you've been given a 40 percent salary increase"

"Oh my God! Thank you so much sir. You don't know what this means to me. It's a really big raise, thank you sir"

"It's okay. You know what to do, Keep up the good work. Goodnight" I said and walked out. 

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I was really tired and stressed and I thought that I was going to come home to more trouble, but on the contrary, everywhere was as quiet as if Camilla didn't move in today. I asked Manuel about her and he said the moment she came back, she asked to be shown her room, and since then, she hasn't come out.

As strange as it sounded, I decided to count day one as my lucky day. I went into my room, showered, and went to the kitchen. I took a plate of food and microwaved it. After eating up, I took the newspaper delivered for the day and glanced through. After a while of going through the papers, I thought of going to see my 'new housemate', but nahhh, I changed my mind. I didn't even want to become friends in the first place. 

So I just made my coffee, went into my study and got to work. 

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It had been a week and some days and I still haven't set my eyes on this Camilla girl. She sure was a spoilt little brat. Firstly, she put me in a position of getting married against my will. Secondly, she comes into my house and doesn't even have the courtesy of coming to acknowledge me. 

I kept asking Felicity about her daily activities in the house, because she was practically the only one who is around the house all day, so she has more chances knowing Camilla's movements.

Felicity's observations were somewhat strange. She said Camilla always looked dull and had a puffy eyes whenever she came out to eat. Eating was practically the only thing that brought her out of her room. I honestly felt disturbed, but I waved it aside.

It seemed as if she was depressed, but how was that even possible when Mrs Claudia told me how she was elated and kept pressurizing them to let her come to my place. I was still deep in thoughts when Amber disrupted my thoughts

"Sir, the Chinese Investors are here for the meeting"

"Am I supposed to have a meeting now?" I asked obliviously.

"Yes sir. I told you that you were scheduled for a meeting by 11am today"

"Oh wow!" Alright. Ermmm.... give me a few minutes to put some things together. I'll be behind you"

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MILA'S POV

It was really strange, It had been 12 days at Mr McCarter's place and he hadn't even bothered to come see the person whom he would supposedly marry. I felt very unimportant and unwanted, but at the same time, it was peaceful for me. In a very long while, peace was all I felt until my phone rang and I heard the news that shattered all the pieces of peace I had left inside me, as I crumbled to the ground and wailed. I Just Lost My Dad.