“What in God's name is this?” Charlotte's face was squeezed deeply and in a disgusted frown as she gazed at the picture on her phone. Bethany's username was not hard to find because she was using her real name, and she was also on the top search as she was big on Instagram. And finding the picture was not hard as it was a pinned post. “What's the problem?” Emily shuffled closer to Charlotte to look at her phone. A frown also appeared on her face when she saw the picture.“I know that Bethany and I have some resemblance, and someone who's not close to us would mistake us for each other if we are seen separately. But, if we are standing together, that would be a different case, mom. She looks so much like me here,” Charlotte spat out the words in disgust. She could feel her stomach churning and felt like throwing up.Emily grabbed the phone from her daughter's hand and zoomed the picture, "Bethany and her mother are sickos. Amarie dressed her to look like you. As I thought, your father
“You better be. Prevention is better than cure.”***“So I went to see my mom today,” Charlotte finally decided to break the silence that has been dominating the dining room since she and Dalton began to eat. He was waiting for her when she got back. According to him, he didn't want to eat without her, as he had gotten used to the both of them eating together.After her words, she saw his hand that was holding his spoon and taking food to her mouth tremble before becoming firm.Dalton said nothing. He chewed and swallowed his food first before asking, not even looking at her, “What did she say?”Seems like he was not in the mood to beat around the bush today, since he went straight to the point, not pretending like he had no Idea of what she was talking about.Charlotte dropped her spoon and clasped her hands in her lap, “She told me everything,” His eyes darted to her when he heard the sound of her spoon hitting the plate as she dropped it. He frowned, “Continue eating while you tal
Charlotte's face turned red with embarrassment as she recognized the reason he was smirking at her. He had distracted her from teasing him with a hard kiss. Now, she has lost focus and could not remember what she was saying before the kiss. It was his turn to tease her, but thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he reminded her about what it was she was saying before the kiss. “Let me remind you about what you were saying before the kiss. You were asking if I knelt down to beg your grandfather to allow me to marry you when I get back after I'm done with my studies,”Charlotte cleared her throat and sat straight up, “Yes, I was asking you that, so did you do it?”“I didn't. I had other ways to bend a hard-headed man like your grandfather to my will,”“Hmm,” Charlotte was doubtful but intrigued. Her mother had said she was very close to her grandfather, and he gave his life for her. Such a man wouldn't have signed a contract for her to get married to a boy if the boy did not have to do someth
Tears were still in her eyes as she dropped her hand down from her forehead, “The reason why I got married to you was because my father promised to pay my mother's medical bills,” He didn't look surprised, "I know that already,"Charlotte shook her head, “No, you don't understand. I would have gotten married to just anyone he wanted me to marry at that time because my mother was dying. What if I had gotten married to someone else that was not you? So he wouldn't have paid my mother's hospital bill?” From just thinking about it alone, Charlotte felt like she would go crazy. Her chest was heavy with pain. Her father could do just anything for Bethany and her mother, but not for her? For the life of her, she honestly can't remember why her father hated her so much even to this extent. “It doesn't matter anymore, wife. You ended up with me, so let's not dwell on the past,” Charlotte swallowed thickly before nodding, “You are right, there is no need to think of the past,” she said it s
“Charlotte, why are you here again? Shouldn't you be home spending time with your husband?” Emily said once she threw open her door and saw Charlotte standing out with her hands raised in the air to knock again.If Charlotte did not know any better; that her mother wanted her and Dalton's relationship to become stronger than it already was, she would have said her mother did not want to see her.Before she would respond, Dalton, whom her mother was yet to notice, spoke for her.“Her husband is here aunty Emmy, we wanted to visit you today,”Emily's eyes widened, and she gasped in shock as she looked behind Charlotte to see Dalton in his wheelchair. He was smiling sweetly at her with his whole teeth out. It was exactly like he always did when he was younger, when he wanted her to allow him to see Charlotte.Emily shoved Charlotte aside and rushed to him, “Ah, little handsome Dally, how have you been?”Dalton squeezed his face at the nickname, but he said nothing, knowing she would stil
Charlotte gasped at the same time her mother and even Dalton did. Dalton had directed the question at her in the heat of the moment. He did not even expect that she would give a positive response. “What did you just say, Charlotte? You are in love with this man right here?” Emily asked wide-eyed in shock, but there was happiness beneath dancing in her eyes. Charlotte looked away from both Emily and Dalton's eyes as an awkward silence settled over them. What was she supposed to say in response? That She only said it because they were having a little moment, and she felt like reassuring him?That would be stupid, and she might even end up hurting Dalton, whom she was sure was in love with her. Damn, why did she slip and ruin a beautiful moment like this? She was such a stupid person.Emily cleared her throat before breaking the silence when Charlotte refused to utter a word, “What do you like to drink? Nobody informed me that I would be having visitors, especially pests who are after
“What do you think?” Charlotte nervously wiggled her hands together as she stood before Dalton. She had just changed into the bright red gown he bought for her. She would be attending a gathering with him. This would be their first time outside together as husband and wife. She wanted to look her best and she loved the gown Dalton got for her. She had thought it looked good on her, but after seeing Dalton's blank stress since she stepped out of the room, she wasn't so sure anymore.Dalton snapped out of his thoughts, and cleared his throat. His cheeks colored pink as he realized that he had been lost staring at her beautiful face and figure. He said, “You look beautiful, wife,”Charlotte bit her lips to hold back the smile that threatened to blossom on her face. If she hadn't seen the way he blushed, she wouldn't have realized that he didn't say anything when he first came in because he immediately got lost staring at her.“Thank you, and you also look handsome.” For some reason, she
Walker was at the party, and it was really funny that he brought Evelyn with him. She was supposed to be the one hiding from him, but he was the one doing it. He must be ashamed to be caught here with Evelyn.She had been very uncomfortable throughout. From the time they got down from the car until when they got inside the party venue. Before the reporters could have the opportunity of shoving their microphones in hers and Dalton's faces, Dalton's bodyguards had appeared out of nowhere to shove them away and lead them safely to the door.Like Charlotte had thought, all attention was on them. She was grateful that his mother and father were in attendance. She sat with them and Dalton. She was grateful for Sarah's company because while the men spoke to their business partners, Sarah was there to keep her company. She would have died of boredom otherwise. She did not know many people there, but they knew her and most of the women threw her contemptuous glance even as they tried to speak
“Does your mother know about this? Has she seen you?” Charlotte raised her head from his chest to ask.Dalton nodded as he stared down at her while slowly stroking her hair, “Yes, she has seen me?”“Eh? But how?” Charlotte asked with a frown. Did he not just return back or did he…?“I went to see her, my father and your mother before I came here.” Dalton answered.“Oh?” Her mouth formed the sound, “They must have also been surprised right?” “They surely were, my mother cried too.”Charlotte's lips lifted in a small smile, “I'm glad that she is happy.”Like her, Sarah has been worried sick about Dalton throughout the time he was receiving treatment. She hasn't only been worried about the pain he must be feeling but about the fact that it might be too late, he wouldn't be able to walk ever and all the pain would be for nothing. Of course, it didn't come as a surprise to hear that Sarah cried after seeing Dalton. Any normal mother would.“It's also a good thing you went to see her feist
Charlotte could not stop the little moan of pleasure that escaped from her throat when Dalton's hand came up and his thumb grazed her nipple, which immediately hardened. She thought his hand would stay on her breast, but it moved to grab her neck softly as her lips continued to move over hers. Dalton slowly pushed her back until her back was on the bed, and he was laying over her, their lips still locked in a passionate and drugging kiss that made Charlotte's toes curl. The kiss ended as abruptly as it began. Charlotte moaned in loss when Dalton slowly withdrew from her. She gazed up at him with watery eyes.“You want more?” Dalton asked her with a sly smile. His hand was still on her neck, and he flexed his fingers before he moved it to press on the pulse in her neck. “Huh” Charlotte nodded with a soft hum before she could stop herself and Dalton was on her once again, kissing her with reckless abandon until they were both breathless and aching for more. Until the hard length of h
She finally got to see Dalton's face after seven months of them being apart and of her reminding herself of what her husband looked like by always staring at his picture frame before going to bed and every morning when she woke up. Charlotte had now fully blended in with the other workers at the office and she was no longer treated differently. Everything was well now and it was just remaining for Dalton to come back home and everything would be perfect. She went to bed early that night because she had important things to do at the office. She didn't know that waking up early would mean waking up to her husband lying beside her on the bed. Why didn't anyone tell her that he was done with his treatment and was going to be returning back soonest? Imagine Charlotte's shock when she woke up with someone in bed with her. She screamed as she jumped into a sitting position, thrashing around as she attacked the person. How did he get to her room and then to her bed when there were guards
For three good days, her father stayed in front of Dalton's gate with the reporters, waiting for her to open the gate for him. At one point, Charlotte thought that her mother would break and go out to speak with him but her mother was too busy trying to beat Mrs Brittany in the game of cheers. Her father fainted. She sat there, clutching Dalton's pillow, and watching, together with the millions of people who were following the news as her father's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground. He had been standing there, refusing to eat or drink or even sit down.. maybe he hoped that if she and her mother watched him punishing himself, they would take pity on him and come out but he was wrong. Four years ago, it would have worked but not now. Not after everything he has done, not after sending her and her mother away. It was funny how the human mind worked. He left them but now that he found out that he had been living with a fraud, he remembered her and her
Charlotte and her mother remained indoors for the next few days with their eyes glued to their television screen. They'd seen the DNA results that the nurse from the hospital where the DNA test was taken uploaded online. They also watched as Hughes had Amarie thrown out of the house without a penny, and also how Amarie went to Charles's house in search of Bethany who refused to step out to speak with her. Reporters kept following them like flies following corpses to the grave and aring everything.Soon, Hughes called the cops on Amarie and they went to bundle her away from Charles's porch where she was camping. Charlotte couldn't help but give a small laugh as she watched her Amarie struggling to be free from the cops to run away but it was already too late for her. Only Hughes knew why he did not have Bethany arrested along with her Amarie but Charlotte did not care. She knew that her father wanted Amarie to think she could deceive him and go scot-free. He gave her hope then dashed
"Ahhh" Bethany yelled in pain as something heavy hit her on the head and she felt her skin burst open and something hot and wet trickled down. She did not need anyone to tell her that it was her blood, she was bleeding. Her head had burst open. She burst into tears as she curled up on the floor. She knew that she was going to die today and if she survived it, she would surely die of humiliation later. She couldn't seem to feel the bag she brought from the bag that contained the little bit of cash she wanted to use to escape anymore. That man must have succeeded in taking it away from her. "Leave the way""Get out of the way" There were screams of pain and panic and soon, Bethany could not feel anything that was being thrown at her again, did it stop?She felt a hand touch her softly causing her to flinch and a familiar voice whispered her name, "Bethany, hey,"Bethany froze before slowly taking her hand that she's been using to protect her face off and lifting her head. Happiness f
Bethany sighed in relief when she was able to get out of the hospital without Hughes guard catching up with her. She was sure that he would be on the phone right now with Hughes, delivering the results of the DNA, and Bethany did not care. All she cared about was now leaving the country immediately, but she did not have any of her documents with her. Bethany felt like stomping her foot, but that was not going to help. She needed to be calm so that she could think straight. She looked left, then right before her eyes fell on a bank, and before she could stop herself, she was walking down the road to the bank.She was going to make a small withdrawal, and she was going to be leaving the country by sea. She still needed her documents for that, but she could just bribe them to let her get on the ship. It was much easier this way because Bethany knew that she might not be able to get back inside Hughes house, and she did not want her mother clinging to her at this moment. A tiny smile o
“Brute!” Hughes yelled for his guard, who had been standing by the door and waiting for his instructions.“Sir” “Drag her out, now!” Hughes bellowed as he pointed at Bethany, who immediately shrank back in fright as if trying to enter the wall behind her. “We are going to the hospital to run a test on her. I want to know if she is mine or if she belongs to that bastard!” Hughes did no longer care. If Bethany turned out to be his, he would apologize to her and get her a very expensive gift then he would think about the right punishment to give to Collins for deceiving him and trying to ruin his family. But for now, he needed to make sure he’d not been deceived by Bethany and Amarie.“You cannot” Amarie yelled anxiously as she threw herself on Bethany. She stood in front of Bethany with her hands stretched out protectively, like a mother Hen protecting it chicks from an eagle. At Amarie's action, Hughes saw red, “Shove her aside and take the girl away,”That's exactly what Brute did,
“Mom,” Charlotte snapped, “You won't be going back to him right? This was the man who not only cheated on you a year after your marriage to him but also threw you and your child out when his mistress and her daughter arrived.” Her eyes were red with tears and her heart filled with anger as she thought back to the past; the day her father threw her and her mother out. The memory was still fresh in her head. It was the day after her eighteenth birthday. Bethany has caused a scene, wanting to wear the same clothes as her for her birthday. She didn't care, but just a day before the party, Bethany had thrown a fuss crying about how her dress was ruined.Bethany came out that day with her blue dress that had been torn in different places with scissors and, in front of everyone, had told her that 'she did not have to ruin her dress because she did not want them to wear the same thing'. Charlotte has tried to deny it, but no one believed her.With the other stunts that Bethany and Amarie had