July 16, 2023. Chapter 2-2. Thank you. The next chapter will be tomorrow afternoon.
What? Charlotte's father had an affair with this nurse?' Timothy asked in silence as he listened to Charlene give her statement. "Uh. How disgusting. The Strausses are a family of cheaters," Marian Cash whispered to Timothy and Tamara, but just as she said that, she paused. Timothy realized his mother unwittingly mocked him for also being a cheater. Marian took it back, saying, "You had a valid reason. How were we supposed to know that Charlotte was being medicated incorrectly?" He clenched his jaws and ignored his mother. Timothy focused on the hearing and later reflected, 'But then again, Charlotte's father denied it, and they were not able to confirm the child was his.' The trial continued, and the nurse was called into the stand again. Timothy recalled how the earlier lawyer brought up Victoria. Ever since, Charlotte insisted that Victoria had something to do with Serenity Fertility Clinic, but he has not seen the connection. It wasn't until the next lawyer, Mae, named Madd
"Charlotte, child. Can you tell me what happened today in court? I'm very anxious to know," Pete said on the phone, and Charlotte sighed. "Grandpa, can you give me time, please? In a way, today's hearing was what I had hoped for, but Maddison dropped a bomb that I have yet to look into," Charlotte said. She wasn't ready to tell Pete that Maddison suggested he and her father had masterminded the mad woman's kidnapping. There was so much more Charlotte and her lawyers had to know. "You are making me nervous. Where are you?" Pete asked. "We are at the hotel, in a conference room, covering today's hearing," Charlotte said. "We will deliberate, and then, if we end early, I'll see you later. If not tomorrow. I still have to see Mom. The next hearing will be this Friday." "Okay, Charlotte. If you say so, I hope to hear from you soon because, you know, once the hearing is documented in court, it will become public, and I would still end up knowing," Pete reminded. "Don't keep things from
Maddison's lawyers contacted Charlotte's legal team in the middle of the week. They requested a plea bargain in exchange for not pursuing any legal case against Pete Strauss. They convened within the city's public defender's office. Yael and Mae came with Charlotte to hear what Maddison's party had to say. As a start, they requested Maddison to explain when and what happened during her kidnapping. "Paul and I had agreed to meet and plan a DNA test. I left at around five in the morning from my apartment in Hinesville, leaving Victoria in my neighbor's care. At that time, we had already moved to Hinesville. I was going to take a flight to Braeton, where Paul and I had agreed to meet," Maddison gasped as she said, "Of course, I was stupid enough to believe that Paul intended to have a DNA test because the moment I walked a few steps away from my apartment building, I was pulled into a van!" "The next thing I knew, I woke up in some shitty place, blindfolded. The kidnappers told me th
Charlotte was stunned to see a woman crying next to Liam. Her husband was consoling the woman, offering words of assurance. It confused Charlotte at first, but what the woman said next made it clear. Charlene said, "Charlotte, it was Jeremy. I think it was him." "Mom? Aren't you supposed to be at the airport by now? And what about Jeremy?" Charlotte asked. Charlene's face was stained with tears. Her eyes were red, and her nose was flared. Her hair looked like she had run a mile. Charlotte asked, "What happened?" "Charlotte," Charlene was chasing her breath as she replied, "I had to stay away from Jeremy. I fled from him as soon as I could, and came looking for you. Instead, I found Liam." Charlene sniffed and recounted, "Earlier, did you see how Maddison approached Jeremy? I confronted him about it!" The tears in Charlene's eyes flowed freely as she said, "I thought it was strange that he was in a hurry. Then Maddison asked about this Mark Deepre, which he blatantly denied, but I
Maddison angrily grabbed the envelope that contained the documents, but before she could pull it over to her side, Yael revealed, "Do you remember Yasmine Jones? She was Darren Westler's secretary when you worked for The Aces Wine?" All of a sudden, Maddison's entire body stiffened. Yael smirked and said, "Guilty aren't we, Maddison?" Yael turned to Robert, one of his colleagues, and ordered, "Play the video." "I don't want to see it! Whatever it is, it's just a lie!" Maddison claimed. "What is this about?" Maddison's lawyer asked. "Just watch," Robert said as he opened his laptop and played the video. In the recording, a woman in her late fifties explained her relationship with Maddison Buck. "Maddison and I used to be partners in crime, back in The Aces Wine. She was obsessed with the boss, Mister Darren Westler," Yasmine said, her voice shaking as she described. "What happened that night at Mister Westler's party was all Maddison's plan. Maddison created this elaborate sch
"Maddison, I think you are a crafty person," Charlotte described. "But because I promised you the truth, I will give you the truth." With the snap of Charlotte's fingers, Mae took out another folder containing documents. She flipped it open and showed Maddison and Victoria the contents. The first was a picture of Mark Deepre, the so-called friend of Maddison. Mae named, "Mark Deepre. We found him. We figured he was the person who helped you escape. As we speak, he is being brought to the police station for questioning of your alleged kidnapping -" "What? Why did you do that! I did not even press charges against him! He was the one that helped me! I promised him I would leave him out of this!" Maddison charged at Mae, saying, "You don't have the right!" "He wasn't brought in for your kidnapping per se, but more on your allegations towards Pete and Paul Strauss," Mae replied. "Any minute now, I should get a call from the police station in Hinesville." "He was in Hinesville all alo
"Misses Walker, we would like to get your full statement, including how you met Mister Walker and then how it all connected to Maddison Buck," the detective requested, and Charlene nodded. She looked past the officer and saw Charlotte get up. "I'll leave you to it, Mother. Liam and I will wait for you outside," Charlotte said, exiting the room. Charlene understood that her daughter did not want to hear about how her relationship formed with Jeremy. It almost broke Charlene's heart, but she knew it was Charlotte's way of not dwelling on the past. When she was alone with the detective, Charlene began, "Okay, so. Jeremy. I met him because of work. I used to be an account manager for an office supply company. Jeremy, at that time, attempted to penetrate Braeton. He was new and needed a whole package of office supplies and equipment. I landed his account - rather, I must have impressed him that he accepted my offer." "Our relationship was purely professional. I met Jeremy only when w
It took a few days before Jeremy finally admitted to kidnapping Maddison. He was presented with all the evidence, including Mark Deepre's statement that his lawyers had suggested that he plead guilty to all the charges. Charlotte and Liam watched a recording of his statement from Braeton City one evening. Charlene joined them in the living room of Liam's home. Through the huge TV monitor, they listened to what he had to say. Jeremy said, "All I wanted was to have Charlene." "I fell in love with her at first sight, but I held back because she was married. Even after she confided in me, I tried not to interfere, but I hated how she cried - how she was in pain. I thought to myself, if I was going to take care of Charlene, I would never hurt her this way," he explained. "So I allowed myself to get close to her until my feelings grew deeper; it was too late to turn back. I confessed how I liked her, but she said she wanted to fix her marriage. When she told me that DNA testing wou
Dear Beloved Readers, Thank you for supporting me throughout Liam and Charlotte's story. I know many of you wish to continue with this story, but it has already ended. I felt it has just the right amount of closure to conclude this book. I love all your eagerness. This was my first attempt to write a rebirth story, and I hope you enjoyed it. In a way, it was different than most of what I have written so far. Don't forget that this is my entry to the Goodnovel Contest, "Remorse-Revenge-Redemption." Feel free to drop your gems and re-read the book as many times as you wish. Your reads and gems will help me win the contest. So, you are probably wondering what is next for me. I have many requests for Lily and Lucas's story. I will do my best to focus on that, but at the same time, I already have a story in mind for Kenneth. So, let's see. Give me time to rest, recharge my brain, create an outline, and discuss with my editor. I will announce through my social media when my next
In an intimate chapel in Swaxon, rows of seats were aligned with turtle tree leaves. The same were adorned with peony and lilac blooms. Chandeliers hang on the ceiling, including hanging wisteria flowers and candlesticks. Gemstones also hang randomly from above, longer ones particularly bordered the aisle. Liam stood in a floral arch, waiting for his bride. He wore a tailor-fit suit as he held his gaze high, his eyes gleaming in tears. Despite having aged and having formed a few wrinkles on his face, he remained handsome and dignified. All his children stood alongside him. His twin boys were to his right. Scarlett Cecilia and Caleb Chad took the other side. Surprisingly enough, their little guy was cooperating with the ceremony. Smoke machines began to emit vapor towards the back of the chapel, and it signaled everyone who attended the wedding to turn to the aisle and turn on their lanterns. Over fifty small lanterns attached to a stick illuminated Charlotte's path. Most of t
Almost three years had passed. Charlotte and Liam's family had a picnic lunch with Carla and Chadwick. The older kids were done with their meals and enjoying their desserts. Only Caleb Chad was still munching his vegetables next to Charlotte. Liam drank a full glass of water and revealed, "Marian and Tony Cash are getting out today." Charlotte wiped her mouth with a table napkin. She remembered how Timothy's parents tried their best to evade imprisonment by delaying their hearing, but in the end, they were convicted of tax evasion. Marian and Tony were sentenced to five years. Charlotte did not even realize it had been that long. She straightened her posture, saying, "Wow, time flies." "Do you think they will be a problem, though?" Carla asked. "No, they won't," Chadwick assured everyone. "Our men have already spoken to Tony Cash. We have sent the message. If they don't bite, we won't bite back. They know not to mess with the Wrights." "So far, Victoria has not been a proble
Two years had passed. "And this year's World Finance Market award for the country's promising investment company goes to Strauss Asset Investments of Swaxon City!" A round of applause echoed across the venue. Company employees who attended the business gathering screamed for joy. At the same time, the host continued to introduce the company, "By the end of last year, Strauss Asset Investments has profited over three billion dollars while contributing generously to the Heart and Lung Center of Swaxon. The same company has opened two other branches, one in Braeton and another in Capmond. Their expansion granted over three hundred jobs." "Their partner, Gravity Ventures, held the same award three years ago, and today, they lead the finance market with the help of Strauss Asset Investments." The host looked at the party where Charlotte and her team sat and said, "Strauss Asset Investments continues to make smart investment decisions, satisfying the needs of their clients. And it is ex
"I, Paul Strauss, take you, Charlene, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death. This is my solemn vow," Paul said in front of the crowd. Charlene was crying, taking deep breaths. Paul had to wipe the tears from her face before Charlene managed to speak her vows. In Braeton's biggest Cathedral, Paul and Charlene married again. After holding back due to Errol's death, their union was finally renewed. Charlotte was crying in her seat while carrying Peter. The toddler was sleeping in her arms after running around before the wedding could start. Her other boy, Paul Luces, was still at it, giving his nanny a run for it by the Cathedral's grounds. "I feel it, Mother's happiness. I feel that she is very happy with her second chance," Charlotte said. "And Father too," Liam said, looking at Paul's expression. Charlotte agreed. Paul's eyes were gliste
"Breathe in. Breathe out. Push along with your contractions - I'm so happy to be here right now. Thank you, heavens, for this opportunity," Scarlett said while holding Charlotte's hand. She cried, "My beautiful daughter-in-law is giving me another wonderful grandchild, and I am here to witness it all." Scarlett Wright got her wish come true. Liam's flight got delayed due to air traffic in Swaxon. Scarlett became Charlotte's automatic companion as she gave birth. Charlotte pushed, feeling the pain running down her pelvis. She gasped and was about ready to make another push when Scarlett said, "Don't be afraid. Mom's here. I'll be your strength. Take as much energy as you need from me -" "Okay, Mother. I got it," Charlotte said, trying not to interrupt her mother-in-law. "Arrggh." Scarlett was multitasking. She leaned sideways to see what was happening between Charlotte's legs. Then, she announced, "The baby is crowning!" "You can do it, Charlotte! You can do it!" Scarlett added, le
"So this is how it will work," Charlotte said. She was wearing a white robe around her, and so was her husband. "Liam and I will reveal the gender of Chadwick's and Carla's baby, and they will announce ours." "Everyone got it?" Charlotte asked, giving a thumbs up to their family members. "Liam and I will go first." "We are excited!" Scarlett screamed. "We are all curious why you both are wearing robes!" "That's because," Liam said. "Inside these robes are the truth about Carla's and Chadwick's baby's gender." Carla held Chadwick's hand from her seat and said, "I'm feeling nervous." The couple was back at Samantha's and Ethan's mansion to have the gender reveal party, which every one of the Wrights, based in Braeton City, attended. Pete and Cecile had traveled with Charlotte and Liam, whereas Paul, Charlene, and Lucinda were just in town. Carla had no problems with the venue because it gave her brother and mother an alibi for a longer trip. If the event were in Swaxon, it would
"Charlotte?" Frank called. "Should we postpone the meeting?" Charlotte opened her eyes and realized she was in the conference room, having a meeting with the executives. They had a short break while the internet was being restored, and Charlotte took a moment to doze off in her chair. A chuckle left her lips. Charlotte reasoned, "Sorry. It's the pregnancy hormones." "Oh, I know. My wife also suddenly sleeps in the middle of anything," Xander teased. "But you always came back rocking, Boss. We have no complaints." "Internet's back up, Boss," Ming said. "Right," Charlotte said before looking at the screen before her. "Carry on." "As you can see, Boss, our competitor, A&D Mutual Fund, has followed our investment tactics. I can't help but be annoyed," Ming remarked. Charlotte smiled. A&D Mutual Fund was the competitor company that supposedly hired Shane Westly, Jim Ash, and Billy White. Even Xander jumped into working with them in Charlotte's past life. However, with the knowledg
" You found me all messed upYou found me down on my luckSo lost, but then I woke up in love" ~ Chadwick's and Carla's wedding party was a blast. They entered, dancing to the tune of Woke Up in Love by Kygo, Gryffin, and Calum Scott. Carla raised her arm, lifting her bouquet as the guests congratulated them. Visitors included some of her followers on social media, her co-actors from Pacific Lifeguards, co-workers of Chadwick within Liam's security team, Charlotte's and Liam's family, and Boris. While Carla fluidly danced to the music, Chadwick looked stiff but tried to dance along. "Go Chadwick! Go, Chadwick! Haha!" Charlotte laughed while clapping her hands. She turned to her husband and encouraged, "Look here and cheer Chadwick on!" Liam shook his head the entire time. He said, "Just let me remember Chadwick as a stiff lad. I can't imagine him dancing." "Aww. This is another side of Chadwick that I haven't seen before," Scarlett remarked, smiling at Chadwick. She and her hu