Chapter Nine : Worried about her

Charlotte woke up the next morning with a hazy vision and a confused mind.

 She had thought that if she got some sleep, she would be able to think clearly but she was wrong as she was still confused. Should she accept Sebastian's proposal or not?

 That was the question that was running through her mind. She would lose either way and it was now up to her to choose how she wanted to lose. 

 She sat up and grabbed her phone. She checked the time and saw that she was already late for her shoot. 

'Shit!' Charlotte cursed and jumped out of her bed. She had overslept. She grabbed her towel and quickly headed into the shower to have her bath. 

She had never overslept so why did she today and on the day of such an important event.

 "Sebastian Gerano," her mind unconsciously answered. Great, she was going to be late all because of Sebastian and his stupid proposal. There was no way she would accept his proposal now. That man was trouble! 

****

Sebastian checked the car's mirror for the umpteenth time but there was still no sign of Charlotte.

 Why had she not arrived yet? 'Did something bad happen to her?' Sebastian asked himself as he checked the mirror once again. 

He had woken up early this morning with the intention of going to his meeting. 

However, as the driver was driving him to work, he suddenly didn't feel like going to the office anymore. 

He then found himself instructing the driver to drive him to the company where Charlotte was scheduled to have a shoot with other models, including Amy.

 He didn't know why, but he felt like seeing Charlotte again. He knew he couldn't approach her as it would make it look like he was stalking her. 

All you wanted was to get a glimpse of her. 

He had been waiting for over two hours but she had not arrived yet. 

All the other models including Amy had arrived so where was she? He was starting to get apprehensive as it was unlike Charlotte to be late for a shoot. She would always arrive for a shoot at least thirty minutes beforehand. 

He found out about this when he asked his men to investigate her. 

His phone started ringing. He checked the caller ID and saw that it was Diego calling. He wanted to ignore it at first as he wasn't ready to listen to Diego's nonsense until he remembered that Diego was already at the office which meant that he was calling him for something work related. 

He immediately answered the call. "What is it?" Sebastian asked coldly, not bothering to greet his brother.

"Well a good morning to you too my dear brother," Diego greeted, ignoring his brother's question. 

"Unlike you, I still remember my manners and I know how to treat people with respect."

"Tell me what you want or else, I'm going to hang up!" Sebastian snapped in irritation. 

He looked outside again hoping to see Charlotte arrive but she was nowhere in sight. He sighed and returned his attention to Diego. 

"Why are you not at the office?" Diego asked worriedly. He was shocked when he arrived at the office and his brother was not there. 

Sebastian was not one who took days off and they had no meetings outside their office so why was he not present at the office. 

It felt weird for Diego as Sebastian always arrived before him and so, he decided to call him to ask what had happened. 

"I went out for some important work," Sebastian answered.

"What important work did you go out for? We do not have any meetings today so tell me the real reason why you're not in the office yet," Diego demanded.

"It's none of your business!" Sebastian snapped. He was not surprised that Diego had figured that he was lying. His brother was really smart and meticulous.

Diego suddenly started laughing and this made Sebastian more irritated. "Why are you laughing?! " He asked sharply. 

"Nothing has happened to my sister in law. She is already close to the company, so you should relax," Diego said.

"Excuse me?" Sebastian asked in confusion.

"I know that you're outside the company where my sister in law is having her shoot today. You could have just called her to ask where she was instead of sitting in your car and worrying," Diego explained and roared with laughter afterwards.

 "Looks like you're already falling for her. Isn't it a bit too soon and yet you insult me for doing the same."

Sebastian realized that Diego must have followed him and was watching him. He looked around but he couldn't spot his carnanywhere "Where are you?!" He asked angrily. 

"I am at where I'm supposed to be brother; at the office. My men were the ones who followed you." 

"I'm going to skin you and your men alive!" Sebastian growled. 

"Please brother, don't do that. I promise to not do this again." Diego said in a mocking tone. 

He knew that his brother would never do such but he also knew that Sebastian was going to get him back for mocking him but that was the least of his worries. 

"I'll hang up now. Your fiancee should be arriving any moment now," Diego said and disconnected the call.

Sebastian looked outside the window once again and just like Diego said, he saw Charlotte's car drive past his. She parked her car and got out of it.

 Sebastian instantly felt relieved as he saw her get out of her car and he unconsciously smiled. He had been worried for no reason. 

He watched her go inside the building after which he ordered his driver to take him to the office so he could kill Diego for mocking him.

****

"Charlotte, where have you been?" Charles, her manager, cried out as soon as he saw her. "I have been calling you. Why didn't you answer your phone?" He asked.

"I am so sorry, it was in my bag and I didn't hear it ringing," Charlotte explained. 

"Why did you arrive so late? You know how important this shoot is for you, so why didn't you come on time?" The manager asked angrily.

"I'm so sorry," Charlotte apologized once again. "I overslept," she simply said.

Charles decided not to push the matter further as Charlotte had never been late to a shoot and also because of the fact that he understood that she must have been exhausted after yesterday's party. 

"Go to your changing room, your team is waiting for you."

"OK," Charlotte said and made her way to her changing room.

"Charlotte," Charles suddenly called. "Be careful, Amy and the rest of the models are there. If they try to mess with you, let me know." It wasn't only Amy who had despised Charlotte.

Most of the models she had worked with hated her or were jealous of her. 

They would always try to discredit her success saying that she didn't work hard to be successful all because she was the daughter of the Brooks family. 

"It's okay Charles. I have gotten used to their taunts. In fact, I would feel scared if they didn't try to get on my nerves. I'll be fine," Charlotte assured and went into the changing room. 

The aura in the room immediately changed as Charlotte entered. The models who were all laughing and having fun changed their expressions as they saw Charlotte. 

They did not try to hide their hatred for her as they shot daggers at her. Charlotte was not bothered as she was already used to it.

 She ignored them and walked over to where her team was waiting for her.

"Oh look everyone, here comes the beauty queen who owns this place. Wow Charlotte, I must commend you as you are right on time." Amy mocked as Charlotte passed by her. 

The other models roared with laughter. 

"You must think you're something now that you are engaged to Sebastian Gerano," A model said with contempt. She had always been jealous of Charlotte. 

The model had to work really hard to achieve success as she was from a poor family.

 It took her years to make a name for herself in the industry and she still wasn't an A-list model but It took Charlotte less than two years to achieve what she had failed to achieve so naturally she felt jealous.

"Listen guys, I know we hate each other but could you please save all of this for later. I'm already late and I need to get dressed," Charlotte requested. She was unable to go further as the models were blocking her path.

"You should have come on time Charlotte." Amy sneered. "You must think that you are too high and mighty to stick to time since you are now the future daughter in law of the Geranos."

"I do not have time for this Amy. Move or I'll make you move," Charlotte said in a low and dangerous voice as she was starting to get angry. 

Amy scoffed. 

"Then make me. I would really like to see you try, Incase you haven't noticed, you are outnumbered."

Charlotte had almost forgotten this fact. 

Amy and her minions had surrounded her and she knew they wouldn't take it lying down if she touched their leader. 'Shit!' She cursed inwardly.

Seeing that Charlotte was no longer saying anything, Amy decided to take the opportunity to humiliate Charlotte. It would be a little payback for yesterday.

"I'm sure that the marriage between you and Sebastian is a contract marriage. There is no possible way it is a love marriage. I mean look at you. No man in their right frame of mind would want to marry you much less Sebastian Gerano," Amy taunted and the other models roared with laughter.

Charlotte clenched her fists in anger. She was angry because Amy was right about the marriage between her and Sebastian being a contract marriage.

 Amy should thank her stars that she was surrounded by people or she would have not hesitated to put her in her place but Amy kept on insulting her and Charlotte couldn't take it in any longer. 

 "It is none of your business whether Sebastian and I are getting into a contract marriage. That's between the two of us!" Charlotte said firmly. 

"I understand your pain and frustration Amy. You used to be the number one model in the world and then suddenly, a rookie collects your title. It must have been hard for you," Charlotte taunted.

"How dare you!" Amy yelled and raised her hand to slap Charlotte but the latter was more than ready for her. 

"I will ruin you if you ever try to hit me," Charlotte threatened in a dangerous voice. "If any one of you touches me , I'll promise it will be the last thing you ever do." 

"You all seem to forget that I belong to the Brooks family and I'm going to be a part of the Gerano family. I am a member of the two most powerful families not only in the country but also in the world."

" You all must have heard stories of how my family ruins people who go against them. Now, if you do not want to be considered as an enemy to my family, I suggest you get the hell out of here," Charlotte said angrily.

 "You have thirty seconds to do so." 

The models scrambled out of the room on hearing Charlotte's threat for fear of their lives. They had never seen her so angry. 

She even threatened them with her family and the models knew that was not a threat to be taken lightly,

"You are not even an official member of the Gerano family and yet, you are already using their name to scare people off," Amy said. 

She didn't run away like the rest of the model. Why would she when she had Sebastian to take care of her? 

"I'm going to become a member anyways so it makes no difference if I use it now or later," Charlotte retorted.

"You really think that Sebastian is going to marry you, don't you?" Amy asked with a grin on her face. 

"I don't think he is going to marry me, I know he is going to marry me," Charlotte answered.

 She had finally made her decision on Sebastian's proposal. "Excuse me." Charlotte said. She was finally able to walk past Amy.

"You will pay for this Charlotte," Amy threatened. 

"I'll be waiting," was Charlotte's reply and with that, she walked out on a fuming Amy.