Chapter 4

Charles' eyes widened in shock, and he leaned back in his chair, I guess he was trying to look at Nina in front of him. "Nina, this is... I don't even know where to start. What happened to you? When did you arrive in town? Why didn't you tell Henry you're back?” His questions made my sight blur

Tears welled up in my eyes as I told him about the events that had led to my departure and my subsequent return under a false identity. 

When I finished, Charles sat in silence, with his eyes filled with compassion. "I can't believe it," he said finally. "Nina, Why didn't you come to me earlier?"

"I was afraid," I admitted, my voice choking with tears. "Afraid of what Henry would think, of how he would react. But now, I have to protect him and my kids. Olivia is planning something, and I can't stand by and do nothing."

Charles nodded, "I can see that you still love him, but that's by the side. What do you need from me, Nina?"

"I need your advice and help. I can't handle this alone," I replied. "I need to know how to protect Henry without revealing my identity. Olivia is his new date and secretary. She has access to everything. She is after his wealth, and I fear she might succeed if we don't act soon."

Charles leaned forward, "First, we need to gather evidence of her intentions. Without proof, Henry might not believe us, you know how he is. I'll start by looking into her background and any suspicious activities."

I nodded, "Thank you, Charles. I don't know what I would do without your help."

He reached across the desk, taking my hand in his. "We'll figure this out together, Nina. For Henry's sake and your kids."

“What about your kids, have you seen them?” he asked me.

I bowed in shame and nodded in disapproval. “No, Henry took them to his sister after I left.”

“You must truly be going through a lot. Don't worry about that, Olivia's secrets will be exposed. Just do as I have told you.”

I left with determination. When I arrived at the mansion, Olivia tried to confront me, but Henry was quick to come take her away. 

As I watched them leave, I walked to the garden, and Maria approached me.

"Nina, are you alright? You seem so tense lately. What's going on?"

I forced a smile, not wanting to tell her about what was going on "I'm fine, Maria. I Just have a lot on my mind."

She nodded, "It's okay, but If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here for you."

Her kindness touched me, and I felt guilty for keeping her in the dark. But I knew that the fewer people involved, the safer it would be for everyone.

A few days later, Charles sent me a message, asking me to meet him some miles from the mansion. He had discovered something important and needed to discuss it in person. In fear, I made my way to our meeting spot.

When I arrived, Charles was waiting for me at a small café.

"Nina," he greeted with a low voice. "I've found something. Olivia has been transferring large sums of money to some accounts. She's setting up a safety net for herself, preparing to disappear once she gets what she wants from Henry."

My heart sank at his words at the realization of Olivia's betrayal. "She could do this? What do we do now?"

Charles leaned in. "We need to confront her, but we have to be smart about it. If we act too soon, she might want to run away or even deny it. We need more evidence, something concrete that will force her hand."

I nodded, "I'll keep gathering information. We'll bring her down together."

The following weeks were a blur of activities. Charles and I communicated through messages, sharing updates and planning our next moves. I continued to monitor Olivia, taking mental note of her suspicious actions, and every calculated move she made.

One evening, as I was cleaning her room, I found a file she had carelessly left on Olivia's desk. It was a legal agreement, which contained the details of the transfer of a substantial portion of Henry's assets to an unknown person. My hands trembled as I took a photo of the document, knowing this could be the evidence we needed.

I sent the photo to Charles, and his response was immediate and decisive.

"This is what we have been waiting for, Nina. We have enough to confront her. Meet me tomorrow at the estate. We'll plan our next move."

The next day, I secretly made my way to Charles' estate, 

"We need to act fast," he said. "I'll arrange a business meeting with Henry and I'll try to make sure Olivia is there too. 

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect Henry." I managed to say.

The following evening, Charles arranged a dinner at the mansion, inviting Henry and Olivia under the guise of discussing business matters. I watched from the kitchen.

As they sat down for dinner, Charles wasted no time in getting to the deal.

Henry, there's something important we need to discuss. It's about Olivia." He said as he looked at Olivia in disdain.

Henry looked confused, as he turned to face Olivia and Henry at the same time. "What do you mean?"

Charles took a deep breath, "Olivia has been transferring large sums of money to some accounts. She's planning to take your wealth and disappear."

Olivia's face turned pale, "That's unbelievable! How dare you accuse me of such things? Who the hell are you?"

Charles remained calm, "Don't think you’re smart. We have evidence, Olivia. We have Legal documents, and recorded conversations of your secret moves. You've been planning this for a long time.`` He said as he pushed his files to Henry.

Henry's expression shifted to one of shock and betrayal as he studied the documents before him. "Is this true?"

Olivia stood up to defend herself. "I did it for us, Henry! To secure our future!"

Henry stood with disbelief and hurt. "Our future? You were planning to steal from me and you call that protection? You're unbelievable!"

Charles stood up, I wondered what he was about to do. "Henry, she's been manipulating you from the start. You're lucky you have a secret guardian in this house, she couldn't stand by and watch her destroy everything you've built."

Charles' eyes met mine from afar, Revealing my identity wasn't part of the plan.