4

Erika's POV

Charles and I were doomed from the start. I was either too young to notice or I was too immersed in our relationship.

The first time I met Charles...

I had just walked back into the house from the garden.

I usually enjoyed reading my novels under the acorn tree, with my feet covered with fallen leaves.

I had my fantasy book in my arm as I walked into the house.

I sighted five cars outside and a couple of guards outside. I could tell that we had a very important guest in the house.

I walked past the study, tiptoeing to my room so that mum and dad won't feel I was interrupting their guest.

I curiously stopped at the door. They were not trying their hardest to be quiet and I could make out some of the words from their conversation.

They didn't make the entire sense since I only got out phrases from the sentences, but I heard the word "shares" over and over again.

That shot up the curiosity in me. I knew that they were business people who worked for the Wilson company.

We were very rich and they even had a small company that they were starting up too. The word " shares" meant that it was some very important business discussion.

I shouldn't be by the door of the study with my face pressed gently against the door, but there I was.

So when the door suddenly opened, I almost fell on my face.

I was caught by a strong arm over my chest and I let out an exhale.

When I looked up, I felt my heart stop in my chest. It was Charles who caught me and I was starstruck at the very instant.

He smirked at me, revealing his dimples and perfect teeth, and that made me fall even harder.

" Are you okay, sweetheart?" He asked as he let go of me.

" Yes, yes." I pushed my hair away from my face. " Thank you."

He picked up my book from the ground and handed it to me.

I thanked him and was able to take it when he pulled his hand back.

His eyes were hovering over the title of the book and that made my anxiety grow.

The book I was ready for wasn't exactly a Bible, it had some sinful parts.

He knew this, I could tell by the way he raised his eyebrow as he handed it back to me.

" Thanks." My face was red with embarrassment. I hid the book behind me.

He grunted a reply and walked away, he was going into the garden.

He took out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket and lit it as he went.

I didn't know why, but I was following him.

He puffed smoke into the air and it blinded me for a second.

" You know that smokers are going to die young?" I educated him.

" We are going to die anyway, my darling." He laughed. " Smoker or not."

I felt a sweetness on the inside of me. It was the way he called me nice names even though we had just met.

" It's Erika," I said. " I mean my name. It's not sweetheart or darling, it's Ericka."

" Of course, I knew that." He shook off the ash from the cigarette.

" Then what's your name?" I asked.

He stared at me, but he didn't say anything to me. I was wondering what kind of strange man he was when my parents arrived.

My mum cupped my face and kissed me while my father ruffled my hair.

" Erika! You have met Mister Charles?" My father smiled. " He is the heir of Evans groups."

" Oh."

" And your future husband." My mother added with the widest smile.

" What?!" My jaw dropped to the ground. " What do you mean?"

" I wish I could stay for more chats, but I have to go," Charles said to everyone. He then winked at me before he left.

My parents never said anything to explain the situation to Charles again.

I was so confused, but they only brushed it away whenever I tried to talk about it.

A week later, I met the same guards and cars outside, I knew that he was back.

The maid came out of the door before I got there.

" Miss Erika." She bowed. " Lunch is waiting for you. Your parents are in a meeting with Mister Charles."

" I see." I scoffed. I wasn't yet settled with the fact that he was my husband-to-be.

I got to the house, but to my surprise, I met Charles and my parents in the living room.

Hundreds of papers works were in front of them. I gripped my bag tighter as my eyes met him.

" Hello, mum. Hello, Dad." I greeted.

" Can't you say hello to Charles, Ericka?" Mum frowned. " That's no way to treat your future husband."

My eyes went back to him and it was like my legs were turning into jelly. I couldn't say anything to him.

" Oh, it's fine." He waved off with a smile. " I'm sure that she is just tired from school."

" Go on, then," Dad said. " Lunch is in your room, get to your assignments immediately after."

I sighed as I walked away, I was embarrassed about how that went.

I entered my pink-themed room and met my tray of food.

Because I had so much math homework I ignored the food.

I took a quick shower and got into more comfortable clothes.

I grabbed my books from my bag and went out through my balcony.

" Oh, my God!" I screamed as I clutched my chest.

There was a small robotic dog on my couch. It tilted its head and gave out a bark.

It scared the shit out of me, but it was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

I dropped my books and picked them up. The screen on its face lit up to show " hello, Erika! I'm your new puppy!"

" Jesus Christ, you are so cute!" I confessed. " Are you even real?"

" Yes, Erika! And I'm now your best friend!" It said in a little girl's voice.

This thing keeps on impressing me over and over again. How did it even get into my room?

" What else can you do?" I asked.

" Anything!"

" Can you solve math?"

" I can see that you like your new pet."

I sharply looked up to see Charles leaning against the door.

I set down my pet very slowly and stood to my feet.

" It was from you?" I asked.

" That's a new robot your parents and I were working on." He explained. " No one has gotten any yet, it's not even for sale."

" But you gave this one to me."

" Because you are special." He shrugged.

I felt my face go hot, did he just get me a gift that no one would be able to buy?

" You were asking if it could solve math?" He glanced at the robot. " Are you having problems with math?"

I wanted to say no, but my math was a mess. I took one of my exercise books and handed it to him.

He opened it and looked at the question carefully.

He took out a golden pen from his pocket and lowered the book so that I could see.

" This is just a trick question." He told me. " Just watch this carefully.."

He canceled out some digits and multiplied some others and boom, he solved it easily.

He even explained it better than my math teacher did. He wasn't just handsome, he was fucking brilliant.

I fell even harder at this point, there wasn't a more perfect man. At this point, I was lost in love with Charles Evans.

Then my parents died a year later...

It was a devastating blow and it was like I was going to die to go after them.

With the help of Charles, Raven, and the rest of my friends, I was able to put myself together.

I was in the study, trying to sort the document together and that was when I found something strange.

Their huge shares with the Evans group of companies were gone.

I also found a letter declaring that the shares were now Charles'.

I quickly picked up the phone.

" Hello, Charles. I just found out that my parents transferred the shares of their company to you." I was confused. " No one told me anything about it!"

" Relax, Erika, I talked with them before they died. They were able to discuss it with you before their death, but they did with me. " He said. " The shares will be given to me, but it's yours anyway because we are soon getting married. After school, right? That's what they wanted."

I looked down. He wasn't lying, that's what my parents wanted. They wanted me to get married to Charles as soon as possible.

" Are you sure, Charles?" I sighed. " I don't have anyone apart from my parents."

" You have me now." He told me. " You don't need to worry about shares because I will take care of you for the rest of your life."

I know that I had just lost my parents and I was disheartened, but I believed Charles.

That was the beginning of my mistakes.