Charles' POV"Charles?!" I could visualize her jumping by how excited she sounded. " Oh my, it's you." I chuckled. " How are you doing, honey?"I took one last look at the building, and I returned to my car. I had to go to work. " Where are you, Charles?" Her voice sounded serious. "On my way to work," I answered as I slammed the door shut. " And you're in school, I guess?"" Yes, I am." She answered. " But I need you to come to my school." My hand froze as my breath halted. Was Rose asking me to come to her school?" Rose, are you okay? Did you get into trouble? I could get your mum." I offered. " Please don't." She quickly opposed. " I will explain to you when I see you, but for now don't tell her. I will send you the address." She didn't wait for me to accept or decline her offer, she ended the call already. I looked at the blank screen of my phone and imagined the shocking call I just had with Erika'a daughter. I knew that she needed me, and I was ready to go. I didn't ca
Erika's POVI drove through the morning traffic like a lunatic who got out of an asylum. I recalled the text of the worried teacher telling me that my daughter punched someone and got into trouble, but apparently, it was fine now because the popular Charles Evans came and handled it. Was this a joke?! How did Charles even know where she schooled? Had he been keeping tabs on my daughter and me?I parked carelessly before I ran into the school in my high shoes. I jerked my head here and there as I looked for my daughter.I heard a familiar laughter and I stopped to retrace my steps. Rose and Charles were sitting on a bench in a corner. They were talking like friends and had cones of ice cream in their hands. I huffed in annoyance as I trotted towards them, David's face got serious when I saw them. Rose saw me too, but she flashed me her brightest smile as she got up to hug me. " Mummy!" She screamed. " What are you doing here?" " Seriously?" I asked her. " You are now punching y
Erika's POVAfter the men had all stepped out of the cars, that was when I noticed that they all had guns in their hands. I had never seen so many guns at once, in my life. They held the lethal metals up in the air and I felt my mouth go dry instantly. Was this how I was going to die? In the woods, without a proper goodbye to my daughter?Even though my heart was heavily beating in my chest, I tried my best to keep calm, not show them that I was scared. One of them came over to the window and stooped to my level. He gave me a small wave and knocked on the glass. " Erika White." He smiled. " A big fan."" Thanks." I blurted out, I didn't know what else to say. " Can you step out of the vehicle?" He asked. I looked around and shook my head negatively. He sighed with a short laugh. " Don't you think it would be stupid to refuse? I would be mad if you made my men to get you out." He warned. " You have guns, you are going to hurt me."" Trust me, no one is going to hurt you." He
Erika's POVI was very scared, being alone with that bodyguard. There was something about the way he strangely stared at me. The fact that I was moved to a room all by myself, it didn't help matters. Being alone, behind closed doors, with this freak, was something I just couldn't get my mind off. Each time I looked up, there he was with his lust-filled eyes. I was trying to think, I knew that completing these designs for Raymond would affect Charles' company. I still hadn't forgiven Charles for what he did to me years ago, but I just couldn't see myself helping his enemy. I shut the file and let out a heave. " Excuse me.." I said to the guard. "No more bathroom breaks." He shook his head. " It's not about that," I said. " I want to speak to your boss."His hands were on his waist as he looked at me. " I'm sorry, love, but the boss doesn't want to see you." He said. " Can you please not call me that?" I frowned. " It's very weird, I don't like it."I was just fed up because
Erika's POVI couldn't believe that he was dead, I couldn't wrap my head around it. I gave strength to my limbs and got to my feet, but my eyes were still closed. I finally opened them to have a look around the room, I shuttered with a cold shiver.The room was in shambles, like the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. The window was gone and glass was everywhere, even under my feet. Raymond and the leader had suddenly vanished from the room, but not the other guy. His eyes were opened as if he was staring at the ceiling in his death. His body was decorated with several bullet holes and it gave his body this rough appearance. I screamed at the horror and felt a weakness slowly creeping into me. Consciousness was seeping out of me and I was falling to the ground. I felt a timely catch that kept me levitating in the air, my weak eye blinked. " Shit, Erika, I told you to keep your eyes shut." That was the last thing I remembered before I slipped into this dark space where time and
Erika's POVI took in a large gulp of air before I rang the doorbell. It didn't take long for Raven to open the door for me. In one breath, she gasped and pulled me to herself in a hug. " Oh my God... Oh my God..." She repeated over and over again. " I never thought I was going to see you again."" I never thought I was going to make it out alive again," I whispered too. We hugged for almost a whole minute before she let go of me. " Mummy!" Rose, who has just gotten into the living room, jumped up on me. I held my daughter tight in my hands and shut my eyes to keep the tears back. I filled my lungs with the scent of her that I have missed for days, I didn't want to let go of her. " Mummy is sorry for suddenly going away, Rose." I sniffed. " Mummy loves you very much."It wasn't very easy trying not to cry in front of my daughter. She didn't notice my struggle, thankfully. She was resting her head against my chest with her eyes closed. We were both home to each other and it wa
Erika's POV This should have been the happiest day of my life. but it turned out to be the worst. I was finally getting married to the man that I had loved for four years. I was a helpless romantic and from the instant I first met Charles Evans l, when he came to visit my family, I knew I was going to be damn lucky if I had him. He was tall like a mountain and built like a Greek God. I woke up every day and thanked God that he even looked at me. To think that I was just out of law school and was going to get engaged that night was just beyond me. " Hold still." Raven roughly pulled my chin. " Ouch, watch it." I frowned. Raven pretended not to hear me, but I knew she was trying to act mean because she never liked Charles. " You're too good for him." She always said, " He looked like someone who would win in a contest for best asshole." I always laughed and looked away. The girls that were preparing me for the engagement were all from the company he hired. My diamo
Charles' POVI stood outside the balcony with a cigarette in my hand. I puffed the smoke into the night and thought about my life. The glass of alcohol on my other hand was my normal routine of trying to drown away my sorrows. Still, I liked the silence of the balcony because the party was too chattering for me. I felt someone behind me, but I didn't bother to turn around. " What's the issue now, Linda?" I puffed smoke into the air. Linda was my secretary, the one person I could tolerate on days like this. I was so familiar with her that I didn't need to turn around to know that she was the one. " Sir, you can't be drinking and smoking." She gently said. " I'm fine." I took another drag. " Now what do you have for me?"" May Russel be at the party." She announced. " And she has been pestering me about you." I lowered my gaze, I couldn't help but sigh. May was the daughter of one of the billionaires in town. She was a platonic friend, but I knew that she wanted to be more w
Erika's POVI took in a large gulp of air before I rang the doorbell. It didn't take long for Raven to open the door for me. In one breath, she gasped and pulled me to herself in a hug. " Oh my God... Oh my God..." She repeated over and over again. " I never thought I was going to see you again."" I never thought I was going to make it out alive again," I whispered too. We hugged for almost a whole minute before she let go of me. " Mummy!" Rose, who has just gotten into the living room, jumped up on me. I held my daughter tight in my hands and shut my eyes to keep the tears back. I filled my lungs with the scent of her that I have missed for days, I didn't want to let go of her. " Mummy is sorry for suddenly going away, Rose." I sniffed. " Mummy loves you very much."It wasn't very easy trying not to cry in front of my daughter. She didn't notice my struggle, thankfully. She was resting her head against my chest with her eyes closed. We were both home to each other and it wa
Erika's POVI couldn't believe that he was dead, I couldn't wrap my head around it. I gave strength to my limbs and got to my feet, but my eyes were still closed. I finally opened them to have a look around the room, I shuttered with a cold shiver.The room was in shambles, like the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. The window was gone and glass was everywhere, even under my feet. Raymond and the leader had suddenly vanished from the room, but not the other guy. His eyes were opened as if he was staring at the ceiling in his death. His body was decorated with several bullet holes and it gave his body this rough appearance. I screamed at the horror and felt a weakness slowly creeping into me. Consciousness was seeping out of me and I was falling to the ground. I felt a timely catch that kept me levitating in the air, my weak eye blinked. " Shit, Erika, I told you to keep your eyes shut." That was the last thing I remembered before I slipped into this dark space where time and
Erika's POVI was very scared, being alone with that bodyguard. There was something about the way he strangely stared at me. The fact that I was moved to a room all by myself, it didn't help matters. Being alone, behind closed doors, with this freak, was something I just couldn't get my mind off. Each time I looked up, there he was with his lust-filled eyes. I was trying to think, I knew that completing these designs for Raymond would affect Charles' company. I still hadn't forgiven Charles for what he did to me years ago, but I just couldn't see myself helping his enemy. I shut the file and let out a heave. " Excuse me.." I said to the guard. "No more bathroom breaks." He shook his head. " It's not about that," I said. " I want to speak to your boss."His hands were on his waist as he looked at me. " I'm sorry, love, but the boss doesn't want to see you." He said. " Can you please not call me that?" I frowned. " It's very weird, I don't like it."I was just fed up because
Erika's POVAfter the men had all stepped out of the cars, that was when I noticed that they all had guns in their hands. I had never seen so many guns at once, in my life. They held the lethal metals up in the air and I felt my mouth go dry instantly. Was this how I was going to die? In the woods, without a proper goodbye to my daughter?Even though my heart was heavily beating in my chest, I tried my best to keep calm, not show them that I was scared. One of them came over to the window and stooped to my level. He gave me a small wave and knocked on the glass. " Erika White." He smiled. " A big fan."" Thanks." I blurted out, I didn't know what else to say. " Can you step out of the vehicle?" He asked. I looked around and shook my head negatively. He sighed with a short laugh. " Don't you think it would be stupid to refuse? I would be mad if you made my men to get you out." He warned. " You have guns, you are going to hurt me."" Trust me, no one is going to hurt you." He
Erika's POVI drove through the morning traffic like a lunatic who got out of an asylum. I recalled the text of the worried teacher telling me that my daughter punched someone and got into trouble, but apparently, it was fine now because the popular Charles Evans came and handled it. Was this a joke?! How did Charles even know where she schooled? Had he been keeping tabs on my daughter and me?I parked carelessly before I ran into the school in my high shoes. I jerked my head here and there as I looked for my daughter.I heard a familiar laughter and I stopped to retrace my steps. Rose and Charles were sitting on a bench in a corner. They were talking like friends and had cones of ice cream in their hands. I huffed in annoyance as I trotted towards them, David's face got serious when I saw them. Rose saw me too, but she flashed me her brightest smile as she got up to hug me. " Mummy!" She screamed. " What are you doing here?" " Seriously?" I asked her. " You are now punching y
Charles' POV"Charles?!" I could visualize her jumping by how excited she sounded. " Oh my, it's you." I chuckled. " How are you doing, honey?"I took one last look at the building, and I returned to my car. I had to go to work. " Where are you, Charles?" Her voice sounded serious. "On my way to work," I answered as I slammed the door shut. " And you're in school, I guess?"" Yes, I am." She answered. " But I need you to come to my school." My hand froze as my breath halted. Was Rose asking me to come to her school?" Rose, are you okay? Did you get into trouble? I could get your mum." I offered. " Please don't." She quickly opposed. " I will explain to you when I see you, but for now don't tell her. I will send you the address." She didn't wait for me to accept or decline her offer, she ended the call already. I looked at the blank screen of my phone and imagined the shocking call I just had with Erika'a daughter. I knew that she needed me, and I was ready to go. I didn't ca
Charles' POVThe dancing clubbers suddenly turned to still stones. David was standing with his nose covered in blood. The blood has also stained his shirt. " You motherfucker." David looked at his hands. I attacked him again, pushing him to the ground and delivering blows to his nostrils. The lady with him screamed, but no one was brave enough to pull me away from him. " Charles, enough!" Bruce tore me away from him and held my hands behind my back. " Are you fucking insane?!" David was shocked. " What the hell is wrong with you?" " That's what you get for cheating on Erika!" I fired at him. " How dare you cheat on her? She is too good for you!"" Why do you care?!" He fired at me. " I wasn't the one who disgraced her in front of hundreds of people years ago!" " Let go of me, Bruce." I shut my eyes. " Just for one damn minute!"Bruce didn't listen, if anything he held me tighter than before. I wanted to kill David, I didn't even care what was going to happen afterward. I didn
Charles' POVMy whole day was in shambles, I couldn't get over the fact that she asked me to leave her office without answering my questions. I went back to my own company, but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't attend my meetings, I couldn't do my work because she was always on my mind, I couldn't help it. By the time I was able to step out of my thoughts and looked out of the window, I realized that the day was already gone. The sun was gone and the sky was covered in a dark blanket. I pushed my hair back. I couldn't believe that I did nothing, I just sat at my table – I didn't even eat– for a whole day. My door was opened and Linda entered, her hand holding a cup of coffee. " Hi." She smiled. " Hi." I took it from her, that would be like the first thing I was eating today. The steam came to my face and the sweet scent of the coffee I drank from the cup. " All your meetings were canceled." She said to me, " They are rescheduled for tomorrow, except you want me to postpone
Erika's POVThe wave of shock massively swooped me, but I managed to keep myself together. Did Charles Evans just offer to give him cherries that he bought from the roadside? Has he changed that much?If there was one thing I remembered about Charles, it was the fact that he was obsessed with hygiene. Yes, as obsessed as he was with mathematics, robots, and his company. I couldn't believe that the beat freak I knew was offering something he bought from the roadside. The truth was that he was right, I loved cherries to the death of me, but I wasn't going to take it from him. I wasn't going to give him the impression that everyone was all roses and rainbows with us again. He held the cherries close to himself, and his huge shoulders dropped. " I– I didn't know that you hated cherries now." He looked at the pack in his hands. " They were like your favorite thing, forever." " Yeah, until they weren't." I started to scroll to my phone, there was just a lot I have to catch up with.