“What?” Charlotte gasped. “If you don’t leave, I’ll run over all of you! Just try and see,” Xavier warned, winding down his window and yelling at the reporters who only pushed more cameras into his face. Charlotte stared open-mouthed at everything going on. There were several cameras and microphones in her face, but she just gaped at them and said nothing. Xavier was still arguing with the reporters who only swarmed around him the more. He yelled obscenities at them as he struggled to find a way out, things she had never heard him say before. He didn’t appear surprised by their allegations. He was acting differently now, but that was excusable. He was angry. But that didn’t mean he could murder someone. The commotion was too much, but she seemed out of it. How could they say that Xavier was a murderer? Hadn’t they done enough? “Ma’am,” the reporter who had given her the bad news prodded, holding the edges of the open window so that no one else would take her spot. “What does it fe
Xavier pushed past the woman and entered the emergency room even though he knew he wasn’t allowed in there yet. “How is she?” He asked aloud, and rushed to Charlotte’s side when he saw she was awake. “How do you feel?” He asked Charlotte, sitting beside her and holding her hands tenderly in his. “Alright,” she said with a weak voice. “Is she fit to be taken out of this hospital?” He asked the nurses who had remained silent since he barged into the room. “She’s fine, just a little weak, so yes she can be taken home now,” one of the nurses responded. “Okay,” he nodded and dialed a number on his phone. “I need you to come to Primerose Memorial hospital right now.” He held a hand over the receiver and asked the nurse, “Is there a back door that not many people know of that I can take her through?” The head nurse shook her head. “No there isn’t.” “There is,” the first nurse who came out to meet him said. The others glared at her. “It’s not accessible to patients or visitors!” “Do
“Lethal injection?” Charlotte asked with wide eyes. “Yes,” he replied with a nod. Charlotte felt a chill run down her spine. That was such a grievous offense. Why would he ever try to cover it up? “Did you ever find the person that did it?” She asked, fearing the answer. He sighed. “Yes. It was him.” She squinted, confused. “Him?” “His sickness worried him. He didn’t want to watch it slowly take his life from him. He wanted things to end on his own terms. I discouraged him from going ahead with it when he told me, but I should have taken more measures to prevent it from happening.”“Oh, he…” she started, but didn’t have the mind to utter the words. “Yes,” he said, looking at her like he knew she didn’t fully believe him. “The procedure is not legal in the state. When I found out, I was disappointed, but it was already too late. Unfortunately, the autopsy results were announced publicly without my consent and an investigation was carried out. When I tried to halt it, I became th
They stood outside in the balcony in silence for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts. No words needed to be exchanged. Basking in the peace that simply being with him brought was enough. They watched the sun set and when she yawned, he suggested they go inside. Even though she didn’t feel remotely sleepy, she lay on the bed beside him and closed her eyes. She had no desire to operate her phone or even switch on the Tv. She didn’t want to come across any news station or article talking about her and Xavier. He adjusted her until she was lying on him, with her head on his chest and his hands over her neck. “Thanks for believing me,” he said after a while. “I was married to your nephew for the worst two years of my life. From him, I know what the rest of his family is like,” she said. “I would be a fool not to believe you.” He laughed, but it sounded strained. “I am also a part of his family.” “But they all hate you so that means you’re doing something right.” “I guess
"Good morning," Xavier said with a lazy smile when Charlotte opened her eyes that morning. "Good morning," she greeted back with a blush when she realized she was still lying on top of him. That was weird because she was an active sleeper and never remained in the same position all night. "You kept slipping off but I placed you here myself," he answered her unasked question, while removing a strand of hair that slightly covered her eye. "Oh," she muttered, suddenly feeling self-conscious now that it was bright everywhere. It was one thing to fondle and bang each other's brains out at night, but it was another to face him the next morning, completely naked and under the full glare of the daylight. Daylight, where everyone could see everything. Her eyes popped open when a sudden thought occurred to her. "What if there are cameras here?" she asked with a note of alarm in her voice. Xavier didn't seem perturbed. His lips curved up a little in amusement at her worry. "The Prime mini
“My father is not impressed that he’s the only one bringing in money for my wedding,” Valerie complained bitterly to her fiancé, Jonah. “Do you want people to laugh at me? They’re already saying I ended up with Charlotte’s sloppy seconds and now you can’t even afford the wedding you promised everyone would be a million times better than your uncle’s wedding.” “I’ll get the money,” Jonah assured her, holding back his hurt at her demeaning words. “My mother has gotten Xavier’s attention. It’s only a matter of time before he responds and pays us to stop speaking about the case.” Valerie stared at her husband in disgust. This was beyond embarrassing. Her soon-to-be husband had no money of his own, refused to get a job and was proud to admit that his hopeful source of income would come from slandering his uncle and being paid to shut up. How did her life go downhill like this? Her father, Sir White berated her everyday for ending up with the loser Roman. He had constantly pushed for he
Charlotte woke up with a smile sometime the next morning, although she didn't know what was causing it. She was extremely excited as she writhed on the bed, a plethora of pleasures washing all over her. The excitement settled in one part of her, making her moan out loudly. "Xavier?" she whispered. "Mmh," he said with his mouth full from between her legs. He increased the pressure of his tongue on her clit when he realized she was awake, and added an extra finger inside of her. She gasped loudly, and shut her mouth immediately with the palm of her hand, but he only increased his pace as if he wanted her to keep screaming and announce to everyone who cseed to know, that she was being greatly pleasured by him. He made slurping sounds as he lapped her juices up in his mouth like a starved man. One leg was on his back while the other was pressed against the bed, spreading her open and giving him complete access to pleasure her. His hands reached under her shirt to play with her nipples
“It’s beautiful,” Charlotte exclaimed, looking down at the view from the Montmartre. There were several other couples around them, exploring what was rumored to be one of the most romantic places to visit in Paris. “Just like you,” Xavier said, kissing her slightly. She stared at him for a few seconds, smitten but smiled back when she realized she had been staring and turned back to look at the view. When he did stuff like that, it felt too real. That nagging voice returned again, but she tuned it off, deciding to focus on what truly nattered. Xavier's hand wrapped around the small of her waist as they stared out at the surrounding areas of Paris together. "They don't call it the city of love for no reason," he remarked. Many other people were in their position, probably tourists like the , holding hands together as couples and looking down, completely in love. She ignored them and rested her head on Xavier’s chest, letting herself bask in the warmth she felt in that moment, not
“It’s time for bed, Caleb. Let’s go,” Charlotte told Caleb with her arms crossed over her chest, giving him no room to argue. “Just let me win this game…” he argued absently, more focused on the game he was playing on his iPad. “You’ve spent your extra fifteen minutes,” she said, taking the device out of his grasp. He frowned, but conceded in the end. “Fine.” As Charlotte tucked him into bed, she couldn’t imagine how the times had changed. It had been six months since Laura had been taken away, her parents had been released and since she had started running her own business. Caleb had started therapy again, and it had definitely worked. These days, he spoke so often and did whatever he wanted to do that it was hard to believe he had been the same mute boy from months ago. He had just turned four, but the topic of his birth mother never came up fortunately. He seemed to blend right in, just as sweet and annoying as any other four year old boy. “I love you mommy,” he wh
When Charlotte saw Jonah being led out by a prison ward officer, she froze and started to wonder what she had been so scared about. He looked nothing like he did before. He had slimmed down to an almost unrecognizable state and his face looked like he had permanently lost the ability to smile. He walked with the slouch of someone that had given up on life in general. Charlotte doubted that whatever he was going through had happened in that prison in such a short time. “You can wait for me,” Charlotte whispered to Carlos who reluctantly left her side when he understood. “Hi,” Jonah said when he was sitting opposite her. He tried to smile, but it ended up looking like a grimace. He couldn’t meet her eyes. “Hi,” she said simply. She couldn’t let him see she pitied him. “How have you been?” He managed to ask. “You look good.” She couldn’t say the same for him. “Why did you call me here, Jonah?” “Straight to the point like always, huh?” He said with something she suspec
Xavier could only relax comfortably when they were back on the jet and on their way back to California. He could finally let himself be convinced that his dream had been nothing more than that. It hadn’t been a sign of anything, because it had gone on perfectly with no dramatic appearances from anyone. Unfortunately, the thought of one day running into Laura again came often to him and disoriented him. However, he always pushed that possibility away to the back of his mind. He had run a background check on the psych ward Don had placed her and from his research, it was a very exclusive place, so her chances of leaving were lower than zero. It was like a madhouse for wealthy people to drop off their family members who had lost it through drug use of whatever means. Their security was so prioritized that it was practically impossible to get in or get out unless the very owner of the establishment permitted. There was also no possible way Laura could bribe anyone there. It was afte
“Xavier, wake up! Wake up!” The sound of the female voice calling out to him sounded so distant at first, but the hand violently shaking his shoulders brought him back to consciousness. He was breathing fast, as his eyes got accustomed to the light around him, his chest heaving rapidly. “Are you okay?” Charlotte asked him, peering into his eyes as she touched the sides of his face. He could see the fear in her eyes as she studied him. “Charlotte,” he whispered, holding her arms and wrapping her in a tight hug. She was alive, here in front of him. “You’re alive.” “Yeah,” she said uncertainly, hugging him back. “Did anyone kill me?” She asked with a chuckle. He finally pulled out of the hug and glanced around. They were still in the jet, on their way to Orlando. He had just had a bad dream. “Where’s Caleb?” He asked. “Right here,” she said, pointing at a part of the jet where a small makeshift bed had been made for Caleb to lie on. “Is everything okay?” “Yeah,
After bidding Kate and her family goodbye, Xavier and Kate had to take the journey back, while consoling Caleb, who couldn’t understand why the twins had to leave without him. It was a Saturday, and for the first time in such a long time, Xavier had a free day. They all decided to spend the day together, to make up for Caleb’s friends leaving. Charlotte was extremely happy. She chatted and laughed all the way to the four seasons Orlando, where they decided to spend the day with their son, since he had seen a video about it online and wouldn’t shut up about going there. She held Caleb’s shoulders during takeoff in Xavier’s private jet, more to distract herself than him. No matter how often she rode in the jet, she still got jittery when they had to go anywhere in it. She had made an appointment with Dr Anna that morning and she couldn’t wait to finally carry out the surgery the week after. “Are we really going to Orlando?” Caleb asked, peering out of the window of the jet.
The ride home was mostly silent, with Xavier at the backseat, pondering on all that had happened that day while Carlos drove them home, shooting glances at his boss from time to time. “How was your break?” Xavier asked all of a sudden and Carlos cleared his throat. “Great. Thanks again for it. I really needed it,” he said with a smile. “How did it feel to have an actual conversation with her after so long?” Carlos sighed. “Not as bad as I thought. I actually feel better. Thanks for advising me to do it. We cleared some things out. She was mature about it and that’s that.” Xavier nodded and looked out the window at the trees that were zooming past. He remembered when Carlos had come to him for help when having to see Kate after the history they had was threatening to drive him insane. He had advised him to take a break, and then discuss with her when he was ready. It seemed to have worked. Carlos looked like himself again. It had been weird to find out that there had been a
“When will you come back, daddy?” Caleb’s little voice came over the phone and Xavier smiled. He could picture his son standing next to Charlotte and holding the phone to his ear with both his hands. “I’ll be there this night, I promise,” he replied. From the corner of his eye, he saw Private trying to get his attention. “Take care of mom for me, okay? I’ll see you soon.” “Bye daddy,” Caleb said and Xavier nodded before he ended the call. “What’s up?” He asked Private. “She’s causing a scene, boss. She’s yelling at everyone and she even pushed her brother and broke a glass on the doctor’s head when he tried to sedate her,” Private told him. There was an urgency in his private investigator’s voice as he reported to him, but there was also a hint of amusement in his tone. Xavier rolled his eyes and walked past him toward the ward he had left to answer his wife’s call. “Why was there glass next to her in the first place?” He asked no one in particular when he enterrés t
“My daddy used to beat my mommy before that woman took me and told she’s my real mommy,” Caleb explained the best way he could. “He told me he’s not my real daddy and that my mommy sold me to him.” “Wait, wait,” Charlotte told him. She had no idea what he was talking about and the more he spoke, the more confused she became. None of what he was saying made any sense. At this point, he was just throwing the words ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ around. “Laura, the woman that brought you to us, she’s your mommy, isn’t she?” She asked him slowly, hoping his answers would make sense to her this time. He shook his head. “That’s what she told me and then she brought me here after,” he said. “So you had other parents before she came?” She asked and he nodded. When Charlotte realized he wouldn’t give her an understandable answer, she decided to stop asking him so that he wouldn’t confuse her more. Since Xavier had gone out to find answers, this one might be one of them. She would ask him wh
“Mommy!” Caleb squealed when he saw Charlotte and ran up to her. She carried him up and enveloped him in a tight hug. She was still not used to him calling her ‘mommy’, but hearing it was so natural and calming. Whenever she was with him, she secretly hoped something would happen to Laura or that she would say she didn’t want him again. She didn’t think she would be able to move on if he had to leave to go back to his real mother. “Did you miss me?” She asked, tickling his tummy. “Uh huh,” he replied, laughing and trying to get her hand away from him. Charlotte kissed him on the forehead and carefully set him back on his feet. She held his small hand and allowed him to lead her into the house. She had been in a sour mood after the meeting with her parents, but just a few minutes with Caleb had softened her up. Kate looked at her and smiled. With a playful frown, she nudged Caleb and asked him why he didn’t notice her. He started to laugh. “What did you do today while we were g