Chapter 7 The Suspicion

Charles PoV

"What do you mean, we're getting complaints?" Charles asked angrily. "Everything was fine all this time, why are there complaints all of a sudden? Are you guys doing your job properly?"

"Mr. Frederick, this is all because of the new design that came out. Customers are dissatisfied because they think there are a lot of insignificant changes and they don't like it," Eren said. He is the chief of marketing division.

"I'll be there soon," Charles said impatiently.

"What's wrong, honey?" asked Gina who was woken up from her sleep by Charles' loud voice. "You disturbed my sleep!"

Charles felt annoyed because Gina was pouting. He took his jacket and put it on. His mind was tangled.

"There's a problem at the office," Charles said. "I'll be gone for a while."

"But, who will accompany me here," Gina asked in surprise. "I don't want to be alone."

"Gina, you're safe here," Charles said in a firm tone. "If anything happens, you can call the nurse and they will take good care of you. I have to work. Not going to the office for a few days makes all the work unmanageable."

"I want you to accompany me here, Charles. I feel like my body hasn't fully recovered yet and I'm worried that our baby will have problems again," Gina said sulkingly.

Charles' heart was upset, but he remembered what Nelson, his cousin who was also an obstetrician responsible for Gina, said. He had to take good care of Gina.

"Baby, I'll be quick," Charles said while stroking Gina's cheek. "This is for our future. I want to give the best for our child later and if the problems in my company are left alone, I'm afraid they will get bigger. Can you understand?"

Gina sighed and nodded, although she was still pouting. "Come back quickly."

Charles went to his company and received a report about several clients who filed complaints against the new design that was launched earlier.

"Mr. Travis from Travis and McGregor said that he doesn't like the way the windows are arranged, saying that it doesn't match the original plan," Eren said. He opened the blueprints on the table. "He asked us to change this and this."

"Gosh! That's going to take more time and money," Charles snapped in annoyance.

"Unfortunately, regarding the changes requested by the client if there are any discrepancies, the cost is already included in the total price they paid. So far everything has always been safe, because the initial designs we submitted to them were all in accordance with what they wanted," Eren said. "Those were designs made by Mrs. Frede-- ah, sorry, I mean, designs by Ms. Darren."

Charles snorted. He was annoyed because it turned out that the new designers he brought into the company to replace Nathalie couldn't produce designs that were better than Nathalie's, instead causing complaints from the clients.

"This is also a complaint from Mrs. Emma, from the Becker Trans company. They said that the latest design we submitted was not as good as the previous design and they said that they would not extend the contract if we did not provide a design like the one they initially got," Eren continued.

All of the client's complaints gave Charles a headache, when he finally finished discussing it with Eren.

He returned to his room and vented his anger by sweeping everything on the table.

The stationery box was in disarray on the floor and all its contents were scattered, his name plaque was thrown, as well as several documents and papers scattered on the floor.

Charles felt frustrated. Why did his company decline even though Nathalie had only left for a short time.

All the designers hired by Charles had unquestionable skills. They were creative and skilled people who already had a good reputation in their fields.

Remembering Nathalie, Charles remembered something and he gathered the papers scattered on the floor, looking for something.

This is it!

Charles picked up a few sheets of paper from the floor. It was the divorce papers with Nathalie.

Nathalie's signature was very clear and firm on the sheet of paper and after the euphoria was over, then problems came, now Charles just realized that with Nathalie's character that he knew, she would not have easily signed the divorce papers.

Or... Did he actually not know anything about Nathalie all this time?

"My father's expenses have all been taken care of and he has been moved to the VIP room!"

That sentence slapped Charles and made him feel insulted. Nathalie thought she could be better after separating from him. Start with her father medical bill.

Charles had indeed paid for Nathalie's father's insurance all this time, but that was with the lowest class of care and the cheapest class.

He had quite a lot of needs to fulfill and he was also not a rich person who liked to waste money on things that were not necessary for him.

However, Nathalie's father had been sick for a long time and he was constantly in and out of the hospital. Charles considered that he might need to prepare for long-term care costs, so he only took the cheapest class.

In fact, he had not paid his insurance for the past three months because he was busy with all of Gina's family affairs.

The most important question was, rather than Nathalie paying the VIP class which was several times the amount of the class he usually paid, not to mention covering the late fines.

Feelings of annoyance and suspicion crept into Charles' mind. Could it be that all this time, Nathalie had actually been cheating on him and the man she was having an affair with was the one paying for all of Nathalie's father's needs?

If he could have an affair with Gina, it was not impossible that Nathalie could also have an affair with another man behind his back and all of Nathalie's anger and tears were just an act.

It could be that Nathalie had actually been waiting to divorce him because her lover was waiting for her. She just didn't want to look guilty and she cleverly waited for Charles to make the first mistake.

The thought of that made Charles furious. That was why Nathalie quickly signed the divorce papers, without drama and in fact, she firmly refused to see Charles again for any business.

And her voice when Nathalie said about her father's business, made Charles clench his fists.

He grabbed the phone from the table, thinking of calling Nathalie and asking who she was having an affair with, but his phone lit up and Gina's name was displayed, calling him.

Charles sighed in annoyance. Gina has become too spoiled lately.

"Hello? Gina, I'm not done yet. There's still work to--"

"Honey, my mother was arrested by the police," Gina cried in panic. "Please release her, please... I'm so worried! Release her, honey!"

"What? Arrested by the police?" Charles asked in panic. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know, but please release her immediately," Gina snapped, increasingly worried. "The police asked for some money as a bail to release her."

"I'll take care of it," Charles said after a while and hung up.

Damn it! Who knows what Gina's mother did to get arrested by the police. It must be about money again and he's the one who has to bear it.

He put the divorce papers in a desk drawer and called his assistant.

"Go to the police station and release a woman named Marla Trenton. Just pay whatever bail the police ask for," Charles said in a gloomy tone.

Roland, his assistant, raised his eyebrows. "Marla Trenton? And what am I supposed to tell the police if they ask what the bond issuer's relationship is to the prisoner?"

Charles took a deep breath. "She's... My future mother-in-law."