CHAPTER 5: CHARLOTTE

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and saw a different woman.

The mole on my right cheek vanished and moved to the left. My hair that once were long and straight became shorter and wavy. I was wearing an off-shoulder top paired with a skinny white washed jeans and high stilettos. Something that I never wanted to wear.

Well, of that changed when I became a different person.

“What is your name?”

“My name is Amelia Castro.”

Sarah, the woman who trained me to become Charlotte Greene nodded her head, “That’s right. And where did you live for the past three years?”

“I-I live in an island as a flower shop owner together with my grandmother named Cecilia Castro.”

“How old are you?”

“My grandma told me I am already twenty-eight years old.”

She began clapping her hands while smiling at me, “Good job, Carmine. You really made it. You are going to pretend as the Charlotte Greene who lost her memories after the plane crash. At least in that way, you won’t have to know everything about Charlotte Greene. Instead, Sylus would be the one to tell you that. Gosh, you look exactly like her. I really think she is your long-lost twin.”

“I think so too.”

“Just don’t feel nervous when you’re already in front of him. I don’t think he would even suspect you.”

“Carmine, I’m so sorry if you have to do this. Always remember that no matter what happens, we’ll be here for you. If anything goes wrong, just back off. I’d rather lose this company than lose you,” grandpa said to me as he hugged me tightly.

“Thank you, grandpa. I will do this for the company…”

The moment I moved away from grandpa, dad then approached me next, “I am so lucky to have a daughter like you, Carmine. Ever since you were a kid, you always make sure to make us proud. You got this, my daughter. Dad is always cheering for you.”

“Thanks, dad.”

***

All of my life, I have always played the role of the perfect daughter. Obeys her parents, does everything to meet their expectations, and risk everything to make them happy. I can say that my happiness is solely depending on how much they would be proud of me.

For a week, I had to live in an island together with Sarah who pretended to be an older woman. Some of our men brings us some food every day and for some reason, I think the people living there somehow believed our pretention and so the flower shop flourished, too.

“W-What are you doing and who are you?! Take me back to my grandma! I don’t want to go with you!” I kept on resisting form the grip of the man who just took me and put me inside a helicopter.

“I’m really sorry Miss, but we have to take you to our boss. We just need to confirm something before we let you go.”

“Who’s boss are you talking about?! I don’t care about him! I’m the person you are looking for, so just let me go!”

I kept on resisting and pushing them away, but in the end I had no choice but to go with them until we reached an enormous mansion that almost looked like a castle.

I could feel my heart beating so fast the moment we arrived inside a room that looked as if it was an office. Most of the pieces of furniture were painted either black or grey.

“Please wait for our boss here, Miss—

“Amelia Castro,” I immediately replied.

The man nodded his head, “Miss Amelia Castro.”

When the man finally left, I roamed my eyes around the room. The room looked dark and plain. There was a golden nameplate on the desk with a name ‘Sylus Crivello’ engraved on it.

That’s right. That is the name of Charlotte Greene’s husband. I wonder what kind of man he is.

All of a sudden, I heard the door open. My heart instantly started beating so fast the moment I heard some footsteps going towards me. When I turned around, I saw a tall, strikingly handsome man wearing a black tuxedo.

I noticed how his gaze softened the moment our eyes met.

“C-Charlotte?”

I just caught myself staring at him while feeling my heart still beating so fast as if it would actually jump off my chest. It was the very first time I have seen such a handsome man in person. I don’t really find men handsome, but he does look handsome. Without any exaggeration, handsome is actually an understatement to describe him.

What am I even saying?

“My name’s not Charlotte. My name is Amelia Castro, okay? Are you the boss that those men kept on talking about? Look, I don’t even know what you want from me, but I am not the person you’re looking for.”

“Amelia Castro?” he said, his brows were furrowed.

I nodded my head, “That’s right. That is my name.”

I got surprised when he suddenly cupped both of my cheeks and started staring at my face as if he was trying to memorize and check every detail of it.

“No, it can’t be. You look exactly like my wife… Charlotte…”

He pulled me close to him and hugged me tightly. For some reason, his embrace felt warm. It felt as if I was really his missing wife. It felt somehow familiar, yet foreign.

When he moved away from me, he looked at me again with a smile on his face, “We’ve been looking for you for three years. And now you’re finally here, my wife…”

I tried pushing him away, but he was too strong that he was able to keep me in his arms.