Chapter 4: Planning

“Timothy is coming over to fetch me. Am I really ready to see him?” While taking a shower, Charlotte asked herself. 

Then, the next image that flashed in her head was how Timothy and Victoria were having sex. She suddenly felt the urge to stab them with a knife!

“No, Charlotte. You are better than them,” she reprimanded herself. 

Charlotte concluded that she must act normally around Timothy and Victoria. She needed to be that clueless woman who had no idea of their affair. Otherwise, Charlotte would alert them. She could not risk for their plans to change.

She considered simply asking for a divorce, but then she recalled their prenuptial agreement. Timothy would be entitled to fifty percent of her company shares at Strauss Asset Investments if she left the marriage without justification. If Timothy would ask for a divorce, he would get nothing. 

“Then, I need to prove Timothy’s affair with Victoria,” she decided. 

Her company shares were only a portion of her paternal family’s wealth. When Pete died in her past life, several properties were transferred to her name, including stocks of different companies he had invested in. 

Charlotte was the sole inheritor of her grandparent’s wealth, which was what Victoria and Timothy were all after. Her father was an only child, and he died when Charlotte was in high school. 

“But why?” Charlotte speculated. “The Cash family was not lacking in any money. So maybe, it was just Victoria who wanted it all?”

‘I hate you and your grandfather. I hate your father the most! Sorry that you had to pay the price.’ Victoria’s words rang in her head. Charlotte’s eyes narrowed, thinking, “There is something more. Something that had to do with my father and my grandfather.”

Charlotte thought she knew Victoria well, but maybe not. She muttered, “I need to have someone investigate Victoria.”

She also recognized that getting a divorce was just part of the solution. She must get Timothy out of the company for good and look into his family. 

With so many things to consider, she suddenly felt her head aching. She pointed out, “One at a time, Charlotte. One at a time. Let’s start with their affair. Once you prove the affair, you can get a divorce. Then, find Liam.”

“Liam,” Charlotte thought of him again. She frowned and considered rearranging her plans, “Or, should I find Liam first?”

“But what would I say to Liam? Hey Liam, you told me you loved me before I died. Apparently, you never got over me,” She scoffed at herself, rolling her eyes. It dawned on her how she may appear presumptuous. 

After Charlotte had bathed, she returned to her bedroom to fetch some clothes when she saw the man she had called the love of her life. 

Rage filled her heart. Standing before her was her good-for-nothing husband. 

Timothy Cash.

While wrapped in a towel, Charlotte rested her hand behind her back and balled it into a fist. 

“Charlotte, I heard.” The compassion in his voice was so deceiving. 

Remembering Victoria’s admission, she and her husband had already been screwing for months, maybe already a year now. For all Charlotte knew, they were secretly meeting in hotels, doing it in the car, or openly using their home, where Victoria could visit at any time. 

Timothy embraced Charlotte. He said, “It’s okay. We will look into other options. I will go with you to see the doctor again.” 

For a fleeting moment, she recalled the love they once shared, but she would not be deceived this time. Charlotte knew it was all an act. The Timothy she had once loved was gone. 

She gently pushed Timothy away and requested, “I want to rest from all this.” She walked up to her closet and picked a dress, saying, “I think I need a break.”

“A break?” He asked. “What do you have in mind, Love?”

‘Love.’ Charlotte held her brow from raising at the way he addressed her. Instead, she breathed in and answered, “Maybe, I need time away. I want to take a leave from the company for a few days.” 

Charlotte turned, adding, “Maybe stay here with my grandparents for a while. Is that okay?”

‘Come on. Say yes. Say yes,’ Charlotte said in her head. 

“Charlotte, I am your husband. I should be the one to take care of you. Besides, what would the board members think if we were not staying under one roof?” He reasoned. “If you need a break from work, you can go on leave. If you need to visit your grandparents daily, that is acceptable, but we cannot allow our rivals to doubt the strength of our marriage.”

“Remember that the board of directors is now eyeing candidates for the next CEO. And if you are not by my side, I’m afraid they would get the wrong idea.” He smiled and insisted, “Our togetherness - our image as a married couple is essential.”

Charlotte’s mouth parted, unable to respond. She wondered if sleeping in the same bed as Timothy was safe.

‘Maybe it’s okay,’ she silently convinced herself. Timothy still needed her, her connections, and that healthy marriage image to become the next CEO of Strauss Asset Investments. ‘It will be easier for me to collect evidence of his affair.’

“Charlotte?” Timothy tried to get her attention. He added, “I’ve also called Victoria over. She said she was willing to stay overnight and cheer you up. That would help, right?”

Inwardly, Charlotte was fuming. Her husband just invited her best friend to comfort her? Or so that they could fuck?

‘Wait!’ Charlotte just remembered how relevant this day was. Victoria stayed overnight at their home. The next day, Charlotte’s body felt so heavy that she slept until ten and was late for work. 

‘Did they drug me again? Did they do it while I was asleep?’ She wondered. In her head, she smiled coldly. Maybe she did not have to wait long enough to catch Timothy and Victoria in the act. 

She smiled at her husband and said, “Yes, that would be great. I would love to have Victoria around. I’ll come home with you.”