Chapter 6: Find Liam

“Are you out of your mind?” Charlotte heard Timothy say. 

“I’m telling you, I gave her an extra dose - just a little. Remember the last time I did that? She was completely out,” Victoria reasoned. 

Charlotte was tempted to take a peak. She couldn’t understand why they hadn’t left the room yet. She inwardly said, ‘Go fuck already!’

“Come on, Tim. I want to be super naughty tonight. I haven’t seen you for three days,” Victoria begged. 

Timothy and Victoria remained to speak in low voices, but with the silence of the night, Charlotte could decipher their words.

Charlotte was lying sideways to her right when unexpectedly, Victoria pushed her to lie on her back. Victoria described, “See? She is completely out.”

“Extra dose again? I told you not to do that so often. It’s dangerous,” Timothy answered. 

Victoria’s sultry voice softened as she added, “Oh, come on. You are not turning soft on her, right?” 

The next thing Charlotte heard were their kisses and gasping. A few moans left Timothy’s lips as Victoria remarked, “You are so hard for me already.”

‘Why the hell aren’t they leaving?!’ Charlotte screamed in her head. They were wasting time. They should be cheating on her in the guest room where her phone had been set up to record their affair. 

To Charlotte’s shock, she felt the bed dipped. The bed was getting restless as their kisses resumed. She next heard Victoria’s moan, “God, you are so big.”

Charlotte was aghast! They were doing it in bed, right next to her!

She was bouncing lightly on the mattress because of their actions. Charlotte wanted to open her eyes and lash at them, but recalling how Timothy could easily overpower her, she knew it wasn’t a good idea. Besides, she needed to catch Timothy and prove his infidelity to hasten her divorce. 

Charlotte had to tolerate hearing their erotic sighs. Their skins touched her hand a few times, making her want to throw up! 

As much as she did not want to cry, a single tear left the corner of her eye. They were not tears of pain anymore, no. They were tears of anger. Moreover, knowing they dared to do it in their bed as she slept simply added insult. 

Fortunately for Charlotte, Timothy came fast. She heard him grunt his release, and they kissed soon after. 

“That was the best sex I have ever had,” Timothy softly claimed. 

“It’s the thrill, you see. I’m so much better than Charlotte, right?” Victoria suggested. “I’m so much more beautiful and sexier than her. I never really understood what you saw in her.”

“You are so much better in bed. Now, get out of here before she wakes up,” Timothy admitted.

Charlotte sensed a slight alleviation of pressure on the bed. She heard Victoria say, “You promised me you would divorce her, right?”

“Yes, after I get the CEO position. Be patient, Victoria,” Timothy replied. “We have a long way to go.”

“It’s okay. I can wait,” Victoria responded, and even with Charlotte’s eyes closed, she could tell her fake best friend was smiling triumphantly. 

Charlotte did not get to sleep at all. How could she? Her eyes were closed for the rest of the hours, but her mind was wide awake. 

***

Charlotte wanted to get up early but would rather fake her sleep than see Timothy and Victoria leave the house together.  

When Charlotte heard the car leaving the driveway, she jerked awake. Tears uncontrollably fell down her cheeks as she changed into her workout clothes. 

As soon as she stepped outside her house, she ran to the furthest vacant lot in their gated community. It was there that she screamed her frustrations. 

“Aaah! I hate you! I hate both of you!” Charlotte found a maple tree and kicked it with her might. Poor maple tree received the blow of all Charlotte’s anger. 

Charlotte spent an hour in that vacant lot, letting it all out. After calming herself, she realized her mistake. She put herself at risk, knowing the revelations might trigger her anger and knowing that Timothy could hurt her easily.  

“That was stupid, Charlotte,” she scolded herself. “You got a second chance. Don’t screw it!”

She jogged back to the house, got in front of her laptop, and searched for information about Liam. Charlotte reached out to her old high school friends, hoping to find a connection. Some replied, while some failed to see her message. None of them had direct contact with Liam. 

Next, she also checked the social media pages of all Diamond Hotels, and it was on Swaxon’s local page that she found the answer she was looking for. Her eyes lit up, seeing the announcement. She read, “Visit us during our grand opening, only here at Diamond Hotel Plus Swaxon!”

Charlotte felt goosebumps all over. It was as if there was a reason why she came back four years in time. The Diamond Hotel Plus in Swaxon, the same hotel chain where Liam was the CEO, was having its grand opening that day!

“Our CEO, Mister Liam Wright, will join us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony!” She read excitedly.  

Charlotte checked the time and realized she only had an hour before the grand opening. There was no telling how long Liam would linger in Swaxon. Thus, she wasted no time and showered next. 

After drying her body, she searched for the best dress to wear. When she studied herself in the mirror, she frowned and said, “Fuck, I need to slim down!”

“Charlotte Strauss! Liam didn’t care when you were skin and bones! He surely won’t care if you are chubby!” She scolded herself while rushing to put on light makeup. 

Once she was all dolled up, she called an Uber and left to find Liam. 

***

Arriving at the Diamond Hotel Plus, Charlotte saw the crowd of reporters dispersed in front of the hotel. It meant only one thing; the ribbon cutting was over!

She rushed to the hotel in a panic, her eyes scanning every corner of the lobby. When she did not find Liam, she approached the front desk, asking, “Hi, I’d like to speak to Liam Wright. May I know if he is still around?”

The woman in front of her looked at her colleague before addressing Charlotte. She asked, “Did you have an appointment with Mister Liam Wright, Miss?”

“Um.” Charlotte gulped. “No, but he knows me, and I need to see him. It’s urgent.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you. We don’t even get to speak to the boss randomly, Miss. He always requires an appointment before meeting anybody,” the front desk said. She picked up a calling card and gave it to Charlotte. “This is his office’s contact number. You can -”

“Mister Wright! Mister Wright. Do you have any comments about your competitors’ claims of being the next leading hotel condominium in the country?” Suddenly, Charlotte heard the commotion behind her. 

Her head snapped in the direction of two reporters chasing after Liam. He had come out from one hallway, about to leave the hotel. While his bodyguard and hotel security surrounded him, he merely looked straight, aiming for the exit. 

Her mouth fell on the floor, seeing the opportunity before her. She called, “Liam! Liam!”

He did not hear her. The hotel security staff tried blocking her as she rushed in his direction. Still, she screamed, “It’s Charlotte! It’s me! Charlotte Strauss! Liam!”

Finally, she caught his attention. He slowly peered toward her, and his green-colored eyes met her hazel orbs. 

Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat.

“Liam.”