CHARLOTTETHREE MONTHS LATERToday was my wedding day. As I walked down the hall towards my husband, my eyes watered, lips stretched into a smile.I took one step after another, and my mind flashed back to the day he officially proposed to me.*“Come on, get ready. I want to show you something,” Nathan said as he tugged me out of bed.I frowned.I had been feeling sluggish today and wasn't particularly interested in going out.Besides, I wanted to finish the romance novel I was reading, but Nathan didn't budge as he tugged me up.“I promise it will be worth your time. Please?” he pouted, and I laughed at his cute appearance.I gave in and got dressed.He waited patiently for me, and since it was almost dusk, I decided to wear a beautiful strapless gown he got for me the other day.Nathan whistled as he took in my appearance.“I don't know where we are going though. Is this alright?” I asked, and Nathan just nodded.“You're perfect. Come on, let's go.”Nathan was in a perfectly good m
NATHANI met Lucy the day after Charlie found her, and she explained everything she knew.Lucy explained how sad and heartbroken my mother was and how she tried to hide all of her broken feelings from me.She told me how my father and his wife, Melina, killed my mother to take over the company, which was rightfully hers.When my parents got married, my mother was just the rich daughter of rich parents. But after her parents' death, the company automatically passed to her.I guess that was when William started to abuse her.As her husband, he had rights to the company, but my mother held all the power.The company was to be mine when I came of age, but William and Melina killed my mother and took over, making me a CEO while still having the company in their grasp.I thanked Lucy profoundly for agreeing to talk to me.She permitted me, so I recorded all the information and took it to the police as evidence.William was arrested, along with his wife, Melina.My father was furious that I
NATHANThe sun rose before us, and I was still sleepy when the doorbell rang. I frowned as I glanced at the time.It was seven in the morning.Who could be at our doorstep this early?I groaned at the relentless ringing, and Charlotte's body became aware of mine.She opened her eyes and met my gaze, a smile on her lips. My heart skipped a beat as she smiled at me.She was so gorgeous, damn. Her smile, sleepy eyes, and messy hair made my head flutter, and I leaned in to kiss her.“Good morning,” I whispered. She nuzzled against me.“Good morning. I thought I heard the doorbell ringing,” she yawned as she sat up.As if on cue, the doorbell rang again.Charlotte wrapped a robe around her body, and we padded to the living room to see who it was.I asked her to step back while I opened the door.It was a delivery man.Several delivery men.The one closest to me glanced up at me before looking back at his clipboard.“Hello. Is this Ms. Charlotte's residence?” he asked, and Charlotte walked
CHARLOTTEWe spent some time with my new family, and when it got late, we decided to leave.Selina was sad to see us go. She tried to get us to stay overnight, but we told her we would come and visit her soon.Besides, we needed to get home for Charles.The drive home was silent. Nathan was focused on the road, and I kept thinking about what happened.I recalled the day's events, from the hospital visit to the massive feast, and almost combusted from the emotions running through me.By the time we got home, I was still too shell-shocked to speak, and Nathan embraced me.“You've been quiet, my love. Are you alright?” his brows were furrowed with worry, and I rested my head on his chest before I answered.“I'm fine. I am. I just can't…it's so hard to believe,” I said softly.“What is?” he asked.I had a feeling he knew what I was talking about, but he needed me to say the words, to articulate them, so that I could better understand myself.“That I finally found my new family. And they'r
CHARLOTTENathan held me for a long time, and we stayed in the restroom.During this time, I reflected on the reason I’d come here in the first place.The dawning news of my new family—my new beginning, my new home.My chest constricted, and in seconds, tears filled my eyes.I had a mother now.The thought hit me suddenly, so unexpectedly, and the first sob left my lips.A mother.One who loved me.I remembered our encounters and how warm she made me feel, how she laughed with me, how she made me feel at peace.I remembered our connection and the ease with which she related to me.I remembered our shopping spree and how she convinced me to play dress-up. I remembered us laughing at our ridiculous dresses and how beautiful they were.Selina loved me right from the first day we met at the beach.The sob turned into full-fledged tears.Nathan patted me on the back, saying nothi
CHARLOTTEA few days later, Selina called me to inform me that the DNA test results were ready.Nathan drove my nervous self to the hospital.When we got there, we saw Selina outside. She was bouncing on the tips of her legs and immediately embraced me when she saw me.“Hi, Selina. Shall we go in now?” I asked, but the older woman shook her head negatively.“Oh, there's no need for that, my darling. I already got the results. Here, see for yourself,” she said, handing a document to me.My heart pounded, and my hands shook slightly as I opened the document.I gasped when I saw it, tears springing into my eyes.I was Selina's daughter.Selina was my biological mother.A sob escaped my throat as I read the confirmation over and over.After all these years of searching, all these years of misconceptions and lies.After all these years of suffering, of paying for a crime she didn't