CHARLESIt seems unbelievable, but my murderous sister has all but vanished into thin air, and every effort made by the police to locate her has been in vain. Even the private investigator that Sebastian hired has had no luck whatsoever. How just one woman can manage to evade capture for so long remains a mystery to many, but the fact is that Charlotte is very good at covering up her tracks.A month and two weeks after my daughter is born, Sebastian informs me that a house in the high-end neighborhood where he and my stepmother lives as neighbors has been put up for sale, in case I’m interested in purchasing it and moving.Since Jessica and I already agreed that we would prefer to live as close to each other, I go to visit her again, so that I can get her opinion on whether she wants to live there or not.“I think it’s a good place as any to live in. The question is are you going to like living there too, or are you just doing it because of Ava?” She asks me.“I’m going to like living
JESSICAIt’s been three months since I gave birth to Ava, and she’s growing much more rapidly than I can keep up with. She’s a happy, healthy baby with a bubbly personality, and seeing her beautiful smile never ceases to fill me with joy, just as it feels Charles with joy. He's no doubt her favorite person in the world, and watching them together is one of the things I like to do best.She looks so much like Charles, and therefore, like Charlotte too, something that is sometimes unnerving, but I love my daughter very much and wouldn’t give her up for the whole world. Charlotte is still nowhere to be found, but Sebastian and Charles are still on high alert, not wanting to be caught off guard which I understand, but I’m no longer comfortable.I feel like I’ve overstayed my welcome at Aunty’s place, although of course, she never gives me any reason to think so. Still, I can see the signs that my continued presence at her house has some effects, for instance, there was a day that Donald,
I listen to this unwelcome news with unaccustomed anger, an irrational urge to find and slap the hell out of whoever that bitch is overwhelming me. Charles? Looking cozy with another woman? The thought doesn’t sit right with me at all.“Oh, wow! Talk about the devil. I guess it’s more serious than I thought, then.” Carol suddenly exclaims, looking in another direction. I look in the direction in which she’s looking only to see a blonde woman walking briskly in the direction of the garden.I can’t exactly make out her features from where I’m standing, but she looks like she’s going to be beautiful, and she has a very nice figure. Scowling, I watch as she reaches where Sebastian and Charles are standing in the garden, shakes Sebastian’s hand, proceeds to ignore Charles’s extended hand, and instead, grabs him in a hug, resting her head on his chest.The irritation I’m feeling increases tenfold when he does not immediately push her away, but rather hugs her back, and says something which
It does not take long after I leave for the garden for me to start to feel bad at the way I had spoken to Charles. He had had a look of genuine confusion on his face as to why I acted the way I did.“Anyway, that’s his business. If he wants to get all chummy with blondie, by all means, let him do so, but then he can’t eat his cake and have it too.” I think spitefully to myself, trying to justify my rude behavior.A soft and gentle breeze is blowing in the garden, which is almost a replica of the one at Sebastian’s house where I was kidnapped a few years ago. I had always loved that garden, as did Carol after she got married to Sebastian.It would be nice for Charles to plant one in his compound. If we ever define our relationship, I’ll definitely enjoy spending time there, and planting numerous colorful flowers and plants, as I’m sure our daughter would too.Ava coos contentedly, and I smile at her and kiss her smooth, small forehead, breathing in her sweet baby smell, my heart awash
As soon I park my car at Sebastian’s place, I whip out my phone and place a call to Charles, as I unfasten Ava’s seat belt and carry her out of the car. Richard comes over and makes to open the backseat, no doubt so that he can carry my bag out, but I lift a finger to stop him.“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I ask before Charles can even get a word out.“What have I done again?” Is the resigned reply.“I want you to call off your dog immediately. I’m a grown-ass woman and I should be able to go wherever I want to go by myself.” I say through gritted teeth. The only sign that Richard minds being called a dog is the fleeting clench in his jaw, and then his face returns to its impassive state.“That’s a very rude thing to say. It is for your own…”“Protection, I know, but I don’t need you, your guards, or anyone protecting me. I’m very capable of doing so myself. This is getting very ridiculous.”“Might I remind you that Charlotte is still out there doing god knows what, probably mai
CHARLESAt first, I’m angry when I learn that Jessica has taken off without at least one bodyguard to keep her company. I send Richard and another guard to go after her immediately, reckoning that she wouldn’t have gone very far, but I am wrong. There is no sign of her or Ava anywhere around, and the two guards return after a while, looking defeated.“I’m probably overreacting.” I try to convince myself, but I’m doing a piss poor job of it. I know just what Charlotte - I hate to think of her as my sister - is capable of, and I know that she has a habit of striking when one least expects it. Look what she had done to Samantha for chrissakes.For someone to first shoot at a pregnant woman, and then slit her throat after doing that, shows just how evil such a person is. I actually know that she has done more than that, after all, she was once part of a cartel, and had taken delight in torturing people who wronged her cartel.It was my mother who had introduced her to the leader of the ca
JESSICAThe park is bustling with activity when I get there with my daughter. Everywhere I look, there are little kids running around and playing with each other, supervised by their parents. Everywhere I look, I see happy couples.I wonder vaguely how many of these people are truly happy couples, because each time Charles and I go out to the park with our daughter, I’m pretty sure that people regard us as happy couples too. If only that were the case. We’re happy, quite alright, or we would be once Charlotte is recaptured, but we definitely aren’t a couple.I keep an eye out for any threats, although I don’t think that Charlotte and her cohorts if she has any, will be bold enough to try anything funny in a place this crowded. I find a park bench and sit on it with my daughter, who is making happy gurgling noises, and I feed her.About thirty minutes later, I turn on my phone to check something quickly, after which I would turn it back off, otherwise, I know Charles will keep disturbi
The security at Aunty’s house is very tight, but once the guards see that I’m the one in the car with Jeff, they immediately let us in through the gates of the large estate, the relief on their faces clearly apparent. I feel a pang of guilt, knowing that the guards, especially the ones at Carol’s house must have gotten hell for letting me go out without protection.I’m ready for a fight if it comes to that, though. I’m not a child, neither am I a prisoner, and I can go wherever I want to go without needing permission from anyone or needing to be followed around like someone who doesn’t know her left from her right.“Good morning, ma’am. We were all worried sick when you didn’t come back last night. Mr. Charles sent people out to look for you, but we couldn’t find you anywhere.”“It’s alright, Jim. I went out with my friends last night, and somehow lost my phone, which is why I couldn’t call anyone and why you guys couldn’t reach me. Anyway, I left my car at the hotel where I spent the