Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Charlene woke up to the sound of her ringtone, she roamed her hand on the bed searching for her phone, she slowly opened her eyes when she was unable to reach the nightstand. She rolled over in the king size bed and took her phone on the nightstand, before she could pick up the call, it had ended.

She put the phone down on the bed, stretched her body and yawned lazily. “Gosh, it's Monday.” She covered her mouth with her hand when she yawned while looking around the room. She climbed down the bed and wore her flip flop slippers. She had spent two nights in the mansion, ever since he left she hadn't heard from him.

Charlene doffed her clothes and went to the bathroom naked, she stepped under the shower and pressed a button on the wall. The cold water fell freely down to her body, she allowed the water to soothe her skin while relaxing to the coldness of it.

In a few minutes she was done with everything, she stepped out of the bathroom in a short towel that stopped on her thighs, she shuffled to the closet. She scanned around the closet for a perfect outfit, she grabbed a black wrap top, a skinny jean and heels. She dressed up leisurely, she checked her jewelry store for a bracelet, she found a simple gold bracelet, she took it and stepped out of the closet.

She was ready to leave. She grabbed her backpack; since she preferred backpack to handbag. She hung it on her back, picked her phone on the bed before exiting the room.

“Good morning ma'am.” A maid greeted when she encountered her on the way.

“Good morning. Has Annie arrived yet?” Charlene checked for the time reads again and looked at the maid standing in front of her.

She shook her head vigorously while bowing. “She's not in the mansion yet.”

“All right.” The maid went into their room, she glanced at the door and sighed. She had taken a few steps toward the elevator when she halted, she turned around and went to the door facing the room she was sharing with Richard. She opened the door to Miguel's room, quietly entering without making any lousy sounds. She slowly closed back the door and walked up to the baby crib.

Miguel was sleeping quietly, he hadn't woken up yet. For a few seconds, she studied the baby and all she could conclude in her mind was Miguel took after his mother, his eyes and his face. She smiled brightly, she extended her hand and touched his cheek. “So cute.” She murmured and grinned cheerfully. Charlene raised up and turned around to leave the room, suddenly Miguel opened his eyes and started bawling. Charlene returned to his side and caressed his face to calm him down however he cried out loudly.

“Shush, don't make a sound little one.” She extended her hands in the crib and carried him. She carried him in her arms and stared at him admiringly. Miguel stopped crying as he opened his mouth to her breast. Charlene chuckled since she understood what he wanted. “Since Annie isn't here, let me feed you before leaving.” She carried him out of his room and headed straight to the elevator, it slid open and she stepped in. It took them downstairs, she exited when it slid open.

“Good morning ma'am.” Maids bowed respectfully while walking past her. Charlene only shot them a big smile as she headed into the kitchen.

“I've set the table for your breakfast ma'am.”. A maid announced instantly Charlene stepped inside the kitchen.

“Later. Get me his food.” She sat down on a stool that was close to the counter. She made him sit on her lap and supported his back in her arms. The maid walked over, she planted Miguel's food on the counter.

“Thank you.”

The maid bowed a little and returned to her undone work. Charlene tried to feed Miguel but he kept refusing the food. She moved the feeder to his mouth but he never stopped moving his mouth elsewhere. Charlene was getting tired, she scoffed softly and put the feeder down on the counter. “Why isn't Annie here yet?” Charlene demanded solemnly.

“She'll have to take care of her grandmother before coming here. I'm pretty sure she's on her way.”

“All right.” She checked the time again and it was eight o'clock. Miguel moved his mouth toward her breast again, when he sensed Charlene wasn't responding to his signal he burst into a loud cry. Charlene became uncomfortable, she petted him by hugging him on her shoulder. “Shush, don't make a sound sweetheart. She'll soon be here.” She sauntered out of the kitchen and went to the living room, as she stepped out Annie also arrived.

“Good morning ma.” She clasped her hand and begged as tears had hovered her eyes. “I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to have kept you waiting, I'm sorry for being late.”

“Here. I'm already late.” Annie carried him from her and bowed her head a little.

“I'm sorry.” She repeated.

Her phone rang continuously, she smiled at Miguel before walking out. The bodyguards kept greeting her as she hurried out of the mansion. Outside the mansion, Charles parked his sports car opposite the mansion. She crossed over to the other side and walked up to him.

“Would you ever learn to pick up when your phone rings?” He scolded her as she sauntered freely to the passenger side, she opened the door and hopped in. He had been waiting outside for her, he would have left but he knew Charlene couldn't drive.

She put her backpack in the backseat. “Don't blame me. I was alone, no one was around to wake me up.” She said imperatively while fastening her seatbelt.

“You should have set an alarm.”

“I'll do that tonight.”

Charles drove to the campus. Within twenty minutes they reached their destination, Charles grabbed his backpack, he returned his iPad into it and zipped up. Charlene took her backpack at the backseat, before alighting from the car she looked at her diamond wedding ring, she took it off and kept it inside her backpack.

“Why are you taking that off?” He enquired curiously while she was zipping her backpack.

“Just don't feel like wearing it. Moreover I don't want Javier to ask about it. What would I tell him?”

Both of them alighted from the car, he pressed a button to lock the car before walking alongside her. “Everyone knows already.”

“Mind you, not everyone. Javier hates magazines, news reports. I'm certain enough he hasn't heard about it.” She glanced at his face briefly before focusing on her way.

“And you are not going to tell him?”

“I will but I'm not planning to tell him any time soon.”

“It will break his heart if he hears from people.”

“I really don't want you to lecture me about what I should do with him.” She shrugged her shoulders, rolled her eyes annoyingly.

While heading toward the lecture theatre, students were murmuring to each other as they checked out the trending news on the internet. Some of them pointed at Charlene who wasn't bothered by their stares. She sauntered causally alongside his brother.

“I told you, it's the trending news on campus.” Charles said knowingly.

“Do I look like I care? In fact everyone will want to be my friend now that I'm Charlene Sullivan.” She said pompously.

Charles shook his head vigorously while refraining himself from rolling his eyes.

“It's really her. She's here.” A lady announced pointedly.

“Wow! She looks classic. I can't believe she's married to the CEO. How I wish I'm the one.”

She strutted to the lecture theatre, Javier waved a hand at her from the backseat. Although the lecture was already going on in the hall, she went over and took a seat behind him. Javier pivoted his head to look at her. “Hey,” He grinned jocosely.

“Hi,” She winked at him coquettishly. She unzipped her backpack and brought out her notepad.

“You're late today, that's unlike you.”

“Charles' fault.” She replied with her gaze focusing on the lecturer. Throughout the lecture, none of them ever spoke to each other. When the lecture ended Charlene rose to leave the lecture hall, Javier stood beside her.

“I'm heading to the coffeehouse, are you up for it?”

“Coming.” Charlene nodded, returning her notepad into her backpack. They sauntered to the door and exited the lecture hall.

As they headed over Javier noticed the way people were staring at her, murmuring to each other, he found it awkward and unusual. He decided to ask Charlene since he believed only her could answer his question. “Is there anything going on?”

She halted, pivoted at him and shook her head negatively. “Nothing.” She said incuriously.

“I wonder what's going on with them.” Javier uttered as they stepped into the coffeehouse. They sat on different stools by the counter, the attender placed two cups of coffee in front of them then moved over to attend to other students.

“Did you find them a bit strange today?” Charlene asked as if she knew nothing about what was going on.

“Yes, and I think they're talking about you.”

She flipped her hair backward and picked her coffee on the counter. “I don't think so.”

A lady strutted toward them, she dropped a magazine on the counter and gazed at her steadily. She compared the face in the magazine with Charlene's face. “Excuse me.”

She lifted a brow. “What do you want?”

“I'm here to verify something. Ain't you Charlene Knight?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You look more beautiful in this magazine. Oops! Pardon my manners, I guess it's no more Knight but Sullivan. Congratulations darling. Can we be friends, I'm Fiona.” She extended her hands for a handshake but Charlene ignored her completely, she looked at Javier's face whose eyes were fixed on the magazine. She was feeling tense.

“What's she talking about?” Javier demanded solemnly, trying to pick the magazine but Charlene stopped him by placing a hand on the magazine.

“It's nothing.” She answered anxiously.

Fiona looked vaguely at both of them as she was completely lost. Although she didn't know Charlene was going to shut her out, her intention toward Charlene was to be her friend.

“Whose magazine is that?” Javier couldn't get a full view of the lady beside Richard in the magazine as Charlene had put a palm on it.

“It's not something you like reading. It's a magazine, a business magazine you always find boring.” Charlene interjected before Fiona could answer. She gestured to Fiona before pushing the magazine far away on the counter. “Let's leave. I need to get some text books in the library. ” She framed up an excuse which she knew would be enough to convince him.

Javier was a bit nonchalant, he shrugged off the thought in his head. Charlene opened her backpack and took out her purse and a bandana, she paid for the coffee and returned her purse to her backpack. Unknown to her, while taking out a bandana her wedding ring had accidentally dropped on the floor and rolled over to Fiona's leg. She used the bandana on her hair to beautify it.

They left the coffeehouse together, she didn't notice the ring falling from her backpack after talking out her bandana. Fiona stared at them leaving, she was a bit disappointed. She picked the magazine on the counter and made to leave but she noticed that her sneaker had stepped on something hard. She paced backward and looked at the floor, she crouched down to pick the diamond ring on the floor.

“Wow! This is beautiful.” She stared at it admiringly. “Wait, I think this belongs to her.” She concluded in her thought. She opened her handbag, took out her pink purse, opened it and kept the ring inside it. She trudged out hoping to see Charlene but they were out of her sight. Fiona turned around to leave then she found her three friends standing by an entrance, she cleared her throat and walked toward them.

“What took you so long?” One of them asked.

“I'm sorry.”

“Did you get the coffee?”

Fiona hit her forehead gently. “I completely forgot. I'm going to get it.” She was about to go back to the coffeehouse when one of them dragged her back.

“Don’t worry. I don't want coffee anymore. I'd like a hamburger. Do you have some cash on you?” Fiona nodded politely. “Great!” Before she could open her purse and hand over some notes, she snatched the purse from her hand and opened it. Tina took out all the money in the purse, while doing that she saw the ring in the purse. She took it out and raised it to her eyes.

“Wait. That's not mine.” Fiona attempted to take it from her but she pulled away.

“Where did you get this ring?” Tina asked.

“It's not mine.”

“I don't care. It's beautiful, I'm very sure it cost a fortune. I'm borrowing this…mind you, I'll return it tomorrow.”

“Tina, it's not hers.” Sarah interrupted but Tina shot her a grimace.

“It doesn't matter.” She tried to slide the ring on her third finger, unfortunately it didn't fit.

“Thank goodness. Let me have it.” Fiona sighed with relief.

“I'm not giving it back.” She said firmly.

“Please, it's Charlene's wedding ring.”

“What? Charlene Sullivan, the lady in that magazine?” Her friends gasped astonishingly.

“Yes, she accidentally dropped it.”

“How? Was she not wearing it?” Tina asked, Fiona nodded. “Oh. That means she doesn't like the wedding ring. You should keep it or maybe sell it. Her husband is freaking rich, he's going to get her another ring.” Tina stared at the ring rapaciously.

“No, I can't do that. I have to return it to her since I know it belongs to her. Let me have the ring, Tina.” She attempted to take it from her but Tina paced back.

“Not so soon. I want it if you don't and I'm going to keep it.” Tina opened her handbag and kept the ring inside it.

“You can't keep what that doesn't belong to you.” Claire snapped hostilely. She wouldn't have said anything because she knew how greedy Tina was, however she could hold back her words.

“If I sell this ring you'll be able to save your dying mother in the hospital. We know you need money more than anyone else.” Tina rasped imperatively.

“I don't want what doesn't belong to me. Give the ring back.” Claire commanded sternly.

“I'm not.”

When they noticed Tina wasn't going to return the ring to Fiona, Claire attempted to fight her but she took to her heels instead.