Chapter 11: Chapter 11

The time flew faster than expected, she didn't tell him anything about it. Although Charles wasn't going to give up on advising her, hoping that she'd listen to him and do what was right. After school he drove her back to the mansion. Charlene alighted from the car, she waved a hand at him cheerfully before making her way into the mansion. As usual maids were seen walking around, busy with one or two things but something wasn't right, Charlene concluded in her thought. The seriousness and their focus on what they were doing were quite different from the past two days she had spent in the mansion.

“Welcome back, ma'am.” A maid greeted, she was on her way heading toward the stairs but she halted. Charlene nodded once. “Would you like me to prepare the bathtub for your bath?”

“No, you don't have to.” She replied and took the elevator upstairs. Before walking into her room she halted at the doorway, she looked behind her and noticed that Miguel's room was quiet. She grinned and pivoted to the door, she walked over and stalked inside.

She halted on the track, her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the person playing with Miguel. She couldn't go further or leave the room. Richard hadn't noticed her yet, when she attempted to leave that was when he stood upright and gazed to the door. He saw her leaving the room secretly while trying not to make a sound with her heels.

“What are you doing?”

She froze on the spot, a minute she was breathless with her eyes popped open wide. After a few seconds she mustered courage and turned around on one feet. “Hey, you're back.” An anxious smile craved her lips while staring at him intently. Her eyes scanned his body, he was wearing a casual outfit and his thick black hair was brushed to both sides.

Richard rolled his eyes with a tinge of irritation. “That's not what I asked you. What are you doing here?”

Charlene didn't want to tell him she was in the room to check on Miguel, moreover he might say something that would hurt her feelings. She had to come up with a lie, she contemplated. She took a slow breath in a way he wouldn't notice. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at his face abruptly, a frown of irritation hovered her face. She walked over to the baby crib where Richard was standing. She ignored him completely as if he wasn't in the room. Richard stood like a statue, he was expecting her to tell him what brought her to the room but instead she advanced toward the crib which Miguel was sleeping quietly in. He decided not to say anything, he watched as she smiled at the sleeping baby.

“He's so cute while sleeping.” Charlene crouched down a little and moved a hand to his face, she removed the toy which was close to his face away. She took it and walked over to where his toys were, she put it down and looked at Richard. “This is why I'm here. Have I answered your question?”

Astonishingly Richard was stunned, he looked at her in a manner of disbelief. Charlene sensed that he wasn't going to utter another word, so she stalked toward the door to leave then he spoke. “Our parents are coming over for dinner. Make yourself available.”

She shrugged apathetically and walked out of the room. Richard glanced at Miguel, he crouched down and kissed his forehead before leaving the room. He sauntered to the room, Charlene was in the bathroom. He walked toward the bedroom, he sat up on the bed and carried his laptop he had kept on the nightstand, he switched it on and started working on his undone project.

Twenty minutes later Charlene shuffled out of the bathroom in a bathrobe, she wrapped a white towel on her head. Richard glanced over and looked away immediately. She dawdled toward the closet to dress up, she chose a white flowering gown which stopped on her knees, she dried her hair and styled it before walking back to the room.

She unzipped her backpack, she brought out her iPad to work on her school project. Her mind drifted to the ring but she shrugged off with the aim of wearing it later when Richard wouldn't be in the room. She put the iPad on the bed and returned her backpack to its right spot, she returned to the bed and climbed up. She laid on her tummy with her chest resting on a pillow. Instead of working on her iPad she was drooling over him, imagining some crazy stuff they had never done together.

Richard hadn't noticed her yet, his gaze was focused steadily on the laptop he was operating. The sound of her giggle prompted him to look away from his laptop and looked at her face questioningly. He lifted a brow perplexingly.

Charlene covered her mouth and shook her head vigorously. “I'm sorry.” She said in between laughter.

He was mildly exasperated, he scoffed softly and looked at what he was working on. When Charlene noticed he wasn't looking again, she giggled, this time it was loud. She covered her mouth while shaking her head vigorously.

“Can you just keep it down?” He snapped exasperatingly.

Charlene wasn't bothered. She knew that if she wanted him to talk to her she had to get on his nerves. She put the iPad down and clasped her hands. “I'm sorry. It's just hilarious, I can't just hold in.” She burst into delighted laughter.

Richard frowned. He waited for a few seconds for her to laugh out loud before returning to his laptop. “Humph,” He scoffed.

Charlene picked her iPad again, she wasn't doing anything on it. All she had been doing was imagining herself and Richard having a romantic moment together. She tapped a finger on the bed, it was a king size bed and she was at the far edge. Again Charlene burst into another round of delighted laughter, it was loud. Richard hit his fist on the bed and closed his laptop, he abruptly glared at her.

“What the fuck is your problem?” He yelled furiously.

“You.” She mumbled to herself, she looked into his eyes squarely. Her hazel eyes met his ocean blue eyes innocently. She didn't utter a word or make a sound.

Richard put his feet down on the floor, he slipped his feet into his slippers and left the room with his laptops exasperatingly.

“But I want to ask him something.” She ran a finger on her hair while looking at the way that led out of the room. She sat up, on the nightstand his diamond bracelet was laying on it. She rolled over and picked the bracelet, she stared at it admiringly then she dropped it back on the spot. She glimpsed at the iPad on the bed, she hissed loudly as she had lost the spirit. She hit her hands on the bed, she whined with frustration. She laid back in the bed, covered her body with the purple duvet, she opened her eyes widely waiting for him to come back to the room.

A maid sidled across the room, she strode toward the bed and stood beside the bed. She refrained herself from waking her but then she remembered the order Richard had given her, she was to fetch Charlene and inform her that their parents were around.

“Ma'am.” She called out quietly not to jolt her out of her deep slumber. “Ma'am.” She called out again.

Charlene made no sign of waking up. The maid bent down a little, she rubbed her fingers tenderly on her hand. “Uhm.” She moaned softly, yet not opening her eyes.

“Your parents are here.” She announced calmly.

Charlene heard no sounds, she was in a Dreamland with butterflies flocking around her. “Um.”

“Sir Richard is...”

Hearing the name Charlene opened her eyes instantly, she saw a maid standing in front of her. She furrowed her brow. “What's the matter?”

The maid bowed a little. “Sir Richard is waiting for you in the dining room, and your parents are here.”

She abruptly looked at the radio clock on the nightstand. It was quarter past eight. She remembered waiting for him to return to the room, she must have dozen off and slept for two hours. “All right. Leave.” She commanded sternly.

The maid bowed, she turned around and walked out of the room. Charlene brushed her hair backward with her fingers, she put her feet down on the cold tiling floor, she slipped her feet to the flip flop and rose as she adjusted her gown. She picked her phone on the nightstand and walked hurriedly out of the room. She took the elevator downstairs, as she was close to the dining room she could hear the laughter of their parents.

She dawdled to the dining room. Luciana was the first person to notice her. “She's here.” She smiled genuinely. Charlene approached her parents since they were close.

Their eyes met, this time Richard didn't look away rather he stared at her warm-heartedly. “Sweetheart,” Kathleen chuckled, she put a hand to her face and pecked her cheeks.

“Mum, Dad.” She called and hugged Kathleen by the neck warmly. She disengaged from the hug and hugged Rowan briefly. “I missed you so much.” She pouted cutely.

What she said risible to a loud laughter. She looked at Bryant, she strode toward him, he kissed her cheek and smiled brightly at her. “Dad.” She mumbled.

“My sweet daughter.” Bryant complimented sweetly. Charlene blushed and buried her face in her palms childishly. This time Richard chuckled, he found what she did hilarious.

She peeked through her fingers before removing her palms on her face. Luciana also pecked her cheeks, she dawdled to Richard and sat down on the chair beside him.

“How have you been, sweetheart?” Kathleen asked.

“Um. I'm trying to be okay without you guys around. To be honest I miss you mum.” She purred, she blinked rapidly.

“I know why you felt that way, it's because he was away for a few days. Don't worry sweetheart, we're always here with you.” Kathleen grinned.

“Why didn't Charles come with you?”

“He has something important to do.” Rowan answered.

“More important than his twin's sister? Oh goodness! I can't believe he'll choose a job over me.” She grunted softly.

“That's not the case, honey. ”

“How's your project?” Bryant enquired curiously.

“It was fine. I was able to fill out all the necessary stuff in a day.”

“Impressive.” He nodded.

They started eating and none of them ever spoke up until Luciana broke the silence. “So Charlene, are you planning to have a child while still in university?” She asked ludicrously.

Bryant frowned. Richard was stunned at the question, she looked at her face. She had a mischievous grin on her face. Her question threw Charlene into a state of confusion, Richard noticed when he looked at her face.

“It's for the couple to decide when to have a baby.” Kathleen replied hostilely.

“That's right.”

“It's her body. Whenever she's ready it's okay with me.” Richard said sternly, he put a vegetable into his mouth and chewed quietly.

Surprisingly she gazed at his face. Merely looking at him it was hard to tell he was the one that just stood up for her. Moreover Charlene never expected that from him.

“That's so sweet, son.” Bryant was pleased, he smiled at him.

Luciana shrugged her shoulders. She put the cutlery down, she picked a napkin and wiped her lips with it. She sighed softly then looked at Charlene, her eyes fell on her left hand. She noticed something, Charlene wasn't wearing her wedding ring. Charlene drowned in her stare, she knew Luciana didn't like her.

“Your ring, why ain't you wearing your ring?” She eventually asked. Promptly everyone looked at her finger, including Richard who was wearing his own wedding ring. He saw that Charlene wasn't wearing it, he looked at her and lifted a brow.

Unknowingly she looked at her fingers and gasped. She cursed underneath.

“Is true. Where's your ring, Charlene?” Kathleen asked grimly.

“My ring?”