Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Charlene laid in the bed without making any attempt. She would rather pretend to be sleeping than get up and share a glance with him. Ever since he returned home and found Miguel with her, she had been avoiding him as if both of them were never living together. Nevertheless it was what he wanted and she was going to respect his choice.

She could hear his footsteps approaching, perhaps coming out of the closet. Charlene closed her eyes tightly and adjusted in her sleeping position. Richard walked over to the bed, he picked his phone on the nightstand, just before walking out he looked over. There was no affection in his eyes, he looked at her plainly and tediously.

“We have a party to attend tonight, are you coming with me?” Richard said calmly, he knew she was pretending and he wouldn't bother to do as if he knew. He waited for her response but he did not get a word or sound from her. “Are you listening?” He narrowed his eyes on her.

Slowly, she opened her eyes before widening both eyes. Their eyes met, Charlene resisted the urge of rolling her eyes. She sat up carefully in the bed and adjusted her nightwear when she noticed her cleavages were enough to be seen by him. “I know you don't want me to come with you, and you don't have to pretend as if you do. Actually I need time to prepare for the examination, sorry I can't come with you.” She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, twisted her lips with annoyance.

Richard gazed at her with the look of surprise and incredulity. He couldn't believe she was the same lady that would do anything just to make him look at her. Richard disregarded her response. He didn't bother to utter a word, he pivoted and started walking out of the room.

Charlene never kept her eyes off him until he was out of the room. She released a sigh of exasperation. “What did he think about me? I love you but I'm not obsessed with you.” She murmured annoyingly, she brushed her hair back with her hand and put her feet on the floor. She slipped her feet in the flip flop, she rose and went to the bathroom. She had a warm bath and scuffed out as she felt relief. She hurriedly dressed up, putting on a V-neck pink top, a silk skirt which brought out her curve and she used a colorful bandana on her hair. She checked her watch and smiled a little.

“Seriously, am I supposed to call Charles now? I can't even drive—” She grumbled quietly, she hung her handbag over her right shoulder, she looked at her phone screen and hissed loudly. “I'm not going to board a taxi either.” She matched her feet on the floor childishly while grumbling. She exited the room and she descended the stairs. As she reached the living room, she could hear his rasping voice, she concluded in her thought that he was scolding a maid. Instead of going to the dining room Charlene decided to leave, she headed outside.

A man rushed over, clad in a blue shirt and a black trouser. He bowed a little. “Good morning ma'am?”

Puzzled, Charlene halted on her track and looked vaguely at the man. “Good morning.” She replied, she was about to walk ahead when he stopped her.

“I'll be your driver as of today.”

Unbelievably she turned around and stared intently at the man. The last time she checked she never hired a driver, Richard didn't even care about her so he couldn't be the one that hired her a driver. “My driver?”

“Yes ma'am.” He answered politely.

She curved her lips and arched her brow. “I still don't get it. The last time I checked I didn't hire a driver.”

The man was about to answer when her phone rang. She picked up immediately without bothering to check the call ID.

“I can't be your twin's brother and at the same time your driver. I already hired a driver, thank me later. Bye-bye sweetheart.”

“Charles...”

“I love you.” He hung up on her without wasting another second. Charlene brought the phone to her face, she chuckled and looked at the young man's face.

“All right, let's go.” He led the way toward a black car, it was the same expensive automobile her father bought for her as her birthday gift. He opened the door for her, she hopped in and he also did the same. “Your name...” Charlene enquired as the car started moving.

“I'm James but my friends call me Jimmy.”

“I'll call you James. Charles never told me he hired a driver, how did you get into the mansion?”

“I met with your husband ma'am. He knows I'm your driver, I guess your brother must have informed him.” He answered knowingly.

She was literally perplexed. She had another question but she didn't think it was better to ask James, she would ask Charles when both of them met. The car halted in front of the city library. She alighted from the car after giving him an order to leave. Charlene strutted inside, it was overly crowded .

As she headed toward her favorite area, people were taking pictures of her without her consent. By the time she noticed it was already too late, she looked around perplexingly.

“What's she doing here?”

“Is she not the wife of Mr CEO of Skyline company?”

“Why would she come to the city library when her husband could afford a library in his luxurious mansion?”

“Wow! She's beautiful. Her bracelet is expensive... I couldn't even afford it.”

They kept murmuring while pointing at her. Charlene ran her fingers through her hair anxiously, she regretted ever coming to the library. However it wasn't her first time in the library, she often came with Javier and Charles, three of them always visited the library before she got married to Richard.

She halted on the track, phone cameras flashed on her, some of them started uploading on the internet. All of a sudden Javier appeared in their midst, he sauntered casually to her and covered her with his black long coat. “Keep walking.” He whispered to her.

She couldn't move, it was as if her feet were pinned to the floor.

“Whoa. Whoa! Who's he?”

“Is that her boyfriend?”

“I thought she's married.”

“They're really close.”

Javier looked at everyone coldly. “Don't let their words get to you. Keep walking, let's get out of here.”

Charlene raised her head and glanced at his face awkwardly. Tears already overflowed her eyes, it wasn't something she was used to. Sometimes she pretended as if she was comfortable but deep down she wasn't. She pivoted around awkwardly, Javier pulled her to his body and both of them started walking toward the door that led outside. They never stopped murmuring, taking her picture, uploading with different cooked up lies. When they reached outside, Javier opened his car door for her but their Fiona stopped them.

“Wait, Charlene.”

Javier looked at her. “What's the matter?”

“I know a place if you don't mind.” She said,

Although neither Javier nor Charlene understood what she meant, they hopped in the car. Fiona led them to place, Javier halted the car in front of the building. He looked at the signboard pasted on the door. “Shop closed.” Javier gazed at Fiona and frowned.

“Don't mind what's written on the door. Let's go in.” They alighted from the car, they headed toward the door. She opened the door and walked inside.

“Didn't you read what's on the signboard?” A man demanded exasperatingly.

“Diego, I brought friends.” Fiona shouted.

A man in his late fifties stepped out of a room. He stood in front of them and folded his hands over his chest. “This is an old library. Why did you bring them?”

Fiona removed her jacket and smiled brightly at him. “Something happened, we don't have another place to go.”

“Whatever. I don't have new books, they're out of date.”

Fiona rolled her eyes. “Let's go guys.” She walked ahead of them while they followed from behind. Charlene wasn't over it yet, Javier pulled her along gently.

Fiona opened the door, and they entered. There were two leather couches, a table at the center and bookshelves around. “I usually come here alone. Both of you can read here together, no one will find out you're here.”

Charlene looked up at her face, she walked toward a couch and sat down. “This is awkward.”

“I know both of you read together so I couldn't sit back when I saw what was happening at the library.”

Both Charlene and Javier ignored her completely. “Are you okay?” Javier asked, looking squarely into her eyes.

“I'm okay.” She cleared her throat before opening her handbag, she took a book and a pen out of her bag and put the book on the table. “Let's get started.”

Fiona wanted to start a conversation with them but she noticed they didn't want a third party so she left. Javier taught her the course she found difficult to understand.

“You have your ring...” Javier noticed she was wearing a ring which he assumed to be her wedding ring.

Fiona returned, holding two textbooks. She sat beside on the next couch since Javier was sharing the same couch with Charlene.

“Yeah, Charles got it back for me.” She answered while reading a textbook.

“That's a relief.”

“Actually what Tina told me is different. When she went back to the company she was informed that your husband and Charles already came for the ring, he even paid for the ring.” Fiona butted into their conversation.

Charlene gazed at her steadily. “Richard?”

“Yes, you don't know about it? He didn't tell you?” She asked surprisingly.

“Of course Charles didn't tell me both of them got the ring.” She scoffed softly, she started returning her books into her handbag.

“Are you leaving?”

“I have to go. It's getting late.” Javier didn't bother to protest, he attempted to stand but she spoke up. “Don't worry, my driver is going to drive me.” She took her phone on the table, she sent James her location.

After thirty minutes her phone rang, she took her phone and waved it in the air. “He's here. I have to go. Fiona, can we come here tomorrow?”

“Sure,” She gave an instantaneous response and smiled brightly. “You're always welcome.”

“All right. Javier, tomorrow?”

“No problem. Take care of yourself.”

She left the building and James drove her to the mansion. He halted the car at the garage, Charlene alighted and scurried inside. Unexpectedly she met him in the living room, engrossed in his phone, Charlene wanted to leave but he seemed to have noticed her presence. He swung his gaze on her, his eyes were cold while staring at her. “Charlene,” He called her name with a toneless voice.

Charlene pivoted to look at him, she lifted a brow. “Yes?”

Richard walked up to where she was standing while holding his phone. He brought his phone close to her face. “What's the meaning of this?” He demanded hostilely. Charlene was taken aback after reading the article.

“What!”