Chapter 88: Chapter 88
“I asked…” Charlie snarled again, looking more furious and hurt than Morgan had ever seen her. “Whether that's true or not!
“ That… That was decided today…” he rambled on feeling completely bewildered as he stared at the court summons in his hands, as Hiroshi hadn't even had time to print a copy for him yet “How could you have… .
" So it is true? “ Charlie gasped, disgusted “Did you really file a lawsuit behind my back? So that I wouldn't know when my money was available?!
" What? “ Morgan gasped, alarmed. “No! It wasn't like that, Charlie. Please let me explain...
“Explain what, Morgan? “ Charlie screamed and, despite being visibly furious, he could see the unshed tears glistening in her brown eyes, due to the moonlight streaming through the office windows “ That even after all the times I asked you to trust in me, to treat me as an equal and stop acting like I'm a kid who doesn't need to know about the things you do, even when they involve me... Did you still do that? “ she pointed to the copy of the court decision, disgusted “ You did this in secret? It's because? Is it because poor Charlie, who is always in trouble and always needs you, didn't need to know about it, since she couldn't help anyway?
" Of course not! “ he denied vehemently, feeling more and more agitated as he realized how deeply hurt she looked “Charlie... I thought you understood by now that I don't think that way about you...
“Well, I thought you had finally started to think of me as an equal, as a companion with whom you could share everything, both your victories and your problems... But now I see that you don't, do you? “ she sniffed bitterly “ You never stopped seeing me as a child, did you? Not even when I went to your bed...
"Charlie…" he tried to make her listen to him again, but Charlie just started pacing, as if her anger wouldn't allow her to stay still, while she continued to snarl.
“Can you tell me why you kept this from me at all, Morgan? Was it just that you thought that incompetent Charlie didn't need to know that you had another plan to take her money? Or is that what you were planning from the start? “ she looked back at him, so full of hurt that a part of Morgan's heart broke right then and there, knowing that she was feeling so much resentment for what he had done “ He proposed that we stay married for 1 year just for mere formality ? Is this what you've wanted to do all along: get Anthony's money on short notice and then transfer it to me on the sly so I can't complain about being helpless when you file for divorce early?
" What...? Morgan gasped, horrified that she would think that of him.
“If there was such a possibility, why haven't you told me about it since then? “ she asked, in a choked cry, as her tears began to run down her cheeks “ Why did you let me move in your house and… Why did you sleep with me anyway? “Charlie sobbed, as she rubbed one of her fists hard over her eyes “Was it really the simple pleasure of seizing the opportunity to sleep with a younger girl you've always had the hots for but never wanted anything more serious? And why am I blaming you for doing this anyway? “ she laughed, bitterly “ It was what I wanted, wasn't it? In the end this is all my fault. I was the one who offered myself to you with this idiotic idea of seducing you and kept pushing you until you finally gave me what I wanted…or part of it. Charlie grumbled, desolate.
" What are you talking about? “ he asked again, still not able to believe what she was saying “ And what do you mean by really? Is that what you always thought about what we had and how I felt about you?
“And what does it matter now? “ she growled, her hands clenched into fists, in a way that he knew immediately that she was controlling herself not to cry in front of him “ You did this to get me to stop being your wife, didn't you? Very well, I will sign the divorce as soon as you transfer an equivalent amount of money to my account. You can keep the one Samantha will transfer to you, and we'll make an equivalent exchange and cut all ties right away. “ tugging at the long skirt of her dress, she started to walk past him, heading towards the door “I'm sorry if you were waiting to do this when you got tired of fucking me, but now you're going to have to do it, or I'll do it myself hire a lawyer to force you to sign the divorce...
Frozen where she was, feeling unable to react to the whole situation that still felt like a nightmare, Morgan could only turn his neck to see her moving closer and closer to the door, her shoulders hunched and her feet dragging along the floor.
Had he made such a huge mistake or not told her about the second dispute lawsuit he had filed over Anthony's burial inconsistencies? All he wanted was to stop her from grieving for nothing, not knowing if there really was something wrong with what Samantha had done with Anthony's death certificate or not. Furthermore, the result had come out less than an hour ago, when the party was already underway and Hiroshi himself had only found out about it and been able to inform him just a few moments ago. In fact, after everything his assistant had told him, Morgan hadn't even given that secondary process a second thought. It was the least important thing of all, after all. Or at least, that's how he had thought.
Now, Charlie's hand was almost reaching for the doorknob, ready to take it away from him. When he had chosen not to tell her about the possibility of all of Anthony's assets being transferred to her, Morgan had let herself go, not just because she wanted to protect her from unnecessary worry, it was true. He was afraid she would choose to leave him when freedom presented itself to her. So, he had chosen to wait.
And now, she was about to leave him precisely because she couldn't seem to accept that he'd kept it from her.
Regret seared her insides and made her arms tremble as he watched her open the door and cast one last hurt look in his direction, her expression so contorted that it seemed just looking at him brought her pain, now. God, he couldn't even comprehend what had just happened. One moment they'd made love in the office and he'd almost given in to the urge to admit he loved her… And the next, did she want a divorce? What should he do? Would it be the best thing to give her space and look for her only tomorrow? Or should he just... do what she wanted and sign the divorce?
Could it be that, in the end, she had decided that she didn't want to be with him either?
The sound of her first step out of the office, however, was enough to break him out of his stupor, and when he saw that she really was about to leave, he realized that he didn't care what was best or what should do at that time. All he knew was that she just couldn't let him go like that. Not without explaining yourself first. Not without her knowing why he'd really done it. Not when she was thinking that she had done all that just because she wanted to prey on her desire...
And not before she knew he loved her.
It was time to be the brave one between the two.
“Charlie! “ at a speed he didn't even know he possessed, he reached for her arm, squeezing it firmly enough to pull her inside again, but without hurting her “You can't go like that!
“You don't order me! “ she exclaimed, fighting against his hand, her voice a mix of crying and fury “Let go of me right now or I will...
“I won't let go! “ he said, determined, closing the door again before trapping her in his arms, making her face him “Not before you let me explain!
" Explain what? “ she sobbed, through clenched teeth “ That everything we've been through these last few months was just an obligation that you were doing your best to get rid of, without my knowing?
" No! That's what you think happened, but it's by no means the truth! “ he brought his face even closer to hers, wanting her to see the truth and despair in his eyes “ The only reason I filed this second case was because there were inconsistencies in the documents about your father's death that Samantha presented to the court . But that didn't mean I was going to be able to change the first decision on the will, so I figured I didn't need to tell so soon...
“Oh, of course! “ Charlie laughed bitterly “ Why would a good-for-nothing like me need to know that, right? You, as the responsible adult between the two of us, had to protect me above all else, of course...
“No, Charlie! It was never for that! “ he insisted, distressed “ I haven't thought about you like that for a long time. You are my wife and my companion! There is no one I trust more or respect more in this world but you...
“Then why did you keep it from me anyway? “ she asked tearfully “ If you really didn't intend to divorce me on the sly and you don't think I'm not mature enough to deal with that kind of thing, then why…?
“ Do you really want to know why? “ He gulped, unable to stop himself from giving a shaky smile. “It's because, Charlotte Foster, I love you. “Her face became expressionless at the same moment, but Morgan didn't let himself be cowed. “I've been in love since we met. And I've been in love from the moment you showed up in that damn little dress that didn't cover anything on your 18th birthday. I've spent the last two years hurting and loving and wanting all the time, but doing nothing because I never believed I deserved you. To be honest, I'm still not sure I believe it.
“You…” Charlie swallowed hard and he realized that the expressionless expression on his face was a product of shock. “You what?
“I love you, Charlie. “ he repeated again, feeling that, now he had finally gotten it out of his chest, he would have to spend the rest of his life repeating that phrase, even if she didn't want to “And you're right. I made no secret of the fact that I could get all your father's money and end up transferring it to you, without Samantha interfering, just because I wanted to protect you. I was a coward and did it mostly because I was afraid that when I knew I could walk away from this marriage, you would choose to leave me.
“You thought I would what? she gasped, almost screaming now, as if she could hardly believe what was happening.