Charles was heart broken when he left the Salvador’s Mansion,
She has been marked to Deville and even had a child for him but she kept me in the dark,she lied to me.He hits the steering of his car several time,scenes of what happened earlier kept flashing in his head,blurring in vision.
I loved her and was planning on making her mine,why did she do this to me,she lied to me,she used me..she f**king used me,she looks so innocent but far from it,I had been a fool to have given my love to her,loving someone else’s wife and someone’s mother.He pulled into a bar,got out of his car and went inside,
“Get me a bottle of vodka please.” He sat down by the counter,the barman gave him a bottle of vodka and a glass, he opened the vodka and drank from the bottle cursing Anne and Deville as he took every gulp,
“Get me another one.” He yelled at the barman who was surprised at he uncivilized attitude, he turned and got him another bottle,
“Here you go Sir,” Charles yanked the bottle from him,opened him and devoured the content,
“Such as uncivilized barbarian.” The barman muttered in disgust.In a space of some minutes,Charles finished the contents of the bottle, he demanded for the third one which the barman gave him,but after drinking the third bottle,the barman refused to give him more,
“Take this you son of a bitch and give me more vodka,” he dipped his hand into his pants and dug out some hundred dollar notes,he gave it to the already infuriated barman,
“Sir,this is past midnight and I need to go home.” He tried explaining to the drunken Charles but he was going to buy that,
“I demand for more vodka,you pit ass bastard.” Charles cursed in his drunken state but the barman wasn’t going to give him even a drop of it,
“What’s going on here?” A young man,who had come just right in to get a bottle of Bud for himself asked the barman,
“Sir,this man wants more vodka after taking three bottles already and its past midnight, I need to close down for tonight.” The barman explained to the customer.The man felt pity for Charles,
“Do you know where he came from?” He asked the barman and the latter shook his head,
“Just saw him tonight and I don’t think he’s from nearby,I mean his accent is strong.”
“Okay,I’ll taken him home,he should be sober by tomorrow.” He took back the money Charles had given to the barman,
“How much is his bill?” The strange man asked,the barman checked his bill register,
“Four fifty dollars,sir.” The strange man dipped his hand into his pocket and gave the barman five hundred dollar,
“Keep the change.” He helped Charles up,
“Where’s my vodka,you poor pat..sh..f**k.” He was obviously blabbing trash,the man took him outside,got into his car and drove him to his house leaving Charles’s car there.
When Charles woke up the next morning,he eyelids were heavy,he fought and opened them, he found himself in an unfamiliar room,
“Where am I?” He tried recalling what happened and how he got here but his brain seem like it has stopped functioning.A young man walked inside holding a tray of food,
“Uh,you’re awake.” He said smiling,Charles was still looking at him oddly, he kept the tray of food on the bed side drawer and sat on the bed,
“Sorry for not introducing myself first,” He gave Charles a generous smile,
“I’m Frank Bowman,I met you at the bar last night and you were drunk,so I’d bring you to my house till you sober up.” He explained, Charles kinda relaxed and forced as mile,
“Thanks man,”
“Well,I’m Charles Zhang.” The man gasped,
“You mean Charles Zhang of Zhang’s Fine Jewelry in Delaware.” Charles nodded,
Why can’t you be addressed without bringing in business formalities, he said to himself.They shook hands,
“Did you manage to get my wallet and car…” Frank handed it to him before he could finish his question, Charles crosschecked it,everything in his wallet was complete like the day before,his credit cards, the money and other items were intact,he smiled at Frank,
“Thank again man,” Frank smiled and Brougham’s the tray of food,
“Eat this,it will help the hangover.” Frank stood up and left him alone to eat.
Charles nursed his hangover at Franks place and left late noon,
“Frank,I know you have more than enough but take this cash and this is my card,call me whenever you need my help.” He gave some cash to Frank who rejected it plainly,
“Cut those shit man,I won’t take those.” Charles insisted,so Frank took his card but rejected the money,
“I might need the card but not the money.”
“Your car is at the bar,left it there last night.” They shook hands and Charles left.
The Salvador’s mansion turned into a mad house for the next few days.Pearl,Cheryl and Mrs Phina made series of plans to make Deville and Anne cross and get them together but each of their plans end bad creating more problem between the both of them.
“Pearl! Stop that this minute.” Anne yelled at her daughter, she’s angry at Pearl who has refused to go to school cause she doesn’t like the clothes Anne and Marisa had chose for her,
“I’m not going to school today,I won’t go.” The little girl cried,throwing her clothed all over the room,Anne got pissed off and left her with Marisa.
“What’s wrong with Sunshine this morning?” Mrs Phina asked Anne when she came downstairs,
“Is that how she’s been raised,being snippy?” Anne asked the older woman,who was having her morning tea.Pearl’s cries could be heard from upstairs,
She must be venting her anger on poor Marisa, Anne thought to herself.Deville came in from outside while Cheryl carried Ace out of their room,
“Mom,what’s wrong with Sunshine?” Deville asked his mom,Anne sighed,
“Like always, she didn’t like the clothes chosen for her.” The older woman replied,
“Call Marisa,she should be given what she wants then.” Deville retorted,he doesn’t fancy the idea of his daughter crying this morning,he turned to leave,
“Is that what you’ve been teaching her? Well sorry,I won’t let my daughter be a rebellious freak.” Anne spoke up,this was the first time she had spoken directly to Deville since she came back to his house.Cheryl sent Ace back to the room,
Things are about to get messy,she said to herself.
“She’s just six and she’s been rude and bossy,wonder what she’ll turn to when she gets to her teen age.” Anne folded her arms,
“Well she’s my daughter and I’ll train her how I dim fit.” Deville said back to her,Cheryl and Mrs Phina stood aside and watched,though happy they finally talked to each other but upset it had to be a fight.
Anne smiled coldly at him,
“And you want her to be a pompous and conceited d**khead like you.” Deville was angry but she didn’t stop,
“Sorry Mr Deville Salvador, she’s my daughter too and I’m not you turn her into a monster like you,I won’t let it happen.” She asserted, Deville couldn’t hold it anymore,
“If you hadn’t left her out of selfishness and self pity, she wouldn’t have turned this way.” He blurted out of anger,she slapped him hard and left,he turned to his mom,
“You shouldn’t have said that.” The older woman left too,only Cheryl,he turned to her but she shook her head and left him too.
Anne called Charles,apologized to him and asked him whether they could go out for lunch today,he said yes and was coming to pick her up later,so she hung up,
“You shouldn’t have done that?” She turned and saw Cheryl by the door,she came inside,
“Shouldn’t have done what?” Anne asked,
“You shouldn’t have called Charles since you know you don’t love him and things won’t work between the both of you.” Anne sighed and sat on the bed,
“Who told you I don’t love him?” She asked Cheryl who had sat beside her,
“You’re my best friend and I know when you love someone and when you don’t, your heart belongs to Dev…”
“Don’t ever mention the name of that pompous d**khead and mg heart doesn’t belong to him,the only thing we’ve in common is Pearl,that’s all.” She said in anger
“And as for Charles, even though I don’t love him now,I’ll learn to do that,I’ll surely do that.” She was now crying,
“Anne what happens to Deville and Pearl?” Cheryl asked,
“I’ll leave Deville, I don’t need him,as for Pearl an occasional visit will do.” Cheryl held her,
“I don’t care about him and Pearl can stay with him while I visit her but I won’t stay with him.” She cried while Cheryl consoled her.
“Mommy.” Anne and Cheryl raised their head up and saw Pearl standing by the door,she ran to Anne,
“Mommy please don’t leave me,I’m sorry.” Anne didn’t say anything but held her daughter while Cheryl left them,
“I promise to be obedient and do whatever you ask me to,I will wear what you and Marisa choose for me but please don’t leave me again.” The little girl cried,
“Okay my darling,I won’t leave you.” She hugged her daughter,
“But mommy,why don’t you like my daddy?He’s a good man.” The little girl asked,surprised at the never ending war going on between her parents,Anne stood up,
“Baby,its not that I hate your daddy but it just that……” She doesn’t know what to tell the girl,
“Its just what? My friends at school always tell me that their mommy and their daddy stays in the same room,they always kiss each other and have their adult time but you and daddy always fight each other,why?” She said in her childish tone,
“Honey,every couple have their differences but…..”
“But my friends mommies and daddies don’t have differen……tes,dif…fer,whatever.” She was getting impatient at Anne’s lack of reasonable answer,
“Honey,you won’t understand but I don’t hate your daddy,just that we don’t get along fine.” Anne said,
“But grandma said,if you don’t get along with someone, it means you don’t like the person.” Anne you’re in for it today,she said to herself.
“Not really in that way.”
“But mommy,if you don’t like daddy,why did you marry him?”
“Because I had to.”
How will I tell her that I’m not married to her dad, she was born out of a stupid contract I accepted out of anger,she sighed.
“Will you and daddy get a divorce if you still can’t like him?”
“Yes.” Pearl face fell,she can’t bear being away from either of them,
“So who will I stay with?”
“With anyone you want to stay with,either me or your daddy.”
“Mommy,my schoolmates who their mommy and daddy are separated are not happy and they say that their step parents are bad and cruel,” Anne smiled at the thought of Pearl and Charles bickering at each other,
“Not all.”
“But my friends said so,one said her step dad always spank her and the other said her step mom doesn’t allow her eat with her kid,step parents are bad and so mean.” She complained,Anne sat close to her,
“Why not talk to your dad about getting you one soon and you’ll see they aren’t that bad,I grew up without my parents and I’m not dead yet.” Pearl frowned,
“Don’t worry,I won’t leave you,I rather go with you than leave you with him.”
“Mommy,you said you’ll stay…”
“Anne please come with me,now.” Cheryl said as she opened the door, her expression shows that she’s worried,so Anne stood up and followed her,
“Honey,I’ll be right back,so we can continue.” She left with Cheryl.
“What are you doing here?” Deville’s voice could be heard downstairs, Anne hurried out and surprisingly, saw Charles standing in the living room and Deville himself was facing him,
“I came to see Anne.” Charles said with no trace of fear for the human form monster standing in front of him,
“what business do you have with Anne?” Deville asked,his face was filled with fury,Anne answered him instead,
“How does it concerns you?” She walked past him and went to Charles,
“Let’s go to my room please.” She said to him, held his hands and led him away,
“How dare you bring another man into my house.” He yelled behind them,Anne froze but shook out the fear,
I’m not scared of you,I’m not scared of him,she turned,
“I’m not your wife or fiancé,I’m only here for my daughter’s sake so who I go out with shouldn’t be your concern.” With this she took Charles upstairs to her room,Cheryl scurried to her room,Deville to his mother’s room while Pearl watched the drama from upstairs and cried to her room.
“Anne,who’s Deville to you?” Charles asked as they came into her room,
“He’s nobody to me,just the father of my child.” She replied nonchalantly,he came toward her and held her,
“How? What happened?” He was confused,she smiled at him,
“That’s one long story I don’t wish to tell.” He didn’t ask her anything again.When went into the bathroom and freshened up,when she came out,he was sitting on the bed,
“Charles can you excuse me for awhile, I need to get dressed?” He nodded and left her room,she pulled put a simple gown and wore it,
“A little makeover would do.” She said to herself while she sat on her vanity,did her makeup and let her hair loose,she took her purse and got into her V cross Versace sandal.
“You look perfect Anne.” Charles commented when she came out,
“Thanks a lot.” She blushed,he held her hand and they went downstairs. Downstairs, they met Deville who was throwing lethal glances at them,Anne shrugged away her fears and went on with Charles.
“Why don’t we go somewhere else.” She said to Charles as they drove away,
“Like where?”
“We can go to the museum or…”
“To the water park,I know you love waters.” She smiled,
Now this is the guy that’s cares not that heartless monster that shadows himself as my daughter’s father.
“Yes,that should be a good idea.” They made a U-turn and drove to the water park not far from the hotel Charles is staying at.They stayed at the water park till six pm after having all the fun one could get there,Charles drove back to the hotel,since Anne insisted on them trying the hotel’s restaurant, though Charles refused but she was set on trying their food,so he agreed but one a condition that hell go upstairs and change his clothes.
She went with him to his room and waited for him to change his clothes while she sat on the couch.When he came out,she wasn’t on the couch anymore,he searched for her and found her staring into the city from the balcony,he came from behind and held her waist,she flinched and turned to him,
“Charles.” He kissed her neck,
“Charles.” She called softly and closed her eyes,he kissed her throat and all over,keeping her eyes to watch him kiss Ber was so impossible.
She wrapped her hands around his neck and touched his face with the other hand while he kissed her,at fist his kiss was gentle and warming but it became urgent,he ran his mouth up to her jaw and kissed her lips,she opened up to him and their lips ran in a beautiful sync.She lost track of everything happening between them,her brain stopped functioning, the next thing she recall was Charles carrying her to the room and placing her on the bed,how they got out of their clothes and got enterwined with each other she can’t recall.
“Anne.” She felt like someone was calling out to her,she turned but saw no one except Charles who was thrusting deeply into her genitalia,
“Anne.” She heard it again,it was more of an urgent whisper,she turned and saw herself,
“Yes,you.” Her subconscious self told her,
“Do you think Deville will forgive you for this?” She turned her head to the other side of the bed,
“Think about your daughter, how will she feel if she finds out about what happened?”
“Think about yourself,do you love Charles as much as he loves you?”
“Do you really wanna leave Deville for him?”She couldn’t answer any of the questions cause shed realized something,she can never bring herself to love any man after being with Deville. When Charles was done,he slumped on her and she cried.Cried holding unto him with both hands,crying into his neck and into his weight on her,
Anne,are you okay?” He asked her,she looked at him with her eyes teary red,Charles knew from her expression,
“Don’t worry,everything is gonna be alright.” He rolled beside her and cuddled her while she cried,
“Charles,I can’t help it but be scared of what he might do.” He held her so close,
“I’m not going to let him harm you in any way.He spooned her till she fell asleep,
Anne,I’m going to protect you from him,I’ll do anything to protect you.” He said to himself till he fell asleep close to her.