Charlotte’s POV
"What is going on, Charlotte? Are you okay?" Cecily asked with worries on her face when she found on the stairs with luggage in my hand.
"I hated Jack, Cel. He was lying to , to all of us." I responded as I continued walking down the staircase, holding back my tears while she walked beside .
"What do you an?" She asked, confused.
"Jack was only here in Barcelonia to work, and my brother paid him to beco my cook. He was not in love with . He knew from the start I was here because he signed a contract with my brother." I declared, and all the pain I felt ca rushing back to .
Last night, I cried until there were no more tears left, and I promised myself not to cry anymore, but the pain of his betrayal cut so deep.
"I felt like the ground had been pulled from beneath , a sudden plunge into an abyss I didn’t see coming. Once solid and unwavering, my trust in Jack now felt fragile, like glass shattered into irreparable pieces." I said as I put the luggage on the floor.
"Cecily, I felt so hurt and betrayed. I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept replaying monts I shared with him, searching for signs I missed, and every mory beca tainted with doubt. My love for him battled with anger, sadness, and disbelief, and all of it swirled together into a storm I couldn’t escape. It wasn’t just the act itself that hurt; it was the realization that the person I’d given my heart to had planned to break it." I added, and she pulled into a tight embrace.
"I am sorry, Charlotte, but I don’t think his feelings for you weren’t real. I knew Jack was in love with you." Cecily mumbled, and I shook my head.
"No, I had read the contract, and my brother was paying him this whole ti," I answered as she slowly released from his hold.
"I think you should not leave, Charlotte. This is your ho, and you should give Jack the benefit of the doubt." Cecily said.
"He doesn’t deserve it, Cel. He tricked and played with his fingers. I hated him and didn’t want to see him anymore." I replied.
"Co on, Char. You are both in love with each other, you love him, and you are getting married, " my friend responded.
"It is all now clear to , Cel, that he is so eager to marry after knowing my family has taken back. I am no longer the black sheep of our family. And he knew I still had my inheritance. Jack wanted to marry because of our family’s wealth. I couldn’t believe he was this kind of person." I declared, and every word I said felt bitter in my mouth.
"I am leaving, Cecily. Don’t worry; I will still communicate with you. I needed to go sowhere to clear my head, and I didn’t know how to nd my broken heart, but I had to."
"I never felt so betrayed my whole life, and I hated myself that I fell in love with him." I continued.
"Don’t say that Charlotte; I am sure Jack is not that kind of person." Cecily insisted, and I couldn’t bla her for being loyal to her friend.
"Cel, I am leaving now and don’t want to do anything with him. I will not tell you where I am going since you will tell Jack." I responded.
The car for rent arrived, and I said goodbye to Cecily.
Leaving the manor I now call my ho feels like walking away from a piece of myself, a place where love and pain are intertwined. I want to stay, to hold onto the comfort of its walls and the mories of better days. But the hurt lingers in every corner, and waiting would an living with ghosts I’m not ready to face. So I leave, not because I want to, but because I need to. I need to heal, to find a peace I couldn’t have here in Barcelonia.
It is a bittersweet feeling. I admit I learned so many things in the manor and didn’t regret anything I experienced for the first ti. I have so many firsts in this place. I fell in love for the first ti, had my first kiss, and experienced heartbreak. I didn’t know it could be painful like this.
I didn’t have a choice but to co ho to the Divenson mansion. The old white house stood with tiless grace, its once-brilliant façade now softened by the gentle touch of age. Tall, arched windows frad with delicate carvings reflected the fading sunlight, and ivy crept up its stately columns as if drawn to its enduring beauty.
Despite the faint cracks in its walls and the slightly worn edges, the mansion exuded an air of elegance, as though it carried the weight of history with effortless charm. It was a place where grandeur and nostalgia intertwined, whispering stories of a bygone era.
I didn’t know how long I had stood before my old ho. The weight of my father’s absence settled in my chest. Once alive with his laughter and steady presence, the house felt hollow, like a stage after the final act.
The old butler greeted with the sa respect. As I got inside, every corner held a mory, my father’s voice calling from the porch, the way he’d stand by the window lost in thought. Yet now, the echoes of those monts were just that—echoes. I missed him in a way words couldn’t touch, an ache so deep it felt like the house itself grieved with , holding onto his spirit in its weathered walls and quiet rooms.
The pain in my heart tripled as I rembered my brother’s sche as I looked at the old family portrait in our living room. I thought Hunter loved as his younger sister. I didn’t know he manipulated my life and asked soone to look after , and Jack allowed my elder brother to use him in his ga.
He must hate so much for hurting his wife. I already asked forgiveness for all the things I did to Madeline. I thought he had already forgiven .
Being in my old room evokes a mix of emotions. It felt like I was stepping into a ti capsule. The faded posters on the walls, the worn-out desk, and the bed that once seed so big now felt smaller yet heavier with mories.
The air carried a faint trace of familiarity—like an echo of who I used to be. It was comforting and unsettling all at once, as though the room held onto pieces of that I’d long since outgrown but could never quite leave behind. In its quiet stillness, it whispered both belonging and distance, a reminder of how much I had changed.
I knew I had changed and beco a better version of myself, but I wished I hadn’t allowed Jack to get into my system. I wished I was still the old Charlotte who could hide her true feelings.
The sheets were cleaned, and I knew the house was well-cleaned since servants kept things running in our old mansion ever since my mom and sister moved to Hunter’s house.
I lay on my bed thinking about the things I should do, and I fell asleep with tears in my eyes. I woke up the following morning with a soft knock on my bedroom door. I couldn’t believe one of the maids woke up to eat breakfast, and if I were my old self, I am sure I would have already yelled at her for disturbing my sleep, but I am now a different person, and I will not allow the pain and betrayal I felt will make go back to being a brat.
The food on the table looked delicious, but I didn’t have the appetite to eat. I still feel terrible. I only ate a little since I didn’t want the staff to feel stupid for preparing the food for .
I was shocked when, as I was about to get out of the main door, the butler handed the key to my old car.
"I planned to commute," I replied, trying my best to smile at him.
"Ms. Charlotte, your brother made sure all the cars in the garage were well maintained. I am sure you don’t want to be stuck in traffic riding a bus. Your sports car would be the best vehicle you can use." He replied, and I took the car keys from his hand and was excited to drive my old car.
At least driving my own car made feel excited, and I could feel the anxiousness in my heart as I neared my brother’s office. I made sure he was on Archois before I went to our company.
I barged into Hunter’s office before his secretary could inform him, and I saw the surprise on my brother’s face. I could tell he was genuinely happy to see , but I was so angry with him that I couldn’t return his smile.
"Charlotte, what a surprise?" he said, still smiling brotherly.
"How dare you manipulate my life, Hunter?" I asked angrily.
"What? I don’t understand. What do you an?" he asked, confused.
"How can you explain to why Jack has a contract with your company?" I asked, and my brother’s face turned pale as he looked at speechless.
"Answer , Hunter?" I yelled as I started throwing the things I found on his table, and he was with in an instant, trying to pacify , but I tried to get away from his hold and punch him in the chest, he let hit him as my tears gushing on my cheeks.
"Charlotte, you need to calm down and listen to . If you want an answer, we can’t talk if you are like this, " my brother said, and I stopped and looked at him in the eyes.
"How are you going to explain everything, Hunter?" I asked, hopeful that his answer would save my relationship with Jack.
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