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Chapter 3

It was a brand new day, Charlotte was dressed and ready to go to work. After having breakfast, she headed to her car.

"Going to work already?" Melvin asked when they met outside the house.

Charlotte could tell there was a reason for that question. She thought it might have something to do with her leaving the dinner party early yesterday, she waited impatiently for him to speak about it.

"Isn't that an obvious question?" She mumbled.

"We are going to be having dinner with my family tomorrow. You should get back home from work early. And you had better not be looking stressed out from work." Melvin said.

She had expected him to ask her not to go to work tomorrow to prepare for the visit. And though she had no plan to say yes even if he asked her to stay away from work, she just hoped he would say that.

She nodded but said nothing. Melvin said nothing too. Instead, he got into his car and drove off. Charlotte was disappointed not because he said nothing but because he never asked her why she left the dinner party without telling him. She entered the car and closed her eyes.

"Let's go, please." She said to the driver. A call from Bella reminding her of a wedding she was supposed to attend made her stop the driver from going further. "Drive back home, please."

"Yes, ma'am." The driver answered.

Charlotte wondered why Melvin did not attempt to remind her of the wedding party; the bride was his acquaintance after all. She was sure he was heading to the wedding.

Are they not supposed to go together even if they have no close relationship? She thought.

They got to the house and she headed upstairs to change into clothes and shoes suitable for the event. When she got to the living room, Bella was there, waiting to accompany her to the event. She got into the car and all through the drive she said nothing. Her mind was filled with so many questions and doubts.

What would have happened if she had made the decision not to marry Melvin? Would her life have been better with little or no conflict or rumor? Would she have felt happy without him?

She questioned if she had made the right choice in accepting to marry Melvin and had doubts that things would ever get better between them.

They got to the event center and she headed straight to find a place to sit; the event was yet to start. She overheard a group of people talking about her. Most of the things said were nothing but false rumors. This wasn't the first time she had heard people say false things about her and though she was familiar with these false rumors, it was difficult to compare them to who she truly was.

"I heard she loves her work more than anything. She is so desperate for power." One of the ladies in black dresses said.

"The obvious reason she married Melvin. I feel pity for him though. I saw him come in alone a while ago. Do you think his wife went to work instead of coming to this wedding with him?" A young woman in a white dress said.

"I think she did or she would have been here already." Another woman in a black dress said. "I am so happy for Damien and Mary. At least they love each other."

"Isn't she the deputy general manager? I mean Melvin's wife. What is her name again?" The lady in black who had first spoken asked.

"Charlotte. I heard she became the deputy general manager after she got married to him." The lady in white said. "I think his late father gave her that position. How wonder how she was able to get him to her side."

"It obvious she has always been after his money." The second lady in black said. "She got married to him because of that. Melvin must have married her because his father insisted."

Charlotte knew how obvious it was to everyone that she got married to Melvin not because they loved each other but because they had no choice.

Why would they think she married him for his money?

She wondered why they sounded so confident saying stuff about her and Melvin; more especially about her. She doesn't know most of them. She had only met a few of them including the bride at her wedding; they have no close relationship. Most were Melvin's acquaintances.

Why do they feel so comfortable saying false things about her when they know little or nothing about her? She wondered. And none of them attempt to confront her and ask for the truth either.

People will always be people. She thought.

She decided to sit in a different place; she did not want to listen to them badmouth and say foul things about her or that might affect her mood. Bella who had overheard them talk about her boss was furious but did not do anything about it.

If her boss isn't doing anything about it, it is not in her place to interfere.

**

When the wedding finally ended, Charlotte was happy to return home. Not only was she tired from doing nothing and just sitting down, but she also had no one to talk to except Bella. Unfortunately, she left a few minutes after the wedding started and she was left alone.

Charlotte did not bother to return home with Melvin. They did not come together and she did not want people to think she was desperate to get him to love her. She was also sure Melvin would not be coming home because of her. He always tries to avoid her; he doesn't want to see her. She got to the house and headed straight to her room.

A few minutes later, Hannah knocked at her door.

"Come in, Hannah," Charlotte answered.

Hannah brought in a bag. "Mr Melvin's assistant brought this and asked me to give this to you."

Charlotte nodded. "Thank you, Hannah. You can leave."

Hannah left and Charlotte dropped the bag on the couch. There was no reason to check what was in the bag; she could tell there would be dresses, jewelry, and shoes in the bag for her to pick from. She will not be making her choice today but will wait until she gets back from work tomorrow. She will pick them according to her mood.

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