Chapter 9

Charlotte ended all her meetings before two o'clock and was done tidying up her table half an hour later. A few minutes to three, she was already on her way back to the house. Bella had called her to say that their flight was scheduled for ten. She needed to get her bags out of the house before Melvin returned.
Melvin wasn't going to be back before then. Charlotte was certain about that, but she needed to be cautious, just in case he decided to.
Bella had promised to come and take her bags away from the house. Mira promised she would come to pick her up after she picked Bella up at night. She just has to take a stroll down the street, so Melvin doesn't suspect a thing.
The first thing Charlotte did when she got home was to take her bath and change into something simple. She headed to the kitchen to make dinner. She also made some side dishes for Melvin.
She wasn't going to leave him completely hungry for those weeks she would be away.
By six, she was done cooking. She arranged those that had cooled down into the refrigerator and left those which are still hot on the table.
She would come back to tidy them up.
Charlotte cleaned her hands, pulled off her apron, and headed to the living room. That was also the time Bella showed up. She helped Charlotte take her bags into her bag and decided to stay for a few minutes to talk to her before leaving.
They started off talking about random things, but soon shifted their conversation to Melvin. They talked for a while, and Bella decided to ask Charlotte a few questions.
"Did you ever regret that you decided to leave?" She asked. "Did you think about changing your mind?"
Charlotte nodded. She did, especially when he helped her out.
"Melvin's attitude this morning changed everything."
Bella sighed. She could tell that.
Bella tried to ask her more questions about Melvin, but Charlotte wasn't in the mood for that. They both decided to talk about other things. For the first few minutes, they were both silent.
Bella had a lot to talk about, but she wanted Charlotte to say something first, but she did not. She decided to speak up. She told Charlotte about the investor who called her and told her he wanted to invest.
"But you don't need an investor," Charlotte said.
Bella nodded. "Of course I did not."
"Did he not know that?"
Bella shrugged. She thinks so.
"I wanted to tell him that over the phone, but I thought it would be too rude to do that. So I scheduled an appointment with him. It was better to talk about it over some plates of food or even drinks. I had good intentions towards him, but guess what..."
Charlotte furrowed her brows. "What?"
His intentions towards me were bad. He never wanted to invest genuinely. He was just looking for a mistress who would warm his bed at night. He must have thought he could get me just because he was investing."
Charlotte burst into laughter. "Isn't it obvious that your Fashion School is one of the best here? Investors flock around you."
Bella shrugged. "I guess he doesn't know that. This man went ahead to threaten me. He was going to bankrupt my Fashion School if I did not give in."
Charlotte furrowed her brows. The man said that? He really doesn't know Bella's Fashion School.
Bella has a lot of investors. She is one of them. Melvin and his three friends, Matthew, Ryan, and David, are also investing.
Those are investors who are close to Bella. There are about four other investors whom she got from her hard work, aside from the man who had started the Fashion School with her. A lot of people are also asking to invest, and she has turned them down so that other Fashion Schools can get investors.
So what the hell is the man talking about?
"What did you do to him?" Charlotte asked.
"I told him he can go to hell with his investment for all I care. He can also try to harm my Fashion School if he can. The surprising thing is that he is not even a conglomerate. He is just a random guy who is lucky to have some money."
Charlotte, who had a smile on her face, frowned. Just that? Bella only used words and no action?
"That is all?"
Bella nodded. "I walked out on him after telling him that."
"You did not do anything to him? You did not take a video of what happened and then send it to his wife? Or dig out his infidelity and inform his wife about it? You did not at least try to slap some sense into him?"
Bella shook her head. "I did not do that."
Charlotte frowned. "You just let him go? Why would you do that? How can you let such a man go? If you couldn't do anything, why didn't you call me?"
Bella was a bit surprised. When did Charlotte become aggressive?
Charlotte shook her head. "I am not taking that." She stood up. "I am going upstairs to change. We are going..."
"You are not thinking of taking revenge. Are you?"
Charlotte nodded. "I can't do that?"
"But you..."
"There is no but. I know I do not support being aggressive, but not to people who think they can get what they want by oppressing others. It's high time we let those men know that women don't have to warm their bed or warm up to them before they become someone."
Bella stared at Charlotte. There is something different about her. She is acting strange.
Yes, she knows Charlotte doesn't support cheating, and she will try her best to find some evidence, but not in an aggressive way.
Why does she feel like it is more than just this man? Could it have something to do with Melvin, too?
Bella stood up and held Charlotte's hand. "Let him go. He is not worth it."
Charlotte shook her head. She wasn't going to do that.
"Remember we have a flight by ten and it's past seven already. There is no time for revenge."
Charlotte stared at Bella. "You are trying to stop me?"
"Of course not. We can think of how to deal with him when we land."
Charlotte sighed and sat down. "Fine."
Bella picked up her bag. "I think I should get going. Mia is coming to pick me up."
Charlotte smiled. "You mean Mira."
Bella chuckled. She almost forgot that Mia wants them to call her Mira and not Mia.
"I mean Mira. I am not used to calling her that."
"Don't worry. It's just for a few more weeks."
"Has she told you why she wants to be called Mira and not Mia?"
Charlotte nodded. "Do you remember Fred? The one we gave the broadcasting project to."
Bella nodded. How can she forget him?
"Then you must remember his girlfriend, Mirabel."
Bella nodded. The rude, sassy, spoiled rich kid.
But what does that have to do with Mia?