Chapter 4

CHARLOTTE'S POV

"Clara, it's almost time. Where are you? We don't want to be late now." I looked at the time while waiting for my daughter by the door. I have no idea that I would be sending her to school just because she promise to cheer her friends at a competition.

Luckily that I have the night shift tonight, at least I didn't disappoint her yet again today.

"Coming!" I heard Clara shouted over from her room. Imagine my surprise when my daughter dressed as if she's going on a date. And was that my perfume?

"Are you trying to impressed someone, my dear?" I asked Clara, who avoided eye contact. She's such a shy girl.

"Mommy! Come on. We don't want to be late." She pushed me towards the door. And who's fault was that? Is it just me or she seemed a bit overexcited for this.

After buckling her seat, I went to the driver seat and drove towards the school. When we arrived, I was shocked to see there is a lot of parents bringing their children to this competition. I can't help but be curious.

"Clara, dear. I'm curious. What is going on in school today? I thought you said it's just a cheerleading competition. Why is the whole school here?" I inquired while trying to find somewhere to park the car.

"It is. But there's a special student in our school. She came from a quite powerful family. I guess the principal couldn't resist telling the whole student body about her family coming to see her compete." I see.

So they're here to kissing up to their ass? How low can they go when it comes to money? I could never comprehend this kind of people. When I finally found a spot, I was grateful.

"Mommy, come on. Let's find a good seat." At least wait for me.

"Clara! Wait for me!" I half-yelled for my daughter to yield. She did wait for me.

"So your daughter went to this school too?" Dear mother of God! When did this woman suddenly appeared beside me?! Wait, this is-

"Are you following me?" My question made her laughed. Oh, my God! This woman is a stalker!

"No. Why didn't I think of that though? Hmmm, I'm here to see my niece compete. Since we're going in the same direction, why not we go together? I have no idea where I should go. Maybe your daughter could show me the way." She's scheming something. I know it. But I can't just ask her to go away. She's a Hawthorne!

"Sure. Come with us." She glanced at me with a smile on her face.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your daughter?" Seriously?! I sighed mentally.

"Clara, this is my friend, Ummm... Wait-," I know I saw her name before. But what was it?!

"Esmeralda. I'm Esmeralda. Silly Charlotte. You don't even remember your own friend's name. I am hurt." She shakes hands with Clara.

"Don't mind my mother. She's forgetful nowadays. I blame daddy for that. He's been ..." I place a hand on her shoulder. She shouldn't say that to strangers.

"Mom, I want to find a good seat. Let's go." Oh yes. She's right. I guess we should go now. While the kids lead the way, Esmeralda kept a close distance between us. And I couldn't help but noticed that everyone is watching us. Is there something on my face?

Are my apparel not appropriate enough for this?

Sure important people are coming to the school but are it necessary to dress formally? No, right?

We finally reached the indoor gym. For some reason, walking with Esmeralda made me feel insecure. Is it because she's a Hawthorne? Wait! She mentioned that she's coming here to see her niece. Is this the reason why they have been watching me? Because this woman is standing beside me.

"Aunt Esme! You came!" I was surprised when a girl wearing a cheerleader uniform ran towards us. Esmeralda hugged her; I assumed her niece.

"Of course. I'm sorry that I'm late. Luckily I found my friends here. They showed me the way." Her niece turned and thanked me for showing Esmeralda the way.

"Where's mother?" She asked. Maybe I should leave now. This matter has nothing to do with me, after all. I placed both hands on my daughter's shoulder as she are trying to scan the perfect place for us to sit. The best position is not available anymore.

"We're too late." Clara seemed disappointed. I should apologise to her. Even though it's not my fault we're late, it's just the right thing to do.

"I'm sorry. Let's just sit on the back. I'm sure we can see your friend perfectly." Clara nodded.

"Or you guys can join me. There's a lot of seats available down here." Esmeralda pointed at the empty seat at the very front. I was about to decline when she placed her arm around me.

"Come on. You did show me the way. It's the least I can do for you guys. Come. Let's meet my second sister in law and mother!" She seemed too excited about this. I can't. They're the Hawthornes'! I'm just a nobody.

Little did I know that I'm introducing myself and my daughter to her family. Dear God, just how badly you want me to suffer in this lifetime?

"Johanna, good luck. Do not embarrass yourself, okay?" Esmeralda laughed while she waved at her niece. Is that how she cheered her niece? 'Don't embarrass yourself?' Good God.

Let the gossip game begins. I can just imagine how the public reacted to this outcome. How did I, a nobody, manage to sit with a bunch of influential people?

Esmeralda's second sister in law seemed to be a dignified woman. Same with her mother. They're the perfect noblewoman, unlike Esmeralda who kept on cheering for her niece like a lunatic.

"Look at that girl! She's my niece!" I couldn't help but smile at her. Even my daughter started to cheer like her. If no one had known better, they would think that she's her kid instead of mine.

What-

Did I just-

What is wrong with me?

***

"It's okay, Johanna. Even though you didn't win, your spirit didn't waver until the end. Don't be sad." Esmeralda's second sister in law is such a doting mother. Johanna looked up to her mother with a small smile.

"I know. The other team was better. We were lacking. I know mom." Esmeralda suddenly laughed at her niece when she came out from the bathroom.

"Esmeralda, be nice. Your niece was good. You shouldn't laugh at her like that." Her second sister in law and mother were shocked to see me spoke to her like that.

"Fine. I'm sorry for laughing at you, Johanna." They were even more surprised when she apologised to her niece. What's going on?

"Esmeralda, you introduced this lovely woman as a friend. You don't let people talk to you like that so don't lie to us. Who exactly is she? Is she your new girlfriend?" Huh? Excuse me? No. She was my patient, and that's it.

This woman is a stalker who managed to find out my number and my social media in a blink of an eye! But I can't say that here. What should I say? Should I answer her mother? Mrs Hawthorne seemed like a tolerable woman. She never once judge on my sons as Felix's family

"Girlfriend?" Esmeralda laughed. She doesn't have to laugh like that. Geez. You're embarrassing me now.

"She's my fiancée. She agreed to be my wife. We had an on and off relationship. But now that she's divorced, we can finally fulfil our lifelong dream. Isn't that right, Charlotte?" Esmeralda smiled while bringing my body closer to hers.

What the bloody hell is she talking about now?! My daughter is shocked as I am. Her eyes widened when she heard Claudia say that.

"Really? Why didn't you told us about her? Esmeralda, this is news! Your grandparents will be so happy to know that their only single granddaughter is finally getting married." Did her mother just cry?!

And when did I agreed to be her fiancée?! We don't even know each other before she went to the emergency room with a cut on her forehead. Wait, speaking of the cut, the nurse said she didn't come back to change the bandages.

Impulsively I turned to look at her forehead, but to my surprise, she already removed the stitches,

"Did you miss me? Is that why you turned to see my face?" This woman is hopeless. And does she have to hold my waist like that? I'm sure Clara confused. How should I explain everything to her when I don't have any idea myself.

"I'm sure they will be happy to know that their granddaughter in law is a doctor. Anyway, I should send them home now. When the time is right, I'll introduce her to our family. So for now, please keep this as a secret." Esmeralda smiled.

"Clara, why not we go for ice cream before we go home. Because I'm sure, you need some explanation." She whispered the last part. As soon as we stepped out of the school, a group of men wearing black suits greeted us.

"One of you bring my car home. I would like to go and have some fun with my friends. You guys don't have to follow me. We're just getting ice cream. Besides, you're scaring the kid." They bow.

"Give me your car keys. I'm driving." I don't know why I trusted her. Is it because I'm scared she might ask those bulky guys to harass me if I decline?

"Where's your car?" She asked when we're standing in the middle of the road. Clara watching with curious eyes, wondering where she's taking us. I pointed at a Honda across the road.

"Not bad. Come on. We don't want the ice cream to melt." She smiled and went to the car. Where exactly are we going? She said for ice cream, but are we?

"Please explain to me what is going on? Why did you told your mother that we're engaged? I don't even know you that well." Esmeralda smiled as she drives.

"Relax. Once we arrived, I will explain everything." That's true. Suddenly she handed me her phone.

"Find someone named Jacob in my phone log. Tell him that I need him to be at XXX now. Ask him to wait for us there." She asked me to looked through her phone?! And wow, this wallpaper of hers is bold. I mean, who even thought of putting a picture of yourself wearing revealing lingerie as the wallpaper.

I did as told and gave her the phone back. She gave me a small smile when she turned the car to a road that I have no idea where it's lead. I turned around to see how my daughter is, and she seemed composed.

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked while she focused on the road.

"To an ice cream place that I like." Huh? Ice cream place that she likes? But there is not a single building here?!

"Where is that?" I asked yet again.

"The resort." The resort?! What resort? That resort?! Oh, my God! That looked too posh. Even Clara is surprised to see that grant building when it came to the viewing.

"Mom, Ms.Esmeralda is selling us off, right?" I hushed Clara up afraid that she might hear her. She laughed while she drives. She did heard her!

When we arrived at the front entrance, she got out followed by Clara and me. We stood by the car and just looked around the resort which we can't afford. This place is one of those overpriced vacation spots just for the rich!

"Why are you standing idly? Come. Let's have some ice cream." I never thought I'd be having ice cream at a posh looking resort.

"Welcome back, young miss. Are you here looking for a first young master?" First young master? If the woman I met earlier is the second sister in law- does that mean the first young master is the chairwoman's husband?

"No. I'm here with my fiancée." Even the resort manager was shocked to hear that word.

"I see. Welcome to Hawthorne Resort and Spa, milady." He bows at me! I can't process what is happening right now.

"Shall we?" Esmeralda offered her hand for me to take. I can't only take her hands and let my daughter wander alone.

"My daughter ..." Esmeralda smiled.

"Why don't you show her where the game room is after getting their ice cream, manager? I have something to discuss with her mother." The manager bow. But as a mother, I dont dare to leave my daughter under strangers care.

"Don't worry if he messed up. I'll just fire him from his post. You won't disappoint me, right?" The resort manager nodded before he asked my girl to followed him. I gave her a low nod and watched her follow the manager with a heavy heart.

"Miss Charlotte, please, come with me." Do I have a choice? I sighed heavily and followed her to a secluded area of the resort.