Chapter Seventeen: The Plan
900 Words
Charlotte met Eva the following afternoon at a quiet café across town.
Eva was her closest friend, and unlike everyone else, she knew exactly how Charlotte felt about Adrian.
"You look terrible," Eva said as she sat down.
Charlotte frowned.
"Thank you."
"You know what I mean."
Charlotte looked down at her coffee.
"Adrian is marrying Yvonne."
Eva sighed.
"I know."
"He loves her."
"Are you sure?"
"I've seen the way he looks at her."
Charlotte's jaw tightened.
"He chose her without even knowing what she has that I don't."
Eva leaned closer.
"You're not going to let this happen, are you?"
Charlotte looked at her.
"No."
"What are you planning?"
"I don't know yet."
Eva smiled.
"Then we'll figure it out."
Charlotte studied her friend.
"You'd help me?"
"Of course."
Eva reached across the table.
"Whatever it takes."
Charlotte's expression softened.
"I knew I could count on you."
Meanwhile, Yvonne was at her new office reviewing documents for her company.
Her investor had approved the first stage of funding, and things were finally beginning to move.
She couldn't wait to tell Adrian.
Her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Are you free?"
She smiled.
"For you? Maybe."
"Good. I want to take you somewhere."
"Where?"
"It's a surprise."
She laughed.
"You're becoming too mysterious."
"Just trust me."
"I do."
That evening, Adrian took her to a beautiful rooftop overlooking the city.
Yvonne stepped out of the car and stared.
"Adrian…"
He smiled.
"I wanted you to see something."
He walked toward the edge.
"Look."
The city stretched out beneath them, covered in lights.
Yvonne stood beside him.
"It's beautiful."
"You deserve beautiful things."
She looked at him.
"You always say things like that."
"Because they're true."
Yvonne smiled.
Adrian turned toward her.
"I know this marriage started because of our families."
He took her hand.
"But that's not why I want it anymore."
Yvonne's eyes softened.
"Why do you want it?"
"Because I love you."
She froze.
Adrian watched her carefully.
"You don't have to say anything."
Yvonne smiled through her surprise.
"I love you too."
He pulled her into his arms.
For the first time, Yvonne felt completely certain.
She had spent her entire life feeling like someone's second choice.
But Adrian had chosen her.
And she believed nothing could change that.
Unfortunately, someone else was already planning to prove her wrong.
Back at the café, Charlotte stared at the photograph Eva had placed on the table.
It showed Adrian's drink.
Charlotte looked at Eva.
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
Eva smiled.
"Something that will make Adrian look guilty without him actually remembering what happened."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"And Yvonne?"
"She'll believe what she sees."
Charlotte slowly smiled.
"Then let's begin."
Charlotte met Eva the following afternoon at a quiet café across town.
Eva was her closest friend, and unlike everyone else, she knew exactly how Charlotte felt about Adrian.
"You look terrible," Eva said as she sat down.
Charlotte frowned.
"Thank you."
"You know what I mean."
Charlotte looked down at her coffee.
"Adrian is marrying Yvonne."
Eva sighed.
"I know."
"He loves her."
"Are you sure?"
"I've seen the way he looks at her."
Charlotte's jaw tightened.
"He chose her without even knowing what she has that I don't."
Eva leaned closer.
"You're not going to let this happen, are you?"
Charlotte looked at her.
"No."
"What are you planning?"
"I don't know yet."
Eva smiled.
"Then we'll figure it out."
Charlotte studied her friend.
"You'd help me?"
"Of course."
Eva reached across the table.
"Whatever it takes."
Charlotte's expression softened.
"I knew I could count on you."
Meanwhile, Yvonne was at her new office reviewing documents for her company.
Her investor had approved the first stage of funding, and things were finally beginning to move.
She couldn't wait to tell Adrian.
Her phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Are you free?"
She smiled.
"For you? Maybe."
"Good. I want to take you somewhere."
"Where?"
"It's a surprise."
She laughed.
"You're becoming too mysterious."
"Just trust me."
"I do."
That evening, Adrian took her to a beautiful rooftop overlooking the city.
Yvonne stepped out of the car and stared.
"Adrian…"
He smiled.
"I wanted you to see something."
He walked toward the edge.
"Look."
The city stretched out beneath them, covered in lights.
Yvonne stood beside him.
"It's beautiful."
"You deserve beautiful things."
She looked at him.
"You always say things like that."
"Because they're true."
Yvonne smiled.
Adrian turned toward her.
"I know this marriage started because of our families."
He took her hand.
"But that's not why I want it anymore."
Yvonne's eyes softened.
"Why do you want it?"
"Because I love you."
She froze.
Adrian watched her carefully.
"You don't have to say anything."
Yvonne smiled through her surprise.
"I love you too."
He pulled her into his arms.
For the first time, Yvonne felt completely certain.
She had spent her entire life feeling like someone's second choice.
But Adrian had chosen her.
And she believed nothing could change that.
Unfortunately, someone else was already planning to prove her wrong.
Back at the café, Charlotte stared at the photograph Eva had placed on the table.
It showed Adrian's drink.
Charlotte looked at Eva.
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
Eva smiled.
"Something that will make Adrian look guilty without him actually remembering what happened."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed.
"And Yvonne?"
"She'll believe what she sees."
Charlotte slowly smiled.
"Then let's begin."
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