Chapter Nine–THE NORMAN MANSION
1770 Words
“Hello… are you ok?” Jace asked Charlotte, who was sitting in bed, lost in thought after receiving the text from Bruce.
“I am fine, I was just thinking about something.”
“Spare me the details. You are supposed to have unpacked by now.”
“Yeah, that's true, I think I forgot some outfits. “
“Not surprised.” He replied.
Jace lifted a few of Charlotte’s clothes from the bed.”Are these clothes or rags?”
“What do you mean? They are clearly my clothes.”
“You call these rags clothes?”
“Yes, they are my best outfits, and I always rock them with joy.”
“Wow, how did I go from supermodels to someone who wears rags with joy?”
“Well, you couldn't resist me and my rags at the bar that fateful night. That's exactly how you ended up with me.”
“Why didn’t you refuse my offer? At least we wouldn't have been stuck with each other by now.”
“You were just too horny Jace, even if I had rejected you, you would have kept on persisting.”
“Now it's my fault? Isn't that what you are trying to say?”
“Yes, it's your fault.”
“Well, it's not my fault you couldn't turn down ten thousand dollars.”
“Not everyone comes from money, Jace. Some people work for survival, not luxury, and I won’t let someone who has never worked a day in his life talk me down.”
“It's not my fault my father is a billionaire.”
“You mean my father-in-law?” Charlotte said with her cheeky smile on her face.
A knock sounded from the door, breaking the silence between them.
“Who's that?”
“It's Joyce, Sir.”
“And how may I help you?”
“Your Father wants you both to join him at the dinner.”
“OK, let him know we will join him shortly.”
“Ok, sir.”
“Are you going to keep staring at me?” He said to Charlotte.
“I mean, you are the one who's clearly admiring my beauty.”
“You must have been a comedian back in the trenches.”
“Just accept the fact that you are attracted to me, Jace.”
“That's what you think?”
“That's the truth.”
“You really must be delusional.”
“Get ready Charlotte, your father-in-law doesn't like being kept waiting."
THE NORMAN DINNER
“Here comes my daughter-in-law.” Said Mr Norman.
“Good evening, sir.”
“Evening, how have you been settling into this new environment?”
“I have been settling in really well, sir. The staff has been really helpful, as well as my husband Jace.”
Jace looked at Charlotte, enraged, as she stared back at him with a smile on her face, as if this were some mind game.
And Jace muttered out “It's like someone is beginning to forget this is nothing but a contract marriage.”
“And the contract details clearly state you are my legal husband, and I am your legal wife, and your signature is on the documents, Jace,” Charlotte replied.
“Well said, Charlotte, you are Jace’s legal wife, and he has to accept that.” Said Mr Norman.
“You both are unbelievable.”
The chef served Mr Norman's food first, and as he was about to serve Jace’s “Stop, let Charlotte serve Jace’s food.” said Mr Norman.
“That wouldn't be necessary Dad, after all, we ain't in public.”
“I don't remember asking for your opinion.”
“Charlotte, dear.”
“Yes, father.”
“Would you mind serving your husband's food?”
“No father, I will gladly do so.”
Jace kept his eyes fixed on Charlotte as she served his food on his plate.
“There you go, husband,” she said with a small smile on her face.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” he muttered.
Charlotte didn’t even look at him.
“Enjoying what?”
“Pretending this marriage is real.”
“Well… isn’t it real?” she asked.
Mr Norman interrupted.
“I hope both of you understand something,” he said while cutting his steak.
“This family does not tolerate embarrassment.”
“I understand, sir,” she said.
Mr Norman looked at her carefully.
“You married into one of the most powerful families in the country.”
Charlotte nodded.
“I am aware of that.”
“Good,” Mr Norman continued.
“Because from tomorrow onward, the media will begin paying attention to you.”
“Politicians, investors, and journalists will attend the wedding ceremony tomorrow.”
“Dad, you’re scaring her.”
“I am not scaring her,” Mr Norman replied.
“I am preparing her.”
“I appreciate the advice, sir.”
“You seem calmer than most women would be in your situation.”
Charlotte laughed.“Well… I have had a very eventful day.”
Jace raised an eyebrow.“Eventful?”
Charlotte grabbed a glass of water.
“Yes… Moving into a mansion can be overwhelming.”
Mr Norman suddenly spoke again.
“Charlotte.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Tell me something.”
“Yes?”
“How long have you known my son?”
“Dad—”
“Let her answer,” Mr Norman interrupted.
“Well… technically, not very long.”
“And yet you married him.”
“Life can be unpredictable with the choices it presents to us.”
“Yes,” he said.“It certainly can.”
The dining went silent for a while as everyone was busy eating their various meals, not until Charlotte placed her fork on the table and wrapped her right hand around her stomach.
“Why aren't you eating?”
“I’m not very hungry,” Charlotte said.
“Not hungry?” asked Mr Norman.
“I had a late lunch.”
Charlotte felt the nausea in her stomach hit harder this time.
“Excuse me… I need some fresh air,” she said as she left the dining room to go upstairs.
“That’s strange.”
“Go check on your wife.”
“Really Father? Do I have to?”
“Yes, she needs to be in good condition for her to be presentable to the media.”
“She’s fine.”
“I said," Go check on your wife. "”
“Yes, father.”
UPSTAIRS
Charlotte hurried into the bathroom. She barely reached the sink before she vomited.
“This can’t keep happening,” she whispered.
She splashed cold water on her face.
Just then—The bathroom door opened.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“You ran out of dinner like someone was chasing you.”
“I told you I just needed air.”
“Yeah, and the best place to get air is the bathroom?”
“I had to use the toilet.”
“You are acting strangely, and you look pale.”
“I’m fine.”
“You also barely ate.”
“I wasn’t hungry.”
“Okay, like I care anyway.”
“Then why bother acting as if you care?”
“To please father Charlotte…, to please him.”
“Whatever, please can you excuse me?”
“Would gladly do so.”
Just as Charlotte was rinsing her face, her phone vibrated in her pocket.
“Ohhh..who could it be again?” She whispered to herself.
She opened the phone and saw it was a text from an unknown number. Her first guess was Bruce, so she snapped and replied. “Bruce, can you stop sending me texts from unknown numbers? If you want to talk to me, send me a message with your number and stop acting like a coward.”
Unknown number: "Bruce…? Who the hell is Bruce?”
“Stop this game you are playing, Bruce. I know fully well you are the one behind the phone.”
Unknown number: “Interesting, I will get back to this whole Bruce drama. I am Malory Jace’s girlfriend.”
“What? I hope you are aware that the lady you are speaking to is Jace’s wife.”
UNKNOWN NUMBER: “Ohh really! You seem to have already gotten comfortable being addressed as Mrs Norman. Now let me remind you of something you were just a one-night stand, and that's what you will ever be, and as for Jace, he's mine.”
“The marriage documents say otherwise, Malory or whosoever you are.”
UNKNOWN NUMBER: “Those are just papers, Charlotte dear, but in reality, Jace would never love you because he's obsessed with me.”
“He didn’t seem to be obsessed with you when we had s*x.”
UNKNOWN NUMBER: “Ohh shut up, you were just fortunate.”
UNKNOWN NUMBER: You must be enjoying yourself.
Unknown Number:
Living in the Norman mansion… sleeping in Jace’s room… calling yourself Mrs Norman.
Charlotte:
If you have something to say, say it.
Unknown Number:
You should really remember your place.
Charlotte:
And who exactly are you to tell me that?
Unknown Number:
The woman Jace actually loves.
Unknown Number:
Did Jace tell you about me?
Charlotte: No, my husband hasn't mentioned your name since I got here.
Unknown Number: Of course, he didn’t.
Men like Jace don’t tell their contract wives everything.
Charlotte:
You seem very interested in my marriage.
Unknown Number: Marriage?
Unknown Number: You mean that contract his father forced him to sign?
Unknown Number: Don’t get too comfortable in that mansion. You’re only there temporarily.
Charlotte: You sound jealous.
Unknown Number: Jealous? Of a bartender who got lucky for one night?
Unknown Number: Jace and I have been together for years.
You’re just the girl his father chose to fix a scandal.
Unknown Number: So enjoy the mansion while it lasts.
Unknown Number: Because when this contract ends…Jace will come back to the woman he actually loves.
Charlotte: If you’re so confident about that, why are you texting me from an unknown number?
Unknown Number: Just remember something.
Unknown Number: You may have his name. But I still have his heart.
“Crazy lady,” Charlotte muttered to herself as she stepped out of the bathroom.
Upon stepping out of the bathroom, Jace was lying on the bed working on his laptop, so she asked.
“Who is Malory?”
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