FATED HEIRS

Paradise for two

CHARLES'S POV

Mrs. Scarlett smiled warmly as she faced me. Her expression revealed how relieved she was by the words I had spoken earlier.

Finally, she shifted her gaze toward Mr. Marcus. Despite trying to meet his eyes, she kept looking away, as though she still lacked the courage to face him.

“Everything Charles said is true. You don't have to take this personally, Marcus,” she said, her voice soft but strained.

Mr. Marcus nodded as he stared into the distance for a few seconds.

“I understand. I know my wife would never betray me.” He turned toward her as he spoke the final words.

I managed to force a smile of my own, even though it didn't reflect how I truly felt. I simply wanted to keep the atmosphere from becoming uncomfortable again.

Mr. Marcus stepped forward and loosened his tie, pulling it from around his neck before tossing it onto the sofa. He paced briefly, his shoes tapping against the floor, then finally turned toward me.

“Charles, I want you to return to the resort. Stay with my wife and her family until they're ready to leave, then bring them home. I want to spend the entire night alone with Scarlett,” he instructed.

I immediately nodded in agreement and prepared to leave.

“Don't let her find out about anything that's happening. I don't want a repeat of what happened at the gala or the restaurant. You should know what will happen to you if you make another mistake,” Mr. Marcus warned before I could walk out.

His words stopped me in my tracks. I stood frozen near the door, unable to bring myself to turn around.

“I understand, sir. I won't make the same mistake again,” I replied solemnly.

With that, I walked out and started the car. This was the life I had been forced to live. If Mr. Marcus's secret ever reached his wife, he might refuse to help my family get out of prison, despite the promise he had made to me. His father had made the same promise, too.

I had no choice but to cooperate. Still, I couldn't help feeling sorry for Mrs. Evelyn. I never wanted to hurt her by helping her husband keep such a secret, but I had no idea how I would survive if I went against him.

A few minutes later, I arrived at the resort where Mrs. Evelyn was staying. I stepped out of the car and hurried toward the others.

They were seated outside, near the swimming pool. Despite the late hour, the atmosphere was lively, almost like a private casino. However, Mrs. Evelyn and Ella weren't alone. An older man and an elegant woman were seated with them.

My arrival interrupted their conversation, and they all turned toward me. Before Ella could speak, Mrs. Evelyn greeted me first.

“Oh, Charles, you're here.” She smiled, carefully placing her teaspoon on the table as though it were something fragile.

Then she turned toward the older couple.

“Father, Mother, this is my husband's assistant. He helps Marcus with his affairs, and he's always been very polite to me. I've never had any problems with him.”

She spoke with a smile that remained on her lips throughout the introduction.

The older man turned toward me. He looked tired and appeared to be in no mood for conversation. Rather than offer a welcoming greeting, he simply grunted in acknowledgment.

I quickly stepped forward and bowed my head respectfully, maintaining the professionalism expected of me.

“That's all right. I think it's time we left. We'll see you again at your wedding ceremony,” the man announced, seemingly eager to end the conversation.

“Yes, Father. That works for me, too,” Mrs. Evelyn replied.

She smiled, and the others continued chatting around the table. I remained standing nearby, offering a polite smile whenever their conversation drew my attention.

Eventually, her parents stood up and left. Their driver took them away, leaving the rest of us behind.

I cleared my throat and stepped closer to the table. Before I could say anything, Ella caught my attention.

“Charles, sit down and have dinner with us.”

That was exactly what I had been waiting for. I had been standing for so long that my legs were beginning to ache.

I carefully took a seat, pulled a plate toward me, and began eating.

“Where is Marcus now? Where does he have to go at this hour?” Mrs. Evelyn demanded. Her voice wasn't particularly loud, but the irritation in it was unmistakable.

I paused with my spoon halfway to my mouth and glanced at her suspiciously.

“You shouldn't worry so much about Mr. Marcus. He had something important to attend to, which is why he asked me to stay with you,” I explained.

I paused, brought the spoon to my mouth, and swallowed before reaching for a tissue.

“Besides, I don't understand why you feel the need to keep track of your husband's every move. What exactly do you think he's doing whenever he's away?” I asked bluntly.

“Why shouldn't I? Is he meeting another business partner this time?” Mrs. Evelyn retorted, her frustration growing.

“It's all right, Mrs. Evelyn. Just forgive my brother for tonight. He used to behave this way even when we lived together,” Ella interjected gently.

Slowly, the tension in Mrs. Evelyn's expression eased. She managed a small smile before returning her attention to her meal.

As we continued eating, I spoke up again.

“Please let me know when you're ready to leave. I'll drive you home. Mr. Marcus specifically instructed me to do that.”

Mrs. Evelyn stopped eating and stared at me for a few seconds before answering.

“No. We're all staying here until tomorrow. I want to see Marcus as early as possible before returning home,” she declared firmly.

I said nothing and continued eating. Ella, however, seemed far more interested in me than in the food in front of her.

By the time Mrs. Evelyn left the table and went inside, Ella's attention had become even more obvious. She was behaving like someone experiencing the excitement of falling in love for the first time. Instead of concentrating on her meal, she kept watching me with an affectionate smile.

Eventually, she reached across the table and gently placed her hand over mine.

“I missed you, Charles,” she confessed softly. “I thought I might never see you again, but I'm so happy you're here.”

I laughed quietly and lowered my head.

“You don't have to miss me that much. If you care about me, you should be more careful about getting too close to me.”

She slowly withdrew her hand, her expression filling with curiosity.

“What do you mean? Why should I be careful around you?”

“Because I don't want any trouble with James. I hope you haven't forgotten that he loves you. He deserves to be with you far more than I do,” I replied bluntly.

Ella fell silent, studying me with an unreadable expression.

“Besides, I see you as a sister, not as a woman I could fall in love with,” I added.

The longer she stared at me, the more her expression hardened. Suddenly, she pushed her chair back and walked away without another word.

I simply smiled to myself. She might have felt as though I'd rejected her, but I couldn't afford to let that bother me. I had far too much resentment weighing on my mind to become distracted by love.

It was already midnight when I settled into the living room with my laptop resting on my lap. I had a project to work on, and the silence made it easier to concentrate.

The resort was quiet enough that I assumed both women had gone to sleep, leaving me free to focus on my work. However, the sound of approaching footsteps soon caught my attention.

When I looked up, I found Ella standing in front of me.

Although the night was growing late and morning was approaching, I couldn't understand why she was still awake.

She stepped closer and sat beside me.

“Ella, what are you doing here at this hour? You should be asleep,” I asked, glancing at her in confusion.

“Shhh.” She pressed a finger to her lips, silently urging me to keep quiet.

Before I could question her further, she gently lifted the laptop from my lap and placed it on the table.

Then, without warning, she leaned toward me, bringing her face closer as though she intended to kiss me.

I barely had time to react before her lips pressed against mine.

For a moment, I was too stunned to move. She kissed me insistently, leaving me struggling to process what was happening.

By the time she finally pulled away, she had settled comfortably beside me, gently running her hands across my chest.

“What are you doing, Ella?” I asked, my voice unsteady with surprise.

She didn't answer. Instead, she continued rubbing her hands on my body.