"Zoe," Her nanny Marie called as she wiped her tears. "Did you remember what your mom said?"
"I should forget everything." She mumbled. Although she knew well what to do, she can't stop feeling miserable.
"Yes, darling. I will take you to my brother. You will call her uncle. Your name now is Charlotte. Not Zoe. Alright?"
The eight years old Zoe nodded. Charlotte. Her name is Charlotte. They arrived safely in the area and she never rides a tricycle. A motorcycle with a built in side car to use for passenger, it was way different from her country. She doesn't like the area but her nanny Marie said that she needs to stay with him. She sat on the sofa as Uncle Mario would glance at her and took a thick envelope. The wife named Carla quickly eyed the thick envelope and said to Marie that they will take care of her.
She watched as Nanny Marie approached her.
"I have to leave. To protect you." She spoke in German "If your mother or father is alive, they will find you. Make sure that you are safe. Please survive for me. I will come back to you."
Zoe's lips wobbled as she tried to cover her lips. Marie moved closer to her ear.
"Protect your locket. Make sure that no one would see it." She whispered.
"Okay,"
Zoe was holding her purse preciously as she looked at them. Shortly, they set up a room for her, that she needs to share with the three children of Mario and Carla. For her first week, it was good until finally, they started checking her things, taking her things and Zoe quickly hide her music box. She was terrified when they threatened her. The three girls. But that was until Uncle Mario arrived and scolded them.
She was so scared until Carla finally take her to the storage room that smells like dead rat and took a pillow and blanket throwing it on her face. Mario scolded Carla. Zoe was shuddering the whole week and Mario approached her.
"I'm sorry, Charlotte." He reached for her small hands.
"My things~~my mama is there."
"I will get it. All of it. I promise."
Just as Mario promised, she receives it. All night, Mario cleared up the storage room and provided an old mattress.
"I'm sorry, I will buy you something comfortable tomorrow. What would you like to have?"
"A comb please, a soap please… a shampoo please…"
"Alright, I will get it all for you."
She lay there and was very much protective of her jewelry box. She kept it like treasure. She make sure that no one would find it. She didn't get to sleep well but upon sleeping, she heard noises outside. Rubbing her eyes, she came out to see Carla with expensive bags on and shoes and clothes for her children. It was just in time when Mario arrived. He quickly hauled Carla about the money that she spend and he was angry. Zoe stepped back as Carla glared at her like laser eyes.
He approached Zoe and gave her the paper bags and everything she needs. She thanked the man as she went back to the storage room.
"Did you eat?" He asked. She shook her head.
He approached his wife again and they fought and fought. She went to the corner and cover her ears as she thought that they fought because of her. After a few minutes, the man came and gave her food. She thanked him as he sat on the corner watching her eat.
"When will Maria come back? She promised me."
"I'm sorry. I don't know. Your new mattress will come." He said. "Everything I bought for you is your money. I'm sorry that my wife took half of it."
Zoe's lips wobbled as she nodded her head.
"Tomorrow, I will have to work. You need to eat a lot, okay? And I enrolled you in a new school."
She nodded her head as she was tearing up while eating. Mario's heart quickly breaks upon seeing her this miserable.
"I got your backpack, your things… you will continue your education so when you grow up, you will earn money on your own."
Zoe smiled and that's what she thought that it will be good. But as days continue, her life became a living hell. Every morning, Carla would wake her up to clean up the whole house. It was the same every day. Then, during breakfast, they won't set aside food for her. They eat delicious foods while she ate the leftovers and sometimes nothing.
She grow thinner but she learned to ask for fruits on the tree in the backyard of the neighbor. She would play along with the neighbors and every time they would come back home for a meal, she would go home too, they told her not to eat until they are finished. Mario wasn't always home so, she got no choice at all. No one would side with her. She felt very hungry as she waited for them. Then, they would leave a small amount of food and she would drink a lot of water. She washed the dishes and every household chore in the house. She had never learned it in her life and every time she break something, Carla would pull her hair and slap her and do something extreme.
Charlotte woke up from a bad dream, she's sweating as she sat up and looked around in her hot room. She sniffled and went to her things, almost panicking when she couldn't find her music box. She took out the old music box from the storage box where she kept her important things and took out a golden locket with an amethyst heart in the middle. She opened it and smiled upon seeing her mother and father.
"I almost forgot." She whispered. "Please find me, mama, papa." She whispered. All Charlotte remembers was her parents. But never her childhood with her parents. Charlotte tried to remember it all but an excruciating pain pinned on her head. She groaned in pain, holding her head as she crawled to the bed and cried out the pain.
She didn't know but she seemed to pass out. This is why she rarely touches the locket. This is why she tried to forget it. It gives her pain.
"Charlotte! Charlotte!" Someone has been calling her but she tried to remember that voice. She realized that it was Lesley so she get up.
She get up put her robe on and opened it.
"What's wrong with you?" Lesley reached her hand. "It's hard to get in here, but I had spoken to the landlady."
"Who~~"
Charlotte's vision started getting dark and she felt a big hand around her waist. Donovan glanced at her chest, and he quickly pulled her in his arms.
"We are taking her out," Donovan said as he gently shook her.
Lesley quickly took the keys to her room that were hanging on the hook by the door. Then, she reached locked the room as Donovan carried her out. Taking her to the car and covering her up. Lesley looked worried. They were supposed to pick her up but she was not picking up her phone and they got worried. She's also burning up.
"Oh, my goodness. Is it our fault? She must be really tired and~~" Lesley panicked.
Donovan caressed Charlotte's hair and scooped her jaw. Staring at her. She's pale. Her lips were dry and had that little crack. She's also sweating cold. Donovan grumbled to their driver to get to the nearest hospital.
When they take her to the emergency room, he insisted to see how they would check on her. She's only wearing panties, no brassiere under that robe. It's making him mad because, with that, it made him aroused.
Lesley have to pull him out until the doctor came as they didn't know the causes.
Donovan nodded as they have to stay in the emergency room. They even put dextrose on her and giving her a few shots. He make sure that he know what they injected in her dextrose. He stayed sitting beside her bed while he was letting Jace and Lesley checked on her apartment and get her some nice clothes. He make sure that her chest was covered. It was tempting enough.
"Hmm," Charlotte moaned as she opened her eyes. They locked eyes and he reached for her hand and kissed it. She smiled and somehow, the way she smiles was different than Charlotte does. "Hello, handsome. I feel so hot right now." Even her voice was different.
"Charlotte?"
Charlotte looked around.
"What am I doing here?" She mumbled and reached her head. She also checked her left hand which had a dextrose connected to it.
"You were burning up," Donovan answered.
"Oh, am I?" She smirked, sounding sultry and sexy.
"Zoe?" Donovan guessed.
"Yes?"
"I got you." He moved closer as he bent down to kiss her lips. Zoe didn't retaliate as she pulled his head and they kiss passionately. When he sat up, Lesley was surprised.