In the morning, Charlotte woke up to find herself alone in bed. She was happy somehow. But upon trying to sleep again, she failed. She felt tight knots in her stomach thinking that her whole fifteen days had no pay at all. The agency didn't even care about hospital bills as they should at least give some. They didn't provide any life insurance or any medical insurance. She's fucked up. She got up, washed her face, and ran downstairs. Just in the foyer, Donovan was there with three security guards in a polo shirt.
A smile crept into his lips upon seeing her. He was looking luscious in that light blue long-sleeve shirt rolled up to his forearm and two buttons open from the top. He approached her and reached her chin.
"Are you trying to escape?" He asked as he bent down and kissed her lips. "Darling, this house is secured. Not you or Lesley can go out without my permission."
"I need to go back to work." She mumbled.
"Don't worry about it." He patted her head. "Be a good girl, okay?" He smiled and turned back. The bodyguards bowed their heads at her to show her some respect as they followed him out. She felt defeated. She groaned in frustration as Lesley came to her still yawning.
"Well, we can't go out now," Lesley said. "Not in four days at least." She said, "They are currently hunting those assholes that almost killed us."
Charlotte blinked as she spread her arms.
"Lesley, without work, it's driving me crazy."
Lesley laughed.
"How do you think I survive every day?" Lesley grinned. "Forget work. Also, he had someone pick up your laptop in your apartment."
"I have bills to pay." Charlotte groaned and followed Lesley to the kitchen.
"Don't worry about it. My brother is smitten with you. He will surely pay for everything."
"I am not used to that. At ten years old, I learned how to work in labor and get paid." She said as Lesley frowned and turned at her.
"What?"
"Yes, that's how I survive." Charlotte sighed as she sat down and their food was prepared by the maids since the Chef would prepare lunch for Donovan back in the office. "How can I pay for my rent if I am not at work? I don't get paid on my sick leave." She mumbled.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Lesley chuckled. "Let's just eat and have a pizza party later."
"Sure,"
Charlotte just ate and tried not to stress herself out with the thought of the bills while eating so she wouldn't throw up later. But with Lesley, it felt like all is well. The two take their bath, put their sunscreen on, and put their pajamas on just after their breakfast.
Then, they went to the cinema room with comfortable seats like in the first-class cinema. They have their pizza and champagne, drink, and watch a movie on Netflix which is Murder Mystery. They were planning to watch Knives Out and Knives Out: Onion Glass next. Full of mystery and funny scenes. They spend their time watching, eating, and dozing off. She realized that she needed this kind of relaxation. She tried hard to get her work off her head to just stick with the sick leave that Zoe filed.
When Lesley was sleeping on the comfortable theater couch, she covered her with the blanket as she cleaned up a little and left the room to her room. She rummaged through the closet to see the things that Zoe had bought. She sighed, feeling frustrated with all of the amounts upon seeing the receipt. She gaped at it and frowned. She can pay rent for five months with it.
"My god, why am I messed up?" She mumbled to herself upon seeing the prices. But there's much more. She rushed to the cinema room to find Lesley still asleep and snuggled into one of her big plushies. She tried to find her phone to contact Donovan but someone messaged her on the Viber to show receipts of her month's rent. She frowned as she didn't pay for it. Did Donovan pay for that? There's also a message from the staff of the apartment building.
Tia: I heard from your boyfriend that you are moving out. Thirty days notif, okay?
She doesn't know how to respond to that. She mumbled something as she messaged Donovan. It took three minutes before he replied.
Donovan: I bought a house near the facility. In Marina Heights, Lakefront. I put it under your name.
She gasped as her face flushed. The houses there were fine… but she didn't plan to buy a house in that area.
Charlotte: No! You shouldn't!
Donovan: You sound frustrated, darling. Why not sleep and forget everything I said? I'll be with you shortly. I know that you are bored. But you won't be when I come home. Wait for me, darling.
Charlotte flushed bright red and she threw her phone away, slowly having a panic attack from Donovan's sweet words. She's not used to any of it at all. She quickly stood and fixed everything in the closet. She was startled when Lesley called her.
"Charlotte, why are you flustered?" She asked. "Are you sick? You are red as a tomato."
"Your~~" She exhaled and inhaled and repeated the process. "Your brother is creeping me out."
"Really?" Lesley asked and looked at the phone on the carpet. She picked it up as Lesley laughed. "My brother is so sweet. You should accept dating him. You guys shared the same bed the last two nights! Oh, that's so adorable… wait. It's three nights I presume." Lesley frowned.
Charlotte sighed as she showed Lesley everything that they bought.
"Let's send this back."
"Oh no." Lesley shook her head. "I am not sending that back. Our family never takes a refund." She said.
"Oh, come on!" Charlotte frowned. "If Zoe was activated, do not take her out shopping. Do you understand? I will hate you for that."
Lesley froze, feeling a little hurt. But she nodded her head, she was scared of Charlotte.
"I don't think I'll ever use all of these."
She approached Charlotte and reached her hand.
"I want to live with you," Lesley said. "My brother bought a house under your name. I'm living with you there. My brother will probably be busy. As he has to leave for another country in a few weeks."
"Then, my life will be back to normal."
Lesley shook her head.
"You are not living normally as well. I am living with you. That's why he bought a house close to that facility. It's just one ride, right? A walking distance as well."
"Yes, but I won't be home usually as I have to work and go back home to sleep." Charlotte caressed her hair.
"Still, I won't get bored! We can watch TV together and eat together when you come back." Lesley looked so excited. Charlotte doesn't know if she can do something about it. Or stop them from getting involved. She was nervous that the life she got used to would turn into something good and worse. "I am excited to live with you, Charlotte."
"Okay, whatever you say."
"Let's watch something again. Or perhaps exercise."
The two spend their time in the cinema room until they both fall asleep. Charlotte was having a nightmare, almost close to paralysis. She dreamed that Donovan sealed her away as he had a lot of women around, to control her and so Autumn and Zoe would be activated, locking her away completely. She's terrified and when she falls off the sofa, an arm wrapped around her and she stares at Donovan.
"Did you have some fun?" He asked as he carried her out of the cinema room. She rubbed her eyes, getting a little comfortable. But the other side of the head doesn't want anything about him. It worried that Donovan might hurt her.
"Please put me down." She said softly as he gently put her down. She fixed her hair as she faced him. "Dono," She called.
"Yes, darling?"
"Why me?" She asked, almost whispering.
Donovan was puzzled for a while but he smiled and reached her cheeks.
"Are you worried that I am just playing on you? Darling, I won't have to spend so much like this to play on you."
"I am not perfect. I am mentally unstable…"
"Yes, you are mentally unstable. And you know that yourself. It means you are strong, and you are willing to get help."He smiled so kindly. She never saw him that way. Or was he acting? "Let's see our house near your workplac tonight, or would you prefer tomorrow early morning? How about that?"
"It's not my house." She mumbled.
"It will be."
Charlotte sighed, getting frustrated as Donovan reached for her hand and led her to her room.
"Let's get dressed up well tonight. We are going to eat out."
"I'm not hungry. Lesley and I eat a lot of pizza and drink a bottle of champagne."
He took her to her room as he lifted dresses in front of her.
"I already reserved a restaurant for us and paid for it. I can't cancel that."
Of course, he did! What did Charlotte expect?
"We will get drunk tonight as well. You need to relax sometimes." He pulled her waist as he bent down and kissed her cheeks. "I love it when you are in pajamas, but I want to see you in dresses."