Chapter 19
Chad tried to calm Audrey but she slipped from his hands.
Her eyes swell with tears, looking at her brother.
Madam Vien helped Marlie up from the floor, while, Audrey continued her tirade. Now it wasn't just on Marlie but also on Chad.
"You came to protect her?" she scoffed.
"Get your act together Audrey," Chad attempted to hold his sister to see reasons, but his words only served to further provoke her. Not only did Audrey feel irritated, but so did his mother, Silvia, who sat watching, and Angelina, who looked at him in disbelief.
"What is she to you?" Audrey's teary eyes locked onto Chad as she posed the question.
"I am your sister Chad but...." she paused and screamed out loud out of frustration before she turned back to Chad,
"You didn't come when I needed you when my world was falling apart, but..."
Audrey paused again, casting a piercing glare in Marlie's direction.
She swiftly rushed to strike Marlie once more but Audrey was intercepted by Chad, who positioned himself between them and took the blow intended for Marlie.
Inwardly reveling in her revenge, Marlie smirked to herself, thinking, "Wow, Marlie, in just one day, you may bring this revenge to another level."
Meanwhile, Chad was speechless, grappling with the emotions Audrey was experiencing. He stood there, his expression filled with remorse as he looked at his sister. He didn't care about her pain and concentrated on his own.
But Audrey had no use for his pity. He had allowed her to be humiliated, and she would never forgive him for it.
"You don't even love this woman, yet you rush down here to defend her, right?" Audrey spat, her frustration simmering beneath a wicked smile and an icy cold stare.
All Audrey desired was to inflict the same pain upon Chad and Charlie (Marlie), pain that had consumed her heart.
"You are utterly repulsive for toying with the affections of two sisters, big brother." she stared at Chad who turned his face away from Audrey's in shame.
How would he forget when his sister never ceases to remind him of that?
She turned her gaze towards Marlie, who now wore an expression of feigned innocence.
"Does your wife know what happened between you and her little whore of a sister?" Audrey
smirked, shocking Marlie.
Her cruel behavior left Marlie in disbelief. She imagined how devastated Charlie would feel if she had heard those words instead of her.
Overwhelmed with shame, Chad turned away from Audrey giving way for her to move closer to Marlie.
"Won't you defend your little sister as you always do?"
Audrey taunts Marlie.
Feeling the need to shield Charlie (Marlie) from Audrey's toxicity, Chad instructed the nanny to take Marlie to her room.
Audrey burst into laughter like a crazy person.
Just before the nanny could take Charlie out of sight, Audrey taunted Chad, questioning why he didn't want Charlie ( Marlie) to know the truth.
Realizing it was best to remove Marlie from the situation, the nanny hurriedly took her.
However, Audrey rushed and stopped Marlie by pulling her hair again causing the nanny to fall.
A that moment, Marlie had reached the peak of her limit. Her anger burst out again.
She wriggled and gained the upper hand. And when she did, she pushed Audrey away and slapped her hard making Audrey fall to the ground.
Now everyone was on their feet. Marlie huffed at the sight of that. Chad turned to look at Marlie in disbelief.
It was the first time Charlie (Marlie), retaliated against being treated badly. However, for Marlie, it was now time to pay the wicked brat a lesson.
Marlie brushed her hair blocking her view and snared, "Use your strength to find another boyfriend. And also, don't back like a dog when you talk to a human!"
Her words stunned everyone.
"Shut up and go to your room now Charlie!" Chad's cold voice sounded, but Marlie ignored him.
"Go to your room, Now!" Chad commanded again, pointing to the direction of Marlie's room when she still stood there.
Marlie calmed down and straightened her dress before reporting sarcastically... "I will leave you to babysit your little sister!" She spat.
"Now Charlie!" Chad barked, however, Marlie was long gone.
Once Marlie was safely out of sight, Chad held his hand to help Audrey from the floor but she pushed his hand away angrily.
In frustration, Chad decided to leave those women to have his own peace and headed back to his studies.
"That damn wench has bitten more than she can chew and I will make sure she finishes it all!" Audrey, consumed by anger, vented her frustration by breaking things in the hall.
Silvia commended her for the dramatic display, praising her as a true reflection of herself.
Annoyed, Audrey wished her mother would show some concern for her feelings instead of solely focusing on Chad's issues.
Audrey's irritation with her mother escalated when Silvia questioned her, "Would you now tell me what Marlie and your brother did behind our backs?"
Frustrated, Audrey scoffed at her mother's lack of interest in her own troubles. She responded with bitterness, telling her mother, "Why don't you ask your son!".
Audrey climbed the stairs to her room, slamming the door behind her.
"I will take my leave now Auntie" Angelina gave Silvia a peck on the cheek and set out to leave the mansion.
She had seen enough. Now Charlie is back and she has to get ready to send her back as she did the first time.
And it was not like someone would tell her what Audrey meant with her words. If Silvia couldn't find out, how could she?
The next morning, the nanny called everyone down for breakfast, but Marlie arrived late to the dining hall. Attempting to sit and join the meal, Marlie was met with resistance from Audrey.
Questioning Marlie's presence, Audrey snapped, "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"
Marlie answered, responding matter-of-factly, "Having breakfast, what else?"
Cutting in, Audrey ordered the nanny to remove Marlie from her sight, referring to her as "garbage." The nanny hesitated, looking at Chad as if seeking his approval before taking Marlie away.
"Leave her alone!" Chad finally spoke up. He had been silent due to his sister's broken engagement, but now he realized that the blame lay on him alone.
"I won't sit here with this bitch!" Audrey said and again ordered Vien to remove Marlie from their sight.
"No, she isn't going anywhere, young lady!" Chad's words shocked both his mother and sister.
"What do you mean?" Silvia, finally finding her voice, questioned.
"What right does she have after asking for a divorce?
Silvia turned to the nanny, demanding she remove Marlie from their sight.
Chad's cold voice came through "I will not repeat myself! Charlie is having breakfast with us whether you like it or not!"
Silvia and Audrey left the table, leaving Chad and Marlie in annoyance.
Chad's icy cold voice sounded in Marlie's ears,
"The divorce will be settled within next week, so pack your things and leave my house by then!"
"You are in a damn hurry to drive me out, why?" Charlie replied.
Chad chuckled, "I don't want to be your babysitter anymore!"
"Tell that to your sister," Marlie whispered.
"What did you say?" Chad asked Marlie, unable to clearly hear her whisper.
"Nothing," Marlie replied, taking a sip of her tea. But Chad seemed unconcentrated around the table.
After a few minutes of silence, Chad mustered up the courage to ask Marlie, "Charlie?"
"Hmmm," Marlie hummed, still sipping her tea.
"Where did you keep ... Uhm... Marlie's remains?"
he asked with a calm expression and feeble voice.
He was never on good terms with her so why would he want to find her supposed remains?
Marlie was caught off guard and her tea spewed out of her mouth and onto herself. In a fit of anger, Marlie growled at Chad.
"Damn it, Chad, you ruined my dress!"
"Excuse me...?" Chad said in awe. He had never heard Charlie use any profanity words. He gazed at Marlie in suspicion.
Marlie realized that her anger could ruin her plans. She closed her eyes and apologized with an innocent face, just like Charlie would do.
Chad still gazed at her wondering if she was possessed. But the moment her eyes met Chad's, her attitude changed.
"Why not annoy him", she thought to herself. She started stirring her tea and sarcastically questioned Chad, "Why are you so obsessed with my family?"
Chad wanted to explain, but Marlie interrupted him. "Why don't we talk about your mistress?"
That angered Chad, couldn't she talk without bringing Angelina in? He warned, "The next time you call her that, I'm going to break your bones!"
But Marlie wouldn't let him. "Don't worry, you can keep her, but don't let her back in this house again." She paused and sipped her tea.
She carefully placed the cup down and looked at Chad, who was burning with rage, and continued, "Who knows, I might lose my cool and break her head before you break my bones."
"You..." Chad was speechless. This was not so like the Charlie he knows.
His phone rang at that moment to interrupt him. Chad picked up and rushed out of the hall but not before giving Marlie a piercing cold stare.
"Don't forget, you asked for a divorce first." With that, he left the house.