❣️LOVE IN THE ELITES’ WORLD❣️
🌏🌏Her new world 🌎 🌏
📖📖CHAPTER FIFTY THREE. 5️⃣3️⃣
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❣️❣️The abduction❣️❣️
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*
CHAIRMAN STANFORD’S MANSION^^^
^
Grace blinked her lashes rapidly, and controlled herself from asking Paul about Charlotte. She realized it would do her no good.
“Thank you,” she muttered, and collected her phone from him.
“Is uncle alright? Have he been released?”
“Hun? Uncle? Oh… come on, Paul, we have been married for years, and you still refer my dad that way?”
“I’m just used to it. Was the call about him?”
“Hun? The call? Oh… that… it was… ermmm… I mean it was my campaign manager. They called to tell me something concerning the election, I don’t think you would be interested,”
“Ok. I’ll make sure to send a lawyer over to… your father, so keep your mind at ease,” he said, and patted her shoulder.
“Thank you, Paul,” she muttered, and embraced him but he pulled away.
“I’ll head in first,” he said, and she held his hand.
“Paul, can you make a promise to me?” She asked, and he looked at her.
“That’s so out of the blue,”
“Paul… after dad… and everything, I just realized that dad has been the only one I have on mh side all along, we might be married, but you were more distant than when we were friends, and it hurt,”
“Then you should have allowed us continue as just friends,“
“Can’t you be my side again?”
“Is that the promise?”
“No, I want you to promise me that you will always take my side no matter what happened,”
“The situation will determine. I never kept my promises. I made several promises to Charlotte, but I ended up marrying you based on the situation,”
“Charlotte? Charlotte again? Do you regret marrying me that much? Must you always mention her name?”
“I suppose that’s not a question,”
“Then you must be happy with everything going on. If dad goes to prison and my election fall through, do you plan to divorce me and go to her?!”
“What are you talking about?” He asked, wondering how she knew that Charlotte is alive.
She blinked her lashes rapidly as she realized what she was saying. “Errmm… I mean… that was supposed to be your plan, but good thing she is d€as! Charlotte is gone, Paul, even if her ghost returns, she is already d€ad to me, so you should accept it that way as well. We are together now, Paul, we are married and we have a daughter. Let’s just be happy together. I even brought Charlotte’s daughter over, hoping you did see me in a different light , but turns out I was wrong. Paul, let’s just be together for real this time,” she said, holding his hands, but he freed himself from her.
“Good thing Charlotte is d€ad? What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Hun? What are you talking about?”
“You just said good thing she is gone, if she isn’t, would you have tried to klll her?”
“What? How could you say such? Why would I klll her? Do I look like a murder to you?”
“You couldn’t right? Because you aren’t a murder. The Grace I was friends with decades has a heart, even though she never considered Charlotte as a friend, she wouldn’t klll her, right?”
“Paul, what are you talking about? Are you trying to accuse me of something?“
“I’m just trying to convince myself. We are all humans after all, and kllling a fellow human… our m0nsters does that. I didn’t marry a m0nster, right?”
“Paul, what nonsense are you spouting? I have a lot going on as it is, but all you could do is add insult to my injury!” She yelled, before leaving.
“There is no way Grace could try to klll Charlotte, she could be everything, but a murder. Louis must be mistaken, if someone tried to klll her, it must be someone else. But who?” He thought.
**
Paul went out to the garden to clear his head, and he met Paulina there staring at the moon. He smiled watching her from a distant as it instantly reminded him of Charlotte.
“Something must be bothering you,” he said, making his presence known, and she spun around to look at him.
“Dad…”
“Do you wanna have a drink with me?” He asked, and she shook her head.
“I don’t take alcohol,”
“You must also be lightweight like your mother. We can do soda,” he said, and he smiled.
*
They both went to the bar, and he opened the only can of soda for her.
“I believe this is the last can, I’ll ask the maids to stock up more soda,”
“You really don’t have to. It seems like everyone drink alcohol,”
“I take soda at times when I want to work, and don’t feel like taking coffee,”
“Oh…”
“How has school been?”
“Just there. With the mid semester exam coming up, school is really nothing fun to talk about,”
“Oh… I see… thankfully I passed that stage,” he teased, and she laughed.
“I wasn’t really good at studying, and thankfully my parents were not aster my grades, but I still managed to do well. I’m sure you will do well too, but you don’t have to push too hard, grades is really not important in this era,”
“I guess… I could say it’s like I’m in an entire different planet. In the world I was used to, grades was everything for a student to show, and parents are always proud of their children for having good grades,”
“Well… I don’t know what to say about that, I was born this way. And… I’m sorry, Paulina, you had to experience an entire different world. You must have struggled a lot. I should have find you and your mother sooner,”
“No! I’m glad you didn’t. I get to spend a lot of time with mum, and… dad, how is the search for my grandfather, you didn’t get back to me and I couldn’t bring myself to ask you because I know you must be busy,”
“Oh… your grandfather… I already hired a private investigator to search for him, I’m sure they will “
“Really?”
“Yes,”
“Thank you so much, dad,” she said, and happily embraced him.
“Are you that excited?” He asked, and she nodded.
“Had I know it would make you this excited, I would have done this sooner,”
“No, it’s fine this way. I hope we find him soon,”
“I hope so too,”
“Wait. How will you find him? Do you have a picture of him? Let me see!”
“Oh… I think I look up a picture, and asked the PI to create an older version, but don’t worry, it’s authentic. I should have one here,” he said, scrolling through his phone.
Paulina looked at him wondering how he got involved with her mother, and also Ava’s mother almost at a time.
“If my mother was his childhood friend, does that mean he abandoned her after her family’s crisis and married Ms. Grace?” She thought, and started thinking of the best way to bring it up. “Dad… I…-“
“Yes! I found it!” He sneered, and showed her the picture.
“You found in!” She exclaimed, and collected the phone from Im.
She looked at the picture, and gasped at the sight —the man in the picture is no other than the ragged man aster he cleaned up.
“Him! He is my grandfather?” She shouted, and covered her mouth agape, confusing Paul.
“Do you know him?” He asked, and she nodded.
“He… he is the ragged man that is always at the bus station,” she shuddered.
“Ragged man? Mr. Flood? Are you sure you got the right person?”
“Yes! He is the one. He is the ragged man, this is him after he cleaned up,”
“Did you engaged on a conversation with you?”
“Just once! But we always cross path at the bus station, but that day… he looked so different, and he came to speak to me,”
“What did he tell you? Can you remember?” He asked, and she tried to remember.
“I think he told me about not living in that neighborhood, and he also warned me against being too nice… so he was my grandfather,” she cried, and Paul cuddled her in his arms, patting her gently.
“Don’t worry, we will find her. I’ll make sure we do,” he assured, and started wondering if telling her about her mother would enlighten her mood, but he thought against it.
“I have to meet Charlotte first, since she hasn’t shown herself to Paulina yet, then she must have a good reason for it,” he thought.
**
**
IN LOUIS’S HOUSE^^^
^
Louis set the table from breaking, and couldn’t stop sighing, deliberating whether it’s right for him to keep Paul’s visit a secret from Charlotte.
“Louis, is there a problem?” Charlotte asked, and he forced a smile.
“Yeah, I mean… I’m fine. Why?”
“You have been sighing?”
“Was I?”
“Is there a problem? Did something happen to your patient?”
“No, no. Thankfully, the troublesome patient has been discharged. He was discharged yesterday,”
“That’s a relief. I’m glad everything went well,”
“Charlotte, am I a bad person?”
“What? Why would you ask such?”
“Nothing. I was just wondering if I am being… never mind,” he muttered, and winked at her.
She managed to smile, and held his hand. “Louis, you are the nicest person I have ever met. Not because you are sheltering from me now, but you’ve always been, even when we were kids, you always put others first,”
“Was I? I don’t seem to remember,”
“You are a good person, Louis. Even now, you are preparing breakfast for me even when you hash do be at work,”
“You are funny Charlotte,”
“Don’t ever think that way Louis, you are a good person. And even if there is something you are trying to hid from me now, I understand you are doing it for my own good,”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing, let’s eat,”
“Do you know about Paul’s visit?” He asked, and she looked at him.
“Hun?”
“How did you know? And why aren’t you asking me anything?”
“Because I know you have a reason from hiding it from me,”
“How did you know?”
“I just guessed. I asked after you and Jay describe the person you left with to me,”
“So, why aren’t you asking me anything?”
“Because I know you have a good reason from hiding it from me. That doesn’t mean you are a bad person,”
“You could tell it was Paul based on the description only,” he muttered, and she looked at him.
“Hun?”
“Nothing, never mind,”
“Shouldn’t we eat? It’s getting cold,”
“Yes, we should. And about what I discussed with Paul…-“
“Later, after breakfast, if you still have time to spare,” she said, and he nodded.
His phone rang later, and he picked it up immediately.
📞*Yes?.*
📞*what’s the patient’s condition?*
📞*Ok. Keep that up, and continue checking his temperature, I’m on my way,* with that he dropped the call, and looked at Charlotte who smiled.
“Gotta run, see you,” with that, he took his jacket and hurried out.
“Drive safely!” She shouted after him, and stared picking on her breakfast.
“Mr. Louis just left, and you are already missing him?” Ms. Bella teased, joining her.
“Ms. Bella…”
“Of course, if I had a companion like him, I would want to keep him by my side every second,”
“Ms. Bella, can hit help me clear this? I’ve to be somewhere,”
“Sure!”
*
She went to freshen up with intention of going to her father, she doesn’t know what Louis discussed with Paul, and why he is finding it difficult to share. But she felt it’s needed to inform her father, if Paul is aware of her existence, then it only means the Packard’s already knew by now.
She went to Jay, and asked him to take her to her father, but he refused.
“I have something important to discuss with him, why are you being difficult?”
“Ma’am, the boss already gave strict instructions never to take you to the warehouse again. If you have anything to discuss, juts give him a call instead,”
“I said it’s important, I can’t discuss it on the phone!”
“Then you can leave a message for him,” she heard someone say from behind.
She felt shivers down her spine as she could already tell who it was, and she turned around to see Grace.
“Grace…” she shuddered, and Jay stood in front of her immediately.
“Long time no see, my friend. It’s been such a long time indeed, you resurrected from the d£ad twice,” Grace sneered.
*
Charlotte and Grace went to the closet coffee shop, and Charlotte couldn’t hid her anxiety.
“I don’t really know what to say, Charlotte. Anyways, I’m glad you didn’t show yourself to your daughter, because that’s could have caused a ruckus for my election. I like your decision to stay quiet. Just until my election, Charlotte, just until my election is over,” Grace said, and slipped from her cup of coffee.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“Why? Is there something more you want to hear? I don’t know what you are plotting with Louis, Charlotte, but I want you to remember that your daughter is under my nose,” with that, she stood up.
“Don’t you dare hurt my daughter!”
“You don’t tell me what to do. I make the rules, Charlotte, even back then, and now. I pull the shots. I told you I’d have Paul no matter what, but you acted sneaky, but I still got him. You taught you played smart by having a child, but I have one too, and yours, is under my nose. I’m the queen, Charlotte, I make the rule!” She said, quite intimidating.
“If you lay a finger on my daughter…. I’ll come after you, and rip you apart!”
“It’s left to you, it depends on how you play. Pay for the coffee, that’s enough to treat me for being kind to your daughter all these while… now it’s left to you if I would keep that up,” with that, she left.
Charlotte made a fist staring at her retreating back in fear.
“What do I do? I need to speck to dad,” she grumbled, and dialed her father’s number immediately.
**
**
HOLLAND HIGH^^^
^
Paulina couldn’t concentrate in school, she kept thinking about her grandfather during classes until it was time for recess.
She packed her bags immediately, and hurried out of the class heading to the rooftop with no intention of returning to class since she couldn’t concentrate anyways.
She sat there staring blankly at the sky and started missing Sophia and Sage. She understood that Save was distant because of the rejection, but Sophia has also been awkwardly distant as well. At first she understood that she was with Sage to comfort him, but she also needs her right now. The thought of all that made her think she was selfish.
“Why are you here alone? I thought you ran off to be with your friends,” Micheal said, joining her.
“Mike…”
“You must be missing them, I mean your friends,” he said, and she nodded. “What can I do to enlighten your mood?”
“Thanks for the concern, Mike,”
“I just realized that a lot of things have been happening lately, and we don’t even have time for a normal date,”
“Date?”
“Yeah, date. We are a couple, but it doesn’t even feel like we are dating at all,”
“Oh… that?”
“How about after school? We can go on a date after school. Tell me what you want to do, and I’ll make the reservation,” he said, and she smiled.
“Really? Are we going to do anything I love to do?”
“I am a man of my words “ he said, and winked at her.
“You sure are,” she teased, and he chuckled.
**
When school dismissed, she gave him the list she drafted.
“What? All of these? You want us to do all these?”
“You are a man of your words,” she said, and he scoffed.
“Yeah… I’m a man of my words,” he grumbled, and she laughed hitting him playfully.
*
Ava and her friends stood afar glaring at Paulina and Micheal till they were out of sight.
“Ava, are you going to watch them being all lovey-dovey even when you are engaged to him? If I were you, I would throw a tantrum!” Lia said.
“Lia is right, girl. The sight alone is so annoying to watch,” Alicia pouted.
“Let them enjoy the moment while it last,” Ava said before walking out, and the girls scoffed before running after her.
**
Paulina and Micheal got to the parking lot, and Paulina’s driver walked up to her.
“Good afternoon, ma’am,” he greeted, and Micheal looked at Paulina in shock.
Paulina looked away, and smiled sarcastically. “What are you doing here?” She asked.
“Madam, the chairman asked me to pick you up. It’s quite urgent, he said he has something to discuss with you,”
“Dad said so?” She asked in excitement.
“Dad… Lina, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, Mike, I really have to go. I’ll call you!” With that, she entered the car.
The driver bowed slightly to Mike, and entered the car.
“What? Did I just got ditched?” He muttered, looking at the piece of paper with him. “And what’s all that about? ‘Ma’am, dad,’ what’s that about?” He thought, staring at the car timi it was out of sight. “I really got ditched,” he grumbled, and throw his fist in the air.
**
The driver drove for a while before the driver stopped the car and got down.
“What happen?” She asked, but he ignored her.
She wanted to get down from the car ti check on him when another person entered the car and drove off.
“Hey! Stip the car! Who are you? Where are you taking me?” She shouted, hitting his back.
He looks scary on his face mask and sunglasses, scaring her even more
“You ask too many questions, and my ears are about to bleed!” He snapped, and spayed something at her.
She choked on the liquid he sprayed, and passed out in the process.
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TO BE CONTINUED…
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