Chapter 5 Fake Acceptance

"Ceecee?" Elizabeth called as she walked in. He didn't say anything, he just stared into Charlotte's eyes as he pulled her hair behind her ears. Elizabeth's heart ached when she saw them; she had never seen Chase with a woman and wasn't ready to see him with one. And worse, he was shirtless.

"I thought we could talk since we haven't met in a while," Elizabeth said, glaring at Charlotte.

Can't you see I'm with my wife? It's late. Go away, maybe some other time. He said, with his gaze still fixed on Charlotte.

"Oh no it's okay," Charlotte said, getting up from Chase's lap. "You both can talk no problem". She tried to leave, but Chase grabbed her hand and pulled her back. Suddenly, he pressed a kiss against her lips. Her eyes widened as she struggled to free herself breathlessly.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch?" He asked, looking up at Charlotte. Elizabeth, without taking her gaze off Charlotte, her heart raced. She had never even been that close to him before. Elizabeth banged the door behind her and walked off angrily.

Chase pulled away from Charlotte immediately after Elizabeth walked out. He walked over to his bed and put on his t-shirt. He did not notice the startled look on Charlotte's face.

I will let you guys talk. What? Would you leave your husband alone with another woman? He asked. Charlotte couldn't say anything, she was still surprised.

Remember, we have to act like a couple in front of others. You did a lousy job. You can go to your room. The doctor will be here in a few minutes.

Charlotte was at a loss for words, she didn't say anything, she just walked out without looking back.

She walked into her room and banged the door behind her, the memories of what had just happened flooding through her brain.

*****

She couldn't sleep that night as she kept tossing and turning in her bed. She felt a sudden thirst. It was late, so all the housekeepers had retired to their quarters so she couldn't call on Penelope. Exhausted, she decided to go out herself and get water.

She opened the refrigerator and took out a cold beverage. Suddenly she heard a scoff, and she turned around to see who it was and realized it was Elizabeth.

"So, Mia Thompson, you are the woman that seduced Ceecee, that's impressive, nobody has ever done that," she said, walking towards Charlotte.

"Hello Elizabeth," Charlotte said calmly.

"That's Miss Michaelson to you!" Elizabeth snapped."You know I always thought we would end up together, so when I saw you here....," She said with a scornful smile. Well, anyway, It only happened because I wasn't here, brace yourself and enjoy the time you have with him because I will be taking him back soon.

"But he's already married to me," Charlotte said, intimated by Elizabeth. Confused by her outburst. This was what she wanted, for Elizabeth to come between her and Chase, and maybe she would get her freedom.

"Don't kid yourself", Elizabeth sneered. He only married you to get the CEO position in his father's company.

"That's not true," Charlotte said in disbelief. Chase was the only son. No rivalries. Why would he need a wife to become CEO? If anything, it was her family that benefited from the marriage.

Chase Benjamin is a smart man, Mia '' I'm sure he seduced you to fall in love with him to make you this delusional. But trust me, it's all for his company. You are just a pawn in his chess game, a tool to be used. Elizabeth said.

She walked over to Charlotte and grabbed the beverage from her. She did it with force and caused Charlotte to fall, hitting her back on the fridge and giving her a daring look as she walked away into her room.

Charlotte felt exhausted, she didn't have time for that. She got up, grabbed another beverage, and went into her room. She didn't care if she was being used. She was using him too. Heck, she's not even Mia, she thought. But her heart ached. Was Elizabeth right? Was he using her?

She had started to warm up to him. Underneath all that coldness she knew there was a heart in there. A heart she cared for and one that bothered her. She was falling in love with him and she knew it. It bothered her.

****

"Good morning ma'am," Penelope said, waking Charlotte up. As Charlotte grumbled, "Maam, you have to wake up, you'll be late for work" she said, tapping her lightly.

"Just give me a little... wait, work?" She asked and jolted up surprised.

****

Chase and Mia went to Maverick Go Foods as Chase assumed his position as CEO and Charlotte his assistant. They shared an office with two windows on opposite sides. Their tables sat on each side of the windows. As all this commenced, Elizabeth's words sunk into her as she realized that she might be right.

They had meetings all day and Charlotte, which exhausted her. She didn't understand why they needed to do so much on their first day. They moved from one office to another, endlessly. They had been discussing new food ideas with the employees of the company. They were looking to introduce a new recipe that the world had never seen.

As they walked out for another meeting, he noticed her massaging again. "Oh, come off it, you barely did anything". He said as she looked at him in surprise, as she didn't know anybody if he noticed. Walk faster, he said as he increased his pace as she followed suit, wondering why he said what he said when she didn't complain.

Charlotte kept moving restlessly in meetings. She felt pain in her shoulders down to her back and neck. This distracted him as he couldn't focus on the meeting. He couldn't help but worry about her. He watched her for a while and sighed and picked up his phone to text her.

Seconds later, Charlotte received a text. " Are you a squirrel? Stop moving so much, it is distracting. She looked at him in disbelief. He noticed Charlotte staring at him and gestured to her to focus on the meeting. They both went back into their office and found a man standing facing the window. "Who are you?" Charlotte asked, walking closer.