Chapter-3

A beautiful middle aged woman opened the door. She had shiny black hair tied in a neat low bun. Her light brown eyes held so much warmth in them that they could melt anything. She had the nicest albaster skin that Scarlette had ever seen. The burgundy dress that she had worn not only complimented her skin but also highlighted her brown eyes.

Scarlette stared at the woman in awe. Her fear and anxiety were momentarily forgotten. Kelly who had a light fair skin looked pretty contrasting against the woman's skin as they hugged politely. Kelly had worn a sleeveless white gown. She had her honey brown hair in a tight semi high bun. Her mother and the woman were laughing and talking like they were best friends.

The woman then turned to Charlie. He looked quiet handsome today. He had worn a black suit and white shirt to match Kelly. His blond hair for once was combed neatly. With his grey eyes and black suit he looked like he was the groom. Scarlette silently laughed at that thought. Her father and the woman shook hands before the woman turned her gaze suddenly to her. It wasn't literally sudden. But it seemed like that to Scarlette. She was at a loss for what to do or what to say. Luckily, the woman initiated and Scarlette gave a sigh of relief in her mind. The woman pulled Scarlette in a polite hug which she tried to return.

After a moment she pulled away from the hug and held Scarlette at arm length and said, "So you're Scarlette. How are you, my dear?"

Scarlette opened her mouth to answer nervously. "I..I'm fine. How are you?" She replied stuttering.

So eloquent, Scar. Scarlette heard the voice inside her head that sounded suspiciously like Charlotte's.

She ignored the voice. But she couldn't ignore the eyes burning at the side of her head by the real version Charlotte.

"I'm fine, dear. My name is Jennifer Hill and you can call me Jeni. I'm Augustus' aunt."

"It's nice to meet you, Jeni." Scarlette said without stuttering this time.

Jennifer smiled at her and finally turned to Charlotte. Charlotte was talking as if she had known Jennifer for a long time. Scarlette rolled her eyes. Charlotte was a bit talkative like her mother and quick witted. She could talk her way out of literally anything. Scarlette, on the other hand, had always been the silent type. Though she could hold good intellectual conversations when needed but she preferred to stay quiet and let Charlotte do the talking.

"Well, come on, in." Jennifer said as she ushered the family inside. They entered the grand foyer and Jennifer took them through the door that stood at the right side of large marble staircase. On the other side of the staircase, stood a door to a short hallway that led to the ballroom at its very end.

They even have a ballroom. How rich are they? Scarlette thought as she looked around in awe.

Before the ballroom, there was another door to the right that led to the dining hall. There was another door at the far end of that room that led to the kitchen and through the kitchen was the staff quarters and the laundry. Jennifer told them all these as they reached the drawing room.

When Scarlette realized that they arrived to the destined place she was again hit by panic. Charlotte noticed and held her hands tightly. That calmed Scarlette down a bit. But she still felt like running away and vomiting. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. When she opened them, she saw people in the room she had not noticed before. Jennifer introduced them to the Matthews. Standing beside Jennifer was her husband and Augustus' uncle, Norman Hill. Norman looked like he was in his mid forties but he was actually in his early fifties.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Hill." Charlotte said.

He just laughed and said, "Nice to meet you too, darling. But please do call me Norman. It makes me feel old."

Charlotte laughed and said, "Ok, Norman." Scarlette forced a laugh too at the squeeze of her hand.

He seemed like a nice person and Charlotte seemed to like him already. He had black hair and had light brown eyes. He had smiling lines on the corner of his eyes. He seemed too old for Jennifer. Charlotte asked curiously how old was she. Imagine the surprise when both girls learned that she was in her late forties.

How can someone be forty up and still look young? Scarlette thought staring at Jennifer. Scarlette and Charlotte shared a look.

They had three children. Jason was the oldest son. He was 27 years old and married to Usha who was 20 years old. They had a son named Danny who was only 2 years old. Jamie was the youngest son and second child. He was 18. Lucy was the only daughter. She was 14 years old. After the introduction was done, Jennifer told them to sit down and they could talk as they waited for Augustus who was somewhere at work.

Who worked on the day of their engagement? Scarlette shook her head. He must be a weirdo.

Scarlette tried to control herself as they sat down. But she was feeling pretty uncomfortable in her dress. She didn't know why she decided to wear that dress. But then she remembered. Her father's order. That she and Charlotte had to wear different dress.

Scarlette and Charlotte always wore the same clothes. They did almost everything including dressing like twins. After a few years, it became a kind of habit. Everything they wore or used were same. And they liked it that way. But their father practically ordered them to wear different clothes for that occasion.

*Flashback*

"What if you two look the same and Augustus mistook Charlotte for Scarlette and put the ring on Charlotte's finger?!!" Their father had said and put a hand on his chest in a dramatic way.

Scarlette rolled her eyes. Charlotte laughed and said, "Then he would be my husband."

"And I would let her have him." Scarlette added.

"No. I don't want him. Your husband. You take him." Charlotte said.

Scarlette again rolled her eyes and said, "He's not my husband..."

"...Yet." Charlotte chipped.

"Whatever. " Scarlette muttered.

*End of Flashback*

And it was settled that they would wear different dresses.

Scarlette was wearing a long one shoulder forest green satin gown whereas Charlotte was wearing a long off shoulder royal blue satin cocktail gown. Both Scarlette's ash brown hair and Charlotte's dyed silver ash hair were done in a messy low side bun. She had dyed her hair on her 16th birthday. They both looked quite beautiful. Everyone present complimented them on that aspect. However, Scarlette didn't share their sentiment. Scarlette never liked wearing dresses. And even though Charlotte felt the same, she could control her emotions better than Scarlette.

However, Scarlette was feeling uneasy. But the dress wasn't the only reason why Scarlette was feeling uncomfortable. Knowing what was about to take place in the very room she was sitting and feeling helpless for not finding a way out of that, made Scarlette extremely uncomfortable. And she felt suffocated in her satin gown.

Scarlette was sitting with Charlotte and Jamie. Lucy was a shy girl and didn't know how to talk with new people. So, made an excuse about studying and told her brother to call her when the 'engagement' would take place and practically ran from the room as soon as the introductions were done. Jamie was funny and hyperactive. He was the opposite of his sister.

Jamie and Charlotte talked for sometime while Scarlette listened to them trying not to think. Jason was conversing with Charlie and Norman near the fireplace. On the other couch, Usha just talked a few with Kelly and Jennifer and went out of the room to feed Danny. By this time, Scarlette was feeling so anxious that she covertly kept looking at the time on her phone.

She looked again and it said 1 PM. Just then someone's voice boomed out a "Sorry, I'm late." Everyone looked at the entrance of the drawing room. Scarlette followed their gaze and literally froze on the spot, finding a tall guy standing at the doorway.