CHAPTER 18: SNIDES AND BLACKMAILS

"I'm sure mum, I even confronted her and you know what she said??" "what?" "she looked me in the face and said that 'I can have him all I want!' can you imagine that liar?! She lied to my face!" Charlotte complained.

That is Charlotte for you, she's always bringing complains about King's Mistresses to mother, always bad-mouthing them and cooking up lies about them if need be.

It's obvious why she's doing all of that, she wants to look like the only deserving and descent daughter-in-law-to-be, well of course the Luciano's have always wanted to ship the two together, according to them they're a perfect match, each and everyone of them thinks so except Mira and King himself.

Even mother wants Charlotte as her daughter-in-law, she thinks Charlotte is such a good fit for King, if only they knew how manipulative and foxy Charlotte can be.

Mira on the other hand sat at a corner as she observed the foxy Charlotte play her usual game then she hissed attracting the attentions of the both women.

"Is there something you want to say Mira?" mother asked irritatedly, she knew her daughter was up to no good again, and she had asked that question not because she was actually expecting an answer from her but because she wanted it to serve as a caution to her, but then it turned out she actually had something to say.

"Yes mother, I have a lot to say" Mira said gingerly as she adjusted herself on the sofa where she sat, mother and Charlotte looked on in expectancy, but left for Charlotte, she would never allow that spoilt brat speak, because she knows that whatever she's gonna to say right now would be targeted at pissing her off.

"Uhmm, Charlotte?" Mira started and Charlotte's countenance fell, she knew it, she knew she was her target.

"Yes??" Charlotte answered with a fake smile, "please remind me of what you do for a living again" Mira frained like it was the simplest question in the world.

"Just where are you you getting to with all this??" mother asked in the same irritative voice. "Why mother? It's only a harmless and simple question, unless..." Mira started to say but Charlotte interrupted her.

"That's not a problem, I will answer her mother" Charlotte replied like the good daughter-in-law she was claiming to be and Mira glared at her, she's always acting like miss goody-goody while her; Mira is always the spoilt brat.

"Well Mira my dear, as you already know, I'm a model, an actress, a brand ambassador, I could go on, you know humble me, I'm a lot of things" she said with a soft chuckle.

Mira raised her left brow, with a little smile that turned up the left corner of her lips, Charlotte had unknowingly fallen into her little trap.

"Oh I see, you're a lot of things. So, does it include being a private eye? like an investigator?" she asked, "no" Charlotte replied with a little furrow between her brows, "how about a journalist?" Mira went on with her 'interview', "of course not" Charlotte replied with a little irritation in her voice this time.

Mother silently watched the little drama unfold between the two women, she doesn't know what her daughter was up to, but whatever be the outcome, it's surely one that no one would like.

"Oh really?? I thought you might be one, cos I was wondering why you keep poke nosing into other people's affairs, I mean that's the sort of thing a private eye would do" finally she dropped the bombshell, she just indirectly called Charlotte a nosey packer; a busybody.

"What??! Are you suggesting that I'm a meddler??" Charlotte asked loosing her cool, while Mira remained calm and recollected; something she learnt from her biggest idol; King.

"You mean a marplot? most certainly!" she said fervidly, with a triumphant smile like she just answered a quiz question right.

"Mother! did you hear that?! she just called me a marplot!" Charlotte complained, mother was pissed off at Mira's infantile and naughty behavior but she was at the same time tired, she didn't even know what to say anymore.

"Mira! Apologize to Charlotte at once!" mother ordered, but the unrepentant kid didn't look like she was ready to do that; ever.

"But why?? I didn't do anything wrong here, I just told her the truth, you always preach about saying the truth at all times, so there!" Mira replied cheekily.

"That's it! I've had enough of your puerile and silly attitude! you're grounded!" mother declared.

"What??! That's unfair!" Mira cried, "till your father returns!" mother added, "you can't do that to me!" Mira said almost in tears.

"To your room now!" mother ordered and she stormed off in tears. One would think that the young woman had learnt her lesson and regrets her actions, but just as she got to the top of the stairs, she dropped her last bombshell.

"You can wait all you want Charlotte, brother will never marry you! Keep parading your old body around him, he doesn't even see you! You're too old for him, old maiden!" she spat spitefully and ran off to her room.

The look on Charlotte's face was priceless, she subconsciously assessed her body in search of any wrinkle or crease, why did that little brat call her old?? Is her beauty fading? or was she just trying to get under her skin?? Charlotte can be so insecure about any little blemish on her body, she doesn't want even the tiniest rash on her body.

When she meets other actresses or models and beauty queens, she secretly compares herself with them, and if she feels she's lagging in any way, she finds her way to the beauty spa the next day.

"Don't let what she said get to you dear, you should know Mira by now, she can be naughty and trifling a times" mother tried to pacify her.

"Of course not! I've known Mira my entire life, don't you think I should be used to her tantrums? Don't worry mother, I can handle her" Charlotte said so sweetly and mother beamed at her.

"This is one thing I love about you Charlotte, you're so understanding, sometimes I wonder if you ever get angry" mother said and they both laughed over it.

"Yes, about what you said of this strange woman stealing my son's attention, I would look into it, I've had enough of King changing women like his duvet, if he doesn't want to settle down, I want him to and I'm going to do something about it, it's time to get him settled down" Mrs Luciano said determinedly.

Charlotte smiled inwardly at her new resolution, if there's something she knows very well about this woman, it is the fact that she is so determined and resolute, when she sets her mind on something, nothing can deter her.

"I know you will mother" she said with a smile.

"But what is your relationship with King right now? I mean has it improved? Has he ever asked you out? please don't tell me he hasn't" mother frained.

"What can I say, mother? Inasmuch as I want to tell you what you want to hear, the truth must be told, our relationship is just static, it's stagnant mother, just as it used to be, can I even say we have a relationship?? It's always me making the first move and at the end of the day it isn't even reciprocated.

I feel like a pest, like I'm bothering him, infact he ends up pushing me away at most points, mother you needed to see how he defended that woman against me, a total fling, a cheap call girl! he took her side mother! I've never been so embarrassed in my entire life!" she complained now amidst tears.

Drama queen!

"Hey, come on now, don't do that! Don't you cry because of that whore, you're worth more than her, I'm sure right now she must have been changed with another."

"I don't think so mother, I think King has a thing for her, don't forget that King has never showed up in an event with any woman, he has never, but just last night he did, you needed to see how he wouldn't let her out of his sight, he just wouldn't let her go, he was so possessive of her."

"I think you're reading too much meaning into whatever it is King has with that woman, come on it's a natural thing for a man to be possessive of a woman he attends a party with, that's the rule, you don't ever let your partner go."

"But mother it's all over the news and people are making stupid assumptions, it's just so disturbing!" Charlotte said bitterly, that's the only truthful thing she's said all day.

"Let them say whatever they want to say, pay no attention to hearsays, King can never have anything serious with that woman, trust me, so don't let it get to you" mother advised and she nodded in agreement, wiping her tears off.

"Now let's talk about something else, yes that reminds me, when is your mother returning from Joliland??" mother asked changing the conversation.

"Ah! I don't think she wants to return, she tells me this weekend and then the next day she calls to postpone her return to the following week" Charlotte said and they both bursted into a hearty laughter.

"Oh Beverly! Still as adventurous as ever!" "What do they say? Old habits die hard!" "You can say that again!"

"Alright mother, I will be on my way now, please do take care of yourself" Charlotte said standing up.

"Of course I will, you do the same too, I want my future daughter-in-law to always stay fresh" "yeah yah! never to be caught unfresh!" Charlotte added fervidly.

"Alright, I will see you soon and don't you worry about that matter, I will handle it as promised" mother promised again, "I trust you mother, see you, bye" "bye."

Charlotte exited the house and then walked towards her car when her phone rang, she grimaced when she saw the caller, she looked around then answered the call.

"What do you want Eric??! Didn't I tell you never to call me??!" she asked harshly but in a low tone.

"I told you never to call me, I will be the one to call you, I will call you when I need you!" "But it's been 3 weeks!" "So what?! Look, I'm in a sensitive location right now and you know what that means! I will call you when I'm able to talk."

"If you don't call me, I will talk and you know what that means." "What??! are you blackmailing me right now??" "Call it whatever you like, I'm done playing the dummy here, I think it's time for us to play this game by my rules, so I'm telling you right now to meet me at our usual point, failure...." "Alright! alright! I've heard you! there's no need to threaten me.

I will meet you at our usual meeting place, but this would be our last meeting, deal?" "I will decide when I see you, till then sweetheart, bye."

Charlotte stood there glaring at her phone for a few moments, this guy has proven to be a pain in the neck! But she knows very well how to get rid of such pests.

"He asked for it, and he's gonna get it!" she sounded, then she entered her car and drove off.

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"We've began the demolition as planned boss." "Good, continue, just let me know if things goes south" "alright boss."

"What demolition??" I interrupted the two men having what seems like a business discussion.

"Leave us" King ordered the order man and he left.

"You're finally up" "Yes, but that doesn't answer my question, does it??" I don't know why I'm suddenly inquisitive about something I happened to over hear, it wasn't supposed to be my business, but I was suddenly curious.