When We Meet Again
Chapter 28

When Melvin walked into Charlotte's room for the first time, Charlotte knew something was going on and that he had no option but to come to see her. She had not expected him to knock on her door, let alone ask to be allowed in. She had tried her best to ignore and stay away from him and had succeeded until now.

Why did he come to see her instead of sending for her like he usually does? She had wondered but shrugged off the thought.

There was a time when he never spoke to her. There was also a time when he spoke to her but never allowed her close to him. She could remember when he began to allow her to come close to him; not too close though. It's been a few weeks since he began to allow her to come to his room and now is the time to allow himself into her room.

Melvin isn't someone she could easily predict. He does what he wants when he wants. Charlotte was curious to know why he had come by himself and not sent for her or sent Hannah to her instead.

"Is there a problem?" She asked the moment he walked in.

She wasn't going to ask him directly why he was in her room.

"Are you not going to offer me a seat?" Melvin asked.

"You can sit over there." Charlotte pointed at the couch. Melvin sat down and began to look around.

He is not here to look around, is he? Charlotte wondered.

She sat on her bed and stared at him for a while wondering what had drawn his attention in her room. Charlotte soon noticed he had been staring at one of her portraits.

Is there something wrong with her portrait or there is something about it that has drawn his attention?

Charlotte sighed. It doesn't matter what he thinks about the portrait. She wasn't going to sit and watch him stare when he should be speaking. His presence has already made her uncomfortable and now just staring instead of talking makes her more uncomfortable.

She tapped the dressing table slightly, drawing Melvin's attention.

"Is there a problem?" Melvin asked.

"Please, can you say why you are here? I have a lot to do." Charlotte said.

Melvin smiled. "Do you feel uncomfortable having me around? I guess you do."

Charlotte stared at Melvin. Why does she feel like he is different or rather he is acting different?

"It doesn't matter if I feel uncomfortable with your presence," Charlotte said. "It isn't like you care about how I feel," she mumbled.

Melvin furrowed his brows. "Are you talking to me?"

"No, I am not. Why are you here please?"

Melvin stood up and walked close to the portrait. "A beautiful portrait you have here."

Is he here to admire and compliment her portrait or does he have no reason to come here in the first place? Charlotte wondered.

Melvin turned. "Can I have this?"

Charlotte blinked. "Yo-you want what?"

"This." Melvin pointed at the portrait. "I like it. Or you won't spare?"

Charlotte wasn't sure of what to say to Melvin. He is acting really, weird and that is not only making her uncomfortable but also making a chill run down her spine.

Charlotte stared at him for a while. His eyes carried a feeling she had never seen before but she wasn't going to lose her composure in front of him.

"Can you at least tell me why you want the portrait?" Charlotte asked.

Melvin shrugged. He had no special reason to want the portrait except for the fact that Charlotte looked so beautiful in it. This was his first time admitting that he had married a beautiful woman.

"Do I need to have a reason to want my wife's portrait? Or are you, not my wife?"

Charlotte knew he was trying to toy with her. She wasn't going to let him have his way but because she didn't want the conversation to take much of her time and also to make him go straight to the reason why he was here so he could leave, Charlotte had to give in; she really doesn't like the portrait and she doesn't understand what he liked about it.

"Fine, you can have it but on one condition though."

"Which is?" Melvin asked.

"You tell me why you are here and then leave after that."

Melvin nodded. "I have no plan to stay here for long either."

"It seems you want to," Charlotte mumbled.

"Are you referring to me?"

"Of course, not."

"But why do I have this feeling you're murmuring about me? You've been mumbling since I walked into your room. You don't want me here right?"

Charlotte groaned slightly. Since Melvin could read the room that she doesn't want him here, why can't he say what he has to say and leave? Why stress her out? What does he get to gain from doing that? Why does he want to keep teasing her?

She was angry and tired of seeing his face but she wasn't going to show him that. She had a feeling that was what he wanted; she wasn't sure though; his action was suspicious.

She smiled. "It's not that I do not want you here. It's just surprising to see you here and I have been wondering how important what you have to say is to make you come by yourself instead of sending for me or sending Hannah to me." Melvin smiled. "Well, it was better to relay the message to you myself."

He brought out two tickets from one of his coat side pockets. Charlotte wondered if they were movie tickets or plane tickets.

If they are plane tickets, where is he going to? And who is he going with?

It has to be her. She thought. But why?

Melvin stretched a ticket to her. "This is for you?"

Charlotte stared at it and blinked. A ticket to Paris? Why?

"Why did you give me this ticket?" She asked.

"Because we are going to Paris."

Charlotte frowned. Why would he get her a ticket to Paris without asking her if she wants it? And why Paris of all places?

She had always wanted to go to Paris; it's a country she had always dreamed of going to and she had always wanted to go with a man she was in love with not a random man like Melvin who saw her as nothing but a contracted and arranged wife.

"I can't take this." She stretched it back to him.

"Isn't Paris a country you've always wanted to go to?" Melvin asked.

"No," Charlotte answered in a low voice.

"Well, that is not what your diary said," Melvin answered.

Melvin had a diary in his hand and the look on Charlotte's face indicated it belonged to her. She wasn't sure when he brought that out or where he brought it out from. Or how he got his hands in it in the first place. "Where did you get that from?"

"Well," Melvin began. "I made a visit to your home and your mom allowed me into your room. You can guess the rest. I do not have to explain myself."

"How deep did you read?" Charlotte asked.

"Deep enough to know who your first love is. Should I talk about your embarrassing moments with him? They are so funny."

"You do know going through someone's stuff without permission is not right."

Melvin nodded. "But I am glad I did. So are you going or do you want me to send your secret love messages to your crush?"

Charlotte scoffed. "It's not like you know him though."

"Do you want to dare me?"

Charlotte sighed. "Can you at least tell me why I need to go to Paris and who I am going with?"

"Isn't it obvious you will be going with me? And for the reason why you need to go with me, I am sure you remembered the plan to make the people believe we have a happy home?" "You mean the plan you kept away from me?"

"Whatever," Melvin mumbled. "You should know the reason why we are going to Paris now."

Charlotte sighed. "When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow evening."

Charlotte blinked. "And you are just telling me about it now?"

"Am I supposed to give you a heads up? It's not like you are spending your money or you have anything to contribute."

Charlotte stared at him. He is becoming the Melvin that she knew; the one who will speak to her without considering how hurtful his words would be. The one who doesn't care about her feelings. "Your information is well passed. I think you should leave now." She said.

"You do not have to tell me that. I am about to leave. And I am taking this with me."

Melvin moved closer to the portrait and brought it down. Charlotte had thought he wasn't going to go with it anymore but it seems he really, liked it. He moved closer to her.

"I already asked Bella to clear up your schedule for tomorrow and also for the next two weeks. You do..."

"Why two weeks? Don't tell me we are spending two weeks in Paris."

"You are not we," Melvin said and Charlotte furrowed her brows. What does he mean by that?