When We Meet Again
Chapter 62

"But I still need to thank you," Alice insisted. "If you had not offered to help, I would still be out there, looking for money for the operation. We hurt you so much but you did not look at the things my mom and I did to you. We did not deserve your help but you still helped us. I really, cannot thank you enough, Charlotte. Thank you."

Charlotte sighed. If she were to consider what her stepmother and daughter did to her, she would never offer her help to them, but she did. Not because they deserve it but for her sanity and conscience. If her stepmother died because she refused to help, she would have paid evil with evil, and she would not stop blaming herself for that.

"I still think you do not..."

Bella nudged Charlotte slightly. "Don't try to stop her. It will make her feel bad."

Charlotte sighed. She wasn't trying to stop Alice because she wanted to make her feel bad. She just doesn't want her to keep thanking her.

She smiled at Alice. "You really, do not need to keep thanking me, like I said before. I know we did not start well. We had lots of issues which made you think that you do not deserve my help but that is not true. We are family. Families always look out for each other and that is what I am doing."

Alice moved closer to Charlotte. "You have a kind heart. I am sorry for ever treating you badly. I..."

"Shh... I can tell how sorry you are."

"Can you forgive me?"

Charlotte nodded. "I already did, a long time ago."

"Thank you."

Charlotte smiled. "You are welcome. Can I ask you a few questions?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, please."

"Can you tell me what happened to you? I mean, how did you get to this stage? You should have some money right?"

Alice sat beside Charlotte. "We should but we did not."

"But Melvin gave you some money before my wedding? He kept giving you more for upkeep."

Charlotte could not help but wonder what Alice and her mother did with all the money Melvin gave to them. He had given them a lot of money. How could she forget that? The money was the reason they made her sign the marriage contract with him.

Alice sighed. "The money Melvin gave us before your wedding, was spent on clothes, shoes, and jewelry after the wedding. We moved into a bigger apartment, got two cars for ourselves, and were living a big life. Melvin kept sending money to us; we had no reason to save."

Charlotte frowned slightly. While they squandered all the money Melvin gave to them for her sake, she had to endure a loveless marriage.

"For two years, we had nothing to worry about. Melvin told us about your divorce and he sent us a lot of money too. It was the money he promised to give to us when you both got divorced." Charlotte furrowed her brows. Melvin promised them money when they got divorced. How come she knew nothing about it?

"A few days after he sent the money to us, my mom went to the bank to withdraw the money. She wanted to start up a business with it. I also had a business in mind that I wanted to do, so I asked for my share of the money, but she insisted that we wait for a while before making use of it. After a month, she said nothing about the money and I became curious. I asked her what was going on. It took a while before she opened up to me. She had given the money to this man she met and fallen in love with. He wanted to start up a business and was supposed to return the money in a month." Alice sighed. "She found out he ran away with the money a few days later with another woman."

Charlotte blinked. "You mean the man ran away with the money?"

Alice nodded. "He did. He ran away with another woman. I was too shocked to believe it. She never told me she was seeing any man. I regretted not insisting that she give me my share. We would have had some money left. That wasn't all. Our cars were used as collateral."

Charlotte blinked. "She took out a loan too?"

Alice nodded. "She took out a loan for him. I was angry at my mom but seeing how devastated she was, my anger did not last long. We left the bigger apartment for a smaller one. My mom became sick shortly after but there was no money to treat her. I thought about finding you to ask for forgiveness and also ask that you help us with some money for her treatment, but there wasn't any news about you. I only saw you once when you said your divorce from Melvin was not real. I tried to come to see you in Melvin's mansion but my mom was against it. She said we do not deserve your help."

Hearing their story, Charlotte realized that karma had caught up with them already. Taking revenge on them would be evil on her part. She stared at Bella who stared at her. She could tell Bella felt sorry for them too. "How have you been faring all this while?" Charlotte asked.

Alice smiled. "I have been doing several part-time jobs."

A nurse came to meet them. "Are you Mrs. Jane's guardian?". They nodded. "You can see her now. She's awake."

They stood up and followed the nurse into her room. Alice stared at her mom and wept. Charlotte stood afar off not sure of what to do.

"Mom, see who is here," Alice said. "It's Charlotte."

"Charlotte?" she cooed. "Is-is that you, Charlotte?"

Charlotte nodded. "It's me."

"I-I am so sorry. I am very sorry," she wept. "Please forgive me."

Charlotte moved closer to her. "You do not have to be sorry. And I forgive you."

Charlotte could not get angry at them for long. Hearing what they had passed through, she realized she had no reason to stay angry at them. They had eaten the fruit of their labor. And they have tasted what being lonely is. They understand better now what betrayal from a family member means and what it means to be treated differently

**

Charlotte and Bella left the hospital because they needed to meet with Melvin and Matthew so they could visit the boutique together.

"I will visit tomorrow," Charlotte had assured Alice and her mother before she left.

Bella and Charlotte met with Melvin and Matthew in front of the Miller Empire and they headed to the boutique in Melvin's and Matthew's car. Charlotte took a ride with Matthew against Melvin's wish because she wanted to avoid him. "You should have gone with him," Matthew told her on their way.

"But I do not want to," she replied. "I have no reason to."

Matthew could tell that she was still very angry with Melvin and he could understand why. He might have done the same or even worse if he was in her shoes.

They got to the boutique and Melvin showed them around. He took his time to explain everything they needed to know about the boutique to them. Charlotte was impressed; the only thing she has always admired about Melvin is how he professionally handles things. They were done in a few minutes and were supposed to head to the fashion house location but it was late.

"I am heading home," Matthew announced. "My girlfriend will be waiting."

"Did you finally have a girlfriend?" Melvin teased. "Or she is one of your usuals."

"You can't say that in front of my new crush. Are you trying to taint my image?"

Melvin scoffed. "But that is the truth."

Matthew frowned slightly but said nothing.

"We should get going too," Bella said.

"I can drop you ladies off if you do not mind?" Matthew said and Melvin frowned. "I would have loved to but I do not think we are heading the same way."

Charlotte knew Matthew changed his words because of Melvin; she also saw his reaction.

She sighed. "We will get a taxi..."

"I just remember I needed to stop by a place to see someone," Bella said. "Mr. Melvin, are you not going home to see your mom? Charlotte can take a ride with you."

Bella had done this to help Melvin out. She knew how many times he had tried to talk to Charlotte in the boutique but she never gave him listening ears. Melvin also knew what Bella was trying to do for him. "Yes, I am. I can give her a ride to the house."

Charlotte frowned. She could understand what they were all trying to do but she wasn't going to let them have their way.

"That will not be...."

"You do not mind giving me a ride, right?" Bella asked Matthew cutting Charlotte short.

"Of course," Matthew answered. "And we can leave now."

Bella and Matthew left them standing. After Matthew drove off, Charlotte turned to face Melvin.

"You don't have to give me a ride."

"But I insist."

"And I do not care if you insist or not. I am out of here."

Charlotte's turned to leave but Melvin held her hand. "Remember you said our marriage is still valid and our divorce was a lie. You do not want the media showing up and seeing you walk out of me." "There is no media here."

"You never can tell," Melvin said and Charlotte furrowed her brows.

What is he up to?