Destinies Entwined

Chapter 2

Charolotte pov

As soon as I step out of the plane, I am greeted with the warm LA air, which I have loved for forever, along with my dad's driver. I was not really surprised to see that none of my parents were here. They've been really busy and working a lot these days. They are not taking proper care of their health and hence I am here to now take care of them. I hug Luke and Nicole not before deciding when to meet next. We three will be meeting for dinner. I then went towards my dad's car. Mr Paul, our family driver, since I was 15, greeted me with a warm hello. He is like a second father to me. He knows everything about me and my life. He was there to pick me up from that horrible party 4 years ago. He never asked me anything about that party because he knew that something bad had happened there, which changed me thoroughly.
    We were now on our way to my parents' house and the excitement is bubbling inside me. I am meeting my parents after a year and to say that I missed that would be an understatement. I was so happy to finally meet them but before going to my parents, I decided to stop by la'amour cafe. It was just 10 mins away from my family house and I used to visit this cafe everyday after school. Mr Paul pulled over the cafe.
    I went inside and was greeting the warm smell of coffee. I am a coffee person and my day starts and ends with a coffee. I am
Grumpy and moody as fuck when I don't get a coffee in the morning.
    Suddenly I was attacked in a bone squeezing hug. Just by the scent of the person, i immediately know who she was. Mrs john, was the owner of this little cafe and obviously the one who was now squeezing me to death. She is a very sweet lady and I love her to death. "Can't breathe" I struggle to say. She loosened the hug and back away. "Oh god! I cant believe it's you Charlie! You've grown into such a beautiful women. I always knew that you would grow up to be so stunning. It was just the matter of time." She says and I could see the sincerity flash in her eyes. She along with Nicole have always been there for me, no matter what. "Oh thankyou so much Mrs John. I don't know what to say. I have missed you so much. I am sorry I coudnt come earlier." I say
    "Oh darling, no need to be. Though I missed my chubby cute Charlie all these years, but I am happy you are here now. You've changed so much Charlie" she says while walking towards the table at the far end of the cafe. "Let me get you your coffee and then we can catch up" she says. I nod and sit at the chair. I coudnt help but think back to the time when Adelrik and I used to come here for the project.  This was the very same cafe we both used to come and that's how mrs John knows about us. She knows what he did to me. I told her when I came to hid her farewell. She was in tears after listening the whole ordeal and hugged me tightly. She coudnt believe that Adlerik could say all those things to me. She always used to tease me and tell me that she can see love shinning in his eyes whenever he used to talk to me. Huh! Love, my foot! He just wanted to play someone and that someone happened to be me. I was naive that time but he has changed me ever since. I am now cold to people who I don't care for. Some even called me the icy queen back in New York. But I don't care. I care for the people I love. And that's enough for me.
   "Here, your cold coffee just like you love it" mrs John keeps the coffee on table and take the seat opposite to me. "Thankyou" I say, thankful for the much neeeded cold coffee after the flight. "Oh keep the plesentaries to yourself and tell me about you, how are you? How was it like to live in New York? Did you meet someone? Did you make new friends?"
I had to cut her off in the middle. "What's with the rapid fire questions?" I asked incredously. "And to answers them, it was really nice and adventurous living in New York and studying there. And no I didn't meet anyone that excited me. And yes I have made a few new friends" i answer in a single breathe.
    "Why did no one excite you" she asked with curiousuty shinningin her eyes. There was some other emotion too, was it joy? But I coudnt make it out. Maybe I was just tierd and imagining things. "I don't know. I have been on many dates but I just didn't feel the butterflies and happiness when I was with them. I tried a lot..." I wanted to add 'to move on from him' but then that wasn't necessarily at all. Sometimes I wonder why even I love him till now. After all that hee did to me, I just coudnt stop myself from loving him until today.
   But nothing can be hid by mrs John and she immediately got to know what I was about to say. "Oh Charlie! It's okay baby to feel like this! Everyone has reasons for what they do"she says. I was about to ask her what she meant by reason but then my cell phone decided to ring. It was mom.
   "Hey mom!" I say on the phone. "Hey baby! Have you landed?" She asks and I face palm myself. I forgot to tell them. "Yes mom. I am sorry I forgot to tell you. I landed at 1 and I am
Now with mrs John. I will leave in 5 minutes" I say.
    "Oh that's okay. No problem. Umm Lottie your father and I are at his office and we would like you to meet us over here" she says and I could make out that she was nervous. But for what? Maybe she is tierd. "Umm okay mom. I will see you guys in 15" I then hangup"
   "I am sorry mrs John but I have to leave now. But I promise to dropbe tomorrow. We can catch up" I told her. We then got up and she came forward to hug me "oh Charlie! I am so happy that you are back. I know that you will find your hapiness soon" she says. We then tell goodbye to each other.
    I was now on my way to Kingston industries. I don't know know why there is this nervous and somewhat wierd feeling in me. I crossed my fingers and hoped for everything to be normal. After just 15 minutes, we reached the building. Kingston industries is well know in the whole USA. It was started by my grandfather and was then passed on to my father and I am the future hier.
   After greeting all the employees, I made my way towards the elevator. My dad has a private elevator, so I used it rather than using the ones for employees. I pressed the 50th floor.
    I was walking towards my dad's office when suddenly I bumped into someone, resulting in both of us to fall on the ground. I looked at my side and a huge grin made its apperence in my face. The person beside me was no other than my dad's bestfriends' son, Nate. We both have been good friends before but then we lost contact after I went to NYU. I have heard that he is now handling the company with his dad and is doing good for himself.
    "Oh god, I am so sorry! I was in a rush" he says while trying to get up. He didn't even recognize me. I get it that I have changed but i never knew that people won't even recognize me. "Oh! It's perfectly fine Nateyyy" I say in a sing song manner. As soon as he heard the nick name I used to call him, he turned his neck so fast that I am afraid he would get it sprained.
    "Oh my fucking god!!! Is that you Lottie?" He asks while hugging me like his life depended on it. "Oh god I am so happy that you are back! I have missed you a hell lot" he says while still hugging me.
    "Hahhaha! Yes that's me! And I have missed you a lot too Nateyy!" I say. Suddenly my dad's office door opens and my mom comes out. Upon seeing me she runs towards me hug me. I have been getting a hell lot of them today. But i am a hugger. I love to give and take hugs. I hug her and I can feel wetness on my shoulder. Recognition hit me and I knew it was my mother who was crying. I coudnt Control myself and let out a hmfew tears. We then parted and I was surprised to see the dard circles and tiredness on her face. She has been helping my dad lot these days. "Hey mom! I have missed you" I tell her.
  "Oh i have missed you too Lottie. I am so happy that you are back" she says while smilling. I totally forgot about Nate standing behind me. "Oh hi Nate!" My mother greets him. "Hey aunt! How are you doing?" He asks politely. "I am doing good!" My mother replies while smilling at him.
   "Umm... mom I would really like to meet Dad, is he free right now?" I ask my mom. "Oh yes sweetly, he is waiting for you in his office, and just remember that whatever happens inside that room, your dad and I love you very much and would never want anything bad for you" she says while seeming somewhat worried. "Umm i know my mom, and I love you guys too!" I say and then walk towards my dad's office. 
     I knock on the door. Suddenly a very tierd and worried looking Dad opens the door and hugs me. I have always been a daddy's girl. My childhood was extremely nice and I love my parents for that. "Hello Lottie! It's so good to see you! How have you been?" He asks me. "Oh Dad the feeling is mutual and I am doing good! What about you?" I ask him. "Oh I am also doing okay—I guess" he says while thinking something. "Dad you know you can tell my anything and I will do my best to help you?"
    "Yes I know Lottie and you are right. Things have not been in place these last few months and I am really worried about everything. Our business not doing well and I am afraid that we will go bankrupt of help is not provided soon" he says and the frown lines are more evident on his face now. I can now see the dark circles and tiredness reflecting on his face. Oh my god, I have to do something to get us out of this situation.
    "Oh god Dad, I never knew you were going through so much. But don't worry we are now together and I am sure we can try to find a way through it all" i say feeling optimistic.
   "I am afraid we can't Lottie, I have tried every possible way to get out of this mess. There's just one way left" he says and to say that my dad was terrified would be an understatement. He was looking so worried.
   "Yes Dad and what that might be?" I ask him feeling dread fill inside me. "Lottie i have a good friend whom I helped back in his college days and because of that he owes me. Now that he is a famous man and ofcourse a billionaire like us, he would definately help us but he has one condition in return." He says
    "Oh okay that's good. We can fulfil his condition and that we can get us out oh this problem" I say feeing somewhat relieved.
    "It's not that easy Lottie. The condition involves you" "he has a son who will be taking over his empire very soon and he wants you both to get married."
........"He has a son who is taking over his empire soon and he wants you both to get married."
"Oh!

WAIT WHAT MARRIAGE?!"
I all but yelled. No-no-no-no, there surely must be some mistake. I must be hearing things. I think my ear check up is long due , Nic wasn't wrong when she said that I need to pay attention to my health and go for regular check ups. Now see what has happened. I am hearing things.
RIGHT?
I mean I'm damn sure that my parents are not inconsiderate of my feelings to tie me up in some arrange marriage with a man I've never even seen before.
"Yes Lottie marriage" dad broke my mind rant and broke whatever hope I had. So my ears were fine and unfortunately I wasn't hearing things. But this was insane.
"Listen baby we love you and I swear we tried everything but nothing worked. This is our only option and you are our only hope. The future of this company is on your hands now."
"No dad you listen to me. I have so many dreams to fulfill and so much to look forward to. I can't get tied to someone at such a young age and that also to a stranger. A person I've never even met before. I'm just 23 for god's sake. How can you even agree to this?"  Traitorous angry tears and sobs escaped and I felt so vulnerable. It felt like all those years spent on making myself strong and indifferent were a waste. It was a pathetic sham. At this moment I felt just like my old self- The weak and naive Charlotte.
"Lottie hear me out please. I know that this is quiet a piece of news for you to swallow right now but please think over it. Don't you think that I would've tried anything and everythingto get us out of this mess. I don't know what to do now. Just please think about this. Our fate is in your hands now. I would never force you, and you know that Lottie. You are still my babygirl. I'm just asking for this one thing from you. Lottie I just hope that whatever you decide, you decide it wisely." And just like that this conversation was over from his side leaving me bewildered with all this shit on my head.
Charlotte you are so screwed...........

————————————><——————————
Lottie's outfit above...