If Only

One

CHARLOTTE BARTLETT

I tapped my foot on the ground under the desk as my mind continued to race. What else could I do? If I didn't focus on the tapping of my foot or the sounds of commotion in the office, the image of him and her would slip into my head.

My now ex-boyfriend, Carter, was unfaithful to me after 2 years. Walking in to see my assistant, Alyssa and the man I figured I would one day settle down with, on top of each other in bed breaking my heart. Wasn't how I expected us to end.

I wanted to wait for him until we married. It's not like I'm some traditionalist or stuck on some rules of religious ways, I'm far from that. I'd just been a virgin for so long, why not wait. I was so sure he had been the one. But someone who loves you truly and deeply doesn't cheat on you.

Turning away from the computer screen and I looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows with the views of New York. I always loved this city I've called home and admired its beauty.

Sighing and looking back to the screen I continue back to my emails, but all I could do was type gibberish in frustration and then click backspace fifty times. I let the rage finally consume me.

"Two years, t w o f u c k i n g y e a r s" What a cocky mother fucker to think he could just fuck her and get away with it.

It might not seem like a lot of time, but it's two years of my love life wasted. The love I had for him faded and turned into hatred the second I opened the door and saw him a few nights prior. Alyssa, the mentioned assistant, had called in sick since.

"Charlotte" echoed in the back of my mind as I slowly came back to my senses.

"CHARLOTTE" I looked up at him, my father towered over me causing me to make full eye contact shit.

"Harrison good morning, why are you here?" I quickly jumped into the habit of sitting straight setting my tone to formal.

"How am I supposed to one day pass this company to you if your ADHD basically runs it for you? Get your shit together we have a meeting with some friends investors" His tone was harsh and he seemed irritated as he sighed in aggravation.

"I don't care what kind of week you've had or what's going on in your personal life. All I care about is you in that meeting selling yourself."

Harrison Bartlett, my father, wasn't someone I was too fond of. He was my father, not my Dad. In my mind I simply didn't have a Dad or Mom, well the kind who were warm, loving, or just even cared for their children in general. I had a mother and a father, who were just cold and cared about business.

Since graduating college, I've been here, being trained to someday take over Bartlett Publishing Company. Not to be overconfident but I was fantastic at my job, I'd been told over and over how I'm determined, impressive, and incredibly smart. But not by my parents, or by investors. My parents never gave me the recognition, they did not really care for their children because the issue was they had two girls.

I always wonder what things would be like if they had a son instead of just two daughters. But I knew deep down it would just be worse.

Growing up it was just me and Belle, my baby sister. We raised each other. Belle was more outgoing and free but I was always more guarded, I had to be. Being scolded by my parents and unloved my entire life was damaging.

Charlotte and Belle were graceful, and elegant and most definitely did not lack beauty. Her brown dough eyes could lock anyone in along with her soft brown hair. Her figure was perfect but her parents caused her to have more anxiety over eating growing up.