If Only

Eight

Third Person P.O.V.

She walked downstairs keeping herself together with Belle by her side. She entered the den after a minute of useless contemplation, she had no other option besides running. But they'd find her anyways

"Sorry for my absence" she looked into the room and saw the back of him. She felt the goosebumps form on her skin just seeing the back of his head

"No worries sweetheart" Celine spoke with a smile as she and Belle entered the room. He turned to see Charlotte and his eyes went wide as he looked at her, he couldn't believe it

"Charlotte this is my son, Nate Crawford" She looked up at him. Feeling as if the universe was playing some type of game with her

"Nate this is Charlotte Bartlett and her sister Belle" they didn't break eye contact. Her own sister was even in shock that it was him

"Well dinners ready" Amara said enthusiastically, which broke their stares. Charlotte looked over at her mother who hurriedly exited the living room towards the dining room

But his stare lasted, his Tesoro was there in front of him. She still looked absolutely perfect since earlier, she wasn't a receptionist she was the company's VP

"Charlotte" Belle pulled her attention away and followed Belle as she went towards the dining room taking the seat next to her. He sat across from her as his mother directed him to take the place beside her

"So Charlotte" Celine smiled at her awkwardly

"Your father tells us you graduated from Columbia this past May?" There it was the awkward conversation starter that everyone was dreading, someone had to spark it

"Yes I did and I went to Exeter prior to that" Celine beamed at her response in some type of relief "that's lovely, what was your major?"

"Journalism with a minor in business, I was offered a job as an opinion editor for the NewYorker but I decided to work for my father instead" her voice was neutral

"That's very impressive, what about you Belle" Her eyes shifted over at Celine confused, she hadn't been listening to the conversation she was to focused on the chicken on her plate

"Huh?" She murmured as Charlotte stifled her laugh "what about you, do you attend school?"

"Oh I'm a Sophomore at Yale but I attended Exeter before hand" Belle took a big swig of the wine next to her and leaned back in her chair

The awkward silence filled the room, it was painful. It lasted a full 5 minutes until they brought out the second course, nobody wanted to speak

"So you both know the arrangement" everyone looked at Harrison. The conversation that Charlotte had been dreading most. They hadn't even spoken a single word to each other and her father was about to announce their engagement

"You two will be married sometime in the next few weeks" she was silent and he looked over "yes sir" Nate said in a polite manner

"Do you mind if I speak to Charlotte for a second?" She looked to him confused. She didn't want any confrontation with him, with all the news she's received. She wanted to live her life away from all men ever starting from here on out

"Of course" Amara stood and looked at Charlotte forcefully gesturing her out the room "Charlotte can bring you somewhere with privacy"

Belle gave Charlotte's hand a reassuring squeeze under the table as she stood up. She felt ultimately fucked and not in the good way