Charlotte's POV :
"Valeria and Ashton gave me some instructions for today," Nancy said and I lifted my head and frowned.
"You talked to them ?" I asked softly but still surprised.
"Yes ! My husband is their lawyer," She smiled, as if it was totally normal.
"But... is this legal ?"
"I mean I thought the people I would go with today were supposed to be people that don't know either my parents or Stefania and Danielle..." I admitted.
Nancy walked dangerously close to me.
"Well, you're staying with us today," She growled.
"And I don't want to hear their names again," She said, grabbing my chin painfully and making me raise my head.
"Who ?" I asked, tears forming in my eyes.
"Your dyke friends," She replied angrily.
She let go of my face and I rubbed my chin.
"First, a big magazine is waiting for you to do a photoshoot for their new collection."
I opened my eyes wide. What was happening ?
"Then you have two castings for a film and a new TV show and finally there is this important party your parents' want you to attend," She explained, already putting on her jacket.
"Come on," She said, opening the door for me.
"M- may I use the restroom please ?" I asked shyly.
"Be quick."
I looked around and walked into a long corridor before reaching the bathroom.
I sat on the toilet seat and reached into my pocket, unfolding the piece of paper Danielle had given me.
'Be strong Lottie, be brave and remember to take a breath when you feel too many emotions. Please drink a sip of water and take a bite of the cereal bar I put in your bag. Remember I love you.'
I wiped a single tear and folded it back in my pocket.
"CHARLOTTE !" Nancy shouted and I ran as fast as possible to the hall.
She had a driver like my parents and he drove us in a heavy silence to the first stop of the day.
We went inside a nice house and Nancy introduced me to a man who was a photographer. I didn't really get for which magazine he was working but the moment he showed me his pictures and what he wanted me to do, I felt my blood run cold.
I tried to find the words to explain it.
"I- I'm not really comfortable with this type of... photos," I stuttered.
The man turned towards Nancy and frowned.
"I thought she was fine with this," He said.
"She is, she completely is."
"Charlotte, come here," Nancy said and grabbed my arm before dragging me behind a screen.
"This magazine pays a lot to your parents for you to be their model, so you'll suck it up and do it."
"Be grateful for once," She grunted.
I nodded, scared of her reaction and of disappointing my parents again, and mostly scared of what they were capable of doing.
I set my bag on the floor and I heard my phone vibrate.
'Hi sweetie, how are u ? Are you having a good time ? Give us updates, Stef and I think about you a lot, we love you bby'
As I read Dani's text, I felt my eyes water.
I quickly typed a message back.
'They took me to a photoshoot and they want me to pose almost naked, I don't want to do it Danielle'
"CHARLOTTE"
"WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU," Nancy yelled.
I discarded my jacket and my shoes and went back to the studio.
"Take off your shirt and step in the light," The photographer said calmly.
I blushed and looked at him with embarrassment.
"Come on Charlotte," Nancy said strictly.
I tried to suppress my tears and did as I was asked.
The whole photoshoot was horrible.
I was so tense and couldn't relax.
The photographer was starting to get annoyed and Nancy was looking daggers at me. I felt terrible and was so thankful when it came to an end.
As soon as we were back in the car, Nancy slapped me in the face.
I looked at her with shock and she slapped me again.
"It was simple, we didn't ask you much and you weren't even capable of doing it,"
"Your parents will be so disappointed in you,"
"And everyone will know how a brat you are and how you don't deserve all these opportunities you get," She spat.
I just made myself as small as I could and we were up to our next stop, the castings.
Everything was a disaster.
I couldn't act, I kept stuttering and taking breaks and Nancy was red with anger.
When we came back to her apartment, her husband was there.
"Hi darling," He said kissing his wife and then turned towards me.
"Charlotte ! Hi, it's been a while," Edmund smiled.
I didn't find the strength to answer, I was drained and just wanted Danielle or Stefania.
I was exhausted, I hadn't eaten since the small breakfast I took this morning and I felt like I could collapse at any moment.
Nancy grabbed the back of my neck and squeezed my skin between her nails.
"Say hi, you have a voice," She said angrily.
"H- hi," I whispered.
"How was she ?" Asked Edmund.
"Terrible, she ruined everything."
"You should call Valeria, she'll not like it," Nancy continued.
Edmund raised his brows and took a step closer to me.
"You're so ungrateful, I thought you were better than what your parents told me but apparently they were right, such an ungrateful bitch," He said in a low voice and gripped my hair, dragging me further into the place.
He took his phone and dialed my parents' number.
"Edmund hey !" I heard my father's voice.
"Tell them," The man holding me by the hair yelled.
As I stayed silent, he pulled my hair harder.
"I- I d- didn't-"
I was struggling with the words and felt myself start to cry.
"WHAT A BABY !" Edmund screamed and threw me to the ground.
"GO ! I don't want to see you !"
I stood up as fast as I could and ran to a random room.
I collapsed to the floor and cried my eyes out, almost choking on sobs.
My phone chimed and I unlocked it, watching the thousand messages Dani and Stef left me.
As I scrolled through the missed calls, Stefania tried to call me again.
I immediately clicked on the green button.
'Bambina how are you ? You got us worried.' She said, a little concerned.
I couldn't form any sentences so only sobs came out of my mouth.
'Charlie ?'
'What is it baby girl, tell us,'
"I- I-"
"They..." I tried to speak.
'Okay okay, breathe sweetie Lottie,' I heard Dani's voice telling me.
'Try to take a deep deep breath for us,'
"C- can't,"
'Yes you can Charlie, you can,' Stef said urgently.
I managed to calm myself a little.
'What happened ?' Stefania questioned, her voice betraying her concern.
"I d- didn't want to do it but- but they had me do photos and then ca- castings- I was so bad," I cried.
I heard on the other line of the phone Danielle standing up.
'Where are you now ?' Stef asked me.
"In th- their apartment,"
'Did they give you something to eat ?'
"No,"
'To drink ?'
"No," I sobbed.
I could hear Danielle talking to someone but I couldn't understand what she was saying.
'Do you have your bag ? Can you take the biscuits and the water bottle ?' Stef asked.
I nodded.
'Charlie ?' She questioned, not able to see me.
"Yes," I said quietly and did as she asked.
'Eat the biscuits and drink some sips please bella,' She ordered softly.
I did as she asked, tears still streaming down my cheeks.
'Only a night now Charlie, and you will be back with us,' She comforted.
'You'll sleep and it'll be morning in no time.'
"N- no, they want to take me to a- a party," I wailed.
'A party ?' She asked with concern.
"I don't know where, I know nothing..." I sighed.
Suddenly, the door flew open and Nancy stormed in.
"What are you doing ? Don't you think you're already too fat ?!" She screamed and took the biscuits and the bottle from my hands.
"Get up and get ready NOW, we're leaving in ten minutes," She shouted and it made me flinch.
She left slamming the door and thankfully didn't even notice my phone.
I was breathing heavily when Stefania spoke again.
'Charlie ?'
'Charlotte bambina we're coming,' She said in a soft but worried tone.
"You c- can't"
'We're coming, try to stay as long as you can in the apartment and someone will be here soon,' She explained.
'We love you bambina,' She said after some time.
"I love you too," I cried.
"I think I have to go," I whispered when I heard Nancy's steps getting closer.
'Make it last the most you can, stay in their place as long as you can,' Stef repeated.
I mumbled a "I'll try my best" and hung up.
"Aren't you ready ?!" Nancy yelled.
She threw a dress at me and closed the door screaming that I had to join them in the hall.
I changed into the dress and felt so self-conscious when I realized how short and low-cut it was.
I grabbed my backpack and slowly made my way down the corridor.
"You're not bringing that with you," Edmund said gesturing to my bag.
"But I have all my stuff," I bargained and it owed me a new slap on the face.
"Don't talk back," He growled and threw my bag on the other side of the room, all the belongings falling on the floor.
Just when he went to open the door, the doorbell rang.
I held my breath, wondering if it would be good for me or not and in my mind there were only two possibilities, it was either Danielle and Stefania, either someone that had bad intentions towards me.
And when the door opened, I let out a big breath.
Vera entered the room followed by Danielle.
She immediately ran towards me and wrapped her arms around me.
"Da- Danielle," I started crying again in her embrace.
"I'm here baby," She said softly but I could feel her heart beat very fast.
"What the fuck are you doing here ?!" Nancy screamed.
"It seems like today didn't go as planned," Vera sighed annoyingly.
"Yes, this little bitch was a total brat," Edmund yelled and shot me a deadly glare.
"Apparently there was some form of abuse-"
"That's not true !" Nancy retorted.
"You have no evidence," Edmund said angrily.
"In fact I have, Danielle has a recording of some previous events when Charlotte was on the phone and you yelled and hit her, I can't let that happen," Vera explained.
Edmund looked at me with wide eyes.
"How disrespectful it is from you Charlotte !" He exclaimed.
"Now I suggest that Danielle brings Charlotte home and we'll see you both tomorrow at the hearing anyway," Vera finished.
Nancy and Edmund didn't say anything else but stared at me as I followed Danielle out of the apartment.
I climbed in her car and Vera said goodbye.
I felt Dani's eyes on me the whole ride home, but she didn't say anything.
"We're here," She spoke softly as we reached home and I had totally dissociated at this point.
"Lottie ?" She asked gently, reaching for me.
I turned my head and looked at her.
"Come on lovely," She said stepping out of the car and walking to the other side to help me out.
We walked hand in hand to the house and when she opened the door, Stefania rushed to us.
"Oh bellina..." She sighed and hugged me tight.
"They knew mom and dad and- and-"
"You don't have to explain now bambina, it's late you must be tired."
I nodded, finally feeling so loved and cared about.
Author's Note :
Hi guys, I'm trying to get back to writing even if my weeks are so full with school... what I'm studying is harder than I thought but writing is an escape so hopefully it'll help <3
How are you all ?