Feelings? I forgot if they even exist at the moment. Chills ran down my spine as I stared Joe with pure confusion filled in my eyes. He doesn't know what I am talking about – he is a liar. A liar!
"You don't know." I whispered under my breath – I narrowed my eyes and stared at his confused ones, "How can you say that, Joseph?" I added. "You asked me to bring the file downstairs because you were getting late for a meeting and you –" I turned to face Marcus – who was looking at me with betrayal in his eyes. "You texted me and told me to give him the file. Why are you both doing this to me?!" I yelled out as tears rushed out of my eyes. "Why are you two lying?" I cried out as I felt the moist escaping my nose and eyes.
"I don't get it – what is happening here? Charlie, please relax – you are going to hurt yourself." Joe said while putting his hands on my shoulder which I pushed away – I was already breathing hard – my heart was drumming in my ears – my face was covered with sweat and tears. I shook my head in distress and stepped away from him. I was speechless – I was speechless due to the circumstances. Joe frowned and worried looked at Silas, "Silas, what happened?" he asked him.
Silas gulped and looked at me before looking back at his cousin, "Samson's file is gone. Some - someone took it away." He said hesitantly as he glanced towards me. He was covering his words – he shouldn't do that. He should just say it aloud what he thinks – he thinks that I stole it. He thinks that I am the thief. It hurts – it hurts so much.
"Marcus got a call from Diego Silvia this morning – he said that there is a traitor near him, who stole Samson's file from his office and soon Diego will have it. He threatened to ruin the Harrisons. Marcus checked the CCTV of his home-based office to find that – she –" Ben said while pointing his finger towards me. "She stole it – she's the betrayer. I bet she got here to steal the file. It was her idea from the very beginning. She has been playing with the Harrisons since the start and she shall be punished for her crime." He gritted out while glaring at me.
Joe's eyes widened as he looked at his brother. "What?" he whispered to himself bewilderedly. He averted his gaze towards me, "Is – is he telling the truth, Charlotte? Did – you take the file from Marcus's office?" he asked me.
I gaped and launched at him before grabbing him by the collar, "What are you talking about Joe?!! Yes – yes! I took it from his office but because you asked me to do so and he – he –" I turned to look at Marcus who wasn't looking at me anymore – his back was facing me while he looked out of the window, "Marcus told me to give it to you." I added angrily.
Joe frowned, "What are you saying, Charlotte? Why would you say that? I didn't ask to take anything from Marcus's office. Why are you lying?" he asked. His voice held softness but, his words were like knives through my heart.
I stepped back and narrowed my eyes, "I am lying?" I asked him accusingly while putting my hand on my chest, "I can't believe you!" I yelled out. Words that flowed from his mouth angered me – I could feel my body shaking. I was furious – I didn't betray anyone – he betrayed me. He used me. Rage boiled through my body. I pursed my lips and raised my hand back and threw my hand forwards as hard as I could. The crack of skin contraction echoed through the room. Joe's face moved through the force of the slap.
There was complete silence in the room for a few seconds – nobody moved or said anything – not even Joe. He slowly lifted his head to look at me while knitting his brows – I could see the anger in his eyes. He put his palm over his cheek and stared at me without uttering a single word.
Silas stepped forward and stood between the two of us. He put his hand over Joe's shoulder and nodded at him – communicating his cousin through his eyes. Joe clenched his jaws and glared at me before he angrily walked out of the room and closed the door behind him with a force. "Charlotte, you need to relax, okay?" he said while putting his hands on my shoulder.
I closed my eyes tightly – causing the tears to leak freely from my eyes, "I didn't do it – I swear. You have to believe me – please Silas – I would never do something like this – you know me – you know that I would never do anything like that. I swear – I swear I gave it to Joe and Marcus – he – he texted me to give it to him. I had the conversation in my cellphone – I don't know where it went. I am not lying – please, believe me." I pleaded him while he looked at me.
Silas sighed and glanced at Joe before looking back at me. He nodded his head, "Charlie relax, okay? You should go to Kathie's room. I will see you in a bit." He said to me lowly.
I gaped as I looked at him with my eyes filled with tears. I wanted to stay till I prove my innocence but, I didn't do it because I had no proof at all. I felt vulnerable – I bowed and nodded my head before turning around to walk out of the room when I heard loud footsteps approaching me. "Marcus – what are you doing? Wait." I heard Silas's loud voice.
Before I could turn around to look at them – I was grabbed by my arm roughly. My eyes first went on Marcus's hand that was tightly clenching my arm before I looked at his anger-filled eyes. I opened my mouth to protest when he pushed me away from the door, opened the door with force, and dragged me out with him.
"Marcus, stop it! What are you doing?" I protested as I was being dragged by him. My arm already hurt. I tried to free myself from his grip but, he only tightened his hold. He didn't even glance at me while he dragged me with himself.
"Marcus, relax – please, don't do this. Marcus!" Silas followed us out – he tried his best to stop his brother but, Marcus wasn't listening to anyone as he hauled me towards his bedroom. I gulped as I saw maids looked at us bewilderedly. My face burned with embarrassment – I have never been treated like this before. "Marcus, wait – please!" Silas said as he followed us up.
"Marcus, what are you doing? Please – you are hurting me!" I pleaded as my arm ached.
Marcus didn't respond to anyone of us. He opened the door of his bedroom and pushed me in. I stumbled but, luckily didn't fall. Marcus said something to Silas which I didn't get and closed the door behind him – without even listening to him. He turned around and his eyes met mine. I never saw such disappointment, anger, and sadness in his eyes. He stepped near me as he narrowed his eyes, "Whom do you work for?" he asked lowly.
I frowned and shook my head, "I only work for you, Marcus. Why are you doing this to me? Why don't you believe me? I swear I didn't steal anything from you. I only gave Joe the file because you asked me to give it to him. Why don't you remember?!" I yelled out as tears fell out of my eyes. My voice sounded raspy from all the yelling.
He clenched his jaws, "I am asking you this for the last time, Charlotte. Whom do you work for? Do you work for Diego? Did he send you here?! How much money did he give you to ruin my life, huh? All of that – that happened between us was a fraud! Wasn't it, Charlotte? You only came into our lives to steal from us!" Marcus accused me.
My lips trembled as I took a step back, "You – you think that whatever happened between us was fake?" I asked him in a whisper. He gritted my teeth and swiftly took a step forward and looked into his eyes, "Tell me, Marcus, did it felt like a sham to you?" I asked him. I saw a glint in his eyes as he stared back into mine silently. "Did it feel like I was pretending?" I asked again. I shook my head when I didn't get a reply from him. "I would never betray you, Marcus. You and Kathie mean a lot to me and I would never – never hurt you." I said to him as a big fat tear dropped from my eyes.
Marcus was silently for the longest minute – so was I. His eyes roamed over my face. For a second – just for a second the hardness was gone from his eyes, for a second his eyes talked to him – just for a second it felt like he believed me. For a second he looked at me the way he looked at me the other night – unfortunately, it was just for a second. He doesn't know how much I wish that I could drag this second and make it forever.
He gulped and stepped back from me, "I saw you taking that file from my office, Charlotte. I don't know why you are lying – I didn't tell you to give anything to Joe. How stupid can you be to lie something like that to me?" he said. "Just tell me, where that file is Charlotte." He asked.
I closed my eyes tightly – I was tired of all of this, "I gave it to Joe! I told you that I gave it to Joe, Marcus. Why don't you believe me?!" I asked him.
"You want me to believe you?" he sniggered. "I have to say – you fooled me, Charlotte. You fooled me good." He gritted out. "I fell into your trap – just the way you wanted me to." He said while slightly shaking his head.
Knowing that he believes that I faked everything – every moment was enough for me to feel empty. I should feel sad or angry but, instead, I felt desolate.
"You know, I was happy. I was happy until everything fell apart. First, Susan was taken away from me then, my mother turned against me. After that I thought that I would never trust anyone – that I would stay alone so no one could hurt me but, I couldn't commit to my own words. You came in my life and I felt like I was living again – it felt good to wake up every morning without the void feeling in my heart – it felt good to be around you." A tear fell from his eye, "I was stupid to think that I could ever trust anyone again. I was stupid to think that you cared for me – for Kathryn." He said.
"I do – I do care for you and Kathie, Marcus. I do care for you both – believe me." I said as I stepped forward and took his face in my hand. I search for his eyes which never met mine – instead he downcast his gaze. His anger was replaced by sorrow. He sighed dejectedly and shook his head before pushing my hands off his face.
"I am tired, Charlotte." He said lowly. "I am tired from being played from all the betrayals – from all the hurt. I can't take it anymore – just please – just tell me whom did you give that file to and I will do whatever the person that you work for wants. Just hand the file back to Silas – please." He pleaded.
"I don't know where the file is! I told you that I gave it to Joe! You have to believe me, Marcus! Why don't you believe me!! Why are you doing this to me?!!" I yelled out. I had enough – I was fad up from the same question – from the same accusation.
He tightened his lips and grabbed me from both of my arms and pulled me against him, "I swear Charlotte if you don't tell me where that file is in five minutes – I will call the police." He threatened me.
I narrowed my eyes – it all felt like a nightmare. I couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Marcus's mouth. "You – you would call police on me?" I asked him in a whisper.
He gulped and tightly closed his eyes for a few seconds. He snarled, "Just tell me, dammit!!" he yelled out.
A sob escaped my mouth, "I don't know! I don't know!! I don't know!" I shouted as I clenched my hair in my hand. He didn't shout back at me while I cried my eyes out. I fell on my knees and cried like I never cried before.
I heard him sigh, "Fine." He said. "Fine, don't tell me, Charlotte but, be ready for the consequences. I swear Charlotte, they won't be nice." He said. I felt like I heard hesitation in his voice but, I didn't reply to him – I just stayed on my knees and sobbed. After a few seconds of pause, he kneeled to my level and stared right into my eyes.
There was a moment of hesitation before he spoke, "I want you to stay away from me and my daughter. Do not ever dare to come here again, Charlotte! Get out – you are fired!" he gritted out and got back on his feet before swiftly walking out of his room – leaving me alone to immerse in my despair.