Chapter 83 Dispute


    Scarlett''s POV:


    I headed over to Charles''s office after work, but the receptionist would not let me in and told me that


    I needed to schedule an appointment to meet with Charles.


    I stood my ground and insisted on waiting. I might not have acquaintances or friends in Charles''s


    company that I could sweet talk into letting me see Charles, but I refused to let that stop me.


    Charles might avoid me, but I would not stop following him like a shadow if that was what it took to


    get him to agree to the divorce.


    "Please have a seat, ma''am. I''ll get you a cup of coffee," the receptionist said kindly. I had been


    coming here for a few days, so I was no longer a stranger to them.


    The hall was bustling with people, and I felt a little embarrassed to stand there in their midst, so I


    took a seat in the waiting area, hoping that Charles would suddenly show up.


    "Scarlett? Is that you, my dear?"


    I turned around and was surprised at the sight of Alice.


    "Mom? What are you doing here?" I quickly got up and walked over to her.


    "Oh, I came to bring Charles some food." She raised the lunch box she was holding at me and


    shed me a happy smile. Then, she held my arm and asked, "Why are you sitting here by


    yourself?


    If you''re here for Charles, you can go to him directly."


    I mustered an awkward smile, unsure of how to respond.


    Alice rubbed my arm and said, "Oh, dear. You''ve always been a shy one, haven''t you? Come. I''ll


    take you to Charles. He''d be very happy to see you."


    I instantly imagined the dissatisfied look on Charles''s face. He would be many things when he saw


    me, but happy was not one of them. I followed Alice into the private elevator to Charles''s office.


    "Did you know that Charles set the password of this elevator to the date of your wedding


    anniversary? Isn''t that sweet?" she said and shed me an adorable squinty smile. Then, she


    added, "Charles values his family and friends a lot. He''s been like that since he was a little boy. He''s


    just not used to expressing his feelings openly, but he cares a lot about those he loves, especially


    you, dear. In fact, all his passwords are rted to you."


    "Rita''s pregnant with Charles''s baby, Mom," I said abruptly. I could not take Alice''s praises of


    Charles anymore. He was not the affectionate man she thought he was.


    "What? Are you serious?" The happy smile on Alice''s face vanished into thin air.


    I swallowed the lump that lodged itself in my throat and replied in a broken voice, "Yes, Mom. I


    found out a few days ago."


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    Alice hugged me and startedforting me, "Oh, sweetie, I''m so sorry. But are you sure? Have you


    heard Charles''s side of the story? Maybe he can exin all this."


    "No need, Mom. This is it. I''m done. I want a divorce. This time, I won''t let anything stop me," I told


    her in between small sobs. My rtionship with Charles had not only hurt me in unspeakable ways


    but also robbed me of my pride and dignity. I did not want it anymore.


    "Let''s not be hasty, Scarlett. You and Charles need to talk this through," Alice sighed after hesitating


    for a while.


    Eventually, the elevator reached Charles''s office, and the doors whirred open. Charles''s assistant


    was out in hall waiting for us. "Mr. Moore is in a meeting right now, but he sent me to usher you into


    his office to wait."


    "No, thanks. We''ll wait here. You may carry on with your work." Alice waved her hand and sent


    Charles''s assistant away. Then, she pulled me aside and said, "Calm yourself, dear. Things may not


    be as bad as you think. I know my son very well. Before you make some permanent decisions, you


    should open a dialogue with him first. I''m sure there''s a reasonable exnation for all this. I didn''t


    raise my son to treat his wife like this."


    Alice''s words made me feel a bit better, so I reached out and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Mom. No


    matter what happens between me and Charles, you''ll always be my mother."


    As soon as I finished my words, Charles walked out of the meeting room. He nced at us, pulled a


    long face, and walked straight into his office. Alice rushed over to him, and I followed suit.


    "Is it true, Charles? Is Rita pregnant with your child?" Alice asked immediately after I closed the


    door behind us.


    "I''m not the father of Rita''s baby, Mom," Charles backfired. He sat on the sofa and crossed his legs.


    He closed his eyes and kneaded the bridge of his nose. There were obvious dark circles under his


    eyes. He looked exhausted.


    "Are you sure? You''ve been seeing that woman even after Scarlett came home from overseas."


    "Nothing''s going on between me and Rita. I''m only trying to show her some gratitude."


    "Then why did you express your desire to marry Rita and divorce Scarlett? And now that Rita''s


    pregnant, you won''t take responsibility? Is that how I raised you?" Alice reprimanded.


    "I''m willing to do anything to prove that Rita''s child isn''t mine. I''ve never touched her." Charles


    fished out his cigarette case from his jacket pocket. He was about to light up when he paused, put


    the cigarette back in the case, and shoved the case back into his jacket pocket.


    "Are you saying that you want a paternity test? I can''t believe you. When did you turn into such a


    coward?" I looked at him coldly.


    "I''m not being a coward. Since neither of you believe me, then I need to produce some sort of


    proof," Charles retorted in a tone that I could tell he was desperately trying to keep neutral. I had the


    chance to stare at him more closely. He looked like he had lost some weight in the days that we had


    not seen each other.


    I averted my gaze and muttered, "You got her pregnant. You don''t get to walk away from the


    responsibility of raising your child."


    "But it''s not my child, so it''s not my responsibility. Even if you tell me over and over that I''m the


    father of Rita''s baby, it won''t change the fact that I''m not because I never climbed into bed with her."


    "And you expect me to believe that? Come on, Charles. Be a man." I looked at him with


    disappointment.


    Alice, who had been standing there and watching us argue, suddenly exploded with emotions.


    "Enough! You better be right about you not being the father of Rita''s unborn baby, Charles, or I


    swear the rest of your life will be filled with nothing but regret."


    "I''m very busy right now, Mom. I don''t have time for this. I''ve already exined myself. If you don''t


    want to believe me, then there''s nothing else I can do."


    With a cold face, Charles asked his assistant to show us out.


    Alice set down the lunch box on the coffee table and said, "I brought you some food. I hope your


    conscience doesn''t bother you so much that you won''t be able to enjoy it."


    Before leaving, I remembered why I came to see Charles in the first ce. I raised my chin, put the


    papers down in front of him, and said, "Let''s get divorced. No more dys. I want it done as soon


    as possible."


    "No!"


    Completely infuriated, Charles swept the papers off the coffee table and rose from his seat. He ran


    his fingers through his hair, and a little growl escaped his throat. His assistant walked over to me


    and led me out.


    "You''d better leave now. Mr. Moore is in a bad mood," she said to me in a low voice.


    I nodded and left with Alice.


    "Is Rita really pregnant with Charles''s child? What if Charles was telling the truth about him not


    going to bed with Rita? What if Rita is pregnant with another man''s child and is using it to force


    Charles to marry her?" Alice wondered out loud.


    "But who else could father Rita''s child?" I asked in a dispirited tone. To be honest, I was hoping in


    my heart that Charles was indeed telling the truth. But Rita was so desperately in love with Charles.


    Thest thing that she would do was to be unfaithful to him and sleep with another man. She would


    never ruin her chances of marrying him.


    "I''ve known Charles to be an honorable young man. He doesn''t lie, and he has always been


    responsible. If he really got Rita pregnant, he would own up to it without hesitation. Besides, he told


    us that he wanted to build a life and a family with you." Alice held my hand and shed me a look at


    shattered my heart.


    The back of my eyes instantly burned, but I bit back the tears. Sometimes, I could notprehend


    how fate could be so merciless to its subjects. I once imagined a perfect life with Charles, a life that


    we would happily spend together surrounded by our children. But now, it did not look like it would


    ever turn into a reality, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth and a giant wound in my heart.