[Flashback]

  "How long are you going to sit here in your dead mother's room, Charlotte? It's been a month since she passed away."

  When Charlotte heard her father’s voice, she lifted her head. Her eyes still had the same tears and tiredness as before. The room, filled with her mother’s things, was untouched and seemed to stand still in time. Charlotte kept looking at the photo of her mother over and over. In the picture frame on her dresser, her mother smiled at her, and her eyes were full of happiness, with no sign of pain or struggle.

  Her long blonde hair was tied up in a bun, showing her pale face and the lines that time had left behind. Yet, her beauty still held a kind of magic. Tears started to form in her eyes, but she tried to hold them back, not wanting them to fall down her pale cheeks. A soft sigh escaped her lips.

  "Now that you're eight months pregnant, you shouldn't be stressing yourself out like this," her father advised as he sat down in a chair. Charlotte gently rubbed her swollen belly and sighed, leaning back, feeling the weight of her growing baby inside her.

  "I know, Dad," she replied, trying to sound calm despite the worry building up inside her. "But I’m not going to leave you alone, and Gabriel knew about it anyway, so he didn’t mind me staying here. And why would he have a problem with this?" Charlotte shrugged. Even though she was Gabriel Hernandez's wife—the owner of the Hernandez empire—she was also the only heir of Lopez Food Company. While her business was smaller, her influence in the food industry was still significant. Charlotte made sure her father always knew this, and he never failed to tell her how proud he was of her. He sometimes sent her expensive gifts when she was away from home.

  "Even if he didn’t mind, these twins still need their father. It's important for them to see their parents first when they're born," her father tried to persuade her.

  After hearing her father, Charlotte gently caressed her belly, feeling the tiny kicks of life inside her. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and responsibility. These unborn twins weren’t just any children; they were meant to be the future heirs of the Hernandez empire and Lopez Food Company.

  Charlotte imagined the day when their twins would take their first steps, their small feet leaving prints on the same ground their father had walked on. They would grow up under Gabriel’s watchful eye, learning the values of their family—unity, loyalty, and respect.

  With all this in mind, Charlotte decided to return to the Hernandez mansion. Outside, the rain poured heavily, tapping against the window. She realized that exactly one year ago, she had married Gabriel in the same kind of relentless downpour.

  "Stop, don’t go out in this weather alone. The driver can take you home," her father said, clearly concerned.

  "I'll be fine, don’t worry, Dad," she said as she got into the car. The car started moving, and the raindrops began to trickle down the window, blurring her view of the familiar buildings and streets. But her mind was filled with memories of that rainy wedding day, and a soft smile spread across her lips. She remembered how happy they had been then, and she wished she could go back to that moment—a feeling she knew she would never have again.

  She wrapped her coat tightly around her shoulders as she stepped out of the car, the rain pouring down around her. The grandeur of the Hernandez palace towered above her, its majesty filling her with a sense of awe. The sounds of the distant city streets echoed, creating a haunting yet captivating atmosphere throughout the place. As she entered the mansion, the scent of pine and damp earth filled the air, and the smooth, uneven floors seemed to invite her into a wave of nostalgia.

  In the corridor, she bumped into Liam Caddel, Gabriel’s personal driver, and asked him where her husband was. It was an unusual hour, and Liam looked surprised to see her at that time.

  "Ma’am, if you had wished to return earlier, you should have informed me. I would have come to fetch you personally," Liam said.

  But due to the unpredictable mood swings of her pregnancy, Charlotte found it difficult to stay focused and respond calmly. Instead, she ignored Liam's words and asked, "Where can I find him?"

  "Gabriel has gone to the city for a meeting," their housekeeper, Ella, replied, likely overhearing the conversation.

  "Why is he having a meeting at this time?" Charlotte exclaimed, clearly surprised. It was unusual for Gabriel to leave for meetings in the evening, especially this late. Trying to mask her rising anxiety, she asked, "Do you know when he’ll be back?" Her voice wavered slightly, betraying her concern.

  Ella hesitated for a moment before answering, "I don’t know. He didn’t say when the meeting would end. Usually, when he has these late meetings, he doesn’t come home that night."

  "What do you mean 'he doesn’t come home'? And what kind of meetings go on all night?" Charlotte asked, her voice rising slightly as she tried to get Liam to look up from his phone. But he just buried his head deeper into the screen.

  Charlotte quickly understood the meaning behind his reaction. "How long has this been going on?" she asked, her tone sharp.

  "For about a month now, ma'am," Ella replied.

  Curiosity and anxiety overwhelmed Charlotte as she asked, "What is the purpose of these meetings?" Her voice trembled slightly, and she could feel the need for answers rising within her. She couldn’t wait any longer.

  Liam let out a deep sigh, slumping his shoulders. "Ma'am, we can’t tell you. It’s for your own protection."

  Charlotte felt a rush of disappointment and anxiety. Protection? What could happen to her protection? She had always felt safe and cared for within this family, living a normal life. But now, it seemed there was a hidden world she knew nothing about.

  Ella stepped forward, her face full of concern. "Madam, it was never our intention to keep this from you, but circumstances forced us to. We kept you in the dark for your own good."

  Charlotte’s frustration exploded. "Shut up! You don’t get to tell me what’s right or wrong. I have every right to know what’s going on and to be involved in whatever is happening."

  Without waiting for any more words, Charlotte turned and left on her own, not asking for anyone’s opinion or approval. She didn’t know the details of Gabriel’s meetings, but she knew where he often went—his flat. In that moment, she forgot she was carrying two lives inside her as she hurried through the pouring rain. After an hour of travel, she found herself standing in front of a beautiful apartment, nervous and scared.

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  Charlotte took a deep breath, trying to clear her foggy mind as she stepped into the flat. She knew the digital lock well and quickly punched in the code, causing the door to click open. Once inside, she stood still for a moment, listening to the eerie silence that filled the space. The dark living room, void of any life, felt deafening against her racing thoughts.

  She glanced toward the half-open bedroom door, the room where she and Gabriel had once slept. Soft murmurs reached her ears, faint but clear at the same time. Dim light filtered through the slightly open door, casting a faint glow. She moved carefully, trying to stay quiet. As she peered through the narrow gap in the door, her eyes widened in shock. A cold disbelief swept over her as she watched the scene unfolding inside.

  There, in front of her, was her husband with another woman. The two of them laughed together, clinking their glasses in a moment of casual intimacy that felt like a cruel mockery of the love she had believed in. Charlotte’s stomach twisted in disgust. A burning pain gnawed at her heart, as though she were somehow to blame for their connection. Fury consumed her, spreading through every fiber of her being. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as hot tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision. The room, once filled with love and security, now screamed betrayal.

  Anger surged through Charlotte, yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the scene. The woman’s laugh was sharp, mocking, an echo in Charlotte’s ears that taunted her to the very core. Her mind burned with agonizing questions: How could Gabriel do this to me? How could the man I trusted with all my heart and soul cause me so much pain?

  She leaned in closer to the door, desperate to understand the nightmare unfolding in front of her. Their words cut through her like a knife, confirming her worst fears.

  “Now I’m really tired of her and feel trapped in this marriage, but I didn’t know the way out,” Gabriel’s voice was cold, matter-of-fact, as he held the woman’s hand.

  “Then just get rid of her,” the woman replied, her voice as cold and detached as she casually sipped from her glass.

  “Get rid...?”

  “Just like you planned to get rid of her parents,” the woman shrugged, nonchalantly. “Not to mention you already killed her mother.”

  Charlotte’s breath caught in her throat.

  “But I can’t kill her now… I mean, she’s pregnant with my twins,” Gabriel said, a genuine look of concern on his face.

  “As if you wanted them…” the woman muttered, her tone mocking.

  “Yeah, but I wanted Lopez Food Company shares. If I kill her now, we might lose those shares. So, we have to wait until next year,” Gabriel said as he poured another glass of wine for himself.

  “Next year?” The woman’s voice was sharp, her eyes boring into him. “You want me to wait that long?”

  “No, baby, I don’t want you to wait,” Gabriel stood and walked toward her. “But who will raise them?” He pulled her into his embrace and placed a quick peck on her lips. “I don’t want to burden you.”

  “I can raise those kids, but close this chapter as soon as possible,” the woman growled.

  Charlotte, gathering the last of her courage, pushed the door open. The loud squeak of the hinges filled the quiet room. Her heart dropped as she saw the woman inside. Though she could barely make out her face, she recognized her immediately—Sarah. Seeing her best friend sitting there with her husband felt like a punch to the gut.

  The shocked expressions on their faces, and the gasp that escaped their lips, left both of them frozen, staring at Charlotte. Gabriel and Sarah’s eyes shot toward her, wide with surprise and confusion. The betrayal hit Charlotte like a wave, leaving her speechless. The room spun around her, and her breath caught in her chest as she tried to make sense of what she had just seen.

  The way Sarah was sitting so close to Gabriel… It was obvious. Charlotte didn’t know when it had all started between them, but the way they acted now suggested it had been going on for much longer than she ever imagined. Sarah had been her best friend for years. They had shared everything—from their childhood memories to their deepest secrets and dreams. But Charlotte never thought that of all people, Sarah would betray her like this. And with her husband.

  Tears filled Charlotte's eyes as she struggled to find her voice. Her emotions swirled inside her, a mix of anger, disbelief, and searing pain. "How could you?" she whispered, her voice trembling, the hurt and fury spilling out in broken words.

  Her mind raced back to all the times Gabriel had praised Sarah—complimenting her intelligence, her beauty, at various gatherings. Charlotte had always believed it was just admiration, nothing more. She never suspected it was something deeper.

  The realization hit her like a lightning strike, shockwaves of emotion coursing through her body. How blind she had been! The signs were so clear, right in front of her, but she had refused to see them. The late-night conversations in hushed tones, the furtive glances exchanged when they thought no one was looking—it all came into sharp focus in that moment. Charlotte was stunned by how unaware she had been.

  Her vision blurred, and the only sound she could hear was a static hum. Dizziness swept over her, and she felt her knees buckle beneath her. She barely registered the arms that caught her before the ground slammed into her face. The next thing she knew, she was waking up in a hospital room, disoriented. As she blinked her eyes open, her gaze landed on a distressing sight: her only son, lying beside her bed.

  Charlotte’s heart raced, fear coursing through her veins as she felt a lump rise in her throat, choking her thoughts. She yanked the IV line out of her hand and rushed to the pram where her son lay sleeping, but her other son—where was he? Panic gripped her mind as she imagined the worst possible scenario: Had someone taken him? Had the kidnapper moved him somewhere else? Was he safe?

  Her hands trembled as she reached for the bed to steady herself, trying to stand. Her feet felt uncoordinated, as if the ground beneath her was giving way. Gabriel... it had to be him. How could he? How dare he?

  Her gaze wandered to the door, and the distant sounds from outside the hospital echoed in her ears, reminding her how alone she felt. Then, a gentle knock at the door broke her thoughts. She turned toward it, her heart pounding with the desperate hope that someone had news of her son.

  To her surprise, a nurse entered with a warm smile on her face, though there was a look of concern as she noticed Charlotte standing near the pram. "Do you feel all right, Mrs. Hernandez?" she asked gently.

  Charlotte inhaled sharply before asking urgently, "Where’s my second son? His twin... is he fine?"

  The nurse’s smile deepened, and her reassuring words brought a wave of relief. "He is, ma’am. He’s perfectly fine. He’s with your family. Your father is taking good care of him."

  A heavy sigh of relief escaped Charlotte as she sank back into the bed, feeling the weight lift off her chest. The nurse finished her tasks and quietly left the room. For a moment, Charlotte was alone again, lost in thought, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions she had just experienced.

  Then, a voice broke her from her thoughts.

  Charlotte froze, her heart racing as the words reached her ears. "Now, what should we do to this Charlotte?" Sarah’s whisper, barely audible through the closed door, sent a chill through her body.

  Gabriel’s voice followed, laced with deep anguish. "What should we do? Just increase her medication dosage."

  Charlotte’s entire body tensed as she strained to hear the rest of their conversation about her.

  “And what about that second child?” Sarah’s question made Charlotte’s blood run cold. She immediately moved toward the bed where her son lay, her mind racing with fear and dread.

  “How much harm could a dead child do?” Gabriel’s words sliced through the air, chilling her to the bone. Charlotte felt a wave of nausea as his cold, heartless remark sank into her consciousness. The room felt suffocating, each breath growing more difficult to take. The weight of what Gabriel had just said pressed heavily on her chest, leaving her gasping for air.

  But then, the distant sound of thunderous applause jerked her away from her suffocating thoughts. The painful reality of what she had just overheard faded into the background as her mind shifted to another moment, one filled with hope and promise.

  She saw Ethan, standing on stage, confidently addressing the press. His voice was strong as he spoke of her. “The president of this company—Ms. Charlotte Lopez,” he smiled warmly at her from the podium. “She is not only my mother but also a very intelligent woman who started Lopez Food Company with my grandfather single-handedly. Throughout her life, she has been an epitome of strength and independence, and she greatly admires me. And now it is time for me to take the mantle of the successor of our family business.”

  Charlotte watched as her son spoke, the pride in his eyes a sharp contrast to the darkness she had just heard from Gabriel. It was a bittersweet moment—a reminder of the strength she had built, the legacy she had created, and the bright future she had hoped for her children. But that future was now shrouded in uncertainty.