“Charlotte?” A soft voice called out.

“Mama!” Tears ran down a little girl’s face.

“Charlotte? What’s wrong?”

“I saw a snake!” She pointed towards the forest while still crying.

Her mother pick her up and patted her back, comforting her. “It’s alright, it can’t harm you as long as I’m here.” The warmth from her mother’s embrace calmed her causing her to stop crying.

“I love you mama.” The little girl smiled brightly.

This was her last memory of her mother while she was healthy, beautiful and…alive.

“Mama…” she sat on her mother’s side of the bed, holding her white stuffed bunny.

“Charlotte, don’t be sad. Mommy will always be with us.”

She got up and walked to her bedroom. It’s that sound again, the cry of a clock, tick tock tick tock. It was like the clock knew this house just became more quiet. Charlotte walked past a window where she saw the forest. She dropped her bunny and ran down the stairs to the back door. She took a deep breath and ran into the forest, not even realizing she had no shoes but kept on going until she reached an area that had beautiful scenery. Birds chirped and you could hear that water was nearby. The sun light was shining through the green leaves and a small breeze would come once in a while. On the other side of this scenery she saw another person, a boy who looked around the same age as her. The boy finally noticed her and looked shocked. This boy’s hair was blonde or maybe the color of sand while his eyes were ocean, a deep blue.

“Who are you?” He asks softy.

“My name is Charlotte Young, what about you?” As she introduces herself, she take steps getting closer to him.

“My name? My name is Charles, Charles Luke.” He blushed and tried to cover his face.

Charlotte grabbed his hand and smiled, “it’s nice to meet you Charles.” The little boy smiles and looks down at her feet, “you have no shoes.”

She looks down, “oh? I didn’t even realize.”

“Charlotte! Where are you!” She turns around and see her father, Charlotte the runs into her father’s arms. “Don’t run out like that again, I won’t know what to do if I lose both you and your mother.”

“Papa, I found a boy.” She turned back to point to him but he had disappeared.

“There isn’t anyone here. Let’s go back home.” Her father grabs her hand and they walk back to the house but Charlotte continues to look back wondering where he went. Then she sees his head poking out behind the tree, waving goodbye.” The rest of the day has passed, night has fallen.

“Goodnight Charlotte.” her father kisses her on the head and tucks her in bed. “I love you.” After her father closes the door, she decides to get up and look out her window. She looked up into the sky and gazed at the stars. All she thought about was about the little boy she met today, and hoped they would meet again.

Twenty years have passed since Charlotte’s mother's death and encounter with the boy named Charles. Now being twenty-five, Charlotte has joined her father’s company as the new marketing director.

“Hello everyone, as you may already know my name is Charlotte Young. I look forward to working with you.”

She stayed smiling though she could hear all kinds of whispers such as, “You see her body and face, she definitely had surgery. She got this spot only because her father is the president, she probably doesn’t even know what to do in this department.”

All this wasn’t true obviously, though Charlotte could care less, instead of saying a comeback she walked out the room and straight to her office.

“Sigh, I hope things don’t stay this way. It’ll just be a burden.” There was then a knock from her door. “Come in.”

“Hello Miss Young, my name is Margaret Lee. I’m excited to see what new ideas you bring to our department.”

This girl was pretty and kind. She didn’t look like the type to stab others in the back. Throughout high school and college, Charlotte dealt with many rude people and she finally decided to just be a background character to most people’s lives.

“Thank you Miss Lee, it’s comforting to know I have your support.”

“Of course,” Margaret smiles softly. “I’ll take my leave now.”

Charlotte then sits at her desk while staring at a photo of her and her mother. “I miss you mom.” Ring ring. Charlotte’s phone rang, she looked at the screen and answered. “Hello? Lunch? Okay I’ll meet you downstairs. Alright, bye.” She hangs up and puts her phone into her bag. Charlotte then walks to the elevators and waits for one to get to her floor. After a little bit, she finally gets in and heads down to the main floor but while exiting there were many people rushing in causing her to fall.

“Are you alright?” A man’s voice asked. “I’m sorry for the rudeness of these people.” He reaches out his hand offering to help her up.

“It’s fine,” she stands up. “I can pick myself up.” Finally she looks at this man’s face, which had looked so familiar yet different. He had hair as black as the night sky and eyes blue…as if it was an ocean. She wondered if it was the same ocean she saw many years ago but it couldn’t be. “T..thank you though.”

He smiles, “you’re welcome, pretty lady” then walks off.

She continued to walk to the front doors but the thought of that man stayed in her mind.

“Charlotte!” Her father opens his arms.

“Daddy!” She runs into her father’s embrace. “I’ve missed you so much.”

He laughs, “well if that's true how come you’ve never visited. I get so lonely in the big house.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve been so busy lately. Let’s get in the car first, then we can catch up.”

Her father opens the door for her letting her in first, “after you my dear.”

The car drives off, Charlotte and her father then continue their conversation. “I’m really sorry for not visiting. I’ve been busy returning from my long trip and unpacking all my stuff into my new apartment.”

“About your new apartment,” her father stops her “how is it? Is it too small? Is it in good condition?”

“The apartment is fine, don’t worry too much about it.”

Her father chuckles once again, “Well if you ever get homesick, you can come running back to me. We should visit your mother too.”

“Alright I will.” She smiles while laying on her father’s shoulder. “Don’t you miss her dad? I miss her so much.”

He kisses Charlotte on her forehead, “I always miss and think of your mom. She was the love of my life. Though every time I look at you, I see her and that makes me happy.”

“Ew dad, that’s so cheesy.”

“Yes yes, I’m a very cheesy person.”

“Sir we are here.” The driver says as the car comes to a stop.

“Thank you Allius, just come back in thirty minutes. It shouldn't take long.”

“Yes sir.” After exiting the car the driver then drives off.

“Dad isn’t this a little too much for just lunch. We could’ve just gone to a cafe.”

“Mmm, I guess you’re right but I’ve already made reservations for us.”

Charlotte and her father walk into the high class restaurant, a waiter was waiting near the entrance for them. The waiter then guides them to their private room.

“What would you guys like to eat today?” He asks while setting down our plates.

“I would like the chicken confit with vierge sauce and the bouillabaisse for my daughter here please and thank you.” Charlotte’s father then hands him the menu. “Oh, can we get your finest wine as well.”

“Dad, that’s too much.”

“It’s fine. The wine is to congratulate you.”

The waiter nods, “of course sir. I’ll be right back with the wine and some appetizers.”

“Thank you,” he looks at the waiter’s name tag. “Jones.”

After the waiter heads out, Charlotte’s father looks at her and puts a file on the table.

“What’s this?” She asks, grabbing the file and opening it. “Marriage papers? Dad, what is this!”

“A partner of mine, his son, just turned twenty-eight and is soon taking over his father’s company. He has asked me to set up a marriage between you two before he takes over.”

“Dad, I am not getting married and why me?”

“Honey, if you two get married both companies will increase in profit. My friend’s son is a good young man. Please just agree to it.”

“Dad…” Charlotte’s mind was in shock. Marriage was the last thing on her mind. “Alright. Fine, I’ll marry him. You owe me in the future though.”

Her father smiles and hands her a pen, “I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”

She writes her name on all the papers within the file. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. All she could think about was her mother in this situation. She thought if her mother was still alive what would she have said. “Here.” She then gave the file back to her father and at the same time their dishes had arrived along with the wine.

After lunch, she then heads back to the company with her father.

“By the way, your fiancé will show up to the company to introduce himself.”

“So soon? I guess it’s fine. I don’t really have anything to do anyways.” She looks out the window of the car. Gazing at the view of the city.

“We’re here sir.”

“Thank you Allius, dad I’ll be leaving first.” Charlotte exits the car and walks into the building. She enters the elevator and presses the fifth button. When she arrives at her floor she walks to her office but before she reaches it Margaret stops her.

“Um, Miss Young, there was someone here for you earlier and I let them into your office.” She sounded nervous as If she was worried if she did the right thing or not.

Charlotte smiles, “thank you Margaret for letting them in.”

Charlotte’s smile lifted Margaret’s worries. Her eyes sparkled as she nodded and walked back to her desk.

Charlotte continues to walk to her office, she opens the door and is shocked by who she sees.