Charlotte''s POV


    The entire house was quiet after Jack left, and I felt so lonely; I admit I became lonelier after he left. I was stupid for letting Jack go because of my damn pride.


    I walked around the house, and I started to worry about how I was going to clean the entire manor. I couldn''t stay here without maintaining its cleanliness. I hate specks of dust and bugs. But I don''t have money to pay the maids anymore.


    I spent my entire morning lying on the bed in the master''s bedroom, and Jack upied my mind. I hate that I love sniffing his intoxicating scent on the bed covers, and I daydreamed about him the whole morning.


    I stood up of the bed when I felt my stomach grumble, and I realized it was lunchtime. I hastily walked towards the kitchen and opened the fridge, and my face fell when I looked at the ingredients I found on the refrigerator.


    "How am I going to cook all these? I don''t even know a single menu," I mumbled and hated Jack for buying me meat and vegetables; he could have bought me ready-to-eat canned goods or something I could reheat in the oven.


    I get some eggs and bring the pot. I am sure I knew how to boil some eggs, and it was a shame that I didn''t know how to cook at this age, but it would be ridiculous if my friends found out I was learning to cook on my own.


    After eating two boiled eggs, I drank lots of water to make myself full. I changed into one of my favorite dresses since I wanted to go to the capital, but after I got inside my car, I realized I couldn''t drive since I needed to order a new battery.


    I didn''t know where to buy it; I climbed out of the car and started walking towards the archway of our manor. I could hear the birds chirping on the trees and felt d my parents ensured many trees lined up in our driveway.


    The sun was brightly shining, and if no shades wereing from the trees, I would indeed have sunburn since I didn''t put any sunblock on my skin. I feltzy to bring an umbre with me.


    I caught my breath as I continued walking, and I could feel the sweat that was beginning to form on my forehead and armpits.


    "I hate my life!!!!" I shouted when I couldn''t take it anymore; I felt so tired, and I wanted to return to the days when I was enjoying my freedom with all the money I could spend.


    And this was the first time I realized the value of money. I needed to buy instant food like noodles; I hated eating instant food since I was so used to living in a house with kitchen staff who would cook me anything I wanted, and now, I am starving, and it felt like the end of the world for me.


    How could I live without money and food to eat? I don''t have pieces of jewelry left to pawn. I don''t even have a copy of a resume and application letter since my family owned the Divensonpany; I don''t need to apply for the position; my parentsid out the job for me.


    I wished I had a true friend who would be there for me in times like this, and I felt so ashamed for thinking I had a wonderful life. How could I say I had a great life when I had no one I could call at this moment?


    My life was a fraud after all, all the friends I had were fake, not a single one was concerned about me, and I didn''t receive any text messages asking me if I was okay; it was sad, and now, I realized they hated me for being the daughter of rk Divenson.


    I arrived at the bus stop panting and sweating, and I hated my life more when I missed the bus, no matter how much I shouted and waved my hands to the driver to wait for me.


    I knew I looked like a mess, I always looked beautiful, but today was the worst day of my life. I walked a long distance and felt so tired. I jogged, but it was for my health benefit, and I usually used the treadmill anytime I wanted.


    I didn''t expect to be walking because my car broke and I don''t have any spare I can use, we used to have so many cars here in the manor, and I wondered where my brother disposed of them.


    I sat on the bench made of concrete in the waiting shed and waited for the next bus toe. I could see a few passengers waiting for the same bus, and they were looking at me with curiosity; for sure, they knew each other since they came from the same neighborhood, and they only stopped talking when I arrived.


    "Excuse me, my dear, are you new here?" An older woman who was looking at me with a beautiful smile on her face asked, and I only nodded my head.


    "I am sorry for asking, but we knew everyone who lived around here, and this is the first time I see you here; it would be impossible not to notice because you are so beautiful." She added, and I am sure I blushed.


    "Which family were you staying with, my dear?" She asked again, and I didn''t want to talk to anyone, but she seemed friendly, and I didn''t want them to think I was a snob.


    "Hmm, at the Divenson manor," I responded, and her eyes widened, and she was silent for a while.


    "Oh, no wonder you looked so different. Are you one of the employees of the Divenson manor?" A younger woman asked as she looked at me from head to toe.<novelnext></novelnext>


    "Yes," I lied since I didn''t think they would believe me if I told them I was a Divenson since I was with them at the bus stop and I was not riding a luxurious car.


    "Oh, no wonder I haven''t seen Cecily going to the manor," the olddy said, and I wondered who she was referring to.


    "I heard they changed all the staff at the Divenson Estate," the youngdy responded while I pretended to close my eyes since I didn''t want them to talk about my family, and I was afraid that one of the maids betrayed me and spread rumors about me.


    I don''t know anyone from this neighborhood, but I nned to settle here in Barcelonia for good, and I want to have a good reputation.


    "Yeah, they said something was going on at the Divenson manor after their father died; it was terrible; the death of rk Divenson was tragic." The olddy said, and I curled my fists on myp since I didn''t want to remember the pain of losing my father.


    "ording to my source, the eldest son must pay a reasonable amount of money to the media to stop them from spreading reports about what happened to their father." She added.


    "Oh?" One of the listeners eximed, and I felt d when I opened my eyes; the bus had arrived, I got inside the bus ahead of everyone, and I chose to sit at the farthest seat at the back.


    When I reached the town capital, it took a lot of self-control not to get inside the expensive boutique. I wanted to feel beautiful even if I didn''t have enough money, so I went window shopping.


    For the first time, I ate at the food court of the mall, and I realized it was fun after all. I used to feel awkward seeing people dining with lots of people without any privacy, but now, I have learned how to appreciate the simple things in life, which I missed growing up since I grew up in luxury.


    I only needed to buy basic goods, so I went straight to the grocery store and picked up the items on my list. I almost gasped when I realized I only had little money left, and I couldn''t afford to ride a taxi to go home since our estate is so far from the city center.


    I grunted when I carried the grocery bags and realized they were so heavy; I found it so hard to walk, and I wanted to shout and cry since I hadn''t done something like this, and I couldn''t stop looking back on the days when I went shopping and got maids who would bring the paper bags for me.


    I reached the bus stop catching my breath, and I could feel the bead of sweat that trickled from my forehead to my cheeks. I put the bags and wiped my face with the sleeve of my dress.


    I copsed on the bus seat, and if I had known I would be carrying my stuff at the bus stop, I should have skipped window shopping; now, my feet hurt, and I wished I had a car.


    I didn''t realize I had dozed off, and I shouted when I almost missed my stop. I couldn''t believe it was already dark when I got off, and I became more frustrated with myself. It would be hard to walk in darkness, and I am unsure if the street lights leading to the manor are all working.


    I slowly walked towards the archway of our estate, stopped once in a while, and put the bags on the ground as I caught my breath.


    "I need to ask someone to fix my car; I can''t live like this forever; I look so pathetic," I mumbled as I continued walking, and I could feel the soreness of my feet and back.


    "If I only set aside my pride for once, I am sure the hot chef is still with me," I added, and I knew I looked like a fool for talking to myself.


    I let out a sigh of relief when I could see the archway of our estate and I could see the lighted posts from the outside, and I remembered my father mentioned using srmps on the sides of the driveway; at least I don''t need to pay for additional expense for the electricity of themp posts.


    I was resting again when I could no longer endure the heaviness of the grocery bags, the early evening breeze tickled my skin, and even if I felt so tired, hopeless, and lonely, I smiled as I appreciated the fresh air.


    I closed my eyes and inhaled the freshness of my surroundings, and I could feel the pang in my chest as I remembered Jack, and I hated myself for feeling so hot as I remembered his hot kisses; I couldn''t deny I missed him, and this is the first time I experienced missing a guy terribly.


    I was still fantasizing about Jack when I suddenly heard an approaching vehicle, and I couldn''t stop smiling as I thought Lucia muste to visit me with her husband.


    I turned around and put my hand on my forehead to shield my eyes from the headlights. When it stopped beside me, I realized Lucia''s husband must win the lottery, for they had a brand-new pickup truck.


    But my eyes widened in shock when the driver''s side window opened, and my heart skipped a beat, and I couldn''t stop having butterflies in my stomach when I saw the driver, no other than Jack Morigan, who was smiling at me like a model from a magazine.