CHAPTER 3

Oscar had heard enough already and went outside only to see his wife Charlotte fighting back tears. Her jaw was clenched as she struggled to hold back the emotion.

Charlotte was an example of feminine perfection. Her physique was captivating and she looked like a beautiful river goddess. Every curve and line of her body was a testament to her femininity.

Her skin was radiating like diamonds but this time she looked sad and weary as she wiped the tears off her face the moment her eyes connected with Oscar’s.

“Babe, why are you crying? What happened to you?” He asked, rushing towards Charlotte with his voice filled with concern.

Her tears were emotional enough to make Oscar shrug off the conversation about an affair that he heard about just moments ago. His wife couldn't possibly be cheating on him, he reasoned. He had to have heard wrong.

“Maybe we should start by asking you why you killed my pet dog,” Lady Vivian interrupted him in his tracks, her voice contorted with a lashing whip of fury.

Oscar darted back and forth until his eyes finally connected with the pet dog Lady Vivian was talking about.

Lady Vivian gnarled, her lips curled in a vicious grimace. “Why don’t you talk now? I am actually permitting you to emit that foul odor that comes out of your mouth anytime you speak. Come on, talk to me.”

Lady Vivian had asked him to take her pet dog to the veterinarian and also to load the wine bottles in the storage room.

Oscar chose to load the wine bottles first because Lady Vivian had warned him to arrange the cartons of wine in the storage room before 5 pm.

He was going to quickly give attention to the sick dog but got delayed because he had to deal with the food poisoning from Inara and Arabella.

“Ma’am, I didn’t mean to cause your dog to be in this condition but I am sure that she isn’t dead yet. I can still take her to the vet and she will be examined.”

“Are you trying to say that I am lying?” Lady Vivian’s voice was a deadly growl of hatred. “Why won’t she die when you dropped your stinky sewage worker boots in the same area where you kept my dog? Who would smell such foul stench and wouldn’t be at a loss of breath?”

Oscar shifted his gaze distractedly, the intensity of his stare focused on his wife, Charlotte whose face was still etched with sorrow. She hoped that Oscar didn't hear the conversation about having an affair that she was having with his Lady Vivian so she had to fake some tears that would distract his focus.

A feeling of guilt traveled through Oscar’s spine and his bones shook with grief. He would do anything for Charlotte. He would work 10 times harder to improve his situation so that Charlotte wouldn’t have to be bullied because of him. He would fight to protect his dignity and that of his wife, Oscar promised himself.

Lady Vivian broke the momentary look of concern on Oscar’s face. “I would have locked you up without food and water for a few days but I can see from the bruises on your face that a different kind of punishment is what you deserve at this point. You are being wanted by the office of the county sheriff and the police department for credit card fraud.”

Oscar’s eyes opened wide in disbelief. “Credit card fraud? I didn’t steal any money. I am not with anyone’s credit card.”

Lady Vivian’s eyes were gleaming with malice and her smirk spread across her face. “Oh, I’m sure that will be a very good story to tell the cops when they come for your poverty-stricken self. I always knew that it was only a matter of time before you started stealing.”

Oscar stood rooted to the spot, his face blank as though he had been struck with a bolt of shock. Where were all these coming from? Why would he steal someone’s credit card and withdraw 10,000 dollars for himself knowing fully well that he would be indebted? Nothing was making sense.”

“Thief!” Lady Vivian snarled at Oscar and turned to leave the scene but realigned her gaze toward Charlotte.

“Oh, and you Charlotte. The anniversary event is tomorrow evening. You have between now and then to make your decision. Are you divorcing this poverty-stricken fool or would you finally return to your senses and marry Bradley? Your decision would determine whether I confirm the termination of your job or not.”

Oscar and Lady Vivian stood as two pillars of shame, their eyes locked in a shared humiliation.

Oscar couldn’t bear to look at his wife, Charlotte holding back the tears. She was the only reason why he was motivated to still keep on working hard and not throw in the towel despite his in-laws wanting him out by all means.

He couldn’t help but fight back the thought that perhaps her life would have been much better if she hadn’t met him. The weight of Oscar’s grief pressed on him and he moved a few steps towards Charlotte to console her.

Oscar extended his fingers in an attempt to brush her beautiful hair with a gentle caress but he couldn’t believe what happened.

Charlotte recoiled like a snail into her shell as she flinched in her shoulder and hissed in a bitter protest against her personal space.

Oscar’s eyes were a mask of emptiness as his voice quivered with a depth of emotion. “Charlotte?”

He couldn’t say more than to call her name. Oscar’s suspicion was aroused again as he knew something was wrong. Things were probably not going to remain the same.

Charlotte’s lips pressed into a thin line of distaste as a signal of her discontent. “I need my personal space. Don’t come close.”

Oscar’s heart sank into his stomach when he heard Charlotte’s caution. He watched as she stormed off into the Delway Hotel with a frown on her face.

Oscar’s body hunched and bowed under the weight of his grief. He hated himself, he hated that he had to put a lovely woman like Charlotte into such a mess.

He had been framed for a credit card fraud offense worth ten thousand dollars and now he was losing the trust and affection of his wife. Charlotte had never even frowned at him until that moment. What could be worse than that? He asked himself.

Charlotte always encouraged him and promised that she was going to remain on his side despite the pressure from his in-laws.

Oscar turned towards the vehicle’s boot where he had put Lady Vivian’s sick dog. He hunched over to assess her real condition when he caught a glimpse of a dark shape behind him.

Oscar’s breath came in a sharp gasp as the dark figure loomed further before he heard a deep voice.

“Please turn around Mr. Oscar Jones. We have a warrant for your arrest. Step away from the vehicle.”