A/N: *stops studying organic chemistry* Hello guys! Oh yes, i have a chapter to upload xD…
An ENORMOUS THAAAAAAAAAAAK YOOOOOOOU! to everyone who reviewed, you are absolutely wonderful :)... i honestly have no words… i mean 203 reviews? WOW… you re great :D! i really cannot thank you enough...
For my anonymous reviewers :D :
gunners7: i m glad you enjoyed it! Yes, possessive Erik is very sexy and… romantic xD…
aaaaaaaaw… please don t cry ;P… everything can only get better now :)…
btw thank you so much for participating to my little competition… your idea is really nice ;)…
MarcoHietala'sAngel: oow… nice way to kill her xDxDxD!
ooooh… thank you so much for your kind words :), they really mean a lot to me :)! now… about this chapter i suggest you "Ghost Love Score", without second thought ;D…
Me: thank you so much! hmmm… niiiiiiiiiiiice xD… very creative idea :D!
FineEyes: you re very welcome :D!
Hmmm what have we got here? Very good ideas, it seems you have given them some thought xD! Thank you for participating ;)…
Balack88: hahaha… yeah they did it… it was time i guess ;P…
ahaaaaa… great idea!
MmeButterfly: OMG! When i read your idea i almost fell from the chair laughing… it s great xDxDxD! Very good job :D!
123456: aaaaw… thank you so much :D!
xDxDxD this would be really funny to watch… very good idea!
Melstrife: thank you so much for reviewing :D! this chaapter is definitely for you, 'cause it ll answer most of your questions :)…
vanilla: i m really glad you liked it… thanks for reviewing :)…
SO... one chapter to go :(... anyways... i hope you ll enjoy this one :D!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PotO nor the main plot of the story.
Judging by the cover
Chapter 15: Meetings in the aftermath
Christine stared rebukingly at her reflection in the bedroom's body-length mirror. Inside the mirror was a woman who was shining from happiness and satisfaction after leaving the arms of her beloved.
This sight made her feel embarrassed. She didn't want to look like this the first time she would meet Erik's grandfather, the man who was responsible for her being there at that moment, the one who thought she was unworthy for his grandson... But mainly, she didn't want Erik to see her like that.
Why on earth had her face to show so clearly the completeness she felt? Wouldn't it be better to show the loneliness she knew was waiting her, the hurt and the sadness that were going to finally become her partners in life?
Erik had stayed to the room for only a few moments after his discussion with Antoinette. He took a shower, got dressed and announced her he wished to talk personally to his grandfather before presenting her to him.
"I won't be late." He had told her sullenly and left, without giving her the opportunity to answer him that, for her own mental serenity, the only thing she wished was to never see him again.
Christine looked again herself at the mirror and gave a strict look to her reflection.
But soon she admitted that her expression was the one of a woman in love. Even her eyes, despite her anger, had a strange sparkle in them... like they knew a precious secret.
She had tried repeatedly to convince her body that she just lived a dream and it would never happen again, but it refused to listen to her. Just like now... Suddenly she heard the main door open and turned nervously.
...
Erik had taken a deep breath and opened the bedroom's door with a stable hand. Antoinette had been categorical. She was mad at Carlotta and caring and gently towards Christine. It had taken her several moments to swallow her anger and narrate the whole conversation between the two women.
"Carlotta did everything to convince Christine to leave you" she had informed him "She even promised she would give her a million pounds... But Christine, of course, refused. I don't understand the reason why Carlotta is being so offensive. Grandpa has to; at last, learn what a snake she is. And if you are not going to talk to him, I will do it..." she warned him in a serious tone.
Erik listened to her without talking, trying to assimilate everything she was saying. He felt confused and he still couldn't believe how offensive and awful he had behaved to Christine. And now, Antoinette was telling him that Christine had refused with dignity Carlotta's proposition.
"But how... How could I be so wrong about her?" he questioned his self for the thousandth time. And then a voice inside reminded him that he already knew the answer. From the first moment he had met her, his senses were in alertness... she had made him feel thrilled... And in his effort to drown this emotion and not admit he was in love with a stranger from a bar, he preferred to do everything to destroy the sweetest, the most beautiful, the most precious gift his life had sent him. Unless... Unless Christine gave him a second chance...
But, despite whether she gave him a second chance or not, before returning to the bedroom he had asked Carlotta to leave the mansion.
"And don't lose your time trying to dissuade my grandfather" he had warned her "Because he is not going to listen to you."
Now he was in front his bedroom's open door and hesitated to enter. His gaze sought Christine. She was standing in front of the mirror and she was shining like a newly married woman. Her eyes were sparkling; her lips were smiling enigmatically like she had just discovered the secret of her femininity. She looked...
She looked in love. "A woman who met happiness in her love's arms." he thought spontaneously.
But her expression changed as soon as she saw him. Clouds filled her eyes and her body stiffened.
Erik closed his eyes feeling guilt suffocating him. He longed to close the door, and with it the entire world outside, take Christine in his arms and devote the rest of his life to her.
But he was a person with responsibilities and priorities. And the most recent of them was introducing Christine to his grandfather.
So, he moved towards her and caught her hand. She immediately pulled away. She wanted to hide her emotions as much as the disruption caused by his touch.
She expected him to remind her ironically that that was one of her role's 'responsibilities'. Instead, he let her hand and said in a low voice "I am sorry for putting you through this my little angel..."
"But I think that was the only reason you brought me here." She commented avoiding his eyes, and convincing herself that the apologetic tone in his voice was her imagination's creation.
When they got out of the room, one of the maids went inside. Erik stopped and whispered something to her and then followed Christine.
"It's normal to appear in front of his grandfather holding each other's hand, like being in love." she thought as Erik raised his hand again and caught hers enlacing their fingers while pulling her closer to his body.
What wasn't normal was the warmth and security the nearness of their bodies had brought her. Christine dodged these thoughts as she turned her attention to Antoinette and Estelle, who were sitting next to an old white-haired man.
While they were getting closer, the man rose and heard Erik saying "Grandpa, permit me to introduce you Christine."
Suddenly Christine stopped hearing everything. Now her whole attention was on the man's old face. It seemed so familiar... And then she remembered. He was the one she had met in the city, before going to the mansion, and was concerned about his health. But now he was smiling broadly at her while holding her hand tightly in his.
"There is no reason to introduce her, Erik. I already know your beautiful fiancée."
Christine observed how much grandpa enjoyed the shock in everyone's face. "He's surely a person who likes controlling, challenging and surprising the others" the girl cogitated. But while she found this characteristic annoying in Erik, she rather enjoyed it in his grandfather.
"You mean that you and Christine have met before?"
"Exactly! Just before you get in the mansion." the old-man ensured his grandson "I have to confess that she was very polite and caring towards and old-man, like me." He turned to Christine. "My driver informed me about your concern and your suggestion about driving me to a doctor." He smiled "The truth is I was exhausted from walking and the heat made me feel slightly... uncomfortable. But not as uncomfortable as my grandson felt when he reached my office and was told that I had cancelled our meeting." He said playfully. "Because you can't imagine I would allow my grandson to marry someone I would have never met before." He turned to Erik smirking and winked at him.
When Erik understood what had happened, he became delirious. "You are actually saying you went to check on Christine?" he asked, the anger clear in his voice.
"She is marvellous, Erik!" he said loudly "That's what truly matters." His voice turned calm again. "The woman you chose to share your life with is beautiful both inside and outside. There aren't many people like her... she's a rare jewel my boy." Christine blushed and bowed her head. "I had to get to know her alone, Erik. I know you do not agree with that, but..."
"What you did was utterly offensive." Erik interrupted him coldly and Christine looked at him stunned. Was Erik supporting and protecting her? What did that mean? Unless... unless his reaction was part of his role... the one of the 'fiancé in love'.
"Know that, grandpa!" Erik's voice reached her ears again, firm and decisive. "Whether you approve Christine, or not, I do not care. I love her and I will love her forever. And nor your threats, nor your 'nominated' brides are going to change my mind."
His words were followed by silence.
"Good!" his grandpa stated at the end "I am really glad to hear that. A woman like Christine deserves to be the focal point of her husband's life and heart. She reminds me of my Catherine. She was polite and caring like Christine." He smiled sadly and frowned while staring at the girl's fingers "What is that?" he pointed at the diamond ring "It's not the proper one for my grandson's bride! I'm surprised Erik that you offered your fiancée a simple diamond. She should wear my Cathy's ring, the one..."
"No!" Erik's answer was firm making Christine stiffen.
"Did he decide to tell the truth to his family?" she wondered nervously. "Is that why he could never offer me a family jewel?"
"No." Erik repeated calmly this time. "If Christine wants another ring then she is free to have it. But for now, the only ring I want to see dressing her finger is the one I chose for her. A diamond so pure, sparkling and beautiful like her."
Christine saw his aunt and cousin staring at him open-mouthed. Not that she wasn't shocked herself. It was the first time Erik had made one so lyrical statement.
Incapable of stopping her tears she starred at the ring and found out that the diamond was indeed beautiful. However, a ring like that would matter to her only if it was given with love, and not as a part of an agreement.
But Erik's grandfather didn't pay much attention to his grandson's words. "Very good, very good!" he said cheerfully. "What I want you to tell me now is when you are planning to get married. Because I am not going to live forever Erik and I want to meet my grandchildren..."
"Grandpa!" Erik warned him strictly.
...
Later, after the dinner, Christine returned to the bedroom with Erik, who hadn't left her side the entire evening.
Outside the room, he touched her softly on the arm making her stop walking,
"I am sorry about what happened with my grandfather." he bowed his head "He... he had no right to..."
"You would do the same thing..." Christine interrupted him calmly, feeling the urge to defend her friend "And it would be absolutely normal. I still remember my grandmother's reaction the first time I went to the cinema with a boy." She laughed but stopped as soon as she saw Erik shaking his head seriously.
"Of course he was worried about you. But he could have talked to the wrong woman... not to mention that you were alone in a city you didn't know... and that despite my instructions your driver listened to him and stayed away from the car."
"It was noon, Erik." She reminded him in an effort to calm him down. "At least he didn't tell you to marry Carlotta again." She mentioned softly.
"But what...?" she murmured flabbergasted when she faced their luggage packed near the bed, but Erik didn't allow her to say more.
"I asked from Mary to prepare our things." He informed her "Tomorrow we are returning home."
"So, we are leaving..." Christine understood that her surprise was foolish. Of course they would leave. Now Erik didn't need her anymore. His grandfather was clear enough when he said, during the meal, that Carlotta was not welcome to the mansion from now on.
"We have no other choice." Erik told her. "You heard my grandfather. Now that his medical examinations are good, he wants to desperately to work on something. So, he is looking forward to organising our wedding just like Antoinette and Estelle." He paused and made an annoyed face "They will start the come-and-go to fashion designers, and they will get on our nerves till they prepare your wedding dress and my suit." He chuckled "And then they'll start calling architects to extend the mansion for the new family members and..."
Christine was absorbing his every word because his descriptions touched a very sensitive point of her heart. But his next phrase made her jump from the surprise.
"We have to get married as soon as possible. We can't delay it. Especially if you are already pregnant..."
"But what... what are you talking about?" a pale Christine protested with a barely audible voice "You cannot be serious. I cannot marry you! Because..."
"Why can't we get married Christine?" he challenged her "Because you were innocent and hadn't met another man this way before me? Is this the reason? And besides, I would never abandon my child."
"You can't know whether I am pregnant or not! To tell you the truth, I really doubt..."
Erik looked at her smirking devilishly "And how do you know? You had no idea about..."
"I have heard" she cut him decisively "That the first time, the chances to become pregnant are very little, so..." she stopped abruptly.
"Erik, I don't want us to do it." She changed her tactics "Even in case I am pregnant, nowadays there is no problem. I can bring it up..."
"Bring it up?" he mocked her "Why did you refuse the money Carlotta offered you?"
The girl froze at her place "How does he know? Surely Carlotta didn't speak, however..."
"A child needs much more than money." She replied "It needs love."
"You really think I don't know it? Don't forget that I, just like you, grew up without my parents' love. So, I know how important it is. I would never leave my own child grow up without my love."
He stopped abruptly when a low gasp left Christine's lips. He understood how deeply he had hurt her with his words, his eyes darkened with sadness.
"Forgive me, my love, forgive me. I only wanted to make you understand that I could never live away from our child. Such as I cannot live away from you, my sweet angel."
Christine looked at him aghast, unable to move, to talk or even breathe. "He's mocking me." She thought. "He doesn't truly love me. I know he doesn't. He's just pretending."
She looked the ring at her hand and her heart broke. She tried to hold back her tears her hurt pride had caused and tried to put off the ring. But the amount of champagne she had drunk during the dinner made the job difficult.
Erik was scrutinising her... just like during the whole dinner.
"Carlotta was awfully offensive to her." Antoinette had told him "But you have to be very proud of her, bro. She adores you. Once I believed that no woman was worthy of my amazing cousin, but now I know I was wrong. Christine loves you exactly the way you are... exactly the way you deserve to be loved..."
"She is perfect for you, my love" Estelle had told him.
"She is a beautiful lady with one more beautiful heart." His grandfather had mentioned.
During the dinner, when his grandfather teased her slightly, she had turned spontaneously to him, like she was seeking his protection. And her gaze had given him wings. He felt the urge to take her into his arms and drive her somewhere far, where no one could find them and he would make her his, causing her eyes look at him this way again and again and again...
Meanwhile, Christine had put off the ring. She gave it to him holding her head high.
"There's no way to marry a man who doesn't love me." She declared with dignity.
Erik closed his eyes; he repeated her words inside his mind and decided to take his life's greatest risk. Because, if he had comprehended her words correctly...
He opened his eyes and approached her...
If he lost... he would lose everything. But what if he won...?
He took a deep breath and asked her softly "Perhaps you should have said that you are not going to marry a man who you don t love."
Christine froze and her face paled "I... mmm... that's what I meant." She murmured panicked. "Anyway, the fact is that I am not going to marry you, Erik!" she protested as she watched him cover the distance between them.
"No matter what, I won't let you go, Christine." He whispered and slowly he dragged her into his arms.
"Yes, of course." Christine rolled her eyes "Because of the baby I might..." she supposed. She tried her best to remain sober, but it was too difficult with Erik holding her in his strong arms and kissing her softly on her face.
"And because of this..." Erik replied and kept kissing her without daring to go close to her lips. "But also because of this..." he took one of her hands and pressed it onto his heart "And this" he put his own hand onto her heart "For you..." he said finally.
"For me?" Christine pulled away, but he didn't let her. Instead he encircled her face with his hands and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Give me a chance..." he pleaded, his eyes watering "A chance to show you how things should have been between us from the very first moment. Please, Christine..."
A/N: so, how was it? just let me know :)...
About the competition… now, it s officially CLOSED…
First of all, i want to thank everyone who participated, your ideas are really great :D… i can say that everyone can be really creative when it comes to killing Carlotta xD…
A couple of things i wanted to say are:
1. i had decided to not put rules, but after your responses i decided that i have to and mainly because many of you used common ideas like 'poisoning Carlotta' or 'let her bite her tongue' xD… thankfully the ones who suggested those ways of killing Carlotta had also suggested a few more ways, so i just won t count the poison thing at the results…
2. MarcoHietala'sAngel and XxxCherikxxX we have a problem :(… you both suggested the same thing... unfortunately in both situations it was the only suggestion :/...
i want to be fair so… only for you, the competition is not closed till Wednesday when the last chapter will be up… i hope both of you are ok with that :)...
if no one suggests anything new till Wednesday, then you will be judged as one, meaning if you win, you ll be both winners ;)...
3. the winner will be announced at the final chapter's end :D…
But let s get to the point ;)...
The nominees and their suggestions are:
1. Wandering-Phantom: The Best Background :D (Carlotta pissing someone off xDxDxD)
suggestion: while Carlotta is pissing someone off a glass of alcohol falls on her, she is caught off guard, she stumbles and falls in the fireplace...
2. gunners7: The Cleanest Job ;) (no remains ;D )
suggestion: Carlotta's plane explodes (Joe is inside too ;)) and she turns to ashes… we don t even get to see her remains…
3. DarkMage6: Creepy One ;D (Grated Carlotta *grins*)
suggestion: Carlotta trips and falls into a wood-chipper that 'accidentally' turns on…
4. s.e tudor: Carlotta's Nightmare xD
suggestion: Carlotta losing everything she has and has to live on the streets, 'singing' :P for her food…
5. Me: Carlotta Challenges her Luck xP
suggestion: Carlotta is texting while driving, the car falls off a cliff and she gets mauled by a bear…
6. The Ashes Fan: Combining Medieval tortures with the mythological Procrustes ;)
suggestion: place Carlotta on a stretching machine and for every inch she grows cut two inches off (and also have Joseph Burquet there next to her being chainsawed)…
7. Queen Madisyn of Narnia: Traditional one (but it works every time ;D)
suggestion: Carlotta's trying to kill Christine with a dagger and at the end she kills herself with her own weapon…
8. FineEyes: Combining Movie Death with the Effects of Carlotta's Lifestyle XD
suggestionS: 1) Joseph kills her when he mistakes her for Christine, who Carlotta ordered him to kill... 2) Fast acting skin cancer from her obsessive tanning... 3)Wearing a ridiculously tight dress to Erik and Christine's engagement party, she trips down the stairs and breaks her neck...
9. a super cool reader: The Pervy One ;P
suggestionS: 1) die while having sex with Joseph after realising how small his dick is... 2) make her watch E/C porn...
10. Balack88: Western Death =D
suggestion: tie Carlotta on a pillar and let her starve to death, then her body will be eaten by vultures...
11. MmmButterfly: The kinky killer ;P
suggestion: put a dynamite inside Carlotta's vibrator...
12. 123456: Amazonian killer ;D
suggestion: Carlotta wants to surprise Erik and jumps naked in his private swimming pool, but she has forgotten she had asked Joe to put some piranhas in there in order to kill Christine...
13. MarcoHietala'sAngel and XxxCherikxxX: You should team-up for Killing with Style xD ;D!
suggestion: drown Carlotta in her own perfume...
these are your suggestions :D... so tell me your opinions... who do you think is going to win ;)?