Grayson Manor, Hamptons
Charlotte was sitting alone at the breakfast table, a magazine beside her, while she enjoyed her buttered croissants with jam. She had not slept very well the night before, which was probably because she had heard such strange noises from her mother's bedroom. Sighing, she pushed the magazine aside and took a sip from her teacup. She was not naive and certainly not too young to understand what was happening around her. She wondered how her mother thought to keep the relationship with David a secret from her father. She was not particularly discreet. Even the house staff had already noticed that Victoria Grayson had an affair. She rolled her eyes. Basically she didn't care. She had also noticed at the time when her father had cheated on her mother with Lydia Davis, or Daniel's secret affair with Sara, although he had already been engaged to Emily. Not to mention Emily and her relationship with Aiden Mathis. Apparently, the Graysons were not exactly the faithful type. Sighing, she shoved her breakfast aside. Her appetite was gone. She rose and was just about to call for the maid to clear the table when someone entered the room. Startled, she sank back into her chair. "Dad?!" she exclaimed incredulously.
"What's that for a greeting?" He went to her, smiling. "One might think you're not looking forward to seeing your old father again."
"Well, I..." She swallowed the lump that had formed, squinting nervously to the stairway. "I'm glad. I'm just surprised."
"The meeting in Seattle didn't last as long as I thought," he explained his early appearance. "That's why I've been back here earlier." He sat down at the table. "I'll be there in time for breakfast."
As Charlotte took another croissant from the bread basket, she frantically pondered how she could warn her mother. Just now, she had been thinking about how it would be if her father and her biological father would meet. And in her imagination it hadn't turned out well. "How was it?" She began the conversation, although she wasn't particularly interested in his business.
"Very good." He nodded contentedly and also reached into the bread basket to take a roll. "But since when have you been interested in the company?"
She shrugged. "In a couple of weeks I'll be of legal age. I think it's time to take on more responsibility," she tried to make up a credible story.
"Do you mean you want to work for me?" He asked, surprised.
"Why not?" She reached for the teapot and poured herself again, even though she had already drunk enough tea. "Do you stay here longer?" She continued the talk.
"Only for the weekend. Next week I have to go to Boston for a few days. There is a congress. I was hoping your mother would accompany me." He looked around, frowning. "Where is she anyway?"
Charlotte could feel the bite that she had just taken, literally stuck in her throat. She was so bad in lying! She quickly took another sip of tea. "She..." A cough fit interrupted her. "She... is still in bed," she said. Probably it wasn't even a lie. Just that her father couldn't know she was not alone there.
Conrad had finished his breakfast and rose. "I'll go up then, unpack my things and talk to your mother," he said, walking to the stairway.
"Wait!" She jumped up and ran after him. "I have to tell you something..."
"Yes?" He looked at her with a frown, waiting for an explanation.
Nervously she looked up the stairs. "You can't go up there now," she said nervously.
"Charlotte, what's going on?" He pushed her aside. "Are you hiding something?" He followed her gaze.
Nervously, she shifted from one foot to the other. "I... don't know how to tell you..." she began stuttering, but she didn't come any further when she heard a noise from above and realized to her horror that it was her mother who came down the stairs. She quickly looked at her father, who was staring upwards with wide eyes. Every color had gone from his face. When she looked up again, she recognized the reason for his consternation. Her mother was not alone. She had her guest with her. And although he looked entirely different, her father seemed to have recognized him.
"David?!"
