Love, Honor, and Betray, Roby, Lawson [i have read the book a hundred times .txt] 📗

it was, and since their housekeeper, Agnes, had the day off to bewith her own family, Charlotte went into the kitchen to start breakfast. Thankfully, she didn’t have much to do when it cameto Christmas dinner because her aunt Emma had invited everyone to her house. Aunt Emma was an extremely wonderful cook, soeven Charlotte’s parents were driving over from the Chicago area, and Charlotte’s best friend, Janine Wilson, and her husbandand daughter were joining them as well.

But just as Charlotte opened the refrigerator to pull out a carton of eggs, the phone rang and she walked toward it. She couldalready see the words Mitchell Memorial displayed on the caller ID screen, and she immediately thought back to the day Curtina had been born and how Tabitha hadcalled Curtis to inform him of it. Charlotte knew this was her calling now, too, and she hoped Tabitha hadn’t been admitted,because this would mean she’d had yet another setback and they would have to keep Curtina well beyond the holiday weekend.

Charlotte hesitated but finally answered. “Hello?”

“Charlotte?” Tabitha’s best friend, Connie, said in tears.

“Yes?”

“I just wanted to let you know that Tabitha was rushed back to the hospital early this morning…and she’s gone. She passedaway about a half hour ago.”

Charlotte heard what the woman was saying but couldn’t respond. She just stood there thinking how she could never love Curtinathe way she loved Matthew and how she could never be a mother to her. Then, as more seconds passed, fast and furiously, shethought how none of this drama would be happening if Curtis hadn’t slept with that witch, Tabitha, in the first place.

This was all his fault, and she hated him for it. She hated what he was putting her through, and this sprawling mansion theylived in wasn’t going to be big enough for both her and Curtina. One of them would clearly have to go, and it wasn’t goingto be Charlotte.

She decided that Curtis would either get rid of that little brat or find himself in divorce court.

Chapter 1

One Month Later

It was Sunday morning, bright and early, and almost time for Charlotte and Curtis to start getting ready for church. Rightnow, though, they were lying in bed, snuggling close and reflecting on the beautiful love they’d made last night as well asthe steamy hot bath they’d taken together right afterward in their whirlpool tub.

“I wish we could stay in bed all day and skip service altogether,” Charlotte commented.

“That would be nice.”

“Then, let’s do it. Let one of the associate ministers preach today’s sermon.”

Curtis chuckled. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Very.”

“Maybe another time. And when I’ve given one of the other ministers ample time to prepare.”

Charlotte nestled closer to Curtis and groaned playfully. But right when she did, Curtina burst into their room, climbed ontop of the bed, and giggled.

Charlotte moved away from Curtis and got up, wanting to strangle her. This little girl may have only been two, but she seemedto have a knack for bad timing and always knew how to interrupt what was otherwise an enjoyable moment. There was ten thousandsquare feet of space—ten whole thousand—for her to walk around in and play in, but she always wanted to stay stuck under herfather.

Curtis snatched her up, rocked her back and forth like she was on some amusement park ride, and they both laughed out loud.Charlotte looked on in a despising manner and wished to God someone else could have taken Curtina away from them. But to Charlotte’sgreat disappointment, Curtis had made it clear that Curtina was his daughter and his responsibility, and her going to live with any of Tabitha’s relatives was out of the question. Charlotte had objected profusely,trying to make her case, but Curtis had told her his decision was final. He had also reminded her for the umpteenth time aboutMarissa, her illegitimate child, and how he’d accepted her with no problem, even though he’d known all along she wasn’t his.So Charlotte hadn’t had any choice but to go along with Curtis’s wishes. Still, though, she wholeheartedly didn’t want Curtinathere with them, and while one month ago she’d prayed at night and then again in the morning for things to go back to theway they used to be, she now prayed every waking moment—she prayed that only she, Curtis, and Matthew lived in their houseand that Curtina had never been born.

“You’re the most beautiful girl in the whole world, and Daddy loves you,” Curtis told his daughter.

“I love Daddy,” she said.

Curtis held Curtina tightly, and Charlotte went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She had taken all she could, witnessingthis pathetic little Kodak moment, and refused to watch any more of it.

When she finished drying off, she put on her robe, opened the bathroom door, and walked back out into the bedroom. Curtinawas still sitting in their bed, now watching the Disney Channel, and Curtis stepped out of the walk-in closet when he heardCharlotte strolling past. “Hey, baby, can you do me a favor?” he asked.

“What is it?”

“Get the little one dressed for church?”

Charlotte cringed inside but smiled as genuinely as she knew how. Getting Curtina dressed was the absolute last thing shewanted to do, but she also wanted to keep peace between her and Curtis. The only problem was, she didn’t know how much longershe’d be able to continue this façade because ever since Tabitha’s funeral, which Charlotte had flat out refused to attend,her disdain toward Curtina had only gotten worse. There were times when she did feel guilty and wished she could feel differentlyabout her, but those particular moments were very rare, and Charlotte couldn’t seem to help herself.

“Come on, Curtina,” she said in a chipper voice, and they headed down the hallway and into her bedroom. Once there, Curtinarushed toward her play area, but Charlotte became even more disgusted because this room of hers looked as though it had beenstolen from the pages of some well-known fairy tale. It was beyond beautiful with all the hot pink, purple, and white accents,and what angered Charlotte