Chapter 32 Living Together with Him

The maid quietly cleaned up the mess but stayed in the room, silently observing Lorna's continued outburst. She initially considered comforting Lorna, but hearing her lament, "How could Luke choose her over me? I liked him first. Why doesn't he notice me?" made the maid reconsider. The maid mused, 'With such a temper, it's no wonder she struggles to attract him.' Looking out toward Luke's mansion, the maid noticed Charlotte's calm and graceful demeanor. She thought, 'If I were Luke, I'd probably choose Charlotte too.' "Why doesn't he pick me? What does he see in her?" Lorna ranted. The maid, frightened by Lorna's rage, stepped back nervously and replied, "I don't know..." In a fit of hysteria, Lorna yelled, "If you don't know, then just leave!" Meanwhile, Charlotte, holding a box of her personal items, insisted, "I'll take care of this myself." Luke, eager to help, carried the kids' luggage. He kindly declined the offer of help from the nearby servants, preferring to do it himself. He appreciated these moments of family togetherness, even in simple tasks like moving in. Entering the mansion, Luke said, "Let me give you a tour so you can get familiar. "Our bedroom is on the top floor. But if you're not comfortable sharing a room with me yet, you can have the master bedroom. "I can sleep in the study or with the kids if that's alright." Charlotte was taken aback by his considerate approach, expecting him to be more forward now that they were moving in together. She thought, 'Luke is really different from other men.' The mansion's exterior was impressive enough, but the inside left Charlotte in awe. It was a huge three-story building with an additional two levels underground. The first basement level had a gym and a home theater, while the second basement was a garage. Charlotte had thought Sofia's collection of luxury cars was excessive, but seeing Luke's three identical cars in different colors, she realized the extent of wealth some people possess. Andy was really fascinated by the cars in the garage. It seemed like a typical interest for boys and men of all ages. Luke noticed Andy's enthusiasm. "One day, all of this will be yours," he told Andy. Andy, thrilled, couldn't stop admiring each car. Luke's promise made him even more excited. Charlotte, feeling a bit overwhelmed, commented, "Your house is so big, I bet I'd get lost here." Luke laughed a little, admitting, "Yeah, it's happened to people before." He recalled how Lawson, when he first visited years ago to drop off some documents, had gotten lost in the mansion for over ten minutes. After showing them the ground floor, Luke led them upstairs. By the time they reached the bedroom, Charlotte was as tired as if she had climbed a mountain. She wondered, 'Isn't it scary living in such a big place?' Though there were servants around, Charlotte sensed a certain emptiness, thinking to herself, 'No wonder he preferred staying late at Sofia's when I was there instead of coming back to this huge house.' As Charlotte explored the downstairs earlier, she noticed the servants efficiently performing their duties. Some were busy cleaning, others tended to the flowers and plants in the yard, and a man, who appeared to be the chef, inquired about her and the children's food preferences. When she entered the bedroom, she was struck by its size and how well-equipped it was. The room featured a workspace, a projector, and Luke even had a vanity inside for her. Charlotte could see that these additions were new. She noticed that the cosmetics on the dressing table were her preferred brands. Luke explained, "I'm not really good with this stuff; Sofia helped me out. She gave me a checklist of things to get, and I bought each item." Luke then drew Charlotte's attention to the backyard. Through the windows, she saw her children already enjoying themselves there, and the presence of the servants reassured her. The backyard was enormous, almost the size of a football field. It was equipped with a trampoline, slides, swings, a toy car track, and several small cars parked nearby. Charlotte was amazed at how much Luke had managed to set up in such a short time. "I did what I could on short notice," Luke said. "If we need anything else, we can always add more later." Charlotte expressed her appreciation, "I'm really amazed by how much you've done so quickly. You always manage to surprise me." Luke lowered his head with a smile. He then gently took her hand and held it near his lips, treating it as if it were something incredibly precious. Luke's phone interrupted the moment with a call from Linda. Linda's voice came through, "How's everything? Did my future daughter-in-law arrive safely?" "Yes, she's here," Luke responded, smiling at Charlotte. "Everything's good. Don't worry about us." Linda then asked, "Your dad and I were thinking about visiting tonight. Is that alright with you?" Since Luke had put her on speakerphone, Charlotte heard everything. She quickly replied, "Of course, Mrs. Allen, we'd love to have you over." "We'll be there tonight then. We've really missed the kids these past few days," Linda said, her voice filled with affection. Linda and Andrew had wanted to be closer to Andy and Lilya, but didn't want to impose on Charlotte. Now that she was living with Luke, it would be easier for them to visit. Understanding their fondness for the children, Charlotte warmly invited, "Feel free to come over anytime." Linda's protective remark added a touch of warmth to the conversation. "If he ever mistreats you, just tell me. I'll set him straight," she said firmly. Charlotte couldn't help but laugh. She already felt so welcomed by Linda, even before officially joining the family. She found herself wondering how much more Linda would pamper her once she and Luke were married. In that moment, Charlotte felt a deep sense of belonging, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time. The hardships she had faced over the years seemed to fade in the face of this new familial warmth. She felt emotional, almost teary-eyed, realizing that becoming part of this family was like a stroke of good fortune for her.