I Hate That I Love You, Mr Anderson.

A Brokenhearted Charlotte.

Third person's point of view.

>The Anderson Family Mansion<

Within the walls of the grand Anderson mansion, a young lady's sobs echoed through the spacious living room. She was a woman in her late twenties, her tear-stained face was a reflection of her heartbreak – her name was Charlotte Albert.

Sitting beside her, was a woman in her early fifties, with gentle eyes and silver-streaked hair, who's trying to console her. This woman is Amelia, her would-be mother-in-law.

“Last night was supposed to be our engagement party, Amelia” Charlotte cried. “I was so excited because it was meant to be a very memorable day for us, and he…" she choked on her words as tears endlessly streamed down her porcelain skin.

“Yes, I know, Charlotte, I know, but don't cry,” Amelia consoled her while patting her back tenderly. “I'm sure Daniel has a perfect reason for standing all of us up”

“A perfect reason? I'm now officially a laughingstock, what perfect reason can he possibly have, Amelia?” Charlotte retorting, forgetting the fact she's talking to her would-be mother-in-law.

A loud, unbelievable scoffed sounded from the other side of the living room, and Amelia shot a warning glare towards the direction where the scoff had originated from.

On one of the sofas across the living room, a girl who seems to be in her early twenties sat, and she was glaring nastily at Charlotte, with a hint of irritation in her eyes.

“I honestly don't understand why mom and dad would want Daniel to marry a mannerless woman like you” the girl snarled at Charlotte.

“Mia!” Amelia called out, her voice filled with reprimand. “That's enough! Charlotte is distraught enough as it is. We don't need your negativity right now.” she cautioned, glaring at the girl who's now known as Mia.

Mia is Daniel's younger sister, who has never been fond of Charlotte. She ignored her mother's glare, and faced Charlotte.

“What? Have I said something wrong, Miss Albert? How dare you address my mom by her name? Didn't your parents teach you respect?” Mia paused, she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “And besides, instead of talking about being a laughingstock, shouldn't you be more worried about my brother's safety?” she asked.

Hearing Mia question her parents' upbringing, Charlotte felt insulted. Her eyes bore into Mia's, her narrowed gaze filled with a fiery determination. She clenched her fists, feeling the anger coursing through her veins.

“I'd like you to say this in front of my dad,” she spat out, her voice laced with a venomous tone. She turned her head towards two elderly men who were engrossed in a serious conversation nearby, and nodded at one of the men.

Charlotte's father is a man of honor and integrity, would not tolerate such insolence.

Mia's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by Charlotte's challenge, but that didn't make her lose her composure one bit, her lips curving into a smug smile. She was ready to retaliate, to throw back a biting remark. But before she could, Amelia intervened.

Amelia let out an awkward laugh, her voice strained with tension. She gently placed her hands on Charlotte's, massaging them, as if trying to calm her rising anger.

“Don't listen to Mia, sweetie,” Amelia said, her voice strained but filled with a touch of desperation. “She's just upset about something else.”

Mia scoffed, her eyes rolling in disbelief. “Me? Upset?” she chuckled lightly. “Of course, I'm upset about the fact that you're all forcing Daniel into marrying someone as selfish and self-centered…"

Amelia's eyes flashed with anger, her voice firm and unwavering.

“Shut your mouth, Mia!” she exclaimed, her words cutting through the tension like a knife. She shot Mia a warning glare, daring her to continue.

The room fell silent once again, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air. Mia's face contorted with a mixture of anger and frustration, her pride wounded by Amelia's rebuke. She clenched her fists, her mind racing for a comeback, but the words remained unspoken.

Amelia turned back to Charlotte, with her expression drastically changing, she wore the warmest smile ever and pushed a strand of Charlotte's hair behind her ear.

“My husband is trying to contact Daniel, let's wait until he's contacted him, and we'll know what's going on, okay?”

Charlotte simply nodded in response. Mia's eyes darted from Charlotte to Amelia, her anger simmering beneath the surface. She scorned at the scene before her, then got up.

“It's better I leave, or my eyes will get hurt from watching some selfish imbecile!” with that, she stormed upstairs to her room.

Amelia shot her a sharp look, but quickly replaced it with a smile as she faced Charlotte again.

“We'll get in contact with Daniel soon, okay?”

Charlotte nodded again, still sobbing.

*******

“Dad” Charlotte called as her father, Albert, and would-be father-in-law approached the living room. They are done with their discussion.

The men made themselves comfortable on different sofas across the living room. Meanwhile, Amelia was curiously looking at her husband, she seemed to be waiting for him to say something.

“Have you contacted him, Harvey?” she asked because she felt like he's taking too long to speak.

Her husband, Harvey, let out a tired sigh and shook his head slowly.

“I couldn't contact Daniel, so I called Nathan, and he told me Daniel was attacked on his way to com...”

“What?!” Amelia's exclamation interrupted him, she subconsciously let go of Charlotte's hands and rushed towards him, her face etched in panic.

Harvey held his wife's hands tenderly, and squeezed them reassuringly. “Don't worry, I just got off the phone with Nathan, and he said they're searching for him right now…"

“He's gone missing too?” Amelia and Charlotte shouted simultaneously.

Charlotte, who has been putting a strong front, now looks genuinely scared. Her heart began pounding against her chest as she faced her father for some explanation, but he had nothing to say and shook his head in response.

Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes as she clung to her husband's hand, seeking solace in his touch. “How did this happen, Harvey?” her voice suddenly unsteady.

“We don't know for now, but Nathan and the boys are searching for him. Don't worry, Daniel's going to be fine” Harvey tried to console both his wife and future daughter-in-law as he looked between them.

“Daniel's going to be fine?” Amelia asked with a hint of sarcasm, as tears streamed down her face. “Our boy is missing, Harvey. We don't know what they've done to him. We don't even know if he's still alive, and you're just sitting here doing nothing but hoping he's going to be fine?” she snatched her hands from him.

Hearing his wife's words, Harvey couldn't help but feel torn inside. He understood her pain; he shared her fears. He is just as worried as her, but he can't show his worries because he must remain strong for the both of them.

Before anyone could fathom what was going on, Amelia dashed towards the door, driven by a desperate need to find her son. Her trembling hand reached for the doorknob, her heart pounding in her chest, when suddenly, Harvey, chased after her. He managed to catch her just in time, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly.

“Amelia, please,” Harvey pleaded, his voice filled with worry.

Amelia's body trembled with the intensity of her emotions. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled against Harvey's embrace, desperate to break free.

“We can't just sit here and do nothing!” she cried, her voice choked with anguish. “Our son is in danger, Harvey.”

“Please calm down, Mrs. Anderson” Albert (Charlotte's father) said as he approached them. “We can't act on impulse right now, we should wait for the boys…"

“No” Amelia interrupted. “No, I can't wait, I can't wait”

“We must wait” Albert replied. “And I think Charlotte and I will head home now, I need to mobilize some of my boys to join the search too”

Harvey nodded in understanding, he shook hands with Albert and watched him leave with Charlotte. Then he led his wife back to the living room, and continued consoling her.