Revenge

Dinner

Third party's POV

Isabella decides to cook dinner herself as it is the first time that Charlie's grandparents will be coming for dinner. She knows she needs them on her side, although Paul is their son. She just hopes Charlie says nothing to upset them. So she calls Charlie to the kitchen where she is busy cooking, and he comes in looking surprised. His mom never cooks unless really important guests are coming.

He looks at her and asks, "Who is coming for dinner, Mommy?"

Isabella looks up and says, "Your grandmother and grandfather. But, Charlie, you need to be really polite to them, will you?"

Charlie is clever for his age and asks, "Is it Mommy's parents or that man's parents?" Isabella gets a smile around her lips as he refers to Paul as "that man."

Isabella looks at Charlie and says, "It is Paul Stevens' parents Charlie, but they are not bad people, and we need to be friendly with them and not be rude."

Charlie looks at her with his big baby eyes and says, "I will try my best, Mommy, but if they are rude to my mommy, I can not promise not to be rude back."

At ten to seven, dinner is ready to be served, and Isabella and Charlie are all dressed up. They are waiting for their guests. Charlie can see something is bothering his Mommy, and it worries his little child's heart. He wishes he is a big man to protect his mother from everyone who wants to hurt her. He sighs. He likes his Daddy, but his Daddy must not lie to him. Charlie looks at the cell phone in his hand and googles, "Paul Stevens." His Wikipedia profile pops up, and Charlie reads his information. Paul Stevens, CEO, and co-owner of the restaurant group Harmonies, CEO of Trade International, married Isabella Johnson, CEO, and co-owner of Charlie's place. Then it says he has one son, Charles Johnson, co-owner of Charlie's place. Charlie looks at it in surprise. He googles his mother's profile, and the same information pops up, married to Paul Stevens. Charlie looks worried at his mother. He better not show her this, not until the guests are gone anyway. Does this mean his Mommy is still married to his Daddy? Charlie's little child's heart is thrilled at this moment, but then he looks at his Mommy, and he is worried, she will not like, to still be married to his Daddy. He knows he calls him that man, but he was just angry because he thought his Daddy lied to him, but now his Daddy obviously wants the world to know he is still married to his Mommy or his online Wikipedia profile would not read like that. Charlie sees photos of his Daddy with that rude woman hanging on his arm, but although his Daddy is smiling, he can see his Daddy is not happy. His eyes look sad. Charlie looks at his Mommy. She is so beautiful. Is his Daddy missing his Mommy? Charlie puts down his phone and looks at his Mommy that was deep in her own thoughts,

"Mommy, I think the guests are here." He says when he hears the car doors close. Isabella gets up and walks to the door as soon as the bell rings. She opens the door, and Elaine and Laurens greet them with big smiles. In his hand, Laurens is holding a big present for Charlie. He bends down, smiling.

Charlie walks over to him, and to everyone's surprise, he plans a wet kiss on his grandfather's cheek and then her turns to his grandmother, and when she bends down, Charlie kisses his grandmother on the cheek as well and say, "Welcome to our home, Grandpa and Grandma." Laurens has a tear in his eye, and Elaine is openly crying tears of happiness.

"Thank you, Charlie." They say, and then they follow Isabella and Charlie into the big house. Elaine looks at the house and is very impressed the decor is plain but tasteful. They walk in, and Charlie keeps talking. He wants to ask them about his Daddy, but he does not want to upset his Mommy, so he keeps talking about his Mommy and how she cooked all day. Finally, his grandpa hands him the present, and Charlie opens it with great excitement. Although he is clever for his age, he still remains a little boy in his heart. He opens it, and it is a remote control car. He goes up to his room to play with it, and Laurens follows him to help him.

Charlie looks up at Laurens and asks, "Grandpa do you think my daddy loves my mommy?"

Laurens is taken aback for a moment when he sees his son's face when Paul tells him that he has always loved Isabella, but he does not want to make things complicated for the little man and says, "I do not know Charlie, it is something only your father and mother can sort out."

Charlie nods his head and says, "I know grandpa, does my daddy have lots of women he takes out?"

Laurens thinks for a moment and says. "When he was younger he used to, but I have not seen you, Daddy, with other women lately."

Charlie thinks again and says, "I saw my Daddy at the opening with a woman, but my dad was looking at Mommy and me all the time, then I saw him in his office with a rude lady, but she seems to irritate my Daddy. I think my dad still likes my Mommy." Laurens looks at the little boy and is surprised that the little guys are so attentive.

Elaine and Isabella are talking in the sitting room, and Elaine tells her what Paul said to her and how rude he was to his mother when she mentioned the divorce. Isabella sighs. What it is with that man, she does not know this new Paul at all, and the old Paul would not have given a s**t about her or their son. He would have just continued with his old ways. So she will have to think of something else to get and quick, quiet divorce. Isabella looks worried, and Elaine can see it. She feels so sorry for Isabella, her son has coursed Isabella a lot of pain in the past, and now he is unwilling to give up Isabella or his son, Charlie. Elaine feels guilty because her son is the reason this poor girl had to go through so much, and now he is stubborn and even rude about this situation. She feels like she can wring Paul's neck!

Isabella gets up and says, "Dinner is ready. Let us go and eat before it gets tasteless." She goes and calls Laurens and Charlie. They all go to the big dining hall and sit around the table. The servants bring in some wine and a milkshake for Charlie. Then they start serving the food. The food is tasty, and Laurens, who has been in the restaurant business all his life, is very impressed by the food. This is definitely three-star quality food. Maybe doing some revamping on their recipes is not a bad idea at all. After dinner, Elaine and Laurens stay for another hour, then they get up reluctantly.

"Thank you so much, Isabella, we appreciate it that you let us see Charlie, and the dinner was divine," Laurens says as he greets Isabella. Elaine greets and thanks Isabella as well, then she hugs Isabella and kisses her on the cheek. Next, they hug and kiss Charlie, then they walk slowly to their car and drive away.

Isabella is pleasantly surprised by the two older people, and she is glad she let Charlie see them, she smiles coldly as she thinks about her parents, and they have not even tried to contact her or to see Charlie since she returned to Houston. It makes her sad to think that neither she nor Charlie are of any importance to them. She closes the door behind her and goes into the sitting room to switch off the lights. She sees Charlie's phone on the table and picks it up to go and give it to him. She looks at it and sees, to her surprise, Charlie has google Paul Stevens. Her heart aches. Does her son miss a father? She looks at the page that opens with the Wikipedia information, and she goes blind with rage. What the hell? Who leaked that they are still married? She quickly checks hers, and the same information is displayed on her profile. Has Charlie read it? Does he know she and Paul are still married? She walks up to her son's room, where he is still playing with his new remote control car, and hands him his phone. She bought him the phone so that he could always be only a phone call away, but she underestimated her son's intelligence and never thought he could google and look up things on the internet. He usually just plays a few games on his phone when she looks. Charlie looks up and sees the phone in his Mommy's hand.

He quickly takes it and says, "I like grandma and grandpa. They are kind, and they brought me this nice car, Mommy. Will they come again?"

Isabella looks at him, smiles, and says, "Of course, they will, my baby."

Charlie looks at her and says, "Mother, I am not a baby.  I am a big boy. Are you still married to Daddy because Wikipedia says you and Daddy are still married?" Isabella's heart goes cold. Charlie is busy playing and unconsciously called Paul daddy. Does her son miss having a father? Should she allow Paul into Charlie's life, maybe if she does it on the condition that he must divorce her, quietly and quickly? Then, sharing Charlie with Paul will not be as bad as being married to him.

She bends down and looks Charlie in the eyes. "Do you miss having a daddy, Charlie?" she asks.

"Sometimes, but I love Mommy, and I know Mommy does not like Daddy, so I will rather stay with Mommy and not have a Daddy." Isabella's heart goes out to her son. She knows what it feels like to crave parents' attention.

So she asks Charlie, "Do you want to see your daddy, Charlie."

Charlie is looking at her and says, "Only if mommy goes with me." Isabella looks at him and thinks he is feeling insecure. That is why he wants me to go with him, but she does not know that Charlie has other plans. He wants not only time with his Daddy and Mommy, but he also wants a family, like the children. So now and at the school he went to for one da. You"We will talk about it tomorrow, now go take a shower and get in bed tomorrow you are going to your new school."

She goes to her room and texts Elaine. "Sorry for bothering you again, Elaine, but can you please send me Paul's number?"

Elaine is surprised by the request but says nothing and texts Paul's number to Isabella. It is Paul's private number only his family and best friends have it. She usually would never give it to someone because Paul is very private and would not like anyone to have it, but this is Isabella, and somehow she does not think Paul will mind at all.

Paul is sitting in his house working in his study when his private phone rings. He does not check the number and just answers the phone because he knows just his friends and family have this number.

"Hello," he replies, and to his surprise, it is a woman's voice that answers.

"Hello, Mr. Stevens," he frowns and says.

"Who gave you this number? Who are you?" Isabella smiles and first wants to play a joke on him but decides against it.

"Your mother and Isabella Johnson." Paul just sits quietly, not knowing what to say.

"How can I help you, Isabella, and do not tell me you want a divorce because that is not going to happen." His voice is cold. This woman must not think just because she can enchant his mother and father. He will also be a pushover.

"Actually, I am just calling to ask you if you will please join Charlie and me to go to his new school tomorrow?" she answers just as coldly. Paul is shocked. What is this woman planning now?

"What is the catch. Isabella?" he asks coldly.

"Nothing but if you do not want to come just say so, no need to be so hostile." She answers, and Paul quickly says before she can change her mind.

"At what time can I pick the two of you up?" Isabella does not know what to say. She thought that they could meet at the school, but it will give Charlie a bit more time with Paul, and she needs to see how Paul is towards Charlie and her. She needs to make friends with him and then ask him for the divorce, and if he is good for Charlie, he may even see Charlie every second weekend.

"Pick us up at seven o'clock." She answers, and without saying goodbye, she hangs up. She knows she does not have to tell Paul the address. She bets he already knows it.