Single Mom's Sweet Husband by Charlotte

"Hello?"

Without so much as a glance at the caller ID, Charlotte picked up the ringing phone from her desk and brought it to her ear.

"Lottie, Sheryl and I are in the restaurant right downstairs from your office building. Quick, come join us." It was Anne.

'T m sorry, Anne, but I'm still working on something right now."

"But it's already the weekend, plus it's time for lunch! No amount of work calls for starving yourself. Besides, Sheryl misses you a lot," Anne said in protest.

'The weekend?' Charlotte blinked.

Her fingers paused mid-action and the pen she was twirling swiftly landed on her desk.

Subconsciously, her eyes darted to scan her desk calendar. To her surprise, it was, in fact, already the weekend. However, this was nothing out of the norm; it was easy for Charlotte to lose track of time once she got her hands on work.

She was currently revising the design drafts for the bidding of the opera house in the Eastern District. Though the bidding was to take place three weeks from the day of the notice, the company only permitted her two weeks to finalize the drafts for the presentation.

One week had now passed, yet she was still unsatisfied with the drafts.

She knew that this project was not only a test given to her by the company, but also a chance for her to prove her abilities to the rest.

It had been a few days since she started working overtime and spending the night at the company. Because of this, she had specifically asked Anne to look over Sheryl.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute."

After hanging up the phone, Charlotte briefly cleared her desktop and picked up her bag, ready to head downstairs.

be here soon. Why don't you take a look at the menu and decide what you'd like to eat

see her mother soon, the gloomy expression on little Sheryl's face vanished without a trace. She joyfully picked up the menu and started flipping through. She then proceeded to order a glass of fruit juice to go with a

also thoughtfully ordered a cup of

chirpy small talk, Braden spotted them

always had this extraordinarily retentive memory for beautiful women, so he was quick to recognize Anne at

can't be anything in my way this time around, right?' Braden

feet, adjusted his collar, and

it looks like we were meant to meet again," Braden announced with a pompous

Collins was a man known by many in River City. He had dandy facial features accented by his firm, wheat- coloured

suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked at him in

rigid. 'You must be kidding!

with a never-ending queue of admirers flocking behind him! Yet, this woman had completely

swiftly pulled out an empty chair from under the table

recall." As Braden unbuttoned his

a white pompom skirt that highlighted her bubbly face. Her lips parted and met repeatedly

was simply

this lady, can she?'

he

Sheryl remarked with pouty lips, peeping at the

Anne nodded in agreement.

a hurry, she caught sight

stopped in her tracks but noticed Braden didn't seem like he was planning to leave anytime soon. She looked over to Anne and she immediately realized what tricks Braden had up his

"Mr. Collins."

she saw Charlotte. She leaped off her chair in excitement