AFTER NEVER (Charlotte's Story)

Chapter 43/115: To Trust Him

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I ignored her voice, and turned to leave.

"Miss Charlotte!" She called as she stood up, her voice soft, "I... Did I annoy you with anything? I'm sorry! Please, help me!"

Something tugged at my heart, and my breath hitched.

I pursed my lips. "Mrs. Reina, please." I whispered.

She let out a soft sniff, "I love him!"She pleaded.

I gulped, and my tears threatened to fall.

"I love Rickard, help us be together!" She raised her voice softly.

I bit my lips, and my tears burned.

"I love him!" Her voice echoed again.

And I tried to increase my pace, as a tear escaped my lids.

"And he loves me, too!" My heart was shattered with that, and I wanted nothing but to run away, "So please, help us!"

That did it, I clenched my fists, and whipped in her direction.

"Ugh, I can't!" I snapped, gesturing in the air, a tear or two over my cheeks.

She gasped, eyes wide.

"Please!" I pleaded, "Just put yourself in my shoes for a second!"

She just blinked, confused, "Wha..."

I swallowed, and huffed through tears.

"I can't just keep lying to myself!" I explained, "I want to stop feeling like a bad person... I-I'm not happy..." I whispered, "I cannot keep pretending and stepping over my own desires because I want to help!"

Her uneven breath was heard, as she gazed onto me with her beautiful, brown almonds in confusion, "I-I don't understand..." she whispered, softly.

I sighed, and shook my head as I turned away.

"I-I'm so sor─" My words and steps froze at once, as my whole expression went unmoving.

A soft, disbelieving gasp escaped me.

From behind me, Reina Collins took a step forward, and she gasped, her breath hitching in pure stun.

A long silent minute passed, both Reina and I gaping at him with disbelief and... terror?

His arrogant, satanic, and unaffected gaze was still the same... Just like I'd recalled it.

His face was an older version of his son's, and yet, it was even stonier.

I'd mentioned it before, the main difference was that his expression was beyond evil.

It was terrifying.

He gave me a feeling as if I were encountering Hades, the God of the underworld and death.

He was a shadow of death, and I could see it in his eyes.

The fate of whoever defied him.

His lips were pursed in a straight line, and his jaw was clenched.

His remarkable height was slightly shorter than his son's judging by his age, and his black suit reflected nothing but gloominess and doom.

Doom.

"Y-You..." Reina Collins' voice came, hard, and shaking in agony.

I gulped.