Chapter 200

Rosa was absolutely heartbroken, tears streaming down as she collapsed in front of Charlie’s grave. Her mind drifted back to the day she came home and overheard Charles and Evelyn talking as she made her way downstairs. Charles had asked Evelyn where Charlie was. He wanted to bring her over for dinner. Rosa had blanked out on who Charlie was, and when she asked Evelyn, Evelyn’s eyes welled up with tears as she explained that Charlie was someone incredibly important to her, promising to introduce them when the time was right.
Now, looking back, it was obvious that Evelyn had been protecting Rosa from the painful truth about Charlie’s passing. But Charles’ question made it clear he had no idea his own daughter had died. How could a father not know his child had been gone for so long? How could he have been so neglectful towards both Evelyn and Charlie over the last five years? Once upon a time, Evelyn was head over heels for him, but now she had drawn a line and did not even tell him about Charlie’s death. Charles was such a disgrace! Did he even deserve to be called a father?
Rosa’s anger grew with every thought, but so did her empathy for Evelyn and little Charlie, who had been taken too soon. She gently touched the gravestone, where Charlie’s adorable face was etched, and with a choked voice, promised, “Charlie, your great-grandma will bring your dad here!”
She knew how much Charlie adored Charles. In the first three years, when Rosa was lucid, Charlie would video call her, always talking about her dad. Charlie said he loved her dearly, and she loved him back just as much. Rosa had imagined Charles, Evelyn, and Charlie living happily together. But the reality was
different.
Despite everything, Charlie truly loved her dad. Her eyes sparkled whenever she talked about him, and her little face lit up with admiration. Charlie was so sweet and so well-behaved. She loved Charles dearly. Rosa was determined to drag Charles to Charlie’s grave and ask him what kind of father he’d been. Did he feel any guilt? Did he deserve the love Charlie had for him? If he showed not even a hint of remorse, he was no better than a beast, and she’d make sure he paid for it!
Rosa struggled to her feet and stumbled down the path. She had come to chat with an old friend today and hadn’t brought Tony or the bodyguards along. Overwhelmed by grief, she didn’t get far before she blacked out, collapsing with a thud. Nearby visitors quickly called for help, alerting Tony and the bodyguards waiting below. They rushed Rosa to the hospital, notifying the Jenkins family in the process. Meanwhile, Charles was still at Oakwood Manor. After Evelyn left, he stared at the shattered pieces on the floor. He knelt, picking them up piece by piece, each one a reminder of the night he spent pouring his heart into them. He had hoped that his efforts would touch Evelyn, that she’d let Charlie come back, giving him a shot at redemption. But she had smashed that hope to bits.
In that moment, Charles truly felt the sting of disappointment when hope crumbled into despair. It was a tough pill to swallow. He was an adult, and it was hard enough for him; he couldn’t imagine how much worse it had been for Charlie, who was just five. She must have felt the letdown when he broke his promises, and it wasn’t just once. Evelyn was right; he truly didn’t deserve Charlie.
The guilt weighed on him heavily. For the first time in five years, he desperately wanted to see Charlie. He missed his daughter deeply. Yet, he didn’t have a single picture of her on his phone. Charles put away the broken pieces and walked into Charlie’s room, hoping to find a photo, but there was none. Then, an idea struck him he headed to the study to check the security footage from the house.