Charles' POV:
After hanging up the phone, I threw it on the bed.The moonlight peered through the window, slightly
illuminating the dark, quiet room.
Right now, my room was like a cold cage.I turned around, staring out the window.
There were many lights surrounding me, and yet I felt so lonely.
On the glass window pane, a blurry figure was reflected.To me, my very image had become pitiful and
desolate.I couldn't bear to stare at my reflection anymore, so I stood up and closed the curtains.
Now, the moonlight was gone and so was my reflection.I lay back on the cold bed with a bitter smile on
my lips.
"I am like a soulless walking dead," I murmured to myself.
Like reflex, I reached for the other half of the bed and soon found that it was empty.My beloved wife
used to sleep right here, but now she had begun a new life with another man.
Once again, my heart ached.Only in this endless darkness could I tear off my disguise, and let myself
feel the painful wound in my heart.
I curled up in bed, holding Scarlett's pillow as tightly as I could, sniffing the last bits of her scent left on
it.Then, I buried my face on the pillow.
The sense of suffocation slowly made me feel dizzy and a little drowsy.
During the second half of the night, I began to dream.I dreamed of the woman whom I had longed for
day and night.
She was lying in another man's arms, speaking to him with a bright smile on her face.
"Honey, hug me." The man lowered his head and I saw that it was William.
He was sleeping in the spot where I once slept in, holding the woman I loved, and kissing her in my
stead.
"Sure, honey!"
The following day, I woke up with a splitting headache.The dream I had last night tortured me.
Even now that I was awake, it still tore my heart apart.
Listlessly, I went downstairs and saw Janet in the kitchen, preparing breakfast.
"Good morning, Mr.Moore.Oh, my...what's wrong, sir? You look troubled."
Janet came over, intending to touch my forehead.However, I avoided her hand and responded, "I'm
fine.You may go now."
"But you look really terrible.You'd better take your temperature just to make sure."
Not long after, I went to the sofa and sat down, feeling light-headed.I touched my forehead and it
indeed felt hot.I did have a fever.
Janet fetched the thermometer and took my temperature for me, anxiously waiting for the results to
show up.
"102 degrees?! You're burning up! Mr.Moore, we need to get you to a hospital right this instant!"
Janet was panicking as she held the thermometer in her hand.
Truthfully, aside from feeling a little dizzy, I didn't feel anything that bad.
"Take it easy.Just get me a glass of water, please," I said.
"Right away, sir!" she replied.
After taking the glass of water from Janet, I took a sip.She was standing next to me, visibly worried.
"Mr.Moore, I really think you need to go to a hospital," she remarked.
"It's not that serious," I answered.
"But..."
"Do not make me repeat myself," I said sternly.
Janet didn't dare to say another word after that.
At long last, the room quieted down.I put down the glass of water, closing my eyes to rest.But the
second I closed my eyes, Scarlett's and James ' faces appeared in my mind again.A bitter smile
appeared on my lips.
‘'I really don't deserve a moment of peace"
Janet's POV:
Mr.Moore was having a fever, but he wouldn't take it seriously.He just sat on the sofa with no intention
of having himself checked up at the hospital.
With no other choice, I decided to call Alice for help while looking for some medicine for the boss.
"Madame, Mr.Moore is burning up.I need your help," I said over the phone.
"What? Charles has a fever?" Alice sounded really worried.
"Take him to the hospital the soonest that you can!"
"I've been telling him to go to the hospital, but he insists that he doesn't need treatment.That's why I
called you, ma'am; to see if you can persuade him."
A long silence ensued on the other end of the line.
All of a sudden, I heard a deep sigh, riddled with pity.
"His illness is caused by stress.There is only one way we can fix things.It seems that it's time for me to
pay Scarlett a visit," said Alice.
"Madame, have you decided on what to say once you meet her?" I asked.
"I can only act according to the circumstances.If I don't do anything now, I'm afraid Charles might
become terminally ill.I've already lost a grandson.I can't lose my only son as well!"
‘'I pity her.." I remarked inwardly.
When I heard Alice's hoarse voice, tears welled up in my eyes.
"I understand, ma'am.Is there anything else I can do to help?"
"You're a good girl, Janet.I know you're really good friends with Tracy.Can you get in touch with her and
find out what she thinks about this whole situation?"
"Understood, ma'am!"
I agreed to Alice's request without hesitation.
After hanging up the phone, I asked Spencer for the address of William's villa in Kitsap and drove all
the way there.
Once I was there, I waited outside the villa for a while.
After William's car had left, I rang the doorbell.
"Who is it?"
Tracy's voice resonated from the monitor.My eyes turned red and I almost burst into tears.
"It's me, Janet," I cried.
A brief silence ensued.
Soon, the door opened and I saw Tracy's face appear before me.Her eyes were widened in surprise
and she was covering her mouth with her hands.I took the initiative to give her a big hug.
"Long time no see, Tracy!"
"Long time no see, Janet," Tracy said as she sobbed.
Both of our faces were covered in tears.
"Gosh, I missed you so much!"
"Yeah, me too," she replied.
Tracy and I went to a cafe nearby.Even after we had sat at a table, she was still weeping.I handed her
a tissue while chuckling.
"Hey, hey, it's okay.There's no need to cry anymore.We met again, didn't we?"
"It's been far too long!" Tracy cried even louder.
'Yeah...it's been a year since we last saw each other" I replied in my heart.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda