Caroline’s POV:
Even after we finished the dance, Charles kept his hand on my waist.
Because there were many guests around, I figured it wouldn’t bode well if I lost my temper.
"The dance is over.It’s time to let go," I reminded him.
Reluctance flashed through his eyes, but he still loosened his grip on my waist like I told him.I took a
few steps back to distance myself from him.
But for some reason, I could still feel the warmth of his touch on my waist.
My face blushed and I felt rather hot.
Moreover, my heart was racing.
For a moment, it felt like I had returned to the past.
Those days with him were the happiest time of my life.
But even as I reminisced, I knew that those days were long gone and I could never get them back
again.
I looked down, feeling conflicted and dispirited somehow.
"Happy birthday, Caroline."
Some guests suddenly approached me and greeted me.I forced myself to ignore the burning gaze from
behind me and began chatting with the guests with a smile on my face "Thank you,"I said, raising my
glass and taking a sip of wine.
Without knowing it, I’d had a few to drink and was starting to get drunk.
At this time, Elena came to me.
"There’s a surprise waiting for you on the second floor.Would you like to go upstairs and take a look at
it?" she asked.
"What’s the surprise?"
This "surprise" piqued my curiosity.
"You’ll know when you get there."
A mysterious smile appeared on Elena’s face.
Despite my confusion, I followed her to the deck on the second floor.
When I got there, I saw that there were bright red rose petals scattered across the floorboard, forming a
big heart.
There were also numerous balloons around the petals.
My eyes widened in shock.
I must say, this whole scene was picturesque and sweet.
‘Is this my birthday surprise?’ I had no idea who had prepared it.
The first person that came to mind was Charles, but I quickly cast aside that possibility.
‘How could it possibly be him?’
A bitter smile appeared on my lips, and somehow, I began to despise myself for having such feelings.
Charles had never spent this much effort on me, and yet I still couldn’t forget him.
The joy of receiving this birthday surprise soon died down.
As I stood on the second floor, I stared at the night scene around me in silence.
The sea was tranquil, and yet my mind was chaotic.
Because of the cold sea breeze, I felt even dizzier.
All of a sudden, a fireworks display lit up the sky, forming the words "Marry Me".
When the fireworks shot up to the sky, a deafening sound resonated in the air.It sounded like a
gunshot.
Startled by the noise, I covered my ears at once.
I squatted on the ground and curled up.
My body began trembling uncontrollably, and I felt like my blood was running cold.
That horrible incident at the abandoned warehouse kept flashing through my mind.
Within seconds, I was out of breath. I felt so dizzy that I almost fainted.
While I was having a panic attack, a pair of strong arms held me tightly "There’s no need to be
scared.I’m here."
A familiar voice came from above me, making me feel so safe.It was Charles.
Instinctively, i nestled in his arms as tears burst from my eyes, Gently, he brushed my hair and tried to
comfort me.
"You don’t have to be scared ever again.I’ll always be by your side."
As I cried incessantly, Charles never let go of me.
He was patiently trying to appease me.
Gradually, I began to feel calmer.
And pretty soon, panic and fear faded from me.
It took a while, but I finally calmed down.
"What are you doing here?" I asked between sobs.
"I couldn’t find you anywhere downstairs, so I came up here to see if you’re here," replied Charles.
I nodded in response and just stopped asking questions.
Upon realizing how intimately close we were to each other, I moved away from him.
Charles loosened his grip on me and helped me to my feet.
"Happy birthday, Caroline."
"Thank you."
His burning gaze made me feel uneasy, so I averted my eyes from him at once.
"Actually, I have a birthday gift for you, Caroline," he said.
"What’s the gift?" I asked curiously.
While looking at his calm, handsome face, I suddenly felt excited and hopeful.
"I’ve caught the murderer who killed Susan and I’ve already handed that lowlife to the police," Charles
answered.
My eyes lit up at once.
"Really? Does that mean I can clear my name now?"
"Yes, of course.You don’t have to worry anymore," he replied with a smile on his face.
I stared at Charles’ face with conflicting emotions and thanked him.
"Oh, by the way, I have another big surprise for you.Would you like to see it?"
Charles asked with a mischievous grin.
I was really intrigued by his words.
The smile on his face was almost ear to ear as he took out a file from behind him.
"Open it."
Upon seeing the words written on the document, I was stunned.You’re really going to give up custody
of the kids?"I asked in astonishment.
"That’s right.I’ve already signed it.All it needs is your signature."
Charles nodded firmly.
It took me a long time before I managed to find my voice.
"Do you think your family will agree to this?" I asked.
"They can object if they want, but it’s useless anyway.I’m the father of the kids and my decision is the
only one that stands," Charles replied solemnly.
"Why did you suddenly decide to give this to me?" I asked in a trembling voice.
"I know that you’ve been wanting to get custody of the kids, and to be honest, they also need your
company."
Hearing him mention my children made me feel like there was a lump in my throat.I held the document
within my arms.I was so moved that I didn’t know what to do.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but I let go of everything and stood on tiptoe to peck Charles on the lips.He
was taken aback by what I did.
Then, a smile appeared on his lips.
Right after I kissed him, I instantly regretted it.
‘‘Why did I do that? How could I forgive him so easily? We haven’t even settled all of our disputes yet!’’.
Suddenly, Charles got close to me and put his arms around my waist.He bent down, gazing into my
very soul.
"Caroline, I love you.With every fiber of my being, I love you.So, I ask you, will you give me another
chance?" I looked down, unable to look him in the eye.
"Caroline, just say yes and I’ll be yours forever.This promise will stand for as long as we both live,"
Charles whispered in my ear.
All rationality left my mind.
Tears welled up in my eyes and it felt like I was brought back to the past.I stood on tiptoe once again
and kissed him once more.I had tried countless of times to forget him and move on.
But nothing ever worked.I couldn’t forget him because each time he appeared before me, I would lose
my mind and fall in love with him all over again.
Charles put one hand around my waist and the other on the back of my head, taking the lead.
His lips felt warm, and the fresh, pleasant smell of his body enveloped me.
At first, he was kissing me gently and cautiously, but soon, the kiss became more passionate.
I gradually let myself enjoy the kiss, letting my tongue dance with his.
This moment belonged to us, and with it, I remembered just how beautiful our love once was.
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