He wheeled himself into the bedroom after reviewing the files for tomorrow's meetings. His eyes roam around the room. Charlotte isn't here. He glances at his wristwatch, it's already past midnight and she isn't in the bedroom.
A stinging pain gives him pressure in his heart. Wheeling back around, he checks the rooms on the first floor. The guest room is locked outside. She is not on the first floor. However, when his eyes shift upstairs, he notices the light in Suzy's room.
So, she is in her room. Edward exhales sharply staring at the room from downstairs for a quite long time and returns to his room.
He is guilty of saying those words to her. He feels blamed for hurting her like this. Like she said she does want to give her future in this relationship, but he has decided to give his future to her..
But.. Things aren't going as he planned. He still remembers the day when he first met. Her shiny eyes weren't on him but those eyes made him Stop breathing for a few seconds.
Yes, he felt like he once again fell in love at first sight. Once again, the desire to Walk on his feet and hold hands hands and walk side by side stirred the inside of the heart. He thought he could finally move on and love her with his utmost.
But, he was wrong. Because the more he fell for her, the more he started comparing her with his first love. He started seeing her as his ex. Charlotte's nature is surprisingly similar to his first love. They aren't the same person and his first love is indeed older than Charlotte but some habits are surprisingly similar. As if Charlotte is copying her behavior.
And he didn't want to do it. He didn't want to love Charlotte half-heartedly. His heart is still unable to move on. His legs are holding him to move on.
They are the evidence of his cowardliness. Evidence of him being unable to protect his beloved. If he gets up again, he may live a normal life and it will make him feel guilty.
All types of insecurities and guilt make him unable to say that he wants to live with her with love and respect, not responsibility. After all, he can't love her the same way he could love his first love. Somewhere the love will be unfulfilled and he will hurt her more. If the present situation continues, he will love her as his first love's replacement.
But Edward hasn't realized that his actions are really dangerous to make her confused. His overly cautious about her safety, his protectiveness, and the way he looked at her gave her a new hope to love. She has loved Brian for years unrequited. He left her like she was nothing to care about. But She found the healer soon in her life. That girl who has found her safest place has gotten another scar on her heart from him.
She was trying to pull herself together, preparing her heart to see the future with him. But he ruined it so badly. Now there's no way to return to the normal life they were spending..
In Suzy's room.
Charlotte wipes her face while sitting on the chair on the balcony. Her eyes are wide open with no emotions. It hurt her when he said she was indeed a responsibility. He was fine calling her that rather than telling her the reason. He doesn't want to talk about his love for his first love with her.
Why? She questions. The girl is dead. It's fine to have a lover before. She loved another man too and she told him about it. What's the point of hiding everything from her?
She laughs with tears " Of Course. I am just a responsibility. There is no way he would talk about his matter with me. Who am I to him to share his matter with me? I am no one important in his life."
She can't help overthinking and crying over this matter. She is upset, heartbroken, and in pain. She has started thinking of herself as someone important to him. But she was wrong and that hurt her so much..
" Fine. Mr Rodriguez. I will stay as your responsibility and you will be my responsibility. No more wishful dreams or being greedy for love. We are nothing but each other's responsibility.."
She clenches her jaw, clutching the plush that she has been squeezing angrily. After turning the light off, she walks downstairs, thinking Edward might have fallen asleep.
She sighs in relief when she notices the light is off. With silent steps, she climbs onto the bed and lies down next to Edward. Facing the wall, she squirms in the blanket. She will ignore him forever.
Edward who just lay down on the bed and turned the lights off, found her walking in like a Kitten with no sound. However, she used to sleep facing him. But today, she doesn't even look at his side.
He heaves a sigh, not minding. After all, It's better than sleeping on the cold side of the bed. Her presence in his bed became a habit for him. Without her on the right side of his bed him unable to sleep..
The night spend with no sleep for both of them. Charlotte couldn't stop her from overthinking and Edward couldn't help feeling more guilty. Both of them were in pain individually but no one spoke to each other.
Edward fell asleep in the early morning. So, he gets up pretty late when Suzy calls him to get up. Usually, Charlotte wakes him up to go to work. But today it was Suzy.
"Morning.. Sweetheart. Why are you here?" He yawns trying to get up. Suzy drinks her hot chocolate and looks at him with a pout ." Mama said you have to go to work. Your car is ready outside.."
" Where is your Mama?" he asked.
" She left for work. Let's go. Your driver is waiting for you, Dadda!"
Edward nods while thinking about Charlotte. She is serious about ignoring him. She has started giving him cold-shoulder. It's too bad. He should have controlled his temper. Now, He should apologize before she stops talking with him. It will be hard for him not to be able to talk to her after all.