Chapter 216 Frederick, let's get a divorce!
She was about to have the baby. It was hers.
Andrew had known her decision for a while; she was just like Victoria.
Andrew, usually calm, had a shaky voice. "I'll be right outside!"
He patted her head, then straightened up and left.
He trusted Charlotte to deliver the baby safely.
Charlotte didn't want anyone with her during labor.
The person she needed most wasn't there.
When she was eight centimeters dilated, the pain made her see Frederick's face.
'Frederick.'
She kept thinking of him, and the pain got worse each time.
In those painful moments, she remembered their first meeting, him whispering "morning dew" in her ear, playing the piano together on a snowy night, and him saying, "Charlotte, I want to spend my life with you!"
'Frederick.' Each time she thought of him, her feelings faded a bit more.
A weak cry signaled a new life. It was a girl, it was her Lola.
Charlotte lay still on the delivery bed, a faint smile on her face, thinking of her last memories with Frederick.
"I don't feel well. The baby is kicking hard!"
"Is it being naughty?"
"It's never like this! Please don't go, okay? I'm scared!"
"If I don't leave now, I'll miss the flight! Be good!"
He gently pried her fingers open and smiled. "You're like a child. I'll be back in three days!"
Charlotte closed her eyes gently.
Lola, under four pounds, went straight to an incubator.
Patrick, his wife, and Andrew only got a quick look before seeing Charlotte. She was moved to a VIP room, lying weak and quiet, almost asleep.
Andrew tucked her hand under the blanket and sat by the bed, watching her, afraid she'd wake up alone.
Outside, Chloe spent 16 hours making hundreds of calls before reaching Frederick.
Frederick was in Novaria, straight to court after landing, with his phone off.
After winning the case, the Lundon court ruled in his favor. Elijah and Audrey thanked him and invited him over.
Frederick politely declined.
As they parted, Frederick smiled, "My family must be calling!"
He turned on his phone, expecting work calls.
Maybe Charlotte was still mad.
But his phone vibrated wildly with over 500 missed calls from Syeattel.
Chloe called again, and he answered quickly, "Chloe, what's wrong?"
Chloe, tearful, said, "Frederick, come back! There was an explosion at the villa, and Charlotte went into early labor. The baby is tiny. Charlotte was in labor for 16 hours. Why did you go to Novaria? Why did you leave her alone? Do you know what she was like when taken to the hospital?"
Frederick was paralyzed.
He could barely move.
Media appeared, trying to interview him, shoving cameras in his face.
Frederick rudely pushed them away.
He quickly walked to a waiting car for the airport. In the back seat was a bouquet of white roses for Charlotte.
Maybe she'd forgive him.
But deep down, he knew it was over.
Frederick stumbled to the car.
He saw Charlotte 20 hours later.
She was in a hospital gown, standing at the neonatal intensive care unit door, staring at the tiny baby inside.
She had lost a lot of weight in just a few days.
Her clothes hung loosely, her chin sharp, her face small.
She had been healthy before.
Frederick's voice was hoarse, "Charlotte!"
She stayed still, but her body stiffened.
She knew he was back.
But so what?
She didn't know how to face him. She couldn't even cry.
Frederick slowly walked over.
He took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. "You just gave birth. Take care of yourself."
She brushed the coat off, and it fell to the ground.
Frederick silently picked it up and saw the tiny baby in the incubator, barely moving, pale.
Charlotte's voice was soft. "The doctor said the survival rate is less than ten percent."
Frederick felt a pang in his heart.
They had once eagerly awaited this child, but now she lay small and alone, her fate uncertain.
He embraced Charlotte's shoulders. "I will."
Charlotte turned and slapped him hard, her chest burning with anger. "You will what? Save her? Frederick, where were you earlier?"
He endured the slap, preferring her anger over silence.
But after the slap, Charlotte said nothing more. She stood still, staring at little Lola, who she could only see for half an hour each day.
She was willing to trade her own life for hers.
Frederick wrapped the coat around her again. When Charlotte tried to take it off, he held her tightly.
"Charlotte! Don't move!"
He, like her, kept his eyes on the child.
Lola was beautiful, with delicate eyebrows like Charlotte's.
Charlotte, held by him, knew she had to make things clear. "Frederick, when I need you most, you're not there. You're always busy with Katherine! Is it that she can't let go of you, or do you want to put a perfect end to your first love? But this shouldn't be at my child's expense. You never put me first. What right did you have to say you wanted to spend your life with me?"
She spoke calmly, cutting Frederick to pieces with her words.
Charlotte wasn't hysterical; she didn't have the energy to fight.
She continued, "What does it matter if you love me and I love you? How strong must my heart be to stay with you? If I stay, I'd be letting myself and this child down! Frederick, let's end it here! We'll talk about the divorce when the child gets better. I don't have the energy now!"
Frederick held her, feeling like he was holding ice.
At that moment, the blinds in front of the glass came down.
Charlotte could no longer see the child.
She turned to look him in the eye. "Because of Lola, we'll have to meet again, but Frederick, don't say those affectionate words to disgust me anymore!"
Frederick's face was as pale as paper.
Just then, Andrew came over.
He had a coat in his hand and quickly draped it over Charlotte. "I've been looking for you! Why are you wearing so little? What if you catch a cold?"
Charlotte silently walked away with him.
Andrew acted as if he didn't see Frederick. Frederick called out urgently, "Andrew!"
Andrew paused, his usually gentle face now cold, his words sharp. "I thought you only recognized Mr. Mitchell!"
With that, he walked away with Charlotte.
Frederick stood there, slowly clenching his fists. If he was asked what he regretted most, it was leaving Charlotte and going to Novaria.
The Hawkins family approached.
In front of his wife and daughter, Patrick gave Frederick two hard slaps.
His eyes were red. "Bastard!"
Laura, with tears in her eyes, tried to stop him, but Patrick pushed her away.
In the bustling hospital, Patrick, disregarding his dignity, took off his shoe and hit his only son hard. "Do you know how dangerous it was for your wife? She called you, but your phone was off. If she hadn't called Andrew, we wouldn't have known about the explosion. Both mother and child could have died, and Maria and Cindy were also seriously injured. Where were you? You're the man of the house. Where the hell were you? Do you know Charlotte was in labor for 16 hours, risking her life to give birth to your child? Today, I'm going to beat you to death!"
Laura stopped trying to intervene.
Chloe was crying beside them, sobbing uncontrollably. "Frederick, if you don't love Charlotte, let her go!"
Frederick was stunned.
Didn't he love Charlotte?
He loved her. He was sure he loved her, but he had left her.
Now, Charlotte didn't want him anymore!
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