Chapter 251 Fell Ill
"You’re back?" Rex was surprised when he saw him. "Didn't Mark say you have something to deal withand it would take another hour?"
"I had them handle it," Charles said, his lips barely moving, a colder aura about him than before.
Hearing this, Rex didn't ask further.
He pulled him over to join Mark, and after a bit of busy work, they began the most important part of Charles's birthday.
Blowing out the candles.
All the lights in the room were turned off, and the candles shaped into the number 28 were lit.
Rex started singing the Happy Birthday song. Charles usually went through this part indifferently, making a wish without much emotion, but today, he enjoyed it.
He closed his eyes and made a wish.
He thought, 'May Daphne be happy and healthy, free from worries forever.'
He didn't wish for Daphne to remarry him; as long as she could be happy for the rest of her life, he was willing to trade his life for it.
Wish made.
He opened his eyes and blew out the candles.
This was the most sincere wish he had ever made, and it was the one he most wanted to come true.
Next came the cake-cutting and gift-giving. By the time the birthday celebration was over, it was past nine in the evening. Rex joked around while cleaning up; after helping clean up, Mark left.
As for Charles, he was called to the rooftop by Hayden.
The October night wind carried a chill.
Charles stood on the rooftop, looking at the endless stream of cars and the colorful lights below. He calmly turned his head and asked, "Why did you call me up here?"
"Have you been crying?" Hayden raised an eyebrow.
Charles was taken aback.
He withdrew his gaze and looked aimlessly downstairs. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Because Daphne didn't spend your birthday with you this year?" Hayden continued bluntly.
Charles recalled Daphne's words, "I forgive you."
For some, being forgiven by those they wronged was a form of release, a way to let go.
But for him.
It only added to the shackles in his heart.
Forgiveness was the heaviest punishment for him.
"You're overthinking it. She wished me a happy birthday," Charles said after a long silence.
"So you're upset because Daphne has completely moved on from you?" Hayden saw through him instantly, always getting to the point in the shortest time.
Charles was silent.
For the first time, he wanted to shove a piece of cake into his mouth to shut him up.
"I know you regret it," Hayden said, uncharacteristically refraining from mocking him, instead talking to him as a father, "But now, Daphne no longer loves you."
Charles didn't respond.
He understood this better than anyone.
"You brought this all on yourself." Hayden's fatherly concern lasted less than a minute before he patted Charles on the shoulder twice.
Charles asked, "Are you sure I'm your biological son?"
Hayden said, "I told you, I found you next to a trash can."
"I should have Rex look at your failed example more often and learn from it." Hayden resumed his mocking. "I want him to know that listening to elders is never wrong and to avoid doing things he'll regret."
Charles remained silent.
"May I ask you a question?" Hayden became a bit more serious. "How much do you regret it now?"
In fact, he didn't even know all his feelings at that moment.
Every time he thought back to the past, he wished he could turn back time and stop his foolish actions.
Seeing Daphne's indifferent and distant eyes made him heartbroken.
Hayden understood everything from his expression and patted him on the shoulder. "Your mom is very worried about you. From the moment you came back, she sensed you were unhappy today."
No matter how well he hid it, they were his parents, the people who knew him best in the world. His facade couldn't fool them.
"I'm fine," Charles said, his eyes darkening slightly.
Hayden asked, "Are you really fine?"
"Whether I'm fine or not doesn't matter. But I will always remind myself of the grievances Daphne suffered." Charles looked into the distance. Night enveloped the entire city. No matter how bright the city was, only the sun could light up the sky.
Just like him, only Daphne could dispel the gloom in his heart.
Hearing this, Hayden didn't say anything more.
Hayden thought, 'Charles has grown up. Some things he has to handle himself, and he has to bear the consequences.'
That night.
The city was brightly lit.
But lying in bed, Charles felt cold.
He forced himself to sleep but couldn't.
This state lasted for three whole days. On the third day, Charles fell ill from not sleeping for three days and nights.
If Mark hadn't discovered it in time, his high fever might have caused him serious trouble.
Mark ran around the hospital, paying bills, getting medicine, and so on.
After lying in the hospital bed for a day, Charles finally woke up at dusk. When Mark saw him open his eyes, he sighed in relief.
"Sir, you're finally awake." He was genuinely worried. "You almost scared me to death."
Charles looked at the white ceiling and then at the hospital bed. He frowned slightly. "What happened to me?"
"You had a high fever, 104 degrees Fahrenheit. You had a high fever for over four hours!" Mark was still scared. "The doctor said if you kept having a high fever, you could have ended up brain-damaged."
Charles almost suffered organ and nervous system damage.
Mark was worried for him.
Charles seemed indifferent. He only asked, "You didn't tell my parents, did you?"
"No." Mark knew what Charles was thinking. "You really can't keep treating your body like this. If something happens, I wouldn't know how to explain it to your family."
Charles sighed in relief.
The day after his birthday, he had sent his parents to the airport and watched them leave.
If they knew he was hospitalized, they would inevitably worry.
"By the way," Mark suddenly said.
Charles's lips and face were still a bit pale, and the fever hadn't completely subsided. "What?"
Mark hesitated.
"Just say it." Charles felt uncomfortable all over and didn't like the feeling of having a fever.
"Ms. Murphy called you this afternoon." Mark was afraid he would get emotional over this. "I heard the phone ring when I came back with the medicine."
Charles's eyes seemed to light up.
In a hoarse voice, he said, "Give me my phone."
Charles said, "You need to rest now."
Mark said, "Give it to me."
Seeing his stubbornness, Mark had no choice but to hand him the phone.
Charles unlocked it with his free hand and called back the number Daphne had used. To avoid making her worry, he adjusted his state.
After a few rings, Daphne answered.
"Why did you call me this afternoon?" Charles's lips barely moved, and his tone was not much different from usual. "I was in a meeting and didn't hear it."
"Kayla told me they have started to act," Daphne said to him, "If nothing goes wrong, someone will come to arrest me tonight."
Charles immediately sat up in bed. Despite his weakness, he felt dizzy when he stood up.
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