Chapter 374 Charles's Abandonment
Brian thought, 'Charles always ruins my things. I don't hold a grudge against him.'
Richard noticed Brian staring at his phone without answering. In his usual lazy tone, he said, "I left your clothes here, and dinner's on the table outside. Eat after you take the call."
"Richard," Brian called out, still not answering the phone.
Richard glanced back with a blank look.
Brian's eyes were full of mixed emotions. After a pause, he asked, "You still care about me, right?"
"Answer the phone," Richard replied, walking out without answering the question.
Care? Richard wasn't sure if it was care, but he knew he couldn't forgive the past. Taking Brian in this time was just out of pity.
As the door closed, Brian stared at the still-ringing phone. If it weren't for this call, he might have gotten an answer from Richard.
After a deep breath, he answered. "Mr. Lancelot, what's up so late?"
"At the base?" Charles's tone was flat.
"At a friend's house," Brian replied, his voice warming up a bit. "What's up?"
"Daphne told me about your talk with her," Charles said, lying back on his bed with a complex look. "I'll come to see you tomorrow. Don't tell her."
Brian was confused, almost in disbelief. "Why do you want to see me?"
"To restore my memory," Charles said.
If Charles didn't know Daphne was with Benjamin, he might have tried to change her impression of him. But now, there was no need.
Charles saw that Benjamin was good to Daphne and responsible. With Benjamin taking care of her, he felt at ease.
Given that, it was better for him to disappear and let the old Charles return. Daphne always wanted Charles to be well.
"What?" Brian thought he misheard.
"To restore my memory," Charles repeated patiently. "After that, will I be completely well, like before?"
Brian, still stunned, answered, "Pretty much."
"Then get ready. I'll come over tomorrow morning," Charles said calmly, though his heart ached at the thought of never seeing Daphne again. "That's it. I'm hanging up."
He was about to hang up when Brian stopped him. "Wait!"
Charles stayed silent, maintaining his posture.
"Why did you agree to restore your memory?" Brian was now fully alert, full of doubts. "Did Daphne say something, or is there another reason?"
"You know me best, don't you?" Charles retorted.
Brian was stunned.
Charles said nothing more and hung up.
Brian was still in a daze, Charles's last words echoing in his mind.
How could this be? Normally, Charles would have refused to restore his memory.
When Daphne said she'd leave the decision to Charles, Brian thought it was risky. Charles would never agree, but Daphne didn't give him a chance to say more before she left.
What made Charles give up on Daphne?
Brian had suggested to Charles that he only wanted Daphne.
Brian wanted to ask Daphne but remembered Charles's warning. Though Charles was obedient around Daphne, telling her about his decision could have serious consequences.
Thinking about all this, Brian's mood grew complicated.
Brian had felt sad when Daphne and Richard dismissed his research before, but now he was questioning everything.
Charles's current situation was way beyond what Brian had expected.
Brian took his phone outside. Seeing no one in the living room, he went upstairs to find Richard, who was still reading.
When Richard saw him, he just glanced up briefly and went back to his book.
"Are you busy?" Brian asked, keeping his emotions in check. "I need to talk to you about something."
"Go ahead," Richard said.
"It's about Charles," Brian began.
"This isn't my field. You should talk to a professional," Richard replied.
"His personality has changed a lot," Brian continued, ignoring Richard's disinterest. "Normally, he'd always love Daphne and be possessive. But now he wants to restore his old memories."
Once those memories are back, the old Charles will return.
Since Charles saw himself as a secondary personality, he should be preventing the old Charles from coming back. But his current behavior was off.
Richard paused in his reading. Brian waited for his response.
"Memories can be erased, and suggestions can be made," Richard said, sounding half-asleep. "But the heart is uncontrollable. Even people don't know what they'll decide until the end, let alone an outsider like you."
Humans are complex, and thoughts are the hardest to control.
"So, you're saying my research is worthless?" Brian asked, genuinely considering it.
"Even if you make someone emotionless, strong, and mentally tough," Richard said bluntly, "over time, their heart will change. Emotionlessness will break, and strength will falter."
A heart strengthened by external forces isn't truly strong. Only a heart tempered by time is.
Seeing Brian deep in thought, Richard added, "Human emotions can't be severed."
Brian started to worry. Once Charles restored his memory, he'd definitely come after him. Brian knew how vengeful Charles could be.
"When did he ask you to help him restore his memory?" Richard asked casually, but his timing was perfect.
Brian, still thinking about how to handle Charles after the memory restoration, answered honestly, "Tomorrow."
Richard responded with a faint "Hmm."
Brian immediately sensed something was wrong.
Realizing what he had just said, Brian regretted it. He thought, "Why did I say that? If I go back to the base, Richard definitely won't let me stay here anymore."
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