Chapter 388 Heart-to-Heart
Charles felt a sharp pain in his heart, consumed by regret.
Mark couldn't bear to watch and, after a moment of silence, went to get some alcohol. He also called Matt, who was filming in Gedser.
Charles was in a terrible state. If he didn't adjust, he would get ill.
After bringing the alcohol, Mark also brought some food. Drinking on an empty stomach not only got you drunk faster but also harmed your body.
Charles refused everything.
"If you eat this meal, I'll tell you something about Ms. Murphy." Mark lied to get him to eat. "It's related to you."
Charles asked, "What?"
Mark said, "Eat first."
Charles really had no appetite, but he wanted to know about Daphne.
Amidst a mix of emotions, he forced the food into his mouth, not even tasting it, his mind entirely on Daphne.
"Finished." He put down the utensils and looked at Mark with more emotion in his eyes. "You can tell me now."
Mark was thinking of what to say; he had lied.
In the midst of this stalemate, Matt arrived.
Seeing Matt, Charles was momentarily distracted.
Charles adjusted his state, not wanting his issues to be widely known. "Why are you here?"
"Feeling down, came to drink with you." Matt said, using the excuse Mark had taught him, his demeanor gentle.
Charles frowned slightly and instinctively looked at Mark.
Mark, an excellent actor, feigned surprise at Matt's sudden arrival.
Matt was quite familiar with Charles' place. Whenever Charles came to Gedser for business, Matt would visit him, so he naturally knew the door code.
Matt smoothly went to get a glass. While getting it, he glanced at Mark and asked, "Want a drink?"
"You and Mr. Lancelot go ahead," Mark, who didn't like drinking, replied, "I'll head out and not disturb your catch-up."
After saying that, he slipped away, leaving the space for the two of them.
Charles wanted to call him back, but Mark left too quickly, not giving him a chance to speak.
After getting the glass, Matt took the alcohol Mark had brought and, while pouring, asked, "Why did Mark bring alcohol? Are you feeling down too?"
"No." Charles lied.
Matt didn't press further, and they each had a glass.
After clinking glasses with Charles, Matt downed his drink in one go.
Seeing this, Charles adjusted his mood and asked with concern, "What happened?"
"Got hit on by a man at a dinner tonight," Matt said truthfully, though his tone remained calm, "He wanted to take me home and said I could pick any resources I wanted."
Such things were common in their industry, with people offering resources, deceiving, or using dirty tricks like drugging.
"Where was your agent?" Charles asked.
Charles wasn't worried about Matt being taken advantage of. Despite his career in the entertainment industry, Matt had a strong background but always presented himself as an ordinary person.
"Not there, got pulled into another room for a discussion," Matt said, feeling disgusted but not to the point of needing a drink to vent.
He mentioned it to get Charles to drink with him.
Mark had told him that Charles was in a bad mood, not eating or drinking, and asked him to cheer him up. Seeing Charles drink, Matt refilled both their glasses.
For the next few drinks, Matt didn't say a word, just drank one sip after another.
Charles, preoccupied and downcast, didn't think much about Matt's reaction or story.
If Charles were in his usual state, he'd know that Matt'd just ignore such things and wouldn't be upset enough to come for a drink.
After three rounds, they had finished two bottles. Due to the high alcohol content and its strong aftereffects, Charles was already a bit tipsy.
Matt wasn't drunk, as he hadn't finished his drinks, just taking small sips and then refilling his glass, keeping his right hand hidden from Charles.
Through all this, Matt realized something.
Charles was deeply troubled, missing two obvious signs, which was unlike his usual self.
"And you," Matt asked naturally after refilling Charles' glass, "How have you been? How's your relationship with Daphne?"
Neither Matt nor Austin knew about Charles' injury, coma, and memory loss.
Hayden hadn't told anyone. The online rumors were dismissed as doctored images after Charles reappeared.
"I lost her," Charles said, holding his glass, his sorrow and frustration more evident in his drunken state.
Matt paused, looking up with a mix of emotions in his eyes.
Charles downed his drink and began to speak the truth to Matt, "She's with someone else now."
Matt asked, "Is he good to her?"
Charles said, "Yes."
"What do you think?" Matt asked again.
"I don't know." Charles' voice was hoarse, lost. "I don't know what to do."
"Let it go." Matt began to counsel him, his gentle voice soothing. "Since she has found a good place and someone to take care of her, you should move on too."
Charles shook his head, silent. How could he move on?
"You're not planning to win her back, are you?" Matt suddenly asked.
"No." Charles gave a definite answer.
If Daphne were single, if she hadn't confirmed her relationship with Benjamin, he would pursue her no matter the cost.
However, there was no chance now. He couldn't shamelessly ruin her new life.
"Take a breather and give her a real apology," Matt said slowly, unsurprised by the outcome, "Then get back to your life, and may you both be well."
Charles said nothing. Even if he were to return to his life, it would be after she was truly happy.
They drank a bit more, and Charles' drunkenness deepened.
Charles looked at his phone on the side, countless voices in his head urging him to call Daphne, to tell her he missed her, loved her, couldn't live without her.
But a sliver of rationality told him not to disturb her anymore.
Caught between these emotions, he picked up his phone, stared at it for a long time, then threw it under the sofa, where he couldn't be able to retrieve it, even if he were completely drunk.
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