Chapter 143 Charles Must Protect Patricia
It was destined to be a sleepless night.
The next morning, Charles's biological clock woke him up promptly at seven, as usual. He went to the restroom to wash up and use the toilet. Once everything was in order, he went to wake the little sleepyhead, Fannie.
With her eyes still closed, Fannie groped her way to the restroom, where Charles had already prepared mouthwash and toothpaste for her to use directly.
While Fannie was getting ready, Charles had already dressed and gone to the living room.
Seeing Patricia setting up breakfast, he immediately rolled up his sleeves to help.
Patricia didn't pat his head and praise him as she used to; instead, she was so distracted that her hand accidentally went into the steaming soy milk, and she didn't even notice the burn.
Frowning, Charles grabbed her hand and rushed it under cold water at the tap, scolding, "Mommy, what are you thinking about? Your hand is all red from the burn. Can't you feel the pain?"
At his stern voice, Patricia snapped back to reality. Looking at Charles's face, full of concern, she said with remorse, "Baby, I'm sorry, I worried you!"
Charles was puzzled. "Mommy, what's wrong? Why are you so distracted? Did something happen?"
Patricia shook her head, "Nothing's wrong. I just didn't sleep well last night!"
Persistent, Charles asked, "Why didn't you sleep well? Was it because my sister and I were crowding you?"
She shook her head again and lied, "No! It's just that I have been a bit overwhelmed with things lately, so I've had insomnia! It's alright, I'll take a nap in Randy's hospital room at noon."
Charles felt that it wasn't as simple as his mother was making it out to be, but seeing that she didn't want to elaborate, he didn't press further.
After a while, Jade and Fannie emerged from their rooms.
Jade stretched mightily, yawning, "I finally got to sleep in. You don't know how tiring it is—I've been getting up an hour earlier every day to make them breakfast when you're not home."
Patricia apologized, "Sorry, Jade, that you got dragged into my responsibilities."
Jade dismissed it nonchalantly, "Why so formal with me? I'm their Jade, it's natural for me to take care of them."
Still not fully awake, Fannie rubbed her eyes and asked, "Mommy, what's for breakfast today?"
Patricia smiled, "Sandwiches and hot chocolate milk, all your favorites."
Upon hearing there were scallion pancakes, Fannie's eyes immediately lit up with excitement. It had been so long since she last tasted the sandwiches made by mommy's own hands, and she missed them dearly.
The four of them surrounded the dining table, happily finishing their breakfast. Patricia began to clear away the dishes while saying to Jade, “Jade, could you drop Fannie off at kindergarten for me? Charles and I have some matters to attend to, so we’ll be there a bit later.”
Jade and Fannie, unsuspecting, happily agreed. A faint unease began to take root in Charles's heart; mommy's behavior today seemed unusually odd. His premonition was soon validated.
After Jade and Fannie left, Patricia took out Charles’s suitcase and began to pack his belongings. Charles's unease grew: “Mommy, why are you packing my bags? Are we going somewhere?”
Patricia didn't answer, silently continuing her packing. Her silence only heightened Charles's sense of impending doom. A terrifying thought crossed his little mind.
“Mommy, are you packing my bags because you're planning to send me to the Langley family?”
Patricia paused her packing at that question—neither confirming nor denying. She closed the suitcase with a snap, zipped it up, pulled out the handle, and, grasping the handle in one hand, took Charles’s small hand with the other.
Her lack of denial was confirmation enough for Charles; his heart sank. Yanking his hand away with force, he took two wary steps back. “I don’t want to go to the Langley family.”
Patricia's complexion was ashen, like leaves on the verge of withering—with not a trace of vitality. “You don’t have a choice! As Martin’s eldest son, whatever the reason, you should return to the Langley family. With your intelligence and wit, you’re the most suitable heir to your daddy.”
Charles wasn't listening, his emotion overriding reason: “Is this Martin Langley’s doing?”
In his agitation, he dared to call Martin by his name. He felt the man unworthy of the title 'daddy.' A man who did nothing but bully his mommy.
Hearing him address Martin so informally, Patricia frowned in displeasure. “He is your daddy. How could you call him by his name? Besides, he didn’t force me; he doesn't even know about this.”
Overwhelmed by anger, the usually calm and clever Charles was unable to think straight; all he could focus on was the notion that mommy didn't want him anymore, that she was sending him away. At this thought, his eyes reddened with a sense of betrayal.
“You needn’t defend him. It must be him—otherwise, why send me away? I should never have trusted him. He promised he wouldn’t force me to return and that I could always stay with you—what a liar and betrayer he is.”
Having finished speaking, she walked up to Patricia, grasped her arm and pleaded, "Mommy, please don't send me away, okay? I don't want to leave you. I promise I'll stop being naughty. I will study hard, listen to the teacher, and never play pranks on classmates anymore. Can I stay by your side, please?"
As he spoke, tears fell in big drops.
His little nose turned red.
He looked so pitiable, like a little bunny.
Patricia had never seen him like this before.
Charles had always been especially bright and mischievous since he was a baby, and from the age of half a year old, she had never seen tears on his face, yet now he was crying.
It was clear how heartbroken he was.
Patricia's heart clenched in waves of pain, and she almost couldn't resist pulling him into her arms and telling him she would never abandon him.
Unfortunately, she couldn't.
Samuel was right.
She had been involved in one incident after another: the last kidnapping, the elderly lady's accident, and yesterday's incident with Debbie. If it weren't for Martin, she might have died many times over.
If she kept Charles by her side, it would only put him in danger.
She couldn't even protect herself, how could she protect him?
What if the news that he was Martin's son accidentally leaked, and those coveting the Langley family's wealth targeted Charles?
She didn't want the kidnapping to happen again.
Martin was the only one who could protect Charles.
For the sake of Charles's safety, Patricia had to steel her heart and push him away: "No, you must go to the Langley family! It's not as if we are parting forever. Even if you go to the Langley family, you're still my son, and if I miss you, I can come to visit you anytime."
The moment Patricia pushed him away, Charles's heart shattered.
Tears flooded like a breached dam, unstoppable.
"I don't want to! I want to be with you. I will miss you every day; can you come to be with me every day? You're just deceiving me, placating me, to trick me into going to the Langley family, but I won't be fooled!"
Patricia knew Charles was stubborn and headstrong, and if she didn't push him, he definitely wouldn't agree.
"So you're not going? If you don't, then you're no longer my son, and I will publicly disown you!"
No one knew how much her heart ached when she said those words.
It felt as though it was being torn apart, bleeding.
Her threat turned Charles's little face utterly pale, as white as a sheet.
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