Chapter 144 Separation of Mother and Son
Seeing him like this, Patricia's eyes reddened and gradually misted over; to prevent Charles from seeing, she took a deep breath, holding back her tears.
"Let's go! After I drop you off, I still need to visit the hospital."
Charles kept backing away until he was against the wall, unable to retreat further. He stopped and stared at Patricia in disbelief.
"You're willing to sever our mother-son relationship just to get rid of me?"
Patricia’s heart was resolute as she deliberately kept a stern face, "I merely wish for you to return to the Langley family. Even if you blame me, it doesn’t matter to me. No matter what, the blood of the Langley family runs through your veins."
She knew all too well that if she told Charles the truth, he would never leave.
He might even feel obliged to protect her. She couldn't be that selfish, to leave a child with such danger.
Catching the fleeting look of reluctance and distress in her eyes, Charles was momentarily stunned, then hope reignited within him. He approached, took hold of her hand, and tearfully pleaded, "Mommy, can we go back to country A?"
Patricia pondered, "...? Return to country A?"
Thinking there was hope, Charles nodded vigorously, "Yes, to country A! Fannie and I grew up there; it’s our true home. Let's go back, please! Once we're in country A, everything here will be none of our concern."
Patricia wavered.
A return to country A would indeed mean severing ties with the Langley family.
The kidnappers wouldn't chase after Charles to country A.
But this thought was quickly dismissed by her.
"No, we can't leave! What about Randy?"
Charles hurriedly said, "We'll take him with us! He'd surely agree to leave with us."
Patricia frowned, "Randy’s health doesn’t permit long travels. He wouldn’t endure it! Besides, he still requires two more surgeries. If I leave, who will tend to his illness? He's also my son, can I just watch him suffer and do nothing?"
"But..." Charles understood the logic but couldn't let go.
Patricia knew what he was thinking and cut him off, "These past years, I wasn't there for him, which led to many health issues. I've finally helped him start to lead a normal life, I can't let that progress go to waste."
To Charles, her words echoed differently.
He pushed her aside in a fit of rage and accused, "You favor Randy, you love Randy and not me! Ever since returning to country Z, you've always been with him, leaving me and Fannie in Jade's care. You don’t love me at all! And now, for him, you'd even cast me off to the Langley family."
As soon as the words escaped his lips, he regretted them.
He regretted saying something so hurtful in a moment of anger.
Hearing this would surely break Mommy's heart!
But once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back.
He held his breath stubbornly, unwilling to admit his mistake.
His words, sharp as arrows, repeatedly and ruthlessly pierced Patricia's heart.
The fact that he could say such things this year shows that he has harbored these thoughts for a while.
Patricia looked at Charles with disappointment, and her tears, no longer containable, began to fall: "Charles, you've disappointed me so much!
I've always treated you three siblings equally and cherished you all the same.
I've been by Randy's side lately only because he's been sick and needs my company.
Over these four years, all my love went to you and Fannie, while he could only miss me through my photos.
Manic depression, heart disease, asthma, gastric illness!
He's just a four-and-half-year-old child, yet he suffers from ailments like an old man.
Debbie even deliberately put allergens in his food to exacerbate his asthma, making it worse.
Had I not discovered it in time, he might now be nothing but a cold corpse.
I always thought you were the most sensible, the most obedient, but I never expected you to say such things.
To accuse me of favoritism, to question my love for you."
Seeing his mother's disappointed and saddened expression, Charles realized how excessive his words had been. He took her hand and apologized with his head bowed: "Mommy, I'm sorry, I was just speaking out of anger. I know you're not biased at all. I shouldn't be jealous of Randy; he is my own little brother."
Knowing she had been too harsh, Patricia sighed, crouched down, and gently wiped away the tears from his face, her tone becoming softer.
"Charles, I know you don't want to leave Mommy! But Mommy really has no choice! Be a good boy and go to Daddy, okay? Whenever Mommy has time, I'll come to see you. Aside from the change in living environment, everything else remains the same."
Charles, mimicking her, reached out to wipe away her tears. He couldn't bear to make Mommy cry anymore. Despite his reluctance, he still obediently nodded in agreement: "Okay, I promise you, I'll go to the Langley family."
Only he knew the courage it took to utter those words.
The thought of being separated from his mother, not sharing a household registration anymore made him so upset that he felt like dying, unable to control his tears.
His tears, one by one, fell on Patricia's hand, their heat scalding as they seared directly into her heart.
Her forcefully feigned indifference shattered, and she pulled Charles into her arms, gently patting his back to comfort him: "Charles, even though you're not by Mommy’s side, you must remember that I love you. No matter what happens, you are still Mommy's most obedient son."
Charles nodded, as if agreeing, not saying anything more, but his tears fell even more fiercely.
Mother and son had wept in each other's arms for a while before Patricia finally straightened up, pulling the suitcase again, and leading Charles out of the apartment. They got into the car and headed for Ellenstein Villa District.
On the way, she sent a message to Martin.
“I and Charles will arrive in half an hour. Wait for us at home.”
The instant reply came: “Okay!”
Due to the morning rush hour, traffic was heavy, and it took Patricia a full hour to get Charles to Ellenstein Villa District.
Martin had been waiting for a long time.
Seeing Patricia with one hand on the suitcase and the other holding Charles, both with red, puffy eyes as if they had just had a good cry, he was momentarily taken aback and asked with concern, “What's the matter? Have you been crying?”
Patricia vehemently denied it, but deep down in Charles's heart, he was convinced that Martin had pressured Patricia into this, which made Martin's current display of concern seem extremely insincere. Pouting his lips and tilting his head stubbornly, Charles didn't want to acknowledge him.
Martin was puzzled: “...??”
Patricia handed over the suitcase and Charles directly to Martin: “Take good care of Charles. If he misses me, call me, and I will come to see him.”
Her voice was hoarse.
As if she had cried herself hoarse.
“What... what's going on?” Martin was completely bewildered.
He couldn't understand how, after just one sleep, everything had changed like this.
Patricia dared not look back at Charles, fearing that another glance would soften her heart and make her take him back with her. So without another word, she turned around and walked towards the door.
“Mommy...”
Watching her resolute figure, the tears Charles had managed to hold back fell once again.
That brief utterance was filled with immense reluctance.
Patricia’s heart ached terribly; she stopped for a moment, did not turn back, and then took another step away.
Watching her fading into the distance, Charles's vision became utterly blurred with tears, and he almost couldn't help running after her. His right foot had just lifted when he remembered the promise he made to his mother, and he forcefully set it back down.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
