CHAPTER 4 Unforgettable Pain

CHARLES' PENTHOUSE (3 YEARS AGO)

"You have been avoiding me the whole evening Charles, Tell me. Did I do anything wrong?" Olivia asked as she looks at Charles, yearning for him to at least say a word to her.

She had walked into this house twenty minutes ago and had come into Charleston's room to drop the flowers she got for him. But Charles didn't say a single word to her, neither did he appreciate the flowers.

"Charles?"

Olivia called out and when it was clearly obvious that he wasn't going to talk to her, she went to sit on the bed, next to him.

"Are you still mad about the marriage thing?" Olivia had a smile on her face, Charleston had looked at her and sighed.

"Why? You think it's funny?"

"God damn it, Charles. I clearly told you my reasons, you have to understand me."

"There's no reason in what you said. Olivia, you know I loved you. I have always done, Now, tell me why you said no to my marriage proposal and still pretend nothing is wrong?"

Earlier yesterday, Charleston had hosted a surprise for Olivia just so he could propose to her. How far he had come to love her was what he had wondered over and over again. Perhaps it's because of just how innocent she was.

It had broken his heart when Olivia refused to take his ring, with no specific reason as to why she couldn't marry him.

"Charles. I am going to say yes to you but not now. It's too early, and I'm at a stage where I needed to fix some things before committing my life to you as my husband."

"Tell me what it is that needed to be done?"

"It's not something you need to know of right now, Charles."

"If you ain't gonna marry me, neither give me a good solid reason and still want me to pretend nothing happened. Then Olivia, Let's break up."

The words were hard coming out of his mouth, but they needed to be said. He needed to say those words to her, with the belief that it will make a change of heart... But Charleston had been more than a surprise when Olivia's response was just simple.

"As you wish, Charleston."

Olivia dropped the flower next to him, Stood up, and without saying a single word to him again, walks out of the room. And away she goes, out of his building and getting into her car. As much as that word had hurt her so much, she was glad it was said, after all... She has only a 10% chance of making it out alive.

If Charles hadn't said those words, she was going to tell him that anyways. It was hurtful having to let go. But she had wanted no one to get hurt or feel guilty because of her. The reason she had wanted to cut ties with him, and perhaps come back later if she ever makes it out.

Charleston had wanted to stop her, to tell her he was only joking and can't live without her. But he didn't just understand why he couldn't say anything.

"Boss?" Andrew called after him, opening the door and looking at him.

"Are you okay? I saw Olivia leave and she seems sad."

"I broke up with her. Set me bathing water." Charleston had said that last part, just so Andrew won't have to question him on what went wrong.

Charleston had decided to visit Olivia the next day and talk about themselves. All he wanted was to understand her and what was going on. He had wanted to believe Olivia was seeing someone else, but hell! He knows Olivia will never do that.

"Okay, Boss."

Charleston pulled his car over at Olivia's apartment. Welcomed by the Unusual silence, he proceed to enter the home. Everywhere was neat, except that no one was home and the door is just open.

He had called Olivia over and over again but when she wasn't answering, he had assumed she was still mad at him and so, he decided to visit her instead as he had planned. To ask for forgiveness and to make things right.

"Olivia?!" He called out and there was silence until an older woman walked into the sitting room, her eyes so red and heavy. Charleston recognized her to be Olivia's mother. He had met her only once on one of his visits to Olivia.

It was surprising to see her here because Olivia didn't tell him about the presence of her mother.

"Ma... I didn't know you came over. "

"Charleston? Is that you?! " Her voice was breaking and she started crying immediately. Confused Charleston tried his best to comfort her by making her sit down and petting her back.

"What's wrong? Where is Olivia? I was calling her earlier but she wasn't answering. Where's she?"

"She didn't tell you too?!"

Charleston was confused. Is there anything that he needed to know that he wasn't aware of?

"Olivia had been suffering from cancer for the past two years, she didn't tell me. She never told anyone till it was at its 4th stage which requires surgery. I pleaded with her to let the surgery take place but she insisted on trying to fix certain things. Coming back yesterday, I was surprised that she signed the informed consent form."

"So... She's at the hospital?" Charleston hadn't known the best question to ask in this situation. Why did she hide something as big as this from him? Was she afraid of what his reaction will be or what?!

The only thing he wanted to know was that she was totally fine and he can visit her. And to think she signed that form right after he broke up with her. Was that the main reason she had said No to his proposal? Had she wanted the breakup to happen so she can proceed with the surgery?

"Olivia... Olivia didn't make it!" The words were simple and short, but they had broken him into many pieces.