Today was david and lcey’s wedding.
I watched as they exchanged vows and put their weddi y, hands on each other’s finger.
Then, Vavid hideki level and kis* her gently.
The guests applauded and cheered and gave the newlyweds their sirirerest wi’r’es M the maid of honor
and the best man, Vivian and I fulfilled our wedding tasks and were happy to see oft David and key
officially as husband and wife.
Chatle% was standing tight next to me.
As usual, he looked attractive and dignified in a s.,;*, but his eyes were colder than usual, like they
were attached to a lifeless machine.
I sighed and patted him on the shoulder.
Among the three of us, Charles used to be the happiest one.
But when James passed away and Scatlett left a year ago, he was suddenly plunged into a bottomless
pit of despair.
James’s death was difficult on everyone, especially the elders of the Moore family.
I heard that Alice had tried to contact Scarlett but hadn’t been able to.
As the days passed, Charles just isolated himself more and more.
He refused to spend nri-le with me and David, and he only worked day and night.
Suddenly, Charles stood up and left.
I frowned and followed him.
He headed to the garden, approached the swing set, and stood there like a statue.
I walked to him and fiddled with the swing’s chains.
Then, I pushed the swing even if there was no one on it.
Charles grabbed the chain and held the swing still.
"I brought their wedding gift.Will you tell David later?"
I didn’t say anything right away.
Charles raised his head and flashed me an icy look that made me shiver.
"1 want to be alone for a while, Spencer "
I sighed, nodded, and left the garden.
On my way back to the church, I ran into Vivian who seemed to be headed to the garden.
"No.Don’t go out there.Let’s take a walk someplace else."
Vivian was confused.
"Why?"
I took her hand and towed her away without answering her question.
"Have you broken up with your boyfriend yet?"
In the past year, Vivian and I had ended our sexual, no-strings-attached relationship.
She was in a relationship now, just not with me. Vivian withdrew her hand and squinted at me.
"Why do you care"
"Maybe we can try being together."
"Nice try, Spencer.I haven’t broken up with my boyfriend.In fact, things are going great between us."
Vivian chuckled and walked past me.
I wanted to run after her, but somebody stopped me.I turned around and saw the dashing groom,
David.
He asked, "Where’s Charles?"
"In the garden, moping around," I sighed.
"I don’t know what to do with him anymore.I'm so depressed, and I’m not sure if I can be of any help."
David pursed his lips, inhaled, and then exhaled loudly.
"I saw his gift.It’s the sports car I’ve always wanted.But…"
I knitted my eyebrows in confusion.
David handed me a card.
It was a gift card.
The wedding wishes were brief and to the point.
At the bottom were Charles’s and Scarlett’s names.
My heart ached.
I couldn’t help cursing, "Charles is such an idiot!"
David ran his fingers through his hair.
"They used to love each other so much.How could he forget? But I heard that Scarlett and William
were living together now.Spencer, what should Charles do?"
Charles’s POV:
After David’s wedding, I went back to Garden Street.I pushed the door open, half-expecting to find my
family inside, but it was still empty.
It had been a year, and even though I hadn’t seen Scarlett for that long now, I still felt like she was still
around.I went into the living room and approached our wedding photo on the wall.
In the photo, Scarlett was wearing a beautiful white dress and leaning against my chest.
On her flawless face was the happiest smile I’d ever seen.I raised my hand and brushed my fingers on
the photo from the hemline of her wedding dress to her lovely smiling face.
"Scarlett… My Scarlett…"
Her name was like razor blades through my throat.
The coldness of her photo against my fingers was a reminder that she had abandoned me.
I sat on the sofa and stared past the photo that once promised us a bright future.
"Charles…"
My mother called from behind, choking with sobs.
"Why are you here again? Come home to the Moore mansion with me.Everyone is waiting for you."
I stood up straight but didn’t move my eyes.
"Are Grandma and Grandpa doing okay?"
"Yes.They miss you very much.You haven’t come to see them for a while."
I lied, "I’ve just been working overtime a lot lately.There’s so much to be done.I can’t come to the
mansion today."
Grandma and Grandpa had spent more time with James than I did.
They loved my little boy dearly and always said that he was a carbon copy of rne.
If I came to see them, I would only remind them of the precious great-grandson that they James, the
bundle of joy that lit up their lives, had lost.
I was still alive, but James was gone was never coming back.
"Your work’s always your excuse.I know what you’re worried about, son, but you can’t refuse to see
your grandparents because of James forever.They’ve already lost their great and son.Do you want
them to lose their grandson, too?"
My mother desperately tried to stifle her sobs.
I walked up to her and gave her a hug.
"I didn’t mean that, Mom.I just don’t want them to be sadder than they already are."
"It was all my fault.I didn’t take good care of James."
"No, Mom.It wasn’t your fault.It was mine.I should’ve done a better job protecting my wife and my son."
My heart cracked and splintered like concrete shaken by an earthquake, but I kept my face neutral.
I put my arm on my mother’s shoulder, walked her out of the house, and asked the driver to take her
back to the Moore mansion: As I turned around and walked back into the house, I heard my mother
burst into tears.
Back in the living room, I stared at our wedding photo once again.
I tried to match Scarlett’s smile on the photo, but as I did, tears started streaming down my face.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda