❥𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆

Chapter 86

Narrator

The air was thick with tension, barely bearable to breathe without struggle. The words were stuck inside Charles' throat, just his mind keeping his tongue from moving, knowing he will regret it. He could never spill the truth. Not with his family at risk.

Never before had he wanted to say so much,
but said so little.
Never before had he felt so much,
but stayed so silent.

It was when Valerie decided to take a step towards him, that he finally exhaled, leaving out the air that he held so painfully in his lungs. She made that step like someone was grabbing her foot from behind, trying to stop her motion. That much she was hesitating.

"I know that you still love me," she spoke through broken sobs, her eyes filling with tears, "I know it, you said it to me back at the hospital and-"

"I do!", he cried out louder, bringing it across his lips like it would hurt to keep it hidden inside.
A shivered breath followed and Valerie could barely look at him.

"Then why-" she stopped, sniffling her nose while staring past him. She knew that she wouldn't get an answer on that. So many nights she had laid in bed, wondering, asking herself: why?
The word became the very thing she woke up with in the morning and went to sleep with at night.

Her mouth opened again, inhaling sharply before speaking.

"You promised, Charlie...", she whispered, and it was so painful to say that she held her chest with her flat hand, trying not to burst out in endless tears.

"I know."
He wanted to storm into her arms, hold her, tell her everything will be okay. His eyes were filled with sorrow and he wished to end this torture more than anything.

"Why would you-" Another sob shook Valerie's body and she suddenly gasped for air more than before. She inhaled deeply, as if there wasn't enough oxygen around. The grip on her chest tightened as her eyes fainted away, still teary.

"Please, don't-" Charles said more quietly, looking at her intensely while noticing the signs her body screamed out, trembling, "please don't get upset, your... your heart."

Valerie's eyes flicked up to him, drawn with ache and exhaustion. She caught her breath, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"My heart is fine.", she finally declared more coldly, her voice still shaking though.

"Are you sure-"

"Just... leave me alone.", Valerie sniffled and stepped back as Charles intended to come closer.

Valerie turned on her heel and rushed out of the hotel room, with no destination to run to. There was no place in this godforsaken village that she could think of.
But she just needed to get away.
From him.
From this fight.
Everything.

Flying to Mexico with him was a terrible idea in the first place. Why didn't she listen to Carlos?
Why did she insist on leaving Canada with Charles, of all people?

Devastated, Valerie stumbled out of the hotel, walking on the concreted street. A sign that led to a park caught her eye, and with a blurred mind, she found herself a spot near a lake to lean against a tree, and just... cry.