The Parent Trap

Chapter 9: Home Sweet Home!

“You know?” Engfa asked, her voice trembling with surprise and disbelief. “How? I mean… you didn’t believe me—”

“I spoke with Pichy yesterday,” Charlotte interrupted, her tone firm yet laced with emotion. Engfa’s eyes widened in shock at the revelation. “She told me the truth—the same truth you shared with me a decade ago.” As Charlotte’s words hung in the air, her voice began to waver, revealing the storm of feelings she was struggling to contain.

Engfa’s gaze remained fixed on Charlotte, tears brimming in Engfa's eyes as she tried to process the weight of what had just been said. As moments slipped by, Engfa exhaled a shaky breath, releasing the tension that had coiled tightly in her chest.

“I…”

“I’m so sorry for not believing you. I let my anger and insecurities overshadow the truth, allowing jealousy to cloud my judgment instead of recognizing your words. I was too stubborn to listen, too proud to let you explain. Please forgive me, Engfa.”

Engfa remained silent, her eyes still locked onto Charlotte’s, filled with disbelief and hurt. The pain of the past decade surged within her—a decade in which Charlotte had dismissed her truths, forcing her to flee their home out of fear. Fear that the reality would confirm her worst fears, that Charlotte would truly leave her.

Now, with everything seemingly falling into place, she was caught in a whirlwind of emotions, unsure whether to feel relieved or lost.

“Say something, Engfa,” Charlotte pleaded, her voice breaking as desperation seeped into her words. She reached for Engfa’s hands, grasping them tightly as if trying to anchor her presence in this moment.

At first, Engfa was momentarily taken aback by the warmth of Charlotte's touch, feeling it as if it were a distant memory. But as she leaned into that connection, the familiar sensation began to resurface, slowly weaving clarity through the haze of her emotions.

"You could have divorced me without my signature on those papers. Why didn’t you?" Engfa found her voice again, a tremor of frustration lacing her words.

Charlotte stifled a few quiet sobs, carefully considering her response. Meeting Engfa’s gaze, she declared, "I was consumed by anger at the thought you had betrayed me. I couldn’t shake the image of you kissing Pichy behind my back—it felt like a betrayal of everything we built together."

She paused to gather her composure, exhaling slowly. "But despite everything, I never stopped loving you."

Engfa scoffed bitterly, "And what about Mew? He called off your engagement out of shame after he failed to search for my daughter?"

"Enough, please," Charlotte interrupted, exasperated. The heaviness that had engulfed them moments before lightened as she rolled her eyes. "Mew and I are not engaged. We never were."

"Then Snack was just lying?" Engfa probed, skeptical.

"Not exactly," Charlotte replied, her lips pressed into a tight line. She leaned back, staring at her lap. "Mew and I dated for almost a year, and yes, he proposed one night. That’s probably how Snack got the wrong idea."

After a moment of silence, Charlotte looked up to find Engfa staring at her expectantly. Sighing in exasperation, she added, "Obviously, I said no. Haven’t I made it clear? I never stopped loving you!"

"You dated someone else while we were still married," Engfa stated flatly.

"As if you didn’t!" was Charlotte’s sharp reply.

"I didn’t! Casual hook-ups don’t count as dating. There's a difference," Engfa insisted, trying to make her point clear.

Charlotte’s eyes brimmed with tears as she glared at Engfa. "So you did see other women," She turned away, crossing her arms defensively.