Fan Fiction |
by Sensitivegal
Chapter Twenty Six 'What's Going On?'
‘What’s going on?’ Patrick Velcois shouted when he entered the room.
Charlene backed away behind Edison. Her father was really angry. She had never seen him this angry in her life. Edison glanced at his side to look at Charlene.
‘Sir,’ Daniel spoke when he got his voice back. ‘We were just going to take a flight back today.’
‘Why didn’t you call me when you found her?’
‘I…’ Daniel couldn’t think up an excuse.
‘Charlene,’ Patrick called out. Charlene let out a sob. Patrick saw his daughter hiding behind a young man. Anger ran down his vein. ‘Come here.’
Gillian watched the seen. She couldn’t tell what was going on and who these people were. ‘What is going on here?’ she asked.
‘I’d like to know the same thing,’ Patrick said. He was glaring at Edison.
Edison didn’t flinch at all. He stayed there hiding Charlene with his body.
‘Who are you?’ Nicholas asked Patrick.
‘I’m Charlene’s father Patrick Velcois.’
It was Gillian and Nicholas gasping now in shock.
‘Now, I want Charlene to explain,’ Patrick ignored the two.
Charlene got angry all of a sudden. She pushed Edison away and stood in front of her father face to face glaring at him.
‘Explain what?’ she spat angrily. ‘Why I ran away?’
‘Yes,’ he yelled.
‘Because you’re so selfish that I can’t stand it no longer!’ she answered. ‘You never cared for me. All you did was lock me up in that prison house of yours. I never once had a friend who I shared my secrets or did things others do! You kept Vicki away from me because she’s right what she says that you’re being unfair!’ Charlene took a deep breath after the long speech she just flung at her father.
Patrick was lost at words for the first time. He had never known that he was being selfish. He hadn’t thought of Charlene being miserable. All he thought about was protecting her from the cruel world.
‘Charlene,’ Edison whispered. He came and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She didn’t move him away. She leaned her body on him. She was really tired and her illness wasn’t helping her either. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘What’s wrong?’ Patrick quickly asked worriedly. He came to her other side and took her hand. He touched her forehead with the back of his other hand.
‘I said I’m fine,’ Charlene shrieked. She stepped back away from Edison and her father. Edison and Patrick looked at each other.
‘Who are you?’ Patrick asked. He found Edison familiar.
‘Edison Chen,’ he replied.
Patrick stared at him for several seconds before releasing his breath he didn’t know he was keeping in. ‘Let’s go, Charlene.’
Gillian stepped in after recovering from the shock of finding out Charlene’s father is Patrick Velcois, the man they were trying to buy off his company. ‘Wait a minute,’ Gillian said. ‘I have to say something to Charlene.’
Charlene looked at Gillian. She was surprised that she hadn’t gone and that she wanted to talk to her. ‘Yes?’
‘Why didn’t you tell me that your father is Patrick Velcois?’
‘I didn’t want anyone to know,’ she answered truthfully.
‘Even when we were friends?’
‘We were?’ Charlene repeated. ‘Aren’t we still friends?’
Gillian shook her head. ‘A friend is when she shares every secret with the other. And a friend doesn’t go behind another friends’ back with the guy she likes.’
‘We haven’t even had a relationship to begin with,’ Edison said before Charlene could speak. ‘I always wondered why Charlene kept running away from me. It was all because of you.’
Gillian jerked her head towards Edison. ‘You’re lying.’
‘Why would I lie for? You say she wasn’t a good friend? Well you’re wrong. She could have had a relationship with me but she didn’t just for you. I hope you’re happy.’
Nicholas frowned. Charlene bowed her head low. Gillian felt guilty. Daniel, Mel and Leo didn’t want to get involved. Patrick didn’t like what he was hearing.
‘I said let’s go Charlene,’ Patrick repeated impatiently. He walked ahead. Charlene followed obediently.
Edison snaked his hand over hers and gripped it making her halt at her step. ‘Please don’t go,’ he pleaded.
Patrick stopped ahead and turned to look at Edison. ‘Young man, let go of ma daughter’s hand,’ he demanded.
‘Not until she hears me out,’ Edison said stubbornly. ‘Charlene, I love you and I know you love me too.’
Charlene looked at Edison helplessly. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered.
A tear rolled down Edison’s eyes. ‘Why are you being sorry?’
‘Young man,’ Patrick called out. ‘Why don’t you go and get yourself prepared for the meeting we have tomorrow. You are after all trying to put my business down and take over.’
Edison didn’t respond to that. He turned his back to everyone not wanting them to see him crying. Charlene felt her heart ache for him. But she couldn’t do anything.
‘Hold on,’ Nicholas for the first time spoke up. He went and stood in front of Patrick. ‘What’s going to happen now? You got Charlene back, what are you going to do?’ Everyone stared at him questioningly at what his point was. He didn’t let Patrick reply as he continued. ‘Would you lock her up again? Deprive her of friends? Would you let her suffer alone?’
Patrick was dumb founded. ‘What are you talking?’
‘You know what I’m talking about,’ Nicholas said.
Patrick face reddened in anger. He was being put in his place more than once in one day. He stalked over to Charlene and grabbed her hand. Charlene cried out in shock. Edison didn’t turn around at all to stop her from leaving. Patrick then stalked out. Daniel, Mel and Leo had to run to catch up with them.
Why did the one true person he loved walk away in his life? Edison thought. She loved him, he could tell just looking into her eyes. He accepted her being Patrick’s daughter. He loved her too much to let that come in the way.
‘Are you okay?’ Nicholas asked from behind.
Edison wiped the tears away with the back of his hands. ‘Yes.’ He was glad that his voice didn’t come out as shaky as he thought.
‘Are you sure?’ it was Gillian who asked now.
‘Of course.’ Edison turned around to show them he was fine. ‘I’m going to go back to work. Don’t you think you should be as well?’
Nicholas had never seen his friend this emotional about anyone. Heck he didn’t shed a tear at his fathers’ funeral. He always bottled his emotions up perfectly making people believe that he was a strong heartless man. Yet today he was no such thing as strong or heartless.
Gillian realised that she had made a mistake. She had been too wrapped up in her own world that she hadn’t realised who she was hurting around her. Charlene was a true friend and she hadn’t. Now Edison was in an emotional state even though he wasn’t showing it. She could feel it behind the mask he puts up. It was all her fault.
All of them left the room quietly closing the door behind.
Charlene didn’t as much as look at her father. She kept her head bowed and sat silently behind the limousine.
‘Charlene,’ Patrick called her name.
Charlene tended to ignore him.
‘Charlene,’ Patrick called again but this time his voice rising.
Charlene’s eyes shot up glaring at him. ‘What?’
‘When we go back tomorrow night I don’t want you to remember anything you leave behind.’
Charlene moved her gaze to the window. She didn’t reply to him. She didn’t think she could forget a single second of her days in America. She didn’t think she could forget the first and only love.
Charlene suddenly looked up at her father. ‘What happened to make Edison hate you? What did you do?’