Chapter 15 Chapter Fifteen
Mark recounted his encounter with us, explaining that he needed to clear his mind after the devastating loss of his beloved sister Martha. He planned to take a long ride, hoping that the refreshing breeze would alleviate some of his pain.
"I had no idea where I was going or what was happening around me. All I wanted at that moment was to ride aimlessly until I saw your car flipping," Mark said, his expression filled with sorrow. I could sense the weight on his shoulders as he paused and locked eyes with me.
As he continued speaking, his sad demeanor disappeared and continued... He had rushed to our side to check if we were alright, "But you had already passed out." He said.
This sudden change in his behavior caught me off guard. Why was I the only one who lost consciousness? Wasn't it Charlie?
"What do you mean by that?" I asked him with a serious face.
"Wasn't Charlie also unconscious when you found us?" Mark's expression proved my sister was not.
"What did she say to you?" I asked, hoping to uncover what my sister had revealed to him before taking her last breath, I questioned.
Mark nodded, confirming that he had been present during Charlie's final moments. The floodgates of my emotions opened, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
"What did she say? What was her final moment like?" I bombarded Mark with countless questions, making it clear that he didn't know where to begin with his responses. However, he did answer my last question.
"Did she...Did my sister...suffer before taking her last breath?" I choked out the words, my anguish evident.
The thought of her experiencing pain in her final moments was unbearable, and my tears continued to flow.
I couldn't comprehend what Mark was babbling about; I was too consumed by my grief to focus on his words. I even thought he was taunting me when he uttered, "Please, help my sister."
All I wanted to know was if Charlie had a peaceful end, and yet he dared to mock me. However, it turned out he wasn't mocking; he was merely repeating Charlie's last words before she passed away.
"Please, get my sister some help...p...p...please," he mimicked Charlie's frail voice. Those were the last words she spoke, and hearing them struck me like a dagger to the heart. It felt as though my soul had been ripped out of my chest, and I couldn't catch my breath.
"Your sister was worried about you until her last breath," Mark disclosed, causing unimaginable pain to surge through me.
Mark's words hit me like knives to the chest, causing immense pain. The fact that she worried so much about me, even until her dying breath, was incredibly painful.
Her final words were a plea, "Please... help... my dear Marlie." Mark's words only intensified my pain.
I collapsed to the floor, desperately trying to purge myself of the agony. It wasn't that Mark didn't care to assist me, but anyone who has experienced such anguish knows that at that moment, all I needed was solitude to mourn.
I was unaware of the time Mark left the office, but it was clear in my conscience when he returned, offering me a glass of water.
"On that day, I believe my younger sister guided me there." He declared. While this gesture didn't fully console me, it provided a small degree of comfort.
I accepted the glass of water from Mark's outstretched hand and took a small sip.
"Now you understand why I'm offering you my assistance, right? Both your sister and mine entrusted you to me in some way. You are now the Martha I couldn't protect the first time. So, I won't let this second chance she has given me go to waste," Mark explained with certainty.
Indeed, I needed help, so I agreed. Even if Charlie didn't ask, I felt compelled to make those who caused her suffering pay. I couldn't exact revenge alone, so I required Mark's assistance.
I wanted the surgery to be done as soon as possible because revenge is best served cold. But before that, I wanted my sister to be cremated.
I desired to have my sister's ashes with me when I visited the Baristanas' household. "I want my sister to witness how I set that house on fire," I declared with a cold glint in my eyes.
No one in the city knew Charlie was dead. Not even my parent. And I wasn't ready to tell them anyway. In their world, the person who died will be me.
Charlie's body was prepared for cremation, and I must say that even in death, she remained beautiful as always.
As I passed by her lifeless body, I made a promise to scatter her ashes only when those responsible paid. "Every single person involved in your pain will be held accountable. I won't spare anyone."
Though Mark wasn't a part of our family, he was the only one there to pay his final respects to Charlie.
"Marlie..." Mark sat beside me in the front row of seats. My gaze remained fixated on my sister's body as if fearing she would be taken if I dared to look away.
Mark proceeded, despite my lack of response. "They discovered something in Charlie's bag during the funeral preparations."
Surprise and curiosity painted my expression as I wondered what they had found. I had completely forgotten about her belongings since I had entrusted Mark with overseeing all the arrangements.
It seemed as though Mark knew what my question would be as he gently continued. There were some documents he was holding.
He delicately placed the papers he held into my outstretched hand.
Enraged by the bold words written on top of the documents, I held them tightly.
"A divorce agreement!" was written prominently at the top, and Chad and Charlie had already signed it.
So he wanted to get rid of my sister? I scoffed at the very thought. "In his wildest dreams," I promised my sister, vowing to make him regret ever crossing our path. Tears were the last thing on my mind. That was the final straw.
Furious, I left the rest of the cremation processing to Mark. "Let's move the surgery to today. I don't want to waste any more time." I declared.
A new Charlie will be born today. Not a timid and innocent Charlie everyone knows, but a Charlie with Marlie's fury.
Be prepared!!!