34

ABRM34

CHARLOTTE'S POV:-

Gathering all the strength that I had in me, I walked up to him. “What are you doing here?” He asked, a stunned look on his face.

“After all those promises, you had to lie to me. And you expect me to believe you. How can I believe you when you lie to me all the time, Ben? I asked you many times in three days, and you said you were fine.” I kept my voice down because we were in a hall where everyone could hear us.

I didn't want to create a drama in front of everyone. Benjamin grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckle. “I didn't want you to feel pressured about the offer I made. I have forced you to do everything I wanted. This time, I wanted you to make a decision freely.” At least, he didn't lie to me again.

I was standing by his bed, staring at him while a million thoughts went through my head. He suddenly offered me his hand, as if asking me to come even closer. I didn't know it at first but a smile appeared on my face as I placed my hand into his and walked toward him.

I was about to sit on the chair that was placed beside the bed but Benjamin stopped me. “Not there. I want you closer.” He whispered but I heard him loud and clear. He was patting the space in front of him on the bed, gesturing to me to actually lie down with him.

My cheeks burned as I looked around at the people who stopped doing whatever they were doing, and were watching us as if they were watching a romantic movie. “Ben! Everyone is watching us.” I whimpered while shaking my head. My cheeks burned as I didn't like being the center of attention.

“Everyone is watching us?” He asked, actually repeating my words. I nodded my head, narrowing my eyes as I sat down on the bed. Benjamin pulled me all of a sudden and I laid in his arms.

“Hey, everyone!” He called out loud, making me feel embarrassed all of a sudden.

Showing the crowd his middle finger, he shouted again. “Fuck you all! She is mine!” My eyes widened in horror as I heard Benjamin cursing at all the other patients.

“BEN!” I almost shouted at him angrily. Instead of remorse, I found him rolling his eyes on me as if it was funny in any way. A gasp escaped my lips as he placed his free hand on my thigh. Despite the thick fabric pants that I was wearing, I felt his touch on my bare skin for some reason.

“Nurse!” He shouted, making me jump.

“Yes, Mr Leblanc!” The nurse asked.

“Give me that damn private room you were talking about.” My heart almost leapt into my throat as I heard him.

“Yes, Mr Leblanc.” The nurse replied and she walked out of the hall. I gasped again as Benjamin wrapped his arms around my waist and tried to pull me to lay down with him.

“Ben! Behave! Everyone is watching us.” I tried to scold him but my voice was barely audible at that time.

Benjamin chuckled softly and I was glad as he didn't force me to lay down on the bed with him again. The nurse came back to the hall with a wheelchair. Ben sat down on that wheelchair and she pushed him out of the hall.

Once we were inside the room, my heart skipped a few beats as Benjamin opened his arms. “Lie down with me if you want me to survive this.” I frowned as I heard him.

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“You saw what was happening to me before I had you by my side. Now quick before I start to throw up again.” He spoke in a low tone and was gagging in between.

Taking a deep breath, I laid down with him. He held me like a little spoon in his arms and buried his face in the nape of my neck. “Huh! Ben… what are you doing?” I whimpered softly as my body started to burn.

“I am trying to breathe. Why?” He replied so calmly. My heart was pounding against my rib cage. It was that same feeling from years ago. That same feeling was burning inside my body.

“Hey, Tinkerbell!” When I didn't say anything for a while, Ben whispered in my ear. That name made me grit my teeth in anger.

“Why the hell would you call me that? I am no longer short. I am tall enough not to be called that stupid fairy.” I asked him angrily and of course, my anger made him chuckle again.

“Why are you even laughing?” I asked him and he placed a soft kiss on my shoulder.

“I like calling you Tinkerbell. Anyways, I needed to ask you something.”

“I have decided to stay, Ben!” I knew well about the question he had in his mind. I tried to turn when I didn't get any response from him after. But he stopped me. As if he didn't want me to look at his face.

“Is it because of cancer?” He asked in a serious tone. Now I really had to look him in the eye. But he just didn't let me move.

“No! It's because of Charlie.” I whispered softly as I grabbed his hand and intertwined my fingers with his. I could almost imagine him staring at the back of my head with a confused look on his face. I could almost hear the questions going through his mind. It was almost as if we had actually spent the last fourteen years together.

It was almost laughable how we were a perfect match for each other yet things didn't work out between us. Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder if I wouldn't have gotten pregnant with Charlie, would we still be together. On the other hand, it was still a fucking mystery how he impregnate me without touching me.

“I have lived almost half of my life without my parents. My brother was greedy as fuck. Back then I believed him when he said he wanted to take me back because I was the only family he had. But after everything that he did to me, I know well now that Nana was absolutely right about him. He just wanted to make sure that he gets everything in the end.” I started to explain to him why I made up my mind.

After a month, when I saw Charlie's face again, it squeezed my heart to the point where I was wondering if I was getting a heart attack. The fear of being torn between his parents and the pain of losing either one of us was crushing him. For the first time, I saw dark circles under her eyes. He looked pale and thin and his eyes were red. It was not because of the stress. He was a born genius like his father and I. The only fear he had on his heart was to lose either one of us because I refused to accept Benjamin again.

Being a woman was the easiest thing but being a mother was the worst kind of blessing. It's a blessing, worse than a curse. A woman can always keep her head high, take revenge and can even kill. But a mother must always compromise for the sake and well being of her child.

“Today, when he informed me about you, I saw fear in his eyes. And that fear is eating him from inside. I can bear anything, I can bow to anyone for the sake of that boy who gave me strength to keep on living when I gave up and only wanted to end my life.” Tears started flowing freely from my eyes as I remembered that time.

I had given up when I was attacked. I thought without Ben, my life was over. And I didn't have anything to keep my hopes up either. I could only think about my baby and that's when I started fighting. Even though they were too many and twice powerful, I still didn't give up because I wanted to live for my baby.

Benjamin's hold around my waist loosened up as he turned me around in his arms. I was stunned looking at his face. His eyes were red and we're glistening with tears. “Then are you ready to face him?” He asked me calmly, making my heart skip a few beats. I gulped hard as I was still not ready to face him after everything.

Benjamin pinched my chin lightly and guided my gaze back to his as I tried to narrow my head. “Charlotte! He is a child. He spent his whole life with you. Now you are pushing him away. What else do you expect from him? He will get sick if you don't give up your stubbornness.” Benjamin whispered softly while staring into my eyes.

Tears started welling up in my eyes. I was angry. I restrained myself from punching him again or breaking his nose somehow. “It was all your fault. How dare you accuse me of cheating when you know better that I had never even let another man ever kiss me before?” I was growling at him angrily because he asked a question he should never have asked me.

Benjamin was calmed. I saw a hint of guilt in his eyes as he cupped my face with his free hand and wiped my tears gently with the rough pad of his thumb. “I have no idea who told that bastard lawyer all those lies about you. I will find out whoever was behind it.” He tried to convince me that it was not his idea.

Though, I was not very much interested. Deep inside, I knew that he knew me. And Charlie's existence was a living and breathing evidence that I was faithful to Benjamin. After seeing Charlie's face, he didn't have any doubts in his head. Then I came to know, his mind and his heart agreed to get me back. It was our fates that parted us all those years ago.

“Charlotte! Your son trusts you more than his father. I was stunned how he was talking to that bastard after hearing the rubbish about you at the court.” My breath hitched as I heard him. I was staring in his eyes while holding my breath.

“He asked me what I thought. I wanted to know what was going into his mind. As I was never really there for our child. He clearly told me that my mama can never be a cheater. And he was quite confident when he told me that you still have feelings for me. That's why, despite being with that boyfriend of yours, you never even let him kiss you like couples do.” My heart skipped a beat at the discovery.

“I know, it will be a little difficult at first. To face him. The guilt that you feel inside you, it's just ghostly. You need to take a step forward to get rid of it. And I will be there with you, Tinkerbell.” He whispered softly while staring into my eyes.

Wiping my tears, I nodded my head. He pulled me back to his chest. To be honest, the hesitation was no longer between us. We were fine. I pulled away from him after a while and tried to get up but as I turned, he pulled me back in his arms, caging me in his arms. “And where do you think you are going, Tinkerbell?” He asked me, his tone now was laced with tease and seduction.

“Ben! Let go of me. We are in the hospital.” I tried to yell at him but I couldn't. Yes, we were at the hospital. But that's not why half of my voice was stuck into my throat. He had buried his face in the crock of my neck and I could feel a bulge in his pants, poking me from behind.