Every time he went out, Charles remained alert. With the help of professional investigators, he managed to prove that the photos were all artificial. He also had one investigator circle the abnormalities on all the photos as evidence, which displayed the differences between the original and artificial photos.
Additionally, he began to contact all the media agencies to attend the press conference he was preparing.
At the press conference, he would show all of the relevant evidence to prove Sheryl's innocence, which was of top priority to him.
As soon as Charles got busy with work, his phone rang. Charles looked at the caller ID and saw that it was a strange number.
After pausing for a while, he finally answered the phone call.
"Charles, this is Melissa," said his mother.
"Mom, what's up? Why are you calling?" Charles heaved a deep sigh of relief when he realized that the caller was his mom, not some stranger.
"Nothing specifically. I'm merely calling you to ask how you've been dealing with the matter? Any update yet?" Melissa responded in a soft tone, which was significantly different from the usual cold tone she had when talking to Sheryl.
"What's wrong, Mom? I'm still trying to find a way to solve it. Is the hotel uncomfortable?" Charles asked his mother in a concerned voice.
"I'm fine, Charles. Please, don't worry about me. I am strangely enough enjoying my stay here," she nodded, as she forgot she was on the phone and her son definitely couldn't see her action.
"Well, I'm relieved to hear that. Mom, please be patient. You just need to stay there for a few more days before you can return to Dream Garden," Charles smiled. As long as his family was living a happy life, he would always feel at ease.
"So, I guess that's it. I have nothing else to add to this conversation. You just finish what you need to do. Before I hang up the phone, I must remind you that, no matter how busy you are, you should eat regular meals and take care of yourself. You must promise me, okay?" Melissa kept nagging Charles about eating and looking after himself. Even though he was a grown man, she was worried about him.
"Mom, of course. I know it," Charles answered quickly.
After hanging up the phone, Charles glanced over at the clock. He wasn't sure whether Sheryl had fallen asleep.
Regardless of his uncertainty, he still dialed Sheryl's number.
"Sher, have you fallen asleep yet? Did I wake you?" Charles asked in a gentle voice. Hearing Charles' voice, she felt happy and replied, "I'm lying in bed now. Clark and Shirley have already fallen asleep."
"Okay, that's fine. You should sleep early tonight." After Charles confirmed that his family was safe and sound, he felt relieved. At that moment, he was ready to hang up the phone.
"Wait, Charles...We need to talk. Clark and Shirley have been at home for several days now. Don't you think we should send them to the kindergarten tomorrow?" Sheryl hastily suggested before Charles hung up the phone. She hadn't been sending them to the kindergarten during the last couple of days, as she didn't want them to be faced with the possibility of danger. She didn't want to take any chances.
"I understand the circumstances, but I don't think that keeping them out of school is a good idea whatsoever. It's time for us to send them back to the kindergarten. They've been home for too long," Sheryl added. Listening to Sheryl's words, Charles thought about her suggestion for a moment before he finally responded, "Sher, let's just wait for a few more days, to ensure everything is settled and safe. If we send our kids to their school now, all of our efforts to let them stay at home will have been for nothing."
"Fine, I understand. However, I hope that we don't have to wait for too long. I want to send them to school next Monday. Otherwise, Shirley and Clark will get bored at home," Sheryl replied. Even though she agreed to have her kids stay at home for a few days, she was very worried about them.
"Don't worry. I promise that they can go back to school soon. Just trust me," Charles tried to reassure his wife, who was stubborn and hard to convince. Even though it took some time, he already got some clues and was making substantial progress. He knew that the press conference would be held soon and that it would solve all of their problems. Most importantly, he knew that it would clear Sheryl's name.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: His Real Wedded Bride