Once She Came Like a Flash novel Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

A bitter realization washed over Charlie, illuminating the dark corners of his mind. This was the missing piece of the puzzle that explained everything, every twisted moment and heart-wrenching decision leading to this point.

Lola had once been a woman of quiet demeanor, seemingly content in her role as a homemaker, tirelessly preparing meals and maintaining a warm household. But how could she have orchestrated such manipulation with the authorities if she didn’t have an extraordinary man pulling the strings behind her? The thought sent a shiver of anger down his spine, darkening his expression and sharpening his words. “Do you honestly expect me to swallow this absurdity? Lola is probably right there with you, playing her part in this charade. I must say, I admire your taste, sir—ruining a family and snatching away someone else’s wife. Quite the accomplishment.”

The attorney’s voice turned as icy as the winter wind. “Mr. Hudson, I must strongly advise you to temper your accusations. My client is currently unavailable, and should you continue with your slanderous remarks, I will not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings. Unless, of course, you are eager to see Hudson Corp’s reputation plummet even further.”

With a swift click, the call ended abruptly.

The dial tone buzzed in Charlie’s ear, a haunting reminder of his impotence, until he could no longer contain his fury. He slammed his fist into the mattress, the impact reverberating through the sterile ward like a thunderclap.

Edwin flinched at the noise, his tears instantly stifled, fear gripping him tight as he remained silent, too terrified to utter a sound.

Charlie’s rage boiled over, an all-consuming fire that burned deep within him. The very notion that Lola might have already betrayed him twisted like a dagger in his chest, igniting a primal urge to lash out. He envisioned himself hunting down her lover, to destroy them both in a whirlwind of vengeance. Yet, he was ensnared in a web of uncertainty; he didn’t know the man’s name, his identity shrouded in shadows. With Hudson Corp teetering on the brink of collapse, he couldn’t afford another scandal.

The days that followed were a torturous blur of agony. Charlie was forced to tread carefully, resisting the impulse to act recklessly. Instead, he resorted to bribing the media to release celebrity scandals, hoping to redirect the public’s attention. It worked, albeit barely. The spotlight shifted just enough to relieve some pressure, but the truth remained: Hudson Corp was bleeding out. Contracts dissolved like sugar in water, partners pulled away, and senior staff resigned in droves. The empire he had painstakingly built was rotting from within, and he could feel it crumbling around him.

Illness gnawed at his insides like a relentless predator. He no longer trusted Rose’s cooking; after that disastrous attempt at congee, every morsel turned to poison in his stomach. In desperation, he hired a specialist chef to prepare therapeutic meals designed to ease his suffering. While they provided some relief, he could barely manage a few bites.

As the days turned into nights, his frame withered, his once strong face now gaunt and hollow. The nights became endless cycles of searing stomach cramps and restless tossing, leaving him with an aura of utter decay, a shell of the man he once was.

At first, Rose tried to remain by his side, her presence a flicker of hope in his darkened world. But as Charlie’s temper sharpened, honed by illness and despair, her patience wore thin. The world outside treated her like a pariah—jeering, spitting, cursing—and soon, she crumbled under the weight of it all.

One fateful morning, she announced her intention to take Edwin abroad “to rest.” But deep down, Charlie understood the truth: it was an escape.

He remembered those early days of recovery, when his body had betrayed him, and how Lola had been his unwavering support during the grueling rehab sessions. Her face would light up with childlike joy at the slightest hint of progress, illuminating the darkest corners of his despair.

He thought of the countless nights she had spent researching ways to nourish him, to massage his weary muscles, to alleviate the anxiety that gripped him like a vice. Once, in a selfless act of devotion, she had landed herself in the hospital after testing a new medicine meant for him.

He recalled the way her eyes sparkled like stars when he gifted her something small, an act that seemed trivial to him but had brought her immense joy.

In the past, he had dismissed those moments, relegating them to the realm of the insignificant. But now, stripped of all illusions, he understood that those memories had burrowed deep within him, woven into the very fabric of his being. The truth was undeniable: he had never truly stopped caring for her.

And as that truth stared back at him, raw and unyielding, Charlie felt a desperate need clawing its way through his chest.

He wanted to see her. No, he needed to see her.