Once She Came Like a Flash novel Chapter 20

**Faith Didn’t Survive Time – by Aadi Sharma**
**Chapter 20**

In the end, Charlie found himself standing before Edwin, struggling to find the right words to convey the painful truth. “Your mom went abroad to study for a while,” he said, his voice heavy with unspoken emotions. “She won’t be back anytime soon. It’s best to let her be for now. Just wait until she cools off and decides to come home.”

Edwin’s expression fell like a fragile leaf in autumn, his youthful face clouded with confusion and disappointment, but he nodded in agreement, the obedience of a child overshadowing his distress.

As Edwin absorbed the news, Charlie turned his attention to the remnants of Lola’s hurried departure. He began to gather the items she had left behind in her wake, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. It struck him how she had only taken what was absolutely essential—documents, certificates, and perhaps a few personal mementos. The rest lay scattered, a testament to the life they had shared, now abandoned.

With a deep breath, Charlie meticulously sorted through the belongings, driven by an insatiable curiosity mixed with a sense of urgency. What had Lola been doing all those years when he had been too wrapped up in his own world to notice?

Among the boxes, a small notebook caught his eye. His name was inscribed on the cover, and his heart raced as he opened it, the pages crackling with the weight of memories.

Inside, he discovered not the idle musings of a distracted mind, but rather meticulous records of his physical condition documented on specific dates, followed by detailed prescriptions and remedies penned long ago.

Each entry told a story. Most of the pages contained recipes for healthy meals, some crossed out, others revised, and a few rewritten entirely. Lola had tested ingredients, adjusted measurements, and persevered through countless attempts until she had discovered the perfect formula tailored to his body’s needs.

A whirlwind of emotions surged within him—regret, bitterness, and guilt intertwined, leaving him breathless. All those times he had thought the soups and chowders she prepared were merely her way of seeking comfort, something he tolerated out of politeness. He had never fathomed that each bowl was filled with her trials, her careful notes, and sleepless nights spent worrying over him.

In the solitude of their home, which was filled with echoes of her laughter and remnants of her presence, Charlie felt her essence slipping away, day by day. As she faded into the distance, so too did he. It wasn’t a conscious act of self-destruction; rather, it was the crushing realization that every night as he lay in their bed, he was met with the cold, unyielding emptiness where her warmth had once enveloped him. Every meal tasted like ash on his tongue, devoid of flavor, even when served on the plates she had so lovingly chosen.

Gradually, the weight of exhaustion hollowed him out, until even the simple act of breathing felt like an insurmountable burden.

Determined not to crumble under the pressure of his own regrets, Charlie forced himself to change. He began spending time with Edwin each day, desperately trying to make up for the years he had neglected both his son and his own heart. He poured significant sums of money into Lola’s charity foundation, reallocating some of his best people to help manage it, hoping to breathe life into the projects she had cared for so deeply.

He had no idea when, or if, Lola would ever return. All he could do was ensure that the things she valued most continued to flourish in her absence. He clung to the hope that when the day finally came for her to come home, she would find not just his sins laid bare before her, but perhaps a glimpse of the good he was striving to achieve.