Chapter 11
“Emily, even if it costs me this old life of mine, I won’t ever let anyone hurt you again,” he said firmly.
Emily nearly teared up again. She blinked quickly, forcing the tears back. “Okay. Then I’ll stay with you here, at the hospital.”
The only reason she’d gone back to the Bennett residence was for Charles. Now that he was in the hospital, there was no way
she’d return there.
But Charles didn’t agree. “No, you’re still young. You can’t stay at the hospital every day. Just go home and rest. Once I’m feeling better and discharged, I’ll come see you.”
If it weren’t for how badly he’d fallen two years ago, he would’ve left the hospital with her right now.
Seeing that Emily was about to refuse, Charles put on a serious face. “What? Are you saying you won’t even listen to your grandpa?”
He could tell she had grown distant from the Bennetts-obviously she’d been through something terrible.
Emily was the only granddaughter he truly recognized. He’d loved and spoiled her for eighteen years and wouldn’t let Lydia steal her place.
Holding tightly to Emily’s hand, he said, “Emily, I’ve waited two whole years for you to come back. You said you’d stay with me-don’t you dare lie to this old man.”
Seeing the tears in Charles’s eyes, Emily didn’t have the heart to say no. She stayed by his bedside and chatted with him until he started to look tired, then finally left, reluctant to go.
Just seeing his granddaughter again after two long years made Charles feel much better.
Bob Carter, the housekeeper who had been by Charles’s side for nearly fifty years and had been with him at the hospital all this time, could see the change right away.
Ever since Charles fell at the Bennett residence two years ago, he hadn’t really recovered. He’d been consumed with worry about Emily, losing sleep night after night, dreaming of her being bullied, crying out for him to come save her.
For the past two years, Charles had ignored his own health and sent people everywhere trying to find her. Now that she was finally back, Bob could finally breathe easy.
He handed Charles his medication. “Mr. Bennett, you have to recover quickly. That way you can spend more time with Emily
“You’re right, Charles said. “I need to get strong and live a few more years, so I can be there for her-and protect her.”
For the first time in two years, Charles took his medicine without a fuss and cooperated with the doctors’ checkups.
He was also very glad he had told Bob to hide the wheelchair yesterday. If Emily saw that he had to use one now, she would’ve been heartbroken.
What Charles didn’t know was that after leaving the hospital, Emily still felt deeply sad.
It had only been two years, but his hair had turned so much whiter, and he looked so tired. She couldn’t imagine how much he must’ve worried about her.
Andrew noticed Emily wiping away tears and said, somewhat pleased, “You really have grown up.”
If it were before, she would’ve complained to Charles and told him everything. And then Charles would’ve blamed Lydia for
it all.
Andrew was in a good mood, so he turned to her and said, “Go ahead-what kind of reward do you want?”
In the past, whenever Emily wanted something, she’d act sweet and obedient. He figured this time would be the same.
Since she hadn’t made trouble for Lydia today, he didn’t mind letting her ask for something big-as a way to make up for what she’d gone through over the past two years.
But Emily just quickly wiped her tears and shook her head. “Thank you for the offer, Mr. Bennett. But I don’t need anything.”
Andrew had judged her too harshly. She had only played along with their lie because she didn’t want Charles to worry-yet in his eyes, it was all about earning some so-called reward.
