Charlotte had already got a change and removed all her makeup. Zachary passed the phone to her when she came over. “It’s Robbie and Jamie.”
Charlotte quickly collected herself. “Robbie! Jamie!”
“Mommy…” Jamie broke into tears when he heard Charlotte’s voice. “What happened to Ellie? I’m so scared, Mommy.”
“Everything is okay, Jamie. Don’t be scared.” Charlotte’s voice became gentle the moment she heard Jamie. “Ellie’s just down with flu. She will be okay in no time.”
“Mommy…”
“Give me the phone, Jamie,” Robbie interrupted, “Don’t worry about us, Mommy. Mr. Spencer is here with us. We’re all safe and sound. You, Dad, and Ellie just need to get home safely.”
“Of course, Robbie.” Charlotte felt like crying. “We will be home as soon as possible. You and Jamie just stay at home these few days, okay? You don’t have to go to school either.”
“Yes, Mommy.” Robbie knew she was worried they would be put in danger.
“Alright, Robbie. I need to go check on Ellie already. Talk to you later?”
“Okay, Mommy. We will be waiting for you.”
Charlotte ended the call and gave the phone back to Zachary before sitting down and staring at the light of the emergency room.
“She’ll be okay.” Zachary’s voice rang beside her.
“I miscalculated.”
Charlotte was overtaken by guilt. If she had noticed earlier that there was something wrong with Olivia and if she had made watertight arrangements, all this would not have happened.
She had put Ellie in danger twice. The first time was when Ellie accidentally drank the poison Cynthia planted for her.
It was all her fault.
She blamed Zachary for it, but she knew deep in her heart that she was culpable.
“Don’t overthink.”
Zachary wanted to hug her, but he realized he was still drenched the moment he reached out to her.
“Go get a change. Ellie wouldn’t want to see you like this either.”
“I’ll be back in a bit,” Zachary said before leaving.
Charlotte’s gaze was complicated as she watched him leave.
“Ms. Lindberg,” Morgan’s voice called her back to reality, “Peter said he wanted to see Olivia. He will be boarding a plane to Coldbridge soon.”
“Send someone to pick him up. Don’t let anyone know where we are.”
“Sure.”
Charlotte glanced at the window and realized the rain had stopped. The sky was still bleak. It seemed like another downpour was brewing.
Charlotte felt a heavy burden in her heart.
How she hoped there would be light at the end of the tunnel.
The time of waiting was harrowing.
Hours passed by without any news.
Peter had already arrived, but the doctors were still trying to save Ellie and Olivia.
Peter was wounded all over. He had a bandage around his head and a cast around his arm. He could not even walk steadily. Charlotte wondered how he even made it to Coldbridge from H City.
When he found out that Olivia was still in a critical stage, he slumped to the ground and started crying.
“I’ve already arranged the best doctors to operate on her. They will save her,” Charlotte assured him.
“I’m sorry…”
Peter went on his knees before Zachary and Charlotte.
“Please don’t blame Olivia. It’s all my fault. She did all this because of me. Please spare her. You’re like a sister to Olivia. She will rather die than to have you hate her.”
