Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game-Chapter 525 - 285 How do you know?

To Charlotte Miller, the twilight years had always been just a descriptor, but she had never realized how fittingly the words could paint a picture before her eyes.

Grandmother Mary seemed like a candle burning to its last flicker, nearly extinguished, needing no breeze to blow it out, gently fading without light or heat.

Her hair, a faded white, had lost its luster. Charlotte remembered a few years ago, though Grandmother Mary had silver hair, she still looked full of vigor. Now all that had receded far from her, her vitality was being gradually taken away by age and illness.

Charlotte understood Rogers’ pain. Rogers had chosen to become a doctor, dedicated to researching treatments for chronic illnesses, yet ultimately he could not heal Grandmother Mary’s ailment.

But in truth, there are things even doctors are powerless over, and even without illness, it seemed Grandmother Mary’s life had reached its end; aging is humanity’s most irresistible and daunting process.

Charlotte remembered that Grandmother Mary always liked to joke, saying they should just call her Old Mary, because grandmother made her sound too old.

She gently held Grandmother Mary’s hand, mustered a smile, and softly said, "Old Mary, I haven’t come to see you for how long, and here you are sleeping? Why don’t you wake up and talk to me?"

But like the movie scenes where a loved one hears a family member’s or friend’s call and miraculously wakes with tears, that miracle didn’t happen.

Grandmother Mary lay quietly in her bed, holding a photograph from her wedding with her husband.

Great tears suddenly rolled down Charlotte’s cheeks.

Though there are many cruel things in the world, there remains much sincere affection.

She sat by Grandmother Mary’s bedside, feeling the faint breathing, so weak it seemed almost on the brink of disappearing.

"Charlotte, you should go rest..." Now Rogers didn’t quite know what to do either. He could only pat Charlotte’s shoulder, urging her to take a nap.

Because he wanted to hold a wedding for Grandmother Mary to see, but now Grandmother Mary had fallen into a coma, and the chance of waking was almost none. She might slip into Heaven’s Realm in her deep sleep to reunite with her grandpa.

Still, he prepared for both outcomes; the wedding was ready should she wake, fulfilling Grandmother Mary’s last wish.

Rogers always regretted why he stubbornly thought he couldn’t walk into a church with anyone he didn’t love, because it was sacred. He hoped if he ever walked into a church, it would be with his most beloved. If not, it was harm to both him and Charlotte.

It was such stubborn thinking that made Grandmother Mary miss seeing what she wished for; even if it was an act, even deception, he should have let Grandmother Mary leave at ease.

Perhaps this was the last night of Grandmother Mary’s life. Charlotte shook her head and softly said, "I slept a lot on the plane. Rogers, let’s stay here with Grandmother Mary tonight, she’ll be very happy..."

Mia and Atlas Hallow stayed at the hotel, with her mom helping to take care, so she felt assured.

Tonight, just accompanying Rogers was enough, maybe all she could do for him truly wasn’t much, just this little bit.

Charlotte held hands with Rogers as they sat on the sofa; it seemed she wanted to give all her warmth and courage to Rogers.

Rogers seemed to have a large family, but in the true sense, Grandmother Mary was his only real family, so she understood what Grandmother Mary meant to Rogers.

During this long night, the two supported each other; even if not lovers, they were able to draw warmth and courage from each other’s breathing. There are many emotions in the world, and Charlotte always knew this third kind surpasses feelings between men and women, even love cannot replace it.

The night was everlong and quiet, resting against the sofa, Charlotte didn’t know how she drifted asleep.

Unexpectedly she slept deeply. She hadn’t actually slept on the plane.

Because her heart was perpetually suspended, worrying about Rogers and Grandmother Mary, when she saw Rogers and spoke to Grandmother Mary after the flight landed, her worried heart gradually settled, until she hazily thought she heard a faint noise, then abruptly opened her eyes.

Charlotte rubbed her eyes vigorously, feeling a bit guilty, for she had promised to stay with Rogers, yet had fallen asleep.

While rubbing her eyes, she instinctively searched for Rogers’ figure.

He kneeled beside Grandmother Mary’s bed, his tall body continuously trembling, as he reached out to smooth her greying hair, even his hands were shaking.

He gently took the photograph from Grandmother Mary’s hand and placed it inside his shirt pocket, next to his chest.

Rogers seemed aware Charlotte had awoken. He didn’t turn around but quietly said, "Thank you, dear Charlotte, yesterday your beloved Old Mary woke up. She saw us asleep, hand in hand on the sofa. She was very pleased. She said God would bless us, with eternal happiness..."

Charlotte’s whole heart sank gradually, she already realized Old Mary was no longer in the world, she had departed.

She who taught many principles and told her to live bravely, never shunned her having a daughter, and was still willing to let her most excellent grandson marry her, was now gone.

The sadness nearly drained away all her strength, she was close to collapsing.

Step by step she slowly approached Grandmother Mary’s bedside, her footsteps so light, afraid to disturb her.

Last night, there were actually three breaths in the room.

Hers, Rogers’, and Grandmother Mary’s, even if faint, such breath still existed.

But at this moment, it could be clearly felt that Grandmother Mary was truly gone, even her breath had vanished.

She rested peacefully with her eyes closed, mouth curved with a satisfied smile, was it really so?

Last night, when she and Rogers were asleep on the sofa, did Old Mary really wake and see them?

So, she flew a thousand miles here and was right, she still brought Old Mary some solace, was it truly so?

The wedding was not held, the funeral took place first.

With a light drizzle falling, Charlotte wore a black gown, with a black hat silhouetted by black veils, wearing white gloves as she placed a yellow rose on Grandmother Mary’s coffin. Her tear-swollen eyes were dry and sore, she was truly afraid of such farewells.

Rogers, dressed in black, with fine rain landing on his eyelashes, his amber eyes seemed a deep pool of bottomless sorrow.

Words of comfort were futile, such grief needs time to fade.

Charlotte gently hugged Rogers, her tender voice permeated the rain mist, "Rogers, in this world, you are surely not walking alone. We are best partners, and believe you will undoubtedly find yours."

"Charlotte, if you had appeared sooner, perhaps I would indeed fall for you. You are the best girl." Rogers reached out and lightly hugged Charlotte, his tone carrying both sorrow and regret.

"Tell me if you need anything." She had to return, a heap of matters waited for her. In youth, she liked staying here, but now it seemed she truly liked going back.

Atlas Hallow was full of joy, but still restrained himself from showing too much delight; in fact, he genuinely wanted to whistle in celebration.

Such an outcome was already quite perfect; Mary saw her grandson and Charlotte hand in hand, thinking her grandson wasn’t possessing those peculiarities rumored outside; even without a wedding, she left in peace.

And most importantly, he finally didn’t have to watch Charlotte walking down the aisle in a wedding dress; Atlas Hallow had always imagined such a scene, wondering if at that time he would lose control and carry her away from the church, fortunately, none had transpired.

On the way back, Atlas Hallow told Charlotte he’d go to Las Vegas for some business.

In truth, it was somewhat risky, yet he didn’t want to tell her. Without eliminating Flix Hallow, not only would his father’s death be unavenged, but he himself, Charlotte, and Mia would still be in danger.

Over the years, Flix Hallow either showed disinterest, seemingly accomplished nothing but reveling, though he was the Hallow Family’s greatest peril.

"I’ll be gone for a while, take care of everything yourself. Don’t interact too much with Gael Hallow, he’s deceitful, engaging with him could be troublesome." Atlas Hallow carefully instructed, Gael followed Flix Hallow, appearing refined but really a menace.

"Las Vegas? Are you investigating those hot funds?" Charlotte had always paid attention to the Hallow Clan’s stock fluctuations, knowing somewhat.

"How did you know?" Atlas Hallow found it strange, where did she learn this?