Chapter 114

WHEN RELIEF FEELS HEAVY

Charles's POV

I left the police station with a heavy heart, driving back to the hospital with a storm of emotions brewing inside me. I drove back to the hospital, my mind a chaotic swirl of emotions after seeing Axel. The revelation about the fire was a relief, yes, but it was tangled with a fresh wave of anger and sadness. For years, I carried that guilt— therapy sessions, sleepless nights, replaying every moment in my mind. And to learn it was Axel all along? I didn’t know whether to feel liberated or crushed.

Tears blurred my vision as I gripped the steering wheel. I let them fall this time, the weight of everything pressing against me. Axel’s betrayal, Bianca’s condition— it felt as though I couldn’t catch my breath. Should I be relieved? Heartbroken? It was all too much.

By the time I reached the hospital, I had managed to wipe my face and steel my nerves. Now wasn’t the time to break down. Bianca needed me. We b