SWNOVELS Chapter 12
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As Niall bent over to help Helene to her feet, he recognized her as well.
“What are you doing here?” Niall asked, hurriedly checking her for any injuries. Fortunately, she only had a few minor scrapes. He pulled her up and once again asked, “What are you doing out here so late?”
“I was here on some… personal business.”
Niall glanced at the police station on the other side of the road and was tempted to ask her further, but he decided against it.
“Where do you live? I’ll take you back.”
“It’s okay, I can take a taxi,” Helene refused instinctively.
“It’s no big deal. I’m more than happy to drive you, and if it helps, you can think of me as a taxi driver.”
As Niall finished speaking, he led her over to the passenger side of his car and opened the door for her. Such
consideration was hard to come by, so Helene graciously accepted his help. She just didn’t have it in her to refuse him.
The two didn’t talk much on the drive back, and most of their conversation was limited to her grandmother’s condition. Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up to the gates of the Bamford family house.
Helene opened the door and was about to step out when Niall
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stopped her. He noticed a wound on her arm and quickly grabbed hold of her arm, insisting that she stay. Then, he took out a first–aid kit that he kept at all times in his car and gave her some basic treatment.
His movements were skilled, and at every step, Helene could tell that he was a professional.
“Come back to the hospital tomorrow so that I can treat you properly. And don’t get the bandage wet for at least eight hours to prevent infection.”
Carlisle was sitting in his car right next to them, watching as Helene sat in the passenger seat messing around with some strange man in his car. She didn’t get out for a long time. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Carlisle’s parents‘ death. Twenty years ago, they were killed in a car accident, and the person responsible fled the scene. He was still yet to be found, and the Bamford family never found justice.
So, when the date approached every year, Carlisle was in a terrible mood. And to make matters worse, his Grandpa refused treatment even though Carlisle had already contacted the best doctors in the world to operate on him. And it was all because of the marriage agreement.
Knowing that he was far from calm, he sat in the car and waited for Helene to return so that he could talk with her. But then, he watched the scene before him unfold. She was going out to meet other men at night, so it was no wonder that her previous partner would cheat on her. What a slap in the face it must have been to her ex as well.
Carlisle looked away, feeling like a tool. She was only using him for his money, and he was using her to fulfill his Grandpa‘
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s wishes. Why should he care?
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In the other car, Helene thanked Niall for treating her wound, opened the door, and stepped out. She didn’t notice Carlisle sitting in his car since it was so dark out, so she opened the front gates leading to the house and walked into the yard.
As she walked down the hall to the master bedroom, she noticed the light in the study was on. Carlisle must have been inside, and she paused for a moment as she walked by. She was filled with regret, thinking that there must have been a better way to raise money for her grandma’s operation.
It was supposed to have been easy, but it was much more difficult than Helene had first thought for two strangers to live together. They had no emotional connection whatsoever.
That night, Carlisle slept in the study again.
And the next morning, he left early. Helene went through the motions of making breakfast as usual and sending it up to Carlisle’s Grandpa. He wasn’t in a good mood today and sighed as soon as he saw Helene.
She figured the old man was angry at both her and Carlisle over the marriage agreement. And although she wanted to comfort her, she didn’t know what she could have said or done. She dropped off his breakfast and was about to excuse herself when he stopped her.
“Helene, a word. Today is the day Carlisle’s parents died all those years ago. I want you to accompany him today. The poor child lost his parents when he was just eight years old, and the only person to stay by his side has been this only lonely old man all these years. But I won’t be able to do that anymore, especially not while I’m bedridden like this. I leave
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him in your care.”
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Helene could feel her heartstrings being tugged at as she accepted a note from him. The address of a pier was written
on it.
“He goes out to the coast every year to pay homage to his parents. It isn’t too late for you to go as well.”
Holding the note tightly in her hands, Helene could imagine Carlisle’s lonely figure standing by the pier. She thought of her own parents, whom she had never met, and couldn’t help. but empathize with him.
Her grandmother would need her presence and support, but that was arranged for the day after tomorrow. She figured she would take a bit of time off while she could.
Later that day, Helene arrived at the pier. Carlisle’s yacht was about ten meters away from the shore, and she could see him standing on his deck facing away from her. Helene called out to him loudly, but perhaps the ocean and its crashing waves were too loud. Carlisle didn’t respond even though she shouted as loudly as she could.
The yacht seemed to be drifting further and further away, and Helene had lost hope. She was left with nothing else to do but turn around and walk back to her car. But as she wrapped her coat tightly around her, keeping herself from shivering from the cold coastal gales, someone called out to her from behind.
“Helene!”
She turned around sharply to find that Carlisle was standing behind her.
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“My Grandpa asked you to come, didn’t he?” His voice was hoarse, and it sounded as though he hadn’t slept all night. That definitely seemed to be the case, as he looked haggard with his sunken eyes and a gaunt face.
“He gave me the address to this pier…”
“…and I wanted to come.” That was what Helene wanted to say, but she kept the latter half of that sentence to herself.
His Adam’s apple rolled. “Go back and tell him that he doesn’t have to worry about me.”
Carlisle’s expression was as indifferent as the sea breeze, sending a chill up her spine. She watched in silence as he turned around and began to walk back toward the pier. His shoulders were slumped slightly, and his figure seemed so lonely and dejected. Anyone would have felt for him.
Without thinking, Helene chased after him. She had always been afraid of water, especially the sea, thinking that its vast expanses were terrifying. But regardless she took labored step after step in pursuit of him, trying to grab him several times. Every time, he was either just out of reach or shook her hand away.
Just as he was about to board his ship again, a large wave hit, and the gangway shook violently.
Helene let out a surprised gasp, prompting Carlisle to turn around. She was just seconds away from falling, but he caught her just in time. Pale with fright and shivering from the cold, she hugged him tightly.
Growing up, a common nightmare that haunted her was
being pushed into the sea. She would struggle to stay afloat,
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and a woman’s laughter tormented her as the water claimed her. The thought hung over her like a shadow for so many years, which only added to her fear.
Feeling the young woman shake in his arms, Carlisle hugged Helene tightly and wrapped an arm around her waist. The side of her face was pressed against his chest, letting her hear his strong heartbeat. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so cold anymore.
The yacht set sail soon after once the two settled on board.
Helene sat in the cabin, watching Carlisle as he stood out on the deck. He faced the horizon blankly as the sea breeze swept through his hair.
Today was his 28th birthday. Twenty years ago, his parents were rushing back home to celebrate with him, and while passing a bridge over a wide river, the car suddenly lost control and hit the guardrail head–on. They went hurtling off of the bridge and fell into the sea.
A rescue team went looking for anything they could find for months, but they couldn’t even find the car. Because of this incident, the young Carlisle would fall into severe doubts of depression and illness. He only gradually improved after his Grandpa decided to send him abroad.
Ever since the day of the accident, Carlisle never celebrated his birthday. A heavy sadness enveloped him, making him believe that he was entirely alone in this world. Alone and helpless.
Helene walked over wanting to comfort him, but when she saw how the corners of his eyes had reddened, she chose to stay silent. Perhaps he didn’t need any words of comfort. Silent companionship was more fitting for a man like him.
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It was almost noon, and the yacht began to enter the waters where Carlisle’s parents had fallen in. The winds became
intense.
“Mom, Dad…!” Carlisle yelled out into the horizon. “It’s me, Carlisle! Your son! I’m here to see you!”
He screamed those words into the air and water over and over again, his voice so heart–piercingly loud that he surely must have burst something.
“I… I miss you! Please…! Come back soon! Grandpa told me to bring you a message too. He wants to tell you that you’ve had your fun. He wants to see you again before it’s too late.”
Carlisle continued to shout until his voice became hoarse and his throat gave out. At the end of it all, he knelt down and wept bitterly.
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