Chapter 12: Dad's arrival

At 11 am...

Angelica helped Renee arrange the groceries in the fridge and pantry for the next few days. She didn't know what to do, and it was better to do the work she was supposed to do since her purpose there was to be a maid, even though Charlie didn't want it.

'He even said that he wanted me... but maybe not anymore,' she thought to herself as she arranged canned drinks in the fridge, but her mind was focused on the strange behavior of Charlie. 'We've even kissed three times... but after that, he just left, silent... like nothing happened.'

"Hey!" Renee tapped Angelica's shoulder.

Angelica immediately jumped, almost dropping the can. "Oh my goodness, you startled me!" She quickly placed the can in the fridge.

"Besides, you were daydreaming," Renee said, taking an empty cardboard box from the used can container. "What are you thinking?" She asked, walking towards the pantry table, placing the box there, and then grabbing a paper bag.

Angelica sighed, following Renee and sitting in a chair. The pretty girl in gray pants, a white t-shirt, and a blue blazer stared silently at the busy maid, taking out various types of meat and sausages from the light brown paper bag.

"Is there a problem?" Renee asked.

"I don't know," Angelica replied wearily.

"How can you not know?"

"Because I don't know..."

Renee smiled, glancing at the unenthusiastic Angelica. "Is this because of Mr. Charlie?"

"Honestly, I still don't understand him... I mean, he's a very mysterious man," Angelica said with concern.

"Aren't you friends?"

"I don't even know how to label our relationship," Angelica said, shrugging. "Suddenly he helped me when we accidentally met at the beach. Then he also gave money to my family so I could get out of my awful engagement. I intended to repay his kindness by working here... he said he wanted me to make him happy, and working here was the way... but when I arrived here, he introduced me as a friend," she continued, honestly, because she needed someone else's opinion about Charlie's behavior.

"That means he's very kind to you," Renee replied casually, putting the meat stock in the fridge.

"I know he's very kind, but I'm worried that his kindness might have an ulterior motive... I mean... um..." Angelica felt reluctant to talk about what happened in Charlie's room this morning.

"What he means by being kind to you is because he likes you, you don't have to worry about that," Renee said with a smile. "If I were you, I'd be happy... being treated kindly by a handsome man, even helped in everything... isn't that perfect?"

Angelica furrowed her eyebrow.

"In tough economic times, don't waste the opportunity to get help from others if we need it," Renee added.

"But... what if he asks for something in return like intimacy... I think you know what I mean. I feel like I'm selling myself," Angelica replied with a pained expression.

"If you don't feel like you're selling yourself, then there's nothing wrong with it... the important thing is he doesn't belittle you or insult you or resort to violence... and as a strong woman, you should also be able to use the situation to your advantage."

"What?" She frowned.

Renee smirked and approached Angelica with five paper bags, placing them in the box. "Make him yours and not want to let you go," she said.

Angelica fell silent, horrified by Renee's words, as they echoed Kate's thoughts, contrary to her desire to hold her dignity high.

"You'd better throw this in the front gate trash," Renee said, handing the box to Angelica.

Angelica sighed heavily, immediately stood up, and took the box before heading towards the kitchen exit.

'Their advice seems to want me to become a cunning woman who takes advantage of a rich and handsome man. I want pure love, not what they say!' she grumbled in her heart as she continued to walk until she accidentally met a middle-aged man in dignified attire entering the living room.

"Oh, wow..." the middle-aged man stopped, looking at Angelica with a thin smile and admiring eyes. "Who are you? I mean, you seem new here..." he asked hesitantly, gazing deeply at Angelica.

"I... I'm a new maid here," Angelica replied with an awkward smile, slightly bowing her head.

"You must be joking!" The man shook his head, raising his eyebrows. "How can a beautiful girl like you be a maid?"

Angelica blushed, not knowing what to say, but she was curious about who this man was.

"I'm Benjamin Parker, Charlie's father," the man said, extending his hand to Angelica. "Nice to meet you!" He continued with an enthusiastic smile.

"I'm Angelica Mahoe," Angelica replied, shaking Benjamin's hand while her left hand held the box. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Benjamin."

"Okay..." Benjamin withdrew his hand. "Then I should go see Charlie... Maybe we can talk another time."

"Oh, sure!" Angelica nodded.

Benjamin immediately continued walking towards the stairs, passing them to the upper floor until he reached Charlie's room. He turned the doorknob, and it turned out to be unlocked, so he entered and saw the room so quiet, and of course, he saw Charlie sitting casually on the sofa playing the guitar without singing.

"She's too beautiful to be a maid," he said, slowly approaching Charlie.

Charlie immediately stopped playing the guitar, looking straight ahead, realizing that the voice speaking was his father's.

"I think she's more suited to be your date..."

"Shut up!" Charlie snapped.

Benjamin sighed and stopped beside Charlie.

"Why did you come?" Charlie asked without turning as if he didn't want to see his father's face.

"I came because I'm worried about you... I don't want you to hurt yourself again," Benjamin replied, glancing at Charlie's hand still wrapped in a bandage. "It's been 2 years, you've tortured yourself enough... You need to change to find comfort in a way other than hurting yourself or isolating yourself like this..."

"You better be quiet, I don't need your advice!" Charlie shouted.

"Son..."

"I'm not your son anymore!" Charlie shouted, turning to look at his father, who seemed to make him sick.

Benjamin shook his head, looking at Charlie sadly. "You will always be my son forever... I can't prove that I'm not guilty, one day you'll know that I never..."

"Stop this nonsense!" Charlie immediately tossed his guitar, then stood up and looked at his father as if he were a demon. "I don't want my new home to be used to talk about that issue again. I'm disgusted! I hate you!"

Benjamin took a deep breath, feeling immediately choked by Charlie's attitude.

"Go!" Charlie pointed towards the door.

"Alright..." Benjamin nodded. "But... I came because I also want you to know something... I'm going to marry Freya... she's pregnant..."

Charlie immediately smiled faintly. "You even immediately married your girlfriend when she was pregnant ...Ah yes... besides, no one dares to stop it. Just do it...I don't care... but this is so embarrassing because I'm 27 years old and the man who told me that his Dad was going to have another baby with a woman who wasn't my mom. That sounds crazy..." he said sarcastically and turned away from his father.

"The situation is different..."

"Yeah, different... just do it... I won't forbid... I'm worried he'll drink poison!" Charlie looked at the view from the window, but his eyes seemed to be imagining something. "Go away... don't appear in front of me again!"

"Maybe you can come to our wedding... take Freya down the aisle... You know she's an orphan and alone in this city," said Benjamin patiently.

"Just ask Jacob. I won't even come... I hate weddings," Charlie replied.

Benjamin was disappointed again, but he had no intention of complaining. Instead, he remembered Angelica whom he met in the living room.

"Okay, I'll go... but... think about that girl named Angelica. She's so beautiful... look at her eyes, maybe she can bring love that can melt you... maybe..."

"Enough!" Charlie exclaimed with emphasis.

"Okay, I'll go," replied Benjamin then immediately left feeling disappointed but he was also relieved because Charlie agreed when he said he would remarry.

A few seconds after Benjamin left, Charlie clenched his hands into fists, his breath suddenly became short and his body seemed to lose control. He sitting on the floor, looking outside while squeezing his hair, so hard.

"No, no!" he shouted in frustration. "Enough, I'm tired, I'm tired. I want to forget her, I hate her!"

Charlie felt like his world was collapsing. Every second felt like the burden was getting heavier. He lamented his situation alone in a room filled with the darkness of his emotions. All his father's words only triggered infinite pain, making him seem unable to move to escape the darkness of his past.

His body was shaking, and his hands were still tightly gripping his hair. he shouted as if he wanted to release all the pressure inside him. Charlie feels devastated, with no way out of his emotional abyss.

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