So. Okay, what can I say? Thank you for following this story up to this point. We are there. It's the final minutes of Episode 8.

As I've mentioned before, when I started writing this story, I had the intention to stick to the original series as closely as possible. This is the last chapter that is based on the series. But it's not the last chapter of MY story: in chapters 32 to 42 we will work our way back to a happy ending.

With that being said, here's some serious advice:

Do not read this chapter if you're having a bad day today

Do not read this chapter if you're already in emotional turmoil today

Do not read this chapter if you're in need of some happy fluffy stuff today

Do not forget that there WILL BE A HAPPY ENDING

The Return of the Giant Sea Serpent

Invigorated by her walk with James and with a racing heart, Charlotte dashed into the lobby but found the reception desk deserted. Julia was standing by the open office door, listening in to a most animated Parker family discussion. No shouting this time, but laughter and chatter all around.

"It's so exciting," Julia told Charlotte, clapping her hands, her eyes gleaming. "We are going to be a film location."

"A film location?" Charlotte repeated, gaining Mr Parker's attention. He was very much his former self now, radiating with wiry energy.

"There you are, my dear! Splendid! Come in! – Thanks to my brother's efforts, we are about to open a new exciting chapter in the long and rich history of the Sanditon Grand Hotel."

"Are we," Charlotte said. Catalogue speech, again, she thought. Never a good sign. But Sidney was there, leaning on his brother's desk, turning his back on her. Mary and Diana were clinging to his right and left arm and showering him with all the endearments he undoubtedly deserved, even though Charlotte would have much preferred it if she were the one to apply them.

"I may come to set up my own Instagram profile," Arthur told her thoughtfully. Charlotte smoothed her tousled hair, trying to understand what was going on.

"Is the hotel going to be the set for a period drama?"

"Better, my dear, much better!" Mr Parker cried. "Who cares about stuffy period dramas full of dead people? It's the here and now that counts, the real life. We, my dear, are going to star in our own reality show. We are going to be… well, maybe not quite the Kardashians of the United Kingdom, - but we are going to be famous."

"Famous," Charlotte repeated, and as Sidney finally and slowly turned around to face her, she added: "I don't understand."

"My genius of a little brother," Mr Parker said, patting his genius of a little brother's back, "has found a new investor. And in co-operation, they are selling our story to a TV production company. In return, the production company will vouch for a credit to reconstruct Regency Row. Just think of all the publicity we will receive once we are on nationwide TV!"

"And what's the downside?" Charlotte asked. There had to be a downside. Why else would Sidney clench his jaw, evade her gaze and hold his shoulders at such a tight-set level?

"There is no downside, my dear," Mr Parker said. "Apart from the interest I have to pay for the credit… but that's something I'm used to." He gave a hearty laugh and then exclaimed: "Come on, everyone! Let's celebrate. Mary, get the kids, we'll enjoy champagne and dinner in the Conservatory." Mary cast Charlotte a quick, nearly apologetic glance and then left. Her husband was still amazed at the turn of events. "To star in a reality TV show! That's a surprise career step, isn't it, Charlotte?"

More than anything, it was a career step Charlotte did not intend to take.

"Tom," Sidney said, his voice oddly hoarse. "Why don't you all go ahead and have dinner, and I'll explain everything to your trainee."

To your trainee. It was like a direct punch into her stomach.

Charlotte knew something was wrong, terribly, terribly wrong, even before Arthur and Diana had filed out of the office, and Mr Parker had closed door behind him with a conspiratorial wink.

"Sidney," she said, moving towards him, trying to catch what was between them before it was too late. He turned his head away, moving it slowly as if he was a wounded animal, and stretched out his arm to keep her at a distance. "Sidney," she gasped, tears welling up to her eyes. "What have you done?"

Finally, he looked at her, his eyes dark with guilt. "My dearest Charlotte."

She made a step back. No, this was not true, this was not true, it could not be true-

His voice was drained of any emotion now. "I have found two new investors, and we have come up with a financial solution that will satisfy Lady Denham and promote the hotel to completely new target groups."

"Who are the new investors?" Charlotte whispered, even though she knew part of the answer already.

"It's a production company called Mars Pictures. They will produce the TV show and back the credit to make sure we have the financial means we require to continue." He sighed. "And there'll be another investor to guarantee the cash flow." There was a pause as he kept on looking at her, his expression so sad and yet full of intent. Charlotte shook her head.

"mrscampion," she said.

"Yes."

"I see." A single tear rolled down her cheek. But bad as it was, they still had each other. She held out her hand to him.

He was ignoring her hand. "You don't, Charlotte." When he looked at her now, his face reminded her for a split second of the man who had belittled her judgement and told her he did not care about her. And just like back then, she suddenly felt being made responsible for something she was not responsible for. Sidney continued. "The hotel is going to be the background for a reality series based on Eliza's new life as an influencer, designer, and … well, newly discovered hotelier."

"Are you trying to tell me that she will be hanging around here all the time, giving orders?"

"Yes. And there needs to be some sort of background story."

Charlotte thought that this was already enough of a story, and a rather lousy story, come to that. mrscampion, newly discovered hotelier who had no idea at all about the hotel industry. Who, in a first step, would probably ban all piping bags from the kitchen and order the extinction of the local gull population.

"Eliza set two conditions to agree to the deal," Sidney explained. "The first one is that the story is about –" He looked down, and only after a second went on. "About her. And me. About meeting after eight years of separation. Getting to know each other again and trying to… reset our lives."

"What?"

He had to be kidding her. This was crazy for so many reasons that all she could do was laugh about it. Her laughter faded when she saw the pained expression on his face, his inability to meet her eyes.

"What have you done, Sidney?" she asked once more, her question merely a breathless whisper now.

"I'm trying to ensure that our hotel stays in the family," he firmly said, his jaw clenched. "I'm hoping to keep our employees' jobs, and the only home Arthur, Diana, Tom and the kids know. I'm hoping to save Mary's marriage, and I'm repaying my brother for setting my life in the right direction eight years ago."

"And you're dumping me," she quietly added, finally grasping the full horror of the situation. The giant sea serpent was ravaging Sanditon's shores once again, and it demanded the sacrifice of an innocent to be appeased.

"No, Charlotte, no."

"Then why can't you look me in the eye? Why can't you just tell me what's going on? Why did you not reply to my messages all day?"

Sidney hung his head. His dear dark curly head. She felt the overwhelming need to step forward and touch him, and at the same time, she knew that it would be absolutely wrong to do so now.

"There is a secret clause in the contract," he said, indeed not meeting her gaze. "Tom doesn't know about it. It's Eliza's second condition."

"What is it?" she asked, though again, she knew the answer.

"It's about you." Now he did look her in the eye, and the pain she saw in his face made her gasp. "You'll receive three full salaries as compensation, but you'll have to be gone from Sanditon before filming starts in September."

"I see," Charlotte whispered, barely able to speak. He had sold her. The man she loved, the man she wanted to be with more than anything in the world, had sold her for the future of his family and the Sanditon Grand Hotel. And was selling himself to mrscampion.

"Charlotte." Now he closed the gap between them and stood right in front of her, facing her. "It's not the end of the world. It's just a silly TV show. I haven't promised to marry her or anything."

"Are you really that naïve?" Beyond the shock, there was the anger. It was surging up in her now, and that was a good thing: shock was paralysing, but anger was energising. "Of course, she wants you for herself. A pretty poster boy for her Instagram stories and her stupid TV program!"

"I'm not hers, and you know that." He took her by the shoulders, searching her gaze. "I'm yours, Charlotte. We can still be together. Afterwards. Out of sight. When I'm in London."

"I don't want to be with you hiding somewhere out of sight as if we were doing something forbidden!" This was utterly surreal. If she was a twenty-first-century girl, why was she living through the nightmare of a Victorian novel's heroine right now?

"Charlotte, once the show is finished..."

"Do you not remember her, parading around the hotel grounds on the open-day? Telling me how disagreeable it was to do a slave's work, but how compelling it would be to be the owner of such a place? That's what she wants! Make use of the hotel as a place to promote her ugly handbags and her bloody home accessories while she can play queen!"

"Charlotte…"

"She's not just going to check out one day like any other guest – she's going to stay." There they were again, those treacherous tears, making her feel vulnerable and helpless. "And don't flatter yourself that she cares about you, Sidney Parker. For if she did, she would not ask such a ridiculous price of you. - Love is selfless," she added, the tears running down her cheeks openly now. "Love is about giving, not about demanding." And love, she remembered, came in many forms. For a man or a woman. But also for a child, a brother, a sister. A parent, a grandparent. A friend. An animal. A place. Like the Sanditon Grand Hotel.

And somewhere beneath her pain and her perplexity Charlotte understood that Sidney Parker was about to commit the most stupid and most selfless act of his life. Out of love for his family.

The man who two months ago had asked Mary whether the girl by her side was the new babysitter would have laughed at the notion. He would have put on his sunglasses and raced away in his flashy car. The Sidney Parker in front of her, the Sidney willing to protect his family at all costs, was a better version of that man. And he was nothing but her own creation.

She tumbled back but was caught by him. "Charlotte…" he whispered, gathering her close to him and starting to kiss her tears away. "We will find a way to be together, I promise." For a few precious moments, she allowed herself to believe him, and she responded to his kisses even more fervently now that they carried the bitter taste of loss.

Three sharp knocks on the office door propelled her back into reality and two steps away from him. It was Arthur, sticking in his friendly face.

"Sorry… didn't mean to disturb, but starters are about to be served."

"We are coming," Sidney said, looking at Charlotte. She quickly wiped her eyes.

"Actually, I… err, I had a rather urgent call from my sister which I have to return first, but I might join you later."

"Very well." Arthur smiled. "We are having my new brioche treacle tart with clotted cream and orange sauce for pudding. I'm sure you don't want to miss that."

"Certainly not."

"Do you think these film people might be interested in my baking? Imagine if I could share some of my…"

"Arthur," Sidney cut in.

"I really need to make that phone call," Charlotte said. "If you'd be kind enough to leave me alone."

Sidney followed his brother to the door but turned around to her again before he left. "This isn't over. We'll continue our conversation later," he firmly said.

Once they were both gone, she sank in Mr Parker's office chair and exhaled deeply, trying to make sense of the devilish choice they were facing. There was no way to perfect happiness. Even if she managed to talk Sidney out of this silly reality TV deal, even if he decided to leave Tom alone with the fate his recklessness had brought upon them all: they could never be together in a carefree, happy manner now. Sidney would always be left with a feeling of guilt towards his family, and that guilt would doom his relationship with her.

So that was Eliza's poison. Elegantly injected, raising Sidney's hopes for a favourable outcome for his brother, yet killing all his happiness as it took effect.

She looked up and found the wooden Esther staring at her. Babington had said that love never saw the ugly, only the beautiful in the beloved. But Babington, dear man that he was, was also such a romantic fool.

There certainly was some superficial beauty in Sidney's love and loyalty for his family. But it was nothing but a pretence of beauty, a reflection fooling the mind. If one looked closer, it was love bought for the price of ugliness and monstrosity.

Be careful, Charlotte heard her father say, and finally, his warning made sense. One more step forward, and she would find herself entangled in mrscampion's world.

So: no. She would step back. And draw a line under the chapter that was Sanditon.

At about twenty to seven on the following morning, Charlotte opened the window of her attic apartment and took a deep breath of sea air. As James had predicted, there had indeed been a storm during the night, clearing the sky and leaving this morning's breeze particularly salty and fresh.

She had one final look over the sea, the town and the green hills of the Sussex Downs, taking it all in, making sure it would remain in her memory forever. How much she had come to love this view – but it was not hers any longer. Against the squawking protest of the old herring gull sitting in the gutter, she closed the window and drew the curtain.

She had to leave. Now. Before anyone could pay her for leaving. That was her only option if she wanted to keep what little Eliza bloody Campion had left her of her self-respect.

The previous evening, sitting numbly in the office chair and staring at a wooden seagull, her phone had buzzed her back into reality.

"HIS NAME!" Alison demanded once more, making Charlotte's tears finally flow again. She left the office and shuffled over to the elevator, not wishing to meet anyone.

"Charlotte, are you not joining the family in the Conservatory?" Julia called out to her.

"Actually, I have a bit of a headache," she told the elevator door. It was not even a lie. She felt as if the giant sea serpent had mangled her. "Would you let them know? - I'll see you all tomorrow." That was a lie.

Back in her apartment, she switched off her phone, wrote a short letter and packed up what little she had before drifting away in a restless doze. At some stage, she heard some violent knocking on her door, and she heard Sidney call her name and ask her to talk to him, but she hid her head under the pillow and put her earplugs in, and after what felt like half an eternity, the knocking subsided, and she cried herself to sleep. Later during the night, she woke up because there was a strange thumping noise on the corridor, but then it stopped again.

Now, in the morning, it was time to leave. She placed the letter addressed to Mr Tom Parker against the vase on the table, and the apartment keys next to it, opened her door and nearly ran into something solid and wobbly at the same time. Someone had left the punching ball from the gym right on her doorstep.

This hotel was quickly turning into a madhouse, even before the arrival of the film crew and mrscampion. Charlotte manoeuvred herself and her suitcase around the punching ball and over to the elevator.

The hotel lobby was empty at this hour of the morning. Breakfast would only start in half an hour, and apart from Esther opening Reception, no one was around.

"Hello, Charlotte," Esther said. "You're up early. What's going on with you?"

"I had a message from my family," Charlotte lied, blushing and concentrating on her suitcase. "I have to go home for a few days. Can you call me a taxi to the station?"

"A taxi? At a quarter to seven on a weekend morning in Sanditon? You amuse me, Charlotte."

"Please," she said. "I need to go to the station." And she needed to be away before a single member of the Parker family showed up.

"You can fly," Esther suggested, touching Babington's gull-shaped brooch on her lapel. "Or take a golf cart." But after another look at Charlotte, she widened her eyes: "What has happened to you?"

"Nothing. I just need to see my family."

"Take these." Esther handed her the keys of the hotel van. "And if you ask me, park in a no-parking zone and drop the keys in the sewer."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Charlotte. I wish you only the best."

"Thank you. Goodbye, Esther."

"Goodbye, Charlotte."

Outside, on the first parking space next to the entrance, the Aston Martin was gleaming in the morning sun, the polished engine cowling shining like a spotless mirror glaze. Charlotte saw her reflection in it: a battered suitcase and a girl wearing jeans and a windbreaker, her hair more tangled than ever, her trainers still sandy from the beach walk with James. What madness had made her believe there was a future for her and the man driving that car?

She raced the hotel van down the road to the station. Contrary to Esther's advice, she did not park in the no-parking zone, but she did dump the car key into the first rubbish bin she found on the station square. The train – the first one of the three trains plus the bus it took to go from Sanditon to Willingden – was not leaving until 7.16. She had enough time to buy her ticket from the vending machine and a sandwich from the shop before walking through the turnstile. The station guard was kind enough to help her with her luggage. It was the same man who had been on duty on the afternoon of Gigi's flight to London.

Gigi.

You cannot trust a single word he says.

Gigi had it all wrong. He was a good man. Which was why it hurt even more. How could he remain a good man if chained to mrscampion?

I promise you that you will have your special moment.

But good men did not break their promises.

"Oi!" she heard the station guard shout. "Young man! No ticket, no boarding!"

"This is an emergency," a deep male voice behind her said.

"This will be an emergency if you don't stay on your side of the turnstile!"

"Charlotte!"

Even without turning around, she knew that Sidney was standing right behind her on the other side of the ticket barrier. There was an undeniable odour of alcohol, sweat and cold smoke around him. And there was an unmistakable voice of hope in her head, telling her that an overnight miracle had arrived. She slowly turned around.

Sidney was looking thoroughly battered and as if he had held his head under running water to regain his senses. Consequently, his hair was dripping, leaving the collar of his shirt wet.

"Charlotte!" he said once more, staring at her from bloodshot eyes, but now apparently lost for words.

"What is it?" she said, trying to keep that treacherous little voice of hope at bay.

"Charlotte," he started for the third time.

"Train's due in two minutes," the station guard announced. "If there's anything substantial you wish to say, you better start now."

"You don't have to leave now, you know," Sidney finally uttered.

"There's a family matter I have to attend to," Charlotte lied. "I believe I have enough hours of overtime to warrant for my absence, and I also believe you know the importance of family matters."

He looked down at his feet, then tried to grab her hand across the barrier. "I know you're hurt and angry. And if you wish to punch me, punch me."

"I don't want to punch you," Charlotte said. The only person she wanted to punch was miles away in London, probably taking good-morning-selfies for her Instagram account right now. Or cuddling one of her ugly handbags, for the only living beings that Charlotte could think of might want to cuddle with mrscampion were crocodiles, and crocodiles were not known to dwell in Britain.

"There is no way around the show," Sidney said. "It's our only chance. The contracts are signed, Eliza's money is on the way, and filming will start in September."

"Yes," she said. "You told me as much."

"But Charlotte…" Sidney ran his hands through his dripping hair. "I believe… if we really want to, we can still make this… make us work. We can still be together – maybe not in public, but… for us. Just the two of us."

"I won't give you away," the station guard said. "I think you're rather cute, the two of you. And there'll be pretty babies. But the train's due in one minute." More urgently, Sidney continued.

"You know it's all a pretence."

"A pretence! She'll cling to you like wet seaweed. She'll touch you, Sidney!" He fervently shook his head.

"I won't allow it. I won't let her poison me. – Whatever happens, it's not real."

"And yet it is real," Charlotte quietly said. "It is so real that you plan to go on nationwide television with it."

He sighed deeply. "You know that I… that I believed myself to be destined to remain alone. Before I met you."

And again she was stung by the sheer sadness of such an idea. "But what do you expect me to be now? Your clandestine mistress?"

"No, you're…" He stopped, apparently wondering what exactly he wanted her to be. Charlotte shook her head.

"That's not what I think love is. Love is not about hiding and pretences. Love is about honesty and trust and sincerity. About being open with each other. Otherwise, it turns sour and ugly."

On the track leading along back gardens and business buildings, the 7.16 to London Victoria appeared.

"Listen, Charlotte," Sidney said, sounding desperate now. "I know you have… high standards when it comes to love. That's simply who you are. But that's an ideal. Life is different. It's very much about trying to make the best out of terrible situations. - Come back to the hotel, just for now. Stay by my side. We'll find a way to make it work for us."

"Until she finds out and hell will break out," Charlotte said. "Then your family's going to lose everything, and this time, you will not be able to save them." She shook her head. "You can't have both worlds, Sidney Parker. You can't move into the light with her money and her connections, and at the same time, stashed away into the dark, keep me and my… my…". She wanted to say "love", but it suddenly seemed such a misplaced word. So she just shook her head again and continued: "You've made your choice. It's the hotel and your family, and in a weird way, that's the right choice, because you will never find happiness with me if you leave them behind. But then for my sake, please also accept my choice."

"Charlotte," Sidney tried once more. For a moment he looked as if he was going to say something incredibly cheesy, like telling her not to forget him, or asking her not to think badly of him, but then he started climbing the ticket barrier instead.

"Stay away from me!" Charlotte cried, raising her hands. Did he not see how he tormented her? "Stay away. Go!"

"Ahem," the station guard said, moving in before Charlotte. "One more step, sir, and this is no longer a case of Romeo and Juliet, but of trespassing and harassment." Sidney kicked at the metal barrier. "Oi!" the station guard cried. "Property damage as well."

Maybe it was just water dripping from Sidney's wet curls: who knew? Maybe it was tears running down his face. Charlotte knew her tears would be flowing within seconds, and she turned away from him as with a noisy screech, the 7.16 to London Victoria came to a halt at the platform.

"I'll help you with your luggage, young lady." The station guard heaved her suitcase into the car and offered her his hand to help her in. "Hope you get that sorted, luv," he added as she was wiping her nose. "Let your anger cool down and reconsider, eh? If you ask me, he's a good man who's just making a terrible mistake."

If only it were about terrible mistakes and not impossible choices!

In the near-empty car, Charlotte found a seat by the window on the side facing away from the platform. The train moved out of the station, passed some of the town's Regency buildings, and with ever faster speed, pulled into the green summer countryside, further and further away from Sanditon.

Charlotte had no eyes for the fields, the hawthorn or the cloudless sky. And she had no other plans than to get to Willingden at some stage during the afternoon, and to wipe out everything that connected her to the town that had made her grow, made her prove herself, made her happier than any other place - and made her encounter love in a way she had never expected.

As the next station was being announced, she took out her phone. The giant sea serpent was asking for a sacrifice, and she was going to offer that sacrifice. She was going to cut her ties with the Parker family, with Gigi, Esther, James, Crowe and everyone else she had met in the past two months.

Slowly, stoically and systematically, she deleted every photo and every conversation from Sanditon. When she was done with that, she blocked all her new contacts. For a second, her finger hovered over Mr Sidney Parker. She remembered seeing his picture for the first time in the family gallery, thinking: I would love to meet this man.

How naïve she had been!

Now that she knew him, she wondered how to forget him. For in stark contrast to her phone, her heart and her memory did not react to block, delete and reset.

Wi$**,''''', Charlotte read one final time. Then she blocked Sidney Parker as well.