CHAPTER 98
Charles was impatient, longing for a night with those young eyes that reflected the same intensity as Elizabeth, his favorite muse. However, the girl seemed too vulnerable for Charles' insatiable desires. He hesitated to take things to extremes, considering the high price he would pay for her company. His intention was to explore this special relationship more often, and he longed to prolong the pleasure she could provide, but his hands and body didn't listen and it happened...
That little body was a delight, but it was a pity that she gave him so much trouble, fighting against him. If that young woman had obeyed him and kept quiet, he wouldn't have had to give her those lessons...
"A woman must know how to obey her man and must give pleasure to her male, after all, if she's a female, that's what she's for," laughed Charles.
But now, he needed to clean up the evidence that could link him to that case. Hargraves was a commander and he had his methods, all he had to do was throw the clues of that death at some unfortunate person, someone had to take the blame for him, after all he had a name to protect and a status to preserve, he wouldn't let a whore ruin his reputation.
Charles was already impatient, he had to make his plans with Hargraves, he had been there for four months, hiding in that old joint, a stinking place full of drunks, and he and those gangsters who had helped him escape, were hiding in that stinking hole with those easy-living women, while Jack Thorton and the others were free and enjoying the good life with their Elizabeth. Charles promised himself that he would soon solve his problems and get his wife. Elizabeth would come into his hands, and after teaching her how to behave, he was sure she would love him completely and with an intensity he had never dreamed of. He would show her who he was...
"Your man... your macho... your alpha."
Meanwhile, on a road between Calgary and Hope Valle, on his second night on the road, Edward had just set up a tent for Malyn to rest in. She smiled all the time without ever complaining, but Edward could see the tiredness on her face and in her voice. Even though he had only known this twenty-one-year-old girl for a few days, he noticed that she was like his friend Elizabeth: even though she was suffering, she never complained about anything and always looked for something positive in the situation. He was sure that the two of them would be great friends, for Elizabeth in her generous heart would welcome this young woman into her midst...
Malyn hardly ate, and that caught his attention.
- Malyn... I notice that you're hardly eating. Did I bring you the wrong food or don't you like it?
- I'm sorry... everything is perfect and delicious.
- You need to eat well? You're eating for two...
- I... she lowered her gaze, and looking at the floor, was at a loss for words to explain.
- Malyn! I haven't known you long, but I like you and I want to protect you. If you want to tell me what's been going on in your life or what you're thinking, know that I can be your friend and I'll listen to anything... And when you get to Hope Valle, you'll meet my friend Elizabeth, and you'll see that she'll take care of all your problems.
- I can see that this Elizabeth is someone special to you!
- Yes... She's very important. I used to be in love with her. I think me and her cousin Frankison... but then the years went by and I realized that she was my best friend, like a little sister, and that I needed to protect her.
- Protect? Don't I understand?
- I'll tell you and you'll understand everything...
And so he told her, parts of his childhood, and even about Charles and his attempted kidnapping and rape, which is why she saw the note in the newspaper.
She was horrified by everything she was hearing, and a thought crossed her mind...
"It was because of this Elizabeth, that I fell into the hands of that monster, so it's all her fault..."
Edward, in his years in the business, had learned a lot, and the look on Malyn's face was that of someone looking for someone to blame for her misfortune, and he could see that she was going to blame Elizabeth.
- Malyn, now I'm going to tell you something, but not as your friend or Elizabeth's, and I want you to listen to me. Neither of you is to blame for what happened to you, or for the horror that Elizabeth suffered at the hands of that man. You are both victims... victims of a cruel and heartless man. And not for that, you need to stand together and fight for justice to prevail and for Charles Kingston III to be condemned.
- I'm sorry, Edward... but for a moment I wanted to blame her for everything I'm going through.
- She's been through a lot too... Let me tell you something. When Jack rescued her, her clothes were already torn. And, what's more, a short time later, her younger sister sent her boyfriend to kidnap Elizabeth, but the boy decided he wanted her in his bed, and after shooting her brother-in-law and kidnapping her, but she was saved by Frankison...
- I see she has a good gang protecting her?
- Yes... and there are many more in the city. She's very well liked by everyone.
- Edward... did she marry Frankison? After all, you said you were all very close as a child.
He told her everything, from his marriage to Jack to the discovery of his twin brother Frankison.
For Malyn, the woman's story grew more intriguing by the hour. If it hadn't been a mountie telling her, she would have said it was an invention, perhaps a book, a romance story, where the girl had to fight for her happiness. And Malyn had to admit, Elizabeth was the bravest and most persistent person she had ever heard of. With so many problems, she never gave up.
Malyn didn't notice that Edward was looking at her all the time, as he told the story, and he had a smile on his face. With all that storytelling, she ended up distracting the young woman, and in her curiosity she ended up eating a large amount of food.
Edward watched as Malyn retired to her tent, her expression revealing the whirlwind of thoughts that echoed in her mind. Under the starry blanket of night, he pondered the complexity of the stories that life used to weave.
His thoughts turned to Elizabeth, a figure who had become not only a dear friend, but also a source of inspiration. Elizabeth's story of overcoming, courage and persistence resonated in his mind, for it was a story that transcended the limits of reality. Life sometimes seemed to imitate the contours of an intricate novel, with courageous characters facing challenges and unforeseen events.
As the stars dotted the night sky. Edward pondered the unexpected connection between these two women. Malyn, bearing her own invisible scars, now shared a journey intertwined with Elizabeth's. Malyn's inquisitive gaze, as she absorbed every detail of the story, revealed a mixture of fascination and bewilderment at the complexity of Elizabeth's life.
Edward, with a subtle smile, noted that his narrative had been effective for a moment, diverting Malyn's mind from her personal burdens and encouraging her to enjoy a much-needed meal. As the beloved city and the stars witnessed the intersection of these lives, Edward reflected on how intertwined history could eventually form stronger bonds than anyone could have predicted.
The crackling of the fire echoed in the serene night, illuminating Edward's thoughtful face. Under the blanket of the starry sky, he contemplated the intricacies that fate had woven into their lives. The soft murmur of nature around him seemed to whisper secrets of the future, while the night silence enveloped him in a veil of contemplation and expectation. Each crackle of the flames was a link between the past and the present, and Edward, lost in his thoughts, longed for the answers that awaited on tomorrow's uncertain horizon.