Chapter 704 Comprehension
Nancy knew that she did not deserve such a treatment. She had explained her relationship with Rick to Charles, but Charles didn't believe her.
"Nancy, do you know why I dated Brandy? Because I'm a jealous man, and that was my revenge. I saw the photo of your hugging Rick, and I could not bear it. I wanted to kill that man so bad, but I decided otherwise. I love you, Nancy. I love our children as well. I couldn't just kill him. I am just a possessive man. You are my woman, and I could not take seeing you physically touch another man. How do you expec me to be genuinely happy with your relationship with Rick? Even though I know it was just a hug, I still could not bear to witness it." Charles began to open up his sentiments.
He simply wanted to vent out his anger. He also was wanted to tell Nancy that he still loved her.
"Nancy, seeing you with another man made me mad. I really hoped you could understand me and my love for you. But what did you do? You were so mean to me. You never considered my feelings." Charles' voice became louder and louder. He suddenly raised his hand and grabbed Nancy's chin. "Nancy, look at me. I want you to look at me," he pleaded.
Charles seemed to have used a bit too much force. Nancy's face showed a hint of pain.
"Ouch! Stop it. That hurts!" Nancy exclaimed miserably.
She knew that Charles was near the edge. She was afraid of the beast Charles kept inside him.
"That pain you feel is nothing, compared to the pain I feel inside. You wouldn't know, because you don't have a heart. I'm telling you, nothing happened between me and Brandy. We were both drunk that night. slept in the bed and Brandy slept on the sofa. We maintained an appropriate distance from each other. We didn't hug, kiss, or even hold hands. What else do you want to know?"
"Charles, let go of me. I believe you now. Just let me go! " Nancy could not help to feel guilty.
He seemed to know why she was mad at him.
'This man can read my mind,'
she thought to herself.
"It's your turn now. What exactly is your relationship with Rick?" Charles really forced the issue. To him, this was only way to resolve things.
"He was my senior back in school. Right now, he is a forerunner in the field of mental health. I look up to that man, but we don't have anything romantic between us." Nancy sincerely looked at Charles as she spoke. She did not want the man to misunderstand her.
"And what about him? How does he see you? I see how he is around you. No man would be that nice to a woman he is not interested in. Tell me the truth, Nancy!" Charles asked again, that time more sternly. "Maybe he likes me a little. But I do not want anything romantic from him! What about Brandy, huh? Are you going to deny that the girl likes you?" Nancy never enjoyed talking about Brandy. "I trust you, Charles. I trust that you do not have romantic feelings for her. I can't stop men from admiring me, Charles. Don't you feel proud that you have a wife that other men adore?"
Nancy spoke carefully. She did not want to aggravate Charles once more.
"No, Nancy. I do not appreciate it when another man gazes at you. I should be the only person who can do that." Charles spoke in a quiet voice. He was being overbearing and unreasonable.
"Don't you like Brandy at all? Then why did you let her work in the hospital? After all, there are other good doctors in the world, who are even better than Brandy. Even though she is your classmate, you have many other classmates, right?" Nancy spoke in a sour tone.
Charles stared at Nancy and slowly loosened her chin.
"Okay, I'll tell you the truth."
Nancy was stunned. Judging by the man's face, Nancy knew that Charles would soon reveal a long story.
Nancy's heart leaped to her throat. She was not sure whether or not she would like to hear the story.
Nancy did not want to hear that Charles and Brandy were romantically involved in the past.
If it were true that Brandy was Charles' first love, then Brandy had the best and purest love Charles could give. That was quite unbearable for Nancy.
She would definitely be jealous.
"You don't have to tell me, Charles. I don't want to pry into your past," Nancy said awkwardly.
"No I need to tell you, or else it might haunt me every day. Hopefully, this will make you understand my relationship with Brandy." Charles paused before continuing, "Nancy, Brandy saved my life!" Nancy was stunned. She totally didn't expect what Charles had just revealed.
Charles was a powerful man. Nancy would have never thought that he would need some saving.
"She saved your life? How?" Nancy asked in disbelief.
"I can see that you can't believe what you've just heard. But sometimes, even tough men find themselves in a tougher spot. Coincidentally, Brandy was by my side during the time I needed help. Don't you think it's strange that there is no swimming pool in our villa?"
"What? I never thought about it much. I just thought that it didn't fit your preferences." Nancy loved to swim when she was younger. But as her life developed, she found herself occupied with other pressing matters, like her career and children.
She wouldn't have thought that the reason they had no pool was because Charles hated it.
"I did not have a swimming pool built because I am scared."
"Have you ever drowned?" Nancy asked curiously.
Nancy hadn't asked about Charles' past because she was not interested, and so he hadn't told her before.
Charles nodded in response to Nancy's question.
He was a very talented swimmer back in the day. He was the high school champion for both butterfly stroke and breaststroke.
One winter, Charles' high school organized some sort of winter swimming competition. Charles was one of the few young men invited to partake with the event.
As the event went on, Charles found himself in a grave situation. His leg had cramped up while he was in the middle of the course.
As pain stabbed young Charles' leg, his body started sinking. He fought hardly to get some help, but his voice was muffled by the water that surrounded him. Charles knew that he needed to keep his head above water. That would be the only way for him to get help. The rescue ship was still nowhere to be found. Charles continued to struggle, his leg still having cramps.
He could no longer hold on, but he did not want to die. He used all his remaining energy to struggle for his life.
As he was just beginning to accept his fate, Charles saw Brandy swimming towards him. "Charles! Are you okay?"
"My leg are cramping! I can't swim anymore!"
Once again, Charles found hope, and it was because of Brandy.
"Help me, please!"
"Okay! Hold on. Don't sink." Brandy was a decent swimmer, yet Charles was too big for her to carry. Instinctively, he grabbed her and decided to never let go.