Letting in Light ✔️ [Completed] [Book two]

Chapter 55

The wooden bench outside the bar is cold against my legs as I sit down in my mid length rose coloured summer dress. I shudder when a cool spring breeze swirls around me. One of the thin straps of my dress falls from my shoulder, and I absentmindedly pull it back up with the phone still in my other hand.

Charlie's handsome face covers the screen of Daniel's phone while he sits during an interview. The brightly coloured posters behind him show that he is promoting some movie. He is wearing a plaid shirt folded up to the elbows, but he appears to have lost some weight. His chest doesn't seem to fill his shirt the way I remember. Charlie's sandy hair has grown since I last saw him at the BAFTA awards months ago and now caresses his collar. I remember the sad look in his eyes as I told him he should go back over to Kimberly. It all seems like a life time ago, I think with a sigh.

"You know, ending my engagement to Kimberly was one of the hardest decisions of my life... but it was the right thing to do for both of us." He looks earnestly at the interviewer. "I had just found out that a woman I used to be in love with had been attacked, and her condition was life threatening." Charlie chokes back tears before continuing. "I realised that I still had feelings for her, so I had to be honest with Kimberly. I jumped on a plane and flew half way around the world to get to her, but her current boyfriend wouldn't let me see her." He bites his lower lip while shaking his head.

"That sounds awful, please tell us that there is a happy ending?" She asks hopefully.

"Not yet, I'm afraid. Mine is a story of unrequited love. But I'm waiting for the day she realises that he just isn't right for her." Charlie smiles sadly before the interview moves on.

"What the hell is he playing at?" I ask in complete shock. I rewind the video and watch it again. Why now? "Did Charlie really come and see me while I was unconscious?" I ask, looking up at Daniel.

"That's really your question? Whether he came to the hospital?" He snarls through gritted teeth. "The media are all over this trying to figure out who he's on about. Chris has said it'll only take a couple of hours and they will have connected the dots to you. She said some of the comments to the story already mention your attack and that there are pictures of you two together at the BAFTAs." He glares at me like I have done something wrong.

"Why are you angry with me?" I stand up to face him. "I spoke to Charlie after you accepted your award. I told him I was glad he was happy. There were photographers everywhere. That's it!" Fury bubbles up inside me from deep within at the realisation that Daniel is allowing Charlie to come between us again.

"You never told me!" Daniel shouts back towards me.

"I'm sorry that a brief chat that meant nothing slipped my bloody mind when my boyfriend had just won a BAFTA!" I scream feeling all of the emotion pouring out from me. In the corner of my eye I see the security guy discreetly edge away from us.

"You're up, Daniel." Jeremy says excitedly as he leans around the door. His happy expression immediately changes to one of concern when he sees us at each other's throats. "Everything OK?" He asks, reluctantly stepping out of the bar while letting the door swing closed behind him.

"Just perfect." Daniel's voice oozes sarcasm.

I let out a bitter laugh and roughly fold my arms across my chest.

"I'll get Caroline." Jeremy says uncomfortably, turning on his heels to escape the frosty atmosphere.

"Don't bother, I'm out of here." I march towards the main road as fast as my legs can carry me. 

Daniel easily catches up to me with his stupid long legs. I completely ignore him as I struggle to maintain the brutal pace. He then jogs to stand in front of me and begins to walk backwards. "You can't just walk off, Fay could be out there."