[Holmes family's Mansion, Karoon City]
In one of the opulent rooms within the grand Holmes Family Mansion, Carla and Charles lounged on their luxurious queen-sized bed, enveloped by the silky white fabric of the headboard behind them.
The room was adorned with elegant furniture and décor, and the muted light filtering in from the ornate window gave it a warm, inviting glow.
Just a few moments ago, they had watched Rain's livestream on their phones [which they bought specially to watch Rain's livestream].
But Carla was still trying to make sense of the things Rain had said. She turned to face Charles, her brow furrowed with confusion.
"Could that girl possibly be Emma?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "If so, why did Rain call off the engagement?"
Charles shifted uncomfortably beside her, his brow furrowed in concern as he contemplated his response.
His eyes were downcast, avoiding Carla's gaze, as if he was grappling with some inner turmoil.
"Honey, not everyone is as kind-hearted as you are," he said finally, his tone serious.
Carla could hear the sadness and worry in his voice, as if he was burdened by some heavy secret.
"Rain may have loved Emma, but she never reciprocated his feelings," Charles continued, his voice heavy with regret.
"It's hard to understand why, but sometimes people just can't return the love we give them."
Carla nodded slowly, her mind still racing with questions. She tried to read Charles' face, but his expression was inscrutable, as if he was lost in his own thoughts.
"As hard as it is to accept, not everything lasts forever," Charles said softly, his eyes meeting Carla's for the first time. "Sometimes people just start to ignore you and dislike you for no reason at all."
She couldn't help but wonder when Rain had stopped liking Emma, and if there was anything she could do to help.
Carla's forehead creased with confusion, and she shifted closer to Charles, seeking reassurance. "Then why didn't you intervene between them?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Charles let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. He looked at Carla with a mixture of regret and hesitation in his eyes before responding.
"If things had become serious and escalated, I would have stepped in," he said, his voice low and measured.
Carla could sense the weight of his words.
She reached out to touch Charles' arm, her fingers seeking comfort.
"However, the last time I tried to intervene, the family elders didn't approve," Charles continued, his voice barely above a whisper.
He glanced around the room as if someone might be eavesdropping.
"You have no idea how many wolves are eyeing our family," he added.
As they spoke, the room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing.
Charles' words lingered in the air, and Carla's mind raced with questions.
She wanted to know more about these wolves and what they were after, but she believed that Charles would tell her soon.
Carla's eyes searched Charles' face for answers as she expressed her concern.
"But what can we do about Rain?" Her tone was filled with worry, and her face showed a deep frown of confusion.
"I think it's better that he left the family," Charles responded.
"The elders never appreciated Rain's talents, and I suspect that some of them may have ties to an evil organization." He spoke seriously, and his eyes showed a hint of frustration and anger.
Even when Rain was beaten up by Emma and Kaya, he couldn't do anything because of those elders.
Carla's confusion was evident, and Charles decided to confide in her. "We are both SS-rankers," she said.
"Who can defeat us?" Her voice was tinged with unease, and she bit her lip anxiously.
"Unfortunately, my brother and sister-in-law died because of the schemes of the evil organization," Charles replied.
"I cannot risk anyone else's life. Until I identify the traitor, we cannot take action." He shrugged his shoulders, but his expression showed the weight of the burden he carried.
Carla nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.
She could see the pain in Charles' eyes, and she knew that he was doing everything in his power to keep their family safe.
Carla's brow furrowed with concern as she asked, "What about Rain's engagement with Emma?"
Charles let out a deep sigh, his eyes betraying a hint of sadness. "It's better that he called it off," he explained.
"I knew that Emma was not going to reciprocate his feelings, but like you, Rain is a kind-hearted person who still tried."
Carla's heart sank at Charles' words. She couldn't imagine the pain Rain must have felt when he realized that his love was unrequited.
"That must have been so hard for him," she murmured, her voice laced with sympathy.
Charles nodded solemnly. "Emma's hatred only grew, and there was a time when even I became angry at her," he admitted. "That's why I didn't interfere with their duel. I hoped that Rain would move on."
Carla could see the pain in Charles' eyes as he spoke about the past. She reached out and gently took his hand, offering him comfort. "I'm so sorry, Charles," she said softly. "I had no idea."
"It's okay," Charles replied with a small smile. "We can't change the past, but we can make sure that Rain has a better future."
Carla nodded in agreement. However, before she could speak, Charles interupted her.
"Now, I am also concerned about Kaya. I cannot comprehend her actions or where she got these strange notions," Charles commented, his tone serious.
"She knew it would be a breach of the duel if she made a sneak attack on Rain," Charles said, his voice serious and his brow furrowed with worry.
"She still did it. Even if there was a chance of harsh punishment," he continued, shaking his head in disbelief.
Charles looked at Carla, searching her face for a response. "Don't you think it's weird?" he asked, his concern evident in the creases on his forehead.
Carla nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "It is indeed strange. I never would have thought Kaya capable of such behavior," she said, her voice reflecting her concern.
As Carla listened to him, her eyes widened with shock.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing from Charles. She looked at Charles for confirmation because she felt what she heard was pretty much dumb.
"It's true." Even Charles had hard time accepting that.
"About Rain, don't worry about him much," he said, his tone reassuring.
"Now Rain has become a real man. He will find someone better than Emma. We will properly apologize to him, too," Charles added with a hint of determination in his voice.
Carla nodded in agreement, feeling relieved for Rain.
"Will you help me?" Charles asked, looking at Carla with hopeful eyes.
"Of course, darling," Carla replied, giving him a warm smile.
As she leaned in to hug him, Charles' face softened and he returned the embrace, a small smile forming on his lips.
"And about Emma and Kaya, those two brats. I also have to solve their problems, otherwise, they will get into some trouble. Although it was circumstances, Rain suffered somewhat," he said with a wry smile.
Carla chuckled softly, "Darling, you are the best."
As she gave him a small kiss on the cheek, Charles' smile grew wider, and he pulled her in for another hug.
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