Ever since the Clark family stood outside the coffee shop, a couple had come in to buy coffee and left as soon as they finished their purchase.
So besides the shop assistant, it was just them inside.
Jack Amos looked at Kevin Clark and Charlotte Lane, both with red eyes, and hesitated before asking, âI read online that you got married. Is this⦠your husband?â
Charlotte Lane took a light breath, but due to her emotional agitation, her throat was dry and sore, so she just nodded in the end.
Jack Amos turned to Kevin and smiled a little, extending his hand politely, âJack Amos. How should I address you?â
Kevin threw the tissue in his hand into the trash can, glanced at Jackâs hand, then looked up at him, his voice icy, âDonât you recognize me?â
Charlotte tilted her head to look at him, some confusion in her eyes.
Jack felt his heart skip a beat. He swallowed, but couldnât find the words for a moment.
Kevin rubbed his fingertips together and said, âChange your tone before pretending you donât know me and testing me.â
Charlotte gently frowned.
Wilton Edwards was also a little confused.
âIâ¦â Jack couldnât finish his sentence.
Because Kevin made a move.
With a bang, Jack took a punch and bumped into the table behind him.
Charles Amos was startled.
Kevin stepped forward, grabbing Jackâs collar, his hoarse voice saying, âWhy the hell are you alive⦠and not going home!â
Charlotteâs words of intervention died on her lips, and she silently watched the two of them.
Charlesâ face was full of confusion, his eyes wide.
Wilton was too.
The shop assistant saw Jack get hit and wanted to help, but hearing Kevinâs words, he stopped as well.
Jack held Kevinâs wrist and sighed softly, âKevinâ¦â
Hearing these two words, Kevinâs eyes turned even redder, even bloodshot.
He gripped Jackâs collar tightly, stared at the man in front of him, then let go, taking a step back.
He turned around, took Charlotteâs hand, and left the coffee shop.
Charles stood in place, staring at his empty little hand. He then looked at the two people who had walked some distance away, accepting the fact that he had been abandoned.
Jack straightened his body, rubbing his sore lower back from hitting the table, and touched his bruised mouth corner.
Charles looked at him, casting him a sympathetic gaze, then said, âIâve never seen Uncle Clark so angry.â
Jack looked at him, hesitated, and said, âLittle brat, sooner or later I have to give you a complete childhood.â
Charles pouted and inched closer to Wilton.
Kevin took Charlotte back to the car. He opened the copilotâs door, let her in, and closed the door.
But then he walked around to the driverâs seat himself and opened the door before closing it again.
He pulled Charlotte down from the copilotâs seat, opened the rear door, and had her sit in the back seat.
Then he sat down in the back from the other side.
Charlotte blinked her reddened eyes and glanced at Kevin.
She felt Kevinâs vulnerability for the first time.
But this vulnerability wasnât like what came from the man sitting beside her now.
It was as if something had torn him apart, and the vulnerability came from the long-gone teenager.
âKevin Clark â¦â
Kevinâs eyelashes trembled slightly, then he held Charlotte in his lap. He buried his face in her shoulder and held her tight.
Kevin held her tightly. For a moment, Charlotte felt like he was an abandoned child.
After a while, she raised her hand, her fingers threading through Kevinâs hair, gently caressing his head.
She didnât say anything, nor did she ask, but she peacefully stayed with him, letting him hold her.
After a long time, the sky outside had completely darkened, and the surrounding neon lights all lit up.
Kevin slowly loosened his grip, but he didnât look up.
âDid I hurt you?â Kevinâs voice was muffled and hoarse.
âNo.â
When Kevin had helped her in and out of the car, he had controlled his strength and didnât hurt her.
Though he had hugged her tightly just now, it wasnât painful for her.
âLittle Girlâ¦â
âHmm.â Charlotte responded softly, then paused before adding, âIâm here.â
Kevin fell silent for a moment before asking, âDo you remember my Second Brother Davis?â
Charlotte confirmed her suspicion, knowing Jackâs identity. She said, âNo. When I was little, I only saw photos of him, and later⦠I only saw photos. But I remember when he came back. Because, during that time, you hadnât been to my house in a long time.â
Kevin chuckled and looked up at her.
His eyes were very red, rarely this red, and the corners of his eyes were moist. It seemed as if he had cried, but Charlotte knew that he hadnât.
âJack is Edward North.â Kevin caressed Charlotteâs face and said, âHeâs my Second Brother.â
Charlotte had guessed already. From the moment he asked Jack why he didnât go home, she had thought of Edward North.
Because the Clark Family was missing this one person, and there werenât many people who could make Kevin so emotional.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
However, she still found it difficult to accept, even to believe.
âYou guessed it, right?â Kevin said.
âYes.â Charlotte fell silent for a while and then said, âHis appearanceâ¦â
She thought about the attitude Kevin had when mentioned Jack before, treating him like a stranger.
âHow⦠did you find out?â Charlotte asked.
âMy Father discovered it.â Kevin leaned back and touched under her red-rimmed eyes, âThe letter he wrote to Charles Amos had the same handwriting as my Second Brotherâs. And⦠Charles Amos increasingly looks like me. So my parents and Charles did a parent-child identification. The child is not mine, nor my Big Brotherâs, and my parents donât have any other children. Although the appearance doesnât match, the handwriting does.â
Charlotte fell silent for a while again, looking at Kevin and asking, âWhen did this happen?â
Kevin thought for a moment and said, âNot long after you returned to the drama crew after the New Year.â
Charlotte suddenly remembered that when she was in the drama crew, Kevin, without even wearing a coat, drove to find her.
His mood was off that day, but he wouldnât tell her why.
He didnât say because he was afraid she would feel guilty, afraid she would feel sorry for his family.
Charlotte fell silent once more.
Jack was Edward North.
She had lived with Edward North for several years in Continent A.
The two families were close, but when Charlotte was born, Edward North had already gone to serve in the military and was often not at home.
So Edward North had never actually seen Charlotte.
But Charlotte had seen his photos, although his appearance had changed.
Looking down at Kevinâs hand holding her fingers, she thought, so⦠Charles was Kevinâs biological nephew.
So⦠Charles didnât resemble Kevin. He didnât resemble any of his parents either; he resembled Edward North, who hadnât had a change in appearance.
âDoes Charles⦠know?â Charlotte asked.
âNever told him.â
Charlotte still found it hard to accept that all these things were just too coincidental.