As Charles spoke, his eyes turned red. "When I was arranging the funeral, your grandmother somehow found out. She dragged her sick body over, crying and yelling at me, asking why I hadn''t told her.


    "At that time, only Yvette''s body hadn''t been ced in the coffin. I was afraid it would be too much for her, so I refused to let her see it no matter what. She threatened me with her own life, and in the end, I had no choice-I took her to see Yvette.


    "When Vivian saw Yvette''s charred body, she coughed up blood on the spot." His voice choked again. "It was a horrific scene, something no one should have to witness.


    "She couldn''t ept it, and neither could I. I''d always seen Yvette as a younger sister. For her to die like that, my heart—"


    Charles lifted a trembling hand to cover his eyes, unable to say another word. Marcus reached out and gently patted his back, silently offeringfort.


    After a long pause and a deep breath, Charles steadied himself and began again.


    "Vivian lost her entire family in the Jenkins disaster. She saw with her own eyes the corpse of the sister she loved most, burned to that state. Her already frail health declined even more rapidly.


    "She forced herself to stay strong and helped meplete the funeral arrangements for the Jenkins family. Afterward, her condition worsened by the day. She med herself endlessly. Day after day, she grew thinner, and her hair started falling out in clumps. She cried day and night.


    "She was too afraid to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she''d see Yvette in the mes, screaming for help. Not just Yvette-others from the Jenkins family too. All of them, bodies engulfed in fire, screaming at her, begging her to save them.


    "Eventually, Vivian couldn''t bear it anymore. She left a suicide note and drowned herself in the bathtub."


    Charles shut his eyes. Tears streamed down uncontrobly as his body trembled. "Marcus, your grandmother, Vivian, drowned herself in the tub. When I found her, she was already gone.


    "She left a note asking to be buried with the Jenkins family. She asked me not to tell Wesley or Cassie. She didn''t want her children to know their mother had died such a weak, helpless death.


    "She asked me to raise them well. She also wrote that she had seen the fire, that she had seen Yvette die in front of her. But I had arranged for her to be in the hospital, so she had no way of witnessing it."


    Charles took a deep breath. "In her letter, she said someone sent her a video after the fire. She saw Yvette, in mes, crying out for help.


    "Iter asked her doctor. He told me Vivian''s mental state had already deteriorated. She couldn''t distinguish between reality and hallucination. She believed she knew about the Jenkins tragedy but hadn''t done anything to stop it.


    "Her suicide wasrgely because of this. The psychiatrist at the time asked me if I''d been lying to Vivian and to myself."


    Marcus listened intently, quietly processing all that had been said. He couldn''t help but notice how Charles'' story had started to contradict itself.


    Maybe it was his age. Maybe it was the emotional shock of seeing those photos again. But Marcus could tell that Charles was trying to patch up his own narrative, and poorly at that.


    And that only made Marcus more suspicious. Because the inconsistencies weren''t subtle at all.


    Marcus'' phone rang, startling Charles. Marcus quickly took the phone from him and checked the screen. "It''s Nat. I''m going to take this."


    "Alright."


    Marcus stepped outside and answered. "Hey, Nat."


    "Did you get anything out of him?" Natalie''s cool voice came through the phone. "Guess what Walter managed to find out from that girl."


    "What?" Marcus asked, ying along.


    "This girl''s name is Charlene Jenkins," Natalie said carefully. "Your grandfather''s name is Charles Holden.


    "Charlene. Charles. These names aren''t identical, but they echo each other."


    She paused, then continued, "Charlene told me her name was chosen by her grandmother, to honor the man she once loved. But that lover wasn''t her grandfather.


    "Walter also asked Charlene about Megan. Now it''s your turn. What did you learn from Grandpa Charles?"


    "My grandmother''s name was Vivian Jenkins. Her biological sister was Yvette. Years ago, the Jenkins family suffered a major tragedy-over a hundred members died in a fire. Only Vivian survived.


    "After the fire, the Jenkins estate was turned into what''s now Luminara Park.


    "Luminara Park is owned by Walker Group," Marcus added, his tone heavier. "Nat, I haven''t finished talking to Grandpa. I just stepped out to answer your call.


    "Charles is holding something back. He''s trying to patch up the holes in his story suspect Yvette didn''t die He said her body was burned, but after seeing the photos you sent, I''m guessing the girl is Yvette''s O granddaughter.


    "Charlene isn''t just a simple name—it was chosen to remember Charles."


    As Marcus said this, Charles appeared in the doorway, eyes bloodshot and full of


    tears, staring at Marcus without blinking.


    "Nat, my grandfather''s here. I''ll talk to youter."


    "Okay. Walter and I are already on our way to The Herbalist''s Sanctuary with Charlene. Once we''re all together, we need to have a serious talk with Grandpa Charles."


    "Nat, I''m suddenly scared," Marcus admitted. "I don''t know why. I just feel scared all of a sudden."


    "Don''t be." Natalie''s voice, though cool, was steady and full of strength. "Marcus, as long as I''m here, you don''t have to be afraid."


    Hearing that, Marcus instinctively smiled. His voice softened. "Okay. As long as you''re here, I''m not afraid."


    "I''ll hang up now. Keep an eye on Grandpa Charles."


    "Got it." Marcus ended the call and calmly slipped the phone back into his pocket. "Grandpa, why did youe out?"


    Charles still stared at him, red-eyed, tears falling faster and harder-until finally, he broke down sobbing.


    "Grandpa, what''s wrong?" Marcus rushed over tofort him, but Charles was inconsble, weeping uncontrobly.


    Marcus had no choice but to help him back into the house. "Grandpa, what are you so afraid of?"


    "Nothing. I haven''t done anything


    shameful. I have nothing to be afraid


    of," Charles said, though his voice trembled. "Marcus, I just miss your grandmother. All these years, Ve never dared speak to you or Wesley about her. I didn''t know how.


    "That fire that destroyed the Jenkins family-it was just too horrible. Too tragic."


    "Grandpa, Nat will be here soon with Charlene," Marcus said calmly. "Maybe Charlene is a descendent of the Jenkins family."