This chapter has some triggering content on rape. If you can't handle it, please ignore it.

Charles POV
Talking to my mother had been the hardest thing I had ever done in my life. Throughout the years, she struggled to get through to me, but I had repeatedly shut her out. She had neglected me as a child, so I felt obligated to show her how it felt. But that wasn't the only reason I was punishing her. The truth was, I had blamed her for what Hannah did to me, blamed her for being broken, blamed her for how my father treated me and blamed her for giving birth to me. I had blamed her for life.
My very existence had been nothing to write home about. Not until I had met Annabelle. She opened me and loved me and made me feel love. And I was forever grateful to her for saving me.
At least partially.
