"cough!" cough!"Arthur, I apologise."Arthur was taken by surprise when he heard her weak voice apologise, causing him to face her.He approached her, dropping down on his knees to match her height.The dim light from the old lamp barely lit up the area."What are you apologising for, you fool?" He mustered a grin, attempting to lift the atmosphere, yet the weight in his heart was undeniable.Charlotte's hands were trembling as she found it incredibly difficult to eat from the meal he offered her.As she tried to stop her tears from falling, her eyes shimmered with sadness as pain overtook her heart.
She whispered with her voice shaking , "I'm so sorry for burdening you, Arthur."
"You could have stayed at the secure orphanage, where life is easier, and you wouldn't have to work hard every day to care for me, provide food and medicine, and give me a home."
Arthur's heart sank as he watched her, the guilt etched in every word she spoke. Charlotte had always been strong, but now she was breaking under the weight of their shared hardships. He had to be strong for her, but hearing her blame herself twisted the knife of helplessness deeper into his gut.
"You even had to quit high school because of me," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper, tears finally escaping and rolling down her cheeks.
"You had a scholarship... to Oxford. They were going to pay for all your tuition. You gave it all up… just to provide and care for me."
She couldn't hold it back any longer. The tears came in waves as they flooded her eyes, and with them, the guilt she had been carrying for so long.
She looked down, pushing the food aside as if she no longer had the strength to eat.
Arthur's chest tightened. Seeing her like this, blaming herself for everything, it tore him apart in ways he couldn't even begin to express. Without thinking, he gently placed the food on the table, leaned forward, and wrapped his arms around her fragile frame. He could feel her shaking, her sobs muffled against his shoulder.
"None of these things matter," he said softly, his voice firm but kind. "As long as you're well, Charlotte, I'm more than content. Don't punish yourself for this."
Her sobs grew softer, but the tears didn't stop.
Arthur held her tighter, speaking quietly into her hair, "I will never place anything—no worldly thing—above you or your happiness. Remember that."
His voice was gentle, yet there was an unshakeable sincerity in his words. He meant every single one.
She was his only family, and for her, he would sacrifice anything.
"Everything."
For a moment, the world outside disappeared.
The rain pummelling against the windows, the chill in the air, the creaking old apartment—it all faded.
But the moment was interrupted by the harsh buzzing of his old, run-down phone.
Its cracked screen lit up, casting a dim glow in the dark room. Arthur sighed, pulling away from Charlotte as he glanced at the caller ID.
"Manager."
He already knew what the call was about.
"One second, my manager's calling," he said, giving her a small, reassuring smile before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind him to shield her from the conversation.
Once outside, Arthur stood in the cold, damp hallway. He lowered the volume on his phone, taking a deep breath before answering. There was no emotion on his face. He already knew how this was going to end.
"Arthur, what have you done?!" his manager's voice barked through the phone, filled with frustration and contempt.
"You made our golden customer complain! She almost stopped ordering from us because of you! And not only were you late, but you were rude to her? Do you have any shame?"
"I took you in when no one else would hire someone like you—with no experience, no qualifications. And this is how you repay me?"
Arthur closed his eyes, listening to the rant without a flicker of emotion. His voice remained calm as if the words couldn't touch him. "Sir, the food arrived on time. The only issue was that it was cold. I can't do much about that, as I can't control the weather, as I'm sure you're aware."
The manager's tone grew colder, dripping with sarcasm. "I've told you many times to buy an insulating box for the deliveries. Why haven't you done that?"
Arthur's grip on the phone tightened, but his voice stayed flat. "My sister needs medication. I can't afford an insulating box, sir."
There was a heavy pause on the other end of the line. Arthur could almost hear his manager sneering.
"Hmph! Excuses."
"I was forced to take that delivery because others were busy, I never took this delivery voluntarily "
"You're fired," the man snapped, his voice final. "Don't come back, and as compensation for your negligence, you won't be getting paid for your last shift. You can consider your wage gone."
Arthur's face remained that of indifference. "You're not paying my wage?" he asked, though there was no real surprise in his voice. Just a cold acceptance.
"That's right," his manager replied, his tone dripping with satisfaction. "Do what you want with that information. I'm done with you."
The call ended with a sharp click.
"Dzzn."
Arthur lowered the phone slowly, staring at the blank screen for a moment.
"I will make you regret this..."
He took a deep breath, pushing the emotions aside as he straightened his posture. Placing a calm smile on his face, Arthur re-entered the small room where Charlotte lay, her weak form barely stirring in the bed.
She looked up at him with concern. "What happened? What did your manager want?"
Arthur kept his voice light, even cheerful. "There's an important delivery I need to make," he said, lying effortlessly. "The money's good. I'll be back soon, okay?"
Charlotte frowned, worry creasing her brow. "But… it's raining outside. You don't have to go. You've already done so much today."
Arthur's smile never wavered. She didn't know how cold it was outside—she couldn't. The room was warm, and she hadn't stepped foot outside in weeks. If she knew the truth, she'd worry more, and he couldn't let that happen.
"I'll be fine," he reassured her, tucking the blanket around her gently. "I'll be back before you know it."
Charlotte gave him a weak nod, her tired eyes filled with trust. "Be careful."
Arthur nodded, slipping out of the room with the same calm smile.
The rain poured harder outside.