Bang! The tank collided with the jeep with such force that it was sent flying several yards away.
It flipped over in the air before landing in a heap of rubble on the ground. The remains of the jeep exploded in a ball of fire and dense, black smoke engulfing the street.
The impact caused the alarms of the parked cars along the street to erupt in shrill sirens.
All of a sudden, the street descended into chaos and noise.
“Mommy!” the children screamed tearfully. They attempted to run over to her where the jeep exploded but were restrained by the bodyguards.
Henry gaped in shock. He sat motionless in his wheelchair.
At that point, Zachary arrived. He, too, stood frozen in horror at the scene but sprang to action seconds later.
He sprinted recklessly to Charlotte. “Mr. Nacht—” a bodyguard said as he tried to restrain him but to no avail.
“Charlotte! Come back, wherever you are!” Zachary shouted like a deranged, grief-stricken beast.
“You said you were going to marry me and spend the rest of your life with me. You can’t just disappear like that. Come back!”
He searched the burning wreckage with his bare hands as if the flames had kept her hidden from sight. I must find her. I must…
Zachary paid no attention to his burning clothes or even his scorched arms. All that mattered was that he found her.
“Mommy, Mommy…” the children cried as they wriggled free of the bodyguards’ grasp. Together with their father, they ran around looking for Charlotte.
Their small figures shook with fear at the thought of losing their mother as they searched high and low for a trace of her.
They paid no heed to the monstrous blaze, nor heat and danger.
Henry remained in the car. The scene before him brought to his mind the memory from that night twenty years before…
It was a similar accident—the burning car, the gut-wrenching screams, and cries…
The three children before him were like a six-year-old Zachary.
The sudden loss of loved ones would scar and traumatize one for life.
Henry had always hoped to be rid of the obstacle that was Charlotte—even going as far as to wish that she would just disappear. However, at that point, he felt guilty and horrible.
His heart broke as he witnessed the grief of his grandson and great-grandchildren.
Henry even wished that he had given them his blessing earlier on. If he had, this might not even have happened.
Just like the last time…
“Mommy, Mommy!” Fifi squawked from behind.
Zachary felt a shiver down his spine. He turned back and saw through the crimson flames, the figure of Charlotte materializing as the smoke dissipated. She was looking at him tearfully.
She sobbed until her whole body shook. It was only at that moment that she knew how much Zachary loved her.
She was stupid for not realizing this before.
“Mommy!” At the appearance of their mother, the triplets dashed towards her.
Charlotte held all of them tightly in her arms, crying with relief. “Don’t cry. Mommy is fine!”
“Mommy, you scared me to death!” Jamie said with great shaking sobs. “I thought… I thought…”
“We thought we would never see you again,” Robbie said as he wiped his tears. “Are you hurt from the explosion?” he asked as he looked his mother up and down.
“Not at all. I’m fine,” Charlotte said. “When the tank came straight for us, Marino pulled me aside just in time. The explosion knocked me out for several moments. I had just regained consciousness.”
“Mommy…” Ellie wept until her face was red. She clung to Charlotte with her chubby arms and did not want to let go, for fear that her mother would disappear again if she did.
