Charles looks serious.
“Charles, what have you not told me about?” Sam repeated his question.
“The first time we met, you saw me at my worst state. The reason is Eleanor,” Charles said slowly.
Sam was surprised. “You knew Eleanor even before she came into this island?”
“Yes. She was my girlfriend in law school, the only woman I ever loved.”
“So that explains the look you had yesterday while staring at her.” Sam now understands.
“Back then, we were so young and immature,” Charles continued. “Something happened and we were not able to handle it. I hurt her and in return, she hurt me big time. I tried to pursue her again after that, but she kept rejecting me until the time came when I needed to leave the city. I still tried to pursue her one last time, but I failed. After a year, I went back to law school only to find out that she transferred to another school and never left a trace to anyone. That was the last time I heard about her.” Sam can hear the sadness in Charles’ voice as he relayed the sad story of their love.
“Did you ever try finding her?”
“Yes, I did. I personally searched for her for three years. Sadly, I cannot find a single trace of her. I guess she deliberately left no trace for me to locate her. At that time, I thought that she must have hated me so much to do that.” Sam can hear Charles’ voice c***k as if he was about to cry. He paused.
“At that time, I did not know what to do. All I could feel is my broken heart and my shattered dreams. My life was in a total wreck as if I lost my reason to continue living. Then I decided to take a cruise, hoping to find her. God knows how she loves the sea. I thought I would find her there, but I failed. So I drank my heart out for the entire duration of the cruise, and that’s when you found me.”
“Oh, so that’s why you looked terrible when I first saw you.”
“Yes,” Charles smiled wryly. “I never told you the reason I drank that night. Now, you know.”
Sam nodded.
“I was so lost then that when you told me that you are planning to go to an island, I recalled our dreams together, Chastity, I mean Eleanor and I. At that time, all I could think of are the happy memories we shared together. Although it was painful to reminisce, I still held on to those memories as they remind me that we still have a chance together. Then suddenly, an idea came into my mind. What if I fulfil our dreams? Maybe, that would make her come back to me. And so I bought this island, built a villa and waited for her to come. True enough, she did.”
Sam can’t believe his ears. So all along, the reason for Charles’ stay in this island is Eleanor? He now understands the reason why Charles wanted to marry her so much.
He then stood up and said, “Then let’s carry your plans out. Count me in.” He is a believer of one true love. Yes, he is and now that he knows Charles’ and Eleanor’s love story, he will support them to the very end.