Facade of Love

Chapter 364 Worlds Apart
His explanation caught me off guard, and I realized I had no idea what he had planned. I smiled and nodded in agreement,
Once we were all set to go, we waited in the hotel lobby for Liam to sort out the transportation. That was when Charlie and Inch
showed up, looking a bit surprised to see us.
Inch wheeled Charlie over and greeted me, “Ms. Scott.”
They were both dressed down for an outing, and I smiled. “Heading out too?”
Charlie nodded with a friendly smile. “Yeah, just for a walk. What about you?”
“We were thinking the same. The kids have never seen a real forest and are curious,” I replied, not prying into their plans.
Surprise was evident in Inch’s voice as he said, “Ms. Scott, you are heading to the primeval forest too?”
I hesitated before answering, “You’re going as well?”
Inch nodded, but his glance toward Charlie was filled with hesitation and concern, not joy.
Charlie looked totally chill, just giving me a quick smile and saying, “Perfect, let’s head over together.”
I just nodded. I mean, we were all going to hang out anyway, and it was more fun with more people.
Seemingly wanting to say something else, Inch just muttered, “Mr. Yates...”
Charlie glanced over with that cool, unfazed look he always had.

Tully City was not all skyscrapers like Lake City. It had this wild, untouched vibe, as humans had not messed with it too much.
The plants and animals were all thriving, doing their thing
in peace.
Ash, being a kid, easily became one with nature. She loved it more than grown–ups. The minute we hit the forest, she was
tugging on Liam’s arm, dying to climb the tallest tree.
Poor Liam had to go with her.
The rest of us, a mix of old folks, a pregnant lady, and someone in a wheelchair, could not exactly join the tree–climbing
adventure, so Inch and I ended up with the crew at the animal show.
We sat there for like half an hour, the crowd going wild with applause for the animals‘ tricks. Honestly, I was over it. I said a quick
goodbye to Emily and Madam Young and ducked out.
I found a quiet spot by a fish pond to zone out. I loved its peaceful vibes.
When Charlie showed up, I was still in my own world. I would not have even noticed him if it were not for the sudden goldfish
flash mob in the pond.
!
I realized he was tossing fish food into the water when I caught him out of the corner of my eye, his hand almost empty.
Chapter 364 Worlds Apart
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“Why are you here?” just popped out of my mouth.
He passed me the fish food with that easy smile of his. “Your turn to feed them.”
I grabbed the food, still waiting for him to actually answer. However, he just threw me at curveball. “Not into the animal show,
huh?”
The pond was a frenzy of fish, all clamoring for the feed sprinkled on the water’s surface. I tossed a generous scoop where they
swarmed the most and murmured a soft, “Yeah.”
“Why?” He was always the curious type.
The feed was running low. A few more scoops, and it was all gone. I stashed the empty bag and bit my lip before speaking, “You
know, if someone wants to steal the show and bask in applause, they’ve got to grind it out when no one is watching. But people
get up there because they love it and because they choose to. Animals, however, are shoved into the spotlight, forced to play
parts they never auditioned for, repeating the same old tricks day in, day out. They’re just puppets, doing whatever it takes to
make people smile and clap, all while lining the pockets of those who cage them. They’re never free, not till they take their last
breath.”
Charlie’s chuckle cut through the air, but I could not quite catch if he was teasing or taunting. I shot him a look. He was easy on
the eyes, especially when he laughed.
He caught me staring, and his smile faded. “Yvette, you think anyone who’s down on their luck is just a victim, huh?”
I was not sure how to answer that. It did not sound like he meant it as a compliment.
I pressed my lips together and faced him. “Is it so wrong to feel for the underdog?”
He nodded, his voice cool as he replied, “Sure, but it’s not that simple. Everything has got its own way of getting by. The strong
survive, and the weak fall. That’s just how it is. Those animals? If they are stuck doing tricks, it’s because they were too gullible,
too trusting. There are plenty of creatures out there living free. People are no different. The ones who cannot make it and get
pushed around have it coming. They just didn’t try hard enough or weren’t tough enough, mean enough, or strong enough. Their
misery is their fault for being so weak.”
His voice was soft but laced with a cruelty that sent shivers down my spine.

I could not help but frown as I watched him. He blamed every misfortune on those less powerful, as if they deserved it.
Catching my gaze, Charlie arched an eyebrow and murmured, “I know my words sound harsh, but it’s the truth. You’ve got to be
strong to keep yourself safe.”
I agreed with the words but not with his way of thinking.
His lack of pity for the weak was evident, and convincing him otherwise proved impossible. Trying to explain the complexities of
the heart was like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.
After a heavy silence, I blurted out, “Charlie, if you ever found yourself helpless like the victims you just described, wouldn’t you
want someone to reach out to you?”
He scoffed, his gaze drifting over the pond where the last traces of the goldfish had vanished, and replied coolly, “No one can
help me, and I don’t need them. If I ever fell that low, I would take those jerks down with me.”