Chapter 550

Charles stayed quiet. I could tell he was having a hard time finding the words or maybe something else was going on. "Charles, did you come into Ellie's life on purpose?" I asked him straight up. His head shot up, and I caught a glimpse of panic in his eyes. That reaction spoke volumes. I couldn't shake the thought of how much Emma and I looked alike, and how, after Emma passed, Charles had come after me to Ellie's operating room. "Are you hanging around Ellie just to see me more? To remind you of Emma?" I asked. "No," Charles replied immediately. "Madeline, I didn't mean it like that. I've never thought of it that way." After saying that, he snatched up his coffee and took a big gulp as if trying to drown out whatever was happening inside him. I stayed quiet and scrutinized him. "Madeline, believe it or not, I've never mixed you up with Emma. You two may look alike, but I've always known you're different," Charles said, his tone serious. He didn't seem to be lying. That eased