From Ruin, She Rose - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Charles's voice made Emily cry even harder, like she was trying to pour out every bit of fear and pain from the past two years.
Back at St. Gabriel's, she had imagined this moment countless times. She pictured herself running to Charles like she used to, crying to him whenever someone bullied her, letting him stand up for her and get revenge on her behalf.
But when Charles gently asked if she had been treated badly out there, Emily forced a smile through her tears and shook her head.
Still, she couldn't stop the sorrow welling up inside her.
After entering that hellish place, she had never had enough to eat or warm clothes to wear. She was beaten and humiliated, treated worse than a stray dog. Even her name had been taken—she was just "Number Ten."
Everyone there could hurt her in whatever way they pleased. Not only would they go unpunished, but they'd even be rewarded. The worse they treated her, the more they were praised.
She didn't even dare fall into a deep sleep, afraid that the next time she opened her eyes, she'd be tied up and surrounded by faces that looked like monsters.
Her sadness ran too deep to hide.
But when Charles asked again, she still forced a smile and said, "No, I was fine out there."
Charles's hand trembled as he wiped her tears, his face full of heartbreak. "Don't lie to me. If you were fine, why are you so skinny?"
Emily quickly wiped her face. "I've been on a diet lately. Grandpa, I really am okay. I'm just happy I get to see you again."
To have made it out of St. Gabriel's alive—to be standing here, in front of Charles—that was already enough for her.
"Silly girl..." Charles couldn't help but cry.
He could tell right away she wasn't thin from dieting. He didn't know exactly what Emily had gone through, but it hurt him deeply that she didn't even feel safe enough to tell him.
Wiping away his own tears, Charles glared fiercely at Andrew, who was still standing by the door. "What did you people do to her?"
Andrew sighed, clearly frustrated. "Grandpa, like I said—Emily was abroad. She's back now. Why won't you believe me?"
"Lies!" Charles snapped, grabbing the cup on his nightstand and throwing it at him.
At first, he really had believed the Bennetts when they said Emily had gone abroad. He'd even been upset that she didn't say goodbye before leaving.
But as time went on and he never got a single call or message from her, he started to suspect they had lied. Going abroad didn't mean losing all connection. Emily would've contacted him—he knew she would've.
He tried to speak again, but his fury overwhelmed him, and he suddenly broke into a fit of coughing.
Emily jumped up and gently patted his back. "Grandpa, please don't be mad. I'm here now. I'll stay with you every day. I'm not going anywhere."
Right now, all she wanted was to stay close to Charles—far away from the Bennetts and from St. Gabriel's—and simply survive.
Charles could see that she didn't want to talk about what they'd done to her. That made his heart ache even more.
He had treated her like a precious treasure since she was a child. He didn't even want to imagine what kind of pain she must've endured.
Choking back tears, he stroked her hair with trembling fingers. "It's okay. You're home now. That's all that matters."
Emily's nose stung, and she pressed her lips together, nodding hard.
Like a tiny boat finally finding a safe harbor, she clung tightly to Charles's arm. For the first time in two years, she felt truly safe.
Charles looked at her fragile, dependent face, and it hurt so much it felt like his heart was bleeding.
"Emily, even if it costs me this old life of mine, I won't ever let anyone hurt you again," he said firmly.
Emily nearly teared up again. She blinked quickly, forcing the tears back. "Okay. Then I'll stay with you here, at the hospital."
The only reason she'd gone back to the Bennett residence was for Charles. Now that he was in the hospital, there was no way she'd return there.
But Charles didn't agree. "No, you're still young. You can't stay at the hospital every day. Just go home and rest. Once I'm feeling better and discharged, I'll come see you."
If it weren't for how badly he'd fallen two years ago, he would've left the hospital with her right now.
Seeing that Emily was about to refuse, Charles put on a serious face. "What? Are you saying you won't even listen to your grandpa?"
He could tell she had grown distant from the Bennetts—obviously she'd been through something terrible.
Emily was the only granddaughter he truly recognized. He'd loved and spoiled her for eighteen years and wouldn't let Lydia steal her place.
Holding tightly to Emily's hand, he said, "Emily, I've waited two whole years for you to come back. You said you'd stay with me—don't you dare lie to this old man."
Seeing the tears in Charles's eyes, Emily didn't have the heart to say no. She stayed by his bedside and chatted with him until he started to look tired, then finally left, reluctant to go.
Just seeing his granddaughter again after two long years made Charles feel much better.
Bob Carter, the housekeeper who had been by Charles's side for nearly fifty years and had been with him at the hospital all this time, could see the change right away.
Ever since Charles fell at the Bennett residence two years ago, he hadn't really recovered. He'd been consumed with worry about Emily, losing sleep night after night, dreaming of her being bullied, crying out for him to come save her.
For the past two years, Charles had ignored his own health and sent people everywhere trying to find her. Now that she was finally back, Bob could finally breathe easy.
He handed Charles his medication. "Mr. Bennett, you have to recover quickly. That way you can spend more time with Emily."
"You're right," Charles said. "I need to get strong and live a few more years, so I can be there for her—and protect her."
For the first time in two years, Charles took his medicine without a fuss and cooperated with the doctors' checkups.
He was also very glad he had told Bob to hide the wheelchair yesterday. If Emily saw that he had to use one now, she would've been heartbroken.
What Charles didn't know was that after leaving the hospital, Emily still felt deeply sad.
It had only been two years, but his hair had turned so much whiter, and he looked so tired. She couldn't imagine how much he must've worried about her.
Andrew noticed Emily wiping away tears and said, somewhat pleased, "You really have grown up."
If it were before, she would've complained to Charles and told him everything. And then Charles would've blamed Lydia for it all.
Andrew was in a good mood, so he turned to her and said, "Go ahead—what kind of reward do you want?"
In the past, whenever Emily wanted something, she'd act sweet and obedient. He figured this time would be the same.
Since she hadn't made trouble for Lydia today, he didn't mind letting her ask for something big—as a way to make up for what she'd gone through over the past two years.
But Emily just quickly wiped her tears and shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Bennett. But I don't need anything."
Andrew had judged her too harshly. She had only played along with their lie because she didn't want Charles to worry—yet in his eyes, it was all about earning some so-called reward.