Title: Bound by Blood, Broken by Pride
Chapter 33: The Letter That Broke the Silence*
word came that Princess Soma had been caught in UK. Locked up. They said she had many assets, and with legal help, they would retrieve everything she stole. Charles' parents were overjoyed. Sir Frederick called ekene, telling him about how their wealth would return.
But while they were celebrating, I had already written a letter.
I left it on the dining table where I knew Charles would see it.
In that letter, I wrote:
> "By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I've taken our daughter. Don't look for us. You didn't lose us today - you lost us long ago, when you chose everything else over love, over care, over me.
>
> Don't call me. Don't ask anyone. You'll never find us."
Later that evening, Charles rushed in, his eyes wild as he read the letter. He picked up his phone and called his parents. "Did Choma call you? Do you know where she is?"
They answered, "No."
His hands trembled. For the first time in a long time, Charles realized what it meant to truly lose something precious.
But by then, I was already gone.
Charles stormed out of the house like a man chasing his last hope. He clutched his car key so tight his knuckles turned white. The gateman - Musa barely had time to open the gate before Charles flew past, the tires screeching as he tore through the streets like a madman.
He didn't stop until he got to the mansion.
He didn't knock.
He didn't greet.
He barged into the living room and threw the letter I had left on the table. Sir Frederick and Lady Marita read it in silence, their faces slowly hardening.
When they were done, they looked up at him.
"What did you do to her?" Sir Frederick's voice cut the silence like a blade.
Charles sank to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. "Please, Dad… please, Mum… forgive me. I haven't been treating her right. That's why she left. But please, help me bring her back."
Marita placed a hand on her chest. Her voice cracked, "She left with your daughter, Charles. Our granddaughter. After everything…"
"We called you," Sir Frederick said coldly. "We wanted to tell you the good news - that Princess Soma has been caught. In Dubai. Her assets will be seized. We'll recover the money. But instead, you came here with this… with this disgrace."
Charles broke down. "Please, don't let her go. Help me find her."
But their hearts were stone now.
Calls were made. My line? Still off.
Sir Frederick stood in the middle of the sitting room, Charles' trembling hands still holding the letter I had left behind. His face was pale. Lady Marita paced the floor restlessly, her heart thundering in her chest.
"How could she just disappear like this with our granddaughter?" she said, grabbing the letter from Charles and reading it again. "She said she's gone far. That we won't find her."
Charles couldn't lift his eyes. "I don't know what to say. I didn't know she would - "
"Shut up!" Sir Frederick thundered. "You pushed her to this point. We warned you! We warned you, Charles!"
Immediately, Sir Frederick picked up his phone and dialed Ekene. It rang twice before he picked.
"Hello, dad," Ekene greeted, his voice bright.
"Don't 'hello' me, Ekene!" Sir Frederick barked. "This foolish brother of yours has done the unthinkable."
"What? What happened?" Ekene asked, confused. Nancy leaned closer, hearing the tone of panic.
"Chioma is gone! She left the house with your niece - without a word! And Charles brought us a letter - A LETTER! That's how we found out!"
Nancy gasped. "She left? With the baby? Why? What did he do?!"
Sir Frederick's voice cracked with anger. "What didn't he do? He neglected her. He insulted her. He turned his back on his own child, and now she's gone!"
Nancy grabbed the phone. "Charles! Charles! What is wrong with you?! How could you drive that girl away after everything?!"
Charles stood there, stunned as his brother's voice now blared through the speaker. "You're a disgrace, Charles! A complete disgrace to this family! You'll look for her and beg her to return!"
"Enough!" Sir Frederick cut in. "I don't want to see you in this house, Charles, until you've fixed this. You better pray we find her - and the child - safe and sound!"
Charles dropped his head, shame finally catching up with him. For once, he had no defense. Only silence.
That night, Charles sat alone, drinking. hismansion was quiet, too quiet. Shadows stretched across the walls as he drowned himself in guilt and alcohol.
Until they came.
Three men in black suits. Quiet. Firm.
"Sir, you have to leave," one said.
"What?" Charles blinked, confused.
"The order came from Sir Frederick. You're no longer allowed here."
They took his phone. His wallet. Everything.
"No, no, wait - you can't do this!" he shouted, struggling as they dragged him out of the house like a stranger.
The gate slammed behind him. The locks clicked. The lights went off.
Everything was gone.
The next day, his bank accounts were frozen. His company access revoked. Security at the office was instructed not to let him in. Even the staff looked away when they saw him.
Sir Frederick washed his hands off him.
"You've brought nothing but disgrace," he told anyone who asked. "He let pride destroy what we built."
And just like that, Charles - once the prince of the mansion, the heir, the son of wealth - was back on the streets.
Alone. Again.
the end