Chapter 97 - 97: Her Burdens

Charles was once again saved by Phantom.

"Master Phantom! What are you doing here? When did you arrive?" Charles was still couldn't believe what he was seeing right now.

"I already arrived since yesterday. If I hadn't come, you will be stabbed to death just like him." Phantom said to him as he pointed the dead body of Jefferson.

"Thank you master. But how can you hurt Elle like that? You can just snatch away the dagger from her why did you knock her out?" Charles said to him while trying to carry the unconscious Elle in his arms.

"Elle was strong. She lost her mind in that moment do you think she won't fight back? I am already old and can't fight her." Phantom explained to him.

Phantom turned to look at the unconscious Elle. He caressed her face. "Sorry my daughter for doing that. But I know you will suffer more if you wake up and find out that you hurt Charles." Phantom softly said to her.

"Is this why you sounded so worried when you called me a while ago? Do you know that this gonna happen?" Charles asked him curiously.

Phantom nodded. "I am not sure that this would happen but I felt uneasy. So I decided to come and check on her. Thanks God, I came on the right time. Bring Elle to your place. I will follow you after I clean this mess."

Charles nodded in agreement and he left together with Elle.

After knowing Elle's plan through Charles, Phantom immediately followed every thing and proceeded according to her plan. He cleaned up everything after two hours and he followed Charles.

He arrived at Charles' Place together with his most trusted doctor friend Dr. Clara who also diagnosed and treated Elle before.

Elle was still sleeping. Charles already wiped the blood stains in her face and hands but he hadn't change the clothes of Elle which was still covered by the blood of Jefferson.

"Let me change her clothes." Dr. Clara volunteered. The two men just went outside and talked with each other.

Charles hadn't recovered yet from th scene he witnessed. Phantom knew that Charles was still bothered of what just happened today.

Phantom patted Charles' shoulder. "If you want to back out right now, you can still do that. I won't stop you. You almost die in Elle's hand today. Sorry for giving you this responsibility to assist her. I can do it so don't worry about it."

Charles frown when he heard Phantom.

"Master Phantom, don't misunderstand. I am not afraid of dying, even if it I die in her hands I will not runaway from her. I won't leave her."

Phantom laughed "Hmm, who was the person who came running to me and runaway from Elle while shouting "Master Phantom Save Me!" when he first met her." Phantom teased him.

Charles let out a chuckle as he remembered the first day he met Elle. He almost died from heart attack that day. Elle really frightened him when she shot him using a dagger.

"That was before Master. I didn't runaway today. I am ready to accept death a while ago. If it was for Elle, I am also willing to offer my life."

"Master before I promised to serve, follow and offer you my life because I was indebted to you. Master, can I break that promise? Now, I want to follow Elle and serve her. I only have one life Master Phantom so I can't offer it for the both of you. This time, can I just offer it for Elle?" he said to him meaningfully.

Phantom burst out into laughter. "Ahem, I don't mind that Charles. Elle is my daughter and I am glad that someone is willing to offer his life for her just to protect her. At least I am not the only one now who truly cares about her."

"I know sometimes Elle was ruthless and harsh towards you but I was amazed with your patience. You are able to stay with her for this long." Phantom said to Charles with an amused look.

"Master Phantom, I actually truly cares about her. I don't know why but even though she is frightening most of the time I still really want to stick with her." Charles said to him truthfully.

"Charles I want you to know that even though Elle is treating you cold sometimes but deep inside she treasures you as a friend and a family. She was not expressive with her feelings but I knew her. After she lost her family, we are the one who serve as her new family. She cared about us also."

Charles smiled at him. He also believed what Phantom just said to him. He just nodded in agreement.

" Master, about what happened to Elle... She seemed so different and was possessed..." Charles wanted to know why Elle acted like that. Phantom understood him.

"After witnessing what happened to her family, it had a big impact to Elle. She suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after that tragedy. As you know, sometimes Elle suffered from nightmares about her traumatic experience." Phantom started to share to Charles what happened to Elle and her struggles after her family's death.

Charles was just listening to him attentively. He wanted to know her burdens.

"Do you know that after she woke up and recovered from her severe wounds, she suffered more from thinking why she was still alive. She had an overwhelming guilt. She preferred that she also died that day."

There was a moment of silence after Phantom said it.

"She had suicidal thoughts. She attempted to kill herself but fortunately I discovered about it and successfully stopped her. I saw myself in her that's why I couldn't stop myself from worrying about her. I told her my story. I gave her reason to live. I instill in her mind the word revenge so that she would choose to live. I encourage her to live to avenge her family."

"She was smart and she understood what I meant. She used her hatred as her courage and strength. She asked me to train her as a full fledged assassin just like me. She found the reason to live so I trained her." Phantom continued to tell Charles about Elle's past.

"Her training helped her to cope her PSTD. Her life went back to normal. She conquered her negative thoughts about herself and her suicidal thoughts."

"I thought she could handle her own emotions, but I witnessed how she lost control just like what happened today. It happened when we try to catch one of the persons who was involved in her family's death. He was the first person she killed as a trained assassin."

"She had an outburst and became aggressive when she killed the man. I thought it would be dangerous for her if she couldn't control her emotions so I advised her to focus on her training first to become strong. Her revenge could wait for the right time. That's why when you told me about her plan this morning, I became restless. I was afraid that what happened 11 years ago will repeat and now this happened."

Phantom smiled bitterly. Now Charles understood everything that happened today.

"What will happen to Elle after she wakes up? What we should do to help her?" Charles asked him with concerns.

"Don't worry she can handle this. She was just triggered by meeting that man. Dr Clara told me to observe her and if we suspect that Elle's suffered again from PTSD, we can just call Dr. Clara for her treatment." Phantom assured him.

Dr Clara just got out from Elle's room. Phantom and Charles walked towards her.

"Dr. How is Elle?" Charles asked her.

"She was still sleeping. She has a fever but don't worry this is a normal reaction. She just need to rest for now."

"Thank you Clara." Phantom said to her

"It's okay. Just follow my advice and call me if anything's happen to her. Okay?" The two men just nodded and Dr. Clara bade them her farewell before she left.

Three hours after Dr. Clara left, Elle was still sleeping soundly. Charles took care of her, trying to cool down her fever.

Phantom just entered the room to inform Charles that he bought food for dinner when Elle's phone started ringing.

Charles and Phantom looked at the caller I.D and they saw that it was detective Erick Lee who was calling her.