Before Nicole could tell Sterling about her plan, he started cursing aloud, "F*ck, Soph said that your old man is sending her away. Why isnât she picking up her phone now?
"Charles, if something happens to Soph when sheâs with your old man, then Iâll make sure that you and your old man will pay for this!"
Nicole tried to stop him, but Sterling was too emotional that he could not hear a single word she was saying.
"... My grandfather?" A thin layer of sweat formed on Charles' head as a trace of panic and anxiety flashed in the depth of his eyes.
Without waiting for Sterling and Nicole to say anything else, he turned around and strode out of Wealth Hall.
Nicole watched as he disappeared at the door at lightning speed. A hint of unease emerged on her face. She could not help but blame Sterling. âWhy did you tell Mr. Harris? What if Sophâs phone just happened to run out of battery? Youâll end up ruining Sophâs plan then, wonât you?"
Sophia was all Sterling cared about, hence this was a possibility that had never crossed his mind. He said while stuck in a daze, "Youâre right..."
Then, he asked, "What if Soph is really in trouble?"
Nicole was stumped for words for a moment. Yeah, what if Soph was really in trouble?
"Did Master Harris really send Sophia away?" James lowered his head and asked Sterling. A hint of disappointment was hidden in the depth of his eyes.
With tears still hanging on her eyelashes, Jenny was momentarily nonplussed when she heard him saying the word âSophiaâ.
Sterling did not know what he meant by that and replied irritably, "Thatâs what Soph told me!"
He paused for a moment, then roared in panic, "This canât do. I need to go and see the old man at Harris residence and ask him where Soph is!"
He turned his wheelchair around and planned to leave but failed to do so.
"Even Master Harris has intervened in this matter now. Itâs best that you leave it alone," James said with a frown as he grabbed the wheelchair from behind.
Sterling glared fiercely at him. "Dad, let go!"
Seeing that something was wrong, those who were still talking to James earlier made an excuse to leave.
"Stop fooling around!" James said seriously, "I am still capable of cleaning up your mess if you get into trouble with Charles, but I can't promise that you will remain intact if you offend Master Harris! Stay away from Sophia in the future. Just take it as though you donât have a sister like her!"
Nicole was aware of the kind of person her father-in-law was, though she still could not help but frown when she heard what he said at this moment.
Jenny opened her mouth slightly. The teardrop hanging on her eyelashes fell. Her red eye sockets were filled with disbelief.
"Let go of me. I don't have a father like you!!! F*cking scumbag!!!" Sterling was unable to move freely, so he lowered his head and bit James' hand.
When James let go of his hand from pain, Sterling turned the wheelchair with a livid look on his face and rolled the wheelchair over James' feet. He then hurried to the exit.
Nicole glanced at James as he broke out in cold sweat from the pain. She frowned as well and trotted over to chase after Sterling.
James flew into a rage after seeing his son and daughter-in-lawâs attitude. He yelled at Jenny who was standing next to him, "You only know how to cry all the time! Look what your good son has become after all your pampering! Other than quarreling with others and causing trouble, what else can he do..."
Smack!
Jenny gritted her teeth and with trembling hands, she slapped him across his face that had contorted with rage.
The ear-splitting slap attracted the attention of many. When they noticed that Jenny, someone who was known for having a good temper and a tender heart, was the one who slapped James, everyone looked even more astonished.
"What exactly did Mr. White do to make a good-tempered person like Madam White so mad!"
"Madam Whiteâs temper is so good that she doesn't even raise her voice when she talks. I canât believe she just slapped Mr. White... Is Mr. White having an affair or did he do something to let Madam White down?"
"He may be a good and charitable man in the eyes of the outsiders, but who knows what kind of man he really is? If he really is a good person, then he wouldn't have made Madam White so mad!"
Amid the uproar, random remarks reached James' ears and his face heated up. He wanted to explain to everyone that things were not what they seemed. Nevertheless, they did not confront him directly, so he would only make matters worse if he explained himself rashly.
His face was burning more and more. He covered his red and swollen right cheek, looking fierce on the outside but was shaking on the inside. He said, "What are you doing, Jenny? Have you gone mad like Sterling and Sophia?"
"Yes! Youâre the one who drove me mad!" Jenny's voice sounded a tad sharp due to the excessive elevation in her pitch. "James, you... Youâre really... I was... I was wrong about you!!!"
She was choking so badly that it was hard to make out the words she said at the end.
James had never thought that his gentle-natured wife who always put him first would hit him and was momentarily stumped that he could not even keep up with the refined and good image of himself in front of others.
Jenny wiped her tears away and picked up a glass of red wine from the tray of the waiter who was passing by and splashed it all over James.
Then, just like Sterling, she spat on the ground furiously and cursed, "You are a scumbag, James!"
Having said that, she threw the empty glass at him and walked away crying.
Not far away, Leah was sitting in her wheelchair where she watched the entire scene unfold in silence, seemingly pensive.
*
Charles drove at great speed and rushed to the hospital ward. Then, under the watchful eyes of all other Harris family members, he pushed the door in with a slam and rushed in without even bothering to knock.
In the ward, the old lady was sitting by the bed holding onto Master Harris' hand. She was lying on his body with pink eyes. Her wrinkly face was covered in tears.
Master Harris, on the other hand, was patting her on the back, coaxing her helplessly.
After seeing that Charles had barged in without warning, the old lady straightened up her back and wiped the tears from her face. She looked slightly embarrassed.
"Who gave you permission to come in?!" Master Harris held the bed for support and sat up with a gloomy countenance. His voice boomed like a large bell. "Get lost!"
The door of the ward was still open. Other Harris family members peeped in at the scene that was unfolding inside, sighing incessantly.
No matter how much Master Harris disliked Charles, there was no denying that the latter was Harris Corporationâs backbone.
Charles kicked the door with his foot and asked with a deadpan look on his face, "I promised you to get engaged to Leah, so why did you still send someone to take Sophia away?"
Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around!
ï¤Chapter 221 You Got The Wrong Idea, Leah "Since when does a junior like you have the right to question my decisions?!" Master Harris roared.
Standing next to him, the old lady stroked his back and said worriedly, "Don't get angry, it's not good for your health."
"I'm fine. Please go out first!" Master Harris patted the back of her hand, his voice softening. However, it did not sound especially soft either.
The old lady was still trying to say something but ultimately sighed and walked out. She closed the door on her way out.
"Why did you take Sophia away?" Charles asked again, pressing his lips firmly together.
Master Harris harrumphed and got out of bed. "If you care so much for a woman, others will only use her as leverage to have a hold on you and destroy you completely!"
"Destroy me completely or destroy Harris Corporation completely?" Charles dropped his head and gazed coldly at Master Harris who now looked a lot weaker and scrawnier due to his illness. Even so, he was still unusually intimidating.