"Why are you drinking for Charles when you canât even drink?" William walked behind her and patted her back gently, feeling a mixture of heartache and anger. "Are you just dying to squeeze into this circle again?"
"Blargh!"
Sophia's stomach was constantly rolling. Nothing was coming out, yet she still could not stop herself from gagging. She felt really uncomfortable. She was in no mood to respond to his ridicule.
"Here, gargle with some water." William frowned when he noticed how red her eyes had become from the retching. He handed her the glass of water.
Sophia took the glass of water and rinsed her mouth. The urge to vomit was greatly reduced, but her stomach ache had gotten much worse. She wiped the sweat from her head and said, "Thank you, Mr. Jones."
"Must you sound so sarcastic when you talk to me?" William took out a handkerchief with a grim look on his face and handed it over to her.
Sophia darted a glance but did not take it. "Maybe not. I can't afford to dirty your handkerchief."
She was ready to leave after saying those words.
William caught up to her in a few steps and embraced her from behind. His amber eyes were filled with pain and anger. "You clearly know that I like you, so why must you talk to me like that? Youâre really cruel, Sophia!"
"Please behave yourself, Mr. Jones!" The cold sweat on Sophia's forehead ran down her cheeks. She tried to pull his hand apart, but she could not do it no matter what.
William clasped her shoulders, turned her around forcibly, and looked at her face to face. "Youâre risking your life to work at Dream Club and youâre bending over backward to please Charles just to return to this circle, arenât you?!"
"Let go of me!" There were acquaintances everywhere. Sophia did not want to get entangled with him, let alone bump into Leah and his mother. They would accuse her of seducing him again.
William did not let go but tightened his grip instead. "I'll marry you, will that do? Are you happy now?"
"Marry me?" Sophia endured the pain in her stomach and sneered. "What will Audrey do if you marry me? Are you planning to flush the alliance between both the Jones and Sommer families down the drain? Even if you donât want this alliance, will Leah and your parents accept a woman who attempted to kill your sister and made her lame as your wife?â
William was taken aback, losing some of the strength in his grip. His eyes were filled with pain and struggle.
Every word she said stabbed his heart like a knife. For the past two years, he had struggled between his love for her and the guilt for his sister every single day. It was agonizing and torturing.
Sophia snorted. She clutched her abdomen and strode out with unsteady footsteps.
"Get out of Dream Club first. I will find a way to solve these problems!" William said, looking at her departing figure with clenched fists.
Sophia did not stop. She said as she walked out, "Why donât you solve these problems first before asking me to leave Dream Club."
He could not solve either of the two problems. Leah and his parents would not allow him to do so. He would not go against his own family for her sake either.
She knew him too well.
There was a faint smell of cigarettes at the toilet door. Someone must have smoked here. She absent-mindedly clutched her abdomen and searched for Charles in the crowd before walking over slowly after seeing him.
Charles was talking to a group of people. For some reason, she felt chills in her heart when she stood next to him.
Not once did he take a look at her since she showed up. She could not find the opportunity to leave and had no choice but to raise her glass over and over again.
Basically, no one there persuaded him to drink, but he was kind enough to show due respect for these peopleâs feelings this time. He would ask Sophia to give almost two out of three of them a toast.
When the banquet finally came to an end, Sophiaâs stomach was so painful that she could hardly endure it any longer. "I'll be leaving now, then, Mr.
Harris."
"Hold up," Charles called out to her, looking indifferent. "Itâll be a shame for you to leave just like that after taking such painstaking effort to come over.
My momâs upstairs. Why donât you stay with her for a while?â
"I donât feel so well today. Can you please tell Aunt Harris that Iâm terribly s-sorry?" Sophia was in so much pain that she could hardly hold on anymore.
Charles' lips curled into a cynical arc. He walked toward the spiral staircase. "Keep up."
Sophia clasped her hands, then released it before clasping them again. She pursed her lips tightly and walked behind him in silence into Yvette's room.
"Soph, why do you look so awful? Are you feeling unwell?" Yvette was instructing the servant to do something and asked worriedly when she noticed her pale complexion.
Sophia tried her best to lift the corners of her lips. "It's nothing. It's just my stomach acting up again."
"Then what are you still doing here? Hurry up and go to the hospital!" Yvette frowned and said to Charles, "Charles, you happen to be free. Why donât you take Soph to the hospital."
Charles glanced at Sophia mildly. "Leah is still here. I'll take her home."
"Take Soph to the hospital first, then send her home afterward." Yvette's eyes flashed with discontentment. It was very faint, so faint that it was unnoticeable if one did not pay attention to it.
Sophia did not want to offend him. She was still hoping that he would forgive her as soon as possible so as to get rid of the shackles on her. "Thereâs no need to trouble Mr. Harris, Aunt Harris. Itâs the same if I were to take a cab there."
"Mr. Harris? Arenât you calling him Charles?" Yvette sighed helplessly.
Sophia pursed her lips, bitterness filling her heart.
"Fine. If you don't want Charles to take you there, then itâs just the same if someone else takes you there." Yvette turned around and ordered the servant to prepare the car. She then asked casually, "Where are you staying now?"
Charles had already walked to the door when he turned around again upon hearing those words. "I will take Leah home first, then take her to the hospital."
"Leah is so kind, Iâm sure she wonât wish to hold Soph up from receiving treatment at the hospital, right? Besides, the Jones are here today. She can go back with her family. What do you think, Charles?" Yvette asked.
"Youâre the birthday girl. Iâll do anything you say." Charles darted Sophia a cold glance. "Let's go."
Having said that, he went straight out without waiting for Sophia.
Sophia pursed her lips and still wanted to say something when Yvette said first, "Go on now, don't make Charles wait. If anything, talk it out with him like you used to. Donât bottle up your feelings. It wonât be good if this leads to misunderstandings."
She froze for a moment, then endured the rolling and burning sensation in her stomach. She tried her best to lift her lips. "Thank you, Aunt Harris.
Happy 18th birthday, may you grow younger!"
Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around!
ï¤Chapter 53 Someone Is Going To Say That Youâre Attempting Murder Again "I have been waiting for these words when you arrived. I finally heard them." Yvette smiled.
Sophia got out of the villa and immediately noticed the Bentley parked next to the fountain. She clutched the corner of her shirt, took a deep breath, and walked toward the Bentley.
The driver was not around today, so Charles was sitting in the driver's seat. It was slightly dim outside and a huge part of his body was hidden in the dark, so it was hard to make out the expression on his face. Only the shimmering cigarette beside his mouth was visible.
Sophia's eyelashes trembled. She moved her jelly limbs to open the rear door.
"Are you treating me as your driver?" The window rolled down and the unfinished cigarette fell at her feet.
Sophia stared at the burning cigarette. Fear was flowing through her limbs and bones.
She gulped and tried to say no, but her throat felt as though it was stuffed with a ball of cotton. She could not say anything at all.
She was terrified of Charles, and even more terrified of Charles when he smoked. He was not a heavy smoker, but he seemed to be in a bad mood every time he smoked.