Half an hour had passed after Leahâs wound was treated.
âCharles, youâve postponed a meeting to accompany me to the doctors. I donât know how to thank you anymore,â Leah blinked and said softly. âHow about I pay you back by cooking for you? Iâve recently learned a couple of new dishes.â
âThatâs fine. I prefer the chefâs cooking.â Charles looked at the two layers of gauze wrapped around the back of her hand. The bulge in his trousers as he thought about Sophia and his extremely unnatural walking posture made his brows frown slightly.
Leah pouted her lips slightly and said in a rebuking manner, âMy culinary skills are certainly incomparable with the chefâs, but itâs the thought that counts.â
âI have to rush back to the company, so you should go back on your own.â Charles was not at all swayed by her coquettishness. He took massive strides as he walked out of the ward, looking a little more hurried compared to usual.
Leah watched as his shadow disappeared from the doorway and sighed lightly. She was smiling, particularly bitterly.
Charles went straight to the doctorâs office with a bit of eagerness that he was unaware of.
âMr. Harris.â The doctor seemed to have been waiting a long time. As soon as he walked in, he immediately got up and placed his gaze on Charlesâ
wet trousers. âDo you... really not want me to help with that?â
When he was bandaging Ms. Jones earlier, he had offered to treat Mr. Harrisâ wound but was rejected.
âNo need.â Charles was straight to the point. âIs Sophiaâs burn serious?â
The doctor replied, âA second-degree burn. Iâd say itâs quite serious, but theyâre not as terrible as youâd think. She just needs to rest for some time, and itâll be fine. Itâs just that...â
âWhat is it?â Charles lowered his head and tugged on the wrinkles on his suit.
âThe scalded area shouldnât be moved too much to prevent the wound from rubbing onto the gauze. Itâll increase the healing time of the wound.â The doctor was getting somewhat angry. âBut Ms. White is refusing to cooperate with me, she...â
Charlesâ phone began to vibrate once more. He lifted his wrist to look at the time and said lightly, âI got it. Sheâll listen.â
Once he finished his sentence, he ignored the bewildered doctor and walked outside to pick up his phone. âYes. Iâm on my way there, so ask the people from FH to wait a bit.â
After a little discussion from the other line, he sneered. âIf he doesnât want to wait, then let him walk. Weâre not lacking in terms of partners.â
Charles only hung up the phone once he exited the hospital. He happened to see Leah waiting next to the Bentley. âWhy havenât you left?â
âI just came down and saw your car still parked over here, so I waited for a while.â Leah smiled and said casually, âWhyâd you just come out now, Charles?â
Charles opened the car door and carried her into the car. Then, he placed her wheelchair into the trunk. âWere you spying on me?â
âIâm just simply asking. If you donât want to tell me, then thereâs no need to.â Leah fastened her seat belt and straightened out her slightly messy long hair.
Charles sat in the driverâs seat and started the car. âOnce weâve arrived in the company, Iâll arrange for someone to take you home.â
âI originally planned to ask my brother to come and pick me up.â Leah frowned, somewhat distressed. âBut when I came out, I happened to see Sophia going into my brotherâs car and leaving with him.â
Charles held the steering wheel with one hand and tapped it with the other hand unconsciously.
âCharles, Iâll be depending on you on my brotherâs engagement day,â Leah said and bit her lip. âI donât want to think that badly of Sophia. But, she... I just canât rest assured. If she goes to the wedding and stirs trouble, the Jones and the Sommers family will become a laughing stock.â
The traffic light turned green, and the Bentley accelerated suddenly.
Charles looked straight ahead and twitched his lips. âWhy do you keep asking me to help you over and over again about matters that the Jones can easily solve by hiring a couple more bodyguards? Is it fun for you?â
He turned his head and glanced at Leah, darkness sweeping across his eyes. âIf the point of you telling me all of this is for me to know that Sophiaâs currently flirting with your brother, I already know about it.â
Leah smiled upon being exposed by him. âThe moment you broke Sophiaâs leg and sent her to jail, the grievances I had toward her were all gone.
Charles, I do not hate her. Let her leave the club, and stop humiliating her.â
âOut of pure kindness?â There was a red light, and Charles immediately slammed on the brakes. The tires that rubbed against the ground made a piercing noise.
Leah leaned forward from inertia. It was fortunate that she had fastened her seatbelt, so she was left unharmed. âIf I say yes, Iâm afraid that you wonât believe me anyway, Charles. To be frank, apart from doing this for Sophiaâs sake, thereâs a little in it for me too.â
Once it was a green light, the car in front with a learnerâs sticker on it did not move for quite a while. Charles honked at it. âHmm?â
âSophia working at the Dream Club will render her an opportunity to talk to you. If she left, it will no longer be very easy for her to contact you.â Leah turned her head to look at his handsome profile. Then, she said softly, âIs that okay, Charles?â
The learnerâs car turned off several times before it was started successfully. The cars in the back were honking one after another.
Charles followed the snail-like learnerâs vehicle in front of him. âItâs no wonder youâre brother and sister. You both like to intervene with the clubâs matter.â
âDoes that mean youâre agreeing?â Leah asked with a smile.
As the learnerâs car in front turned another way, Charles sped up the vehicle. He chuckled. âYouâve misunderstood something. The way I treat Sophia has nothing to do with you. So, whether or not youâve forgiven her, it will not affect my decisions.â
âI thought that because of your terrible relationship with Sophia, youâd agree quickly.â Leah looked at him straight and said profoundly, âIt seems like itâs different from what I thought.â
Charles drove quietly without denying it.
Frustration flashed across Leahâs eyes before she returned to normal a moment later. The car drove straight ahead, and only after a while did she continue to speak, âIâm curious about something, so Iâll take the liberty to ask you. I hope that you wonât be surprised, Charles.â
âSince youâve put it that way, Iâll probably be offended anyway. Itâll be better if you do not ask,â Charles replied.
Leah ignored his retort and asked, âThe fact that we havenât been dating nor have you asked for my hand in marriage, is it because of Sophia?â
âSo what if it is, and so what if it isnât?â Charles replied lightly.
Upon hearing this, Leahâs heart sank utterly. She closed her lips and smiled. Then, she said softly, âAlthough weâre merely bound for marriage by families, I really do like you, Charles. I want to spend a lifetime with you.â
She paused before continuing. âI hope that when we do get married, even if Iâm not inside your heart, I hope no one else is in it as well.â
âIf you canât accept it, then you might as well marry another. The Harris family wonât say another word.â From the beginning until the end, Charlesâ
expression barely changed.
Leahâs pupils shrunk. She looked at him a little gaffe, eyes full of disbelief.
Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around!
ï¤Chapter 63 How Only Would You Let Go of Him?
The Bentley stopped in front of Harris Corporation, and Charles seemed as if he had not noticed her expression. The look on his face was the same as before. âIf you come up, youâll have to go down once more, so Iâm not going to take you up. Someone will come to send you back later.â
Once he finished, he got out of the car and entered the company.
It was not until his back figure had disappeared from her sight that Leah turned back around. There was a bitter taste in her mouth.
At this moment, she felt a sudden admiration toward Sophia about the fact that she was able to handle his attitude for more than ten years...