The Apple of My Eye

Sheryl had never expected Charles to flare up like this in front of so many people. She felt awkward. She was angry but didn't know what to say.

Charles was also equally furious. He wondered how Sheryl had attracted a man in such a short time during her stay in Australia. The feeling of familiarity that this man was showing towards Sheryl was depressing and intolerable for Charles. He could not take it, and he was worried.

Sheryl glared at Charles without exchanging even a word with him. Then she turned to the guests and smiled. She tried to conceal her embarrassment and apologized. "Everyone, I am sorry. Please, go ahead." After speaking, Sheryl waited for the crowd to disperse. Then she grabbed Damian's arm and walked in another direction without even casting a glance at Charles as if he didn't even exist in that room. Charles felt heartbroken to see Sheryl ignoring him for another man. Yet he realized that it was not the right place and time to deal with this.

In a few moments, Sheryl had disappeared into the crowd and that with an unknown man too. Charles felt a sting of emptiness in his heart. Yet he had no choice but to wait.

As Damian followed Sheryl, he had noticed her pale face. He asked with concern, "Ms. Xia, are you all right?"

"Ah, yes. I am fine. I am sorry to have gotten you involved in all this." Sheryl looked at Damian awkwardly and felt sorry for him.

However, Damian looked more concerned than embarrassed. He gave a reassuring smile to Sheryl and said, "Never mind. We are friends, right?"

"Yes. Thanks." Sheryl smiled and felt relieved. She felt it was nice that Damian understood her without having to explain too much.

The two found a place to sit down. Damian looked at Sheryl and wanted to say something but hesitated.

After a few moments of silence, Sheryl noticed that he wanted to ask something. She broke the silence and asked, "Do you want to ask something?" "Hmm. After all that just happened, you became quiet, so I don't know if I should ask. Is that man your kids' father?" Damian stared at Sheryl expectantly. He had been aware that he would have to face this problem sooner or later. Yet when finally the confrontation had happened, he still felt scared. Damian had held some special feelings for Sheryl since they met that first time.

"He is Clark and Shirley's father. We have gone through a lot, and I don't have confidence in him now." Sheryl let out a bitter smile. She didn't know why, but she always found a good friend in Damian as if she had known him for long, so she didn't conceal anything from him.

"Do you still love him?" Damian asked and waited for her answer with bated breath.

Sheryl took a sip of wine and glanced at Damian, shaking her head. "I don't know. Maybe, yes. Otherwise, we wouldn't still be tangled up with each other."

"You should follow your heart." Damian managed to say the most diplomatic words. But, inside, his heart was screeching to say, 'If that man is not fit for you, you should part with him.' However, he knew that it was not the right time at the moment. He shouldn't reveal his feelings so soon.

Not far away, Charles watched Sheryl sharing a table alone with the unknown man. It was unbearable for him to witness the camaraderie Sheryl shared with Damian. Charles found a seat from where he could see Sheryl and started to drink alone.

The discord in the party left Clark and Shirley in a confused state of mind. They were cheerful that Charles came to the party. But they were certainly not happy to see that the situation between their parents had failed to improve.

The kids were unhappy to find Charles in a depressed mood.

"Clark, do you think Daddy and Mommy will ever make up?" Shirley said in a sad voice and looked at her brother.

Clark turned from Charles to Shirley. He grabbed his sister's hand and walked away.

As Charles sat drinking alone, he felt deeply hurt by Sheryl's behavior. But he failed to notice Sheryl's eyes that kept glancing at him. Sheryl noticed that Charles was gloomy, but she still didn't want to speak a word with him.

Sheryl kept worrying that Charles would drink too much, yet she pretended to be indifferent.

"Daddy, don't drink so much," Clark remarked as he frowned at Charles.

Looking at Clark's serious expression, Charles put down the glass and smiled at him.

"Don't worry. I won't." Charles stroked Clark's head and looked at him affectionately.

However, by this time, Charles was a bit drunk. He had wanted to play with the kids, but as soon as he got up, he felt dizzy.

Charles tried to hold on to his fleeting consciousness by shaking his head and trying to stand erect on his feet. Clark and Shirley rushed to hold his arms and supported him from both sides.

Soon the trio reached the guest room on the first floor. Charles was a little drunk, but he managed to walk upstairs on his own.

Sheryl's eyes fell on Charles as he was going upstairs. She flared up and was about to stop them, but she was interrupted by the neighbors who had come to greet her.

They were all praises by how beautiful Sheryl was. Someone asked her about the decoration of the house.

In this course, Sheryl was unable to make her way after the kids and Charles. She had no other choice than to watch helplessly as Charles walked upstairs.

After reaching the first floor, Charles stood still in the corridor for a while.

"Which one is Sher's bedroom?" Last time, Charles had insisted on hugging Sheryl and sleeping with her for one night, but it had been an accident. At that time, they hadn't gone upstairs. They had stayed in the guest room on the first floor.

Shirley pointed to the second room in the front and smiled. "Daddy, that is Mommy's room. Clark and I live in the room next door."

"Shirley, you are a very good girl." Charles caressed Shirley's cheek and then went to Sheryl's bedroom led by the two children.

Looking at the familiar furnishings in the room, Charles felt warmed. The room gave him a very home-like feeling. At least, it proved that Sheryl was still the same as before, so he firmly believed that as long as he stayed with her, she would forgive him sooner or later.

Clark and Shirley were glad to see that Charles entered Sheryl's room. Especially Clark, who thought that his daddy was drunk. If he stayed with his mommy for one night, they would make it up the next morning.

In Sheryl's bedroom

"Daddy, just stay in Mommy's room tonight." Clark shook Charles' arm and felt excited.

Charles looked at Clark and couldn't help but laugh. He thought his son just took after him. He was indeed too receptive for his age.

"Okay, I am at your disposal." Charles sat on the bedside and looked overjoyed.