The Apple of My Eye

After ending the call from Joan, Nancy was lost in thought.

On the second floor, Melissa was disturbed by a sudden pain in her eyes. She told herself aging was doing this to her. Last night, she had gone to bed only an hour later than her usual time. However, this smal change in her sleep pattern had caused her discomfort today.

Melissa dragged her tired body along as she slowly went downstairs. When she caught sight of Nancy standing there blankly, she walked to her in confusion and asked, "Nancy, is something wrong?" "My Lady, why are you up so early? You should be sleeping more." Nancy remembered that Melissa had gone to bed late last night. Hence, she hadn't expected her to get up so early.

"Ah, I am a very old lady now. I don't get to control the amount of sleep I get. But forget that and tell me what is the matter with you." Melissa still wanted to know why Nancy had been standing there, looking perplexed.

Nancy sighed and thought for a while. Since Melissa was expecting an answer, Nancy responded at last, "Joan called to inform me that Sher went out, looking anxious, this morning. And Mr. Lu didn't come back home last night. I can't help but worry."

"Right. Why didn't Charles tell us anything? Didn't David contact Sher?" Panic began to flash across Melissa's eyes. She started to worry, thinking something was wrong with them.

The more she thought about the matter, the more restless she felt. Unable to put her mind at rest, she started to pace back and forth nervously.

"My Lady, don't worry too much. Mr. Lu might have had something important to handle. Maybe that's why he didn't come back. How about you ask David about it?" Nancy suggested seeing the extent of worry on Melissa's face.

"Yes, I am going to call David right away."

Hearing Nancy's words, Melissa came back to her senses. Thinking this was the best thing to do, she dialed David's number.

After a long while, David finally picked up the phone.

"Where is Charles? Is there something wrong?" Melissa asked, unable to hide her concern.

Before David could react, Melissa had already bombarded him with several questions. He hesitated for a while and glanced at the man next to him. Then he coughed before replying casually, "My Lady, Mr. Lu is alright. Why are you worried?"

"Joan, who works for Sher, said that she went out looking anxious today. Is it possible that Charles asked Sher out last night but later stood her up?" Melissa couldn't help but wonder at the cause behind Sheryl's distress. She and Nancy had spent a great deal of time trying to come up with a plausible explanation for this.

"Yes, Madam, I will tell Mr. Lu about your issue. Don't worry." David thought it wouldn't be right to blurt everything out to Melissa. After all, it wasn't his place to speak about his boss.

Melissa understood that David wouldn't add anything more. Hence, she decided to hang up the phone.

In Shining Company, David immediately looked at Charles.

"Mr. Lu, your mother said there is something wrong with Ms. Xia," he informed, hoping Charles would sort it out immediately.

However, Charles was leaning on his chair, looking extremely exhausted. One could easily tell he had stayed awake all night.

Hearing what David had said, Charles opened his eyes slowly and looked doubtful.

Charles, holding such a high position, had always believed he could do anything. But right now, he felt helpless and powerless. He frowned because he never thought he and Sheryl would end up facing such a stalemate.

When they had been in Australia, he had tried every means to make his peace with Sheryl. But because of a man who was with her, he had almost gone ballistic. Though he had finally persuaded her to come back home, something had once again gone wrong now.

Thinking of all these hurdles, Charles closed his eyes. David didn't have the guts to disturb his boss. Therefore, he stood beside him, patiently waiting for his instruction.

After what felt like ages, Charles finally opened his eyes. He stared at David and said, "Let's go to Cloud Advertising Company."

"Okay, Mr. Lu. I am going to fetch the car."

"Tap-tap..."

Before David could leave, there was a knock on the door of Charles' office.

Charles and David looked at each other involuntarily.

Charles nodded his head to show his consent, and David said, "Come in."

A secretary pushed the door open and glanced at Charles and David, before nervously saying, "Mr. Lu, Ms. Xia from Cloud Advertising Company is on the first floor." "Sher is here?" Charles hadn't expected Sheryl would come to see him.

"Why are you talking about this without permission? Don't you know of the relationship between Ms. Xia and Mr. Lu?" David questioned, raising his voice. He had noticed the displeasure that was evident on Charles' face.

Listening to David's rebuke, the secretary panicked. She was new here and had occupied Leila's position. However, this meant she had never heard of the boss' relationship with Ms. Xia.

Moreover, she rarely read the news. This ignorance led her to act in such a stupid manner.

"Okay, Mr. David. I am going downstairs to invite her up," the secretary was frightened and answered quickly. Then she bowed her head and walked out.

Sheryl was restlessly waiting in the lobby. 'The secretary didn't let me in because Charles must have asked her not to!' she thought to herself with fury. Otherwise, it was beyond her how someone from this company would stop her.

After about five minutes, Sheryl didn't want to wait anymore, so she turned to leave.

The secretary went downstairs but couldn't find Sheryl anywhere.

She figured Sheryl must have left because she was tired of waiting. This put her in an extremely difficult position. Apprehensively, she wondered what she should do now.

The secretary was terrified and anxious. After mustering up some courage, she walked upstairs. With her trembling hands, she knocked on the door of Charles' office.

"Where is she?" Charles asked when he noticed the secretary had returned alone.

The secretary lowered her head as she didn't have the nerve to meet Charles' gaze.

For a long time, she stood there silently. Now Charles couldn't restrain his anger anymore. In a loud voice, he said, "Say something!"

"I think Ms. Xia left. When I went downstairs, I couldn't find her." Hearing Charles' tone, the secretary was compelled to speak the truth.

Charles looked even more miserable after she uttered those words.

Seeing Charles' face, David waved at the secretary, hinting that she should leave.

After the secretary was out of sight, Charles stood up and walked to the French window. Later, he announced, "We need to go to Cloud Advertising Company as soon as possible. I don't think it is right to waste any more time."

"Okay." David could clearly see how distressed Charles was. Under the circumstance, he thought it was best to say nothing.

Five minutes after David walked out, Charles went downstairs as well.

Throughout the journey, the two of them remained silent. Soon, they reached Cloud Advertising Company.

"Wait for me on the first floor." Charles didn't want David to come with him. He planned to face Sheryl alone.

"Mr. Lu, I will talk to Ms. Xia if you are reluctant to face her," David suggested. What had happened yesterday was unacceptable to Charles. And as an onlooker, David was also unable to deal with it. "No, thanks. This is something I will have to handle on my own." Charles looked determined when he spoke.

Now David had no choice but to wait for his boss in the car.

In Sheryl's office, she was walking back and forth.

Her eyes once again fell on the picture that was on the table. Isla had brought it just now. And this further spoiled her mood.

Yesterday, she had kept waiting for Charles, but he didn't even have the courtesy to attend her calls. If he had an emergency, she would have understood. However, at that time, he had been having dinner with

a woman.

Sheryl couldn't believe that Charles could be so insensitive towards her. She was unable to control her disappointment and started to clench her fists.