The Apple of My Eye

"Give a message to Charles for me. If anything happens to Sheryl, I will never let him go for it," Isla voiced angrily, glaring at Melissa. Then she turned around in a hurry and left without looking back. Melissa was left stunned, and she gazed in the direction Isla headed in for quite a time, with her body trembling in spite of herself.

She had never expected that things would develop and escalate this way. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wondered what exactly had happened.

Still, Melissa couldn't figure it out and gave up finally. And, of course, she was no longer in the mood for lunch anyway.

Instead, she headed back to the Dream Garden.

Melissa found Charles was sleeping on the couch as soon as she returned home.

She shook her head. Concern filled her as she noticed how exhausted Charles was.

"Charles, how's that thing going? How did you deal with that woman?" Melissa asked Charles in a gentle voice while sitting next to him.

"Mom, you are back." Charles instantly opened his eyes and glimpsed at Melissa. He forced a faint smile.

"How are you feeling? You don't look very well. Are you sick?"

Melissa had changed a lot since the last fatal accident. She was no longer overbearing, and now she was gentle and reasonable.

She was not intent on interfering in Charles' affairs anymore.

At the sight of Melissa, who was so worried about him, Charles felt sorry. He held her hand, gave it a small squeeze, and assured her, "Mom, I'm fine. Don't worry."

"How's that Vicky?" What Melissa most wanted to know was whether that woman was still harassing her son, so she couldn't help asking him.

Everything was supposed to go in the best way. But unexpected things always happened. Who was that woman? Was she the devil that God sent to punish the Lu Family?

Thinking of that, Melissa said to him, in a tone full of guilt, "Charles, it's all my fault. I made too many mistakes, and this is the punishment. But it shouldn't be you who takes the consequences," Melissa sobbed, her face covered with tears, and she was so regretful.

Charles hadn't seen Melissa behave like this before. It was the first time in years, and he didn't know how to console her at all.

"Charles, I'm so sorry. I will do anything to persuade Vicky to stop harassing you, so you can return to Sheryl," Melissa mumbled weakly.

Charles's heart sank as he heard Sheryl's name. He felt sad hearing it and almost had the illusion that his heart immediately stopped pounding.

"Mom, don't say that. It's not your fault. So stop blaming yourself." Charles helplessly stared at Melissa with his eyebrows knitted. He hoped she could stop overthinking.

"I met Isla earlier today. I guess Sheryl is not in good condition either given how she behaved. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so angry." Melissa could vividly imagine how sad Sheryl was given how angry and feisty Isla behaved towards her earlier at their encounter.

"Mom, it will be all right. Don't worry. It's all under control. I can handle it properly," Charles looked determined as he soothingly coaxed Melissa. "Really? You can handle it?" Melissa studied Charles's face suspiciously.

Melissa was trying to gauge his reaction, hoping to capture something unusual from Charles's eyes. But she discerned nothing, only confidence. So Melissa decided to trust him, mentally noting that it was the best that she could do at the moment.

"Okay. I will rest at ease as long as you can handle it." Melissa swiftly wiped away her tears, not wanting Charles to worry more about her.

They continued chatting for a while before Charles asked Nancy to help Melissa to go upstairs.

As soon as his mother left, Charles sat alone in the living room again. He sighed as he started to wonder whether he could still solve this problem.

Charles had always felt everything was under his control before. But he was not sure this time. He didn't have the confidence to handle this thing smoothly. He started to believe what Melissa had said, that this woman was sent by God to punish him.

He fished his phone from his pocket, immediately checking for a new missed call from Isla. He had left with no choice but to block her calls for the meantime. It was not because he didn't want to answer her calls, but not knowing how and what to explain held him back.

Charles knew how much Isla cared about Sheryl. Their bond was so much more like real sisters. But he found it damn hard to explain to Isla.

How could he say that a woman had suddenly harassed him and threatened him with committing suicide?

Would Isla believe that? Even if she would, would she accept such a pathetic excuse?

How could Sheryl accept the lame excuse, which was despised by Isla?

A myriad of questions ran wild in his mind, and he knew how much of a coward he was. But then, Charles thought he'd better avoid contacting her. Since David was in the hospital as per his instruction, Charles could at least have a little break.

Charles made his way to his study on the second floor. Having been tormented by Vicky these days, he had been left with so much work to do.

The moment Charles got upstairs, his phone rang, cutting short his deep reflective thoughts. He then received a call from David.

"What's the matter?" Charles was anxiously tensed to answer David's call, afraid that Vicky caused trouble again.

"Mr. Lu, can you come to the hospital now?" David inquired in a low voice, sounding helpless.

"Charles, I miss you. Please come to see me." Vicky unceremoniously snatched the phone from David before he could continue to say another word. Charles frowned immediately at Vicky's voice.

"Charles, if you don't come to see me, I will go find that other woman and kill her. Thus no one can steal you away from me!" Vicky threatened Charles viciously.

"I'll go to the hospital now." He quickly soothed Vicky to calm her.

Charles never bought threats from others, but Vicky was such an exception. She was psychotic, and she had to be taken seriously.

In no time, Charles arrived at the hospital. He soon entered Vicky's room. He saw her sitting on the bed, looking sane.

"Mr. Lu." David stood up as he greeted him.

"You can leave now. Get some rest. I can take care of it from here." Charles knew David was in a dilemma every time he faced Vicky. After all, she was a woman with whom even he found it tricky to cope. "Charles, I know you won't ignore and neglect me. I just know it. Will that woman come again?" Vicky stared at Charles with so much anticipation.

What could he say? That the only woman he loved was Sheryl?

Charles felt deeply troubled but dared not to provoke Vicky any further. She was the person he had ever encountered who was the hardest to tackle. Charles knew David was in a dilemma every time he faced Vicky. After all, she was a woman with whom even he found it tricky to cope.

Vicky was among the kind of intractable people. She was stubborn.

"Not anymore." Charles held Vicky's gaze indifferently. Then seeing her reach out her arm for him, he tactfully avoided it.

The doctor said she couldn't afford any provocation now that would send her into a rage. So he had no choice but humor her. He believed she would be recovered one day.

"Charles, why are you so cold to me? Are you blaming me because I chased her away?" Vicky blinked her eyes, and the tears brimming in her eyes trickled down.

"Don't cry. No other woman will come for me anymore!" Charles blurted impatiently, trying to stop her from crying.

Charles sometimes couldn't help feeling suspicious whether it was true that Vicky had a brain injury. How could she then notice when he was angry?