Charles could fake his smile anything. He grasped the arms of the wheelchair with his hands, “What if I say, I want you?”
“You won’t. You’re way better than this. I’m a married woman, and I knew I am not that attractive. Now tell me, what do you want?” Loredana didn’t show any emotion on her face after hearing what Charles said. It was like she wasn’t the person Charles was talking about.
Loredana’ calmness surprised Charles.
“Are you a woman? Even if you don’t like me, don’t you think you need to show some sympathy after hearing my confession? You made me feel like a loser,” Charles didn’t hide his disappointment.
“You think I’m a big-hearted person? That I should care for you as well? No, I’m not. I’m petty. I can only have one person in my heart. There’s no space for another person. Now I hope that we could come back to what we were discussing. Tell me your term. If you don’t want to discuss it, that’s fine. It’s my last favour to you for coming here today. From today onwards, we’ll be enemies.”
Then, she called, “Boyce…”
“Hold on,” Charles didn’t expect Loredana to be this stubborn. When he saw her appeared by his doorsteps, he was even thinking if he could get her back as a term. Then he would take her away back to White City and lived a normal life ever after.
Charles didn’t know Loredana would be so stubborn.
Loredana was the reason why Charles was happy and sad, and Charles can’t do anything about it.
A car stopped by the street opposite the hotel. A man who should be drunk and sleeping in the villa was watching Charles and Loredana’ actions in the room through the video from the surveillance camera. Cormac got people to investigate where Charles’ staying in City B when he appeared in the ward to send flowers to Loredana. City B was a big city, but there weren’t many luxury hotels in town. It’s not a difficult thing to know where Charles was staying.
Cormac knew Loredana probably got him drunk to come and see Charles. So, he asked his people to impersonate as a cleaner and hid a surveillance camera in the room.
Cormac could see every move Charles and Loredana made, and he could hear everything they have said, clearly.
Cormac leaned back on the chair. The shirt he wore was wrinkled. Cormac wore a pair of trousers and kept his legs crossed. He loosened the button of his collar using one hand, and rested his forehead on another hand. His hand covered most parts of his face and hid away his emotions.
In the room.
Loredana didn’t ask Charles right away if he had considered and was willing to tell her his terms now. Instead, she waited patiently.
After a while, Charles moved his wheelchair and stopped in front of the French window. He overlooked the city lights from his hotel room, “I’ve never loved for myself my whole life. I used to live in an orphanage. I like to smile, no matter how hard life was because people like to see a smiling child. Nobody likes a bitter kid. Then, Nathan adopted me. In order to make Nathan feels like he made the right choice for adopting me, I tried my very best to showcase my abilities. I studied hard and tried my best to become a capable person. When he passed away, his will asked me to marry Victoria’s daughter. I’d do it for Nathan, regardless if I like her or not. Then, when I rescued you and saw the jade bangle on your arms, I thought you’re Victoria’s daughter. So, I approached you based on Nathan’s will. After some time, found out that you are actually an interesting person…”
“I like you. It is the only thing that I didn’t have to care what other people think, and it is the only thing I could follow the voice in my heart.”
Charles turned his wheelchair around and looked at Loredana, “I was so happy when you came to see me, but the reason you came was for another man. You said you didn’t want him to get hurt. I’m jealous. Very jealous. How funny is that?”
Loredana looked at Charles, and she was a little moved. Maybe it was because both of them didn’t have a happy childhood. Loredana could relate to Charles’ sorrow.
“I can stop the doctor from appearing in front of Cormac,” Charles approached Loredana with his wheelchair until his knees were next to Loredana’.
“When I know that I like you, I wanted to use everything I had in exchange for a pair of healthy legs so that I could stand in front of you, like a normal man.”
“I’m feeling inferior most of the time. I hated myself so much when I couldn’t sleep at night and saw your face in my head.”
Charles’s eyes were red, and he was shaking.
Loredana said softly, “I’m not worth it.”
“Yes, you’re not,” Charles leaned over and looked into Loredana’ eyes. Their noses were only a few millimetres apart, and they almost touched, “But I couldn’t control myself.”
Loredana clenched her fists. She was stunned, at the same time, moved. It wasn’t because of his confession, but for his life. The world was filled with unfairness. Some people were born into an ordinary family but they got to grow old peacefully, while some people were abandoned once they were born.
“If I was the one you met first, would you…”
“There’s no ‘if’,” Loredana stopped Charles. She didn’t want to answer a hypothetical question for something impossible.
Loredana could see her reflection in Charles’ eyes. Charles said, “I could make the doctor gone forever, and nobody would ever find him under one term.”
“What term?”
Charles stared at Loredana’ lips. Her lips looked soft, and it was pink in colour even when Loredana didn’t wear any lipsticks.
Loredana noticed Charles’ intention. She turned her face away from Charles, but he grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and forced her to look at him. Charles muttered, “All I wanted was a kiss from you. Can’t you give me that?”
Loredana shook her head.
Disappointment flashed in Charles’ eyes, but soon, a smile appeared on his face, “You’re cruel.”000000
“I’ve someone I like…”
“No…”
Before Loredana could finish her words, Charles kissed her out of a sudden and stopped what she was going to say.
Loredana’ pupil constricted, and she wanted to push Charles away out of instinct.
“Don’t push me away. Just this once… Just once.” Charles begged in a coarse voice.
Loredana was stunned. Her heart skipped a beat. She could feel Charles’ sorrow and that he was choking up.
Her body was stiff.
After a while, Charles’ lips moved from Loredana’ lips to her cheeks, then stopped beside her ears, “When Jeffery framed you, I knew it was a chance for me to take revenge for my foster father, but on top of that, you’re the reason too. I didn’t want you to be bothered by anything bad. Cormac would still be kind to Jeffery if he didn’t know the truth. I believe he won’t look back after I reveal the truth. He would do what he could to have vengeance for you. All in all, I did underestimate your love for him. I’m jealous, and I’m envious. Please take good care of yourself. You’ll be losing a man who loves you from now on.” Charles quickly turned around, “I’ll leave, and I won’t disappoint you this time. It will be our last meeting today. I will not step foot into City B anymore. Now, go.”
Loredana gazed at Charles’s back, “Thank you.”
Then, Loredana called Boyce, who stood outside of the room.
Soon, Boyce walked in and glanced at Charles.
“Let’s go,” Loredana said softly.
Boyce didn’t say anything and pushed Loredana out of the room.
Boyce asked after they got into the lift, “Is it done?”
Loredana looked and sounded cold. It was like she didn’t want to talk about it, “Yes.”
“Boyce, I’m tired,” Loredana pressed her glabella.
Boyce wasn’t dumb. He knew Charles wouldn’t help to hide the truth without asking for something. Boyce had to remind Loredana, “I believed that you knew Cormac’s temper well. It wasn’t a secret how Charles felt about you. He won’t grant your request without asking for something. I hope you would reject him directly if his terms were about you.”
Loredana raised her head and looked at Boyce, “What do you think he would do to me?”
Boyce remained silent.
Loredana smiled, but there were coldness in her eyes, “You think that we did some sexual agreements?”
“No…”
“It is exactly what you think!” Loredana stopped Boyce.
New Book: Beginning with a Daring Encounter
Celsie was tired of being labeled as an introvert, workaholic, and dull virgin by her friends. Determined to prove them wrong, she made a bet that she would do something daring on her 25th birthday. Now that the day had arrived, it was time to fulfill her promise. On her daring to-do list, there was one task: a one-night stand with someone.