Facade of Love (Yvette Scott and Idris Young)
Chapter 300

Chapter 300 Passing Out

Charlie tried to smile, but it was a weak one that faded quickly. "Yvette," he said, looking at me with a hint of his usual strength, "does this mean we are friends now?"

"Absolutely," I replied with a smile.

He held my gaze a moment longer and then said, "Then stop with the 'Mr. Yates. Just call me Charlie."

I thought about it for a second. Calling him Mr. Yates did feel a bit stiff, but saying Charlie made me think of Idris, and it seemed like everyone close to him called him Iddy. That thought made my heart twinge with sadness. I took a deep breath, looked at Charlie, and said, "Yeah, I'll just call you by your first name if that's okay. I'm not really used to being so formal with people."

He gave a small smile, nodded, and said, "Sure, first names are fine."

I grinned back at him, but then I realized we had hit a lull in the conversation. I racked my brain, trying to think of something to say. Suddenly, I heard Charlie's voice. "Yvette."

"Huh?" I blinked, a little thrown off that he had dropped my last name so casually. It felt strange, yet I tried to act cool about it. "What's up?"

He looked at me with those expressive eyes and asked, "Is it okay if I call you that?" I nodded, "Yeah, of course." He smiled, and maybe it was the meds wearing off, but there was a bit more color in his cheeks.

He looked at me and said, "So, can you call me by my first name?"

Seriously, when two people had nothing to talk about, they would just end up repeating each other's names. The thought made me laugh, and a smile spread across my face. "Charlie."

He burst into laughter, and I could not help but stare. He was just so good-looking that it was hard to look away. Eventually, he caught me looking and teased, "Are you staring because you think I'm handsome?"

I nodded, not shying away from the truth, and said, "You know, you've got a great smile." It was a genuine compliment. Maybe it was because we had been through a life-or-death ordeal together, but I felt like the distance between us had closed. We were friends now, or at least something like it.

He gave a small, pleased smile that was impossible to miss.

Just then, Inch walked in, and seeing our grins, the tightness in his face relaxed a bit. I turned to see him still caked in dry mud, looking like he had been through the wringer.

I felt a twinge of concern for him; however, I knew better than to think he would listen to my advice, so I glanced over at Charlie.

Charlie caught my look and turned to Inch, saying, "You've been through a lot these past few days. Go take a shower and hit the hay. We'll have someone else take over here."

Inch gave a small nod, set some paperwork on the nightstand, and left the room without a fuss.

As he walked out, I could not shake the feeling that there was something unusual about his

Chapter 300 Passing Out

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and Charlie's dynamic. It did not seem like they were just friends; it was more like they were in a boss-and-employee relationship.

I was curious, but I let it go.

After Inch was gone, my mom called. I grabbed my phone and was about to step outside to talk when I suddenly stood up too fast, and the room started spinning.

In a flash, everything went black, and the last thing I heard was Charlie's voice calling out, Yvette..."

When I came to, I could hear the doctor telling my mom, "Ms. Scott is still feeling the effects of the snake venom. That's what caused the dizziness and fainting. She will need to stay in the hospital for a few days and take it easy."

The doctor's words were clear, and my mom was nodding along, taking it all in.

After the doctor left and saw that I was awake, my mom quickly wiped away a tear and said, "I knew you should've taken it easy coming back. You never listen, and now look what's happened."

I gave her a reassuring smile and gently took her hand. "The doc said I'll be better after a few days' rest, right? No worries."

She bit her lip and stayed quiet, but her face was a map of worry.

I tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, Mom, I'm starving." I hadn't had a bite since I got back, and my stomach was seriously growling.

That got her moving, and she dashed off to whip up something to eat.

The room went silent, and I managed to prop myself up. I was about to swing my legs out of bed for a glass of water when the door swung open again. I looked up, expecting Mom, but instead, it was Idris striding in.

He was carrying a box of food, looking sharp and solid as ever. Our eyes locked, and he seemed caught off guard to see me awake. He hesitated for just a second before coming over, his voice deep and steady, "Grandma had the chef make this for you. It's all your favorites."