Snare of Love
Chapter 182: Testing

Dolores didn't close the door of her room. She had drawn a lot of drafts, feeling tired. Hence, she lay prone on the desk for a rest. Unconsciously, she fell asleep.

Charles slightly quieted down his movements to operate the wheelchair. When he arrived closer to the bed, he found that Dolores was napping. Reaching out, he picked up a draft on the tray table. The strokes on the paper were delicate and fluent. He could see that it was just a sketch, but her conception and design could make him understand at a glance what she wanted to express.

He could tell that she was quite professional.

Looking up at her, he wondered if she was a fashion designer.

"Young Master, she's a fashion designer." Amelia stepped in. Seeing that he was looking at Dolores's draft, she moved closer to take a look. Sure enough, Dolores didn't lie. Otherwise, how could she be able to draw such a stunning sketch at random?

Charles looked a bit annoyed as if it was because Amelia was speaking too loudly.

Immediately, Amelia lowered her head, pressing her lips in the grievance. She didn't mean to wake up Dolores. She explained it to him by instinct when seeing that he was looking that the drafts.

"Amelia, you can't be so restless in the future."

Amelia lowered her head. "I got it, Young Master."

"Hmm-"

In her nap, Dolores faintly heard someone speaking. Frowning deeply, she gradually opened her eyes.

"Did we wake you up?" Charles looked at the sleepy woman who just woke up.

Dolores raised her hands to rub her eyes. As soon as she did it, she found her arms were numb. "Hiss..." she didn't feel comfortable.

"What happened? Did your arms become numb?" Charles reached out. "Is it this arm? Let me rub it for you."

Dolores suddenly withdrew her arm that he gripped. Waving, she refused, "No, thanks. I can rub it myself."

As she spoke, she kept rubbing the numb arm with strength so that it could recover as soon as possible.

Charles withdrew his hand without changing his expression. He wasn't angry because Dolores was hiding from him. Instead, he asked, "Do you like it?" Dolores didn't get what he meant first.

When seeing the fish tank installed beside the bedhead, she understood what he was referring to. She nodded perfunctorily. "They are quite rare." Charles put down the draft on the tray table. When withdrawing his hand, he said, "As long as they could amuse you, they are quite lucky." Dolores lowered her head and pretended that she hadn't heard what he said. She put away the drafts. "I just drew them at random."

"Well, you are quite good at it. I guess you must be a well-known fashion designer," although he sounded like asking her, he said quite affirmatively. "Not really." Dolores didn't want to expose too much of her information to the man. She didn't know anything about this man who looked gentle and kind. After all, he shouldn't be a simple man since he could act the tyrant in a locality.

"I believe what I've seen." Charles was quite confident.

Dolores put the drafts upside down on the tray table. Obviously, she didn't want to continue talking about this subject.

Charles was quite smart and sensible. He changed the subject immediately. "You must feel quite bore for staying in the house all the time."

Dolores shook her head. "It's alright."

"Shall I show you around?" Charles smiled.

He retained a faint smile on his face all the time.

Dolores was about to refuse, but thinking that she could get familiar with the environment if she went out, she agreed.

"But my foot..." Dolores was in a dilemma. She couldn't walk because of the injured foot. She didn't want to be a cripple. She expected that her foot would recover soon and she could go home as soon as possible.

"Let me help you up." Charles reached out his arms.

"Ms. Flores, please allow me to help you." Amelia immediately came to help Dolores up, afraid that she would agree to take Charles's arm. "I can walk. Ms. Flores, it's more convenient in this way." Dolores certainly knew about Amelia's purpose - she didn't want Dolores to physically touch Charles.

She was quite happy to do Amelia a favor. Hence, she took Amelia's arm. "Okay. Amelia, please help me up."

Charles cast a glance at Amelia without saying anything. Then he operated his wheelchair towards the outside.

He looked back at Dolores. "Let's go to my study first."

His bedroom and study were both on the first floor, not far away from the room that Dolores was staying in. They arrived after taking a few steps. He pushed the door open and entered first. Amelia helped Dolores walk in. Charles said, "Put her on the chair. You may leave now."

Amelia wished to stay here a lot, but obviously, Charles wanted to send her away. Although she was reluctant, she dared not to disobey Charles.

She could only help Dolores to sit down on a chair and left the room. Before closing the door, she cast a glance at Dolores.

The latter wanted to tell her not to worry because she didn't have a crush on Charles.

In that way, Amelia could rest assured.

However, she couldn't speak out those words in Charles's presence, so Dolores kept silent.

After the door of the study was closed, Charles moved to the desk and seemingly asked at random, "Have you studied drawings and paintings systematically?"

"Not really. I went to a fashion design college, which required drawing skills. It's just a foundation," Dolores answered fluently.

However, she was more alert to him. He was quite smart, and he could lead her to discuss the topics he wanted easily. Charles smiled. "Do you like reading?"

"Occasionally." She didn't have much time to read. Occasionally, she would read books relevant to fashion design.

"I like reading." Charles's tone was meaningful. "I can't walk and I don't have many friends. Only these books could accompany me."

Although he hid pretty well, Dolores still could sense the disappointment and depression in his tone.

After all, everyone would care if he couldn't walk.

Dolores's gaze fell on the bookshelves behind the desk. The bookshelves were made of red sandalwood. They fully occupied the whole wall, covered with rows of books. Dolores had never heard of the names of many books.

"This book is my favorite." Charles pulled out a book from the bottom row. It had a blue cover and was a thick book. He handed it over to Dolores. While doing so, he carelessly knocked off a photo frame on the desk.

Dolores didn't intentionally peep at the photo in the frame. However, with a single glimpse, she couldn't move her gaze at all.

It was Victoria Forbis.

Matthew's stepmother.

She wondered why Victoria's photo would have appeared on Charles' desk.

What was the relationship between them?

Her mind was in a mess and she couldn't figure anything out at all.

Charles secretly studied the expression change in Dolores's face. Sure enough, as soon as she saw the woman in the photo, her expression changed. Then he looked over at her wrist again. He picked up the frame and looked at the woman in the photo. She was wearing this jade bracelet in the photo. Based on Dolores's reaction, Charles had confirmed his thoughts.

"Who is she?" Dolores blurted out.

She felt extremely weird.

How could Victoria's photo be here?

Charles continued to handing her his favorite book. "You can read this one when you have time. It's quite interesting."

He deliberately avoided the subject.

Although he purposely tested Dolores to see what she would react when seeing the photo so to confirm his guess, he didn't want to discuss it with her. Dolores cast him a glance. She sensed that he treated her so well because of Victoria.

"Why? Don't you like my recommendation?" Charles's hand didn't withdraw. He was still holding the book, trying to give it to her.

Dolores took the book over for being polite. "Thank you. I'll read it through."

While she spoke, she gazed at the frame that was put back. Then she looked at Charles. "Amelia told me you are the only one left in your family." Charles's expression slightly changed. Then he looked normal again. With a faint smile, he said, "Yes."

His answer was simple and neat. He didn't say anything else.

Dolores knew that he intentionally wanted to avoid the topic.

Knock. Knock.

They heard a few knocks on the door. Amelia was standing outside the door. "Excuse me, Young Master and Ms. Flores. Time for dinner."

"Let's go." Charles moved to her in the wheelchair and reached out his arm to her. "Take my arm."

Dolores didn't immediately do it. After a hesitation, she said, "I'll ask Amelia to help me up..."

"Are you turning me down? Don't you think it's inappropriate to embarrass the man who saved your life?" Charles raised his eyebrows slightly, smiling. However, his words sounded quite aggressive, making Dolores unable to resist.

Dolores reached her hand to take his arm. Although he was sitting in the wheelchair, Dolores could feel he was quite strong. She probably kept working out all the time. Charles looked delighted while operating the wheelchair. When they reached the door, Dolores reached out to hold the doorknob, pulling the door open. Amelia was still standing at the door. Seeing that Charles was helping Dolores up, she immediately reached out her hands.

Before she spoke, she saw Charles's warning gaze. She withdrew her hands in disappointment, turned around, and walked away.

Arriving at the dining room, Charles pulled the chair for Dolores. "This is the first time that we have dinner together."

Dolores smiled. However, she inwardly bitched about him, "We don't know each other much or for a long time, anyway."

Amelia served the dishes. From time to time, she cast glances at Dolores. In her opinion, Dolores was indeed pretty. No wonder Young Master treated her so well.

"Amelia, I asked you to make the bone soup earlier. Have you cooked it?" Charles put the napkin on his lap elegantly.

"Yes, I have. I'll get the soup here right now," Amelia answered respectfully.

"I heard that the bone soup would help your ankle get recovered, but I'm not sure if it's real. Just drink more soup later," said Charles.

"Thank you so much." Dolores wasn't too enthusiastic or too cold. She looked and spoke appropriately.

Comparing to her, Charles was more enthusiastic.

He smiled and commented honestly, "A smart woman is not quite favorable."

Dolores looked at Amelia who was approaching and answered with a smile, "I truly can't let others favor me. I'm afraid that my two children are not happy with it."

Charles was taken aback. He realized that she was implying she had kids already.

However, she looked pretty young.

Amelia was more shocked than Charles looked. She couldn't believe that Dolores had children.

She felt so excited, so she fastened her paces. There was water sprayed on the floor. Excitedly, she stepped on it without paying attention and she slipped. The bowl of boiled soup was spilled out. It made a slanting arc in the air and sprinkled it towards Dolores.

"Watch out!"

Before the boiled soup was about fall on Dolores's body, Charles pushed his wheelchair backward and quickly operated it to move in front of Dolores. Then he hugged her to avoid the soup sprinkling on her. Hence, all the soup was spilled on his back.

Probably it was too hot, he groaned.

"Young Master!" Amelia exclaimed in fear.

Dolores returned to her senses when hearing her exclaim. Looking at Charles, she asked, "Are you all right?"

Charles looked up and smiled slightly at her, "I'm fine."

However, Dolores didn't think he was fine because he spoke in a lower voice than usual. He was pretending to be calm.

"Amelia, call the doctor. Hurry!" she said.

"Okay. Okay. I'll go to make the call."

"Are you caring about me?" Charles still remained in the posture to hug her protectively. Right now, his eyes were lit up.00000