The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 136 The Common Courtesy

"The bitch presumes to put everything over on others."

Yvonne was more delighted than others at how Charles had embarrassed Leila to her face. Chris grinned, "In line with the old saying, 'What is done by night, appears by day!' Miss Ye, by no means should you follow her footsteps."

What Chris had just said, completely confused Yvonne before she realized that it was actually a trap.

Autumn, back home, felt upset and apologetic, as she found her husband retired to his room.

"My love, why were you unwilling to come inside your own home?" Charles felt that he had to settle the matter with his wife, otherwise he would be spending a restless night.

"I was afraid..." Autumn replied shamefully, "All I wanted do was to try and keep my identity from her."

"Why?" Charles wondered, "Can you tell me why you are still so concerned about these matters?"

"I..." Autumn replied awkwardly, "Frankly speaking, both Leila and Yvonne have developed feelings for you. I even suspected Leila's motive of coming here was to replace out who I am. I avoided seeing her because I wanted avoid giving her any chance of becoming a nuisance. I am not even sure what she would do if she discovered that I am Mrs. Lu. My step-sister alone is enough to annoy me, I'd rather have one less enemy."

"Is that all?" Charles felt a bit relieved, "Just say the word, and I will fire her immediately, so you don't have to worry about her at all."

"No." Autumn declined her husband's proposal at once. Although she was bothered by Leila, dismissing her from work would adversely affect her husband's company. Moreover, Leila entered into her husband's company on her recommendation. Firing Leila would be the last thing she would like Charles to do.

Charles sighed and said to his wife, "Forget about it all then! Just remember, you are the only one in my heart."

Autumn smiled and threw herself into her husband's arms, "Me too, undoubtedly."

As their relationship was solemnized, Charles wooed his wife beyond measure, with everyday spent in conjugal bliss.

Charles was holding Autumn tightly, ready to take liberties with his wife, when suddenly the door was pushed open by Yvonne, who said, "Gary sent me to call you two to dinner downstairs."

"Out!" Charles turned around with an irritated expression, as his wife shirked from his arms in embarrassment, fixing her hair awkwardly.

"Awfully sorry! Please forgive my ignorance.... I was just following Gary's order..." Yvonne's very countenance betrayed her hypocrisy.

Yvonne's unwelcome presence upstairs was, in fact, just to prevent Charles and his wife from further intimacy. She had lost her patience after her protracted waiting.

"Now I order you to get out. Can't you understand?" Charles's face turned paler than ever, however, Yvonne was totally ignorant of it, "Charles, I...."

Charles finally gave in to his anger, as he grasped Yvonne by her dress and pushed her out, "Your repeated presence in my room would only be met with my impoliteness. Do not forget that!"

"My sister, I..." Yvonne looked helplessly at Autumn, expecting her to say something in her defense, only to replace Autumn's gentle smile, who said, "Since you are our guest here, you should not have come upstairs without our permission. Moreover, it is common courtesy to knock on the door before entering a room. How could you violate this rule?"

"I..." Yvonne was criticised inexplicably, as she swallowed her pride, unable to counter with any retort.

Yvonne succumbed to Charles's glaring eyes, and withdrew downstairs, leaving Autumn concerned. "What is wrong?" Charles immediately sensed his wife's uneasiness.

"Nothing at all, except for a petty concern." Lately, she had been hard on her mother and step-sister, however, in consideration of her grandma, who was at their mercy, she had to relent. "Are you worried about grandma?" Charles comforted his wife, "You can rest assured. I will send for your grandma to live with us as a companion to my grandpa as soon as possible."

"Bah!" Autumn replied, "That's not what I want!"

"What is wrong?"

"It would surely incur calumny and slander..." Autumn replied helplessly.

After dinner, seemingly ignorant of their encounter upstairs, Yvonne pestered Charles, "Charles, I was late for work this morning bacause the taxi didn't arrive on time. Tomorrow morning I will get up early to hitch a ride with you to work. To avoid any suspicion, you can drop me off from your car, in the vicinity of our company."

Charles looked up to Yvonne and replied coldly, "You had better go to work by yourself, because I am taking the day off work tomorrow."

"Off work?" Yvonne was stunned for a little while before she realized it was Charles's pretext. She felt agitated for not having a better idea except for pressing for an alternative, "What about the day after tomorrow? May I get a ride then?"

"Absolutely not!" Charles replied in an adamant manner, "We should go to work by ourselves everyday."

Chris found it very difficult to contain herself, knowing how her brother had paid little attention to her, let alone to Yvonne, who was making a fool of herself.

Yvonne's face turned pale with embarrassment.

She did not understand why Charles had resented her so much, considering the fact that she was just as goodlooking as Autumn. She was angered by Charles's behavior and almost blurted out the truth about her identity (the fact that Autumn is a substitute).

Yvonne contained her anger and retired to her room. She realized that her volatile temper would mess up the whole endeavor at that critical moment.

"Autumn, in the future I will be sure to make you suffer tenfold of what I have suffered here today." Yvonne said to herself with a grin.