The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 1360 Couldn't Afford The Consequence

After hanging up the phone, Leila condescendingly looked at Sheryl, thinking she was so pathetic. Leila was cold and calculating and showed no sympathy for Sheryl.

Leila was so arrogant and full of herself that she even conjured up an image in her mind of herself holding onto Charles' arm intimately and humiliating Sheryl with a smug look on her face.

Although her perfect image was soon burst when she thought of how sad and worried Charles was about Shirley. She was in love with Charles and couldn't bear the thought of seeing him so grieved. So she decided to change the plan that she had set previously.

With that thought in mind, Leila hastily turned to leave. Before she went, Melissa asked her where she was going, but Leila didn't explain much to her.

She was in a hurry to see the guy that she hired to kidnap Shirley. She was going to ask him to release her.

Leila scurried about with a troubled mind, so she didn't notice that a man was tailing her since the moment she left Dream Garden.

Pulling her cell phone out, she made a call to the guy. However, to her disappointment, she couldn't get through. It was as if he had disappeared off the surface of the earth. Leila suddenly had that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that something had gone wrong. She quickly hailed a taxi and went to the place where Shirley was being held captive.

Neither the taxi driver nor Leila had noticed a car following them from a distance.

In the ghetto area of the South Street District, Leila got out of the taxi and dashed toward the house where the man lived. The path leading to the house was uneven and rocky, and Leila stumbled several times after losing her footing because she was wearing a pair of high heels. She didn't care as she was anxious to replace the guy as soon as possible.

Finally reaching the house, Leila shoved the rusty hinge wooden door open, and a cloud of fine dust particles wafted into the air. She coughed while waving her arms around to clear the dust.

She entered the house, eager to replace the man. However, after she searched through the dilapidated house, he was nowhere to be seen.

Leila stood numb with fear and panic. She racked her brain, trying to think of where that man could have taken Shirley to. 'Where could he be? Did he betray me? Where could he possibly have taken Shirley?' Her mind was racing at a million miles an hour, making her heart suspend anxiously.

She left the house in a trance and had almost lost her mind with worry. She had the misgiving that there were going to be dire consequences waiting for her.

When she returned to Dream Garden

and entered the house, to her surprise, she found Charles at home. Feeling a little afraid, Leila pretended to be exhausted and was about to make her way to her bedroom when Charles suddenly spoke to her. "Leila, you look so tired. Where have you been?" Charles sounded as if he was concerned about Leila.

"I... I was out for a stroll. It's a little boring staying in the house." Leila was too fearful to look Charles in the eye at the moment. Her answer was so lame.

Charles remained quiet. Leila waited a while for him to say something else. When he didn't, she couldn't stand the awkward silence any longer and looked up at him.

When she saw the angry look on Charles' face, Leila was weighed down with fear sensing that something terrible was coming for her.

She asked in a low quivering voice, "Charles, what happened?" Her voice was so light that it vanished in the air instantly.

"Nothing," Charles answered. Contrary to his casual reply, his expression was cold and severe. He looked absent-minded and in a foul mood.

It broke Leila's heart to see Charles, who had always been so invincible, look so down and immersed in sorrow now.

She sat down next to Charles and tried to place her hand on his. Charles frowned subtly and casually moved his hand away.

"Charles, you can tell me what's troubling you. Though I may not be able to help you, I can always keep you company and comfort you," Leila said shyly with her cheeks blushing. She sounded very determined.

"I met some troubles indeed. Shirley was kidnapped. I received a call from the kidnapper yesterday. He asked me to prepare ten million. That's the only way to get Shirley back," Charles said, gnashing his teeth. His voice was full of hatred.

"Unfortunately, I had just invested in a new project recently. The current capital hasn't got sufficient funds now. The capital chain may become fractured if anything goes wrong," Charles said in a worried tone. He rubbed his temples to relax, and his eyes were full of concern.

Hearing that, Leila panicked. She could feel her heartbeat racing, and she suddenly lost the color in her face because of fear. She hadn't expected that to happen. Everything seemed to be spiraling out of control.

She tied to suppress the panic she felt and said in an unsteady voice, "Well. Charles, I just remember that I have something urgent to deal with. I have to go back to my bedroom now. Don't worry too much. There must be a solution."

"It's all right. Go and finish your business."

Charles noticed that Leila's expression had changed. With that, he confirmed that Leila was responsible for Shirley's kidnapping, which he hadn't expected.

Things had gone out of Leila's control now. Charles thought about everything that had happened, and it was all caused by that malicious woman. Charles was seething and wanted to kill her himself. However, his hands were tied, and he couldn't risk doing anything just yet. He needed to be patient to replace out where Shirley was through Leila.

Leila stumbled into her bedroom as though she had just seen a ghost. She was overwhelmed with panic and fear.