The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 1681 Why Can't I Be Here

"Oh, yes?" Isla glared at Melissa before she turned to Charles. "Charles, did you beat Sheryl up because she said she wanted to divorce you?"

Isla had no interest in talking with Melissa at all. All she wanted to know was the reason for Charles's actions toward Sheryl.

Of all people, Isla knew Sheryl the best. She knew how badly Sheryl wanted to be with Charles. If it weren't for Ferry's threat and Leila and Melissa's instigation, Sheryl wouldn't have ended up in such a situation.

What about Charles, though? Isla had no idea what Charles was thinking. Sheryl was forced to do things against her own will, but was there anyone that was forcing Charles to behave that way as well? Luckily, Isla had cursed at Leila and forced her to leave the room. Things would never become clearer, otherwise.

For a long while, Isla just gazed at Charles, waiting for an answer, but Charles just kept his head low and didn't say anything.

Isla couldn't see Charles's expression either, but she decided not to wait any longer. She said coldly, "What's wrong? Are you speechless? Were you thinking that no one would protect Sheryl? Was that why you bullied her like that?"

"Enough of this, Isla! This is between me and Sheryl. Don't try to meddle in things!" Charles exclaimed, his brows furrowed as he raised his head up to look at her.

He wasn't actually venting his anger at Isla; it was just that he already had enough things to worry about, and he was in no mood to explain everything to her.

"Well, Charles, I shouldn't have trusted you. Rest assured that Sheryl won't be coming back to you again. You better divorce Sheryl as soon as possible, so that she can have a chance to pursue her true love." Angered by Charles's attitude, she blurted these words out without giving it a second thought. After she said it, she turned and left the room.

Lying on the bed, Charles fell into deep thought.

At that moment, Charles was engulfed by both sorrow and fury at the same time.

'Sheryl, it seems that you're dying to divorce me because of Lewis,' he thought to himself.

He had his suspicions as to what was going on, but he could be certain that it was the truth that she loved someone else at this point.

"Charles, are you all right? Don't be influenced by that woman. If you want a divorce, then do it quickly, so that you can be with Leila. Leila loves you wholeheartedly, unlike Sheryl. There's no hope for you and Sheryl anymore. If you continue to be with Sheryl, she might even take the Shining Company away from you." After seeing that her son was lost in contemplation, she goaded Charles even further toward what she wanted him to do.

Upon hearing this, Charles got annoyed. He wanted to argue back, but Melissa started to cough and made him feel guilty for being angry with her.

"Cough! Cough!" It was then that Charles remembered that his mother was sick as well.

Bearing in mind that his mother wasn't healthy either, he suppressed his anger and said, "Okay, mom. You should go back to your room and rest now. I want to get some sleep." There was so much resolve in Charles's voice that Melissa couldn't say no to her son. Heaving a sigh, she said, "I want what is the best for you, so why won't you listen to me?"

"Mom..." Charles had mustered all his patience to talk to Melissa. If he were to continue to talk to her, he couldn't be sure that he would still be able to contain his emotions any longer. "Okay, okay. I won't say anything about it again." Sensing that her son was going to explode, Melissa quickly dropped that topic.

"I'll go back to my room now. The doctor says that I can be discharged tomorrow, so you don't have to worry about me." Then Melissa walked out of the room with a sigh.

After Melissa left, Charles's room became much quieter then.

Gazing at his mother's back, he suddenly felt sorry for her.

Maybe he hadn't really noticed the changes in his mother over the years. Just then, he felt that his mother had suddenly aged. He knew that Melissa sometimes did pick on Sheryl, but he had to admit that Melissa was still his mother. Everything she did was what she thought was for his own good.

Although she might be too opinionated sometimes, that was her way of doing things. Thinking of that, Charles began to sympathize with his mother.

It was still a headache to deal with Melissa, but dealing with Sheryl was an even bigger headache.

Charles picked up his phone multiple times because he felt like calling Sheryl and asking how she was right then. Eventually, he realized that he didn't have the courage to do so.

"Sheryl, why are you forcing me to do this?" Charles murmured to himself.

While Charles was feeling at a loss, in the room next to his, Melissa was in a similar mental state.

As far as Melissa could see, Sheryl was really determined to divorce Charles. Even her best friend Isla had come to question Charles and protect Sheryl. Why couldn't Charles make up his mind? What was preventing him from getting the divorce?

"Leila, why doesn't Charles just divorce Sheryl already?" Melissa asked Leila in confusion.

Sitting next to the hospital bed, Leila seemed to be deeply agitated.

Melissa remembered what Isla had just said, and thought that Leila was still sad because of it. Gently stroking Leila's hand, Melissa consoled her. "Leila, don't worry. Just take that woman's words with a pinch of salt. You're going to be my daughter-in-law, and no one is going to change that."

Raising her head, Leila forced out a smile. After a while, she said, "Aunt Melissa, if there's nothing else for now, I think I'll leave."

"Where are you going?" Melissa asked as Leila stood up.

She certainly didn't want Leila go. She could see that Isla's words had hurt Leila badly. If Leila left at that point, she might become even more depressed.

Leila didn't manage to walk out the door, but she didn't turn around either.

Feeling helpless, Melissa walked over to Leila and stood right in front of her. Tears were trickling down her face.

"It's all right, Leila. Why are you crying now? If you feel sad, that will make Isla even happier. She came here just to deride us. Let's not be affected by her words." Melissa eyed Leila with much care and

concern.

Leila seemed to take Melissa's words to heart, then. Wiping her tears away, Leila nodded and said, "Right. Aunt Melissa, thank you so much. I won't be influenced by that woman's words anymore." "Okay, okay. Go back to the Dream Garden now and have Nancy clear things up there. I'll be discharged tomorrow!"

Melissa thought that Charles wouldn't want to see Leila right then. There was nothing much Leila could do there, so she asked Leila to go back to the Dream Garden.

"Okay, Aunt Melissa, I'll go now." Leila helped Melissa back to the bed before she took her leave.

The moment she stepped out of the hospital, she saw Isla talking to a nurse at the main gate. Clenching her fists, she strode towards her.

"Isla, Leila is coming!" Cassie raised her head and noticed that Leila was walking towards them, so she grabbed Isla's arm to get her attention. Isla turned around with an angry look on her face.

"How dare you show your face here again?!" Before Leila reached her, Isla walked up to confront Leila herself.

Initially, Leila was wearing a proud look, but when Isla strode towards her with a grim face, she suddenly winced in response.

Taking a deep breath, Leila mustered up all her composure and exclaimed, "Is this hospital your home? If it's not, why can't I be here?"