The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 584 An Unexpected Visit To The Dream Garden

"Shirley! Don't you ever, ever do that again! You really scared me to death!" Sheryl held her daughter in her arms tightly and mumbled, "Where have you been, sweetie? Why didn't you follow me? Never ever do that again! This is a crowded place, and you could easily be lost here."

Sheryl was very scared, but she blamed Shirley no more.

Shirley was her life now. She couldn't even imagine what she would do if Shirley got lost. She guessed that she would probably cry to death.

"Because I saw Charlie, Sher! Sorry! I was too excited that I forgot about you!" Shirley explained. Shirley apparently had no idea what was in her mother's mind at that time. Then, she acknowledged Sheryl with a big sweet smile.

Sheryl understood that there was nothing more she could do about what happened. Then she saw Charlie. Again, he wasn't alone. He was escorted by Charles.

"We'd better go home now!" she urged Shirley and pretended not to see the father and son. "You must not do that again, okay? You should know that it's very dangerous if no adult is around you!"

"Okay! Sher, I got it!" Shirley replied reluctantly and then walked with Sheryl to the exit. But she looked back at Charlie and was dismayed to part with him. Meanwhile, Charles just watched them and didn't do anything at first. When Sheryl walked away, he stepped forward in a hurry to stop her. But Charlie was faster than him. He grabbed Sheryl's sleeve and blurted, "Sher, are you mad at me?"

That was Charlie's second day at the Dream Garden. He was not able to bring anything with him since he secretly ran away from Leila's house. So, Charles took him to the mall, shopped and bought everything he needed. As Charlie picked up his stuff, Charles also picked some for himself.

Along with the clothes Charlie chose for himself, Charles also bought another set for a girl.

He expected that Shirley would live with him sooner or later and intended to make some preparations for her in advance.

After that, Charles took Charlie to the supermarket to buy some snacks. It was a real surprise that they ran into Sheryl and Shirley who were also shopping for groceries. Charles thought that even God was helping him.

"No, of course not!" Sheryl replied and gave Charlie an awkward smile. She was fond of Charlie as always, but she had a problem with his father.

It was weird that she wanted to keep a distance from him as if he would bring her bad luck.

"I would never be mad at you, sweetheart!" she explained and smiled at him half-heartedly. How could she avoid and hurt this little boy? She squatted down and looked into his eyes, saying, "Listen, Charlie, I need to work now. Also, I need to take care of Shirley. You know how naughty she is! You're with your father now. I believe that he could take good care of you!"

"Will you play with me later?" Charlie continued. He had made up his mind to help Charles and he liked Sheryl anyway. "I'm living in a big house now. There are all kinds of food and toys. I want to invite Shirley and you to visit me there. Please!" he added.

"Oh, that? Sorry sweetheart, but I got other plans," Sheryl replied with a frown. She raised her head, glanced at Charles and said, "Maybe next time?"

Sheryl didn't want to go to Charles' house because she had been trying to avoid him. She and Anthony had quarreled several times because of him. She thought it was stupid to again arouse an argument with him because of Charles, who just recently showed up out of nowhere.

Charlie lowered his little head upon her words. Apparently, he was unhappy.

At that very moment, Shirley, who kept her silence, pleaded, "Sher, please! I want to play with Charlie."

Then, Sheryl realized that she put herself in an awkward position.

Seeing what was going on, Charles stepped forward and said politely,"If you're worried about me, please don't. I'll go to work after driving you to my house. I promise that I won't show myself to you while you're there."

"No, I didn't mean that!" Sheryl mumbled awkwardly. It was kinda weird because Charles read her mind. She hesitated for a long moment. Seeing the kids looking at her expectantly and the calm face of Charles, she finally nodded her head and said, "Fine, but I need to finish my shopping first."

What she just picked were needed every day. If she didn't buy the items now, she had to go back for them later on that day.

"Go ahead!" Charles said. He finally cracked a smile. Sheryl went on with her shopping, and he followed her a few steps behind.

The two kids walked ahead of them hand in hand. They whispered in each other's ears and laughed happily. They glanced behind at Charles and Sheryl from time to time.

From the eyes of the passers-by, the four of them were a happy family. Only Sheryl knew how awkward she felt at that moment.

Finally, she got everything she needed. When she was waiting in line to pay, Charles stood ahead of her and to her surprise, paid for the groceries. Then, he pushed the shopping cart to the parking lot without saying any words.

Sheryl ran after him hurriedly and spoke to him for the first time that day,"Please let me know how much you paid for me. I'll give it to you later."

"Okay, wait for a moment please," Charles replied and couldn't help but laugh. She was the same as before. She always insisted they went Dutch as if they could be even in this way and owed each other nothing.

Charles took Shirley and Charlie to the back seat, and then got on the car. Sheryl had to sit at the front passenger seat. The moment she got on, Charles leaned over to her. It gave her a shock. She spluttered, "What... what are you doing?"

"Take it easy," Charles replied calmly. Seeing her flushing face, he tried hard to hold back his impulsion to kiss her. He reached his hands to the seat belt and buckled it for Sheryl, saying, "How careless of you! just want to help you with your seat belt."

"Oh, thank you then!" Sheryl smiled at him and felt uneasy again. After they left the parking lot, she put her hands on her burning face to sooth it.

She sensed how weird she was acting at that time.

She didn't know what invaded her mind.

They were so close that she smelled his breath and thought that he was going to kiss her the next second.

But he didn't. What she didn't know was that he really intended to kiss her, at least in his mind.

Charles felt that he was exploding at that moment. The woman, whom he had been thinking of in the past three years, was sitting beside him now, but he had to pretend that they were strangers. It made him feel like an idiot.

The car pulled over at the entrance of Dream Garden. Nacy rushed out the moment she saw the car. She almost retreated when she saw Sheryl's face. She asked with her eyes wide opened, "Is that... Oh my God!"

Nacy had never seen Autumn in person before. She came to work in the house after she'd gone. Although she didn't know Autumn, she saw their wedding photos every time she cleaned their bedroom. The woman in front of her now was just the same as the one in the photos.

"Nacy!" Charles stepped out from the car. Before Nacy could utter something more, he made an introduction, "This is Sheryl Xia, a friend of Charlie. Please take the stuff from my car inside the house for me!" Then he turned to Charlie with a smile and urged him,"Come on! Show Sheryl and Shirley our home."

"Okay!"

Charlie replied cheerfully. He got off and grabbed Sheryl's and Shirley's hands and headed to the house.