The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 632 Just Like That, She Left

Sheryl smiled and continued, "After breakfast, I'll make lunch for you before I leave with Shirley. You haven't recovered completely yet. So please ask your servant back as soon as possible."

"Are you sure you want to leave?" Charles asked on a distressed tone. He couldn't figure out what was going on. 'A few seconds earlier, everything is going smoothly. How come she decides to just leave, out of the blue?' he thought.

Sheryl was determined, however, and needed to set things straight. "Yes, I'm leaving, and I will never come back. Mr. Lu, our lives are totally different. The people we meet, the friends we make, the work we do... we live completely opposite lives. I think it would be best not to have any contact in the future as well. And I hope you won't come looking for me again. I would really appreciate that."

Charles' face contorted into an unrecognizable expression as soon as he heard Sheryl's words. It looked like a mix of confusion and anger, which he tried to suppress. Lowering his voice, he began questioning her,"Are you breaking up with me?"

"Yes, I am," Sheryl confirmed nodding firmly. Her serene attitude quickly transformed into anger, as his stares became more and more inculpating. She began shouting, "We're grown-ups! We're not kids, like Shirley and Charlie. We can't do whatever we want. We can't pretend that nothing is wrong and that sleeping together isn't a mistake. I have a boyfriend and you have Charlie's mom. We can't hang out any longer. I'd hate for people to become suspicious and start gossiping about us. So, we'd better not have any more contact, Mr. Lu. It would be best for both of us."

She finished her words and headed over to the kitchen without even the barest hint of remorse. She didn't care for Charles' answer, so he didn't give her one. Instead, he just remained glued to the couch as she cooked lunch.

His indifference made things worse, however. It irked Sheryl that he wasn't saying anything. At that point, all she wanted to do was leave.

She poured all her energy into her meals. Before long, she finished a pork ribs soup, braised fish in brown sauce, beef with golden needle mushrooms and two other plates of vegetables. At ten thirty sharp she walked out of the kitchen, after plugging in the rice cooker, and started getting ready to leave. At first, she seemed to speak to whoever wanted to listen, "I finished cooking lunch. I've got to go." She then paused, forced a smile and addressed Charles,"Shirley and I are leaving... now."

Charles was mad. He didn't feel like stopping her or asking her to stay, as she appeared to have it all figured out. She wasn't consulting him, after all, so why would he waste his energy? Therefore he acted as if he didn't even hear her. Sheryl walked off towards the door, leaving him behind. Charlie, however, ran after Sheryl as soon as she stepped outside. Prompted in the doorway, he shouted, "Sher, are you really leaving?"

Charlie didn't understand. He could see that Charles and Sheryl loved each other. Why was Sheryl leaving? Nothing made any sense to him. He took a few steps outside in his socks, hoping to get her to come back.

"Yes, I'm leaving," asserted Sheryl. She couldn't help but take another glance at the door, unsure of what she was hoping to replace there in the first place. But there was no one. She smiled bitterly. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She was the one breaking up with Charles but found it hard to tear herself apart from him. How ridiculous that was!

Sheryl pinched Charlie's cheek and explained, "Charlie, it's your house, not mine nor Shirley's. We don't live here; therefore, sooner or later, we would have to leave. If you want to see me, you can always call me or just stop by my house, okay? You're always welcome."

"But you can always stay at my house, too... for as long as you want. Why can't you two just stay?" inquired Charlie, determined to pull out all the stops. He was confused and frankly, a bit annoyed too. They were happy living together. He couldn't understand why she had to go.

"Well," Sheryl muttered and sighed, "this is what adults do. You'll understand when you grow up." However, Charlie didn't see it that way, and he couldn't straighten his frown in spite of all her explanations. Sheryl stepped away, took a final look at the door, and then concluded, "I have to go, Charlie. Take care of your dad."

She had nothing more to say, so she turned around and left. Charlie was quite heartbroken. He went back inside with his head hanging low.

Charles had heard the whole conversation from up close. As he was listening, all he wanted to do was ask her to stay. But when he thought about it, she was being so heartless towards him; his ego couldn't take it, so he just stood there doing nothing but watch her leave.

As soon as Sheryl left though, Charles was filled with regret.

On one side, he had a lot of words stuck in his throat: pleads for her to stay, words of love and longing. But on the other hand, Sheryl was being so cruel to him, and he wanted her to know how hurt he was. He wanted to get back at her, to inflict the same kind of pain by not asking her to stay.

"Dad, they're gone," complained Charlie. He had watched Sheryl and Shirley get into the car before he walked back inside, and still couldn't believe it. He continued nagging Charles, "It's too late to feel regretfu now. Why didn't you ask her to stay?"

"Who told you I feel regretful?" Charles replied, full of indignation. He put down the magazine he was reading and went on saying, "Let her go. I don't care. She would have to leave sooner or later. It's just a matter of time."

"Really? Is that really how you feel?" Charlie added on a doubtful tone. Looking at Charles staring blankly into his open magazine, Charlie was speechless. He couldn't understand adults. Why couldn't they be honest with themselves and say what they were really thinking?

"It is," contended Charles. It was obvious he was still trying to lie to Charlie.

Charlie took another glance at him and said, "Then... why have you been holding the magazine upside down all this time?"

Charles lowered his head to check. 'Dang!' he thought.

It was obvious that Charles felt lost. Sheryl had left and his heart had left with her. But he knew down deep that asking Sheryl to stay wouldn't have been a long term solution. So he had to come up with something better.

At that moment, however, he had to first fight off the embarrassment Charlie brought him. Looking at his right-side-up magazine, he stated firmly,"Stay out of this. You little kid won't understand."

"Fine! I don't care," revolted Charlie. He was too irritated, though. So he had to have the last word, "Sher is a beautiful, kind woman. Yet, you let her go just like that. You don't know how to keep a treasure. If she marries another man in the future, don't come to me feeling regretful."

He took another glance at Charles and continued, "You know what? I won't accept any other woman as my stepmother. It's either Sher or no one else."

"What did you just say?" Charles asked in surprise. He then rephrased Charlie's words, "You want Sheryl to be your stepmother?"

Charles had been so busy pursuing Sheryl that he hadn't even considered how Charlie would feel about her being part of their lives. So knowing that he was in his corner, supportive of that fact was such a relief for him.

Charlie blushed and replied, "Yes, I want Sher to be my mom."

Hearing that, Charles pulled Charlie into a tight hug. He had forgotten all about their earlier confrontation. Proud and ecstatic, Charles promised, "I will try my best to make your wishes come true."

Shirley hadn't been happy since she left Dream Garden. Sheryl knew that she had bonded with Charles and Charlie, and it would be hard for her to leave. 'Children don't have to listen to their parents anymore after they've grown up. I just have to wait, Shirley mumbled to herself.

Sheryl had brought her some of her favorite food, but Shirley refused to have any. She kept asking her mom to take her to the amusement park, but Sheryl was afraid that she might get the flu. It was the season for it and other children were starting to get it already. So she refused Shirley's request.