The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 677 A Dying Friendship

Sue looked into the restaurant through the window. She saw Sheryl and Charles sitting face to face. Sue felt like an idiot when she saw Sheryl smile to Charles.

She thought it was ridiculous of her to bring lunch for Sheryl because Sheryl didn't need her care at all.

'Sheryl will feel satiated on Charles' love itself. She doesn't need my concern or my food, Sue thought. She gave a bitter laugh and threw the food packed for Sheryl into the dustbin in anger and frustration. 'From now on, I will never worry about her. Otherwise, I will be left feeling foolish!' Sue said to herself.

Sheryl, on her part, didn't have an inkling of Sue's bitterness. When she was seated with Charles, he didn't try to get close to her like before. Instead, he maintained a proper distance from her and made her feel relaxed and comfortable. He kept her amused with the things that had transpired in their past. It was his way to keep Sheryl happy as well as gauge her reaction.

Sheryl couldn't help laughing while making small talk with Charles. When she returned to the company, she was late by one hour.

Charles offered to escort her back to the rehearsal room to ease things for her. She refused his help. "I know you want to help me. But it is my own fault that I am late. Whatever punishment I receive, I will cheerfully accept."

Sheryl smiled and added, "If you go with me, they will only gossip further and I will make more enemies there."

She looked at Charles and stammered, "I'm... I'm very happy today to see the change in you. I like the different Charles."

Charles felt very happy on hearing that. He stared at Sheryl and said, "I will have lunch with you every day that you are working in my company, okay?"

Sheryl was surprised initially. But then she thought it wasn't a big deal if she just had lunch with Charles. She agreed. "See you tomorrow!" she replied with a happy smile.

Charles felt very pleased as he saw Sheryl's smiling face. His confidence in himself and his tactics grew.

But he was still worried about Sheryl so he secretly slipped into the rehearsal room. He stood hidden in a corner so nobody noticed him.

As Sheryl entered the room, a model named Kitty immediately began scolding her loudly. "Why have you come so late, Sheryl? We have been working for an hour now. Did you purposely delay to escape work?" Kitty asked her.

Sheryl didn't bother to answer her. She put on her heels and got ready to practice her catwalk on the stage. But Kitty was in no mood to let go of her. She blocked Sheryl and asked, "Sheryl, was your lunch so delicious that you lingered over every bite? You looked so happy eating with Mr. Lu. Were you seducing him?"

"Get out of my way!" Sheryl commanded her. She was annoyed with Kitty's accusation. She didn't want to have any conflict with the others, but this did not mean that she would quietly bear their unjust accusations.

"Of course. All of us should give way to you." Kitty sneered and said, "You are so good at seducing men. I think you might become Mrs. Lu one day. And we will work for you then."

Another model also looked at Sheryl with contemptuous eyes and said, "I really don't understand why she is so attractive to these kind of men. She already has a handsome and ideal boyfriend, but she is not satisfied with that. So now she begins to seduce Mr. Lu and flirts openly with him."

Kitty asked in a sarcastic tone, "Sheryl, can you reveal your tricks to us also? You have two men so obsessed with you."

"Shut up!" Sheryl yelled. She frowned angrily and told Kitty,"You are talking nonsense."

"Nonsense?" Kitty inquired in a puzzled and mocking voice. She glanced cattily at Sheryl and said, "Don't pretend to be innocent. We saw you on our way back to the company. You were together with Mr. Lu and laughing happily. We felt pity for Sue for having brought food for you."

Sheryl was surprised. She didn't expect Sue to be still concerned about her.

Kitty laughed loudly when she saw Sheryl's amazed expression. "You can confirm it with Sue if you don't believe my words."

Then she said, "You are a mother of a little girl. If your daughter comes to know her mom often seduces other men, what will she think of you?"

Sheryl tried her best to contain her anger but now she couldn't control herself any more. Kitty had gone too far with her words. She slapped Kitty hard on the cheek.

Covering her stinging cheek with her hand, an enraged Kitty screamed, "How dare you hit me!"

"There is nothing I don't dare!" Sheryl sneered and warned her, "Be quiet and watch your words. If you dare irritate me again, I won't let go of you!"

"Sheryl! Get off the stage. NOW!" Director Gerry rushed up to them and urged Sheryl. Sheryl's quarrel with Kitty had drawn the attention of everybody including Gerry and she found him staring at her in shock. Sheryl came back to her senses and followed Gerry's order.

Gerry was a professional director employed by Charles for this show. He heaped curses on her as she got off the stage. Sheryl stood quietly with her head lowered. She didn't defend herself. Instead, she kept on apologizing to him.

Gerry's anger was pacified by Sheryl's earnest attitude. Charles also got reassured and left.

Gerry glanced coldly at Kitty and said, "I really dislike people like you. Will it do you any good to isolate and insult your colleague?"

He paused for a while and continued, "From now on, if I see you quarrel again with Sheryl, I will ask you to leave immediately. You will be thrown out of the show instantly." Kitty's face flushed as she heard Gerry rebuking her.

Nobody dared to show their unfriendly attitude to Sheryl in Gerry's presence from then on. Gerry had made himself very clear to all of them.

When it was time to get off work, Sheryl walked up to Sue. She wanted to invite her to leave together because their homes were close to one another. Sheryl had also not forgotten what Kitty had told her about Sue.

She did care about Sue and still thought of her as a friend. She was just reluctant to speak to Sue after all the bitterness had sprung up between them. But Kitty's words changed her mind. She decided to maintain her friendship with Sue.

"How about going home together?" Sheryl offered. Sue was packing up for the day.

Sue was surprised at Sheryl's invitation. Before she could reply to Sheryl, Kitty said abruptly, "Sue, let's go to the bar!"

"Wait a minute! I'll go with you," Sue answered. She felt relieved because this gave her an excuse to avoid Sheryl's company. After this afternoon's event, she had decided to stay away from Sheryl. She even convinced herself that Sheryl and she would never be good friends again.