The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 737 Never Let Her Go

Suddenly, the air shifted around them. Maybe at a different time, it wouldn't have. Maybe a time ago, the moment would have been colorful — something that made eyes sparkle with delight, and cheeks fold with smiles - but no longer. The moment had only made the distance between the two awfully clear.

"Sher..." Charles tried to break the silence. "Even if you remember now, I know that... I know you couldn't possibly accept it. My grandfather wanted to have you move back and live with us, that's how it was supposed to happen. But I know we can't just demand that of you." Charles looked at her with gentle eyes. "When you're ready to move back, you can tell me, and I will bring you back. What do you think of that?"

Sheryl's eyes were already glassy at that point. She didn't know how to take it all the way Charles spoke to her, the way he looked at her. "Why would you do this for me?" The kinder he was to her, the guiltier she felt.

Charles' hand twitched, as if he was ready to reach out and wipe her tears away. He leaned in a little closer. "Silly girl, for whom else would I do this for?" Charles' smile was loving.

Save for Sheryl's trembling breaths, the silence between them was heavy with the unspoken. It took everything for Sheryl to finally ask, "Don't you... Don't you want to know where the other baby is?" He swallowed shakily. "You...you remember?" he asked, sounding smaller than he was.

Sheryl looked down and shook her head slowly. "I've remembered everything but that day. Nothing about the day I gave birth... My mind is cruel that way."

There was an ache in Charles' chest, when he saw Sheryl the way she was, in that moment, like she was mourning for a whole life that she had lost. In an attempt to bring some comfort, he made sure his voice was confident. "It doesn't matter. I'll continue investigating on it. We'll replace out soon, one of these days. Trust me."

A sigh escaped the woman's lips - Charles had not found the other baby either. She couldn't help but feel more hopeless than anything.

The two shared a silent dinner. There was no idle talk, nor talk of the past.

When they headed back and reached Sheryl's door, she stopped to look at Charles. "Goodnight, Charles. I need to be alone for a while," she said, sounding firm.

Charles didn't seem to mind. He put his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "Alright. I know you need to be alone for some time." He took a few steps back. "But not forever, Sher. You know if you take too long, I'll do everything I can to take you back." His eyes were determined, and they pierced through her. "And I mean everything."

He had done everything to be with her again, and never again could anything pull them apart. He wouldn't allow it.

"Goodnight, Sher. Rest well." He resigned for the night. Sheryl said nothing more to him, but her eyes were tired, and he knew that she had to sort herself out. He left once he saw she close the door. 'At least, he thought to himself, 'I'm not watching her walk away this time.'

Meanwhile, eyes lingered at the scene. Anthony sat in his car not far away from where the couple stood and as every minute passed by, his hands gripped the wheel tighter. His hands shook with anger, but there was an ache in his throat as tears dared to escape him.

Before Sheryl could tuck herself in, the doorbell rang. Much to her surprise, Anthony stood at her door. "Anthony? What are you doing here?"

She didn't know how to face him, not anymore. Maybe once, there was a deep softness for Anthony. Now, though, he didn't seem much like a familiar face in her eyes anymore. Things had been changing lately, and she didn't expect to see him so soon.

"Why?" Anthony's tone was cold, but also broken. "Now that you've got Charles, you've lost interest in seeing me?" His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in, a little dangerously.

Sheryl couldn't keep the concern off her face. She could smell the alcohol from his breath. "You've been drinking, haven't you?" she stated more than asked.

"So what?" he scoffed at her. "It's not like you care. You've got Charles now, that shit. Why is that Sheryl? Why? Why when I love you so much?" His words were forceful and desperate. "Doesn't matter if it was then or now, you or anyone else, I'm a loser in love, that's all it is." He looked unstable as he raved.

"You're drunk." Sheryl tried to calm him.

She knew she had to talk to Anthony about their relationship, she owed him that. But not now, when he was drunk and throwing words around. She put her hand on his chest. "We can talk when you're sober, Anthony," she tried to say gently.

He shoved her arm off rather harshly. "Are you serious? Now you won't even let me through your door cause of him?" He pushed her aside and stumbled into the house. He went straight for the sofa and made himself comfortable. "Don't you want to talk to me?" He looked at her expectantly. "Go and talk."

After leaving Laura behind, he had isolated himself. He drifted away from people and retreated into himself, wanting to numb it all, but couldn't bare to see Sheryl with Charles. He was breaking.

Sheryl sighed. "Anthony, it's late. Please just go home and rest. I can't talk to you while you're drunk."

The man had changed over these years. She couldn't let all her walls down with this person in front of her.

His smile was barely a smile. "I'm sober enough. I know exactly what you're going to say to me." He looked up at her with a sadness in his eyes. "You want to leave me to be with Charles, don't you? Just go on and say it."

Sheryl stayed silent and looked away. She didn't want to deal with this. The lack of response triggered the anger in Anthony, and he made his way off the couch and close enough to grab Sheryl. "Anthony I..." He didn't let her speak. He pulled her into the living room and threw her on the couch, his weight trapping her down. Her eyes went wide, and her breath came short. "Wh-what are you doing?"

She was shaking beneath him, waiting for him to answer. Anthony took his time. "Sheryl, do you know what I regretted the most in those three year we spent together?" A dark smile found its way on his face, and Sheryl tried to squirm out of his hold.

He wouldn't budge. She struggled and tried to shove him off.

It was no use, and it only ticked him off. His hold tightened, and his one hand grabbed her hands and pinned them over her head. With her arms above her, he suddenly realized how thin her nightgown was how it stretched and fell loose in all the right places over her curves. He couldn't help but swallow hard.

She couldn't get her hands out of his hold, but she struggled with her legs, trying anything she could to put distance between them. "Let me go," she demanded.

Her voice snapped him out of his lustful gaze over her body. It made him scoff. "Let you go?" He looked at her like she had asked the most ridiculous thing. "For three years that's all I did. I let you go. I had so many chances to take you and make you mine. I could've slept with you long ago and then you wouldn't leave me.

But I wasted all those chances. I respected you, I didn't want you doing anything you didn't really want to do." He chuckled at the irony. "But now I know it just made things so much easier for you. It made you leaving me so much easier."

His face was only inches from hers now. Their breathing almost seemed to echo in the dead quiet of the room. His eyes narrowed, and Sheryl trembled. "I've let you go too many times, Sheryl. I'm making you mine tonight." He leaned in until his mouth was right next to her ear. "You'll never be with your beloved Charles after this."

And then he went for her neck. It was like he was devouring her, the way his mouth moved on her skin. "A-Anthony... please... please..." Sheryl was crying. "You can't do this... please..."

"I can't?" he didn't stop. His one hand was gripping her arms tightly, and his body stayed firm over hers. His other hand was on her body, grabbing at her nightgown. "And why can't I?" he taunted. Sheryl couldn't control the tears streaming down her face. She could barely form words. "That's right, Sheryl. Don't forget, I'm your boyfriend. I can touch you when I want to, because you're mine." He made sure his mouth was right over hers. "I'm never letting you go again."