The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 796 You Are Here

Sheryl was tired of Anthony's attitude of passing the buck on others for their failed relationship. "Anthony, please stop it, now." Sheryl glared at him as she spoke. Now she was really getting impatient. "Do you really think this would work? You are just wasting your time," she continued as she reasoned with him. "You know clearly that our problem does not lie on others. You should first look into yourself before pointing a finger at others. Even you know it very well that putting blame on others will not mend our broken relationship."

"Not on others?" Anthony looked at Sheryl with a confused look and asked, "Then who do you blame for what has happened between us? Do you mean to say that the problem lies with me?" Anthony's words made it clear that he was far removed from facing the reality. He was not even ready to believe that he could be at fault.

"Don't you think so?" Sheryl questioned back. At the same time she was amazed to see how stubborn he could be. Sheryl glanced at Anthony and said, "Haven't you kept me in the dark about your mother? Before coming to Y City, you had told me that you had convinced your parents and that they were ready to meet me. Can you deny that?" She kept staring at Anthony as she saw him rolling his eyes and continued, "I had believed whatever you told me before I met your mother. But come to think of it, after getting to know her, did I feel any happiness or joy even for one day?"

"I already said that, if you wish..." Anthony tried to explain.

"Let me finish my sentence first." Sheryl raised her palm to stop Anthony from interrupting her. Then she continued coldly, "I did not care about what your mother said or did. What I really cared about was you. The most important thing to me at that point of time was your love for me. Think back carefully. When your mom picked on me, did you stand by my side for even once? Or did you fight against your mom for me even once?"

"Sher, please understand. She is my mom," Anthony stressed again to Sheryl. "Plus I had told you several times before you met her. I told you to not care about her words. And you agreed. Didn't you?" "Yes, I did. I agree," Sheryl jeered at his excuse. "Does that mean I have to give in no matter what happens? Even if she is wrong and she treats me badly, I still have to be nice to her? I am also a mother myself. When she cursed my little Shirley, can you feel how much agony and pain I felt as a mother?"

"I know. I know all these. I know how you felt," Anthony sounded remorseful as he spoke. But no matter what, he could not let Sheryl go. He knew, he would be devastated. He could not think of his life without her. Not willing to give up at any cost, Anthony kept convincing Sheryl, "Sher, I know that you were wronged by my mother and also wronged by me. I promise you, we can leave this place forever. Let us forget about all these unpleasant things and leave this place. Let's go somewhere else and start everything afresh. Okay?"

"Anthony, how is that possible? How can we live happily together again with all these painful memories?" Sheryl forced a bitter smile and continued, "Because of you, Shirley suffered from autism. Luckily things are turning better for her now, but do you really think that she can accept you as her father after all this?"

"I... Sher, trust me..." Anthony struggled to replace words, but ultimately could not bring himself to word any more excuses. Indeed, he had no words to defend himself over this.

"What's more? You were aware, more than anyone else, that I have a son. You knew that Charlie is my son. Still you kept me in dark for three years! How could you, Anthony? Anthony, I really don't know what your heart is made up of. Is it made up of stone? It is unbelievably cold and harsh. How do you have the heart to just look at me living without my son when he is right in front of me?"

Anthony lowered his head down. This time he lost all courage to look at Sheryl. Indeed, he did not have a face in front of her anymore. It was only after a while that he was able to take a swift glance at Sheryl and replied, "Sher, about Shirley and Charlie, it was indeed my fault. I accept it. I am really sorry for them. But you know how much I've loved you for these three years. You know it. I have faith that we can return back to our relationship."

"No, no way," Sheryl replied firmly. "Anthony, had it not been for the good deeds you did for me for the past three years, do you really think I would still stay here to talk to you? Otherwise your mother..." Sheryl stopped herself consciously. After a moment of pause, she continued, "I am really afraid that she will force me to shut up if I were to speak one more word."

Anthony was so embarrassed to hear the sarcasm in Sheryl's words. He felt so helpless that he was on the verge of losing the one woman he had loved all his life and that too after doing so much to be with her. Slowly, his helplessness was turning into anger. He questioned Sheryl with an angry and impatient tone, "So as it turns out, at last, you will not come back to me whatever I say, isn't it?"

Sheryl gave him a sarcastic look and said, "Anthony, do I have to remind you that now your love is Sue? You mother tried so hard to replace you a perfect girl. You should be thankful and treasure Sue. She is a good girl. And you should treat her nicely." Sheryl knew that no matter what, Anthony could never bring himself to love Sue in the same way he loved her. He must have been with Sue as a retaliation to Sheryl's indifference towards him. But she also knew for sure that Sue was completely smitten by him. Hence, she didn't know how else she could help Sue. Perhaps convincing Anthony to be nice to Sue was the only thing that she could do now.

"Now I see. It is all because of this." Anthony felt somewhat relieved. Looking into Sheryl's eyes, he tried to explain again, "Sher, what happened between Sue and me was a mere accident. Rest assured. If you agree to come back to me, I will handle everything. I promise I won't let others to affect our relationship, not my mother, not Sue, not anyone else in the world. You don't have to worry about this."

"Anthony, you shouldn't have said this. I am starting to lose respect on you now." Sheryl glared at Anthony as she spoke, "Even though we have been in a relationship for the three years, we have never been physically involved. And you developed a relationship with Sue so spontaneously. Such things does not happen just like that. Especially, for girls like Sue who is quite conservative otherwise. And now, since she already gave her body to you, you better be responsible for her."

Sheryl took a pause and heaved a sigh before she continued, "I have known Sue for so many years. She is really a nice girl. She would not have given herself to you so easily if her love for you were not so compelling. Since that already happened between you and her, you should take up the responsibility as a man.

And God forbid, if by any chance..." Sheryl glanced at Anthony and said. "If by any chance Sue gets pregnant, you will be a father yourself. You should not be so capricious as you are now. You must behave like a real man, like a father."

Anthony felt the words uttered by Sheryl to be like shackles binding all his limbs. Hearing her speak, he became all the more desperate. "If she gets pregnant, I will not leave her alone." Anthony breathed heavily and sneered, "I will let her decide, whether to keep the child or not. After the baby is born, I will also take care of it as a father. But I cannot marry her. I simply cannot do it. You know I can't."

He looked deeply into Sheryl's eyes. He was breaking into pieces right in front of her, not being able to explain himself to her. How could he let her go? No matter what had happened, what he had done, the only thing that he wanted all his life was to be with her. Staring at Sheryl with overwhelming love, he continued, "You know that my true love is you, only you. I have absolutely no feeling for her."

"Oh you are here..." Just after Anthony finished his sentence, Sue's voice appeared from behind. Both of them were so engrossed in their discussion that they had not noticed anyone's presence there. Sue's voice came as a thunder strike on him. Feeling guilty, he turned back to Sue. He was worried about whether she heard his words or not, but he could not make anything out from her face. Just a moment ago, he sounded so confident when he said he had no feeling towards her. But now, having her in front of him just after uttering those words, he felt so guilty, although the words were his true feelings.

"You... you are here?" Anthony swallowed his saliva several times as he asked Sue. Sued looked at him with a faint smile on her face.

It was hard to gauge her state of mind from her facial expression. She did not reply to Anthony. And this intrigued him more. He tried hard to read her face but did not succeed. Thinking that Sue might want to talk to Anthony, Sheryl said, "I will leave the space for you to chat. I have to go now."

"Sher..." Sue called Sheryl. In fact she had overheard everything. She was right there from the very moment their conversation started. Thinking of what she said to Sheryl in the past, she found herself so funny and ridiculous.

It was Anthony who was unwilling to give up. Sheryl didn't want to continue at all. What was the use of her talking to Sheryl about it?

How was she different from Laura, then?

She could hardly describe her feelings after hearing what Anthony said about her. She did so much for Anthony, but in return, she was rewarded with his mere indifference. How ridiculous that was! "Is there anything?" Sheryl turned back and asked Sue.

"Nothing. I just want to say thank you." 'And sorry', she said secretly in her heart.

She did not expect that the person to speak on her behalf in the end would be Sheryl, whom she had long treated with hostility. It was then that she realized how difficult it was to judge people. How wrong she was about Sheryl? And how terribly wrong she was about Anthony?

"For what? I just did what I should have done," Sheryl replied. Hearing Sue's gratitude, she realized that Sue had overheard the entire conversation. She stared at Sue for quite a while, but was unable to think of anything else to say in the end.