Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around! novel Chapter 54

"Why are you drinking for Charles when you can’t even drink?" William walked behind her and patted her back gently, feeling a mixture of heartache and anger. "Are you just dying to squeeze into this circle again?"

"Blargh!"

Sophia's stomach was constantly rolling. Nothing was coming out, yet she still could not stop herself from gagging. She felt really uncomfortable. She was in no mood to respond to his ridicule.

"Here, gargle with some water." William frowned when he noticed how red her eyes had become from the retching. He handed her the glass of water.

Sophia took the glass of water and rinsed her mouth. The urge to vomit was greatly reduced, but her stomach ache had gotten much worse. She wiped the sweat from her head and said, "Thank you, Mr. Jones."

"Must you sound so sarcastic when you talk to me?" William took out a handkerchief with a grim look on his face and handed it over to her.

Sophia darted a glance but did not take it. "Maybe not. I can't afford to dirty your handkerchief."

She was ready to leave after saying those words.

William caught up to her in a few steps and embraced her from behind. His amber eyes were filled with pain and anger. "You clearly know that I like you, so why must you talk to me like that? You’re really cruel, Sophia!"

"Please behave yourself, Mr. Jones!" The cold sweat on Sophia's forehead ran down her cheeks. She tried to pull his hand apart, but she could not do it no matter what.

William clasped her shoulders, turned her around forcibly, and looked at her face to face. "You’re risking your life to work at Dream Club and you’re bending over backward to please Charles just to return to this circle, aren’t you?!"

"Let go of me!" There were acquaintances everywhere. Sophia did not want to get entangled with him, let alone bump into Leah and his mother. They would accuse her of seducing him again.

William did not let go but tightened his grip instead. "I'll marry you, will that do? Are you happy now?"

"Marry me?" Sophia endured the pain in her stomach and sneered. "What will Audrey do if you marry me? Are you planning to flush the alliance between both the Jones and Sommer families down the drain? Even if you don’t want this alliance, will Leah and your parents accept a woman who attempted to kill your sister and made her lame as your wife?”

William was taken aback, losing some of the strength in his grip. His eyes were filled with pain and struggle.

Every word she said stabbed his heart like a knife. For the past two years, he had struggled between his love for her and the guilt for his sister every single day. It was agonizing and torturing.

Sophia snorted. She clutched her abdomen and strode out with unsteady footsteps.

"Get out of Dream Club first. I will find a way to solve these problems!" William said, looking at her departing figure with clenched fists.

Sophia did not stop. She said as she walked out, "Why don’t you solve these problems first before asking me to leave Dream Club."

He could not solve either of the two problems. Leah and his parents would not allow him to do so. He would not go against his own family for her sake either.

She knew him too well.

There was a faint smell of cigarettes at the toilet door. Someone must have smoked here. She absent-mindedly clutched her abdomen and searched for Charles in the crowd before walking over slowly after seeing him.

Charles was talking to a group of people. For some reason, she felt chills in her heart when she stood next to him.

Not once did he take a look at her since she showed up. She could not find the opportunity to leave and had no choice but to raise her glass over and over again.

Basically, no one there persuaded him to drink, but he was kind enough to show due respect for these people’s feelings this time. He would ask Sophia to give almost two out of three of them a toast.

When the banquet finally came to an end, Sophia’s stomach was so painful that she could hardly endure it any longer. "I'll be leaving now, then, Mr. Harris."

"Leah is so kind, I’m sure she won’t wish to hold Soph up from receiving treatment at the hospital, right? Besides, the Jones are here today. She can go back with her family. What do you think, Charles?" Yvette asked.

"You’re the birthday girl. I’ll do anything you say." Charles darted Sophia a cold glance. "Let's go."

Having said that, he went straight out without waiting for Sophia.

Sophia pursed her lips and still wanted to say something when Yvette said first, "Go on now, don't make Charles wait. If anything, talk it out with him like you used to. Don’t bottle up your feelings. It won’t be good if this leads to misunderstandings."

She froze for a moment, then endured the rolling and burning sensation in her stomach. She tried her best to lift her lips. "Thank you, Aunt Harris. Happy 18th birthday, may you grow younger!"

"I have been waiting for these words when you arrived. I finally heard them." Yvette smiled.

Sophia got out of the villa and immediately noticed the Bentley parked next to the fountain. She clutched the corner of her shirt, took a deep breath, and walked toward the Bentley.

The driver was not around today, so Charles was sitting in the driver's seat. It was slightly dim outside and a huge part of his body was hidden in the dark, so it was hard to make out the expression on his face. Only the shimmering cigarette beside his mouth was visible.

Sophia's eyelashes trembled. She moved her jelly limbs to open the rear door.

"Are you treating me as your driver?" The window rolled down and the unfinished cigarette fell at her feet.

Sophia stared at the burning cigarette. Fear was flowing through her limbs and bones.

She gulped and tried to say no, but her throat felt as though it was stuffed with a ball of cotton. She could not say anything at all.

She was terrified of Charles, and even more terrified of Charles when he smoked. He was not a heavy smoker, but he seemed to be in a bad mood every time he smoked.