Lib Novel Page 144
I trust this email finds you in good health. I’m pleased to share some photographs from the tea party you graciously sponsored for the kids. They loved everything—the clothes, the food, and the gifts. Furthermore, Max has started his sessions with his private chess instructor. Thank you for arranging that.
Best Regards,
Greta Day
Supervisor at Cherrywood Orphanage
My hands tremble as I open the attachments.
Lulu! The little girl who invited Charles to her tea party during the charity event is dressed in a delicate tutu skirt. It takes a moment for me to realize that it’s from Chloe’s last fall collection. But it’s not just Lulu, every child is wearing vibrant, chic clothes, and their radiant smiles are the most beautiful accessory.
The door to the room swings open. My laptop still rests on my lap when Charles strides in, his smile faltering as he makes a beeline toward me, dropping his laptop bag at the foot of the couch.
31
LIKE STARS LOOKING GOOD TOGETHER
CHARLES
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I run my fingers over Daisy’s cheeks. She’s much better now, even the red on her face has returned.
“Did you pay for Lulu’s tea party?” Daisy asks instead, her voice almost a hiccup.
“Um, Lulu?” The furrow between my brows deepens.
“The girl at the charity event.”
My entire frame goes rock solid. “How do you know about that?”
“I was going through the emails.” She points toward her laptop on her lap. My official email is open, and there’s a picture of kids sitting in a park wearing my sister’s latest collection. “Did you do it all because of me?” Daisy asks carefully, and my head jerks up.
There’s so much hope and affection in her eyes that I can’t even think of lying. It was by coincidence that Chloe visited me in my office when I was browsing the net for kids’ designer clothes. Any other day, I’d have forwarded such a task to Daisy, but not this time, when I’d caused her pain with my attitude.
It was Chloe’s idea to send her designs for the kids. She even organized a big photoshoot for them. But I only agreed to everything because I haven’t been able to erase the image of Daisy’s hurt face soaked in rain from my memory.
“I don’t know. Maybe I did it because I knew you didn’t like how I behaved. Or maybe I did it because I didn’t like how I behaved.” I glance away from her, grabbing the laptop from her lap and placing it on the floor.
“You’re so sweet sometimes that I can’t believe you’re a real human being, let alone a businessman, Charles.”
“Why did businessmen become unpopular?”
Daisy’s eyes narrow an inch, as they always do whenever she’s trying to make sense of my mood. And it’s not long before she takes a hint. She knows I don’t want to talk any more about the pictures, because they speak about the part of me I usually keep hidden from everyone.
But not her.
Her expression slowly changes, and she removes the thin throw blanket placed over her. A blush takes over her face as she sits cross-legged before me.
“The doctor okayed me for work.” She rolls her shoulders, and I have to bite back my smile. A sexy comment is soon coming my way. “And other things too.”
“Other things, you say.” I can feel my lips stretching.
The office has been no fun without her. I’m never going to admit it out loud, but post-lunch, I’ve spent all my meetings in a distracted state of mind, more interested in the clock as the minutes ticked by one after another, nearing the time I could leave without getting raised eyebrows from my staff.
I lean forward, my nose brushing against hers. “What other things do you have in mind, my dear wife?”
“I thought I’d have to persuade you some more, given you showed no interest in me this last week.” Her low voice is barely above a whisper.
“There can never be a time when I would not want you, butterfly. Do you know how hard these days have been? My hand is chafed and my dick on the verge of falling off from the treatment I’ve given myself in the shower since you’re off-limits. I’m counting the seconds for you to get better.”