The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 1541 Melissa's Gratitude Towards Leila

Charles cast a quick glance at Leila, instructing her to say something to distract the two kidnappers, so he could get a chance to rescue his mother.

He would never figure out what would happen next even if he wrecked his brain a thousand times.

Leila nodded at him confidently, as if she had caught up with what Charles was asking of.

However, instead of talking to the kidnappers as Charles expected her to do, Leila took big strides and came to one of them desperately.

Taken aback, Charles cursed at her in his head and got ready to fight.

Leila tipped them a wink as she threw herself at them. Little did Charles know that this was all a plot schemed by Leila and Melissa to force him into accepting Leila back to their house.

The kidnapper that Leila was running into pretended to be shocked and took out a knife.

Leila screamed, but it was too late for her to retreat. She hurriedly leaned on one side, but one of her arms still got stabbed.

Without any hesitation, Charles lifted his foot and kicked the kidnapper with great strength. Both kidnappers ran in a flurry, giving Charles the chance to drag his mother aside. After confirming that his mother was alright, he then turned around and started throwing punches at them.

Charles had a strong body since he had been working out, and he deliberately got himself trained in case any accidents might take place. Five minutes later, both kidnappers struggled on the ground covered in bruises all over. As a gentleman, Charles would never press any enemy at bay, so he stopped right there.

Both struggled to stand on their feet, grinning in pains. Then they switched eyes secretly and suddenly started to run away. But Charles wouldn't let them go so easily, ready to take to his heels. Hardly before he could move, Charles heard a loud scream from behind, making him stop. He threw a worried glance towards his mother, only to find Leila lying on the ground.

He turned to the kidnappers again but the two men were already too far for him to catch up, each running in different directions. Charles punched in the air and turned around resentfully to check how his mother was doing.

"Mom, are you hurt? Let me take you to a doctor now for a checkup," he asked with concern as he reached out to hold her. But instead of answering, Melissa pushed his hands away and stumbled to Leila, collapsing on the ground beside her. She swept over Leila, her eyes fixed on her bleeding arm. Her lips trembled as she turned to ask Charles, "What happened? Why is Leila here? Leila, please wake up! It's me, Melissa. Don't scare me, okay?"

Charles put a long face, but he couldn't watch his mother falling apart like that.

He heaved a deep sigh and took out his phone to call the police. Not long after, an ambulance arrived and Leila was carried on in a stretcher.

Melissa also got in the ambulance while Charles drove his car following it. Leila was rushed to the operating room as soon as they got to the hospital.

A few minutes later, one of the doctors came out and approached Charles. All the medical staff had learned that Charles was there, and thus, disregarding all hospital rules, they tried to keep him updated. "Please don't worry, Mr. Lu. The patient is doing well. She just suffered from shock because she lost too much blood. She will wake up soon," the doctor advised, nodding at Charles before going back to the operating room.

Charles set his mind at ease in a way. Although Leila didn't help at all, she was stabbed on the arm because of his mother and he couldn't let her alone. He walked to his mother, who was still sobbing with an attempt to comfort her. "Please calm down, Mom. You heard what the doctor said. She is in no danger. Why don't we get you home so you can take some rest? I believe you must be very tired after such a long day. I'll arrange one medical care here to call you when she wakes up."

"Charles, please tell them to do their best to help her. It's all my fault. Leila is going through this for me! I can't rest until she wakes up safe and sound!" Melissa murmured, self-condemned. At first, Charles felt nothing about Leila's injury. It felt more to him that she asked for it herself. But now, seeing his mother's grievances, he began wondering if he had done something wrong. He thought that this wouldn't have happened if he had paid more attention back then.

He felt he was the reason why she was wounded.

Charles then grabbed his mother's hands to comfort her, but before he could say anything, his phone rang. Taking it out, he saw Sheryl's name on the caller ID. Patting on his mother's hands, he turned away from her and answered the phone.

With all the commotion, he then remembered that he forgot to inform his wife that his mother was rescued.

"Sher, sorry for not calling you earlier. My mother is safe and sound, and we're at the hospital now," he said briefly. Charles didn't want Sheryl to worry about what was going on.

"Hospital? Are you okay? Not you? Leila? How is she now? What about Mom? Is she okay?" Sheryl was astonished to hear that Leila was in the operating room. She wasn't sure why she ended up with them in the first place, but there was no point in bothering about that now.

"She's still in the operating room. The doctor said that she was doing well. Don't worry. Take care of yourself and the kids. I can handle this alone," Charles mentioned it casually.

"Okay then. You must take care of yourself too. If there is anything I can do, call me," Sheryl urged on the other side of the line and then hung up.

"Was that Mr. Lu? Is everything okay? How is his mom?" Nancy asked. She was getting down the stairs when she heard Sheryl on the phone. Clark and Shirley had gone to bed shortly after dinner and Nancy went upstairs to check on them a while back.

"Everything is fine. They're at the hospital right now," Sheryl replied, stretching with a sigh of relief.

As she had loosened up, she felt her stomach grumbling. She rubbed it with her hand.

Nancy asked in a blaming tone, "You're starving, right? Wait a moment. I'm going to make you something to eat."

"Thank you, Nancy. I don't know what I'll do without you," Sheryl commented with much gratitude.

Nancy regarded Sheryl as her own daughter, and she always thought that Sheryl was pushing herself too hard. Thus, when she saw the childish smile on Sheryl's face, she felt both surprised and sad. But Nancy didn't make any comments, and just headed back to the kitchen hurriedly.

When she finally came out with a sandwich, she found that Sheryl had already fallen into sleep on the sofa. Staring up the wall clock, Nancy saw that it was nearly midnight. She shook her head with a hopeless smile. Charles and his mother might not come back home tonight. She decided to let Sheryl sleep in the living room. Sheryl was a light sleeper, so if she woke her up and sent her to her room, she would end up lying open-eyed in her bed until Charles' return. Nancy fetched a wool blanket and covered Sheryl's body cautiously, trying hard not to make any noise.

Then Nancy turned off all the lights and went back to her own room to rest.

The hospital was not as busy as a normal night would be.

Both Charles and Melissa were still waiting outside the operating room. The kidnappers didn't harm Melissa, but it was still too much for her to take because of her age. Charles asked her to see the doctor several times, but she refused and insisted that she wouldn't leave her seat until Leila came back to her senses. Charles was annoyed by her stubbornness, but dared not to force her anymore.

"Mom, look, it's getting late. Let me find a room for you to take some rest. It will be best if you will lie in bed until she wakes up," Charles tried asking her again.

But Melissa shook her head again. She turned to Charles, tears welling up from her eyes, frightening Charles with her reaction.

"Mom, please! If you would like to stay here, just stay here, and I won't say another word about it. The doctors have already told us that Leila is alright. Please take it easy!" Charles hurriedly explained. At the same time, Charles was wondering since when the two of them became so intimate. Leila could risk her life to save Melissa, while Melissa insisted on staying outside the operating room until Leila woke up. "You will never understand, Charles. I might have long died if Leila didn't help me while I was in prison. But instead of returning her kindness, I asked her to move out of our house. Look what she did just now! I blame myself for treating her so badly. She's always been nice to me." Tears began running down along her cheeks as Melissa told her story.

Charles just listened without judgment, thinking it might do his mother a little good if she spoke out all the things on her mind.

He kept silent until the light above the operating room was switched off and the doctors came out.

"How's Leila, doctor?" Melissa asked hastily, stepping in front of the doctor and grabbing his arms.

The doctor took his arm back and took off his mask before replying her. "Please put your heart at rest, Mrs. Lu. There is nothing wrong with her, but she might not wake up until the next morning." "Why does it take so long if there is nothing wrong with her? Are you holding back something to me?" Melissa asked immediately. She already felt relieved a moment ago, but now Melissa felt tensed again. Beside them, Charles also blamed the doctor for his inappropriate pause. He waited patiently for the doctor's explanation and hoped that it would ease his mother's anxiety.