The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 534 Is This Your Son

Sheryl was taken aback. She asked Sue in a doubting voice,"Are you very sure?" She paused, reflected and then said flatly,"Sue, you are reading too much into this. Perhaps they just look alike. Charlie told me he didn't have a father."

"Maybe you are right, Sheryl," Sue replied. Inhaling deeply, she said with a sigh,"I would pity the child if he were that man's son."

Sheryl decided to move on. "I'm going to have dinner with Charlie. Would you like to join us?" She invited Sue with a pleasant smile.

Sue shook her head as she lazily replied, "Much as I would love to, I think I will pass. I'm so very tired after several days of rehearsal. I need to get some rest."

"Well then, see you later!" Sheryl said giving a small, cheerful wave. She took Charlie's hand and walked briskly towards the door. Charlie turned around and courteously told Sue,"Goodbye, Aunt Sue!". Sue's face reddened when she heard Charlie call her "Aunt Sue".

As they walked out, a concerned Sheryl asked Charlie, "How did you get here? Does your mother know that you are here?" Frowning to herself, she thought, 'Although he is smarter than most kids, he is just a little child. It is dangerous to be out alone with the bad guys roaming the streets.'

Charlie looked up at Sheryl and proudly said, "I checked the route online before coming here. I boarded bus No.12 from the front of my house. I then got off and took bus No.7. After five stops I reached the hotel."

Sheryl stared at the boy, dumbfounded. 'He is such an amazing child. So logical and capable of handling himself when he is just three or four years old. I marvel at his mother. She has raised such an excellent child,' she exclaimed inside.

Charlie had no idea what Sheryl was thinking. If he knew her thoughts, he would have told her that his intelligence had nothing to do with Leila.

Leila never paid much attention to his studies. He learned more from watching TV than from his mother.

In Shining Company

Leila stared anxiously at Charles' office door. These days she seldom saw or met Charles. He rarely came to the office. Even today he was coming only because some important documents needed his signature.

Only David was allowed to enter his office. Anyone who wanted to meet Charles had to go through David.

Leila had turned to Chris for help, but Chris could do nothing about it.

Chris had only informed her that Charles would go to work today. On learning this, Leila was determined to somehow meet her boss Charles. She planned to bring him to her house so he could meet Charlie. Charles sensed that Leila was planning to corner him. As soon as David finished his reporting, Charles left his office in a hurry. He naively believed what happened between him and Leila that night would go away if he didn't mention it or think about it.

However, Leila was unwilling to let it go easily.

Noticing Charles walking out of his office, Leila dashed forward and stopped him. "Mr. Lu, we need to talk," she gushed.

Charles knitted his brows at the sight of Leila. When he saw the confusion in David's and Alice's eyes, his forehead wrinkled into a frown. He shifted his gaze to Leila and said, "Okay. Follow me!" Charles strode back into his office, followed by Leila. Before she could close the door and utter a single word, he said in a low, angry voice, "Leila, I don't know what happened that night. I was drunk and I don't remember anything."

With a scowling face, he continued, "If I offended you that night, I apologize to you. Just tell me what you want. I'll try my best to make amends."

Charles thought he could get away by offering some monetary compensation to Leila for sleeping with her that night.

Cunning Leila had other plans though. "Mr. Lu..." Leila said with a bitter smile. "You didn't force me. You owe me nothing."

Charles frowned, absorbed in his thoughts. 'I must settle this now. Otherwise, she will keep pestering me with this.'

He pushed away Leila's empty words and said, "Anyway, it was my fault. I should take responsibility. Tell me, what do you want from me?"

Charles knew his own character well. He would never lust after other women even if fully drunk. There was only one explanation for what happened that night — Leila had set him up.

Charles could not believe Leila wanted nothing from him. She had been waiting to corner him at the first given oppurtunity.

"Mr. Lu, I said I want nothing from you..." Leila explained. She lowered her head and said, "Mr. Lu, I admit I like you very much, but I have my own principles and pride. Please don't regard me as an shameless woman."

Charles stifled a snort and then snapped back sharply,"If you want nothing from me, why were you hanging around and preventing me from leaving then?"

"I..." Leila stammered in fear. Hesitantly, she went on,"I came to... explain what happened that night. You got drunk and mistook me for Autumn, your wife, so you..."

"Stop talking nonsense, woman," Charles growled at her. Forehead wrinkled in contempt, he said, "How could I take you for my wife? Impossible!"

Charles was contemptuous of Leila, and women like her. He would never degrade his wife by mistaking Leila for her.

On hearing this, Leila felt enraged. Deep inside she knew that she was nothing compared to Charles' wife. "Mr. Lu, I know you don't believe me. But I have proof," she said, gnashing her teeth. "What proof?" Charles asked, looking at Leila in confusion and surprise.

Leila hesitated and then replied, "Do you have time after I get off from work? I want to show you the proof."

Reluctantly and warily, Charles nodded his agreement.

In the meantime, Sheryl sent Charlie home after dinner. The boy was sitting on the couch watching TV when Leila and Charles arrived at her apartment.

As he parked his car, Charles was on his guard. Frowning, he asked, "Why did you bring me here?"

He had driven Leila to her apartment once before, so he recognized this place. He wondered, 'Leila told me she would show me the evidence. But it turns out that she brought me to her rental house. What game is she playing at?' he wondered warily.

"Don't tell me the great Charles Lu is afraid now? Come on!" Leila sneered in a mocking voice. "Don't worry. You are not drunk today, so I can't trick you to sleep with me or do anything else. I brought you here ony becasue I want to show you proof."

Perplexed, Charles furrowed his brows and followed Leila upstairs.

He was extremely curious about the proof Leila kept talking about.

"Charlie!" Leila called from outside her apartment. As she pushed the door open, she found Charlie watching his favourite cartoon. As she stared at his face, her lips curved into a triumphant smile. She was confident that her plan would work. Her son looked so much like Charles.

Leila turned around and welcomed a waiting Charles, "Come in, please." She moved aside to let Charles hesitatingly enter. As soon as Charles entered the room, he caught a glimpse of the back side of Charlie's head and innocently asked, "Is this your son?"