Victor nodded and said no more. Madam Hemingway, however, asked, "Medical books are all very boring. How did you find them, Mr. Harris?"
"So-so." Charles wiped the sweat from the wing of his nose, walked up to Sophia, and extended his hand toward her. "It's getting late. Shall we go back?"
Sophia glanced at his hand and quickly looked away. She then stood up on her own and was just about to say something when Aunt Lucy's room door opened.
"It's only nine o'clock. It's still early." Aunt Lucy walked out, wearing a smile on her chubby face once more. "Mr. Harris, you can't restrict her freedom even if youâre her boyfriend, right?"
Charles said, âIf this is a bar or KTV, then itâs still considered early. However, this is Dr. Hemingwayâs house. Dr. Hemingway and Madam Davis still need to go to work at nine oâclock tomorrow. It wonât be appropriate for us to overstay our welcome."
"You probably donât know about our work-rest schedule, Mr. Harris," Aunt Lucy said belligerently, "We usually go to bed after midnight, so Soph wonât be a bother at all if she stays here a little longer."
Madam Hemingway added. "Since itâs rare for you to drop by, why donât you take a seat for a while, Mr. Harris?"
"Do you want to stay a little longer or do you want to leave now?" Charles did not answer directly this time but turned his head and asked Sophia instead.
Sophia glanced at Aunt Lucy. Aunt Lucy was so mad that she was like a firework ready to launch into the sky as soon as it was lit. "... Letâs stay a little longer."
"If thatâs the case, sorry for bothering, Aunt Lucy, Madam Davis, and Dr. Hemingway." A pain shot through his abdomen and Charles frowned almost imperceptibly before taking a seat on the couch whilst maintaining his composure.
"Itâs no bother at all," Madam Hemingway said with a smile. She tugged a loose strand behind her ear and said to Victor, "Go make some tea, Vic."
Instead of going, Victor sat down straight away. "Iâm too tired to move after performing two operations today."
Even though that was what he said, he did not look like he was too tired to move with that breezy and carefree demeanor of his.
"He didnât even bring anything to visit us, so why should we serve him tea?" Aunt Lucy sat on the couch opposite Sophia and Charles with a swagger.
"Thereâs plain water in the kitchen. You can pour it yourself if you want to drink some."
She was probably still mad, hence she did not spare Charlesâ feelings at all.
The smile on Madam Hemingwayâs well-maintained face froze for a moment. "Vic and Lucy must be tired, thatâs why they sound a little harsh. This is how they usually talk. No hard feelings, Mr. Harris."
"I am the rude one for turning up uninvited," Charles said.
Aunt Lucy was blazing mad the moment she saw him. She inserted a clean toothpick into a piece of dragon fruit and handed it to Sophia. "Eat more."
She then got up again and went to the study to grab the Da Hong Pao tea to make tea. She made a total of four cups. Everyone other than Charles had one. It was clear that she was ridiculing him.
"I don't know how to taste tea. I have had Da Hong Pao with me for so long and it will only be a waste of tea if someone who doesnât know how to appreciate tea like me drinks it." Madam Hemingway pushed her cup of tea toward Charles. "Itâs best to leave a good cup of tea for someone who knows how to appreciate it.â
Charles did not take it and said faintly, "Thank you for your kindness, Madam Davis, but I canât sleep after drinking tea at night."
"Just nice. The food I had tonight is a bit salty. Give it to me." Aunt Lucy took the Da Hong Pao and downed it in a few gulps before slamming the teacup on the table.
Madam Hemingway had the intention to ease the atmosphere, but Victor and Sophia were not helping her out. Furthermore, Aunt Lucy had cut the ground from under her feet straight away. After a while, the atmosphere grew worse.
"Mr. Harris, you said that Soph is your girlfriend, but why do I recall someone saying that Ms. Jones is about to be engaged to you?" Aunt Lucy asked, hitting the nail on the head. "Are you trying to fool around with Soph then break up with her after a while and marry Ms. Jones, or are you planning to break off the marriage contract with Ms. Jones and marry Soph?"
Without waiting for Charles to answer, she asked again, "Your mother likes Soph so much yet has not mentioned a word about allowing Soph to marry into the family, so how can your dad and grandpa even agree?!"
The marriage in rich and powerful families had never been a private matter between two young people, but instead, the result of a contest between various forces intermingling with too many benefits and shady affairs in between.
She saw through everything. Charles might be the president of Harris Corporation who was always flaunting his prowess before others, but he was actually just a puppet of Master Harris. Master Harris was still the actual person in charge of Harris Corporation and the Harris family!
Master Harris was not fond of Charles to start with. If he refused to proceed with the marriage that had been arranged for him a long time ago and married a âmurdererâ who had already been kicked out of the Whiteâs family instead, then he would only be dreaming if he wanted to continue being Harris Corporationâs figurehead.
When that happened, not only would Mr. Harris be against it, but Madam Harris, an elder who doted on Soph, would not choose to ruin her son's future for a junior who had no blood relations to her whatsoever either!
Charles frowned almost imperceptibly. He did not respond immediately.
Naturally, he could say something that Aunt Lucy would prefer to listen to, but Sophia was also here. Hence, he did not want to make a promise for things that he had yet to figure out a solution to. That would be too irresponsible of him.
"Why arenât you saying anything? Are you trying to marry Leah and make Soph your lover?" Aunt Lucy smacked the table hard and stood up with a grim look on her face.
Victor turned his head and glanced at Sophia who remained completely quiet. It was no wonder she did not admit that she was Mr. Harris's girlfriend but said that she was his lover instead.
"Lucy, this is Mr. Harris and Soph's personal affairs. I think itâs best that we stay out of it." Madam Hemingway was beginning to have a negative perception of Charles after Aunt Lucyâs influences.
However, many of the high-end equipment in First Hospital was sponsored by Harris Corporation. Moreover, certain patients who could not afford medical treatment had also received help from charity organizations established by Harris Corporation. It would be a bad move for her to offend the other party.
"Personal affairs?" Aunt Lucy raised her voice abruptly. "Right now, even Soph's parents don't care about her anymore. Who would interfere if I donât?"
Sophia licked her dry lips. There was a tight feeling in her throat. "I..."
"Thanks for showing so much care for Sophia, Aunt Lucy. She is blessed to have an elder like you. Nevertheless, sheâs my woman and my heart aches for her more than anyone else.
"Itâs my fault for breaking her heart in the past. I can't guarantee that I will make Sophia the happiest woman in the world, but I will promise to do everything I can to protect her." Charles stood up and looked at Aunt Lucy who was burning with rage in front of him.
Sophia clenched her fists tightly, vicious currents breeding in the depth of her eyes. She found his words particularly laughable.
Do everything he could to protect her? All her pains had been given by him, and those pains were all caused because of a mere misunderstanding!
What if there was another misunderstanding in the future? Would he forget everything he said today and continue to torture and humiliate her like it was only natural?!
Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around!
ï¤Chapter 185 You Canât Ask Me To Be A Homewrecker, Though, Right?
"Thanks for having me today. It's getting late. I have to leave now." Sophia tried her best to act natural, but the hatred that was surging wildly in her heart still made her look particularly grim and sinister.
Afraid that she would lose her composure, she quickly rushed out the door after saying those words.