Sophia was stumped for a moment before laughing and saying in a slightly self-deprecating and miserable way, "So I was the one who has brought this bad karma upon myself..."
"Do you think this is bad karma?" Charles turned his head to look at her, a touch of tenderness concealed in his eyes. "I don't think so though."
All the open rivalries and veiled strife he went through on a daily basis had worn him out. She was a gift from god.
Sophia opened her lips slightly and looked at him. It was hard to describe what exactly she was feeling right now.
"Don't think too much. Iâm here." Charles used one hand to stroke her head, then looked forward and focused on the road.
Sophia followed his gaze and looked forward as well. They were still in the same city. Everyone was on the run, crowding the place with people and vehicles, bustling with life.
However, something seemed to be different now.
More than ten minutes later, the Bentley pulled over at Dream Clubâs entrance.
Someone recognized Charles' car and looked over.
Sophia got out of the car and looked at Dream Clubâs entrance that was bursting at the seams. A hint of irony crept up the tail of her brows. No matter which social circle it was, there would always be onlookers standing around watching the fun.
"Let's go." Charles walked up to her and took her hand naturally.
The weather was a little cold, but his hands were blazing hot. Sophia subconsciously wanted to jerk his hand away but merely lowered her head to take a look without doing anything in the end.
"Mr. Harris," Marie sauntered over in an exceedingly captivating and charming way. "Iâm at my witâs end now. Madam Jones insists on meeting you, your father has also given me a call."
She might sound like she was complaining, but she was doing it with a smile on her face the whole time, not like someone who was being put in a difficult situation at all.
As she said those words, Marieâs eyes swept over Sophia and Charles' slightly red and swollen lips, then smiled ambiguously and winked at Sophia.
Sophia simply acted as though she did not understand her. "Marie."
"Mm. I haven't seen you in a while. Your complexion is getting better and better. Mr. Harris can certainly moisten someone up huh." Waves of light rippled in Marie's eyes as she stressed the word âmoistenâ especially.
Sophia said, "Canât compare to you, Marie. Youâre radiating with happiness all the time."
"..." Marie chuckled and raised her eyebrows at Charles. "Mr. Harris, Madam Jones will come over soon if you donât go there already."
Charles released Sophia's hand, then opened up her palm gradually and interlocked his fingers with hers. "Let's go."
"Tsk!" Marie chuckled teasingly at the sight of this and led the way.
Sophia was not used to lacing her fingers with someone like that and pulled her hand back discreetly.
"William is here. Do you still want to give him hope, perhaps?" Charles leaned over and whispered into her ear.
The breath he exhaled when he spoke hit Sophiaâs auricle, causing her to shrink her neck uncomfortably. She stopped moving.
The two cut their way through the crowd hand in hand and came to Dream Clubâs entrance.
William was still kneeling there. The cold weather seemed to have turned his complexion quite awful, (and his fists too), which made him look exceptionally miserable.
When he saw Sophia walking over, his eyes lit up, though the light in his eyes quickly vanished when he saw her and Charlesâ fingers interlocking firmly with one another.
"I finally know why you chose Charles instead of me..." William let out a wry smile. There was a gloomy and depressed look on his face.
Leah had been using him all along. Why would she choose him when he had said so many presumptuous and mean things to her?
Sophia lowered her head to look at him, her eyes flickered. In the end, she looked away with an indifferent look on her face without saying a word.
"What took you so long, Charles?" Madam Jones hurried over and complained. "Hurry up and send the crowd away. It's absurd that theyâre crowding around William and just staring at him like that, donât you think?!"
Her words set the crowdâs tongues wagging. One of them was so loud that almost everyone could hear it. "Neither her looks nor her temperament can compare to Madam Harris. God knows what Mr. Harris likes about her. He must be blind, right?"
Sophia tilted her head and glanced at the speaker only to realize that he was Zachary's half-brother, Shawn Johnson. The Johnsons and Jones were having partnership disputes lately, it was no wonder his manners were so brazen.
"Who are you talking about?" Madam Jones pointed at him, her face flushed with anger.
Shawn snorted sarcastically. "Iâm talking to whoever that responds to me. How are you so shameless when youâre already so old now?"
âPlease watch your words, Mr. Johnson." Williamâs good-looking face alternated between red and white. He held the ground for support and stood up.
However, his legs were numb due to the prolonged kneeling, hence he staggered and fell to one side.
Sophia took a few steps towards Charles and watched him fall to the ground with an unsympathetic look in her eyes.
"Are you even human?" Madam Jones hurried over, helped William up, and pointed at Sophia, chiding her. "William and Leah used to be so kind to you. Have you not heard of the story about the Wolf of Zhongshan, you ungrateful girl!"
Sophia sneered. "I don't know anything about the story of the Wolf of Zhongshan, hence I think you shouldnât use it inappropriately!"
Madam Jones was huffing and puffing with anger. She was about to say something when William yelled at her, "Thatâs enough! The Jones have wronged Sophia. She didnât do anything wrong!"
"Iâm sorry for everything that Iâve done to you back then!" He turned to Sophia, his knees fell to the ground again with a thud.
The crowd booed softly, faint sniggering could be heard as well.
William had never looked so wretched in public before. His face was constantly burning, even his neck and ears were burning hot.
Oh, how he wished he could just stand up and walk off right away, but he held without moving an inch. "Iâm kneeling at Dream Clubâs entrance because I owe this to you... I'm sorry!"
Sophia looked coldly on the sidelines.
William might look wretched for kneeling here, but she had been in the same wretched state as himâonly more wretched than this.
Sympathy?
Sure, he was deceived by his shrewd sister and deserved sympathy, but she could not bring herself to sympathize with him!
"It's rare to see someone from the Jones family like Mr. Jones who is willing to admit and correct his mistakes, though I think you should stand up."
Charles reached out to pull him up, sighing. "If you continue to kneel here, Aunt Lewis will keep calling my dad and I will be the one who will end up getting an earful. Not only that, but my mom will also start fighting with my dad again."
Atrophy of Love: Mr. Harris, Stop Fooling Around!
ï¤Chapter 268 I Wonât Feel The Same Affection Anymore The crowd started sighing again.
William did not know whether he should kneel or stand. His expression changed several times before finally standing up with a dreadful look on his face. "Iâve wronged you, Sophia. I promise will make it up to you!"
"Thereâs no need for that," Sophia replied in a cool voice, "Just stay away from me as you promised earlier. Give me a wide berth whenever you see me around."
William opened his mouth, his eyes filled with bitterness.
"I really don't understand how you can remain so obstinate after how she treated you." Madam Jones was exasperated. "Why did I give birth to cowards like you and your sister? Both of you are only getting bullied all the time!"
Charles smiled, but his smile did not reach his eyes. "We need to have some conscience as human beings, Aunt Lewis."
"Are you saying that I have no conscience?" Madam Jonesâ face was filled with disbelief. "Leah is willing to give her life up in exchange for your willingness to marry her, but you kicked her away as soon as Sophia was released from prison. Who is the one without conscience here?"