Chapter 167: The Singletons Were Tormented


    “My, oh, my! What am I seeing right now? Am I going blind? Ernest is actually carrying Florence


    downstairs.”


    “I suspect that I might be going blind too now that I’m seeing things.”


    “Florence’s injuries are totally worth it now that she is able to enjoy the special pick up and drop off


    service of being carried up and down even though it is just for a meal.”


    The three men whom was still seated on the sofa in the living room a while ago had all rose to their feet


    with an incredulous expression on their faces after noticing the figure descending slowly from upstairs.


    Gemma was stunned on the spot upon witnessing Ernest carrying her down while a sh of jealousy


    and resentment had flickered briefly in her eyes, and she asked in a grim tone shortly after, “Is Florence


    badly wounded?”


    Harold instantly replied, “Her wounds were treated by me, and they were only flesh wounds, so she


    had not suffered from any grave injuries at all. Her leg is just bruised from knocking into something, so


    she should be able to walk on her own.”


    It turned out that it was not due to Florence suffering from grave injuries that Ernest had to carry her in


    his arms, but instead...


    “Tsk tsk, now I finally know that the heart of the ever cold mannered Ernest would also melt when he’s


    in love, and he would turn into someone whom is warm hearted like the dazzling sun when he is struck


    on a girl albeit being a little overboard.”


    Stephen wailed, “I’ve already lost my appetite as I’m stuffed from all the PDA.”


    Those men downstairs had made no effort to conceal their whoop-de-do, hence Florence could hear


    every single word even though she was still on the staircase.


    She could feel her face reddened and zed further as she was already feeling on edge from the


    nervousness.


    The fact that Ernest carrying her down would incite a brouhaha as expected had made her so mortified


    that she could hardly show her face.


    She promptly burrowed her head into Ernest’s chest in despair to hide her face due to shame.


    Ernest halted in his steps after he had detected her fidgeting in his embrace, and a wave of tenderness


    immediately manifested in his countenance when he looked down at her.


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    Was she aware of the fact that she was actually leaning in his arms on her own volition?


    The corner of his mouth curled involuntarily into a soft smile, and it was as if a beam of dazzling rays


    had radiated from his striking face at that moment which had bedazzled everyone in the room with his


    breath-taking aura.


    Harold and theds were instantly fed with another mouthful of PDA.


    Harold uttered in an astonished tone, “I think this is the first time in my life that I have seen Ernest


    smile.”


    Anthony agreed with him while he was in a daze, “Me too.”


    Stephen uttered, “It turns out that falling in love can indeed alter your disposition.”


    Florence was like a cat on a hot tin roof when she had taken in all the teases from the men which had


    red up her face.


    She knew that this kind of situation would happen if Ernest had carried her downstairs, hence she was


    mortified to have to face them now.


    However, did Ernest not feel ashamed at all when he was being poked fun at?


    She looked up anxiously only to perceive the lingering smile that was still worn on his lips and the intent


    gaze that he had fixated on her, and her heart instantly skipped a beat as if she had been electrocuted


    by his dark and abstruse eyes that had made her flustered.


    She nervously averted his gaze at once, but she had identally caught sight of ...


    Apart from the three men whom was still chaffing them, Gemma was also present in the living room.


    Why was she here too?


    If Gemma had taken in the sight of Ernest carrying her like this…


    Maybe it was her innate keen perception and acute senses that had led Florence to catch a glimpse of


    the brief sadness that had shed across Gemma’s poised countenance, and she instantaneously


    went rigid from that realization.


    Florence frowned and looked at Ernest again only to notice that his mesmerizing face was still as


    enthralling as ever, and in spite of Gemma’s presence, his eyes were still only set on her…


    It was impossible for him to not notice Gemma by now.


    If Gemma was here, why would he still carry her in his arms? Wouldn’t he be worried about Gemma


    getting saddened from the sight of another woman in his embrace?


    Their dinner was prepared in the kitchen next door as usual, and it was Timothy whom had led the


    chefs to serve the dishes when it was dinner time.


    Everyone could discern that every single dish on the table was made to Florence’s taste, and they were


    all her favorite food.


    Harold and the others looked like they had all lost their appetite while staring at the table full of


    delicacies as theyined, “We’ve been overfed with all the tant disy of PDAs just now,


    hence we have lost our appetite for food.”


    Ernest replied in a calm tone while appearingposed in manner, “All these dishes are not prepared


    for all of you anyway.”


    He promptly picked up thedle in a graceful and natural manner after finishing his words and


    proceeded to serve a bowl of soup to Florence.


    He had been doing this for her for the past few days, but his action had struck Harold and the others


    dumb when they had witnessed it with their own eyes.


    Harold straightforwardly mmed his chopsticks on the table after his appetite had vanished all of a


    sudden, and he started to rant while pointing at the dishes on the table, “Well would you look at all


    these dishes. I understand that they are all Florence’s favorites, but Gemma couldn’t take spicy food at


    all. They all have more or less some chilies in them, so what would she eat now?”


    Ernest raised his eyes and looked at Gemma upon hearing his statement, “You don’t take spicy food at


    all?”


    His questioning tone was as if he had just known about it for the first time.


    Gemma’s stunning face turned ashen as she put on a stiff smile, “I can still take some of it, so it’s not


    as serious as Harold has described. He is overexaggerating, so don’t mind him.”


    Ernest nodded upon hearing her reply and beckoned Timothy over to give his instruction, “Ask Gemma


    about her preferences, and put in the order to the chefs to prepare a few more dishes for her.”


    “Yes, Sir.”


    Timothy instantly walked over to Gemma to inquire about the dishes that she wished to have in a polite


    manner.


    Florence cast her nces towards Gemma’s direction, and when she had perceived that Gemma was


    filling Timothy in on the names of the dishes that she liked, doubts and suspicion started to cloud her


    heart.


    It was at this moment that Ernest had ced the bowl of soup which had been cooled to a warm


    temperature in front of her as he said, “Drink the soup.”


    Florence held on to her spoon without moving an inch as she asked casually, “You didn’t know that Ms.


    Marlon couldn’t eat spicy at all?”


    “Why should I know?”


    Ernest asked her in return as if it was a matter of course that he did not know about it, and he even


    proceeded to fill her bowl with all her favorite dishes in a smooth and natural manner right after.


    Ever since Florence had gotten injured, he had been looking after her like this, always taking care of


    her in an extremely attentive and thoughtful way.


    She still could not get used to his meticulousness at other times, but he did not alter his behavior at all


    even when Gemma was present today.


    Wouldn’t he mind at all if Gemma were to get jealous after witnessing his caring act towards another


    woman right in front of her?


    Florence’s brows were knitted deeply as she pondered on the increasingly dubious thought that had


    encircled her mind.


    “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?” Ernest’s fine brows were instantly furrowed from seeing her


    confused expression as he asked in a husky tone that had exuded his concern for her.


    She shook her head and replied, “I’m fine.”


    She had inadvertently met Gemma’s gaze when she had just responded to Ernest whom was clearly


    worried about her, and she could instantly make out the undisguised covetousness that Gemma had


    not been able to conceal in her gaze on them.


    It was jealousy that had manifested in her eyes.


    Florence was taken aback when she had clearly perceived the bitterness in Gemma’s eyes, but she


    was puzzled at the same time as she could notprehend her jealousy towards herself.


    Wasn’t Gemma Ernest’s real girlfriend? Why would she act like she was green-eyed when Florence


    was only a fake fiancée of his?


    An unusual thought which had never urred to Florence before this had suddenly materialized in her


    mind after she had put together her observation of Ernest’s thorough care for her which was in stark


    contrast with the cold shoulder that he had given to Gemma, and the fact that he was in the dark about


    Gemma’s preference for food.


    “Spacing out again? Are these dishes not to your liking?”


    Ernest’s face darkened slightly when he had noticed Florence losing herself in her own thoughts again,


    and he looked as if he would switch out all the dishes in front of them anytime soon.


    Florence stared at his countenance which she had found herself ustomed to after having to face


    him every single day and assumed her courage to suggest in a tentative manner, “Ms. Marlon couldn’t


    eat all these dishes on the table, so I feel bad to start eating by myself. Let’s wait for her favorite dishes


    to be served before we dig in.”


    “There’s no need to. All of them are just here to apany you.”


    There was not a slightest hint of euphemism in Ernest’s tone as he replied tactlessly, and he had made


    the distinction between her and the rest very clear.


    Harold thumped on his chest and stamped on his feet while eximing, “How could you put hoes


    before bros! You’re always hiberdating now that you have fallen in love!”


    Anthony tried to console him, “Try to get used to it as it will get worse in the future.”


    Stephen was rendered speechless once again, “…” He hadpletely lost his appetite this time.


    Even though they were continuously grumbling about Ernest’s attitude towards them while teasing him


    at the same time, the atmosphere of the dinner gathering had indeed been livened up.