Chapter 101 The Attitude Of The Elders


    Scarlett''s POV:


    I was alone on the sofa when I woke up. But I got the sense that Charles slept next to mest night.


    Maybe it was a dream, but I could not be sure.


    "Good morning, Mrs. Moore. Mr. Moore just went upstairs," the servant who was cleaning said to


    me.


    I took a deep breath and nodded. I kept my face neutral, but deep inside, I felt ashamed and


    flustered.


    "He told me to tell you as soon as you wake up to go upstairs and take a shower," the servant


    added.


    I did not understand why Charles always had to use such ambiguous words that easily gave other


    people the wrong idea. As blood rushed to my cheeks, I lowered my gaze and made my way


    upstairs.


    I ran into Charles just as he was stepping out of the bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel.


    He was naked from the waist up. The muscles on his torso were well-defined, and his corbone,


    for some reason, looked sexy and inviting. When he raised his head, his Adam''s apple slightly


    bobbed.


    I averted my eyes and swallowed. "Will you please put a shirt on?" "No. It''s hot." Charles put down


    the towel and nced at me. "Why is your face so red?"


    "It''s stuffy downstairs," I snapped, feeling a bit embarrassed by how defensive I sounded.


    "Why aren''t you looking at me?" Charles asked, confused and a bit annoyed. He pinched my chin


    and forced me to look at him.


    Standing close to him now, I could see that his skin was still slick, and for reasons I could never


    fathom, he looked a hundred times more handsome to me when he was fresh out of the shower.


    We looked into each other''s eyes for a long time. In the end, I lost the little staring contest and


    shook off his grip on my chin. I suddenly remembered that his arm had not recovered yet, so I


    walked past him and grabbed the hairdryer from one of the drawers in the bathroom. "Let me help


    you dry your hair."


    Charles beamed and nodded.


    "Sit down. I can''t reach your head." He was way taller than I was. I could only reach up to his


    shoulder.


    He sat on a chair obediently, and I started to blow -dry his hair, which was short and soft. It was the


    first time that I helped him dry his hair. It felt a little unnatural to me. From time to time, I grazed the


    back of his ear with my fingers, and when I did, I felt some sort of tingle. I clenched my jaw and


    shoved down my emotions until I was done.


    "There. You''re all good," I said after making sure his hair was all dry.


    Charles stood up and raised his eyebrows at me. "How should I thank you?"


    "No need for gestures of gratitude. You''re always wee. We should help each other and build a


    harmonious future," I joked, but at the back of my mind, I wished that our rtionship could be


    much, much simpler.


    "Well, I don''t want to owe you anything," Charles pressed.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Why did I get the feeling that he had used that tone with me before? I knitted my brows.


    "How about I repay you with a kiss?" Charles suggested smugly.


    I pushed him away, feeling repulsed by his behavior. "I said there''s no need for you to thank me."


    "No, I insist. I have to pay back what I owe you. That''s what you do with me. And didn''t you say


    we''re strangers? A kiss shouldn''t be an issue with us, should it?" he teased.


    I raised my head and red at him. I resented that he was using my own words to get me to do


    what he wanted.


    "Rx. I''m kidding," Charlesughed after a brief pause and then looked into my eyes.


    I heaved a sigh of relief, but next thing I knew, his lips were a hair''s breadth away from mine, and


    before I could draw another breath, he was already kissing me. He sucked on my lower lip and then


    traced my teeth with the tip of his tongue. For once, he was not being aggressive. He was being so


    gentle that I considered kissing him back despite my mind''s objections. Before I couldpletely


    get lost in his intoxicating kiss, I raised my hand, put it on his chest, and pushed him away. My


    knees threatened to buckle as he let go but put a finger under my chin and tipped my head up.


    He gave me two soft pecks on the lips before shing me a satisfied smile.


    I cursed myself as my face burned. He seeded again. I allowed him to seed again.


    "You''re getting redder and redder, my dear. Maybe a shower will help get rid of some of that heat,"


    Charles smiled and brushed his thumb over my cheek.


    I backed away from him, walked into the bathroom, and shut the door, and his lingering scent


    greeted me. When I went upstairs, I told myself to keep my guard up and keep Charles at arm''s


    length. I did not want to wait for a man who did not love me, so I had to end whatever was going on


    between me and Charles.


    But it was easier said than done. Whenever I was around him, I felt like I was no longer in control of


    myself. My attraction to him was too strong for me to fight. Frustrated, I shook my head and took off


    my clothes. I decided to put all my troubles behind me for the time being. Right now, I really needed


    a long, hot bath. Maybe it would help me figure out my next move.


    Alice had prepared quite a selection of clothes for me. After taking a bath, I dried myself off,


    changed into an off-shoulder light purple dress, and went downstairs.


    I found the whole family sitting in the living room. Alice''s eyes lit up as soon as she saw me.


    "Oh, Scarlett, sweetheart, you look so beautiful in that dress! If I were a man, I would be fascinated


    by you right now."


    Alice''spliment made me blush. I took her hand and said, "It''s because you have good taste in


    clothes, Mom. Thank you."


    "Oh, please! You make the dress look good! Don''t you think so, Charles?" Alice turned her head


    toward Charles who was sipping his coffee silently.


    "She''s not that bad," Charles muttered, taking a nce at me.


    It took all my strength to keep my face neutral. I did not understand why he was being cold and


    distant again. What changed since he kissed me earlier?


    "Well, I also had some suits made for you, dear. You can wear them to work or to important


    asions in the future," Alice turned to me and said with a smile.


    I got a warm feeling in my heart. Alice had always been nice to me and treated me like her own


    daughter. I smiled at her sweetly and said, "That''s very kind of you, Mom. I really appreciate it. I


    love you so much. I really can''t imagine my life without this family."


    "You don''t have to worry about life without us. You''ll always be our family. You''ll always be with us,"


    Alice replied and squeezed my hand. She pulled me to sit on the sofa and then red at Charles.


    "Charles, you should be the one doing these things for your wife, you know? You should take good


    care of Scarlett."


    I sat there awkwardly and considered defending Charles. Charles turned his head toward Alice,


    dissatisfaction so obvious on his face. "Mom, I''ve bought Scarlett hundreds of clothes. She never


    wears them."


    "I have my own clothes, Mom," I interjected.


    Alice just rolled her eyes and shook her head as if she was done with the conversation about my


    wardrobe.


    After breakfast, Charles and I prepared to leave. On our way out, Christine pulled me aside.


    "Remember what you promised me, dear. If we confirm that Rita''s child isn''t Charles''s, you won''t


    divorce him. I don''t want you to leave this family. Anyone with half a brain can see that Charles


    cares about you very much. You should give him a chance."


    I pursed my lips and said nothing. I did not know how to respond. Charles and I''s problems were not


    only about Rita''s unborn baby.


    "What are you worried about, Scarlett?" Christine asked.


    "I need more time to think, Grandma. I..."


    "What else do you need to think about? Charles loves you, and you love Charles. You love each


    other, so be together. Don''t worry about Rita. I''ll take care of her," Christine butt in.


    I knew that she was doing this for me and Charles, so I decided not to argue anymore. So far, I had


    no choice but to let nature take its course.


    After our short conversation, Christine let me go.


    "What did Grandma say to you?" Charles fell into step beside me and asked nonchntly.


    "It''s a secret between women. You don''t have to know," I answered casually. As I spoke, I


    quickened my pace and left Charles behind. I could not help ming him in my heart. If he had not


    entangled himself with Rita for so long, I would not be in such a dilemma now.