Chapter 180 You’re My Woman

"What brings you here today, Mom?" Charles asked after retracting his hand. He spoke as if he did not catch the profound meaning of her words.

"I made some soup and thought of Soph." Yvette motioned to the servant to serve the soup. She then looked at him, saying with a hint of displeasure, "Why are you in Soph’s ward? I remember telling you to leave her alone for a period of time."

Charles glanced in Sophia's direction and said, "She passed the critical period."

Sophia frowned but did not say anything. Her silence was acquiescence.

After hearing what he said, Yvette did not rebuke Charles further for coming to Sophia’s ward.

"Ms. White, Madam boiled this soup all night by herself. Do give it a taste." The servant filled a bowl of soup and handed it to Sophia with a smile.

Sophia had not eaten for a long time and was slightly hungry now. She thanked her and took a sip from the bowl.

"Young Master." The servant took another bowl and brought it to Charles dutifully.

Charles laid on the bed and did not move. He was unable to move either. "I don't want to drink it now. Leave it aside first."

"Sit up and drink some. It’s good for your body," Yvette took the bowl and said to him.

Charles smiled. The burning sensation on his neck had faded, but his throat was still quite sore. "I can’t stand the fishy odor. I won’t be drinking it."

Yvette became suspicious because he would not usually decline her offers again and again. She glanced at him and lifted his shirt without warning.

"Can't move because you’re under anesthesia?" she asked, looking at the wound on his abdomen.

After hearing what she said, Sophia drank the soup much slower now. She stared at both mother and son with dark and gloomy eyes.

Charles hummed mildly. "Please put my shirt down. It’s cold."

"How did you hurt yourself?" Yvette asked, taking several more glances at the bandage before pulling his shirt down.

Charles said succinctly, "It's just a minor injury. It will heal after a while. You don't have to worry too much."

Seeing that he had no intention to share the details, Yvette frowned but did not press him on. She got up and was about to put the soup on the table when she noticed the blue-purple choke marks on his neck out of the corner of her eye. "What happened to your neck?"

The bowl in Sophia's hand shook a little, nearly spilling the soup on the ground.

"It's nothing." Charles frowned and looked at Sophia. Only after seeing that the soup did not spill on her did his tightly furrowed brows smooth out again.

The servant looked at Sophia's pale face and asked, "Why do you look so pale, Ms. White? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

After hearing what she said, Yvette followed the servant’s gaze and saw Sophia's pale face. She then turned to glance at the choke marks on his son's neck that clearly belonged to that of a woman's hand. Her eyes flashed a dull color, seemingly pensive.

"I’m fine." Sophia licked her dry lips.

The servant did not think too much either and answered. "You should drink more bone broth. It’s very effective in replenishing your body’s lost nutrients. Your complexion doesn't look so good."

"Mm. Thank you." Sophia noticed the look that Yvette had given her earlier and felt uneasy. She wondered if Aunt Harris knew the truth.

No psychological barriers could stop her from choking Charles, but he was Aunt Harris’ biological son after all. Moreover, Aunt Harris was so kind to her, so she selfishly wanted to keep this a secret from Aunt Harris.

"The two of you can quarrel and argue, but you must never do anything that puts your life at risk like that." Yvette looked at Charles and Sophia with a meaningful glance. "Humans only live once. There will be nothing left if you die."

Sophia was sure now that Aunt Harris knew that she had choked Charles. Blood completely drained from her face. Her hands were clenched, and her thick, curled butterfly-wing eyelashes trembled a few times.

Amidst the silence, she felt a huge boulder on her back. It was pressing down on her that she could not even straighten her back.

The servant did not know what was going on and was completely at a loss. All she knew was that the atmosphere in the ward was a little strange.

"I am in the wrong for the things that have happened in the past." Charles broke the silence and took all the blame from his mother’s accusation upon himself. "I nearly killed Sophia several times. This will not happen again next time."

After hearing what he said, Yvette put aside her displeasure momentarily and said in surprise, "You guys..."

"Nothing, really. We’ve cleared up some misunderstandings." Charles said, "It’s no use crying over spilled milk. I just want to try my best to make up for my mistakes."

Yvette glanced at the choke marks on Charles' neck and was about to say something when she decided to hold her tongue. Eventually, she asked Sophia, "Did you guys… really make up?"

Sophia licked her dry lips, not knowing how to answer her question.

"I've done too many dreadful things. It's very unlikely that Sophia will forgive me after just one apology." Charles replied, "I guess you can say that this reconciliation is just one-sided."

His sudden change of attitude of defending her in every aspect made it quite difficult for Sophia to get used to it. At the same time, she found it extremely ridiculous.

If they had not resolved the misunderstanding, would he have continued to humiliate and torture her like he used to?

Yvette let out a soft sigh. She did not question Sophia anymore. "Say, if you have just talked to Sophia about it when you misunderstood her, then Soph wouldn’t have to…”

She did not go on and just glanced at Sophia's right leg with obscure eyes.

Sophia contracted her right leg uncomfortably. Regardless of who it was, the way they looked at her right leg always made her unhappy.

Yvette stayed in the ward for a while before hurrying home as she needed to attend to urgent matters back at the Harris’ residence. Before she left, she gave Sophia a complicated look. It looked like sympathy, dilemma, but also helplessness and heartache.

"Thanks for covering up for me just now." When the door closed, Sophia thanked Charles without a single expression on her face.

"You don’t have to thank me for minor matters like that." Charles looked slightly weary. "You are my woman… Of course, I should protect you."

Sophia frowned, extremely disgusted by his word. She felt sick.

She harrumphed heavily and asked him, "What about your marriage contract with Leah? What are you going to do about it?"

"We're not engaged." Charles frowned imperceptibly and recovered in no time.

Sophia sneered. "You’re not engaged now, but you still need to get engaged in the future, no?"

Charles opened his mouth but eventually pursed his lips and remained silent after he thought of something.

"I will not be your lover." Sophia said word by word, "Not even if you threaten me with my brother, Nicole, or whoever it may be. I will never be your lover!"

Charles' pupils reflected the determination on her face. “I will find a way to deal with this."

"You’re reluctant to sever all ties with Leah?" Sophia mocked.

Charles replied, "No."

He said one word only without giving further explanations.

Sophia laughed with unknown significance, refusing to believe his words. Even so, she did not say anything else. She picked up the bowl again and started sipping on the soup.

"I'm hungry too," Charles said, looking at her.

Sophia glanced at him, stood up, and said in a cool voice, "I'll get a nurse to feed you."