49 Come Upstairs for Soup
+25 BONUS
Jim beamed. “No takeout could ever match my soup! And from what Jerry told me, Miss Hale got injured because of work. Such a good girl. You really gonna let her eat takeout all alone?”
Charlie didn’t answer that question.
“I’ll go pick her up then.”
As Jim turned to leave, Charlie’s voice tloated over casually, “Are you watching the soup? Doesn’t it need attention?”
That calm, unhurried voice paired with the sound of Charlie gently taking off his glasses and setting them aside.
Jim looked back, stunned for two seconds, then smacked his forehead. “Oh right! I totally forgot. You’re right, I can’t leave the soup unattended. In that case, Young Master, I’ll leave it to you.”
Charlie stood up with a helpless expression. “I suppose I have no choice.”
Downstairs.
Candice had given Jim her door code, thinking she’d beg for mercy when he arrived.
Instead, who she got was Charlie, dressed in a beige loungewear set.
In that moment, all her strength and clever plans collapsed.
“CEO… why is it you?”
She tried to maintain a smile, her fingers digging holes into her throw pillow.
Charlie looked around her living room with casual elegance. “The soup’s still cooking. Jim needs to keep an eye on it.”
Candice: “…”
So… you’re the errand boy now?
Charlie looked back at her. “Shall we?”
Candice wilted under his cool, commanding gaze. She had the word “no” on her lips for a good five seconds but what came out was, “…Sure.”
Charlie walked up and effortlessly scooped her into his arms, then gently placed her in her wheelchair.
She went stiff like a mummy.
It didn’t even take a minute, but his breath, his warmth, the scent on him–all of it flooded her senses.
Heart racing.
Breath slowing.
Brain melting.
Charlie noticed how tense she was. As he was about to straighten up, he paused. “Did I hurt you?”
His voice was low, smooth, with a subtle hint of warmth.
Deadly seductive.
Candice was already on the edge of a breakdown. Then came those five words. All her pores exploded like lava spewing from a volcano.
It wasn’t until she realized what he meant that she finally answered weakly, “…No.”
Chapter 49 Come Upstairs for Soup
+25 BONUS
“Good,”
Charlie stood and wheeled her out into the hallway and into the elevator.
The elevator…
Candice’s gaze drifted–unbidden–down to his legs. That cursed memory came rushing back again.
And to make it worse, when she looked up, Charlie was staring at her with a meaningful, amused glint in his eyes.
Ahhh!!
Someone save her!
Save her now!!
Thankfully, they reached the top floor before she passed out from sheer embarrassment.
Her palms were soaked with sweat.
Charlie wheeled her into his apartment.
A luxury top–floor unit with sweeping views, cool–toned minimalist decor, and an air of sophistication that suited him perfectly.
He didn’t take her to the dining room. Instead, he wheeled her into the study. “Dinner’s not ready yet. Since we’ve got time to kill, why not do something productive with me?”
” [”
Do something?
With him?
Do… what?
When she saw him close the study door, Candice gripped the armrests of her wheelchair. Her brain started spiraling again, wild thoughts spinning out of control.
Charlie, unaware of her inner chaos, pushed her to the desk.
Candice’s eyes widened as she looked at the black desk in front of her.
Wait… did he want her to sit on it?
“No! I want to go back out!”
She tried to wheel herself away.
So much for his gentlemanly image—he was clearly about to pull a power move on her!
Charlie stopped her with a hand, turning the chair to face him. “Why are you running?”
Candice’s internal scream: If I don’t run, I’ll become a victim of workplace harassment!
“I–I can’t. You should find someone else.”
“Jerry’s not home.”
So she was a substitute for Jerry now?
Candice didn’t even know whether to be offended by his bi–flexibility or frustrated that her appeal was apparently second to Jerry’s.
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Charlle noticed her resisting, trying hard not to lose her cool. With long arm, he picked up a stack of files and placed them in front of her. “Miss Hale, is it really that hard to do a little work?”
Candice looked at the folders.
Oh
“So we’re just…. working.” she mumbled, mortified.
Charlie heard her mutter and narrowed his eyes. “Then what did you think we were going to do?”
