Chapter 55- Annoying
Charles wisely didn’t expose her little secret, instead following the direction where she had just thrown the coin — the "stone of fate"...
"I can’t walk anymore!" Janet, held in Charles’s arms as they made their way toward the plaza, looked up at the tall steps. Her tone was playful, tinged with a hint of coquettishness. In her mind, a mischievous thought flashed — she wanted to see how much this proud man was willing to do for her. Would he care about his dignity or others’ eyes in such a crowded place?
"I’ll carry you!" Charles stated firmly, not as a question but as a certainty. Before she could react, his tall figure had already stepped onto the first stair. Slowly, he bent down like a European knight carrying his beloved princess.
Janet smiled sweetly. It wasn’t until Charles called her a second time that she snapped back to reality. She leaned forward slowly, resting her cheek against his broad shoulder, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck.
"Charles, you’re so good to me..." Charles was the second man after Ternence to treat her with such kindness. Perhaps in some ways, even Ternence couldn’t compare. He was the sun in her life; after the clouds parted, his presence rescued her from a dark prison.
"So, do you have any way to show your gratitude?" Charles, carrying her, still walked calmly while chatting. He weighed her slight weight in his mind, a flicker of displeasure crossing him.
Hearing his teasing words, Janet leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek. But Charles pressed on, teasing her further: "I’ve taught you so many times — a real kiss is mouth-to-mouth!"
"Annoying!" Janet blushed deeply and buried her face in his neck. It was hard to imagine that this usually stern, icy boss was always taking liberties with her, but the sweet warmth between them stirred a strange ripple in their hearts.
The hazy moonlight cast their entwined shadows on the steps. With every step Charles took, he silently repeated her name in his heart: Janet, happy birthday...