Chapter 153 Your Boss is Fickle and Doesn't Deserve Her
Little did Charles know that his emotional intelligence or lack thereof had been unanimously criticized by Marcus and his brother.
He watched Daphne, who was about to leave with Lydia, and grabbed her hand, "Trying to run away?"
"Run away from what?" Daphne was utterly confused, having no idea what was going on in his head.
"You must have heard what Marcus said," Charles said with a deep and forceful tone, his eyes intense. "If I can't win you over within three months, he'll have me enter an arranged marriage."
"And then?" Daphne countered.
"Do you only think this is just about me?" Charles’s gaze locked onto hers, his voice low.
Daphne was nonchalant. “Isn’t it?”
"If it wasn't for your impressive performance, which got Marcus fixated on you, would I be dragged into an arranged marriage to squeeze out the last bit of ‘value’?" Charles bombarded her with questions.
His attitude made it clear that Daphne had to take responsibility for this situation.
Lydia observed the scene and decisively sat down at a corner, a typical onlooker enjoying the drama. These weren't the kind of fights she could or even wanted to get involved in.
"Daphne," Charles called her with a tone that was both endearing and a bit icy, "You should have some conscience. If I end up in an arranged marriage, you are half responsible."
Daphne thought he was shameless, "Can't you have some dignity?"
"The previous agreement changes. I can't disturb you, but until I get rid of Marcus's idea of arranging my marriage, you must stay with me," Charles insisted, feeling slightly relieved after laying down this demand.
He had been regretting his decision recently.
Regretting why he agreed to a demand from Daphne that was of no benefit to him. If he had never won the three challenges against her, it meant he might never have a chance with her. And the thought of not having a chance with her, and her first love Fred always being around her, bothered him.
A slight frown appeared on Daphne's brow, and she threw two words back at him, "Dream on."
After saying that, she attempted to walk away, but Charles grabbed her arm in a firm hold.
Daphne was no longer bothered by such tactics; she had always managed to slip away from him easily. But this time, when she tried to pull away using her skill, she realized she couldn't break free!
She struggled again, but he still held fast. And then another time, still firmly caught. She clearly knew that today she would not be able to break free.
"Did you think because I let you slip away before, that I really can't do anything to you?" Charles leaned in, closing the distance between them.
Such proximity made Daphne instinctively want to escape. She didn't like the atmosphere. And she liked Charles even less.
Charles glanced at Lydia, who was watching the scene unfold, and then asked Daphne, "Are you going to walk with me, or do I have to take you by force?"
"Don't you dare go too far," Daphne's emotions were now clearly disturbed.
Seeing her like this, Charles's expression finally softened a bit. Daphne wasn’t so icy towards him anymore.
Charles murmured, “You choose.”
“Lydia.” Daphne had already made up her mind, and she had a plan in her heart as well.
Lydia stood up.
Daphne had already given her an instruction, “Call the bodyguards to pick you up, I’ll go with him.”
With that said, the hand that Charles hadn't restrained gestured subtly.
The tacit understanding between the two sisters had existed since birth. Lydia wanted to ask what she was doing going with Charles, but then she saw her sister's signal.
She nodded, her tone harmlessly simple, “Okay.”
Once the message was conveyed, Daphne's attitude towards Charles cooled again, “Aren’t we leaving?”
Charles felt there was a catch. With Daphne’s personality, she wouldn’t agree to go with him so willingly.
But, if he had to pin down the problem, he couldn’t articulate it, at least on the surface, there seemed to be none.
After some consideration, he took her outside. What neither of them noticed was that after they left the mall, a figure appeared in the shadows, eyes fastened on Daphne’s form.
In the car, Charles and Daphne sat in the back seat.
Mark was driving, and when he saw Daphne with the boss, his reaction was as if he'd heard some incredulous breaking news, “Miss Murphy? How come you're with the boss?”
“He kidnapped me,” Daphne tossed out the words nonchalantly.
Mark was speechless. He focused on his driving, keeping his nose out of it, not daring to say another word. If he said something that may upset the boss, who knew what could happen.
Midway, Mark was thinking about Jesse.
He asked Daphne, “By the way, Miss Murphy, Jesse always said his boss was formidable. Isn't that boss you?”
“It’s not,” Daphne lied to Mark.
“Then your relationship with him?”
“Friends, colleagues,” Daphne said as usual, brief and to the point as she spoke.
The car fell into a moment of silence; Charles’s penetrating gaze fell on her, filled with inquiry. Daphne noticed his look but ignored it.
“Didn't he used to be a suitor and pursued persistently?” Charles ventured, “Gone now?”
Daphne pondered for a moment. She declared seriously, “It’s gone.”
Charles glanced at her briefly.
“Because we are now in a relationship,” Daphne blurted out, her tone leaving no one certain if she was serious or not.
A hint of coldness flickered in Charles's eyes, “Is that so?”
"Yes," Daphne answered quickly.
Charles didn't believe it for a second. Jesse was certainly handsome, but that was far from Daphne's type.
In the two years they had been married, Charles might not have known everything, but he prided himself on knowing what sort of looks and things Daphne liked.
He had Mark give Jesse a call to ask. The moment the call connected, Mark blurted out, "Jesse, did you win over Miss Murphy?"
"Got her," Jesse replied crisply with three simple words.
His thinking was straightforward.
Whether he had won her over or not, answering affirmatively would not reveal any flaws, after all, he could always claim, “Someday, she’ll be mine in my heart”.
Mark paused. Charles frowned so subtly it was almost imperceptible.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mark pressed on, trying to sound casual, "Aren't we brothers anymore? You got a girlfriend and did not tell me."
"You also didn't tell me that this call is on behalf of your boss," Jesse's voice was light.
Mark was taken aback. ‘How did this guy know?! Had he installed surveillance on him?’
Before he could get over his shock, Jesse's next words arrived, "I have a few words for your boss, please relay them."
"What?" Mark glanced back at Charles, feeling a bit guilty.
"Tell him to give up on Daphne," Jesse said seriously, "Daphne likes someone who is committed and treats her well. Your boss, with his divided heart, is not worthy of her."
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