Chapter 417 Anxiety
Diana spoke seriously, but seeing Charles' face darken, she felt a twinge of guilt.
"Thanks for sticking up for me, but she's been with you for so long. Isn't it kinda harsh to end things like this?"
"So you don't care about her existence at all?"
Charles' face was icy, cutting her off mid-sentence, his teeth clenched.
"You stood up for her and called me an old man. Do I look old to you?"
The tense atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward because of his comment. Diana turned her face away and coughed lightly.
However, the tight corners of her mouth betrayed her mood—she was trying to suppress a laugh.
So Charles had heard everything during their argument that afternoon. She had just said it offhandedly.
Charles was in his thirties now, more mature and attractive than five years ago, not really old.
But compared to Stella, he wasn't exactly young.
A wealthy, beautiful woman like her could easily find someone younger. What could she possibly see in someone as serious as Charles?
"Sorry, but compared to her, you really aren't that young anymore."
Diana took another sip of tea. Her apology lacked any real regret.
"You think I'm old?"
Charles' lips tightened, a flicker of insecurity in his eyes.
"It's not about me; it's just a fact."
Charles fell silent again.
Diana noticed his mood shift and hesitated, glancing at him.
Was he really upset about his age?
She could have flattered him to smooth things over, but she didn't want to.
She pushed a cup of herbal tea toward him.
"Don't sweat the small stuff. Have some tea and chill out."
Charles slammed his hand on the table, causing the tea to spill.
Diana was startled and didn't have time to react before he stood up, gave her a long look, and left without a word.
She shrank back on the sofa, taking a moment to process what had happened.
Then she heard the sound of an engine downstairs; it seemed Charles had left again.
When she went downstairs, she saw Jacob bringing Benjamin in.
Seeing her standing there, Jacob forced a smile.
"Ms. Wipere, you didn't have a fight with Mr. Percy, did you?"
Diana shook her head. "No."
She didn't seem to be lying, but Charles had stormed out angrily just now. The passing servants didn't even dare to look up at him.
"As long as you didn't fight. Mr. Percy sometimes has bad moods; please understand."
Diana blinked and didn't respond. Charles always had this bad temper; she understood, but who would understand her?
Meanwhile, Eugene was lounging in the bathtub, holding a wine glass in his right hand, enjoying a bubble bath.
The phone on the sink rang. At first, he ignored it, but the caller was persistent, calling non-stop.
"Who the hell keeps calling? Can't I enjoy a bath in peace?"
Eugene grumbled, climbing out of the tub, not even bothering to dry off the bubbles.
He grabbed a towel to cover himself and reached for the phone. Seeing it was Charles, his irritation vanished.
He swiped the screen and answered the call. "Hey, what's up? Did you sort out your ex-girlfriend's issue? How'd it go?"
On the other end, Charles' voice, mixed with the sound of wind, sounded distant.
"Where are you right now?"
"At home, why? You wanna grab some drinks? I'll be there."
Eugene's eyes lit up, ready to head to Mirage Nights Club.
"No, I'll come to you," Charles said quickly before hanging up.
Eugene didn't quite get what Charles was up to, but he figured Charles was coming over for a drink, so he happily went to the wine rack to grab a couple of good bottles.
He also ordered some snacks to go with the drinks, ready to enjoy a night with his good friend.
Half an hour later, Charles arrived.
He looked displeased, his face stern, and he didn't have a friendly expression when he saw Eugene.
"Charles, you're here. Come on, let's drink. I've got everything ready. Tonight, we won't stop until we're drunk."
Charles didn't look at him and didn't respond. Instead, he asked out of nowhere, "Where's your gym?"
Eugene was puzzled by his question but still pointed to a room. "Over there, why?"
Following Eugene's direction, Charles strode over and pushed the door open.
Eugene scratched his head, not understanding his logic, but followed him.
"You came over just to see my gym? What are you..."
Before he could finish, he saw Charles start to undress in front of the mirror.
The scene was bizarre. When Charles was bare-chested, showing his solid muscles, Eugene finally snapped out of it and shouted.
"Why are you stripping in my house? Are you sleepwalking?"
Charles frowned, not turning around, and asked, "Eugene, do I look old? Have my muscles shrunk?"
He tried to flex his muscles but had to give up because his wounds hadn't fully healed.
"Charles, did you come here to show off your body? What nonsense are you talking about? You're not old; you're only in your thirties. What are you worried about?"
Eugene looked puzzled, then realized and asked, "Who said you were old? Diana? Is she rejecting you?"
It wasn't surprising he guessed quickly; besides her, no one else would dare say that.
"Nothing."
Charles seemed to snap back to reality, silently putting his clothes back on.
Since she returned, he had become somewhat insecure. He never used to care about appearances.
But now, Diana's words made him feel like an idiot, running to Eugene for validation.
They were divorced now, not remarried. Apart from the contract that required her to take care of him until he recovered, there was no other bond between them.
If he hadn't deliberately had someone watch her, Diana would have run away long ago.
This feeling made him very anxious.
If Diana were materialistic, Charles would feel more at ease.
But she wasn't that kind of person. Now, if his only asset, his appearance, started to age and decay, there would be nothing to keep her.
Charles looked at himself in the mirror, then at Eugene.
He never noticed before, but now Eugene seemed much younger than him.
They were only a year or two apart, right?
"Why are you staring at me?"
Noticing his gaze, Eugene took a step back.
That look reminded him of a horror movie, like a psychotic killer who skins people.
"Why do you look younger than me?" Charles asked.
Eugene touched his face, looked at Charles carefully, and then analyzed, "Maybe because I don't work much. You handle all the business at the Percy Group. You have to look mature and serious."
"Don't worry about it. Diana liked your face before marriage, right? You can be confident about that."
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