Chapter 199 Hurt Her by Mistake

“Let me tell you that children always say silly things like this. It’s quite common for them to fall in love with their teacher.”

“You’re right,” he said.

She zoomed in on Brandon’s face on the photo and suddenly looked back at him. “He really looks like you. No wonder Katherine claims that he is your son.”

Charles raised his eyebrows.

“When did she say that?”

“While you were away.”

“How strange,” Bella thought. They were now chatting like an old couple who had lived together for many years and had acquired a complete understanding of each other.

Charles quietly looked at her face and discovered that he couldn't hold himself from touching her. His hand reached out but he pulled it back when she suddenly turned around.

“Can you send the photos to my phone?”

“Unfortunately I can’t do that,” he said. “It doesn’t work this way.”

“How does it work?”

“Every time you want to see Brandon’s photo you have to come and see me.”

“That’s so absurd. What is Brandon to you? You don’t even know him.”

“I don’t like photos of other men in your phone.”

“Charles! Brandon is only a kid!”

She could not understand why he would be angry with a child. Was this a sign of his excessive cruelty?

“I will think about your proposal,” she said and handed the phone back to Charles.

“The photos will be waiting for you.”

“Please let me know if Brandon sends more photos.”

With these words, she walked out of the study. Then for some mysterious reason, she turned back and returned to the office.

“Anything else?” said Charles. He was certain that Bella was about to fall in his arms.

“Yeah,” she said and put the new phone on his desk.

“I don’t want this any longer. Give me back my old phone.”

His face immediately froze, and he made a considerable effort to conceal his anger.

“The only reason you gave it to me was to show off in front of Beck,” said Bella.

Charles remained silent. It was true that he didn’t want Beck to interfere into their relationship that’s why he gave her the gift in his presence. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t an honest gift.

“Did you ever consider how would Katherine feel if she saw this gift? How would you react if she ran away from you?”

“I want everyone to know that we’re together and the mobile phone is a gift from me. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Unless you don’t want other people to know that you’re my wife.”

She gazed at him intensely with eyes wide open. He must be crazy.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Shall I call Elsa for you?”

He leaned over his desk, trying to reach out for her. He grabbed her from the edge of the skirt and tried to pull her closer so that he could get hold of her hand.

“Bella!” he cried out in despair.

She managed to pull away from him with great effort. In the process of doing this, she managed to hit her waist on the corner of the desk. Charles’s expression changed in a second.

“Did you hurt yourself?” he asked with a voice full of concern.

She looked up at him and cried out with great despair.

“What do you want from me? Can’t you see that I don't like you? What do you want? Please leave me alone. I may be just a surrogate mother but I still have my dignity. I also have feelings. I’m not your toy. When you're happy, you coax me, but when you're mad you kick me away. When will you stop treating me like a fool? In your eyes, I’m not a woman. If I were, you would never have forced me into this marriage sham.”

She wiped the tears pouring from her eyes with her sleeve.

“You wanna know something? I've been in constant conflict with Katherine ever since you left. I’m telling you this because I don’t care any longer about what you think or feel. I’m so used to the pain that my soul feels numb.”

Charles hastened for a second before he took a step forward to embrace her in his arms.

“Bella, I didn't mean to hurt you.”

She felt so hollow, she could only stare at the ceiling while he kept his arms wrapped around her.

“How do you expect me to believe you?” she asked.