Chapter 77: Make our marriage public.
"Fired?" Charles echoed, his brows arching upward as he struggled to process Mrs. Wales’s words.
’What have I done to deserve this?’ he wondered, his mind racing.
Swallowing hard, Charles decided he couldn’t stay silent. "May I ask what I did wrong?"
If she truly intended to fire him, then it was only fair that she provided a valid reason.
Charles took a steady breath, straightening his posture as he stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "Do you mind telling me why I’m being fired so suddenly?"
Charles voice was firm, laced with a quiet defiance. "I’ve done nothing wrong, so I deserve an explanation."
Charles’s boldness sent a ripple through the group of cleaners, and some exchanged glances, subtly nodding in agreement.
They, too, were baffled by Mrs. Wales’s decision to fire someone without cause.
Mrs. Wales scoffed, her expression twisting with irritation. "You have no right to question me, young man," she spat, her voice sharp with authority.
Before she could continue, Mr. Wales reached for her wrist, giving it a gentle but firm squeeze.
Mr. Wales touch was a silent warning, a reminder to temper her temper before she took things too far.
He was trying to calm Mrs. Wales down without bothering to utter any words out of his mouth.
"But don’t I deserve a reason to be fired? I have always followed the rules and regulations of the company so..."
"Who the hell do you think you are to stand before me and question me?" Mrs. Wales seethed, cutting Charles off before he could finish. "I am the chairwoman of this company, and I can dismiss anyone I choose."
Mrs. Wales used her free hand to pry her husband’s grip off her wrist before pointing a firm index finger at Charles. "Now! Leave this company this very instant!" she commanded, her tone sharp and final, leaving no room for argument.
The cold words of Mrs. Wales made the entire place become extremely silent as a cold chill began to run down the spine of all those present.
"So... so even though I didn’t report you to the..."
Charles wanted to ask Mrs. Wales why she still harbored such strong hatred toward him, even though he had chosen not to report her to the authorities.
The words lingered on the tip of Charles tongue, but he swallowed them down, knowing that voicing his thoughts would only paint him as disrespectful.
Instead, Charles clenched his fists at his sides, his nails digging into his palms as he forced himself to stay composed.
Besides, he was still feeling weak and his stomach felt nauseous.
Confronting Mrs. Wales in front of the other cleaners would also let them know about his relationship with Augustine.
"Before I leave, can I get something straight?" He probed, but Mrs Wales didn’t reply Charles question.
Instead, the frown on Mrs. Wales face deepened as she arched her brows at him.
"Am I being fired without cause?" he demanded, his voice a defiant challenge. "Or am I being dismissed for something I have done?"
Mrs. Wales’ nostrils flared, her lips pressing into a thin, furious line. "You have the audacity to question me in my own home?" she hissed. "No one speaks to me like that, especially not a lowly cleaner."
"But..."
Mrs. Wales’ expression twisted into a triumphant smirk, her gaze dripping with disdain as she delivered her judgement. "You’re being fired for your appearance," she spat, her words like venom. "Those with glasses are lazy and incompetent. You cannot be trusted to do your job properly."
Charles felt the urge to point out his colleagues who also wore glasses, but deep down, he knew it would be pointless.
’Mrs. Wales isn’t firing me because of my glasses,’ he mused bitterly. ’She’s doing this because of my relationship with her son.’
Charles rolled his tongue within his mouth as he firmly held onto his handbag, before proceeding to walk away from his colleagues.
"Mrs. Wales!" Freda called out, rushing to Charles’s side. "Earlier, when you were speaking, Charles and I were both discussing with each other. I know that’s why you’re firing him, but please—I was the one who made him talk," she explained, bowing her head at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
She grabbed Charles’s wrist and gestured him to bow his head.
Charles glanced warmly at Freda as he gently untwisted his wrist from her grip. "I appreciate your concern, Freda," he said, his voice a low rumble. "But I won’t bow down to an unfair dismissal. I need to leave."
Freda lifted her head, her gaze following Charles as he stepped forward with steady, deliberate strides toward Mrs. Wales.
A tense silence settled over the entire place as Charles came to a halt beside her, his presence unwavering.
Then, with an almost calculated slowness, Charles leaned in, lowering his face just close enough that he could catch the faint scent of Mrs. Wales perfume mingling with the cold, authoritative air she carried.
"I’ve respected you enough to keep things private, but if you insist on making this about my relationship with Augustine, then so be it. I’ll make sure everyone knows exactly why you fired me."
Mrs. Wales stiffened, her perfectly composed expression faltering for the briefest moment.
Charles didn’t miss the way her fingers twitched slightly at her sides, a telltale sign that his words had struck a nerve.
Leaning in just a fraction closer, he continued, his tone smooth yet laced with quiet defiance.
Charles pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, his lips curving into a knowing smirk. "And when Augustine finds out that you fired me, I wonder... will he even spare you a glance?"
"Wha... What did you just say?" Mrs. Wales inquired with a quivering low voice.
"You heard me right, Mrs. Wales." Charles spat, his voice was steady, cold, and unwavering. "Stop mixing private life with business because it only proves how petty you are."
Mrs. Wales let out a sharp, humorless chuckle, tilting her chin up as she regarded him with narrowed eyes. "You overstep, little boy," she spat, her voice barely above a whisper but seething with restrained fury as she suddenly...