Chapter 94: Money smells so nice.
"Arrrghhh!"
Charles let out a guttural scream, his voice piercing through the silence of the room as his eyes snapped open.
His chest heaved, breaths coming in sharp, frantic gasps.
With a pounding heart, Charles bolted upright, his body drenched in sweat, the remnants of the nightmare clinging to him like a second skin.
For a moment, Charles struggled to separate dream from reality, his mind still trapped in the horror of the accident—the cold stares, the cruel whispers, the suffocating helplessness.
Charles turned his gaze around, observing his surroundings in search of Augustine but he was nowhere to be found.
He stretched his hands over to the bedside table, grabbed his medicated glasses and as he swiftly wore them, he dived his fingers deep inside his hair while letting out a loud exhale.
’Why did I have such a weird dream?’ He probed, his question directed to no one in particular.
For a split moment, Charles just sat down in complete silence as he tried to gather his thoughts while pondering about the weird dream that he just had.
’Why did it have to be Freda?’ He thought because the sight of seeing Freda stab his heart was more frightening than the knife on his chest.
Exhaling!
Letting out a shaky breath, Charles dragged himself out of bed, his body still heavy with the weight of the nightmare.
Each step felt sluggish as he moved toward the bathroom, the cool tiles beneath his feet grounding him slightly.
Charles turned on the faucet, splashing cold water onto his face, letting it drip down his skin as if washing away the lingering fear.
With a deep inhale, he made his way toward the sitting room, hoping that a change of scenery would help ease his racing heart.
Upon arrival, Charles scanned his surroundings once more but there was no one in sight. ’Where could Augustine be?’ He pondered to himself while sighing.
Charles took his seat on the couch and then, his stomach began to grumble in hunger.
With a sigh, he walked to the refrigerator, grabbing a bottle of water before shutting the door.
Just then, a small sticky note fluttered down, landing at his feet.
Frowning, Charles bent down, picking it up.
His eyes scanned the words in an instant, his heartbeat subtly shifting at the sight of Augustine’s handwriting.
It held Augustine’s message, informing Charles that he would be traveling out of town.
Charles exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening around the note as he read it again.
’Ohh, that’s why he’s nowhere to be found.’ Charles thought as he smiled warmly.
He stood up firmly from his squatting position and moved to place the sticky note back on the refrigerator door.
But just as Augustine reached out, his eyes widened in surprise—there were other sticky notes already there, neatly arranged.
Charles pulled off all the sticky notes, his fingers lingering on the edges as if savoring the moment.
With slow, deliberate steps, he made his way to the kitchen island, setting down the bottle of water before leaning in, his elbows resting on the cool surface.
One by one, he read through each note, his eyes tracing Augustine’s handwriting, his heart unexpectedly swelling with warmth.
’He really thought of everything.’ Charles mused, his lips curling into a soft, almost involuntary smile.
A quiet chuckle escaped him as he ran his thumb over the ink, as if touching the words could somehow bring Augustine closer.
Charles grabbed the bottle water, twisting the cap as he lift it halfway to his lips before his gaze landed on the bundle of cash resting on the kitchen island.
His brows furrowed in curiosity until he noticed the sticky note beside it.
Setting the bottle down, Charles reached for the note, his fingers trembling slightly as he read Augustine’s words.
A warm flush crept up his cheeks, and before he could stop himself, he bit down on his lower lip, a soft chuckle escaping.
That idiot... he thought, shaking his head, but the lingering smile on his lips betrayed just how much it meant to him.
Charles grabbed the bundle of dollars, shaking his head with a dramatic sigh before rolling his eyes. "Why is Augustine treating me like I’m his girlfriend?" he muttered, though the hint of amusement in his voice betrayed his true feelings.
Tilting his head back, he took a long sip from the bottle of water, draining it completely before casually tossing it into the trash can.
Then, without thinking, Charles lifted the bundle of cash to his nose, inhaling deeply.
The crisp scent of paper mixed with the faintest trace of Augustine’s cologne, making his chest tighten unexpectedly.
He scoffed, lowering the money with a smirk. ’This man is ridiculous.’
Inhaling!
"The money smells so nice," Charles mumbled, shutting his eyes as he bit his lower lip even more.
His fingers lightly brushed over the bills while his mind wandered.
Just as he was lost in thought, an idea suddenly struck him, making his eyes snap open with intrigue.
"Won’t it be great if I use this money to get my health sorted out? Or maybe visit my loved ones?" he wondered.
A flood of ideas rushed through Charles mind, each one making him smile in amusement.
He made his way to the sitting room and as he settled onto the couch, he brought the bundle of cash close to his nose, inhaling its scent once again with his eyes closed and a faint blush warming his cheeks.
’Thud!’
The entrance door of the sitting room opened with a loud thud.
Charles’s eyes snapped open, his jaw slackening in disbelief as he turned toward the doorway.
Standing there, stepping inside with an air of disdain, were Mrs. Wales and Aubrey, their gazes dripping with contempt as they closed in on him.
Mrs. Wales wore a flowing white gown that grazed just above her ankles, exuding an air of elegance.
A large white handbag rested in the crook of her arm, and her perfectly combed hair cascaded freely over her shoulders, framing her face with an icy grace.
Beside her, Aubrey wore a pink bodycon gown that hugged her figure perfectly.
Her sleek black hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, and a white handbag rested elegantly in her hands.
Both Mrs. Wales and Aubrey stared at Charles with pure disdain, their eyes brimming with unspoken judgment.
Charles swallowed hard, his grip on the bundle of cash tightening as a knot formed in Charles’s stomach—he could already tell they were up to no good.