Chapter 147: She treats me like a commodity.
The following morning, Charles quietly slipped out of the hospital.
He had called Mr. Wales the previous night to share the good news about Augustine waking up, and Mr. Wales had instructed him to leave early—before Mrs. Wales arrived—knowing she wouldn’t take kindly to seeing Charles there.
Currently, as Charles hailed a cab, he headed straight to the mansion building where he spent the entire day waiting for Augustine.
Besides, today was Charles’s off day at Gyapm Corporation, and likewise the restaurant he works in.
As Charles waited for Augustine, he prepared some nice meals and placed them in the refrigerator.
Once the time reached half past six in the evening, Charles settled onto the couch in the sitting room, patiently waiting.
Before he realized what was happening, he drifted off to sleep.
***
Meanwhile, Augustine was cornered by his overprotective parents in the hospital room, both standing guard like prison wardens.
"You’re not going anywhere, young man," Mrs. Wales snapped, folding her arms tightly across her chest.
"Mom," Augustine groaned. "I am going home."
His voice was firm, unshakable. "I’m tired of this place—the sterile walls, the never-ending beeping, the damn smell of medicine in the air."
He paused, running a hand through his hair before locking eyes with his mother.
"And most importantly," he added, voice dropping to a softer, almost pleading tone, "I miss my husband. I need to be with him. So, whether you like it or not, I’m going home today."
His father sighed, rubbing his temples, but even he could see the fire in Augustine’s eyes. There was no stopping him now.
Augustine had changed into a casual outfit hours ago, ready to leave, but his mother had insisted he wait until evening.
Now that night had fallen, she was suddenly changing her tune.
"You said evening, Mom. It’s already past seven," Augustine muttered in frustration. "You can’t keep shifting the goalpost. I’m leaving. I need to breathe real air and be with the man I love."
Mrs. Wales sneered, clearly rattled by her son’s words. "So being in a coma for a month still didn’t snap you out of your gay fantasy?" she asked coldly. "I’m truly disappointed."
With that, she turned and stormed out of the hospital room.
Augustine sighed, releasing a hoarse breath before turning his tired eyes to his father. "Can I leave now?" he asked, his voice low but firm.
Mr. Wales nodded. "I have no problem if you want to leave, but be careful with your health, okay?" he said gently.
Augustine gave a faint nod and made his way toward the door of the hospital room.
Just as he was about to open the exit door, his father’s voice called out from behind him.
"Augustine," Mr. Wales called out, prompting Augustine to turn and meet his father’s gaze.
"I want you to know that your mom does love you," he said, his voice calm, "even if she doesn’t know how to show it."
A small, wistful smile tugged at his lips as he continued, "She’s just... stuck in her own way of thinking."
He paused for a money to draw in a deep breath.
"When your mom found out you got into an accident while on the phone with her, she cried and blamed herself," he added gently. "She hardly left your side after that. I was the one who kept forcing her to go back to the mansion and rest... just so I could create time for Charles to visit you."
Augustine swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "I’ve always known that Mom loves me, but I wish she would show it, not treat me like some commodity," he said, his voice steady despite the weight of his words.
With a deep breath, he reached for the hospital door and pulled it open.
To his surprise, his mother stood right outside, frozen in place as if she had been on the verge of entering the room.
Augustine let out a frustrated sigh as he walked passed his mother.
Augustine made his way out of the hospital, his thoughts swirling.
He paused at the side of the road, his hand briefly trembling as he hailed a cab. The idea of driving felt overwhelming after everything that had happened.
Besides, Augustine hadn’t even called Reginald yet to let him know that he was awake, and the thought gnawed at him.
He needed to do it, but for now, all he wanted was to get home.
A cab pulled over and Augustine slide into the back seat.
Giving the cab driver the address to his house, it took thirty minutes before eventually, the cab driver arrived at Augustine’s destination.
Augustine handed the cab driver the fare through a quick mobile transfer, then stepped out of the vehicle, his feet brushing the familiar grounds of his mansion.
The large gates creaked open as he walked toward the entrance, the weight of the day pressing on him.
Immediately as Augustine stepped inside the sitting room, his gaze fell on the peaceful figure of Charles, who was wrapped up in a ball form on the couch.
’It seems Charles has been waiting for me for a while now,’ Augustine purred to himself as he walked over to Charles.
He squatted beside the couch, gently placing his right hand on Charles’s neck.
"This feels like a dream, Pookie," Augustine whispered with a seductive tone, his smile softening as his hand gently traced around Charles’s neck.
Charles’s eyes stirred open, locking onto Augustine’s gaze.
"Hmm," he purred with a sleepy voice. "Augustine," Charles murmured, his eyes focused on Augustine, the sleepiness still lingering in his tone.
Slowly, Charles sighed, using the back of his hand to wipe his eyes, pushing away the last remnants of sleep.
He then sat upright on the couch, his gaze falling on Augustine, who was still squatting beside him.
"Come and sit on my legs," Charles mumbled, his voice soft but firm.
Augustine scoffed, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I have weight, Pookie. I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable—"
"Hey, if I’m uncomfortable, I’ll let you know," Charles interrupted, his tone gentle but insistent, cutting off Augustine mid-sentence.
Charles rose from the couch and made his way toward the dining chair, settling into it with a determined air.
"Now, come and sit on my legs," he said, his voice steady and commanding. "I want to hug you while you sit on me," he added, his boldness taking Augustine by surprise.