Facade of Love

Chapter 348 Sweet Enough?
Charlie looked lost for a moment, his apology coming out awkward and kind of adorable, a far cry from his usual icy detachment.
I was not actually mad. I was just messing with him. His confusion was too much to bear, and I let out a giggle.
He stared at me, puzzled, for a few heartbeats. I fished out a lollipop from the stash I had brought and peeled off the wrapper.
“Birthdays come just once a year. You should have given me a heads–up. I had no clue what to get you, so I brought you these.
Try one, they’re super sweet.”
I held the lollipop to his lips, my eyes dancing with laughter.
He hesitated, then accepted the candy with his mouth.
He was a sight to behold, with his pale skin and sharp features that softened when he smiled. As he tasted the lollipop, I asked,
“Is it sweet enough?”
He mumbled a ‘yes‘, his voice fuzzy with the candy still in his mouth.
I noticed his demeanor had thawed a bit, so I rubbed my hands together and blew on them. ” It’s freezing out here. You’re not
planning to make me celebrate with you in the cold, are you?” He removed the lollipop, his voice raspy. “It’s warm inside.” He
reached out to maneuver his wheelchair, but I got to it first, sliding behind him to give it a push. We made our way out of the cool
shade of the pavilion. Inch had been hanging around outside, and as soon as he spotted us, he strolled over to take over the
wheelchair from me. He shot me a thankful look, his eyes saying ‘thanks‘ even though his lips did not move.

I just gave him a small smile and kept quiet. Inside, I could not help thinking about how Inch so sincerely cared for Charlie. It
made sense why Charlie would go all out for him.
Stepping into the villa’s main hall felt like walking into a warm hug. The chill from outside melted away in seconds.
There was a huge fancy cake sitting on the table, untouched and looking lonely. I caught Charlie eyeing his half–eaten lollipop
instead of the cake, as if it was the tastiest treat in the world.
I paused for a beat before asking, “Inch, have you guys had dinner yet?”
He glanced at Charlie, then shook his head. “No, not yet.”
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That caught me off guard. It was getting late, and they had not eaten yet. I just smiled, however, and said, “Well then, I’ll whip up
something for you and Mr. Yates.”
Inch hesitated a second before saying, “I’ve snacked on something. It’s Mr. Yates who hasn’t eaten yet.”
I nodded, turned to Charlie, and told him, “Hang tight, I’ll be right back.”
I headed for the kitchen. This place was swanky, with a dining room that could fit a small
army, and it was decked out with both Asian and Western cooking zones. It looked more like a showroom than a place where
meals were made, but at least the fridge was not empty.
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Charite had not had a bite to eat, and I was no chef, so I kept it simple.
When I came back, tuch was gone. Now it was just Charlie, sitting prim and properly, twirling the stick of his lollipop. I set the
food down in front of him and chuckled, “You’re acting like It’s the first time you’ve ever tasted one of these.”
As a ldd. I was the type who would savor a lollipop down to the last bit, rolling the stick around in my mouth and chewing on it
until it was all bent out of shape. He was just like that, except he never actually bit the stick.
He glanced up at me, his eyes serious as he gave a small nod. “Yeah.”
“Yeah?” 1 blinked, surprised. “This is seriously your first time?”
His nod came again, his dark eyes bright and clear.
I was momentarily speechless. He had told me once that he never really had a childhood. I figured he just missed out on the
usual kid stuff we did. Now, it hit me that he literally had not experienced anything a normal kid deserved to experience.
Feeling a lump in my throat, I pushed the dish toward him. “Eat it.”
He peered down at the pie I made for him, pausing for a moment before looking back up at me. “Why pie?”
I gave him a small smile. “It’s a birthday pie. Today’s your birthday, right? It’s my first time making it. I’ve only ever watched my
mom do it. I’m not sure how it tastes, but give it a shot.”
He pressed his lips together, a hint of a smile on his face. “Birthday pie?”
I nodded, “Yes, it’s said that celebrating with a birthday pie brings a slice of happiness to every year. It’s more of a tradition than
a superstition, but it carries the sincerest of wishes. So, whether it’s good or not, you’ve got to eat this pie.”