Sorry Sir I Don’t Want You Back by Little Angelic Devil

Cherise was taken aback by Agatha's question. Where did that come from?

“Well, dear?” Agatha eyed her curiously.

For the first time since they met tonight, Cherise finally fixed her eyes on Hudson. Their gazes collided across the small space between them-baby-blue eyes against dark eyes.

Cherise assessed her ex-husband from his styled black hair, which she knew how they looked and felt after his shower, his black eyes that burned with intensity whenever they made love, his straight nose, his sexy thin lips, high cheekbones, jaw so sharp it could as well be able to cut through papers, and his Adam's apple that looked so sexy as it bobbed up and down whenever he swallowed.

Coupled with his broad shoulders, body built like the Greek Gods, and long legs, anyone would be blind not to define him as attractive.

“Yes, he is handsome,” Cherise finally replied, letting her eyes turn back toward Agatha. There was no use denying the fact. He was, after all, the most eligible divorce in Country B after they divorced.

Hudson couldn't help his lips from curling up into a proud smile. Yes, he knew he was handsome; everyone said so, and that was part of the reason ladies flocked around him to get his attention - the other reason being he was the most successful CEO in Country B - but to hear it again from the love of his life made him sit up straighter and puffed up his chest. Agatha rolled her eyes inwardly as she saw her grandson looking like a proud male peacock spreading out his iridescent tail feathers, ready to attract his mate from the corner of her eyes. “If you find him handsome, what do you think about bringing him home with you?” Agatha asked Cherise casually.

Cherise frowned. “Agatha, I've told you I can't get back together with him."

“Oh, not as a husband or boyfriend.” Agatha waved her hand. “How about as a life-sized handsome fashion doll like that Ken doll you must have had when you were small?”

Hudson nearly choked on his food. Did his grandma just ask Cherise to treat him as a toy? Cherise gaped at Agatha, not knowing whether to cry or laugh, wondering how in the world the lovely old lady in front of her had that kind of thought.

“He can be a handsome display,” Agatha continued as if this conversation was not strange at all. “You can dress him anyhow you want. He looked good driving your pink car, so maybe give him a pink shirt. You can also ask him to pose any way you want. It might be fun.”

“Grandma, I'm a human,” Hudson said helplessly.

“God knows how you mistreated her. Who knows if you are a human being or not,” Agatha sneered.

If Hudson was like Finley, he would have cried and whined. Didn't his grandmother just tell Cherise how he had changed and deserved a second chance? So why was she offering him as an object for her to display and saying he might not be a human being now?

But as sick as it sounded, Hudson kind of hoped Cherise would take him home. He didn't care how he'd be treated as long as he could be near her. Even if she made him into a butler, he knew he deserved it, and maybe she could finally see his sincerity and love for her.

“Agatha, Julian's villa already has many antique displays,” Cherise rejected with the only words she knew. “And my penthouse is too small to add another display”

“Hmm... He's too big, isn’t he?” Agatha regarded her grandson and sighed regretfully. “Oh well, my offer has no time limit. You can take him anytime you want in case you change your mind." Cherise nodded in reply, not even bothering to say anything regarding that matter because no matter what she said and rejected the idea, it was futile. Agatha was adamant about getting them back together, but it wouldn't stop Cherise from visiting her in the future.

What mattered was her own heart. As long as she didn't want Hudson back, no one could sway or force her to change her decision.

Hudson had also given up on thinking about what was wrong with his grandmother's mind and, apparently, his own mind because he was disappointed that Cherise didn't want to take him home as a display.

“Agatha, I have an imperial jade set for you,” Cherise said, hoping the change in subject would distract the old lady enough for her to forget about trying to bring Hudson and her back together again.

“An imperial jade set created by Angel, especially for me?” Agatha let out what sounded like a happy squeal as if she were a young lady.

Cherise laughed, looking at her joy. “Yes. It was supposed to be a gift for your birthday, but finding the perfect jadeites and the production took longer than I had anticipated.”

And just like that, Cherise successfully changed the subject, and Agatha did not try to get Hudson and her back together again.

“I think I need to get going as it's getting pretty late,” Cherise said as they finished their dinner and conversation.

She knew it was nearing Agatha's bedtime, and she would probably have overstayed her welcome.

“Thank you for dinner, Agatha." Cherise stood up and hugged Agatha. “It was delicious as always.”

“You are always welcome, dear” Agatha hugged her back. “Drive safely, alright?”

“I will Cherise promised, kissing her cheeks before turning around to leave.

She was surprised to see Hudson standing near the main door, holding her coat.

Hudson held the coat up for Cherise to wear, and although initially hesitant, Cherise accepted his help in the end. If he wanted to act like her butler, then so be it, she thought.

“Cherise, I'm sorry for leaving your introduction ball with Emely,” Hudson said while helping her. Finley had told him how it was better for him to apologize by himself.

“I don’t care what you do or with who,” Cherise replied.

“But I need to explain,” Hudson said desperately. “Emely saved my life when we were younger, and now she has chronic pain in her leg”

“Oh” Cherise stepped away from him and nodded to the maid, who opened the door for her. She really didn't care anymore if Hudson and Emely had a thing or not.

“Cherise!” Hudson grabbed her wrist. “Please believe me. There was never and will never be anything happening between me and Emely. I was only worried about her leg. I hope you can understand. If not for her, I might not be alive right now."

“Okay.” Cherise nodded just so Hudson would release her wrist.

“I'm serious about my feelings for you, Cherise,” Hudson confessed again. “I miss you. Crescent Villa doesn't feel like home anymore without you residing in it; that's why I can’t move back there.”

Fora moment, Cherise was swept away by the love and longing she saw in Hudson's eyes until she realized what he had said.

“Crescent Villa didn't feel like home anymore because I don't live there anymore?” she asked. “Are you sure, Mr. Amery? When I lived there, you never spent the day with me.”

“So I'll ask you this again, Mr. Amery: Are you sure you miss me because you love me now or because you want someone who loves you so much that she'll be foolishly willing to always be at your beck and call?” Cherise smirked.

“I'm sure it's because I love you," Hudson said with no hesitation. His feelings were so strong; how could he mistake it for something other than love?

“But it's a few years too late, isn't it?" Cherise shrugged. She was getting bored of repeating this same conversation over and over again. “I don’t want you anymore.”

Then she looked at Hudson's hand around her wrist and said with annoyance, “And please unhand me. I don't like it when people grab me without my consent.”

She could easily free herself, but she didn’t want to make a scene in front of Agatha's maids, who were still hovering at the door, waiting for Hudson to go back inside so they could close the door behind him.

Hudson let go of Cherise’s hand as if he had just touched fire. He cursed himself for forgetting not to force Cherise. “I apologize. I didn't mean to"

Cherise didn't believe him, so she just turned around and entered her car, hearing Hudson's voice behind her before she closed the door, saying, “l won't give up, Cherise.”

She didn't care about it and drove away. If he wanted to try, she'd let him. There was no stopping someone like Hudson anyway.

Hudson went into the mansion and was greeted by his grandmother's glare. What had he done now?

“See, Hudson, you must be too cheap. That's why she doesn’t want you,” Agatha scolded him. “She has all these antiques, and I'm sure even her dolls are more expensive than you!”

This time, Hudson really wanted to cry and could only look at his grandmother helplessly. He was a multi-billionaire and had never heard of a doll worth more than him!

“How can I not see everything that you saw about her?" Hudson said regretfully as he sat on the chair Cherise had sat on before.

Agatha sighed and took pity on her grandson. She knew it wasn't entirely his fault. If Dahlia had been a good mother, he wouldn't have prejudices about women. But the damages were done, and Cherise seemed so against the idea of them getting back together.

“Cherise is a good girl with a soft heart,” Agatha comforted her grandson. “She might most probably not forgive your mother or sister, but I'm sure she'll forgive you sooner or later”

“Do you think so, Grandma?” Hudson's eyes lit with hope.

“But whether she'll want you back will depend on your effort,” Agaths said and warned him, “but if I ever hear you forcing or mistreating her again, I'll put a stop to everything."

“I won't,” Hudson replied firmly. “I will love and cherish her. I won't even take my wedding ring off. She'll be my only wife in this lifetime.”

“That's a bold claim,” Agatha said, somehow impressed. “What if she marries someone else even after you've done your best?”

“Then I'll spend the rest of my life watching her be happy and protecting her from afar Hudson replied, even though the mere thought of him being alone for the rest of his life and Cherise being happy with someone else crushed his heart.

“Cherise, are you ready for the lunch meeting?” Julian walked into her office, surprising her. “You are coming with me?"

“I am, but only to hear about their proposal,’ Julian answered. “I'll have another meeting right after, so you'll be the one to have lunch with them.”

Cherise thought nothing of it. It was normal for her to entertain their prospective partners or clients by herself as long as they respected her.

And since it was a lunch meeting scheduled by her grandpa, they should not be the types who looked down on women as CEOS or thought she was too young to be one, nor would they try to do anything terrible to her.

“Give me a minute,” Cherise said and gathered her belongings before taking the private elevator with Julian and Neil.

“Julian, can you at least tell me who we are meeting or from which company?”