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

Cherise’s eyes widened in disbelief. She was only five years old and was very naughty during that time. How could he fall in love with her while they were still so young?

Theo let out a soft laugh again. “Don’t mind it, Cherise. It was just a puppy love. You were so cute back then, even when you were sick. And although I was only eight at that time, I had that protective feeling toward you, like I wanted to punch whoever kidnapped you. And I seldom felt such anger before.”

“Protective feeling like an older brother? Like Julian toward me?” Cherise grinned, trying to deflect from the topic of romantic love.

“Maybe, but it felt more than that,” Theo sighed and had that faraway look again, and Cherise was struck once again by how gentle he looked.

He reminded her of a...scholar? Or maybe a poet who composed tragic emotional stories or star-crossed lovers type of poems.

He even should be a model, but with the sunset or sunrise behind him, while he looked over the ocean with a gentle smile as he waited for his lover to come, the gentle sea breeze blowing his dark blonde hair and shirt, making him look a bit unruly yet still romantic.

God, what had this man done to her, Cherise thought. She had never pictured a man in such a detailed setting to the point her hand was itching to draw a new jewelry collection based on his gentleness.

She guessed a rare gentleman like Theo would be a muse to every artist he encountered. That gentle expression, which sometimes flitted with sadness, would be perfect to be captured and used on any type of canvas.

And strangely, when he looked like that, she was the one who wanted to protect him. Cherise had always had a protective nature as well, and she guessed Theo might be on the list soon if he kept showing her that expression.

She wondered what had happened to him other than that he had used to a life of luxury, and then one day, everything was taken away because of someone in his own family.

And surely someone could not only have a gentle side? Did his melancholic aura stem from witnessing something terrifying during the internal struggle between the Kingstons?

Maybe she should do some digging into his past. A background check on him wouldn't hurt since they might probably have a partnership between their companies, would it?

Cherise always did a background check on potential partners or clients to ensure their business would run smoothly with nothing - no scandals or anything - that could be used by their competitors, and that usually included everyone who was on the team’s private lives. Yes, it might sound unethical and crossing the line, but hey, she was a hacker anyway. She was used to digging out dirt on people's lives, and many people even paid her to find the darkest, dirtiest dirt about something or someone.

But Theo was kind of her savior; she still felt bad about it, especially since he was now looking at her with that gentle smile.

She thought it would be better to ask him directly, and she nearly blurted out her questions, which might have been inappropriate since it was their first meeting after so many years, after all. Thankfully, the servers arrived with their dishes at that moment, and she was able to escape from an otherwise awkward situation.

Not only was Theo gentle in his aura, but he was also a gentleman. He asked Cherise what dishes she would like to eat out of everything her brother had ordered for them and helped to place them on her plate.

Cherise felt awkward but decided to just accept his help graciously and pretended he was just like Julian, Logan, or even Tristan when they dined together.

They also loved to take care of her and to be honest; she loved the way they treated her with care and spoiled her.

Maybe Theo felt at ease with her due to their past and felt the need to take care of her, too. Well, there was no harm in another man spoiling her, especially after how she had been the one to serve Dahlia, Polly, and Hudson for three years.

Cherise knew she was shameless, but she was the Alsters heiress and used to be spoiled and pampered like this before she stupidly fell in love with Hudson and went to marry him.

As usual, meals always started with silence while each person savored their dishes. This time, Theo was the one who broke the silence.

“Cherise, would you like to tell me about your life?” Theo asked. “As I've said, I was worried about you, and with our past, we can be considered as friends, can we not?”

Hudson arrived at Keith's hospital, entered, and sank to the couch unceremoniously.

“Oh yes, welcome back,” Keith snarked as he looked at some X-rays as usual, his tone filled with sarcasm. “Why don’t you just move in here permanently with how much time you've spent here recently.”

Hudson scoffed. “Difficult case?” He didn't mind Keith's sarcasm. It had been so long since his best friend showed this side of him, and it was pretty funny to see as he was usually always gentle and calm.

Keith ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “No, just some rich family from another country being difficult to my doctor”

He sat down on his swiveling chair, perched his elbows on the table, and asked with his chin resting on his interlocked fingers. “So, what's up?"

“Keith, do you think I want Cherise back because I just want someone who is always ready to serve me?” Hudson asked, looking straight into his best friend’s eyes; his heart pounded hard in his chest, already expecting the worst.

But instead, he saw Keith looking ridiculously at him.

“I'm sorry. Can you repeat your question?” Keith asked.

Hudson swallowed hard before repeating his question. “Do you think I want Cherise back because I want someone who can always be at my beck and call?”

Keith looked at him for long moments, still with the same expression, before he breathed a loud sigh.

“I believe Cherise was the one who planted that doubt in your mind?” Keith asked.

“So it's not true?” Hudson's eyes lighted up with hope.

“From how you've been acting and moping over her, I don't think so," Keith replied slowly. “But tell me, what made you doubt yourself other than her words?"

“Well.” Hudson proceeded to tell Keith of the images of Cherise in his mind when he was at Crescent Villa and how it was all about Cherise serving him.

After listening to Hudson's dilemma, Keith sighed and leaned back against his chair. He could see how both of them saw it that way, but for him, they were both wrong that Hudson only wanted Cherise back because he wanted someone to always be ready to serve him.

“Hudson, have you ever asked Cherise to do all those things?” Keith asked. “Demanded her to do those things?”

Hudson frowned. “No, of course not. I have servants to do all those things. Even my butler could prepare my clothes for me.”

“And now you see how your and her thoughts are wrong?” Keith uttered.

“But she said-"

“She said that because she is still angry with you,” Keith pointed out. “From what I saw, I think her love language is an act of service, so she willingly tried hard to make you happy by serving you and even Dahlia and Polly, no matter how badly her efforts were received by you all." “And you both only have those memories because you never spent time with her,” Keith slightly accused his best friend. “The only times you both saw each other were when she “served’ you.”

“God, you are trying to make me feel guilty again,” Hudson groaned.

Keith smiled and said, “No, I'm not. Just reminding you of the fact. You don't even have to feel guilty if you want her to serve you."

“What?!” Hudson looked at Keith in disbelief. This was the first time Keith ever sounded like a male chauvinist pig.

Keith laughed. “Don’t get me wrong. As long as they do it willingly, it could be a beautiful thing. To wake up to a handsome husband giving me breakfast in bed or to return home to find a loving husband waiting for me with a cup of tea after a long and tiring day of work...”

“That's your dream...” Hudson whispered, feeling sympathetic toward his friend.

“A dream that will always stay that way - as a dream.” Keith's smile was mixed with sadness and longing.

He then cleared his throat before continuing, “There are many couples like that. Does that mean they don't love each other just because the women love to serve their husbands? Does it make me a bad person to want someone I love and who loves me to do all those things?” “No...” Hudson replied, his voice barely a whisper. Because now he realized Keith was right. People have ways of showing how they love their spouses, and he could imagine how happy he and Cherise would be if they were still married and appreciated her acts of service.

“My parents are like that, you know that, right?” Keith asked, and Hudson nodded.

“And you can see how my dad loves my mom?” Keith asked, and Hudson nodded again. Keith's mom loved to serve his father, and his father loved her for it. They were one of the most loving couples Hudson ever encountered.

“So, to answer your initial question: no, I don't think you want her back to have someone always ready to serve you,” Keith said smoothly. “You are rich. You have more than enough servants to serve you. And it's natural to want to be loved in that way."

Hudson sighed in relief. He knew Keith could always help him see things clearer.

“God, how could I not appreciate her efforts to love me when we were married?” Hudson groaned in frustration. “How could I look down on her and think she was a gold digger?”

Keith looked at his best friend and replied, “We both know the reason for that, Hudson."