When She Turns Her Back (Teresa and Charles) novel Chapter 182

Chapter 182

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Naomi worriedly caressed Yolanda’s little face, holding her close. “It’s me, Miss Naomi, who messed up. Now you’re sick because of me.”

Yolanda shook her head. “No way, Miss Naomi! It’s just me, I’m the one who gets sick easily.”

Naomi’s eyes were red and watery, her voice thick with guilt. “If I’d known you’d get sick, I never would’ve let you come with me. Please, Yolanda, don’t be upset with me, okay?”

Yolanda reached up with her small hand to wipe Naomi’s tears, shaking her head. “Don’t worry, Miss Naomi, I’m not upset. I’ll be bouncing around again before you know it.”

Naomi forced a smile and gently stroked Yolanda’s cheek. “You’re really sweet, Yolanda.”

Yolanda clung to Naomi like a little octopus.

Charles watched Yolanda with a smile, but there was a hint of gentle reproach in his voice as he said, “Yolanda, Miss Naomi hasn’t been discharged yet. If you hold on to her like that, she’s going to feel uncomfortable, you know?”

Hearing that, Yolanda let go of Naomi right away, being the good girl she always was.

Seeing his daughter looking down, Charles lifted the lunchbox with a smile and said, “Look, Miss Naomi went all the way home just to make you a special homemade lunch-made with love!”

Yolanda’s face immediately lit up with joy. “Wow, I’ve never tried Miss Naomi’s cooking before! Dad, hurry, let me have a taste!” Normally at Joyacre Villa, Naomi was swamped with work and research, so it was always Sharon who took care of the meals.

Seeing how excited Yolanda was, Naomi couldn’t help but gently remind her in a low voice, “Yolanda, don’t get your hopes up too high, okay? I hardly ever cook, so it might not really be to your taste.”

But Yolanda didn’t mind at all. She looked at Charles eagerly. “Dad, quick–open it up, I wanna try it!”

Charles did as she asked.

When he opened the lunchbox, inside was a fish broth that looked rich and milky–white, except for the tiny dark specks floating on the surface.

-But Yolanda didn’t even flinch; she grabbed the small spoon without hesitation and scooped up a taste.

As soon as it hit her tongue, she felt a weird tingle–her brow furrowed before she even realized it.

Teresa stayed quietly off to the side, making herself almost invisible.

She watched Charles, Yolanda, and Naomi together.

They sat there like a picture–perfect family of three.

What stung Teresa even more was Yolanda’s reaction–despite the fish broth not looking tasty at all, Yolanda still took two big gulps out of pure thoughtfulness.

Afterward, she smacked her lips and cheerfully told Naomi, “Miss Naomi, your fish broth is delicious! I definitely want to have it again

next time.”

Teresa quietly took it all in; her heart ached, and she felt completely numb.

Just one bowl of fish soup could make Yolanda so happy, but after everything Teresa had done, her daughter never saw any of it Her being here was nothing short of a joke.

Unable to watch any longer, Teresa released her clenched fingers from her pant seam, then turned and walked out of the hospital room. When Yolanda looked up, she caught a glimpse

ose of Teresa’s figure slipping out of the room.

Even though this was what she’d told herself she wanted, watching her mom walk away made her feel an odd, aching discomfort she couldn’t quite explain.

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Chapter 182

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She didn’t know how to describe it–just a sort of prickly ache in her heart.

Yolanda didn’t want to think about it anymore, so she looked up at Charles–and that’s when she spotted the bandage wrapped around his forehead.

>

Yolanda blinked, concern in her voice. “Dad, what happened to your forehead?*

Charles gave a quick shrug. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just banged it by accident, that’s all.”

As Teresa walked out, she overheard Charles’s answer.

She understood–Charles wasn’t trying to make her look good in Yolanda’s eyes; he just wanted to avoid any trouble.

After leaving the hospital, Teresa grabbed a cab and headed straight back, canceling her request for time off.

She ended up spending the entire afternoon working at the hospital.

By evening, she even stayed an extra half hour.

As she was leaving, her coworkers asked her to join them for dinner.

By the time she got back to Sullivan Mansion, it was already 11 p.m.

Ever since Teresa left the hospital where Yolanda was admitted that morning, Charles hadn’t called even once, and she hadn’t checked in on Yolanda either–not a single message between them all day.

By the time she made it back to Sullivan Mansion, Howard and Linda were already sound asleep.

The rooms for Theodore and Yvonne were still open, but there was no sign of either of them.

Monica had turned in early, too.

Not wanting to wake anyone up, Teresa crept through the house with barely a sound.

Back in her room, she didn’t even bother to shower–she just collapsed onto the bed and drifted off.

–

She hadn’t slept a wink all night, and with that busy afternoon on top of it, her body simply couldn’t take it anymore. Half–awake and half–asleep, she felt like her whole body was burning up.

When Teresa touched her own skin, she realized she was soaked with sweat and practically burning

to

the touch.

P

Every time she swallowed, it felt like razor blades tearing at her throat.

Her whole body felt achy and drained, her eyes burning and throbbing.

Teresa knew it–she must’ve caught something, and now she was burning up with a fever.

She tried to get up and hunt for some fever meds, but her limbs just wouldn’t listen to her. No matter what, she couldn’t even make it off the bed.

After struggling for a while, Teresa just felt so wiped out, she flopped right back onto the bed.

All that effort just left her completely drenched in sweat.

Teresa felt completely drained, her mind foggy and unfocused. She didn’t know how much time had passed–her body just collapsed and she drifted right into another uneasy sleep.

Half–conscious, she thought she heard a noise right by the window.

When she opened her eyes, she could vaguely see a shadowy figure coming closer.

As the person stepped out from the gloom, Teresa gradually recognized him–it was Troy.

The

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