This Time, I Will Get My Divorce, Mr

Chapter 539 Charles’ Feelings

“It just isn’t, okay?” Sonia let out a weary sigh and went on to say, “Look, a term of endearment like this should only be used if you and I are lovers, but we aren’t. We’re just friends, and calling me ‘baby’ is a little over-the-top.”

Charles laughed, but it was cold and devoid of his usual humor. “Oh, suddenly it’s ‘over-the-top? I’ve been calling you that for over a decade, and you’ve never said there was anything wrong with it until now. Did somebody talk to you about this and make you stop me from calling you that?”

Sonia’s eyes widened by a fraction, but that was enough to make Charles understand the truth behind this unexpected shift. He clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth, “So somebody does want me to stop calling you that. Let me guess—is it Toby?”

There was no answer from Sonia, but something flashed in her eyes that looked a lot like admission.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Charles sneered in disgust. “Look at you being an obedient little girl and asking me to stop calling you a decade-long nickname just because he told you to.”

Guilt rose within her when she heard this, and she chewed on her lip as she tried to explain, “I’m sorry, Charles. Ill admit that Toby was the one who asked me to do this. He said to tell you that he wants you to stop calling me ‘baby’ because it’s inappropriate, but when I seriously considered it, I found myself agreeing with him. A nickname like that really is inappropriate between the both of us.”

Sonia hadn’t given much thought to this matter until Toby brought it up. After he had, it was as if something clicked in her. The nickname Charles had given her was far too intimate and flirtatious to be considered platonic.

However, Charles was less than understanding as a contemptuous smirk tugged on his lips. “No, this has nothing to do with whether the nickname was inappropriate or not. You’re just worried that if you let this continue, you’re going to make a certain someone very unhappy, and you don’t want that.”

Sonia stiffened. “W-What?”

a step back and returned to the driver’s side of the car. He opened the door, then ducked to retrieve the key from the ignition. “I’m going to ask you

flashed in her mind and batted away the doubt that threatened to

heart drop to his stomach, and the hope he had been

and if that’s what you want, then I’m fine with it. From now on, I won’t call you ‘baby’ anymore, but you know what? As soon as I stop calling you that, our relationship will no longer

we’re dropping is the nickname, but that doesn’t

and took in a breath. “You were the only person I’ve ever called ‘baby’, because doing that makes me feel like I have a special place in your heart, like I’m irreplaceable. Now that you’ve taken away my privilege to do that, it only goes to show that I’m no different than any other friend you have; I’m not

put the keys on the car’s hood and turned to head

the sight of this,

was as if Charles hadn’t heard her at all. He didn’t look like he was going to turn around or stop in his tracks as he marched toward the pavement, then raised an arm to hail an approaching taxi. The next second, he got into the idling

the taxi speed away

from Charles’ soliloquy earlier, and one of them that she was suddenly made aware of was his

into her palms, and she shook her head to

say, she couldn’t believe that Charles had never treated their friendship as a platonic one all along and

hadn’t said all that, then Sonia would have been completely kept

that was why he wanted to call me ‘baby’ and why he reacted the way he did when I asked him

when she asked him to stop calling her ‘baby’. He might be wounded, but not

ruefully, staring in the direction where Charles

she grew sad at the sour turn their relationship had taken and how they would no

done the right thing. If she had allowed the nickname to go on between them, then Charles’ feelings for her would only grow deeper and take root, so much so that he wouldn’t be able to let them

whatever sentiments he had for her could never be reciprocated. She would only hurt him in the

him give up his affectionate nickname for her had as good as clarified her feelings toward him. Her stance in the matter was clear: she saw him as just a friend and nothing more. Perhaps all this had happened soon enough to keep him from falling even more

walked up to the car. She picked up the keys Charles had left on the hood and

to the Fuller Residence after Sonia had left his office, and he had only just gotten down from the car when

Tom to stop pushing the wheelchair, and answered

back to Bayside Residence,” the man on the