Facade of Love

Chapter 349 No Scars to Show

Charlie looked down at the pie, his long lashes casting shadows over the enigmatic expression on his face. As he picked up the fork and started eating with grace, I could not contain my curiosity.

“How does it taste?”

His voice was slightly rough as he replied with just two words, “Really good.”

Even though I knew I could not hold a candle to my mom’s baking, I could not help but beam when he complimented me. “Well, I’ve been eating her food for over twenty years. I might not have baked much myself, but I’ve watched enough to pick up a trick or two.”

He kept his head down, quietly eating. The guy was a looker, no doubt about it. He was easy on the eyes from any angle. I remembered Inch mentioning Charlie’s car accident and how he had hurt his face. Driven by curiosity, I leaned in a little closer to get a real good look at Charlie’s impeccable face.

I wondered how someone with an injury did not have any scars to show for it.

“I…” He suddenly looked up, catching me staring. I was too close to react in time, and our faces accidentally brushed against each other.

Our eyes locked, and the words he was about to say hung in the air, unspoken. His lips twitched slightly, and a shadow crossed his face.

Startled, I scooted back to my seat, a touch embarrassed. “What’s up?” I asked.

He shook his head, his expression a mix of panic and confusion as he looked down again.

with an awkward tension. I cleared my throat, feeling like I might have crossed a line. Despite this, I could not stop myself from asking, “Mr. Yates, you had an injury to your face, right? Where exactly was it? I can’t even

”

such amazing medical work made me want to ask for his doctor’s number to see if they could do something

then brushed it off. “It wasn’t a

a big deal? Then why the need to hide

he was not keen on talking about it, so I dropped it. Today was his birthday, after all, and I did not want to be a downer.

Inch

a nonchalant shrug. “He had something to take care of,

Inch’s mom

The candles and plates were all set up. I looked at Charlie and asked, “So, how old are you turning today?”

hesitated, then said quietly, “Let’s go

I frowned. “Five?”

face. “This is the birthday I should have had when I was

feels. I reframed from

the cake.

them up, I told him, “Time to make a wish”

shook his head and blew out the candles in one go, then said. “Are not you dying to try the cake? See if

nodded, already enticed by the cake’s tempting aroma, convinced

the first slice. “Where did you disappear to? You