ENCHANTED LOVE, VOLUME 2 - Season 8 Episode 60

Anthony smiled bitterly. “You know I’ve always considered Shirley as my own daughter,” he said. “I’m worried about her. I really need to know if she is okay.

It was my fault. I brought her into this. Sheryl, please. I want to make it up to her. Please let me see her.”

“No.” She continued, “They told me that she developed autism because of what happened that night. She has totally changed. She won’t smile and refuses to talk to anyone. She stays stuck in her room, all day, by herself. I’m her mother. Do you know how hard it is for me to see her like this?”

“I know. I know,” Anthony said honestly. “I know I haven’t done right. But…”

Sheryl cut him off, “You have no idea what you and your mother have done to her.” She took a deep breath and continued, “She was already sick that night. But…”

She pointed at Laura. “What you did here just made it worse. I’d hurt you so badly if I could.”

Sheryl glared at Laura, thinking if only her blazing eyes could kill her.

However, Laura wasn’t the kind of woman to take accusations in stride, so she fought back, “Don’t blame me for your failed marriage or for your child’s condition. Surely, why she turned out that way is completely your fault.

I had nothing to do with it, neither did Anthony.” Sheryl and Arthur grew furious as they heard her words. If Arthur did not find reason and sense, he may have slapped Laura.

Seeing how angry Arthur was, Carlson dragged Laura close and slapped her without hesitation. He had never hit her since they got married, but she crossed the line, and he was having none of it.

“Will you just stop? Leave!” he raised his voice in anger.

Laura held her cheek in shock. She never thought Carlson could ever hit her.

“Did you just hit me?” The weight of Carlson’s action slowly sank into her.

Carlson looked at her, with seething eyes. “Leave. Don’t make me hit you again,” he warned.

She hesitated, looking at Carlson with disbelief, but nodded. “Fine. I’ll go. But remember what you did today, Carlson. I promise, I’ll make you pay for it.”

Laura left, leaving Anthony and Carlson. Carlson turned to Arthur. “Mr. Murphy, I’m so sorry about that. She’s being unreasonable. Please don’t mind her,” he said apologetically.

“I know that you’re mad. Please let me know if I can do anything to make it better,” he continued. Carlson slapping Laura was a last resort. Her being there and saying what she wanted didn’t do any help and actually made things worse.

Arthur scoffed, “We don’t want to see any of you. That’s what we want.”

Anthony faced Sheryl and asked, “Is that true?” Anthony couldn’t help but feel hurt, hearing what Arthur had to say.

“Yes,” Sheryl replied simply, her eyes fixed on the floor. “If you and your mother would leave us alone, we’d be fine. We don’t want anything to do with you.”

For a moment, Sheryl looked at Anthony, who used to be her boyfriend. Back then, they truly trusted each other. But now, she couldn’t even tell if he was telling the truth or not.

Anthony was filled with regret. There was no one else to blame for how things ended up with Sheryl — no one else to blame but him.

But he couldn’t give up on Shirley.

Mustering up all the courage he had left, he looked at Sheryl, nearly begging.

“Sheryl, please. Just once. Please let me see Shirley.”

“I said no,” Sheryl repeated. She was still mad. There was no way she would let him see Shirley.

“Just go! I don’t want to see you again,” she snapped at him, unwilling to let him see her daughter.

Anthony looked at Sheryl, trying to find even a hint of forgiveness in her eyes.

But all he saw was coldness. Deciding it’d be for the best, he left with his father in silence.

That night, Carlson and Laura fought over what had happened when they met with Sheryl. But Anthony was more than distracted with his own problems. He had to figure out a way to talk to Sheryl again and beg for her forgiveness.

The next morning, Charles came to Sheryl’s place. He knocked on the door, only to find Nancy, instead of Sheryl, opening the door. She placed a finger on her lips and whispered, “They’re still asleep.”

He nodded slightly and asked, “Is everything okay? Did they sleep well?” Nancy shook her head. “Not really. Anthony and his parents stopped by yesterday and started a fight. Sheryl was so upset that she wasn’t able to sleep until midnight. Poor girl. Why must she always go through things like these?”

“Anthony came again?” Charles confirmed, surprised at Nancy’s news. The moment Charles heard about Anthony, his heart tightened. That man just couldn’t stop, could he?

“Yes. So maybe we should just let Sheryl rest for now,” she advised.

“Of course.” He nodded slightly and added, “I bought them some nutritious food. Please cook for them. And if Anthony dares to come again, call me immediately.”

“Certainly.” Nancy gently nodded. He wanted to check on Sheryl before going to work. But he knew she needed to rest more than anything and simply left.

Soon after, Sheryl woke up. Sheryl had faintly heard Nancy talking to someone, but she didn’t see who the person was. “Who were you talking to?” she asked Nancy.

“It was Mr. Taylor. He came to see you.” Nancy put the breakfast on the table and added, “He left for work while you were sleeping.”

Sheryl then saw the food Nancy placed on the table, knowing that Charles had brought it.

She sighed as she looked at the food. If only this could save her from everything she had been suffering from.

She tried to eat, picking at her food. As minutes went by, she stopped, knowing the food will be sitting like lead in her stomach.
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“Sorry, Nancy,” she said apologetically, “I just don’t have any appetite. I’m going to take Shirley to see a psychologist. I’ll wake her up but can you please prepare her breakfast?”

“Of course.” Nancy nodded.

Shirley still wouldn’t talk to Sheryl. She just sat there and kept her eyes fixed on the toys Charlie sent her. Sheryl sat by her side and asked, “Do you miss Charlie?”

She didn’t answer, but the ray of hope in her eyes somehow betrayed her.
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