CHAPTER 169: HAIR LOSS.

"What the hell?!" Charles muttered, his eyes wide in disbelief as he fluttered his lashes, his mind racing.

He lifted his hands, gazing at the few strands of golden hair that had fallen into his palms.

"Wh—why is this happening?" He stammered, his voice tinged with a mix of concern and confusion.

"Do I need to see a doctor?" he whispered to himself, his heart pounding as he continued to stare at the strands, unsure whether to panic or laugh in disbelief.

Charles stared at his reflection for a few seconds, then let out a deep breath, deciding to push aside the unsettling thought of his hair loss.

There were more pressing matters at hand—like getting ready for Augustine.

With a shake of his head, he moved on, slipping beneath the shower.

Ten minutes later, Charles emerged from the bathroom, his body still damp but freshly cleaned.

Charles skin glistened, and his mind was already focused on what to wear. He walked toward Augustine’s walk-in closet, his fingers brushing against the fabric of the clothes as he pondered over what would be the perfect choice for today.

Exhaling!

Charles grabbed a pair of black trousers and a blue turtleneck, quickly slipping into the clothes.

As he finished dressing, he reached for Augustine’s perfume, spritzing it on with a satisfied sigh.

’Hmm,’ Charles purred, the scent enveloping him as he forced a mouthful of saliva down his throat, his body already anticipating the moment he’d finally see Augustine again.

With a subtle smirk, Charles stepped out of the closet, feeling the rush of excitement flood through him.

Charles took his seat in front of the dressing mirror, picking up a hairbrush which he swiftly ran through his golden locks.

With each stroke, he tried to ignore the lingering anxiety swirling inside him but when he was done, his gaze fell on the hairbrush—and there they were.

A few strands of his hair clung stubbornly to the bristles.

’Am I going to be bald soon?’ he wondered, a cold shiver crawling down his spine as he stared at his reflection, frowning.

The thought unsettled Charles more than he cared to admit.

’Or should I tell Augustine about my health?’ Charles wondered, uncapping his lip balm and gliding it across his lips to mask their growing paleness.

’What if Augustine thinks I’m being too much? I mean, we just officially started dating, and here I am about to dump all my problems on him.’

Charles sighed, shaking his head as if to chase the dark thoughts away.

Snap out of it, Charles, he told himself, forcing a soft smile that barely touched the edges of his lips. Not today.

With that, Charles rose from his seat, grabbed his sleek black backpack, his cellphone and then he strode out of the bedroom.

Charles footsteps echoed lightly as he made his way to the kitchen.

Without wasting a second, he pulled out the leftover porridge from the night before and set it over the gas burner, the low flame flickering to life as the pot began to warm.

Once the porridge was warm enough, Charles dished it into a sleek food flask, placed it carefully into his backpack, and with a final glance around the kitchen, Charles stepped out of the mansion—his heart heavy, yet determined.

Standing by the side of the road, Charles flagged down a cab, which he swiftly got into.

The ride to Gyapm Corporation was quick, and after paying the driver, he stepped into the sleek lobby of the company building.

With a quiet exhale, Charles made his way to the elevator, the doors sliding open with a soft beep as he pressed the button for the first floor.

’Beep,’ the elevator door beep upon arrival at Charles destination.

Stepping out of the elevator, Charles scanned the hallway.

It was unusually empty, with only a few scattered employees, a clear indication that Charles had arrived earlier than his usual work hours.

’I hope Augustine likes the meal,’ Charles thought with a faint smile as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder.

With a sigh, Charle made his way towards Augustine’s office.

With a gentle push, he opened the entrance door to Augustine’s office, the soft click of the door echoing in the quiet space.

There, Augustine was seated on his office chair, his gaze intensely focused on his laptop.

"Babe," Charles called out in a soft, alluring tone, his voice carrying a subtle warmth as he approached Augustine’s desk.

Augustine lifted his gaze from the laptop, his eyes locking onto Charles, a smile curving onto his lips that was both seductive and genuine.

"Pookie... isn’t it too early for you to be seducing me?" Augustine teased, his voice thick with playful seduction as he rose from his chair.

He moved toward the front of his desk, casually resting his body on the edge, his arms spreading wide as if inviting Charles in without saying a word.

Charles didn’t need any more encouragement.

With a swift motion, he stepped into Augustine’s embrace, pulling him into a firm hug.

’Mmmm,’

Charles face nestled against Augustine’s chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat filling Charles’s ear, grounding him in the moment.

The warmth of Augustine’s body against his Charles made everything else fade away.

"I love your scent." Augustine purred as he wrapped his hand around Charles back, allowing himself to melt in the embrace of his lover.

"I missed you, Augustine," Charles whispered softly, pulling away just enough to meet Augustine’s gaze.

"Gush! I missed you too, Pookie," Augustine replied with a smile, gently removing his hands from around Charles’s back and placing them on his shoulders. "You’re going to make me lose my focus," he added, his voice a low murmur as he playfully pouted his lips.

Charles scoffed, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Are you going to lose focus because I’m expected to clean your office, or are you planning on losing focus because of the meal I brought?"

"Pookie," Augustine purred, his voice dripping with seduction as he called out Charles’ pet name. "It’s obvious I’m already losing my focus just by seeing you in my clothes."

He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Charles’ forehead. "You’re so damn sexy whenever you wear my clothes," he whispered against Charles skin.

Charles chuckled, biting onto his lower lip as his cheeks turned a deep crimson shade. "Thanks, babe," he whispered, rising slightly on his toes as he tilted his head up and sealed Augustine’s lips with a soft kiss.

But just as their lips met in that heated, stolen moment...

Bang!

The office door suddenly flew open, slamming against the wall with a startling force.