The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 553

Charlotte’s skin was so fair and delicate that even the slightest touch would leave a mark. Now, after what had just happened, her arms and knees were already bruised and red.

“Other than your hand, are you hurt anywhere else?” Anthony asked, worry written all over his face. As he spoke, he reached for the zipper on Charlotte’s jacket, ready to check her injuries himself.

Charlotte tried to pull away, but he gently pressed her back. “Just sit still for a minute.”

Anthony didn’t have the patience to argue with her when she might be hurt. His voice was low and rough. “Let me check, and then you can yell at me or do whatever you want.”

She realized she couldn’t break free, so she looked up at him. His expression was dark and tense, and just like that, Charlotte gave up fighting.

He really had been rough with her. Besides her swollen wrist, there was a huge bruise blooming on her knee. As for the rest of her body, it was impossible to tell with her clothes on.

Anthony’s eyes stayed on her, intense and a little too focused. Charlotte managed a cool, almost mocking smile.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

They hadn’t even finished arguing, and he was already trying to get close to her. He was really something.

Anthony pressed his lips together, gave up on unzipping her jacket, and just brushed his thumb gently across her cheek. He picked up his phone and called Hans. “Bring two tubes of ointment for swelling. Now.”

Hans was confused when he got the call. Anthony was supposed to be locked in a tense negotiation with N. Why did he suddenly need ointment? And for swelling, no less. There hadn’t been any signs of a fight.

Still puzzled, Hans grabbed the medicine and brought it to the door.

“Anthony, your ointment.”

The door swung open. Anthony stood there, face blank, coldness rolling off him in waves.

Seeing the bruise he’d left made Anthony’s stomach twist with regret. He stood there for a moment, then went over and gently lifted her leg onto his lap. He squeezed some of the ointment onto his fingers and started rubbing it into her skin, careful and slow. “If it hurts, don’t try to tough it out. You can bite me if you need to.”

Charlotte stayed quiet, just watching him. A tiny smile played at the corners of her lips as she watched how careful he was.

Anthony kept his eyes on what he was doing, focusing all his attention on applying the cream, moving from her ankle up to her hand. He never looked up at her, not once.

Three times now, he thought. He had no idea how to explain himself, let alone make her feel any better.

When he finished, Charlotte slipped her leg off his lap, pulled down her pant leg, and stood up, turning away from him.

Seeing her get up, Anthony felt a sudden pang of panic.