All the papers scattered across the floor were the same papers Noelle had used for the letters she had given Shawn. He had relocated all her unused notebooks from the study to the bedroom and had been writing furiously—without rest—for several days. It seemed as though time itself seemed rather irrelevant at that moment.Lydia couldn't help but cry and say, "It's obvious that Noelle doesn't want to see you. What's the use of filling the whole room with apology letters? You should have said these words to her in person." Upon hearing that, Shawn pondered for a moment and realized that Lydia had a point. He, however, was already too deep into it to turn back. He looked at Lydia with his bloodshot eyes and said, "I know she'll forgive me. If I finish writing all of this, she'll definitely forgive me! I have to show her how sincere I am—" His voice was raspy, but the fervor in his tone was striking, and his eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity. He abruptly cut himself off mid
Shawn's rationality had long been overwhelmed by despair. It was only when the caller vaguely mentioned a domestic address that he managed a wry smile and ended the call.It came as no surprise that the caller had lied to him. Yet, he didn't hold them accountable as he was too exhausted to even care.And ever since that day, Shawn had received similar calls nonstop.He was constantly approached by people claiming to have seen Noelle, each demanding a reward. And despite knowing that most were probably lying, Shawn continued to pay them, clinging to the faintest hope. In the end, the rewards vanished along with the callers, with no news or information left behind.But Shawn didn't care. It was that faint hope that kept him going, and even when someone mentioned wanting to meet in person, he would go without hesitation.Additionally, there were also women who would seek him out under these circumstances, each one dressed provocatively with ulterior motives. They would candidly tell
It had to be said that Shawn's performance in the video was deeply moving. It was so convincing that even those who couldn't understand the language could tell how desperate he was through his expressions and the subtitles. "It won't happen," Noelle said, holding the kitten in her arms and lowering her gaze. "You see, everyone is their own person, and no one is required to rely on another to survive. "If he really chooses to give up on himself because of this, that's his problem. I mean, no one should sacrifice their own happiness for his."Her decision was final. Even if Shawn appeared before her, crying and pleading, she would never go back to him. Cameron smiled faintly and said, "It's a good thing, then. You can stay here in peace. There's been a heavy snowstorm in the forest recently, and the roads to nearby cities have been blocked. "In any case, even if someone mistakes you for the person in the missing person notice, they wouldn't be able to come over here and check
"Are you sure you want to change your name, Ms. Anderson? Once you proceed with this, you'll have to replace your certificates, identification, and passport," a staff member said.Noelle Anderson nodded. "I'm sure."The staff tried to talk her out of it. "It's pretty troublesome for an adult to change their name, and your current name sounds nice. Are you sure you don't want to give this a second thought?""I'm sure." She signed the papers. "Thanks, and sorry for the trouble.""It's no trouble. The name you're changing to is… Aria Byrd, right?""Yes." It was supposed to represent a flight to freedom, which was what she wanted for herself. She wanted to leave this place without leaving any traces.Noelle asked, "Can I get my passport changed now?""Yes, you can. This is a slip to show that your name has been changed. You just need to head to the counter downstairs to get your passport replaced."Noelle had her passport changed as quickly as possible. She didn't change anything e
"I took it off," Noelle said."But I made that ring myself. It's supposed to represent our love. Why would you take it off?" Shawn asked.She said indifferently, "I've gained weight, so it doesn't fit anymore."Only then did Shawn's expression soften. He smiled and said, "Then, I'll take it to the jeweler tomorrow to have it resized.""We'll see.""Oh, right. What's that on the table?" he asked, pointing at the jewelry box, looking surprised. "Is it a present for me?"Noelle nodded. "Yeah."Inside the box was a small piece of silver—it was the wedding ring she'd had melted.Shawn's face lit up. "What's the occasion? Why did you suddenly get me a gift?"His words made Noelle's heart freeze over. "It's… our wedding anniversary."Shawn's expression immediately fell. Then, he said almost sycophantically, "I'm sorry, Elle. I've been so busy with work that it slipped my mind. How about we go out for dinner? I'll make a reservation now…""No, it's fine. I've already eaten.""Then,
Shawn panicked, and he ran to Noelle's side of the car. "What's wrong, Elle?" he asked frantically.She kept puking, the nausea refusing to subside for the longest time.She couldn't understand. Why had Shawn cheated when he loved her so? Wasn't he afraid of her finding out? Or did he think he was perfectly capable of keeping this from her forever because he'd done such a good job of hiding it?Eventually, the cool night breeze helped to clear her mind."Are you okay, Elle?" Shawn asked. "I'll take you to the hospital now if you're feeling ill.""No, it's okay. It's probably something I ate for dinner.""Come to my office tomorrow, then. We can have dinner together."Noelle sneered inwardly. Did he want her to go to his office and watch him and Jessica get it on?Suddenly, she wanted to be nasty. "Sure. I'll go to work with you tomorrow and stay by your side as you work. Then, we can have dinner together before going home."Shawn didn't expect her to agree at all. His expressi
Noelle and Shawn headed to the company after breakfast. However, she insisted on sitting in the backseat because the thought of sitting in the front passenger seat revolted her. "I have motion sickness," she explained. "I'll be more comfortable in the backseat because I can lower the window and enjoy the wind."Shawn didn't force her to move to the front. "Alright, then. I'll drive as smoothly as possible."When they arrived at the company, he jogged to her side of the car to open the door for her. It was peak hour, so most of the employees were arriving at the same time. They watched as she got out of the car.A few senior executives even ran over and said sycophantically, "You're here, Mrs. Pitt. Mr. Pitt talks about this milk tea that you like almost every day. I'll go get you one right now."Another said, "I'll go get snacks, then. I know you like pastries."Shawn laughed and said, "Stop feeding her. She's already put on some weight and can't wear her wedding ring anymore."
Noelle said, "A friend lost her passport and asked me how to get a new one."Shawn hurried forward and held her tightly. "You scared the hell out of me. I thought you were leaving the country without me."Noelle turned away from him and retched again. She could smell the sickly sweetness on him, mingling with a woman's perfume.He rubbed her back with a pained expression. "What did they feed you? I already told them to be careful because your stomach's been acting up lately… I'm going to fire them right now!"She shoved him away with all her strength. "You can fire whoever you want to fire, but don't use me as an excuse for your actions!"Her sudden anger left him bewildered. "Are you mad at me, Elle? Is it because I've been too busy with work to spend time with you? I'll postpone all the work I have tomorrow so I can be with you. How does that sound?"She almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous the situation was. "You'll only be with me?""Yes, I will."She took a deep breath
It had to be said that Shawn's performance in the video was deeply moving. It was so convincing that even those who couldn't understand the language could tell how desperate he was through his expressions and the subtitles. "It won't happen," Noelle said, holding the kitten in her arms and lowering her gaze. "You see, everyone is their own person, and no one is required to rely on another to survive. "If he really chooses to give up on himself because of this, that's his problem. I mean, no one should sacrifice their own happiness for his."Her decision was final. Even if Shawn appeared before her, crying and pleading, she would never go back to him. Cameron smiled faintly and said, "It's a good thing, then. You can stay here in peace. There's been a heavy snowstorm in the forest recently, and the roads to nearby cities have been blocked. "In any case, even if someone mistakes you for the person in the missing person notice, they wouldn't be able to come over here and check
Shawn's rationality had long been overwhelmed by despair. It was only when the caller vaguely mentioned a domestic address that he managed a wry smile and ended the call.It came as no surprise that the caller had lied to him. Yet, he didn't hold them accountable as he was too exhausted to even care.And ever since that day, Shawn had received similar calls nonstop.He was constantly approached by people claiming to have seen Noelle, each demanding a reward. And despite knowing that most were probably lying, Shawn continued to pay them, clinging to the faintest hope. In the end, the rewards vanished along with the callers, with no news or information left behind.But Shawn didn't care. It was that faint hope that kept him going, and even when someone mentioned wanting to meet in person, he would go without hesitation.Additionally, there were also women who would seek him out under these circumstances, each one dressed provocatively with ulterior motives. They would candidly tell
All the papers scattered across the floor were the same papers Noelle had used for the letters she had given Shawn. He had relocated all her unused notebooks from the study to the bedroom and had been writing furiously—without rest—for several days. It seemed as though time itself seemed rather irrelevant at that moment.Lydia couldn't help but cry and say, "It's obvious that Noelle doesn't want to see you. What's the use of filling the whole room with apology letters? You should have said these words to her in person." Upon hearing that, Shawn pondered for a moment and realized that Lydia had a point. He, however, was already too deep into it to turn back. He looked at Lydia with his bloodshot eyes and said, "I know she'll forgive me. If I finish writing all of this, she'll definitely forgive me! I have to show her how sincere I am—" His voice was raspy, but the fervor in his tone was striking, and his eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity. He abruptly cut himself off mid
Shawn was in a hurry, but securing a visa and a flight ticket wasn't something that could be done instantly.It wasn't until three days later, after arriving in Neloria, that Shawn could start contacting the embassy and local police to find Noelle.Shawn knocked on the apartment door, shouted Noelle's name, and rushed inside. Yet, he was stopped by the landlord, Cameron Abner, who was in the middle of cleaning."Who are you?" she asked him warily."I'm looking for Noelle," Shawn replied. He quickly added, "You see, she's my wife, and we've recently had a bit of a misunderstanding. I just want to talk to her and clear things up."Upon hearing that, Cameron waved her hand dismissively and said, "There's no one by that name here.""She goes by the name Noelle Anderson."Cameron insisted, saying, "I can assure you, there's no one by the name of Noelle Anderson living here. I only have a tenant who goes by the name Aria Byrd."Upon hearing that name, Shawn was momentarily confused.
Karen Green, a middle-aged woman who had recently divorced her cheating husband, was furious. She stepped forward to block Jessica's path and barked, "How could a young woman like you choose to become a mistress and ruin someone else's marriage? You're nothing but a shameless homewrecker!" Upon seeing the stranger berating her, Jessica snapped back, "You, of all people, are calling me a homewrecker? You probably couldn't be a homewrecker with that face. You must be calling me one because you couldn't keep your man and got dumped, right?""Hmph! It's still a lot better than getting tossed out into the street, barely clothed!" Karen snarled, lunging toward Jessica. Immediately, chaos erupted.Living nearby, Karen quickly rounded up a group of her friends to denounce Jessica as a shameless homewrecker. Upon seeing the escalating situation, other onlookers called their friends over to come watch as well. It didn't take long for a crowd to form around them. The commotion grew so loud
"You're in no position to judge Noelle!" Shawn spat. "Besides, having those photos leaked is precisely what you've been aiming for, right? "You took such clear pictures of me but kept yourself out of the frame on purpose. I know what you're trying to do, Jessica. You plan to use them to blackmail me!" Although he finally realized what was going on, Shawn knew that it was all too late now.Jessica still wanted to defend herself. However, Shawn was completely repulsed by her. He refused to give her even the slightest opening. He immediately grabbed his phone, called the villa's security personnel, and said curtly, "I need you to send some people over to get rid of a person who doesn't belong here right now." Given that the villa's security personnel were on duty around the clock, they immediately arrived on the scene after receiving the call.Jessica refused to leave with them and struggled violently. "You're the one who asked me to come here, Shawn! I'll leave if you want me
Jessica completely misunderstood Shawn's intentions. Giggling, she threw herself into his arms and said, "Isn't this too exciting, Shawn? We—Ah! What are you doing?"Before she could even finish her sentence, Shawn, having reached his limit, ripped her nightgown off.He completely ignored Jessica's screams. He didn't stop until the nightgown was completely discarded on the floor.All the household staff were solely there to make a living. And since they had no desire to witness such a scene, they hastily fled to the yard.Jessica's complexion paled momentarily. Yet, as soon as she realized that they were alone, she laughed coquettishly and said, "Oh my, Shawn! I know what you're getting at. Why so rough, though?"She then nestled herself into Shawn's arms, making no effort to disguise what she was after. Their relationship was purely physical. There was no genuine affection between them, so modesty was unnecessary. If she kept him happy, the money would keep rolling in.It didn't
Jessica: "You know what Shawn is like, Noelle. He's sentimental and can't bring himself to be harsh to you. As long as you're okay with it, he'll care for you for life. I just think it's best to make certain things clear."Jessica: "There's no such thing as 'first come, first serve' in love, but I think that if he'd met me first, you two wouldn't be any more than regular ex-classmates. Women need to know how to make themselves look good. Do you think any man would be willing to head home to a bare-faced woman?"Jessica: "I'm not saying that youth is everything, but it's silly for an old woman to try to compete with a young woman in her prime, right? Shawn complimented me on my looks again today."Jessica: "Ta-da! This is the necklace Shawn gave me today. He designed it himself!"Jessica: "I'm sure you can understand how I feel, Noelle. Shawn and I are genuinely in love. If you agree to a divorce, you can have the house you're living in as compensation. He'll buy me a new one, anywa
When it became clear that the lawyer wouldn't back down, Shawn's expression darkened again. He growled, "I guess we don't have anything else to discuss, then. I won't sign any divorce agreements, no matter how many copies you print. As for taking this to court, I'll leave you to it."He didn't believe that Noelle wouldn't show up for the court hearing. Before that, he would do everything he could to gain her forgiveness.They'd been together for so many years and shared countless memories. He was sure he could make her change her mind and take him back as long as he continued to object to the divorce.The lawyer was already prepared for that. He gave Shawn a lesson in law. "Ms. Anderson doesn't need to take you to court, Mr. Pitt. That's just her last resort. If possible, she wants to end things on a positive note."In this instance, she's opted for an amicable separation. Once you two have lived separately for two years, she can take legal measures to put the divorce in effect. At