Just as Shane was about to call it a night, his phone vibrated. He picked it up and answered, "What’s going on?"On the other end, Dean said something that made Shane’s expression harden instantly.Haley, sensing the change in his demeanor, asked curiously, "What happened?"Shane forced a smile and shook his head, gently ruffling her soft hair. "Nothing serious. You go ahead and sleep. I’ve got something to take care of, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back."After saying that, he quickly went to the closet. He then grabbed a suit, and got dressed before heading out the door in a hurry.Haley frowned slightly as she watched him leave. "Why was he in such a rush?" she wondered. "Is he hiding something from me?"Shane grabbed his car keys and randomly selected a car from the garage, driving straight to the police station.Dean had just called to inform him that the police had received a request from William, who wanted to meet with Shane, claiming that he had something important to
Shane returned home to find Haley already asleep. Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly retreated from the room and made his way to the wine cellar. He poured himself a glass of red wine, but just as he raised it to his lips, his phone rang.Glancing at the caller ID, Shane answered in a cold tone, "This better be important."There was a brief silence on the other end before Dean spoke. "Sir, there’s been an incident. The police just called... William... has committed suicide.""What?"Shane’s grip tightened around his phone, disbelief washing over him. He swallowed hard, struggling to find his voice. "What happened?"Dean responded, "I’m not entirely sure of the details. After you left, his behavior seemed off, but no one thought much of it. Late at night, someone noticed blood on the floor during a bathroom break. By the time they realized what had happened, it was too late... They couldn’t save him."Dean paused before adding, "He left a letter. It’s addressed to both you and
Shane’s gaze landed on the envelope in Haley’s hand, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "You… you saw it?"Haley pulled out the letter, nodding gently, her face filled with regret and sadness. "So, last night when you came home late, you were at the police station to see him?"Shane lowered his head, responding with a quiet "Yeah." He sighed. "I had been having Dean investigate the truth behind William’s mother’s death for a while, and we finally found the evidence a couple of days ago. I just wanted to settle everything once and for all. But I never expected…"He never expected William to take such an extreme step and choose to end his life.Haley could see the turmoil in Shane’s eyes. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around him, and whispered softly, "It’s not your fault. This isn’t on you… Don’t carry that guilt."Shane shut his eyes tightly, holding Haley close, but remained silent for a long time.After what felt like an eternity, he finally steadied his emotions, took a dee
Shane couldn’t resist Haley’s request. With a resigned sigh, he agreed, and they got into the car together.The drive to the police station didn’t take long, and soon, they were being led by officers to the morgue. "The medical examiner has confirmed that it was indeed a suicide," one officer explained. "As for the tool he used, we’re still investigating where he might have gotten it."Shane glanced at the body covered by a white sheet, then nodded to the medical examiner. "Thank you."The examiner gave a slight nod and stepped out, leaving the room for Shane and Haley.Shane turned to Haley and gently reminded her, "You should stay back. I’ll go take a look."Haley, being mindful of her pregnancy, nodded and stayed where she was.Shane slowly pulled back the sheet, revealing William’s lifeless, pale face. Haley, standing a little distance away, felt her eyes well up with tears. She looked away, unable to bear it.Shane stared at William’s face for a long moment, his voice tin
Shane’s expression darkened as he glanced at the caller ID. With a cold snort, he promptly rejected the call.Seeing him ignore the call, Haley asked curiously, "Who was it?"Shane casually tossed his phone aside and cupped Haley’s face, leaning in to kiss her again. "It was Henry. Don’t worry about it, nothing important."Before Haley could respond, the phone rang again.Shane’s expression turned grim as frustration crept over his features. His mood had been thoroughly interrupted, and now his face was a clear display of annoyance. He answered the call with a cold tone, "You’d better have a good reason for calling."On the other end, hearing Shane’s less-than-pleased voice, Henry immediately understood what he had interrupted. "Oh, uh… sorry, man. I didn’t realize you were… busy.""Get to the point. Why are you calling me?" Shane cut him off impatiently.Henry hesitated, then quickly asked, "I heard William… committed suicide?"Shane’s emotions settled slightly as he respond
Henry couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled. He slowly pulled Jenny into his arms, silently comforting her. He silently cursed, "Damn William, even in death, you’re still haunting us!" This was his wife he had worked so hard to win over. He wasn’t about to let a few words undo everything they had built.Jenny, feeling the warmth radiating from him, gradually regained her composure. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and spoke into the phone, "I understand. Thank you, Haley. I’ve already let it go."She hadn’t expected to ever receive an apology from William in this lifetime."Everything from the past is over now. I have a new life with Henry and our baby. I’m happy, and I’ll continue to be happy."As she looked at Henry, her tear-filled eyes softened into a smile. Henry’s presence had made her realize that love couldn’t be forced. True love meant never letting the person you care about suffer or feel pain.This was what Jenny had always wanted. Someone who would give her
Shane buried his face in Haley’s neck, nuzzling her gently. "Babe, please?"Haley blinked innocently, but her words were merciless. "Don’t you have a meeting this morning? You’d better hurry, or you’ll be late."In other words, no. Absolutely not!Haley thought to herself, "You couldn’t let men get away with things like this." Last night, they had agreed on just one time, and though Shane had stuck to that, here he was, unable to resist again first thing in the morning.Haley huffed inwardly. No way was she going to let him off easy. If she kept giving in, he would only push his luck further.Shane sighed, defeated. He pressed his lips to her soft, delicate skin and then bit down lightly."Ow!" Haley gasped, playfully scolding him. "Shane, are you a dog?"Shane didn’t answer, but his deep, magnetic voice carried a hint of frustration. "Haley, you’re so heartless."Haley stared at him in exasperation. "Why is he acting so childish now? Where did he learn this persistent, playf
Back in the capital, Charles had brought the renowned doctor, Dr. Lawson, to the Fisher estate for a consultation with Yvonne. Dr. Lawson, well into his eighties, was a man whose face bore the marks of time, yet he still appeared healthy and had a gentle, kind demeanor.Charles remained by Yvonne’s side, watching the doctor closely as he did his examination, barely breathing from the tension. He seemed even more anxious than Yvonne herself.Noticing his intense gaze, Dr. Lawson huffed in mild annoyance. "What’s this? You don’t trust my skills? If you don’t believe in me, then why call me here?"Feeling a bit guilty, Charles sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, "It’s not that. I’m just worried about my wife’s health."In truth, there was no one in the world who understood Yvonne’s condition better than Charles. This was precisely why he was so aware of how difficult her illness was to treat.Yvonne’s symptoms weren’t particularly unusual, but her pulse felt strang