However, he was afraid of what would come next. He might witness the most painful scene of his life! The door to Paul and Ivy's room was open, but as Shawn passed by, he did not even cast a glance their way. He dared not even dare to see Ivy's state, let alone Gale's!Shawn stopped at the door of the next room. "Mr. Wood, we have not searched this room, but there's someone inside," the bodyguard said."Get out.""But, sir...""Get out!"The team took a few steps back, distancing themselves from Shawn. Each person ensured that they would not be able to see what was in the room.Shawn gripped the doorknob. It was old, and the paint was peeling. Even the locks in the storerooms of Temperley Hall were not this dilapidated.Shawn pushed the door open but held onto the doorknob tightly. The room was very small. The door revealed the room in its entirety. A man and a woman lay in bed. The man lay on his back, sound asleep with his eyes closed, while the woman lay on her side in his emb
Shawn suppressed the tumultuous thoughts in his mind. He only thought of going home. He hoped Gale would only wake in the morning. He did not want her to know about any of this. By tomorrow, when she opened her eyes and saw the familiar master bedroom, the familiar curtains, and the familiar surroundings, she would not know what had happened that night. Shawn intended to keep it from her. After dressing Gale, Shawn lifted his gaze and shot a piercing stare at Aurum. Aurum had sat up, leaning against the wall, holding his chest where a faint trickle of blood stained his lips. He wiped it away, looking at Shawn."What... What's going on? I... Gale, she..." Aurum asked.Seeing Aurum's appearance only fueled Shawn's rage. "Stop pretending! Gale has not woken up yet, who are you acting for? Me?""Mr. Wood, I do not understand what you're saying...""Why are you still acting? Do you think I do not know anything? Do you think I'm still blind to your true colors? You know the game betwee
"Yes, tonight, Gale and I..." Aurum deliberately stopped here. Shawn's temples throbbed with veins bulging, his eyes almost bursting with fury. Aurum was intentionally adding salt to his wound."I deserve to die, I really do. Shawn, Gale is clearly your wife, the mother of Joshua and Nicole. Yet tonight, she slept with me. Although I don't know how this happened, it was what had happened," Aurum said."I understand your anger. I'm sorry for what I did to you and to Gale, but I... didn't intend for it to happen.""Shut up!" Shawn gritted his teeth."You can kill me, go ahead. Just press down your fingers on the pistol. You're just a press away from removing all your rage and hatred," Aurum taunted. "Do it while Gale is still asleep and oblivious. When she wakes up, whatever happened, whatever she went through, she will hear the story only from you.""Shawn, by then, you can weave whatever story you want! You can lie to her about what happened tonight, including my death."Auru
If he had just aimed a little higher, Aurum would not be seeing the sunrise.Aurum was also frightened and still had not fully recovered from the shock. Gale broke the silence."Ouch… It hurts," she whispered.Shawn hastily asked, "Where does it hurt? Are you injured?"He quickly dropped whatever he was holding, his mind solely focused on her."My ears, they're buzzing, I can't hear anything, just a faint sound... so faint..." Gale said.She watched Shawn's lips moving, saw his worried expression, and roughly guessed what he was saying. That gunshot, for her, the sound was too loud, having just woken up. She was reeling from shock.If Gale had not raised her hand to stop Shawn, perhaps, in his rage, Shawn would have shot Aurum. Shawn wanted to tear him to pieces.Shawn's large hand covered Gale's ear. "It's okay, it's okay... It'll be better in a while."It was uncertain whether he was comforting her or himself. Gale leaned into his embrace, inhaling his scent, feeling at pe
From the moment he walked into this room, he hoped she would not wake up because all of this was too terrifying and cruel for her to take in."Ivy? Where's Ivy? And Paul?" Gale asked."How could I be in the same room as Aurum? "Shawn, why are you here?"With each question, she felt a growing chill in her heart. She guessed what had happened, but she dared not think about it. Gale lowered her head and looked at her own body. Her clothes were still on her body.Shawn tried to hide it. However, he was also in agony and furious. He understood that Gale could not accept the cruel reality. She was so strong and proud. How could she bear what happened between her and Aurum?His throat rolled, and Shawn said, "There was a slight mishap, but...""A slight mishap?" Gale suddenly laughed bleakly. "No, I don't believe you. You're lying to me."She raised her hand, pointing to the bow on her skirt's belt."When I put on this skirt, the bow was on the left side. But now, this bow is on the
Everything indicated that something had happened.Shawn was deceiving her. "Shut up! Aurum, get out, get out of here!" Shawn angrily shouted.Aurum remained rooted to the spot, refusing to budge. How could he leave now? Things had escalated, and Aurum's only regret was not seizing the opportunity to finish Gale off.Paul had already finished with Ivy. Any adult would hear and know.Aurum thought that if only he had been as impatient as Paul, he would have had her. Unfortunately, he and Paul were different. Paul just wanted Ivy for lust. Aurum wanted Gale for love, to fulfill his obsession. He could not bear to be too rough. He cherished her too much. Her beautiful body lay quietly before him, in her most raw and vulnerable state, yet he did not know where to begin.So, Aurum wasted time, and Shawn's men acted faster than expected!It did not matter. Aurum had a plan. Only he would know whether or not he had slept with Gale. Gale herself was unconscious.Since time was running
Gale was relieved that she woke up in time. Otherwise, Aurum would be dead. Shawn would be a murderer. This was not what she wanted to see. Slowly, Gale sat up from Shawn's embrace. She looked at Aurum, not saying a word, just silently watching him with tears falling incessantly.Aurum met her gaze for only two seconds before averting his eyes, unable to bear the despair and sadness in Gale's eyes. He could not bring himself to look. Her eyes were too full of hopelessness and melancholy. He could not bear it. He was deceiving her, plotting against her, resorting to any means necessary. He was no longer the righteous Aurum he once was. Gale's gaze was so innocent and pure that he did not deserve to look into them. He had ruined her. Even though he had never actually slept with her, her reputation was tarnished. Her pure body, both Shawn and she herself believed, was no longer pure. This was what Aurum wanted to see.Gale stood up, swaying slightly. She walked toward Aurum. Shawn r
She looked at Aurum imploringly. "This is all fake, it's fake. Tell me, tell me it's fake... We just lay together, but we didn't do anything..."Why won't you speak, Aurum? Can't you tell me..."You couldn't do such a thing to me. You're not capable of it. I know you!"If you had even an ounce of consciousness, you wouldn't touch me!Gale's vision blurred with tears. She could not see Aurum's expression clearly. She also felt cheap and dirty now, but she had no other option. She was Shawn's wife and the mother of his children. After enduring so many ups and downs in her emotional journey, this happened now that she was finally enjoying love. She felt dirty. She and Aurum had been intimate. How could Gale accept this fact? How could she face Shawn?She was now facing away from Shawn. She dared not look back at him, nor did she dare to return to his embrace. She felt dirty and unworthy of Shawn! What to do next? In the future, how could she face Shawn? How could she face the innocen