"Shawn..." "Yeah, I'm here," he replied immediately as she spoke."Don't you despise me? Not even a little?" Gale asked."How could I despise you, Galey?""But I despise myself."Shawn sighed, reaching out to embrace her, but she resisted, pressing against his chest, unwilling to be intimate with him."Shawn... I feel dirty. Even after showering, even after I've changed and I'm technically all clean from head to toe, I still feel an invisible dirt," Gale said.Her eyes moistened slightly, she blinked quickly, retracting the tears. She lifted her head, locking eyes with Shawn."I know what you're thinking. You don't blame me, and you think it's not my fault. I also know. I'm not at fault, I'm the victim, but I can't change what has happened."Shawn, I'm not worthy of you, and I've let down this marriage."This matter will become the deepest thorn in both our hearts. Even if you don't mention it, I don't think about it, but it will always be there, the elephant in the room."
"I know, but we have to divorce; it's the only option..." Gale's voice choked up more as she spoke. She lowered her head, looking at the hems of their clothes. Once they were so intimate, they were now so distant. She even felt that it was not right for her clothes to touch his, so she reached out and separated their hems.Shawn's heart clenched painfully. What could he do to her? Hurt her? Scold her? Lock her up and let her calm down for a few days? Shawn could not bring himself to do any of those things! If she suffered a little, he felt tenfold the pain."I won't agree to a divorce, never. Gale, every step we've taken to get to this point has been so difficult. How could I possibly let go and let you leave me?" Shawn said. Without Gale, Shawn was just a walking corpse. He had no soul. Living meant nothing without her."Do you remember the last time you jumped into the sea and left me? Four years went by in a flash. Gale, every day and every night of those four years was torture
"I really can't remember anything..." Gale cried bitterly in Shawn's arms. She vented her emotions, crying and fussing, while Shawn held her quietly. Instead of bottling it up inside, he wished to see her let out her sadness, pretending to be calm and composed while silently digesting those negative emotions.He thought her emotional release was better.This was the first time Shawn did not wipe away Gale's tears. He let her cry. Maybe if she cried enough, she might feel better. Truth be told, Shawn could not bear to hear her cry; his eyes were slowly turning red, too.A man does not shed tears easily.At this point, he knew he could not be weak or cowardly. He had to be the pillar of strength for Gale and be her safe haven.With closed eyes, Shawn rested his chin on her head, gently patting her back.Gradually, Gale's crying subsided."Gale, things haven't been clarified yet, so don't jump to conclusions. It's impossible for anything to happen between two unconscious people.
They were entangled."Go to sleep first, rest well, and regain your strength." Shawn tucked her in. "Gale, you do not want Joshua and Nicole to come back and see you like this. They'll worry about you."Gale's resolve returned. She is a mother. If they divorced, what would happen to Joshua and Nicole? Would they have to choose between their father and mother?"Okay, do not overthink it. Come to the study if you need anything." Shawn saw through her thoughts.Gale nodded. Shawn squeezed her hand again. He noticed it was cold. After warming it up, he left the master bedroom.Gale lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The familiar bedroom was comforting to her. It carried a comforting scent. However, she could not sleep. She dared not. She was afraid that she would be somewhere else again when she opened her eyes.Gale wondered if she did really have sex with Aurum.All signs indicated that she and Aurum were no longer just ordinary friends, but Shawn made sense. If both she and Auru
For Shawn, someone like Paul was simply not worth his time. Paul had hurt Ivy, and Shawn had no connection or obligation to Ivy. Shawn paced back and forth in his study, brows furrowed."Is there no other clue in the restaurant besides the surveillance footage? Anything suspicious in the private rooms or the dining booths?" Shawn asked. According to Gale's account, she and Ivy had been dining in a booth by the window. Just before finishing their meal, Aurum arrived, supposedly to meet Paul in one of the private rooms to discuss film investment. Then, the three of them went to the private room, only to suddenly feel dizzy and lose consciousness. Paul remained conscious. So, it sounded like the problem lay with the meal at the booth!Did Aurum sneakily drug them while Gale and Ivy were not paying attention? However, the booth was under surveillance, capturing every moment clearly. Aurum had no chance to tamper with anything.Just as he was thinking, his phone rang."Mr. Wood, we've
Soon, Fiona brought the waiter in. "Mr. Wood, he's here. Do you want to interrogate him?" Fiona said.Shawn glanced at the waiter. He was tall, thin, and utterly unremarkable."What did he say?" Shawn asked casually, taking out a cigarette and holding it between his lips. He really wanted to smoke to ease his frustration. However, he did not want Gale to smell the smoke on him.Fiona kicked the waiter. "Kneel down and repeat what you confessed earlier!"The waiter trembled and said, "I... I didn't mean to target Mrs... Mrs. Wood, I didn't know she was Mrs. Wood. I'm nobody. How would I recognize a wealthy person like your wife? My target was only Ivy!"Shawn narrowed his eyes. "Ivy?""Yes, she's a beautiful female star with a great figure. Even when she wore sunglasses and a hat, I recognized her instantly. I'm her super fan. I have watched many of her movies. I never thought I could see her in person!"The restaurant has rules, I can't bother the guests, let alone take photos.
Shawn suddenly pressed the blade hard, and it sunk into the waiter's face. There was no blood yet. However, with just a little more pressure from Shawn, his face would split open, and blood would gush out."Is your life more important, or the benefits Aurum promised you?" Shawn asked.Intimidation had always been Shawn's forte. The waiter looked at him. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and his resolve somewhat wavered. Just when Shawn thought his threat was about to succeed, he heard the waiter say, "Of course, my life is important... but I can't find someone to take the blame for me. Mr. Wood, my target was really Ivy. I have nothing to do with your wife!"Shawn's expression darkened. Where did Aurum find such a tight-lipped person? Was this waiter sent by Aurum to infiltrate the restaurant long ago? A sense of annoyance welled up inside him.Shawn grabbed his collar. "What would happen after they drank the tea you spiked? You put Aurum and my wife in the same room. What was
"Mr. Wood, based on the timeline of events, the testimonies, and the timing, I don't think..." Fiona paused. "Aurum didn't have the time to act. Our bodyguards found the hotel very quickly. We made such a commotion. Aurum couldn't have not heard it."After speaking, Fiona glanced at Shawn. She wondered if this answer satisfied Mr. Wood. Anyway, it was also truly what she believed.For Mr. Wood, his wife was his life, his love, and his sanctuary. She was sacred. Whoever messed with her would face death. Moreover, after Mr. Wood married, his temperament slowly changed. His wife treated the staff well, as she was a gentle and kind-hearted person. Good deeds should befall good people. They thought the couple would live happily ever after, never expecting such a monstrosity to occur. What's more, something that Aurum planned.Shawn remained silent throughout. Eventually, he just waved his hand, signaling for Fiona to leave. Fiona nodded. She knew Mr. Wood needed some time alone. Anything