The clock struck noon as Suzanne made her way back to the Morrison Residence. She deliberately arrived late in hopes of avoiding any encounters with Sally. Yet to her surprise, Sally was still in the house.Upon entering, Sally approached with a feigned smile. "Welcome back, Suzanne."Suzanne cringed at the sound of her name on Sally's lips but maintained her composure, considering Nathan's family was present."Mind joining us for a moment, Suzanne?" Florence beckoned.Suzanne exchanged pleasantries with her in-laws before Wendy ushered her to the couch with Sally trailing behind.The air crackled with tension, evident in the troubled expressions of Florence and Gary, and the hesitant speech of the others. Sensing something amiss, Suzanne had a bad hunch.When Florence hesitated once more, Suzanne decisively asked, "Is there something you need from me, Florence?"Forced to respond, Florence wore a strained smile and deferred to Gary. "I'll let Gary speak for me."Shocked, Gar
As she studied, Suzanne felt like some contents of the books looked familiar and that she must have read them before. Now that she was re-reading them, they left a strong impression on her. The Morrison family staff were so shocked seeing her studying so intently that they whispered about her among themselves. "Mrs. Morrison must have been an excellent student. She must have gone through at least hundreds of psychology books in half a month!""I saw her studying till late into the night. She probably intends to take the examination to qualify as a psychological counselor.""She's really focused when she studies! She didn't even realize that I went in to clean up the room. She gave herself a huge scare when she bumped into me when she got up to get herself a glass of water.""Yes, she's really impressive!"What Suzanne didn't expect was that in the days that she had busied herself with studying the psychology of women like Sally and how to deal with them, Sally had kept a low pr
People often claimed that unrequited love was an internal battlefield. Right at this moment, Suzanne couldn't agree more. She clearly missed Nathan so dearly with her entire being, but she was conflicted and afraid. She dared not even look at him openly, yet she stole countless glances at him from the corner of her eye. She clearly knew that he held another woman dear in his heart, and it pained her to know that. She hated and resented the fact, yet she could not bear to let him go. She clearly yearned for him to be back, and she was both elated and anxious that he was, yet she feigned calmness and nonchalance. She put so much effort into it so that he wouldn't notice any trace of her feelings for him, as though that would make her unrequited love less painful.The moment Nathan stepped into the living room, Sally rushed over excitedly. "Nate!"Caught off guard, Nathan was trapped in her embrace. Sally clung tightly to his waist, frustrating him. Nathan's brow furrowed as he
Halfway through dinner, Suzanne suddenly remembered the mess she'd left in the study and the bedroom. Hence, she hurriedly went upstairs to clean them up. After she was done, she returned downstairs to finish her meal.She wondered where Nathan and Cole had disappeared to after heading upstairs. Could Nathan possibly not wish to share a room with her since Sally was there, so he decided to rest in the guest room?That was highly likely. When Suzanne returned to the dining table, everyone had already finished their meals and left. She sat down dejectedly and continued eating. She couldn't even taste her food due to her heavy mood. Over in the living room, after Sally set her phone down, she called out in an anxious and urgent tone, "Mrs. Morrison, I just called Lucas. He told me that Nate suffered a gunshot to his shoulder last night. "They had just extracted the bullet not too long ago. But Nate didn't want to be hospitalized and insisted on coming home."Florence covered her
Nathan slowly walked toward her and sat down on the other side of the bed. They had their backs toward each other, and Nathan rested his elbows on his thighs. He supported his head on his hands, closed his eyes, and let out a long breath.The tension in the room was high, and he couldn't help but feel exhausted. Suzanne only asked him one question and didn't say any more. A while later, Nathan asked, "Why did Sally move in?"Suzanne smiled wryly. "She's moved in for more than half a month now.""And you didn't stop her?""I have no right to do that."Nathan fell silent. Moments later, he asked again, "Are you planning on taking a qualification exam?""No.""Are you comfortable staying here?""It's alright.""Did Sally make things hard for you?""No."After asking all he had to ask, the room fell into a deathly silence once more. The tension in the room was palpable.Nathan had tried to strike up a conversation with her by asking her so many questions, but she only gave hi
Suzanne fixed her gaze on Nathan's bandaged shoulder, not daring to look anywhere else. She felt a subtle warmth radiating off her entire body as her fingers trembled ever so slightly.The room was so silent she could almost hear her own heartbeat.There was something off about Nathan too. She could feel his fiery gaze locked on her, and his labored breathing matched the rise and fall of his chest. Perhaps it was because of the pain, he sat bolt upright, unmoving.Suzanne had to inch closer as he was seated on the bed, causing his gaze to fall uncomfortably on her chest. She shifted slightly to the side. "I'll remove the gauze now. Tell me if it hurts," Suzanne said softly. He could hear her concern for him in her voice. Nathan hummed in response, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily. Suzanne slowly peeled the gauze off his wound, but as it was stuck tightly, it pulled on his skin. She carefully removed it with both hands as she was worried that she might cause him pain.Wi
Suzanne was dumbfounded, a mixture of shock and disbelief etched on her expression as Nathan pressed down on her. He balanced himself with one elbow, and his weight bore down on Suzanne. His handsome face hovered mere inches away from her, and their breaths were intermingling in the air. Tension surged through Suzanne. Her breath quickened, and her voice trembled as she asked, "What are you doing?" Nathan's gaze held her captive. His breath was warm against her skin, his chest sturdy, and his features irresistibly close. Lost in the moment, Suzanne felt overwhelmed by Nathan's proximity. Morals and emotions took a back seat as she succumbed to the allure of the man she admired. Her mind was clouded with shyness, nervousness, and perhaps even anticipation. Nathan's Adam's apple bobbed as he leaned in, his voice husky and dry as he fixed his gaze on her lips. With eager anticipation, he slowly closed the gap between them, longing for a kiss. Suzanne's nerves tingled as his
Suzanne lay still, feigning sleep with her back facing Nathan. Her fingertips stealthily traced her lips, still tingling from Nathan's kiss. A hollow ache settled in her chest, mingling with a confusing blend of excitement and sadness. Throughout the night, she mulled over the reason for Nathan's kiss. She wondered if it was merely a fleeting moment of passion or if it was driven by his desires. The former seemed unlikely, while the latter felt strained, especially considering Nathan's character and his recent injury. Nathan made no further moves, merely switching off the light and settling on the other side of the bed, slipping into a quiet slumber. Suzanne couldn't fathom the thoughts swirling in his mind. As the next morning dawned, Suzanne was roused by a persistent knocking. She caught a glimpse of Nathan as he opened the door and left to join the rest for breakfast. She shook off her drowsiness and got up slowly, feeling gloomy as she went to freshen up. Dressed and