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Novel Catalog
Chapter 10
“How did you find out what happened?” Shawn’s voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that betrayed his impatience.
The subordinate answered quickly, “Mr. Wood, here’s what happened: This old man took a fancy to Ms. Fanning at a dinner party and insisted she sleep with him one night, or the dean wouldn’t be able to leave. The dean had no choice but to send Ms. Fanning his way. But Ms. Fanning would rather die than go through with it. She ran away and ended up breaking into your room while being chased.”
Shawn’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took a step forward.
At that moment, the old man on the floor shouted in fury, “Who are you? You dare tie me up? Do you know who I am?”
Shawn raised an eyebrow, his posture still relaxed, yet his gaze piercing. “Oh? Who are you?”
The old man’s face twisted in triumph as he boasted, “Do you know the Wood family? The number one wealthy family in Sea City!”
“Yeah, I’ve heard of them.” Shawn’s response was nonchalant, almost dismissive.
The old man seemed emboldened. “I’m one of the cousins of the Wood family, so be afraid! Let me go!”
Shawn looked at him with indifference. Then, with a casual flick of his leather shoe, he sent the man flying, crashing hard into the wall. Blood spilled from the old man’s mouth as he crumpled to the floor.
“Your name is Susan?” Shawn’s voice cut through the silence, his tone calm and cold.
“Yes, yes,” the woman, now identified as Susan, replied quickly, shocked by the show of power. She couldn’t help but admire his presence. “Mr. Wood, are you looking for me?”
Shawn nodded lightly. “Yes. After that night, I’ve been looking for you.”
Susan froze for a moment, stunned that such a powerful man would be searching for her. She had only seen the heroic image of President Wood in newspapers and on TV. The reality of standing before him was completely different.
“Don’t you remember?” Shawn asked, his voice firm as he studied her expression.
Before Susan could answer, the dean beside her spoke up immediately, eager to smooth things over. “Yes, she remembers, Mr. Wood! My daughter is just so excited that she can’t properly express herself right now. She didn’t expect you to come to find her!”
Susan pulled on her father’s sleeve, trying to maintain the facade. “Dad, this…”
The dean quickly jumped in, feigning sorrow. “Oh, don’t hide it. I know you ran away that night after another strange man robbed you of your innocence. I never brought it up, but Mr. Wood is here now to rescue you!”
The dean’s words were calculated. He had figured out that it wasn’t his daughter Susan who had escaped that night—it was Gale Warm. After Gale ran from the old man, she returned the next day with bruises on her neck. The dean connected the dots and realized that Gale had been the woman Shawn was looking for.
Susan, playing along, spoke up. “Yes, it was too embarrassing for me as a girl, so I left without saying goodbye.”
Shawn, uninterested in their act, simply nodded. “I said I would marry you.”
Susan’s eyes lit up at the mention of marriage. The prospect of being by Shawn’s side, of becoming the wife of such a powerful man, was intoxicating. If she could marry him, she would never have to work again, and her days of struggling to make it as an internet celebrity would be over. She would live a life of luxury.
“I thought you were just joking,” Susan continued, now putting on a vulnerable act. “After all, if my father could send me to that old man’s bed, which other man can I trust…” She let her tears fall, hoping to play on Shawn’s sympathy.
The dean, seeing the opportunity, added to the drama. “Susie, I couldn’t do anything either. I was the happiest when I heard you escaped. I thought, no matter what, I’ll protect you!” He made sure to emphasize his supposed distress.
The father-daughter duo’s performance was impeccable, designed to garner Shawn’s favor.
“I always do what I say,” Shawn replied, his lips forming a tight line. “So, Susan, are you willing to come with me?”
Susan didn’t hesitate. “Yes, yes! I’ve been thinking about you too!” she replied eagerly, her enthusiasm almost too obvious.
Shawn, observing her sudden eagerness, frowned slightly. This reaction is different from the woman from that night… he thought, his mind working to piece things together. Back then, she was terrified and left without a word. But now she’s practically throwing herself at me.
“Mr. Wood, you are my knight in shining armor!” Susan gushed, taking his arm as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “With you here, my father and I won’t have to be afraid of that old man anymore!”
Shawn, though irritated by the way she was clinging to him, put his thoughts aside. “It’s getting late. You should rest.”
“But I want to sleep with you,” Susan purred, her voice full of seduction. She allowed her clothes to slip off her shoulders, her movements calculated. “Let’s relive that night…”
She was determined to get close to him, to solidify her place by his side. Men usually took the bait, and she couldn’t afford to lose this chance to secure a life of comfort.
Shawn’s expression hardened as he took a step back, clearly uncomfortable with her advances. “It’s not the time yet. I’ll go first,” he said, his voice firm and final.
Without another word, he left, leaving Susan standing in the lavish property, seething with frustration but still pleased with the situation.
Back at Temperley Hall, Gale had long since fallen asleep. She lay at the door of the master bedroom, her black hair spilling out like a dark wave. From a distance, Shawn could only see her relaxed, sleeping form.
He walked over to her, standing above her with a sense of detachment, but his eyes lingered longer than he intended. Gale slept soundly, her body shifting slightly in her slumber. Her pajama collar shifted, revealing a sliver of her smooth, white skin.
Shawn’s breath caught in his throat, and his eyes unwillingly drifted downward. His throat tightened, an unfamiliar feeling stirring inside him. How could I develop feelings for Gale so easily? He thought, frustrated by his own reactions. If Susan was the woman I was looking for, how could I not feel anything for her?
But something about Gale, even in her sleep, made him uneasy. The connection he had with her was undeniable, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, it seemed to pull him in further.