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Novel Catalog
Chapter 13
Gale’s footsteps faltered, but she didn’t dare turn around. She could feel Sam Carson’s presence behind her, the weight of his gaze making her skin prickle.
“I saw you earlier, but I wasn’t sure if it was really you,” Sam called out softly. “But it’s you, Gale. I recognize you now.”
She was bent over, collecting discarded items from the street. Her movements were so practiced that it seemed like she had been doing it for years. Sam’s voice trembled with concern. “Gale… how did you fall to such a level? What have you been through these years? You used to be so bright, so full of life. You were my dream girl. Now, there’s a weariness in your eyes, a sadness in your body.”
Gale kept her gaze on the ground, her hands still working despite the ache in her chest. How had she fallen this low? How could Sam understand? How could anyone? He hadn’t been there when she needed him most.
“You’ve got the wrong person,” she replied coldly, her voice barely above a whisper.
“No, Gale. I recognize you, even if you were ashes,” Sam insisted, his voice desperate. He took a step closer, as if trying to reach her. “I know it’s you.”
She laughed bitterly, shaking her head as she finally turned to face him. “Yes, I’m Gale, your former fiancée,” she said, her voice hard. “But we have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please, continue walking your sunny path. I’ll walk mine.”
Once, they had been promised to each other—an engagement, a future. But after the collapse of the Warm family, the Carson family had severed all ties without a second thought. They had destroyed the marriage contract in an instant. To cut all connections, they had sent Sam abroad, leaving her alone to fight through the most difficult period of her life.
She had been alone, bouncing between prisons, hospitals, and police stations. She needed someone to help her. That person should’ve been Sam. But she couldn’t reach him. His phone was disconnected. The gates of the Carson family estate were shut tight, and the security guards had chased her away. No one was willing to help her, and she had learned, painfully, that Sam was one of them.
“Gale, listen to me,” Sam pleaded, stepping closer, his voice filled with regret. “It wasn’t my decision to go abroad. It was my father’s. He wanted me to build a career before marrying you. He wanted me to give you a good life. I agreed because I wanted to be the best husband I could be.”
“Could you not answer the phone when you were abroad?” Gale snapped, the words spilling out before she could stop them. “It’s like you disappeared off the face of the earth. Not once did you have time to speak to me!”
Sam’s expression darkened, but he held up his hands in surrender. “The situation at that time…”
Gale cut him off, her voice sharp as a knife. “Enough. I don’t want to hear it anymore. It’s over.”
She waved his hand away from her shoulder and began walking off. “Hey!” Sam called out, his voice strained. “Don’t follow me! The last person I want to see right now is you!”
Sam stood frozen, watching her walk away, his heart heavy with regret.
The assistant appeared at his side, his voice a quiet interruption. “Mr. Carson, it’s almost time for your appointment with Mr. Wood.”
Sam nodded, his gaze still lingering on Gale’s retreating figure. “Okay. But first, find out what Gale has been through in the past two years.”
“Understood, Mr. Carson,” the assistant replied, already pulling out his phone.
When Gale arrived at the Warm Group, she was already late. As she walked through the lobby, Fiona caught sight of her. “Mrs. Gale, you’re here! Mr. Wood has been waiting for you.”
Gale nodded quickly. “I’ll go right in.”
In the president’s office, Shawn was lounging in his chair, his eyes fixed on her as she entered. Gale felt his gaze like a weight pressing down on her, making her uneasy.
“Is something wrong…?” she asked cautiously.
Shawn’s lips curled into a smirk. “Undress.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Wait… What?”
“I said undress,” Shawn repeated, his tone colder now, more demanding.
Gale felt a surge of panic but tried to keep her composure. Slowly, she began unbuttoning her shirt, her hands trembling slightly. She turned her back to him as she did so, trying to shield herself from the intensity of his stare.
When she revealed her back, a long, jagged scar snaked down from her shoulder to her waist, a painful reminder of the torment she had endured. It was an ugly, disfiguring mark, and it caused her body to tremble with shame.
Shawn didn’t miss the tremor. He walked up behind her, his fingers lightly brushing the scar. “You choose to suffer?” he mused, his tone laced with disdain. “You don’t know what’s good for you.”
Gale’s lips parted in defiance. “The upright can be killed, but never insulted,” she snapped.
Shawn’s eyes narrowed, and he gave a cold laugh. “Really strong-willed. You survived this time, but what about the next?”
She turned to face him, her voice firm despite the pain. “Shawn, you don’t just want to abuse my body. You want to crush my self-esteem, to trample my pride underfoot.”
“That’s right,” he sneered, his voice cold and detached. “Mental torture is torture.”
Shawn’s fingers pressed into the scar, causing Gale to flinch in pain. She clenched her jaw, fighting back tears as he twisted the wound.
“Don’t provoke Susan,” Shawn warned, his tone harsh. “Or you’ll suffer her punishment, and it will be at her will. Do you hear me?”
“I heard,” Gale muttered, her voice distant, her body tensing under his touch.
There was a knock at the door. “Mr. Wood, the client you requested has arrived.”
Shawn tossed his jacket at Gale, who caught it reflexively. “Go in and get dressed.”
She hurried into the private lounge attached to the office, her breath coming in shallow gasps. It was a luxurious, private space, and everything she needed was within reach. Her eyes fell on a medicine box, and she immediately grabbed it. At least she wouldn’t have to spend any money to treat her wound.
As she applied the medicine to her back, she heard the sound of papers flipping in the main office. Shawn was meeting with someone. Gale took her time, hoping to be unnoticed for a while longer.
But then, disaster struck. As she picked up the medicine box to put it away, it slipped from her hands and crashed to the floor.
The noise was loud enough to be heard outside. Sam looked up from the designs in front of him, raising an eyebrow. “Mr. Wood, what was that sound?”
Shawn didn’t even look up. “It’s nothing. Just a mouse.”
Gale froze, stunned by his casual dismissal. She quickly crouched down, trying to gather the scattered contents of the medicine box. The rustling sounds only made her more anxious.
Sam, awkwardly clearing his throat, added, “Mr. Wood, you should consider buying a mousetrap.”
Shawn’s gaze flickered toward him, and he raised an eyebrow. “Good idea,” he replied, his voice dry.
Gale hurried to put everything back in its place, her heart racing in her chest. Once she finished, she slowly walked to the door, her breath steadying. She cracked the door open, her eyes peeking out cautiously.
The reception area was out of view from this angle. She eased the door open a little more, poking her head out. No one was to the right. She looked left—and then froze.
A figure in a black suit stood right in front of her. She lifted her gaze slowly and saw Shawn smirking down at her.
“What are you looking at?” he asked, his voice dark with amusement.