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Novel Catalog
Chapter 5
Realizing her mistake, Paula quickly covered her mouth. “It’s nothing. Since you’re part of the Wood family, you should know the rules. Look at how indecent you are!”
Gale raised her hand instinctively to cover her body. “I’ll change right now.”
Paula scoffed, her voice dripping with contempt. “It’s really embarrassing. I don’t know what Shawn sees in you. Any girl in Sea City would be a better match.”
Suddenly, a gray suit was draped over Gale’s shoulders. It felt warm, and the familiar scent of Shawn’s cologne enveloped her.
“No matter what she does, it’s not your place to lecture her,” Shawn’s voice rang out, cutting through the tension. He pulled Gale into his arms, his tone sharp. “Aunt Fiona, you’re too lenient with your opinions.”
Gale instinctively tried to pull away, worried that her wet clothes would dirty him, but Shawn insisted on holding her tightly. His grip didn’t waver, and Gale’s mind raced. What’s wrong with him? she thought. Does he have a fever? Why is he acting like this?
When Paula saw Shawn’s protective gesture, she quickly plastered a smile on her face. “Shawn, I’m just setting some rules for my daughter-in-law.”
“My rules are the only rules that matter here,” Shawn retorted, his voice firm. “She doesn’t need to follow yours.”
Paula’s smile froze, while Gale stood rigid, stunned. Shawn was actually defending her. He pulled Gale closer, his hold comforting yet confusing, as he led her to the villa.
“Housekeeper, see off the guests,” he ordered, his tone brooking no argument.
“Yes, sir.”
Gale, still overwhelmed, dared not speak, unsure of what had just happened.
“Who was that just now?” she asked quietly after a long pause, breaking the silence.
“Just my stepmother,” Shawn replied lightly.
“Oh…” Gale answered after a beat, her mind still racing. “You must’ve offended her by speaking up for me just now.”
Shawn’s response was casual, his expression unreadable. “What does that matter? She’s not qualified to bully you.”
Gale looked down, her thoughts swirling. He was right—Paula wasn’t in a position to treat her like that, but Shawn’s words sent a ripple of unease through her.
Shawn pursed his lips slightly, his eyes narrowing as he added, “In this world, only I have the right to bully you.”
Gale’s heart skipped a beat. The weight of his words settled heavily on her chest. Only he could bully me… The realization stung in a way she didn’t expect. No one else had the power, the permission, or the desire to harm her like he did. She couldn’t quite understand how she felt about it.
Shawn looked at her then, his voice shifting to something more direct. “You apologized to Paula just now, didn’t you?”
Gale lowered her gaze, her thoughts momentarily lost. “Yes.”
“Slap yourself,” Shawn commanded.
She froze, unable to comprehend what he was asking. “What?”
“You heard me,” Shawn said, his gaze hardening. “Slap yourself.”
Gale stared at him, completely confused. Was he punishing her for apologizing to Paula? Before she could gather her thoughts, Shawn raised an eyebrow, his impatience clear.
Realization hit, and Gale’s mind raced. She had no choice. If she didn’t obey, there would be more punishment, more slaps, until he was satisfied. With a deep breath, Gale gathered the strength to slap herself hard, the sharp sound ringing in the quiet room. The sting on her cheek was immediate and intense, and it was clear from the redness that it was what he wanted.
Shawn nodded approvingly, a faint smirk on his lips. He pointed at the insulated box on the coffee table. “Go, open it.”
Gale moved mechanically, her hands trembling as she lifted the lid. A fragrant aroma immediately filled the air, tempting her senses.
“This is…” Gale began, recognizing the familiar smell.
“The soup from Paula,” Shawn finished for her, his tone almost too casual.
The scent brought a wave of memories rushing back—memories of her mother’s soups, of the times when she had been taken care of. But now… now she would never taste her mother’s cooking again. Her heart clenched painfully. The probability of her mother ever waking from her vegetative state was low, and that thought threatened to break her. She fought to keep the tears at bay, blinking rapidly to force them back.
Shawn held her tightly, his grip firm as he raised her chin, his gaze unwavering. “Gale, drink.”
She hesitated. “It’s not right… This is Paula’s soup.”
Shawn’s voice grew impatient. “Drink it. You’ll drink whatever she brings from now on.”
He took the spoon from the box, scooping up the soup with practiced ease, and held it out to her. “Drink.”
Gale’s mind spun. She didn’t want to drink it, not like this, but Shawn had made his demands clear. And she was too hungry to refuse. She opened her mouth reluctantly, the soup warm against her lips.
An inexplicable smile flickered in Shawn’s eyes as he watched her. The soup, made to enhance fertility in men, was harmless to her. But Gale didn’t know this. She simply drank, too hungry to question his motives.
As she swallowed another spoonful, Shawn tossed a document onto the table, the sharp edges of the papers catching the light.
“Sign it,” he ordered.
Gale looked down at the paper. It was a divorce agreement. Just a few months after their marriage, and he was already planning to end it. What was he thinking?
“Three months from now, we’ll divorce,” Shawn said, his tone detached. “You’ll leave the house. And for these three months, you’ll be a good Mrs. Wood.”
Gale stared at the agreement, the weight of his words pressing heavily on her. Three months. She couldn’t understand. Why was he doing this?
Shawn’s confidence was absolute. He believed that within three months, he would find the woman he had slept with that night. And once he did, Gale would be nothing more than a memory.
She lifted her head, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her. “Okay, divorce. But I have conditions.”
Shawn sneered. “What qualifications do you have to make demands of me?”
Gale took a breath, knowing she had to choose her words carefully. “I want you to… investigate the cause of your father’s death.”
Shawn’s expression darkened instantly. His eyes flashed with fury as his body tensed.
“How dare you!” he hissed. “Do you really want to die so badly?”
Gale’s heart pounded, but she stood firm. “My father was an experienced doctor. He would never have made such a mistake. He didn’t use the wrong medicine.”
Shawn’s anger exploded. He kicked the coffee table, sending the soup flying across the room. “Gale, how dare you bring this up? Do you think you can absolve your father?”
Her throat tightened as Shawn’s grip on her neck suddenly tightened, cutting off her air. His strength was suffocating, and she could feel the darkness closing in.
“Say another word,” Shawn warned through gritted teeth, his voice laced with venom. “I’ll make sure you regret it.”
The world blurred around Gale, her vision fading as she gasped for breath, her pulse racing.
Shawn’s grip only tightened, the pressure pushing her closer to unconsciousness. But in that moment, a twisted thought crossed her mind: Would it be better if I just died now? Living felt like a constant fight, and maybe… maybe it would be easier to just let go.
But then, as quickly as it started, the pressure was gone. Shawn released her, his eyes cold with rage.
“You won’t die so easily,” he sneered. “I want to keep you alive to torture you, day after day.”
Gale collapsed to the floor, tears slipping down her face as her body shook. She realized, with a sickening certainty, that only she could uncover the truth about Alex Wood’s death. No one would help her. No one would give her answers.
Wiping her tears away, she stood up and lowered her head, following Shawn to the bedroom.
“I’ll just sleep on the floor,” she said, her voice small and resigned.
Shawn didn’t answer. He walked to the window, staring out into the night. Gale lay on the floor, curling up into a ball, exhaustion pulling her under. She closed her eyes, thankful that at least here, her nightmare wasn’t as bad as it had been in the mental hospital.
As Shawn finished his cigarette, he turned and saw Gale asleep on the floor, the moonlight illuminating her pale skin. Her long eyelashes cast shadows over her delicate features, and her lips, soft and red, seemed to beckon him.
He froze, his body stiffening. For a brief moment, an overwhelming urge to kiss her washed over him.
But then he quickly looked away, his heart pounding.
What was wrong with him?
He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought, and strode back to the bed. Without another word, he grabbed Gale from the floor, his grip firm, as he pulled her into his arms.