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Novel Catalog
Chapter 53
Gale lay next to Shawn, her thoughts racing. A mix of hatred and bitterness boiled inside her. He had ruined her life, torn it apart piece by piece. As she stared at him, she considered the possibility. She could end it all—end him—right here, right now. One swift move, and everything would be over.
Her hand reached out almost involuntarily, fingers brushing against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her palm. The warmth of his body contrasted with the coldness in her heart.
Suddenly, a flash of light pierced through the window, and the faint sound of footsteps approached. The security guard. The reality of the situation snapped back into her mind.
“No… don’t be impulsive,” she muttered to herself, her thoughts racing. “I still have my children… and my parents. If Shawn dies, the Wood family will never forgive them.”
Her hand curled into a fist, nails digging into her palm. She pulled the quilt over him, stood up quietly, and left the room.
Tolerate, she reminded herself. Impulsiveness wouldn’t serve her. The best way forward was to uncover the truth and clear her father’s name.
The next morning, Shawn woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. It had been the best sleep he had gotten in years. His mood was notably better as well, and for once, he seemed at peace. Gale, on the other hand, couldn’t help but smile to herself, silently thanking Joe for the advice. It appeared the aromatherapy had worked.
She arrived at the company only to find her phone buzzing nonstop with more than twenty messages. She felt a pang of curiosity as she checked the screen, her eyes narrowing when she saw that the messages were from Susan.
Shawn glanced at her phone, intrigued. “Who’s looking for you?”
Gale showed him the screen. “From Susan.”
He saw the dozen or so pictures of rings and a series of voice notes from Susan. She was going on and on about her preferences for the wedding ring.
“I like this style. The diamonds should be big and clear. It would be even better if there were pink diamonds or other colored stones!” Susan’s voice came through the speaker, the excitement clear in her tone.
“If there are no pink diamonds, other gemstones should be next to the diamonds. And it needs to be heart-shaped! I don’t want anything too common. I want it to be unique. The only one of its kind!”
Gale muttered under her breath as she looked through the pictures. “As expected… new money.”
While she responded to Susan, Gale asked Shawn, “Are you sure… I have to follow Susan’s wishes?”
Shawn shrugged, uninterested. “It’s all up to her.”
Gale frowned, a little annoyed. “You’re so kind to her. Did Susan save your life or something? You have to repay her kindness?”
Shawn’s eyes narrowed as they shifted to her, cold and calculating. “You just need to understand that you’ll never compare to her.”
Gale smirked, her tone nonchalant. “Oh.” That was her reply to Susan as well—simple, dismissive.
Seeing the “Oh” after so many detailed messages, Susan’s temper flared. “She’s so dismissive of me! Humph! She’ll regret it if I’m not happy with the ring!”
The dean, trying to calm her down, reassured her. “Do whatever you want. Scold her, make things difficult for her. Even if she has a good design, you have to find fault with it.”
Susan’s anger didn’t abate. “Of course! She’s Mrs. Wood now, but she’s still not any better than me. She wants to design a wedding ring for me? Let her try.”
The dean’s voice grew more serious. “These are small things compared to the real problem. Susan, you’re pregnant now. That’s the tricky part.”
Susan’s face darkened. “Don’t even mention it, Dad. I almost caused a miscarriage last time, but… Shawn arrived just in time!” The memory of that incident made her even angrier. She grabbed a pillow and threw it onto the ground, frustration evident in every movement.
The dean tried to calm her. “Susan, you can’t be too obvious when dealing with Gale, especially about her pregnancy. No one can know about it. Keep it a secret, and make sure that child dies!”
The last part of his statement was cold and sinister, a chilling reminder of how far the Wood family was willing to go to protect their own interests.