Chapter 12
Shawn finally understood why Kathleen had been so bold the first time they met. If he hadn’t pushed her away back then, she would have gotten her way.
At this moment, she finally regained her senses. “Wait. What are you talking about? I’m not pregnant.”
He leaned against the wall casually and asked, “Then, why are you trying to have a child with me?”
“I said I wanted to,” she quickly explained. “I just wanted to, but it’s not like I’m dying to do so. If you don’t agree to it, then we won’t have one.”
“I don’t agree.”
Kathleen wasn’t surprised, but still felt the need to explain herself. “I’m not pregnant. Ryan and I never got that far.”
“That has nothing to do with me.” Shawn had no intention of continuing this topic. “If you want to have a child, let me know. I won’t stop you from having one with someone else. If you stay married to me and have a child with someone else, I’ll murder you, though.”
His tone was light and calm, yet it reminded her of the day he told his subordinates to handle it over the phone, and she couldn’t help but shiver in terror.
“I would never do that!” She sucked in a deep breath.
Shawn straightened, his dark eyes deep and dangerous, like a bottomless abyss. His gaze locked onto her, sharp and unrelenting, as if he were ready to pull her into its depths.
“You wanted this marriage and refused to let it go. Since that’s the case, you’re stuck unless I die.”
…
Kathleen had never liked drinking alcohol because it was bad for her health. However, there were moments when it helped calm her.
“Do you really like him or are you lying?”
Chelsey had just returned from a business trip. She hadn’t even changed clothes before heading straight to the bar to look for her.
Kathleen looked different from when she found out Ryan was cheating. This time, there was a strange kind of sadness hanging over her.
She pushed back the hair over her chest and looked at Chelsey. “To be honest, I’ve known Shawn for a long time.”
Chelsey was surprised by this information. “Since when?”
“A long time ago,” Kathleen replied, staring at her glass. “The year my mom found out my dad was cheating, she was so devastated she tried to drive off a bridge. I couldn’t stop her. Shawn happened to pass by and helped pull her back. Unfortunately, my mom didn’t cherish that.”
A wry smile was plastered on her face as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Seeing this, Chelsey slid over and gently pulled Katherine into an embrace.
“I’m fine.” Kathleen forced a smile and took a sip of wine, then pressed her lips together. “Shawn saved my mom, but he probably doesn’t remember it. When you mentioned his name the other day, it came back to me. Before he drove off, a woman called out his name from his car, and that’s how I learned his name.”
Chelsey hadn’t known any of this. “So that’s why you married him?” she asked.
“Yes.” Kathleen gripped her glass. “I really hope it’s just a misdiagnosis. If he’s not sick, maybe the one he loves won’t leave him.”
Chelsey didn’t know what to say about Shawn either.
The two of them were there and drank in silence. Even the restless noise around them couldn’t stir their deadened mood.
“Do you really want to have his child?”
Kathleen chuckled and replied, “He doesn’t want one.”
“What if he does?”
“Then, I will.”
Her answer made Chelsey frown.
Kathleen poured herself another drink. “Chels, when I heard him mention the word ‘death’, it made me uncomfortable. I don’t want him to die.”
Chelsey understood that no matter what, Shawn had once saved someone dear to Kathleen.
“Everyone has their fate.” She sighed. “There are things that we don’t have the power to change.”
Kathleen was aware of this. She laid her head down on the table, and her mood sank even lower. “Which is why I want to do something for him. But there’s nothing I can do.”
She had married him because she believed that someone should be with him at the end of his life, but the truth was, he didn’t need her at all.
Chelsey knew there was no solution to the problem now. Thus, she poured Kathleen another drink and patted her back. “Just be yourself.”
“Okay.”
Kathleen was just feeling sad that Shawn was still young, but he didn’t have much time left.
She kept drinking until it was too much, and her head began to spin.
Chelsey had a better alcohol tolerance, so she was sober and helped Kathleen out of the bar.
…
She took Kathleen back to Shawn’s house and rang the doorbell. After pressing it twice, the door finally opened.
When she saw the man standing at the door, she froze for a moment. As Kathleen had stated, Shawn was indeed attractive, and he was the type of man that women might easily fall for.
“Take care of your wife.” With that, Chelsey pushed her into Shawn’s arms.
He reacted quickly and caught her.
His sense of smell was sharp. The moment he opened the door, he caught a strong whiff of alcohol, which was now even stronger.
Kathleen leaned against him, seemingly unaware of anything.
“I’m leaving. Oh, don’t take anything she says or does seriously. She’s just drunk,” Chelsey said.
Shawn’s brows furrowed instantly.
Chelsey left after giving a wave.
In his arms, Kathleen appeared soft and weak. The faint smell of alcohol mingled with her light fragrance slipped into his body with each inhalation.
He threw one arm around her waist, locked the door, and led her inside.
She didn’t sleep peacefully. Her eyelashes trembled, and tears welled at the corners of her eyes as though she had been crying.
Shawn believed that when a woman cried, it was either because of a man or a life that hadn’t gone the way she wanted.
Since Kathleen’s life wasn’t bad, it could only be because of a man. He reasoned she must be hurt to learn her boyfriend of two years had cheated on her in front of her.
“Shawn…” she muttered.
He thought she was awake and looked down only to find her eyes closed.
Shawn believed she was trying to stir up trouble while pretending to be drunk.
“I don’t want you to die.”
Upon hearing this, his hands froze.
A single tear slid from the corner of her eye, down her cheek, and disappeared into his clothes.
…
Kathleen’s head throbbed.
She struggled in bed for a long time before eventually opening her eyes. It took her several minutes of staring blankly before she remembered something.
She threw off the blankets and checked her pajamas before immediately calling Chelsey.
“Did you change my clothes?”
“No. I left after handing you over to Shawn.”
Kathleen was stunned when she heard this.
“Did he change your clothes for you?” Chelsey’s voice immediately brightened up. “Did you sleep with him?”
Kathleen ran a hand through her tangled hair. “How is that possible?”
“You didn’t get drunk and try anything?”
Kathleen was left dumbfounded after hearing her friend tease her that way.
She figured Shawn most likely suspected the same thing last night, but she believed she probably didn’t do anything inappropriate. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have woken up in bed like this.
She climbed out of bed and walked out of the bedroom. The weather was beautiful today, and the sun shone brightly.
Warm sunlight spilled in from the windows, soft and glowing. Shawn stood in the light and looked so ethereal, as if he might vanish if she blinked.
She stood there staring at him, scarcely breathing, frightened she might ruin such a beautiful scene.
Just then, Shawn looked up from his laptop and his gaze locked on her.
As their eyes met, Kathleen licked her lips and smiled. “Thank you for last night.”
“I hope there won’t be a next time,” he stated before returning his attention to the screen.
She was a little speechless at his response and found that he could be quite dull sometimes.
“You didn’t do anything to me last night, right?” She poured a glass of water and walked toward him. She admired how his long, slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the keyboard.
Upon hearing her question, his finger halted and curled slightly before he continued typing away. Without raising his head, he responded calmly, “I’m not interested in you.”
