Chapter 16
Candace’s heart sank as she turned to leave, only to find Shawn blocking her path. His hands gripped her shoulders tightly, his face lighting up with intense joy as his lips trembled, unable to form words.
After a long moment, he stammered, “Candy, you’re not dead? You weren’t dead after all?”
Shawn’s face broke into ecstatic joy as he lifted her, tears streaming down his face. “I thought you and Jamie had fallen into the river and died without a trace. I never imagined you were both still alive!
“I’ve been donating money to build churches for the past two years, having priests pray around the clock for you and Jamie, hoping you’d both find peace. I never expected it to actually work!
“Thank the merciful God! Thank Heaven I get to see you again!”
“Let go of me!” Candace avoided his passionate embrace and said, “I’m not your dead wife. My name is Aurelia Sinclair, and I’m Zayne’s girlfriend!”
“I know it’s you, Candy!” Shawn joyfully caressed her cheek, tears streaming down his face.
“You’re so cruel. You actually cut off that beautiful long hair you’d grown for five years and even had that little mole under your right eye removed just to escape me, didn’t you?
“Do you know how much I’ve missed you these past two years since you left?”
He leaned down to kiss her lips, his tears falling onto Candace’s cheek. “Candy, I’ve missed you so much that I nearly went insane!
“So many times I’d get drunk and hallucinate that you were there to take me home, but when I sobered up, I’d find myself holding nothing. You were gone!”
Candace struggled desperately, but he only held her tighter.
In the next instant, a figure in white rushed over and knocked Shawn to the ground. “Candace and your child were driven to their deaths by you long ago. This is my girlfriend, Aurelia. Stop your madness and get out of our sight!”
Shawn clutched his stomach and struggled to his feet, his eyes blazing as he said, “Don’t try to fool me. This is my Candy!
“She picks at her nails when she’s nervous and likes to bite when she’s angry. How could she be another woman?
“You’re the one who should get lost! She’s my lawfully wedded wife!”
“What fantasy are you living in?” Zayne’s face darkened as he threw another punch.
“Candace signed the divorce papers before she died. She left with Jamie and didn’t want you anymore, understand?
“If you harass my girlfriend again, I’ll beat you up every time I see you!”
“She’s my Candy!” Shawn called out anxiously from behind the crowd that blocked him.
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“I’m sorry, Candy! After I lost my memory, I mistook Yelena for you and did so many terrible things. I’ll make it up to you from now on. Please come back to me, won’t you?”
Candace treated him like he was invisible, linking her arm through Zayne’s as she said, “Zayne, let’s go.”
The two returned to their private room, where everyone was clamoring to play games. The loser would have to complete a challenge with their teammate. Candace found herself on a losing streak and needed to play the cookie challenge with Zayne.
The moment their bodies touched, they were suddenly pulled apart by a powerful force. She stumbled from being yanked away and looked up in surprise to see Shawn, whose face was filled with anguish. He was the one who had separated them.
Shawn’s whole body trembled as he held her tightly in his arms, his voice shaking. “Candy, you’re mine! I won’t let you kiss another man!
“I even brought that bitch, Yelena, here. You can punish her however you want!”
Candace looked down and saw the woman in black lying on the ground. Her face was ashen, her hair had turned mostly white, and a horrifying four–inch -long scar ran across her right cheek.
“Candace, what I did back then was unforgivable.” Yelena sobbed with tears streaming down her face.
“You can hit me or curse me however you want, but please beg Shawn to show mercy and let me see my son just once!
“I haven’t seen Nathan in two years. I dream of him crying and looking for me every single night. I’m going insane!”
Candace gazed at her former high school roommate, her mind racing with countless thoughts. During those eight years of waiting for Shawn to recover his memory, she had despised Yelena.
She hated how this woman had schemed to steal her place, hated how she whispered poison into Shawn’s ear, making him detest her even more.
But now, Candace found her heart unmoved when she faced Yelena again. It was as if she were looking at a complete stranger. Yelena’s tears and pleas meant absolutely nothing to her.
“Candy, I’ve already had people retrieve that set of emerald jewelry Yelena stole from you. Nathan’s locked away in a secret location. She’ll never see him again!”
Shawn’s eyes blazed with fury as he hissed through gritted teeth, “Whatever additional punishment you want for her, just say the word, and I’ll make it
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happen!”
“I’m not your wife, and I couldn’t care less how you punish Yelena.” Candace’s voice was ice–cold as she continued, “Mr. Hamilton, please show some self–respect and stop harassing me, or I’ll call the police!”
“You…” Shawn stared at her with devastated eyes, dropping his head like a scolded child.
His voice was breaking as he continued, “Candy, you used to say that if you wore shoes from someone you loved, you’d always find your way home and get back everything you’d lost.
“I’ve worn these gray sneakers you bought me every single day for three years. I don’t even take them off when I sleep!
“I’m so sorry for doubting you back then and putting you through hell. Please come home with me and bring Jamie, will you? I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you!”
“I’m really not your wife.” Candace frowned with displeasure and quickly walked to Zayne’s side, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“Zayne, this man is scaring me. He won’t stop following me. Please just take me away!”
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Zayne swept her into his arms and strode away.
Shawn chased after them relentlessly, holding up a ring in his hand as he screamed, “Candy, I had your lost emerald wedding ring repaired! Just take one look, please!
“Don’t abandon me! Don’t leave me behind!”
Candace buried her head against Zayne’s chest and didn’t look up. She could vaguely hear the bodyguards blocking Shawn while the two groups of men argued fiercely.
She gripped Zayne’s sleeve tightly, looking exhausted. “Let’s go back to Fohzan tomorrow. I don’t want to see him anymore.”
“Alright. We’ll do whatever you want,” Zayne replied.
Back home that evening, Candace collapsed onto the couch, feeling utterly worn out.
She could see Shawn’s tall figure standing under the streetlight through her floor–to–ceiling windows. He didn’t use an umbrella, merely letting the rain soak his clothes as he called her name over and over again.
She walked toward the windows and drew the curtains, ignoring him completely.
Moments later, Candace’s phone was flooded with calls from Shawn. She blocked his number and removed her SIM card, then covered herself with a blanket to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Candace woke to the sound of thunderclaps outside. Fear gripped her heart as she jolted awake and curled into a ball, only to be swept into the arms of a dark figure who had rushed into her room.
“Don’t be afraid, Candy. I’m here.”
Shawn’s voice startled her completely awake. She jerked back in alarm and pushed him away as she shouted, “How did you get into my house? Get out!
“I’m not your wife, so stop pestering me!”
Shawn held her in an iron grip, refusing to let go. “Candy, I get it. You hate me and want nothing to do with me, but I’ll else again.
“You’re my Candy. I’d know you anywhere, no matter what!”
never confuse you
with anyone
“Mr. Hamilton, please face reality and stop living in a fantasy!” Candace looked at him with cold, indifferent eyes.
“Your wife jumped into the river with your child two years ago and killed herself. I’m not her! I just happen to look like her.”
“Just happen to look like her?” Shawn grabbed her nightgown and ripped it open, pointing to the dark green birthmark on her inner thigh. “Then, explain this! Did you honestly think you could keep this charade up?”
