Chapter 5
Shawn walked into the bathroom without sparing Kathleen a second glance.
In the quiet room, Kathleen reached up and touched her throat. For a moment back there, she really thought he was going to strangle her.
He didn’t have to say a word—she’d stay far away from him alone.
She moved into a shadowy corner of the room, letting out a silent sigh. The path to becoming a rich woman was tough.
When Shawn came out of the bathroom, he glanced toward the doorway and found her original spot empty. Assuming she’d left, he took a few steps before spotting her hiding in the darkness.
Kathleen was sitting on the floor, messaging Chelsey.
Chelsey knew she was spending the night under the same roof as Shawn and couldn’t help worrying about her.
Snapping a photo of the floor, Kathleen sent it to Chelsey. “Don’t worry. My desire to touch him is stronger than his.”
Just after she sent it, she heard a faint noise.
She looked up and saw Shawn in gray pajamas. The collar was slightly opened, revealing his fair-skinned neck that would make women envious. His Adam’s apple moved in an almost sexy way.
His damp hair and languid expression gave him an air of effortless nobility. He was truly handsome and captivating.
His features were striking. There wasn’t even a single flaw to find. Just looking at him felt like a win, let alone becoming his wife.
“You should rest earlier,” Kathleen said politely, remembering his poor health.
Shawn walked straight to bed without even looking at her. He pulled up the covers and switched off the light.
Kathleen fell silent.
In the huge bedroom, she felt like a stray cat in someone else’s home. The original resident didn’t like her, so she had to hide in the shadows and make herself as small as possible.
Suddenly, she lost the urge to share anything with Chelsey.
From Shawn’s perspective, he hadn’t done anything wrong. If she were in his shoes, she probably would’ve called the police.
She leaned against the wall. The room was heated, so at least it wasn’t cold.
She put down her phone.
She was now staying in a stranger’s house. It felt strange to share a room with someone she barely knew, but who happened to be her husband.
The past few days felt like a dream—a mix of bitter and absurd.
She sighed quietly and closed her eyes.
An old saying popped into her head, “You’ve made your bed, now lie in it.”
…
Kathleen woke up from the cold. She wasn’t carried to bed, and there was no blanket draped over her. None of that warmth existed here.
Shawn was indeed heartless.
He had already washed up and dressed, standing nearby.
“There’s a change of clothes in the bathroom. Clean yourself up. Don’t give people the impression I abused you.”
Kathleen rubbed her nose and couldn’t hold back a sneeze.
Did he really care what others thought?
She steadied herself against the wall. Sitting for so long had made her legs numb, her waist sore, and her neck stiff.
Shawn watched coldly as she struggled toward the bathroom. For once, he felt a strange emotion. Maybe he just didn’t expect her to have spent the night on the floor.
She kept her distance even after marrying him—at least she knew her place.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Glancing at the screen, he looked toward the bathroom and answered.
“Shawn, I fell.” On the other end, Kathleen’s choked voice came through.
His brow furrowed. She began to cause trouble just when he thought she knew her place.
“If you fall, just get up.”
Tears welled in Kathleen’s eyes. When she heard that cold reply, they spilled over.
If she could get up, would she have called him?
“I can’t move.” She sniffled, her voice thick with pain.
She’d been standing on one leg while pulling off her pants when something in her leg gave out. Her leg went weak, and she fell.
Luckily, she managed to drag her phone with her. Otherwise, she would’ve been screaming herself hoarse by now.
His cold words made her suddenly feel wronged, but she couldn’t really blame him.
Shawn said nothing on the other end of the line, but Kathleen could already guess what he was thinking—that she had it coming.
“Shawn…” she called out again.
She heard a faint click, and the call ended.
Just when she felt hopeless, the bathroom door opened.
Shawn’s expression was dark as he looked at Kathleen lying on the floor.
She was wearing only a black bra on top, exposing a large patch of fair skin. One leg was still tangled in her jeans, the other bare.
It was the most awkward and undignified position he’d ever seen.
Kathleen knew she must’ve looked terrible. She hadn’t meant for things to end up like this. Being stared at like that made her flush with shame.
“I really can’t get up.” She tried to push herself up to prove she wasn’t lying. However, the moment she moved, the pain made her tear up again.
Shawn’s gaze darkened. He bent down and lifted her into his arms.
The moment his hands touched her bare skin, his throat tightened as he suppressed the strange feeling in his chest.
Keeping his eyes strictly forward, he carried her out of the bathroom and placed her on the bed.
Kathleen didn’t care that it was his bed anymore. She yanked the blanket over herself, mumbling, “Thank you.”
She’d never been this embarrassed.
She could have fallen down anywhere else, but not in his bathroom. She had even taken off her clothes. The only consolation was that she hadn’t taken everything off.
Biting her lip, she was too ashamed to say anything.
Shawn took out his phone and made a call. “Come over to the Vance residence… Not me… Alright.”
After hanging up, he glanced at Kathleen, curled up under his blanket.
The thought of her being half-naked in his bed made him frown. She really knew how to stir up trouble—a real pain in the neck.
…
After a moment of silence, Kathleen guessed he’d probably called a doctor. She slowly tugged the blanket down and asked in a muffled voice, “Can you get me some clothes?”
Shawn stood still.
“If someone sees me like this…” She bit her lip and continued, “I am your wife, at least on paper. And I’m lying in your bed…”
“Shut up.”
He turned and went to the bathroom. When he came out, he tossed a set of women’s loungewear onto the bed.
Kathleen had seen the bathroom’s large walk-in closet before. It was fully stocked with toiletries, lingerie, and comfortable loungewear. They were all thoughtfully prepared.
She took the clothes and began to change, but she struggled with the pants.
Her back ached, and her leg wouldn’t lift. She looked to Shawn for help as she couldn’t pull up her pants.
He read her silent plea, his expression dark like a summer thunderstorm.
“Please help me.”
She wasn’t doing this on purpose. She really couldn’t move. This was the first time she ever needed help with something like this, too.
“Or you could call Judy.”
In the end, Shawn walked over to the bed. Without much gentleness, he yanked the blanket aside, leaving her completely exposed.
