LOGINShawn returned to the country. He was a lot thinner than before, and his eyes carried exhaustion and something old. His gaze rested on my baby bump, and a hint of bitter despondence flickered in his eyes faster than anyone could grasp.He tucked that emotion away and donned a smile. "Congratulations."Zacharias and I nodded politely and said our thank yous. Shawn kept up his stiff smile and waved his hand. "I had no idea. So, I forgot to get something for my nephew. I'll get something right now. I'll be right back."He staggered out of the door, looking forlorn. A few moments later, a loud, screeching crash exploded outside. I felt my heart squeeze as I instinctively followed Zacharias out.Zacharias covered my eyes almost the second I was out and held me tightly in his embrace. "Don't look, Artemis."Although my vision was blocked, the metallic stench of blood hanging in the air told me something horrible had happened."Shawn!" Penelope's bloodcurdling shriek tore the air behind
Shawn left the next morning. No one knew where he went, and no one could get in touch with him. It was as if he'd erased his entire existence out of this city and cut off all his ties with it.A few days later, Zacharias took over all of the company and became president. After a while of fine-tuning, the company started operating as smoothly as a well-oiled machine.It genuinely seemed like everyone's lives were getting back on their tracks. That peace lasted until one morning I went to the headquarters with Zacharias for a meeting between top executives. Right after I arrived at the entrance, a sharp, shrill scream exploded behind me.Tamara showed up out of nowhere and charged at me while wildly swinging a knife at me. "Why won't you leave me alone, Artemis?"The guards quickly stopped her, but she thrashed and flailed against their grasps. She didn't even notice the knife had cut her finger. "My dad and I were already forced back to our hometown! Why'd you come after us? You're
I went back to the estate with Penelope. The housekeeper had kicked Tamara out when we were gone, and the house was already cleaned up. It didn't even look like an argument had happened here. Only a dim lamp illuminated a spot in the living room as Shawn sat alone in the center of the couch.An air of forlorn loneliness surrounded him. His back was hunched, and he remained unmoving in the darkness.He heard our footsteps and slowly pushed himself off the couch. Then, he slowly shuffled over to us and went down on his knees.Penelope was heartbroken seeing him so dejected. She ruffled his hair and spoke with a voice filled with exhaustion she didn't bother trying to hide. "Stay home. Rest up. There's no need for you to work at the company for now."Shawn shook upon hearing her words. His head jerked up, as if he wanted to salvage what little he had left. However, his words died in his throat when he met Penelope's disappointed gaze. In the end, all he could do was hang his head lo
Penelope turned around and took out the adoption papers from the depths of the cabinet. "You were never biologically related to this family! Your parents were sending you away after Zacharias was taken, so we adopted you! "We gave you as much love as we would to one of our own. We wanted you to manage the company with Zacharias when he comes home!"She watched Shawn as all the color drained from his face bit by bit. This time, her eyes held nothing but disappointment for him. "But you let Tamara control you every single time. You kept allowing her to go wild! She's an outsider! "I can't ever let you have power over the company, not when you're blind to what's important!"The last of Shawn's confidence was shattered right then and there. His legs buckled, and he crumpled to the ground. Shawn buried his face in his hands as muffled sobs trickled through the cracks between his fingers.Penelope stopped looking at him. Then, she gently held my and Zacharias' hands. "Let's go. Let hi
Shawn was stunned as he stared at Zacharias with his eyes wide as saucers. "Impossible! He can't be my brother! I'm the only heir to this family!"Penelope heaved another sigh as she turned to leave. "We're going to the study."That study was this estate's most secretive place, as no one but Penelope was allowed in. Eventually, we stood at its entrance, and Penelope glanced at Tamara coldly. "No outsiders allowed."Tamara's cutesy act froze on her face. She shook Shawn's arm, trying to have him put in a good word for her. Unfortunately, Shawn's mind wasn't in the right place to help her. "Stay here and don't go anywhere."After her attempt ended in failure, all the tenderness in her eyes turned into something malicious. Still, she couldn't exactly let it out when we were around, so she stayed outside the room.Penelope stopped at the cabinet in the deepest depths of the study and pulled out some yellowing files. Then, she laid them all out on the desk."Zacharias' birth certifica
Shawn's face fell, and the perfume slid out of his hands. "That is enough, Artemis! I promised I'd marry you after coming home, but you couldn't wait, so you brought another guy home? Are you that thirsty for men? Do you really want to get married that much?"He stepped forth and was about to pull our hands apart. Something icy flashed in Zacharis' eyes. He was about to argue, but I raised my hand. Then I shifted slightly, moving out from under Shawn's glare.I took out my phone and held the screen in front of him. "Look closely. No one's going to wait forever, Shawn."The screen was showing the wedding that happened yesterday. It was low profile. There had been no baby's breath. No dramatic accidents. No one fainted, screamed, or interrupted.We had simply gone through the ceremony quietly and properly. The video stopped at the moment Zacharias and I embraced.Shawn froze. His eyes were on the screen, and his fingers were trembling. A moment later, his resolve stopped wavering.







