Chapter 3

Shawn ignored Ethan’s taunt and turned to leave.

Ethan frowned when he saw Shawn trying to get away. He was about to scold him again when a familiar figure appeared in the corridor.

An idea struck him. He grabbed Shawn’s hand and dragged him into the fountain.

Neither of them could swim. They thrashed in the water and cried for help.

Shawn’s wounds reopened, and blood spread through the fountain.

Cold water rushed into his nose, making him cough.

The pain drained what little strength he had left, and he sank.

Just as he was about to suffocate, he saw Wendy run toward them and jump into the water.

She swam straight past him without a glance or an outstretched hand. She grabbed Ethan and pulled him to the edge.

Ethan held her close, his eyes red. He looked at Shawn, who was still struggling in the water, and feigned concern.

“Shawn accidentally pushed me in. Wendy, you know he’s my only brother. Please get him out.”

Wendy looked at Shawn in the fountain, her face turning cold.

“Ethan, stop defending him. He tried to drown you, then jumped in himself so he could play the victim. He hasn’t learned a thing. Leave him in there until he comes to his senses!”

Every word reached Shawn and cut deep.

His face turned purple. His ears rang, and the last of his strength slipped away.

His thoughts grew hazy, and his vision blurred.

He watched Wendy and Ethan walk away, then lost consciousness…

Shawn didn’t know how much time passed before a cold draft woke him.

He shivered and opened his eyes. Martin and Caroline stood over him, their faces dark with anger.

“How dare you push Ethan into the water? Were you trying to kill him and take his place with Wendy?”

“As long as your father and I are alive, that will never happen! You can’t compare to your brother in any way. You don’t deserve Wendy. Accept that and stop dreaming about her!”

Their angry words left Shawn cold. Despair slowly filled his eyes.

Years of pain he kept buried finally burst out.

“I don’t deserve her? But he does? If you hadn’t lied to Wendy, she would never have looked twice at him! You stole what was mine and gave it to him. Aren’t you ashamed?”

Caroline’s face flushed with anger when he talked back. Martin raised a hand and slapped him.

“You ungrateful son! We’re your parents. We gave you your life and everything you have. If we want to take something back and give it to your brother, we can. What right do you have to complain?

“And if you dare tell Wendy the truth again, we’ll…”

Before Martin could finish, the door to the hospital room swung open.

Wendy walked in with a frown.

“The truth? What truth?”

Wendy’s sudden arrival startled Martin and Caroline. They stumbled over their words.

“We were… we were questioning our ungrateful son. We want him to tell us why he pushed Ethan into the water.”

“Yes, exactly. He refuses to admit it, no matter what we say. Caroline and I are at our wits’ end. We don’t even know how to punish him.”

They exchanged a glance and steered the conversation away from what Wendy had overheard.

Wendy thought nothing of it. She looked at Shawn with icy eyes.

“If he still won’t admit what he did, lock him in the morgue. Let him out when he’s ready to own up to it.”

Martin and Caroline thought it was a good idea. They immediately called their bodyguards to take him there.

Shawn held a hand against his swollen cheek. His eyes were empty.

He knew resistance would only bring a harsher punishment, so he let the bodyguards drag him away.

The morgue’s chilling cold surrounded him. He wrapped his arms around his trembling body, but he couldn’t stop shivering.

Shawn remembered the nights he and Wendy spent at the Stone family estate, huddled together for warmth while thunder and lightning raged outside.

He would take off his coat and drape it over her shoulders. She would hold his hand tightly, curl up in his arms, and tell him again and again, “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”

The sweet memories tangled with the cold reality around him and made it hurt all the more.

Time dragged on.

Hungry and freezing, Shawn gradually lost his grip on his surroundings.

Then the door opened.

Wendy walked in, her face cold and her gaze sharp.

“You’ve been in here for a day and a night. Do you understand what you did wrong?”

“Yes. I was completely wrong.”

Shawn lay curled up on the floor. He could barely force the hoarse words from his throat.

Wendy looked satisfied.

Shawn struggled to his feet and staggered out, his real answer left unspoken.

He was wrong to believe her promise that they would be together. He was wrong to fall in love with her.