?<strong>Chapter 137:</strong>


    Shawn sat in his car, idly scrolling through his social media feed, when something unexpected caught his eye. Both Katherine and Bobby had posted the same photo—a picture of them holding hands. Its caption read, “Fortunately, you’re still here.”


    His thumb froze mid-scroll as he processed the image. He turned slowly to Joelle, who was sitting beside him, lost in thought as she stared out the window. “Did Katherine and Bobby get back together?”


    Joelle blinked, taken aback. “Were they ever together in the first ce?”


    Instead of answering, Shawn handed her his phone, letting the image speak for itself. Joelle’s surprise mirrored his own. “Katherine never mentioned anything about her and Bobby. What’s going on?”


    “Nothing,” Shawn muttered, putting his phone away as he stared out the window. Yet, his thoughts were fixed on Bobby—a man notorious for his cavalier attitude toward rtionships. Katherine getting involved with someone like that was quite precarious.


    The car soon pulled up to a private sanatorium on the city’s outskirts. Today, they were there visiting their father.


    When Joelle had turned eighteen, their world hade crashing down. Their father had suffered a stroke that left him in a vegetative state. The weight of that event crushed their mother, leading to her tragic decision to take her own life. In the aftermath, only Joelle and Shawn remained to pick up the pieces and face a reality they had never imagined. Joelle had grown strong, but the scars of the past were etched deep.


    Shawn nced at her, sensing her tension. “Why didn’t Adriane with you today?”


    Joelle fidgeted, her fingers nervously entwining. On any other day, she could have mumbled something about Adrian being busy. Shawn would have read her difort and dropped the subject. But today, Joelle felt an urge to be honest, no matter how painful the truth could be. “Adrian and I have divorced.”


    Shawn turned to her, their eyes locking. His reaction was surprisingly calm, almost as if he had expected it.


    “Well, no wonder!” he said.


    “No wonder what?”


    A faint smile tugged at Shawn’s lips. “Just a few days ago, someone from Miller Group reached out, suspending their financial support to Watson Group. I didn’t mention it because I didn’t want you to worry.”


    Joelle’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t anticipated Adrian would act so swiftly, but then again, it made sense. With their marriage over, Adrian had no obligation to continue supporting Watson Group.


    “I’m sorry, Shawn. Everything happened so fast; I didn’t know how to tell you.”


    She was pregnant, a secret she feared Shawn would uncover. If he did, she knew he wouldn’t hesitate to confront the Miller family.


    “It’s okay, Joelle.” Shawn, sensing her turmoil, gently squeezed her hand. “Honestly, I’ve been meaning to tell you—my financial situation isn’t as dire as you think. I didn’t rely solely on the money Adrian provided. I invested in a few overseas projects, and they’ve turned out quite sessful.”


    He didn’t tell Joelle the details; he feared that revealing the full extent of it could overwhelm her. After all, everyone in their social circle had heard of Frankie, but no one knew the truth—that Shawn was, in fact, Frankie.


    Seeing his quiet confidence, Joelle felt a weight lift from her shoulders. “I was worried the divorce could cause you trouble.”


    “Even if it did, I would never let the Miller family mistreat you.” He ruffled her hair with a gentle smile. “From now on, just focus on being happy. Do whatever you want.”


    “Okay,” Joelle smiled through the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes, wiping them away.


    That afternoon, after visiting their father, they were about to leave when they spotted a familiar figure at the sanatorium’s entrance. It was the first time Joelle had seen Adrian since their divorce, and she wasn’t sure how to face him.


    Sensing her difort, Shawn stepped forward. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”


    Shawn had always been exceptionally kind, the sort of man who could forge good rtionships without making enemies. It set him apart from others like Rafael, whose kindness was reserved for those closest to him. Shawn’s courtesy extended to everyone.


    But this even-handedness often hid the fact that, deep down, he was difficult to read. Who truly held a special ce in his life remained a mystery—even to Shawn himself.


    Despite the tension between them, Shawn greeted Adrian with a calm smile, as if nothing had changed. “Adrian, you’re not here to visit my father, are you?” Adrian, who hadn’t been seen in days, looked noticeably thinner.


    “How is he?” Adrian asked.


    Shawn offered him a cigarette. “Same—he still hasn’t woken up.”


    Adrian epted the cigarette, lighting it with a flick of his lighter as they exchanged small talk.


    By the time they finished smoking, Joelle felt her anxiety ease, standing quietly behind Shawn as the mountain breeze lifted her skirt, exuding a gentle and serene beauty that was hard to ignore.


    Adrian noticed the change in her, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what was different. His eyes lingered for just a moment before Shawn moved subtly, blocking his view.


    “It’s strange, you know. You never came to visit my father when you and Joelle were still married,” Shawn mentioned.


    Back then, Adrian had been consumed by his resentment towards Joelle, avoiding any connection with her that he could. Even though he had been close with the Watson family before, he didn’t want to have anything to do with Joelle. The forced marriage to a woman he had always seen as a sister had filled him with disgust he could hardly bear to confront.


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