Chapter 563
Chapter 563
Chapter 563 Flattering Yourself
"Do you really want to know, Mrs. Xenos?"
Shawn was looking away as if he was reluctant to speak. I couldn't help thinking the worse as my curiosity got the better of me.
"Of course! Why else would I ask you that?"
He pinched the burning end of the cigarette. After giving it a thought, he gingerly brought up, "That was our third time meeting. Actually, that was the fourth time. The first time was at the homestay, and the second time was at the entrance of the hospital. The third time was when I happened to stumble upon you being bullied. That makes our meeting at the Yates Residence our fourth time meeting each other."
"Is that the point?"
It suddenly hit me how he remembered something like this so clearly. None of this was important, and yet he put in the effort to remember!
"Mhm." He smiled faintly and stated, "I heard the interesting conversation you had with the other women at the Yates Residence. My impression of you… We hadn't met each other enough times for me to know you. Of course, I never looked into you, so I didn't know about your relationship with Nicholas or your illness."
I hurriedly asked, "What did you think of me, then?"
"Flirtatious, that's for sure. And you were short of money. But I was confused by why those men were so enthralled by you. Nicholas, Clair, and Merlin are remarkable men, but they were all in love with you."
Flirtatious…
I knew he would misunderstand.
Shawn must have noticed how my face suddenly turned glum, and he quickly coaxed me in a low voice, "I didn't know Mrs. Xenos well back then, but I truly wanted to protect Ray. That's why it didn't matter to me what kind of person you were. Tell me if you need money, and I'll give you money. And tell me if you are sick because I will make sure you are treated. I will give you everything you want."
"As you said, we weren't closely acquainted. But why were you willing to help me? Why me, Shawn?"
Why was I, out of everyone, so lucky?
"Ray had sad eyes. Even though I have met many sad women, I've never seen anyone like Ray…"
He was always a sweet-talker.
That reminded me of another thing. "You came to my apartment after the banquet, and you watched me when I was practically dying from coughing up blood while draped over the toilet bowl. You didn't ask me about my condition then… How did you manage to remain calm?"
Let alone being curious, Shawn was so quiet at that time that every word he said was charity to others. However, he didn't let any emotion show or react any differently when I coughed up blood like that in
front of him.
"I wasn't curious. Even if it was Kevin instead of you, the most I would do was tell him to go to the hospital himself. I wouldn't care about his condition."
Indeed, that was how Shawn was before.
He was so indifferent he kept people away.
But now, he had changed a lot.
Despite how much he disliked talking, he had been pretty patient with me. He would make a compromise about the many things that irked him for my sake.
"I'm suddenly getting mixed emotions," I confessed.
"Hmm?"
"I'm getting mixed emotions about how much you changed."
My words were met with silence.
…
Shawn was supposed to accompany me in the afternoon, but he left Ashere because something came up. He went to Eldham instead of Soperose. He needed to check it out himself after he learned that
there was new information about his mother there. With that, I was left alone in Ashere.
Someone kept baiting him with news of his mother.
I hope everything went well for him.
With nothing to do now that I was all alone, I decided to head back to Bryxton. I had just boarded the private plane when I received an international call.
Puzzled, I took the call and asked, "Who is this?"
"Ms. Felix, I am the butler from the castle."
"Ah. Is there something you need me for?"
"Do you remember the child, Ms. Felix?"
I was confused by his question. "What child?"
"It's the beggar kid in the castle. He just came to me and told me that you promised you would adopt him, Ms. Felix."
I suddenly remembered whom he was talking about.
He must be referring to Eilam!
The boy is about 11 years old, right?
"Yes. Does he want to be adopted by me?"
"That is what he told me, Ms. Felix."
That spunky kid was making a compromise with me out of nowhere.
"Take care of him for me, please. And I want you to personally send him to Bryxton when you have time. Also, help me pass him a message. Tell him I welcome him."
Taking care of a child wasn't something hard for me.
Plus, that kid and I probably had our fates intertwined.
"Yes, Ms. Felix."
After thinking for a moment, I added, "Please get him a phone and save my number in his phone. Have him contact me if he has something he needs."
"Yes, I understand."
I was still filled with disbelief after the call ended. Just what is it that made him decide to compromise?
I couldn't help wondering if he had gotten into some sort of trouble.
As worried as I was, I could do nothing but wait for him to contact me.
I could only ask him when he did.
After I hung up, I told the pilot, "We can leave now."
I had been wasteful recently by traveling everywhere in a private plane.
I was really, really scared of cars.
Especially when I had to travel far. Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.
It was still early when I returned to Bryxton and went to the hospital to redress the wound. The doctor who saw the tear in my wound asked me what had happened. I started feeling embarrassed at the thought of how Shawn looked in bed last night. As such, I could only lie. "I accidentally pulled the wound open when I woke up."
The doctor instructed as he changed the bandage, "You can get discharged after we observe you for another two days, Mrs. Xenos. You can get discharged now, but as your doctor, I suggest you stay in the hospital and recuperate."
"Alright. I'll leave after two days, then."
After I went back to the ward, I contacted Amy and passed on Anthony's words.
After a while, Aimes suddenly appeared in the WhatsApp group and tagged Shawn in a message. 'I have transported Meredith's body back to Europe. All the old members of WT will attend her funeral. What about you?'
Aimes got straight to the point and asked if Meredith was LG.
Of course, Shawn didn't bother to reply to him.
Diego must have noticed the awkwardness in the group, which prompted him to send a message out of courtesy. 'How did Meredith suddenly pass away? Who is attending the funeral? Will Colin be there? He was released just a while ago!'
I knew who Colin was.
It was that man who tried to take advantage of me!
Shawn had been keeping him locked up in Finland.
I didn't know that he was released just recently!
Did Shawn forgive him?
'Who was the one who let him out?'
Kevin was the one who asked that.
'Shawn told me to. He said that keeping Colin imprisoned for one or two years was enough of a punishment and that he was going to forgive Colin for old times' sake.'
Aimes ignored them.
He continued to tag Shawn in his next message. 'Will you attend the funeral?'
Still, Shawn didn't reply.
He was probably busy.
It wasn't like he would reply even if he wasn't busy, anyway.
That was just how Shawn was.
However, Aimes couldn't possibly not understand Shawn.
This meant that he was purposely tagging Shawn in the group.
Kevin felt bad upon seeing how persistent Aimes was. 'Sunny's busy,' he wrote.
Still, Aimes continued to tag Shawn in the group.
Shawn eventually did reply, but it was a short reply consisting of four words to get Aimes off his back.
'No need for that.'
Aimes was silent for a long minute and when we thought he would not speak again, he suddenly messaged, 'Meredith wouldn't have ended up this way if she hadn't been so stubborn about you! Shawn, Meredith might be at fault, but one thing is for sure—you would have died more than a hundred
times back then if it weren't for Meredith!'
Kevin quickly stopped him. 'What nonsense are you spouting, Aimes?!'
Aimes boldly continued, 'No one should forget their roots. Especially you, Shawn. You have held your position for so many years, but have you thought about how you managed to secure it? It is the bones of your former comrades-in-arms that are piled up under where you are standing. But they did not die at the hands of their enemies, no. They died at your hands! You are a cold man, Shawn, but who isn't? Even the coldest people remember their roots. You, on the other hand, are cold-natured and ungrateful. You are one selfish and annoying motherf*cker! You don't deserve Meredith's sacrifices back then!'
Aimes' words shocked everyone in the group.
No one else would ever dare to scold Shawn like this.
At least, none that I knew!
The group suddenly went quiet as no one dared to say anything. Out of nowhere, Shawn sent a message. 'Aimes, there is a saying that I don't think you know. Let me teach you.'
Aimes bluntly replied, 'And what is it?'
'It's called flattering yourself.'