Chapter 304: Chapter 304

Simon Rhodes looked at her and asked softly, "Skylar, are you alright?"

Susan Wilde turned her head to look at the person inside the car window, and shook her head slightly.

"Get in the car, I’ll take you back."

With a blank expression, Susan Wilde looked at him, dazed for several seconds, then reached out to open the back door and got in.

The car had the heater on, and it became much warmer instantly.

He locked the car doors, slowly started the car, and looked at her through the rear-view mirror, saying, "There’s a clean towel on the back seat, wipe yourself off."

Susan Wilde, upon hearing this, turned her head to find the towel he mentioned, and gently wiped her hair while lowering her head.

Neither of them spoke again for the rest of the drive. The car reached the foot of the mountain, and before long, familiar streets came into view.

The city was still bustling with bright lights and lively scenes; it seemed even more vibrant and prosperous at night than during the day.

As Shawn Rhodes drove Rowan Alder down the mountain, his gaze involuntarily searched the roadside for that woman’s figure. When he didn’t see her upon reaching the foot of the mountain, he felt a twinge of worry.

It was impossible for her to go down the mountain so quickly at walking speed; either something had happened to her, or that man had picked her up.

Either possibility was what he wanted.

"Shaw, are you still angry?"

Shawn Rhodes glanced at her, his voice though soft, was not as gentle as usual, "No."

Rowan Alder looked aggrieved, eyeing him several times, and couldn’t help but ask, "You’re jealous of her, aren’t you?"

"Jealous of what? Don’t let your imagination run wild, I’m just upset that I didn’t protect you better and let her have the chance to bully you."

"Stop lying, I could tell when you saw your uncle holding her, you turned into someone I barely recognized... Shaw, I feel uneasy now, like you won’t belong to me anymore."

"You know I’ve never had a good relationship with my uncle, it has nothing to do with that woman."

"Is that really the case?"

"Yes, don’t you believe me? Besides, try to stay away from her in the future, don’t bother with her, there’s no need. She’s just a pawn; once she loses her value, she’ll disappear completely from our lives."

The car slowly stopped, and Susan Wilde snapped out of her half-asleep state. She turned her head to look outside as he said, "We’re here."

"...Thank you." She reached to push the car door, but it didn’t open. Assuming he had forgotten to unlock it, she turned to look at him.

He remained silent, as if he had something to say.

Hearing him say this so directly, Susan Wilde was at a loss for words, stunned by her surprise.

It felt as though by saying this, he had violated some major taboo, stirring a sense of unease and panic within her.

"I know you married him due to your family’s wishes; it’s just an alliance between the two families. I can obviously bring greater benefits to the Wilde Family; your parents will certainly support it wholeheartedly. You just need to agree, and I’ll handle everything else."

These words were overwhelming for Susan Wilde, who couldn’t bring herself to consider tasting such forbidden fruit. She stiffly changed the topic, her hand falling on the car door handle, and said, "The lock’s not released."

Simon Rhodes sighed heavily, knowing she probably couldn’t accept this just yet. He hadn’t intended to rush, but seeing her bullied by Shawn, he wished he could immediately take her into his embrace to protect her.

Yet while he had the ability, he did not have the right.

He unlocked the door, watching her push it open and walk away without looking back.

Her fragile silhouette pained him deeply.

He always felt it was his mistake, his negligence, that led her into the current predicament.

Upon returning home, her cat heard the noise and waited by the door. As soon as she opened it, the cat wrapped itself around her legs.

Susan Wilde bent down to knead the kitten’s head, then took out her slippers, changed into them, opened a can for the kitten, and returned to her room. Latest content published on novelFɪre.net

Soaking in the bathtub, warm water enveloped her body while her heart felt perpetually cold.

Her body slid slowly downward until her entire head was submerged underwater as she held her breath.

Bubbles rose to the surface and with a gasp, she emerged, breathing deeply, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He couldn’t resist wanting to know about Susan Wilde’s situation. After Rowan Alder fell asleep, Shawn Rhodes slowly pulled his arm out from underneath her neck, quietly got up from the bed, changed, and left the house.

He drove to the home he shared with Susan Wilde, and at the gate, he asked the security guard, "Has she returned?"

"She returned around eleven."

"Someone drove her back, but the ma’am usually likes to use ride-sharing services. Probably just a driver." The security guard’s eyes flashed slightly, but Shawn Rhodes wasn’t in any mood to ponder it as he drove inside.

It was almost 3 AM; as soon as he opened the door, a little kitten’s mew could be heard.

Something coiled around his feet, causing him to frown and gently kick it aside. He walked straight to her bedroom by the light at the entrance.

Without hesitation, he took out the key and opened her bedroom door.

When she had sensed his car entering the courtyard, the insomniac Susan Wilde already knew he was back.

Upon hearing footsteps approach, she turned away from the door, pretending to sleep.

This time, he opened the door quietly, refraining from turning on the room’s light; only the bedside lamp illuminated the darkness.

He tiptoed to the bed, and upon seeing her peacefully asleep, his inner turmoil seemed to ease.

He sat by the bed, looking at her long hair spread across the pillow, unable to resist reaching out to grasp a handful and gently rub it in his palm.

This movement alerted Susan Wilde, who instinctively shied away, revealing her pretence of sleep.

Not exposing her, yet feeling a surge of anger again, he released her hair, stood up, and noticed the scissors on the nightstand.

His mind replayed Simon Rhodes touching her hair earlier today. He laughed, softly, yet it was a sound that sent goosebumps down Susan Wilde’s spine.

After hearing a rustling sound, it seemed he took something from the nightstand. He didn’t leave, and she dared not move.

Soon, she felt a firm yet gentle tug on the back of her long hair.

She inhaled deeply, her body tense and motionless.

She feared that the next snip might not only cut her hair but also plunge into her chest...

A noise indicated he dropped the scissors back onto the nightstand, followed by footsteps growing distant, with the door slamming shut with a bang.