Chapter 403: Chapter 403

After getting in the car, Shannon Quinn and Leo sat in the backseat feeling a lingering fear.

Leo secretly glanced at Landon Sutton several times, feeling puzzled but not asking anything.

Shannon Quinn leaned over and whispered in the child’s ear, "Leo, did you forget what Mom told you that night?"

Leo pouted, looking at the back of Landon Sutton’s head without speaking.

Clearly, he remembered but was still upset with Landon Sutton in his heart.

Shannon Quinn continued, "Be good, don’t be mad at Daddy. Daddy won’t leave us again."

Leo pouted angrily, still looking unhappy.

Landon Sutton couldn’t hear what Shannon Quinn whispered to Leo, just watched the warm and beautiful scene of mother and child in the rearview mirror.

The night had deepened.

After working overtime, Ronan Rhodes stretched and, although exhausted during work, felt wide awake when it ended. He immediately returned a call to his female friend and arranged to meet at a bar they often frequented.

Nightlife was just beginning.

Amidst the neon lights and fast-paced music pounding his ears, after a few drinks,

Ronan Rhodes, who usually enjoyed such an atmosphere, suddenly felt a sense of weariness.

Watching his buddies left and right with heavily made-up women, he glanced down at the woman leaning against him, biting her red lips, saying she couldn’t drink anymore, yet smiling as she accepted a drink poured by someone else.

"Ronan, how about we have a drink together?"

Ronan Rhodes pushed away the glass she handed him and lifted his hand from the woman’s shoulder, loosened his tie, and leaned back against the sofa backrest.

The woman sensed something was off, moved closer, and asked with concern, "What’s wrong, Ronan? You seem quieter tonight. Are you feeling unwell?"

Ronan Rhodes forced a smile at the woman, "It’s nothing, just a bit tired from work."

He also felt his mood was suddenly different, perhaps just because of work.

The woman suggested thoughtfully, "How about we go back and rest? My place is nearby, just a few minutes away."

Ronan Rhodes chuckled and grabbed the hand making small moves on his chest, having no trouble hearing the underlying implication in her words, "I don’t like going to others’ places."

"Then... your place?"

Ronan smiled, "I know a nice hotel."

He didn’t even know why, as there were plenty of high-end hotels around the bar, all different types. Yet, he still spent almost ten minutes driving to this business hotel.

Even if the woman couldn’t see what was special about this hotel compared to others, she complimented it to please Ronan, "This place really is nice."

Ronan didn’t respond because as he walked into the lobby, he saw the girl at the front desk attending to other guests.

As he approached, the two guests moved away with their room cards, and the girl smiled at him, momentarily stunned when she recognized him, then put on an impeccable service smile and asked, "Good evening, lady and gentleman, welcome to our hotel. What type of room would you like?"

Ronan answered with a question, "Do you work at night too?"

Charlotte Sheffield nodded and responded with a sound, "Hmm," The girl who had attended to Ronan the previous night eagerly chimed in, "Charlotte is covering for a colleague. She’ll be off soon. Do you know each other?"

Charlotte secretly tugged at her coworker to signal her not to chit-chat during work hours.

Ronan’s companion curiously sized up Charlotte. Although she couldn’t discern the relationship between Charlotte and Ronan, she deliberately moved closer to Ronan, puffed out her chest like marking her territory, and said, "Do you have a couple’s suite?"

Charlotte nodded, "Yes, we do."

"Then we’ll take the couple’s suite."

Charlotte said, "Alright, could I see both of your IDs, please?"

Skillfully completing the check-in procedures, she handed over the room card and IDs together. The woman quickly grabbed them before Ronan could, afraid that he might have some contact with Charlotte.

Then she looked up at Ronan with a sweet smile and a coquettish voice, "Let’s go, Ronan."

The two entered the elevator, and the coworker gossiped with Charlotte, "How do you know each other? He asked about you when he came yesterday."

Charlotte replied truthfully, "The man who fainted at the hotel entrance that day was his friend. I met him at the hospital."

The coworker had an epiphany, "Oh, I see. I thought you landed a rich guy and was waiting to bask in the glow."

Charlotte blushed and shot her an annoyed glance.

The coworker looked toward the elevator and clicked her tongue a couple of times, "But this rich guy isn’t reliable. The woman he brought yesterday wasn’t the same as today’s. One per day, huh?"

Charlotte said, "Haven’t you seen enough of that in a place ?"

"True, but he seems interested in you. You better be careful. These types of men just play around. Don’t let money blind you into doing something foolish."

In the dimly lit bedroom, Shannon Quinn curled up in Landon Sutton’s arms. Despite the familiarity of the embrace, she felt a sense of emotion.

It was as if she were dreaming, and he had returned to her side.

"Are you asleep?" she whispered, holding his hand under the covers. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net

After a two-second silence, just when she thought he had fallen asleep, a hoarse voice came from beside her ear, "No."

Shannon then turned towards him and stared at him.

"What’s wrong?" Landon Sutton’s voice sounded gentler than ever.

Shannon smiled and said, "Just wanted to see if you’ve changed."

Landon chuckled, "Did you notice any changes?"

Shannon pouted, "Got older."

Landon immediately frowned, and Shannon muttered, "I saw you had gray hair today."

Landon said, "You saw wrong."

Shannon knew he disliked being called old, although he truly had the appearance of someone favored by the heavens. She only called him old because she felt he had been too worried lately.

When she saw those few strands of gray hair on his head during the day, she was both surprised and heartbroken.

Growing old together is indeed a great blessing, but people in love always fear growing old.

"Leo, you don’t have to worry too much. When we were falling asleep, I talked to him. Although he doesn’t speak to you directly, he still calls you Daddy when chatting with me."

Landon Sutton asked, "What did the child say?"

Shannon smiled and said, "He asked if Daddy is still the same Daddy from before."

"Does he know about these things?"

Shannon replied, "I never mentioned it to him, but back then, your news was everywhere. The child might have seen it himself. He never asked me, but he’s likely asked his grandma in secret. He understands everything perfectly."

Landon Sutton suddenly smiled, sighing like an old father, "He’s becoming quite the little man."