Shaun was quick to notice my kind intentions. As soon as I moved away, he shifted into a more comfortable position, and the pained look on his face faded slightly.
Nonetheless, his eyes darted around uneasily as if he was still on his guard.
He looked like a little frightened mouse that would be startled by even the slightest movement and sound.
Although the children in the orphanage had no one to rely on, they were calm and steady toward strangers. Whatever it is, we’re partially responsible for the state he’s in now.
As the thought crossed my mind, I began to worry about alarming him once again. Hence, I lowered my voice and said softly, “Shaun, can you tell me how you got those injuries?”
Shaun stared at the floor and was silent for a long time.
I heaved a heavy sigh. Subconsciously, I treated him as an adult. It’s my fault for not carefully thinking things through. In truth, he’s still a child who’s just a little taller than Audrey. We should count our lucky stars that he hasn’t broken down after going through so much. It’d be a torment to ask him to relive the painful ordeal of how he got injured. If an impatient person like Emery can restrain herself from pressing a child for answers, I shouldn’t question him either. We should wait for the paramedics to arrive and get him treated at the hospital first.
After a while, Audrey approached Shaun again. His hand was resting on the edge of the couch, so she gently turned his hand over and pushed the lollipop she had prepared earlier into his palm. In a solemn tone, she said, “Eat this, Shaun. It’ll make the pain go away. Eat it…”
Shaun still did not say a word. However, his eyes gave an almost imperceptible flick toward Audrey after she retracted her hand. There was tenderness in his gaze, just like how he used to look at her.
Soon, the familiar sound of an ambulance’s siren cut through the air. It was coming from downstairs. The paramedics rushed up and wheeled Shaun away in a wheelchair.
As soon as they were outside, they bumped into Yuna and James.
Yuna lunged toward Shaun when she spotted him and fell into a half-kneeling position in front of the wheelchair. With tears rolling down her face, she wailed, “My dearest son, what happened? It’s all my fault! I didn’t take good care of you!”
Sobbing, she forcefully pulled Shaun into her embrace without giving him a chance to say anything.
She put on such a convincing act that if we did not know better, we would have fallen for it.
Instead, we merely watched the scene with indifference.
Emery did not hold back as she said in a tone dripping with sarcasm, “That’s right. Hug him harder so that he passes out. It’d be so convenient if he were to die now.”
When Yuna heard that, she scrambled to her feet and stood aside, wiping her tears away. “How could you say something so mean? Is it wrong for parents to be heartbroken at their child’s pain?”
Emery folded her arms, tapping her fingers against her arm. As sharp-tongued as ever, she replied, “I didn’t say that. You don’t have to be so sensitive about it if it isn’t true.”
Emery had always been the best at making snide comebacks. Combined with her fearlessness, Yuna was no match for Emery at all. Emery’s aura was so imposing that Yuna was rendered speechless.
Sensing that things were getting out of hand, James hurriedly grabbed Yuna’s arm and stepped aside to let the paramedics carry Shaun into the ambulance.
An awkward atmosphere hung in the air after the ambulance left, but since Shaun was the top priority at the moment, we all got into our cars and rushed to the hospital.
By the time the nurse finished tending to Shaun’s injuries, he had already fallen asleep. Audrey refused to leave, afraid that she would not see Shaun again if she left. Hence, we stayed and waited in the ward.
Yuna and James pestered the attending doctor, bombarding the doctor with a barrage of questions about Shaun’s follow-up treatment. They make it look like Shaun truly is the apple of their eye, but it’s probably just an attempt to put on a perfect front.
It was almost dark when Shaun finally woke up. Audrey fed him some chicken soup, and he gradually regained some color in his cheeks.
“Mrs. Featherstone… Please take Ms. Audrey home. I’ll be fine by myself,” Shaun said slowly. It was still difficult for him to speak.
“I’m not going back! I want to stay here with Shaun!” Audrey protested.
Before I could even say anything, Audrey had already thrown a tantrum. She puffed out her cheeks furiously and turned her back to me, sulking.
I haven’t even done anything, yet she already thinks of me as her ‘enemy.’ She’s even siding with an outsider instead of her mother at such a young age. Gosh, what’s it going to be like when she grows up?
I could not help but sigh as those thoughts crossed my mind. At that moment, Anthony appeared at the door and walked in with an impassive expression.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“You were the one who took something of mine with you when you left the house,” he replied. By the time he finished his sentence, he had already strode over to the hospital bed.
I was puzzled. “What did I take?”
For convenience’s sake, I had only taken a small handbag that could store my phone and bank card.
He answered solemnly, “You took my soul. You were out for so long that I’m feeling rather weak now.”
I shot him an exasperated look. Honestly, read the room before you crack a joke like that!
Anthony understood the meaning behind the look I gave him, but he did not respond. He looked around the room and saw Audrey. She was still fuming silently.
“Audrey Stanhope, didn’t you notice that I’ve just arrived?” Anthony asked, feigning a stern attitude.
Audrey seemed to be even more infuriated. She replied coldly, “I did, but I’m going to ignore you. You’re a liar, Daddy. And so is Mommy!”
“Nonsense,” Anthony snapped. Realizing that he had spoken too harshly, he immediately lowered his voice and asked patiently, “What did we lie to you about?”
“You asked Summer to convince me that Shaun was having the time of his life with his parents, but it isn’t true! He’s not doing well! Look at all his injuries! You don’t care about him at all, just like how you don’t care about me! You’re nothing but liars!”
As Audrey spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks. Her pitiful sobs were both heart-wrenching and amusing.
How could she compare herself to an orphan boy? She’s our flesh and blood! We were protective of her in the past, so she hasn’t experienced much. When she meets anyone that she likes now, she thinks the world of them and cherishes them whole-heartedly. That kind of behavior will only hurt her. However, that’s something we’ll have to worry about later. I can’t deny that we are at fault in the current situation.
Embarrassment flashed in Anthony’s eyes. He turned his gaze toward Shaun and pondered silently for a while. Just as he was about to say something, the door to the ward swung open. Then, Yuna and James walked in, carrying an insulated lunch box.
“Oh, you’re here, Mr. Featherstone,” Yuna greeted amiably. Holding up the lunch box, she walked toward Shaun and said, “Shaun, I’ve made you some chicken soup and congee. Why don’t you eat some?”
As she spoke, she placed the lunch box on the table and was about to serve the dishes she had prepared.
“It’s fine. I’ve already eaten,” Shaun refused flatly. There was even a tinge of loathing in his tone.
Yuna stiffened, and the smile froze on her face. It took her a while to return to her senses and compose herself. She continued smiling as she packed up the lunch box and said agreeably, “That’s all right. You can eat it when you get hungry later. Your father bought this insulated lunch box when he was overseas. It can keep the food warm for one whole night, so there’s no rush.”
From the moment Yuna and James entered the ward, Shaun had been frowning. He looked uncomfortable.
From the looks of it, they’re responsible for Shaun’s injuries.
James seemed to be in a hurry to divert our attention. As Yuna packed away the food, he motioned toward the door. “We’re so sorry for causing you so much trouble today. We’ll stay and watch over Shaun. It’s getting late, so you should go back and rest.”
Anthony lowered his gaze and nodded. “It’s rather late indeed.”
“Anthony…” I began, unable to stop myself. My brows furrowed. He’s not really thinking of leaving things like this, is he? Although Shaun doesn’t have anything to do with us, we were the ones who brought him out of the orphanage. Whatever it is, we should help him seek redress! It wouldn’t hurt us to give them a warning. In fact, it might even make things easier for Shaun. As to what’s going to happen after this, we can discuss it when we get back.
Suddenly, Anthony walked over to the couch in the ward and sat down. Crossing his legs, he placed one arm on the armrest and picked up the remote control for the television. “Let’s get this over with quickly, then. Joseph, come in!”
The moment he called Joseph’s name, Joseph entered the ward and bowed slightly in greeting. Then, he took out his phone and fiddled with something on the television.
After a few seconds, the television screen burst to life, and a clear image popped up.
The person recording walked through the front door and went to the master bedroom. Then, the person opened the doors to the wooden wardrobe swiftly and pushed aside the men’s clothes hanging inside. Everyone immediately saw a large, jagged hole in the back. Strangely enough, something shiny covered the part of the wall that should have been exposed.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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