CHAPTER 228: CHAPTER 228: HE ISN’T MARRIED YET, RIGHT?

Landon Sutton turned to look at Sylvie Pierce and replied with a question: "What’s your relationship with her?"

"Me? I’m friends with Shannon, we met through work."

Landon Sutton didn’t ask further; he couldn’t tell whether Sylvie Pierce truly didn’t know about his relationship with Shannon Quinn or if she was feigning ignorance.

Thankfully, this car accident had nothing to do with her; otherwise, he might not have hesitated to disregard the families’ feelings.

Shannon Quinn stayed in the hospital for over a week before being discharged—at her own insistence. According to Landon Sutton, she should have stayed for a full two weeks.

She felt that her body didn’t have any serious issues anymore. Rib fractures heal slowly, and recovering at home is just as good.

During her hospital stay, Landon Sutton never left. Although she knew he had helped a lot with handling the accident, the hospital procedures, and even the medical bills, Shannon Quinn still didn’t treat him kindly.

She wanted him to leave, but her legs were incapacitated; she couldn’t move by herself, so she couldn’t make him go.

Shawn Pierce returned for work-related matters on the third day after her accident, while Sylvie Pierce stayed.

She felt guilty because it was her suggestion for Shannon Quinn to drive them siblings, causing Shannon’s accident. She stayed at the hospital, taking care of Shannon Quinn out of guilt.

Shannon Quinn felt as if Sylvie Pierce and Landon Sutton were like a couple taking care of her, their relationship peculiar, making her hesitant to communicate much with Landon Sutton. Yet, Landon seemed not to shy away from Sylvie Pierce.

During the hospital stay, Shannon Quinn felt the most rewarding outcome was possibly the brief interaction between Leo and his father.

Though father and son hadn’t recognized each other, every time Shannon Quinn saw Leo and Landon Sutton together, her heart felt a mix of satisfaction and bitterness.

When she heard about his passing, her biggest regret was not having Leo meet him while he was alive.

Therefore, she didn’t stop Leo from interacting with Landon Sutton during her time in the hospital. Leo seemed to have become reliant on Landon Sutton; whenever Landon was in the room, Leo would stick close to him.

After leaving the hospital, Shannon Quinn returned to her home, where everything seemed to return to how it was before, to the environment she was familiar with, yet feeling somewhat unaccustomed.

Back at the hospital, it was Landon Sutton who helped her up and down, and after she returned home, she began to support herself by holding the walls.

Catherine Yardley entered with a pot of soup, seeing Shannon Quinn supporting herself to walk towards the bed. She hurriedly put down her things to help: "The doctor told you to rest in bed for a few days, right?"

Shannon Quinn smiled and replied, "I’m just going to the bathroom."

"You should call me, what if you fall?"

"Mom, it’s not that serious, staying in the hospital for so many days, I’ve recovered greatly."

"Don’t be careless; poor recovery lasts a lifetime. Sit down now and drink the soup."

Shannon Quinn sat by the bed, took the soup bowl Catherine Yardley handed her, sipped it, and praised: "Mom’s soup is always delicious."

"There’s more in the pot."

Shannon Quinn continued eating with her spoon, Catherine Yardley sat beside her, observed her for a while, and then spoke: "The man named Sutton at the hospital, he’s Leo’s father, right?"

Shannon Quinn paused, turning to look at Catherine Yardley.

Catherine Yardley continued, "He visited me when I was hospitalized before, I remember him. Besides, Leo resembles him so much, it’s not hard to guess."

Shannon Quinn pursed her lips and asked, "Does Leo know?"

"I haven’t told him; I know you have your own plans. Even if the child needs to be told, it should be you who tells him."

Shannon Quinn nodded, took a deep breath, and continued eating.

"He hasn’t remarried, has he?"

"No."

"I think he treats you well; he seems like a good person." Catherine Yardley glanced at Shannon Quinn’s expression and, seeing no strong opposition, continued, "He’s busy at the hospital, and at night he lets me go home to rest while he stays all night. During the day, when truly exhausted, I saw him sitting in the hallway squinting for a nap. When Leo came, he energized himself to cheer Leo up. I feel..."

"Sheryl seems to be his girlfriend, Mom, don’t overthink it. We’ve been divorced for years—it’s just he happened to be nearby during the accident and helped because he knows me, nothing more."

Catherine Yardley sighed and stood up, "Ah, I don’t understand what you young people think. I just feel if there’s no irreparable conflict, don’t keep dragging things out—a lifetime is really short."

Shannon Quinn lowered her head and stayed silent, Catherine Yardley stood, "There’s more soup, want me to bring it?"

Shannon Quinn shook her head and handed the empty bowl to Catherine Yardley: "No need, thanks Mom, you should rest a bit too."

"Alright, lay down now, call me if you need anything."

"Okay."

Lying in bed, Shannon Quinn watched the snowflakes scatter past the window, pondering Catherine Yardley’s words.

Irreparable conflict...

It seems now, between her and Landon Sutton, there wasn’t really any conflict; their divorce was due to external factors.

Now, it appeared to her that time had passed, each had adapted to their new lives, and there was no need to cling to the past.

Or perhaps it was merely her cowardice, afraid to take risks again, wanting just to calmly watch her child grow up, even if her heart held some regrets, it was something she thought she could digest on her own.

She faintly remembered, right before she lost consciousness during the accident, and saw his face, she felt a moment of contentment.

"Ding Dong—"

Shannon Quinn stretched her hand and picked up the phone from the bedside cabinet.

It was a WeChat message from Landon Sutton, saying: I’m heading back to handle some things, now at the airport. Will be back Friday night, take care of yourself.

Shannon Quinn slid down the notification bar to check the time, Wednesday.

She still didn’t reply, but inwardly hoped the days would pass quickly.

Seeing a red dot on Moments, she clicked to check it out of boredom, the first was a post from Sylvie Pierce.

The timestamp showed nine minutes ago, content: Heading home, contact if any plans.

It was accompanied by an image of a hand holding a ticket and a photo of the airport hall.

Zooming in on the bustling hall photo, Shannon Quinn spotted Landon Sutton’s side profile.

Seems they went back together.

Shannon Quinn closed WeChat, placed the phone beside her pillow, took a deep breath, pulled the quilt up, closed her eyes, controlling the uncontrollable wetness in her eyes, feeling chaotic inside.