CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: WAIT FOR MY RETURN

"You... why are you here?"

Vincent Rhodes looked at her, raised the item in his hand, and asked her, "What’s this for?"

Shannon Quinn pursed her lips. She had thought of many reasons and rehearsed several times about what to say when giving it to him, but now her mind was blank, and she didn’t know how to start.

Stammering, she said, "...I saw it when I was shopping that day, thought it was interesting, so I bought it."

After a pause, she continued, "If you like it, just take one."

After speaking, she inwardly blamed herself for being tongue-tied. It was originally bought for him, but now it seemed like she was afraid he knew it was specially bought for him.

"It’s not for me?"

Shannon avoided his gaze and didn’t answer directly, only saying, "You can take one."

Fortunately, it was engraved with his initials. Otherwise, Vincent might really have thought it was something she bought casually or for another man.

Now thinking about it, the pocket watch’s packaging box was the same as the cufflinks; they were likely bought together.

Perhaps she felt guilty about buying something for Landon Sutton but not for him, so she picked this gift for him.

Anyway, he was already grateful that she still thought of him.

He put the one engraved with his initials into his pocket, surveyed the room, and asked her, "Are you sharing rent with someone?"

Shannon nodded, explaining, "It’s a friend of mine. I noticed you don’t come back often, so I let her stay in your room."

She worried he might be upset, but he nodded and said, "That’s fine, it’s good to have someone looking out for each other."

When he said this, his gaze fell on her belly, "Have you been to the hospital for a check-up?"

"I’ll go in a couple of days."

"Just go to the central hospital. I’ve arranged everything for you; you can go directly to see Dr. Chester," he said, taking out a business card from his pocket and placing it on the coffee table.

Shannon glanced at it but had her own concerns, "If I go to a big hospital for the examination... won’t it be easily found out?"

"Don’t worry, I’ve given instructions."

Shannon replied with a dubious "Oh," reaching out to pick up the business card on the coffee table to check the information on it, then asked curiously, "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to tell you that I have to go abroad for a while, and I might not be coming back often. Take care of yourself."

"Abroad? For what?"

"Stop asking."

Shannon lowered her gaze, turning her head away from him, and said moodily, "I got it. Anything else?"

Clearly a bit angry, she was trying to hurry him away.

"While I’m not here, if you need anything, you can call my brother."

Shannon heard this and couldn’t help but mutter, "Anyone who doesn’t know better might think he’s my husband."

Vincent looked at her silently for a while, then said faintly, "As long as you know who your husband is."

Shannon sneered, "Doesn’t matter if there is one or not; either way, it’s just me alone."

He could hear the resentment in her heart, but Vincent couldn’t give her any promises, because he didn’t know if he would return alive from this trip.

Not giving her any hope or promises, so that if anything happened, she wouldn’t be completely despairing.

"Close your eyes."

Shannon blinked in confusion, watching him wheel closer to her and unconsciously followed his instruction to close her eyes.

Once her eyes were closed, he placed his hand over them. Not knowing what he was going to do, she blinked under his hand, only seeing threads of light filtering in but nothing else.

Still puzzled, she obediently closed her eyes.

As she blinked, her long eyelashes fluttered against his palm, leaving a tingling sensation that traveled from his hand to his heart.

With the other hand, he removed the mask from his face, his gaze falling on her vividly red lips, his body leaning closer, slowly pressing his lips onto hers.

Feeling her body stiffen, his palm sensed her rapid blinking, seemingly surprised by his action, yet not resisting.

Accompanied by his kiss, her rigid body slowly relaxed, and she began to clumsily respond to him.

After a lingering kiss, he looked at her now luscious and translucent pink lips, her heaving chest, and her still flat belly that had yet to show the pregnancy...

So much reluctance, yet he still put on the mask, turned the wheelchair around, and left with his back to her...

Shannon sat on the sofa, watching his silhouette sliding towards the door, an inexplicable sadness welled in her nose, reddening her eyes. She asked him, "When will we be able to live like a normal couple?"

Vincent paused but didn’t dare turn back to look at her. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Wait for me to come back."

Her voice choked, filled with grievance, "How long do I have to wait?"

There was no response, just the sound of the door closing.

The tears that had been welling in her eyes instantly slid down her cheeks...

Perhaps when she married him, it was destined to be this kind of life.

She didn’t know when it started, but she began to desire more, even yearned for happiness...

Even the child in her belly wasn’t his, making her previous words to him seem ridiculous?

Perhaps she should learn to be content; if he hadn’t married her back then, her life might have been more miserable.

Now she’s too greedy.

She raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face, placed her pocket watch back into its box, took it to her room, and hid it deeply in a drawer with her wedding ring.

Feeling suffocated all day, and when Erin Bishop repeatedly urged her to go to KTV for fun that night, she agreed, wanting to go out, to let loose, to release herself.

"Don’t act like a country bumpkin, it’s just a KTV, and it’s not like it’s a wild party, just Ronan and a couple of other friends. The main thing is to announce yesterday’s plan. Just go along with the crowd; don’t keep locking yourself at home. It’s not like your belly is that big now. If you don’t go out, once it gets bigger, you won’t be able to even if you want to."

Shannon nodded, standing in front of her wardrobe and picking out a misty blue long dress, but worriedly said, "Is Zane going too? Are you really okay with this?"

"Of course, why would I and Ronan announce anything if he’s not there? This gathering is mainly just putting on a show for him."

"But what if, I mean what if... he doesn’t care?"

Erin paused in changing her clothes, obviously having considered the possibility herself, but eventually smiled and said, "Who cares, if it’s useless, then Ronan and I will just announce a breakup, we arranged everything, no messy entanglements."