CHAPTER 163: CHAPTER 163: I LET HER DOWN

My phone 17:39:03

On the hospital bed, Catherine Yardley lay flat, her spirits noticeably worse than before.

Shannon Quinn walked to the bedside, and Catherine Yardley slowly turned her head to look at her, revealing a pale and weak smile: "You’re here?"

"Yeah."

Catherine Yardley pointed to the chair beside the bed: "Sit."

Shannon Quinn hadn’t expected Catherine Yardley to be this weak, it seemed like even speaking was a struggle.

Watching her attempting to sit up with difficulty, Shannon Quinn stepped forward to help her up, placing a pillow behind her back.

Catherine Yardley seemed surprised that Shannon Quinn would come to help her, a small gesture like this already felt precious to her.

"...You’re about to give birth, aren’t you?"

Shannon Quinn slowly sat down on the chair behind her, nodded lightly, and said, "Yes."

Catherine Yardley looked at her round belly, smiled with relief, then a trace of regret appeared in her eyes, "I don’t know if I can hold on until your child is born."

Upon hearing these words, Shannon Quinn felt a tightness in her chest, yet couldn’t muster any comforting words.

For this woman in front of her, she couldn’t say she hated or loved her, but she knew she didn’t want Catherine Yardley to just leave like that.

"Have you picked a name for the child?"

Shannon Quinn shook her head: "No."

After more silence, Catherine Yardley pressed her lips together and asked, "...I heard you’re planning to divorce?"

Shannon Quinn hesitated, wondering where she heard this from, but she didn’t hide it and nodded with a light "Mm."

"Is he not treating you well?"

"No."

"Then do you love him?"

Shannon Quinn remained silent.

When it came to Vincent Rhodes, maybe she had loved him before, or perhaps that feeling wasn’t love at all, but at least she had thought of spending a lifetime with him.

Yet when she discovered she was caught in a huge lie, all those ideas seemed ridiculous and laughable.

The man she wanted to spend her life with, even his identity was fabricated.

"Shannon... I know I have no right to meddle in your affairs, but I just want to advise you, if the reason you want a divorce isn’t because of problems in your relationship, but due to external reasons, there’s no need. You both can face all problems together, the child is about to be born, being a single mother isn’t as easy as you think."

Shannon Quinn went to Catherine Yardley for the good of her and the child, she had considered these issues herself.

Regarding Catherine Yardley’s advice, Shannon Quinn just shook her head and said, "I’ve made up my mind."

She felt that as long as she remained in the Rhodes Family, she’d inevitably always be at the eye of the storm. Not getting a divorce wouldn’t change anything.

"I’m just afraid you’ll act impulsively, but if you’ve already made your choice, as your mother, I’ll support you."

After saying this, Catherine Yardley nervously observed Shannon Quinn’s reaction, worried she might resist if she called herself "mother."

However, whether because her mind wasn’t there or for another reason, Shannon didn’t correct her.

"I haven’t told Sheila and others that you’re their sister, afraid of disturbing you. After I pass, you can decide whether to tell them. I still hope you all can look out for each other, if you really get divorced, they could help you with the child, making it less difficult."

"I have plans for my own matters, you don’t need to worry." Shannon Quinn coldly rejected Catherine Yardley’s concern.

Catherine Yardley’s eyes dimmed with disappointment, she pressed her lips and said no more.

Shannon Quinn stood up from the chair, turned, took a step towards the door, and paused with her back to Catherine Yardley, saying, "You chose a dead-end before the outcome is even known. You being so negative truly lets down the efforts of those siblings."

Before Catherine Yardley could respond, Shannon Quinn had already left the room.

Catherine Yardley suddenly laughed. Although Shannon Quinn’s words were cold and accusatory, she knew Shannon cared and hoped she’d get better.

After leaving the room, Shannon Quinn originally intended to find Silas Kerr to consult about kidney transplant matters, she wanted to have it checked as soon as the child was born, and if the match was successful, let Catherine Yardley have the surgery early.

However, before reaching Silas Kerr’s office, she saw Ryder Griffin and Lynn Kendall at the place she previously came for a pregnancy check.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, stopping her in her tracks as she watched Ryder escort Lynn into the examination room, then sit on a chair in the hallway, looking somewhat troubled.

Shannon Quinn walked over, sat on the chair beside him, Ryder turned to glance at her, and recognizing Shannon, his expression uneasily showed a trace of panic.

"Is she pregnant?" Shannon Quinn cut straight to the point.

Ryder glanced towards the examination room, surely Shannon had seen Lynn, so he explained, "A friend from work, ran into some trouble, I came to accompany her."

"Does Sheila know?"

Mentioning Sheila Yardley, Ryder was silent for a while, then said, "Afraid she might misunderstand."

"Afraid she’ll misunderstand or afraid she’ll find out the child Lynn is carrying is yours?"

Ryder didn’t expect Shannon to conclude it so decisively. Seeing her so firm and recalling Lynn and Shannon once knew each other, he figured deception wouldn’t work.

He frowned, looked down, pondered for a few moments, then said to Shannon, "Don’t tell Sheila."

"So how long do you plan to deceive her? Sheila has never doubted you, do you think she’s naïve and easy to fool?"

"I’ll have Lynn terminate the pregnancy, have no further contact."

"Sheila is a good girl, don’t wait until it’s irretrievable to know regret."

Ryder nodded, "I owe her. I won’t repeat this. Please, don’t tell her."

Shannon Quinn didn’t respond, she got up and left.

Love may indeed be unreliable, Erin Bishop and Zane Rhodes were like this; at the time she envied Sheila Yardley and Ryder Griffin’s relationship, yet it turned out so unsatisfactory.

Perhaps it’s fortunate she didn’t experience such things, at least leaving Vincent Rhodes wouldn’t be so heartbreaking.

Lynn Kendall came out of the examination room, seemingly delighted about the pregnancy.

"Ryder, it’s getting late, let’s go home."

"What did the doctor say?"

"Said everything’s normal, the child is healthy, nothing to worry about."

Ryder silently walked ahead, reaching the elevator, Lynn looked at her phone, contemplating where to grab a late-night snack, Ryder suddenly said, "Pick a time to come to the hospital and get the procedure done."

Lynn paused, put away her phone, yet wasn’t surprised by Ryder’s decision, looking up at Ryder, smiling, she asked, "Oh? Feeling unwilling to bear the responsibility for what you did?"

"You know very well what kind of relationship we have, and whether the child is mine is still uncertain."

"Oh? Really? But you did sleep with me, right? What would Sheila Yardley do if she found out?"