CHAPTER 374: CHAPTER 374: ALL KINDS OF SUSPICIONS

Took a detour to buy Rowan Alder some sour plum soup and also picked up some cold medicine from the roadside pharmacy for himself.

He didn’t even know what was wrong with him, felt like the life he once wanted had now become a burden.

Between him and Rowan Alder, he was always the one who cared more about her. Usually, she was the one complaining to him about everything, and when she was unhappy, he had to patiently coax her.

He didn’t feel there was anything wrong with it before, but recently he started to feel increasingly annoyed.

He’d had a cold for a long time, and Rowan Alder never expressed any concern, seemingly oblivious to his discomfort.

Sometimes, he still had to make snacks for her in the evenings after coming home.

She was sensitive and suspicious; if she couldn’t contact him for half a day, she would start imagining all sorts of things.

He was starting to feel a bit resistant to going home.

Just before the car arrived, Rowan Alder called again, but Shawn Rhodes didn’t answer.

When the phone stopped ringing, the car had already parked outside the house.

Rowan Alder opened the door, feigning dissatisfaction, and asked Shawn Rhodes, "Why didn’t you pick up my call?"

Shawn Rhodes closed the car door, glanced at Rowan Alder, and said, "I was driving, and I was almost here anyway."

Rowan Alder pouted and took the bag with sour plum soup from his hand, also noticing the cold medicine inside: "Are you sick?"

Shawn Rhodes bent down to change his shoes by the door: "Just a cold."

Rowan Alder: "With the weather lately, lots of people are getting colds. I think I’d better go back and stay at my place for a few days to avoid catching it."

Shawn Rhodes originally thought Rowan Alder would show some concern, but she was more worried about catching his cold.

Perhaps in this relationship, the selfish person had become accustomed to the other’s contributions, so everything seemed taken for granted.

However, when the one who gives gets tired and starts thinking differently from before, this balance is destined to break.

Shawn Rhodes changed his shoes and walked towards the living room as he said, "Will you leave tomorrow?"

Rowan Alder was taken aback; she had just said it casually, not planning to actually live apart.

Shawn Rhodes cleaned the discolored, smelly fruit peels on the coffee table and said, "Pack up tomorrow morning, just as I’m also busy with work these days. You can hire a temporary housekeeper to take care of you for a while over there."

Rowan Alder followed behind him: "Shaw, what’s wrong with you?"

Shawn Rhodes wiped the table with a tissue, stood up, looked at Rowan Alder, and smiled, "Nothing’s wrong, I just want you to go back for a few days. I’ll be quite busy these days."

Rowan Alder: "Are you still angry about what happened during the day? I swear I really didn’t know it was Susan Wilde’s store."

Shawn Rhodes nodded: "I’m not blaming you, and I’m not angry. Don’t overthink it, it’s late, go upstairs and rest."

Rowan Alder: "What about you?"

Shawn Rhodes: "I still have some things to deal with. You go ahead and sleep."

Rowan Alder looked at him as he turned to wash his hands in the kitchen, assuming he had encountered some problems at work. She swallowed what she wanted to say and waited. When he came out of the kitchen, she said, "Then I’ll go to sleep first. Don’t stay up too late."

Shawn Rhodes nodded: "Alright, go."

After Rowan Alder went upstairs, Shawn Rhodes stood in the living room and glanced around, noticing the mess and an unpleasant smell in the air.

Shawn Rhodes walked to the balcony and opened the glass door, looking sideways at the cluster of rose bushes.

He stepped to the room where Susan Wilde used to live and pushed the door open.

The light illuminated the entire room, clean and tidy, as if no one had ever lived there...

She had taken away all traces of her former life, including the scent that once belonged to her in the air, which had completely vanished.

Shawn Rhodes walked inside, lay down on the bed she used to sleep on, and stared vacantly at the light above, thinking about things he’d never considered before...

Early the next morning, Shannon Quinn completed the discharge procedures, left the hospital in the morning, and arrived in this familiar city by around four in the afternoon.

Catherine Yardley and Leo were the ones picking her up; Catherine was already informed about Shannon’s situation and probably prepped Leo about it too.

Neither of them asked a single question about the child; Leo was much more understanding than before, constantly asking Shannon if she was thirsty, hungry, or tired and trying his best to cheer her up.

Seeing Leo’s considerate demeanor made Shannon feel even more heartbroken.

Leo probably wanted to know why Dad didn’t come back with Mom, but he never asked about Landon Sutton during the entire trip.

Since waking up, Shannon hadn’t asked about Landon Sutton either.

She only heard from Ronan Rhodes that Landon Sutton had also left that island and his current whereabouts were unclear.

Although Landon Sutton didn’t remember the past, and the loss of the child wasn’t directly related to him, she clearly remembers that when she lost the baby, he didn’t even come to see her.

He said he wanted to be alone and quiet, so she gave him time, letting him return whenever he wanted.

She didn’t want to look for him anymore; even if she found him, she didn’t know what else she could do.

Now, he was just a shell of the person she used to love.

...

After driving Shannon Quinn back, Simon Rhodes went directly to Susan Wilde’s store.

Only to discover she had left the company just after five in the afternoon, Simon Rhodes turned his car towards the company while dialing Susan Wilde’s phone number.

At the moment, Susan Wilde was facing Mrs. Rhodes at the Rhodes Family dining table, dealing with her plans for urging children, with Shawn Rhodes sitting next to her.

Upon hearing the phone ring, Susan Wilde immediately saw it as a lifeline, thinking it could temporarily interrupt Mrs. Rhodes urging them to have kids.

But when she saw who the caller was, the phone suddenly seemed like a hot potato, and she quickly hung up.

Shawn Rhodes gave her a sidelong glance but didn’t say anything, while Mrs. Rhodes asked, "Who was it? Why didn’t you answer?"

Susan Wilde smiled and explained, "It was just a telemarketing call."

Based on Susan Wilde’s reaction earlier upon seeing the caller ID, Shawn Rhodes had already guessed who it was.

Mrs. Rhodes continued the previous topic: "This is what I’m thinking, I want you two to move here temporarily, the rooms have been prepared."

Susan Wilde hastily and politely declined: "No need, Mom, it’s too far from work, not convenient."

Mrs. Rhodes: "No worries, back when Shaw lived here, he would come from here too, driving only takes about ten minutes, not far. I see both of you are so busy with work that you hardly have time to take care of yourselves. Look at you, Susan, every time you come, you’ve lost weight. Even when you manage to conceive, it would be tough like this."

Susan Wilde looked at Shawn Rhodes, hoping he would say something to dispel Mrs. Rhodes’ idea.

Unexpectedly, Shawn Rhodes said, "Okay, we’ll move over in a couple of days."