CHAPTER 388: CHAPTER 388: I WON’T MARRY A MURDERER

The dark room feels like a cage.

Having endured a day and night, Susan Wilde collapses powerlessly on the ground, her consciousness slowly fading.

She doesn’t want to die, yet she can feel death drawing increasingly closer.

She vaguely hears sounds outside the door, but she can no longer tell if it’s her imagination.

She moves her fingers, unable to do anything else.

Simon Rhodes enters her room and looks around, "Skylar?"

He pushes open the bathroom door but sees no one.

Walking into the living room outside the room, everything is tidy, as if no one has been here.

"Skylar?" Calling her name, he goes up to the second floor.

The second floor has four rooms: an office, a bedroom, a cloakroom, and an empty room.

He checks each one but finds no trace of Susan Wilde.

Returning downstairs, he sees the familiar bag at the entrance.

He immediately goes over to check and finds Susan Wilde’s phone in the bag.

It’s almost certain that Susan Wilde is in the house.

"Skylar!" Increasing his volume, Simon searches the kitchen and the living room balcony before noticing the dark corridor.

The row of rooms he had just overlooked.

Simon was about to search room by room when he found an unusual door.

The room’s door handle is blocked by a solid wooden rod, wedged tightly to prevent the handle from being pressed down, making it impossible to open from the inside.

This confirms that Susan Wilde must be trapped inside the house.

Removing the wooden rod, the door opens easily from the outside.

As the door opens, he immediately sees the woman lying weakly by the door.

"Skylar!" Simon calls her name softly and quickly scoops her up from the floor.

In the moment of calling her name and not getting a response, it feels as if a chunk of his heart has been cut out.

"Skylar." He calls her name over and over.

Afraid yet forcing himself to stay calm, he carries her out of the room and lays her flat on the carpet in the hallway.

He checks her breathing, which is so weak it’s almost undetectable.

Simon bends down, slightly lifts her chin, pinches her nose, takes a deep breath, and blows air into her mouth.

After mechanically repeating it several times, she gradually responds and starts to breathe on her own.

She merely lifts her eyelids before falling into unconsciousness again.

After observing her breathing normalize for a while, Simon picks her up, preparing to drive her to the hospital.

As he carries her out the door, he runs into Rowan Alder rushing over.

Simon merely exchanges a glance with her; Rowan seems a bit flustered, not because she sees Susan Wilde at death’s door, but due to her plan being disrupted.

Saving her takes priority, so Simon doesn’t have time to confront Rowan and quickly rushes to his car with Susan Wilde, heading straight to the hospital.

Outside the emergency room, Simon waits anxiously at the door.

Though she looked much more stable when they got out of the car, thinking back still fills him with dread.

The despair and fear of suffocating from lack of oxygen are unimaginable to ordinary people.

If they had discovered it a bit later, he dares not think about what state she would have been in.

Shawn Rhodes had just gotten off the plane when he received a text from Rowan Alder.

She is in the hospital feeling unwell.

Shawn doesn’t know if she is genuinely feeling sick or is playing the sympathy card to avoid his blame.

At this moment, he is more worried about Susan Wilde than Rowan Alder.

Despite never having any contact with Simon Rhodes in the past, he calls him first this time.

On the other end, Simon’s voice is soft, as if afraid of disturbing Susan Wilde resting beside him, "She’s not in any life-threatening danger."

Shawn: "That’s good, is it the central hospital?"

Simon: "Yes."

Shawn drives to the central hospital, where Rowan Alder is also located.

He first heads to Susan Wilde’s ward.

Initially rushing back just to ensure Susan Wilde was safe, he didn’t dare enter upon seeing the situation through the window on the door.

Susan Wilde hasn’t woken up yet, and Simon sits by her bed, reviewing her medication list.

Shawn stands at the door for a few seconds before silently turning to leave.

Though he wasn’t the mastermind behind this incident, it still closely relates to him.

Shawn finds Rowan Alder’s room, just in time to see medical staff exiting.

Shawn asks the leading doctor, "How is she?"

The doctor glances at Shawn, "Are you a family member?"

Shawn nods.

The doctor: "Nothing serious, she just complained of dizziness and nausea; the checkup showed nothing abnormal. Let’s see how she feels after a night’s rest."

Shawn: "Thank you very much."

After the doctor leaves, Shawn shuts the door behind him and walks over to the bed.

Rowan Alder lies on the bed, avoids his gaze, and looks away guiltily after a fleeting glance.

Shawn sits in a chair next to the bed, exhales, and asks, "Feeling better?"

Rowan Alder purses her lips and nods, saying nothing.

Shawn takes the water cup from the bedside table, pours a glass, and hands it to her.

Rowan Alder sits up on the bed, reaches out for the cup, and hesitates several times before speaking.

In the silence, Rowan Alder can’t hold on any longer, drinks from the water cup, and then sets it down, telling him, "Just say what you want to say."

Shawn: "Why do you always hold a grudge against her?"

Rowan Alder frowns upon hearing Shawn defend Susan Wilde right away, "Is it me holding a grudge against her, or is it you both holding a grudge against me?"

Shawn: "I’ve told you I’ll divorce her soon and marry you. Why would you still do these things?"

Rowan Alder: "The way you say it, it seems like I’m forcing you to marry me. Shawn, I’ve been wondering if it weren’t for the child I’m carrying, would you even want to be with me?"

Shawn remains silent.

Rowan Alder laughs coldly, asking him, "Shawn, if you came back and Susan Wilde was dead, would you hold me accountable for it?"

Shawn pauses for several seconds before replying, "I don’t think I would marry a murderer."

Rowan Alder: "Is it that you wouldn’t marry a murderer or that you wouldn’t marry someone who killed that woman?"

Seeing her pregnant belly, Shawn suppresses the urge to suggest a temporary separation several times and patiently soothes the emotional Rowan Alder, "Don’t do anything reckless again. I’ve already arranged the divorce, and the child will be born soon. Just focus on your pregnancy without worrying about random things; I won’t abandon you or the child."

Rowan Alder insists, "Do you still love me? Are you marrying me out of love or just for the child I’m carrying?"

Shawn: "These questions don’t matter; I will marry you."

Rowan Alder: "Then when will you marry me?"

Shawn: "I’ll handle things here first. In a few days, I’ll finalize the divorce with her. As for marriage, I’d prefer to wait until after the baby is born before discussing it with the family—ultimately, that’s the safest option for you and the child."