CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: WHY DID YOU MARRY ME?

I prepared three dishes and a soup, mainly to help Vincent Rhodes recuperate.

It had been a while since I cooked a proper meal like this. Usually, I just fried some rice or boiled noodles to fill my stomach.

Having served the dishes, Shannon Quinn looked at the morning’s work with a sense of accomplishment.

Not knowing much about Vincent Rhodes’s tastes and preferences, she felt her culinary skills were decent enough. Besides, he drank the morning soup clean, so she felt confident in bringing the meal to his room.

As was her routine, she brought the meal in and then left the room, waiting for him to finish eating before tidying up.

She turned on the television, sitting alone by the coffee table in the living room, watching and eating.

He agreed to let her have the baby, thus resolving the issue that had been troubling her heart, and her appetite seemed to have improved.

After finishing her meal and watching an episode of the drama, she got up to see if he had finished eating and ran into him as he pushed himself out of the room in his wheelchair.

Seeing this, Shannon Quinn hurriedly jogged over and asked worriedly, "Why are you out here?"

"Just came out to sit for a bit."

"...Your wound."

"I can take care of myself."

Shannon Quinn pressed her lips together, thinking he wouldn’t joke about his own health, but seeing him struggling to maneuver the wheelchair, she walked behind him to help push him, saying, "Just call me if you need help. If the wound reopens, it’ll be more troublesome."

He didn’t speak and let Shannon Quinn push him to the living room.

She put the remote control within his reach and said, "Change the channel to whatever you like, I’ll tidy up a bit."

He neither responded nor moved, still wearing that skeletal mask, like an unchanging expression.

Shannon Quinn returned to his room to clear the tableware, folded the quilt, opened the window for ventilation, and then went to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Vincent Rhodes watched her busy around. He found this kind of life quite pleasant.

If given the chance, he would rather switch roles and take care of her, especially while she was pregnant.

Finishing in the kitchen, Shannon Quinn came out and saw the empty wheelchair while he lay lazily on the sofa.

The sunlight outside was just right, a gentle breeze blowing in through the balcony’s open glass door, making the afternoon feel enjoyable.

Seeing him seemingly asleep, Shannon Quinn quietly walked over, picked up the remote control, and turned off the TV.

The remote remained where she initially placed it, and the TV was still on the same program she had been watching.

Standing by the sofa, she glanced at him, then picked up the thin blanket folded in the sofa’s corner and lightly draped it over him.

Seeing him completely unresponsive, she stared at that black skeletal mask, swallowing hard, slightly bending over as she reached out with her hand...

Her mind flashed with those messy rumors, sketching out a frightening face, linking it to the monsters she had seen in movies.

Curious, she wondered what he really looked like.

As her hand touched the edge of the mask, she was just about to lift it when a firm grip suddenly appeared on her wrist, startling her with a visible shiver.

Instantly wanting to pull her hand back, he gripped her wrist tightly instead.

Through the mask’s eyeholes, she saw his eyes open, directly looking at her.

Intimidated by the stare, Shannon Quinn’s breathing became rapid.

"Don’t be curious about things you shouldn’t be curious about. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"I’m... I’m sorry."

"Why apologize?" He released her wrist, sat up from the sofa, looked at her, then patted the space next to him.

Shannon Quinn didn’t know why she was so obedient, her brain not keeping up, but her body had already moved to sit beside him.

Nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof probably best described how she felt at that moment.

"Whose child is it?"

The sudden question made Shannon Quinn’s spine stiffen, her heartbeat chaotic, thinking didn’t he know everything about her? Surely he knew the man who had relations with her that night was Landon Sutton?

Unsure if he was probing her, she only quietly said, "I don’t know."

"Really don’t know?"

"Really." Her certain tone seemed slightly lacking in confidence.

Thankfully, Vincent Rhodes didn’t press further, only said, "If this was truly an accident, I’m willing to forgive you once, but don’t let me find out a second time."

Shannon Quinn nodded vigorously. The first time she could claim ignorance and deceit; a second time, she would be utterly foolish.

"Since you’ve decided to have the child, take good care of yourself. I can’t be here with you all the time, and in my condition, I can’t care for you. Whether at home or going out, be cautious and stay safe."

Shannon Quinn stared at him blankly, realizing he was actually concerned about her and the baby’s safety.

"If, while I’m away, you meet a man you like, would you divorce me?"

The leap in his questioning was so sudden that Shannon Quinn was caught off guard, unsure how to respond after finally processing it.

"Hmm?" he pressed.

Shannon Quinn pressed her lips together and said, "Unless you mention divorce, I don’t have the right."

"What I’m worried about is you have the intent but not the guts. Is there someone else?"

Shannon Quinn quickly shook her head to deny it, though Landon Sutton’s face inexplicably emerged in her mind.

"Before marriage, was there anyone you liked?"

Once again, she shook her head vehemently.

Vincent Rhodes immediately followed with another question, "Who was the man who drove you home?"

"...That’s my boss. We’re just friends, known each other since school. He has a girlfriend abroad."

Her straightforward explanation, afraid of misunderstanding, seemed to satisfy Vincent Rhodes.

"Do you regret marrying me?"

Shannon Quinn turned to look at him, but aside from his emotionless eyes, she saw nothing else.

Seeing her hesitation, Vincent Rhodes added, "I want the truth."

Shannon Quinn looked away, lowered her gaze to the ground, and answered sincerely, "Honestly, I’m quite grateful. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know who I would have married then, but I’m sure I wouldn’t be as free as I am now."

After speaking, Shannon Quinn focused back on him, hesitating before asking, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm?"

"I’ve always wanted to know, why did you choose to marry me? I’m sure there were many willing to marry you for that money you spent. Why did you choose me?"

He remained silent, pondering something unknown, as Shannon Quinn quietly awaited his response.

After about ten seconds, he finally said, "I’ll tell you later."