Chapter 18
Shea stared at Lance in disbelief.
“First of all, I’m not causing a scene,” she said firmly, knowing she had to make things clear today
The last thing she needed was this brainless man clinging to false hope and pestering her endlessly.
“Second, do you have any idea how awful your behavior has been?” Shea’s sharp gaze locked onto him as she stepped closer.
The intensity in her eyes made Lance flinch and instinctively step back.
“I…” he started.
“You think you just got held up, that’s why you were late. You didn’t even see what you did wrong! That only proves you don’t care about me, and that you’re completely selfish!”
“I didn’t. I just…”
“You’re still making excuses for yourself!” Shea let out a cold laugh and took another step forward. “And don’t tell me you don’t know how Aria feels about you! Even knowing that, you kept getting close to her!”
“I was just…”
“What? Were you going to say you only saw her as a sister?” Shea cut off Lance’s protest and took another step forward, forcing him to stumble back again and again.
“Lance, we’re both adults. Don’t treat me like a fool,” she said with a scornful laugh, folding her arms. “I gave you chances, but you never cherished them. That only proves how little I ever meant to you.”
She took a deep breath and continued, “Did you really think I agreed to marry someone else at my own wedding just to get back at you?”
“Isn’t that what it was?” Lance said, as if clinging to his last shred of hope. “You just wanted to make me jealous, didn’t you?”
“Who cares what you think?” Shea rolled her eyes. “I finally saw what kind of man you really are, and I don’t want to keep begging for a love that was never mine in the first place.”
Her words hit him like a series of sharp thorns piercing straight through his heart, leaving him speechless.
“So don’t come looking for me again. My husband treats me very well,” Shea said simply.
The moment she mentioned Hansen, Shea’s expression softened, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her lips. “He respects me, cares for me, and never makes me wait for him. Lance, you can’t compare to him.”
Lance’s hands clenched into fists before he even realized it.
He had always thought Shea would be there, waiting for him, no matter what.
But now… it felt like he was truly losing her.
His heart tightened, and his tone softened in desperation. “Shea, can’t you forgive me just one last time? We’ve been together for so many years. If you forgive me, I’ll do anything, anything you want.
Faced with Lance’s pleading, Shea simply took a step back, her expression calm and distant.
“Lance, don’t you understand?”
Lance blinked, his voice trembling. “Understand what?”
“I don’t love you anymore.” Shea met Lance’s gaze calmly. The eyes that had once been filled with affection were now completely cold and distant.
“I don’t love you, and that means I don’t care about you anymore. So there’s nothing left to forgive.”
After saying that, Shea walked right past Lance and headed for the door. Her steps were firm and steady, showing not a trace of hesitation or regret.
Lance stood there in a daze, watching her figure disappear into the distance. The last thread of hope in his heart snapped completely.
He really was losing her.
He couldn’t accept that. He refused to.
The thought hit him like a storm, and he instinctively moved to chase after her. But just as he took his first step, a hand grabbed his arm and stopped him in his tracks.
“Lance…”
Aria clutched Lance’s arm tightly and then leaned against him.
This move had always worked on Lance before, and Aria thought it would work again to keep him by her side.
“Aria, go find one of the staff to take you to the hospital. I’ve got something I need to deal with,” Lance said distractedly, then yanked Aria’s hand away from his as he prepared to chase after Shea.
“Lance…”
Aria panicked.
She couldn’t believe what was happening.
She found it hard to believe Lance would abandon her for that despicable woman, Shea.
She couldn’t let him go.
She couldn’t let Lance leave.
“Wait!” Aria grabbed Lance again, staring at him intently as she spoke slowly. “Lance, my period is already a week late, and my lower abdomen has been hurting these past couple of days.
Lance looked at Aria, stunned. “Aria, are you…”
“Lance, I’m so scared.”
Aria blinked rapidly, her voice quivering as she threw herself into Lance’s arms.
A flicker of struggle and hesitation crossed Lance’s face, but in the end, he slowly wrapped his arms around Aria and held her close.
Outside, Shea felt the breeze hit her as she reached the door and suddenly remembered Hansen
was still inside.
She pulled out her phone and sent him a message, telling him she was waiting at the entrance.
The Starlight Table was located in the busiest part of town, surrounded by bustling shopping
streets. It wasn’t too late, so many people were still strolling around.
Standing at the doorway, Shea watched the bustling street not far away, filled with affectionate couples-some holding hands, others feeding each other little bites of food.
Seeing this, her thoughts inevitably drifted to herself and Lance.
Despite all the years they had been together, Lance had never once been overly affectionate with her in public.
He always claimed it was because they weren’t “ordinary people”, that as members of high society, every gesture and word had to be carefully measured.
Shea let out a self-mocking laugh at the thought.
“It wasn’t about image. He just didn’t love me that much,” she thought, shaking her head lightly.
It seemed Lance had never truly cared for her.
Now that he came back trying to win her over, it was probably just because he was used to her being around.
How ridiculous was the fact that she had been so blind for so many years, only now finally seeing the truth.
She really had been… too foolish.
Just as she was lost in her sorrow, a coat was suddenly draped over her shoulders, chasing away some of the chill.
Shea blinked in surprise and turned her head to see Hansen watching her with a faint, gentle
smile.
He took her hand and placed it in his, covering her slightly cold fingers with his own warmth.
PEATLAR
“Why didn’t you wait inside? The wind out here is strong. Aren’t you cold?”
His gentle voice whispered in her ear, and his eyes were soft and tender like calm waters
Hansen’s warmth and thoughtfulness wrapped around her slightly chilled heart, and Shea suddenly felt a sense of relief and comfort she hadn’t expected.
“I’m fine. It’s not that cold,” she murmured.
“It’s still a little chilly,” Hansen said, nodding as he took her hand and led her toward the car.”
Come on, let’s go home.”
Once inside, Hansen started the car quickly, while Shea, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn’t help but stare at him.
She kept watching, her mind slowly drifting away.
She thought, “If only I had met Hansen earlier…”
“Shea, if you keep staring at me like that, I might not be able to resist.” Hansen’s voice, carrying a hint of a smile, sounded from inside the car, snapping Shea sharply back to reality.
“I might not be able to resist doing something… a little dangerous,” he said.
