Shawn asked Noelle, “Have you run into any problems lately, Elle? Tell me what’s bothering you. Maybe I can help you resolve them.”
She turned away from him, avoiding his affection and intimacy. “You can’t.”
“Why don’t you tell me first? There are few things in this world that I can’t resolve.”
He was right. This truly was an issue that only he could handle. For a split second, Noelle wanted to ask him who he would save first if she and Jessica were to fall into the water at the same time.
Then again, it occurred to her that no one should leave their lives in another person’s hands. Relying on others would only lead to devastation if those people let her down.
She could swim, so she could save herself. She didn’t need Shawn anymore.
Noelle had applied to an art academy in Neloria under the name Aria Byrd. She’d given up on her dream of going into art when marrying Shawn. In the future, she would only live for herself.
“How about we catch a movie together this afternoon, Elle?” Shawn suggested. “A new comedy has just premiered, and it’ll cheer you up.”
“This afternoon? Don’t you have work?” Noelle asked.
“We agreed that I would spend the day with you today, remember? I’m keeping my word. I don’t go back on any of my promises.”
Just then, his phone rang. He wanted to reject the call but hesitated after glancing at the caller ID. She watched as his expression went from annoyance to conflicted.
She smiled. “Answer it. Work is more important.”
“I’ll be right back, okay? Give me five minutes.”
“Okay.”
He was about to leave with his phone, but she stopped him. “Answer it here. It’s not like I can understand your business jargon, anyway. I won’t leak any secrets.”
He froze, looking awkward. After a few seconds, he answered the call, pretending to look angry. “Didn’t I already tell you not to call me today? What’s going on?”
Noelle didn’t know what Jessica said, but she vaguely heard weeping. Shawn’s tone turned cautious as she watched. “Alright, got it. Give me a second.”
He hung up and said a little apologetically, “I need to sign an urgent document, Elle. A manager has brought it to the hospital—he’s downstairs. I’ll be right back after signing it, okay? I’ll be back in half an hour, at most.”
She nodded, and he practically ran out of the room.
The doctor chuckled and said, “Mr. Pitt really loves you, Mrs. Pitt. He was willing to throw his work aside for you.”
“Is that so?” Noelle curled her lip. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”
“Of course.”
She left the room and saw Shawn run to the emergency stairwell because he was too impatient to wait for the elevator. He hadn’t lied—he’d indeed gone downstairs.
However, the department downstairs was the gynecology department.
Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Jessica. “Sorry about this, Ms. Anderson, but he might not be able to spend the rest of the day with you. You should’ve seen how he rushed to me after I called him, right?”
