Reborn: Leave Before Their Wedding

“Shawn, Ethan and Wendy are engaged. Stop trying to come between them. We’ve already booked your flight. Stay abroad for a few years, then come back after their wedding.” Shawn Yates looked at his parents’ faces, at the way they seemed so sure they were doing what was best for him, and realized he had been reborn. He had returned to the day his parents forced him to leave the country and give up Wendy Stone for good. In his previous life, his parents talked him into leaving, but he couldn’t accept it. He told Wendy again and again that he was the one she loved. He begged his parents to tell her the truth and stop letting his brother, Ethan Yates, take his place. All it did was make Wendy despise him even more. When a car accident left him close to death, she even told the nurse on the phone coldly, “What’s he trying to pull this time? Tell him to stop trying to ruin my wedding with Ethan.” Chapter 1 Shawn Yates died on the operating table, his eyes fixed on the lavish wedding being broadcast around the world. On the television, Ethan Yates gently slipped a ring onto Wendy Stone’s finger, and the happy couple accepted everyone’s congratulations… Now that fate had given him another chance at life, he refused to make a fool of himself again. “Fine. I’ll go.” He picked up the plane ticket. His voice was startlingly calm. His parents stared at him in shock. They hadn’t expected him to agree so readily. “Shawn, you’re really leaving? You’re not planning some other way to ruin your brother’s wedding, are you?” Ruin it? What a joke. Wendy was supposed to be with him. His parents took her from him and handed her to his older brother. More than twenty years ago, Ethan was diagnosed with leukemia. Their parents decided without hesitation to have another child, and Shawn was born. His umbilical cord blood saved Ethan’s life. From then on, Shawn lived in his brother’s shadow. Ethan was sickly, so their parents gave him all their love and attention. Shawn gave way to him throughout their childhood. He gave up his room, his friends, even his place in a competition final… There was only one person he refused to give up: Wendy Stone, the heiress of the wealthy Stone family. He fell for her the moment they met. She once had the world at her feet. Then a car accident after her birthday party left her blind, and her family abandoned her in a villa outside the city. Shawn hid his visits from his family. He stole a key and climbed over the wall every day after school to keep her company. “I’ll come every day.” In the darkness, the boy’s deep, alluring voice became Wendy’s only comfort. He never told her his name. He only wrote in her palm, one letter at a time: “Call me Seven.” She felt her way while combing his hair and played the piano for him. On stormy nights, she pressed his cold hand against her chest. The night before her surgery, she kissed his fingertips and promised, “When I can see again, I want you to be the first person I see. Then we can be together, okay?” The surgery lasted twelve hours. But when Wendy woke up, the first person she saw was Ethan. Their parents learned that Ethan liked Wendy too, so they secretly put sleeping pills in Shawn’s water. He slept through the next day and night. Then they lied and claimed Ethan was the one who spent all those years with her, letting him take Shawn’s place. Wendy never doubted them. She and Ethan fell in love, got engaged, and seemed devoted to each other. For three years, Shawn told her countless times that he was the one who stayed by her side and the one she was supposed to love. She never believed him, not even before he died. Shawn looked at his own parents and found the whole thing absurd. “You’ve tried to make me leave again and again. Now I’ve agreed, and you don’t believe me? Don’t you think that’s strange?” “That’s not what we meant. Of course we’re glad you’re willing to go. Your flight to Westmere leaves in two weeks. You can use that time to pack and take care of anything you need to.” His parents feared he might change his mind. They hurried to remind him of a few more things, then left in high spirits. Shawn turned and went back to his room. The moment he closed the door, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Wendy. [Lindencrest Hotel. Room 1808. Eight tonight.] Shawn stared at the message, his fingers tightening around his phone. In his previous life, the message filled him with hope. He thought Wendy was finally willing to hear him out. But when he arrived, he discovered she had summoned him to watch her and Ethan in bed so he would give up on her. He broke down in tears, but she only said coldly, “Do you see it now? Your brother is the only one I love.” It seemed ridiculous to him now. He took a deep breath and replied, [Okay.] At eight that evening, he arrived at the hotel on time. The door to Room 1808 stood open. Wendy and Ethan held each other, both naked. Used condoms lay scattered around them, and the room still smelled of sex. Wendy saw Shawn standing outside and let out a startled cry. Ethan lowered his head and covered her collarbone with soft kisses. Wendy’s voice became gentle and seductive. “I invited him here on purpose. I wanted him to see that you’re the one I love. Maybe then he’ll stop thinking he has a chance with me and understand that I’ll only ever be his sister-in-law.” Even in his second life, the sight cut through Shawn as sharply as it had the first time. It felt as though his heart had been torn open, and the pain was almost unbearable. But he had to get used to it. From now on, Wendy would only ever be his sister-in-law. He didn’t know how long he stood there. When he finally unclenched his fists, his palms were marked with crescents from his nails. Wendy, fully dressed now, walked up to him. “Do you understand now? I love your brother, and only your brother. I’m going to be your sister-in-law, so stop acting like you have a chance with me.” Shawn’s face showed nothing. “I see. I understand.” Wendy paused, apparently surprised by how calmly he answered. A moment later, she picked up an invitation from the bedside table and handed it to him. “Ethan and I are getting married next month. I hope you’ll come.” Shawn took the invitation. “I’ll be there on time. I wish you both a happy marriage.” Wendy studied his face and frowned. For some reason, Shawn seemed unusually obedient today. But she asked no questions. Ethan took her hand, and they left the hotel. Shawn followed them with heavy steps. He walked with his head down, lost in thought, when a scream rang out beside him. A second later, a huge sign overhead fell straight toward them. Wendy instinctively stepped back with Ethan, and they escaped unharmed. Shawn alone remained where he stood. The sign struck him, leaving him covered in blood as he collapsed on the ground. Pain surged through him in waves. His body trembled uncontrollably in the pool of blood. Tears blurred his vision. He looked at Wendy as she protected Ethan, then closed his eyes. The girl who once cared only about him was never coming back. And at last, he could let her go for good. Chapter 2 When Shawn opened his eyes again, he was in a hospital. A nurse was changing his dressing. She saw that he was awake and breathed a sigh of relief. “You’ve been unconscious for two days. How do you feel? Your brother passed out from shock the day he brought you here. “Your parents and your future sister-in-law are looking after him in the room next door. Shall I get them?” Shawn’s lashes fluttered. He shook his head. “No. They won’t want to see me, and I don’t want to see them.” Sympathy flickered in the nurse’s eyes as she left the room. “They’re brothers, but the younger one lost so much blood he ended up in intensive care. His family hasn’t even asked about him. “They’ve spent all their time looking after the older one because he had gotten a fright. They haven’t visited once in two days.” “I heard his future sister-in-law is the CEO of Stone Group. His brother’s marrying into a wealthy family, so I suppose it’s no surprise they’ve forgotten about the younger one. “She really does adore her fiancé, though. She’s stayed by his side, fed him his medicine and soup herself, and even brought in a retired psychologist to talk him through the shock. Gifts to cheer him up kept arriving at his room…” The two nurses spoke quietly, but Shawn heard every word. His expression never changed. He was used to this. That afternoon, the doctor asked him to come in for an examination. No one was there to help, so Shawn forced his weak body out of bed and went alone. As he passed the room next door, he saw his parents and Wendy gathered around Ethan, fussing over him. His father, Martin Yates, tucked in Ethan’s blanket while his mother, Caroline Yates, peeled grapes and fed them to him. Ethan gave them a sweet smile and said gently, “Dad, Mom, you’ve been looking after me for days and haven’t gone to see Shawn. “I’ve eaten enough. Take the rest of the soup to Shawn, will you? He’s seriously hurt. He needs to eat.” “Oh, don’t worry about him. He’ll be fine. Your mother spent a long time making that soup. It would be wasted on him.” Martin refused without a moment’s thought. Caroline nodded in agreement. Wendy smoothed Ethan’s bangs, her eyes full of tenderness. “Ethan, the doctor said you fainted because you were so worried. Shawn has always been cold. He doesn’t care about you as his brother, and he even tried to steal your fiancée. Why are you still worrying about him?” Shawn gave a bitter smile when he heard her cold judgment. He had been allergic to seafood since birth and couldn’t eat any of it. But Ethan loved fish, shrimp, and crab, so their family served seafood at every meal. Shawn could only eat vegetables and plain oatmeal. Martin and Caroline still scolded him for being picky. In front of others, Ethan acted like a caring older brother. Whenever they were alone, he mocked Shawn relentlessly and sometimes hit and kicked him. Then Ethan would go crying to Martin and Caroline and claim Shawn had attacked him. Martin and Caroline never asked Shawn what happened. They made him kneel outside in the rain all night. After that, Shawn kept his distance from Ethan and gave him whatever he wanted. In his previous life, Wendy was the only person Shawn had fought for. And look where that got him. This time, he only wanted to live his own life. He would stop fighting for things, trying to win, and loving her. Shawn finished his examination alone, then took his preion to collect his medicine. The pharmacy was in another building, beyond a garden. As he passed the fountain, someone blocked his path. He looked up and saw Ethan. “Well, you’re out of bed already. You can’t have been hurt that badly. Listen to me: Mom and Dad are on my side. “You can tell Wendy you were the one who stayed with her all those years and that you’re the one she really fell for. It won’t make a difference. Save your breath!” Shawn met the taunt calmly. “Don’t worry. From now on, I won’t love Wendy. You can have everything you want.” Ethan was used to Shawn giving in, and his smug look deepened. “Huh? You think I need you to give me anything? I’ve gotten everything I wanted since we were kids. You only get what I throw away. You’ll never beat me!” Chapter 3 Shawn ignored Ethan’s taunt and turned to leave. Ethan frowned when he saw Shawn trying to get away. He was about to scold him again when a familiar figure appeared in the corridor. An idea struck him. He grabbed Shawn’s hand and dragged him into the fountain. Neither of them could swim. They thrashed in the water and cried for help. Shawn’s wounds reopened, and blood spread through the fountain. Cold water rushed into his nose, making him cough. The pain drained what little strength he had left, and he sank. Just as he was about to suffocate, he saw Wendy run toward them and jump into the water. She swam straight past him without a glance or an outstretched hand. She grabbed Ethan and pulled him to the edge. Ethan held her close, his eyes red. He looked at Shawn, who was still struggling in the water, and feigned concern. “Shawn accidentally pushed me in. Wendy, you know he’s my only brother. Please get him out.” Wendy looked at Shawn in the fountain, her face turning cold. “Ethan, stop defending him. He tried to drown you, then jumped in himself so he could play the victim. He hasn’t learned a thing. Leave him in there until he comes to his senses!” Every word reached Shawn and cut deep. His face turned purple. His ears rang, and the last of his strength slipped away. His thoughts grew hazy, and his vision blurred. He watched Wendy and Ethan walk away, then lost consciousness… Shawn didn’t know how much time passed before a cold draft woke him. He shivered and opened his eyes. Martin and Caroline stood over him, their faces dark with anger. “How dare you push Ethan into the water? Were you trying to kill him and take his place with Wendy?” “As long as your father and I are alive, that will never happen! You can’t compare to your brother in any way. You don’t deserve Wendy. Accept that and stop dreaming about her!” Their angry words left Shawn cold. Despair slowly filled his eyes. Years of pain he kept buried finally burst out. “I don’t deserve her? But he does? If you hadn’t lied to Wendy, she would never have looked twice at him! You stole what was mine and gave it to him. Aren’t you ashamed?” Caroline’s face flushed with anger when he talked back. Martin raised a hand and slapped him. “You ungrateful son! We’re your parents. We gave you your life and everything you have. If we want to take something back and give it to your brother, we can. What right do you have to complain? “And if you dare tell Wendy the truth again, we’ll…” Before Martin could finish, the door to the hospital room swung open. Wendy walked in with a frown. “The truth? What truth?” Wendy’s sudden arrival startled Martin and Caroline. They stumbled over their words. “We were… we were questioning our ungrateful son. We want him to tell us why he pushed Ethan into the water.” “Yes, exactly. He refuses to admit it, no matter what we say. Caroline and I are at our wits’ end. We don’t even know how to punish him.” They exchanged a glance and steered the conversation away from what Wendy had overheard. Wendy thought nothing of it. She looked at Shawn with icy eyes. “If he still won’t admit what he did, lock him in the morgue. Let him out when he’s ready to own up to it.” Martin and Caroline thought it was a good idea. They immediately called their bodyguards to take him there. Shawn held a hand against his swollen cheek. His eyes were empty. He knew resistance would only bring a harsher punishment, so he let the bodyguards drag him away. The morgue’s chilling cold surrounded him. He wrapped his arms around his trembling body, but he couldn’t stop shivering. Shawn remembered the nights he and Wendy spent at the Stone family estate, huddled together for warmth while thunder and lightning raged outside. He would take off his coat and drape it over her shoulders. She would hold his hand tightly, curl up in his arms, and tell him again and again, “I’m here. Don’t be afraid.” The sweet memories tangled with the cold reality around him and made it hurt all the more. Time dragged on. Hungry and freezing, Shawn gradually lost his grip on his surroundings. Then the door opened. Wendy walked in, her face cold and her gaze sharp. “You’ve been in here for a day and a night. Do you understand what you did wrong?” “Yes. I was completely wrong.” Shawn lay curled up on the floor. He could barely force the hoarse words from his throat. Wendy looked satisfied. Shawn struggled to his feet and staggered out, his real answer left unspoken. He was wrong to believe her promise that they would be together. He was wrong to fall in love with her. Chapter 4 After he was discharged, Shawn went home and gathered everything connected to Wendy. The diary entries and love letters he wrote as a teenager, the photographs of her he secretly kept, the gifts he meant to give her, the surprises he planned… He once imagined showing her all of it after they got together and telling her the story of how he fell in love with her. Now he knew they would never be together. None of it had a place in his life anymore. He threw it all away. When he turned around, he found Wendy at the door. She had just brought Ethan home. She glanced at the trash, then looked at Shawn with the same coldness. Ethan noticed what Shawn had thrown out. He deliberately took Wendy’s hand and smiled. “Wendy, it looks like Shawn has finally learned his lesson. I’m sure he won’t keep pursuing you. He’s still my brother, though. You don’t have to be so cold to him all the time.” Wendy looked at Shawn without a trace of warmth. “I’m always cold to people I don’t like. I can’t pretend to feel otherwise.” Shawn listened without saying a word. He took a quiet breath, swallowed his feelings, and returned to his room. The next day was Ethan’s birthday party. Guests filled the hall, talking among themselves. “Miss Stone certainly went all out for her fiancé’s birthday. I heard these flowers were flown in from Westmere this morning. “There’ll be fireworks for three days and three nights too! And the suit and watch Mr. Yates is wearing are worth tens of millions of dollars. Miss Stone bought them herself at Bellingham Auctions!” “She’s spared no expense to make the man she loves happy. Mr. Yates is lucky to be marrying her, and his whole family is set for life. It’s a shame his younger brother is such a problem. He’s always after his future sister-in-law. How shameless can he be?” “Exactly. How can two brothers be so different? Shawn can’t match Ethan in looks or personality, and he won’t leave Miss Stone alone. He has no decency, either. If he were my son, I’d throw him out. Mr. and Mrs. Yates are too kind to him!” The gossip reached Shawn, but it stirred nothing in him. He sat in a corner, hoping no one would notice him. Across the room, his parents and Wendy stayed close to Ethan. Everyone’s attention was on him. They straightened his suit, turned away the drinks guests offered him, lit his birthday candles, and sang to him with smiles on their faces. Shawn watched them together and remembered his own birthdays. Ethan always found an excuse to take their parents away, leaving Shawn at home to blow out his candles alone. During the years Shawn spent with Wendy, she celebrated with him. They made wishes, ate cake, and she gave him presents. He thought he would never have to feel alone again. Now even the small measure of care and warmth he once knew was gone. He would no longer cling to it. Amid the birthday celebrations, Ethan closed his eyes and made a wish. Then the guests gave him their presents. He opened them one by one. There were designer bags, fine jewelry, and other expensive gifts. His smile never faded. The last two gifts came from his parents and Wendy. When they were announced, the room erupted in surprise. “My wife and I have thought long and hard about this. We’ve decided that Ethan will take over Yates Group and inherit all the Yates family assets!” “My gift to Ethan is a fifty percent stake in Stone Group, along with my family’s heirloom wedding rings. My grandmother told me that any couple who wears these rings will stand by each other for the rest of their lives. “Ethan, you’re the only person I want to marry. Thank you for wanting to marry me.” Before the assembled guests, Ethan slipped a ring onto Wendy’s finger, drew her into his arms, and kissed her. The hall erupted in applause and cheers as everyone offered their congratulations. Shawn watched from a distance, a heavy feeling pressing on his chest. He dug his nails into his palm and tried to leave, but Ethan called out to him. “Shawn, where’s my present? When are you going to give it to me?” Every guest turned to look at Shawn. He stopped, took out the gift he had prepared earlier, and handed it to Ethan. Ethan opened it with a smile, ready to make a cutting remark. But Wendy’s expression froze. She stared at the hand Shawn had raised. “Why do you have that watch?” Shawn looked up at the disbelief in her eyes and touched his watch without thinking. When Wendy was blind, he knew she couldn’t see him, but he always made an effort to look his best before visiting her. He often wore this watch back then. Whenever she held his hand, her fingers would brush against it, and she would ask him which gemstones were set into it. Shawn said nothing. Wendy seized his wrist, her voice urgent. “Answer me! Why do you have this watch? Who are you really?” Chapter 5 Shawn hadn’t expected Wendy to recognize the watch when she failed to recognize him. Conflicting emotions rose in him. He was about to speak when Ethan cut him off. “Shawn, why did you take my watch without asking?” Ethan came over and tried to wrench it off Shawn’s wrist. He pulled so hard that his nails left bloody scratches across Shawn’s hand. Shawn grunted in pain and tried to pull free. Ethan used the movement to throw himself backward. Wendy’s expression changed. She caught Ethan instinctively, then looked at Shawn with dark, furious eyes. “So that’s it. I thought…” “You stole Ethan’s watch, and when he caught you, you attacked him! Shawn, you disgust me!” A chill ran through Shawn. She believed Ethan without giving him a chance to explain. He raised his bleeding hand, unable to hide the pain and despair in his voice. “If you remember this watch, didn’t you notice that Ethan never wore it after you regained your sight? That’s because he never even knew it existed. He isn’t the one you think he…” Before Shawn could finish, Martin slapped him. His vision went dark, and he fell backward into the champagne tower. Hundreds of glasses crashed down on him, soaking him. He hit the floor hard, bruised and bleeding. Caroline strode up to him, her face grim. She poured the red wine in her hand over his face and spoke sharply. “Ethan stopped wearing it because it broke. We sent it for repairs, and the butler only brought it back today. You put it on while we were out. Were you planning to keep it? “We put up with your behavior at home, but today is your brother’s birthday. You’ve disgraced our family in front of everyone! “That watch was your grandfather’s most treasured possession. He left it to Ethan, the grandson he loved most. How could it possibly belong to you?” Martin backed her up, and Wendy accepted their story as the truth. She comforted Ethan, who looked deeply hurt, and wiped a smudge from his face. Then she walked over to Shawn, knelt beside him, and lifted his injured wrist. She removed the watch, wiped away the blood with a handkerchief, and fastened it around Ethan’s wrist as though it were precious. “Ethan, this watch holds your grandfather’s love for you and the memories of our five years together. I won’t let anyone defile it.” Then she turned to Martin, her voice icy. “Mr. Yates, he stole from his own family. Doesn’t that call for punishment?” Martin nodded repeatedly. He had someone bring him a whip and took it in his hand. “Shawn’s actions today deserve fifty lashes! I failed to raise him properly, and I apologize for disrupting the celebration. I’ll punish my ungrateful son here, in front of everyone!” He raised the whip and brought it down hard. It struck Shawn with a sharp crack. The skin on his back split, and his whole body shook. Blood streamed down, soon staining him red. The pain blurred his thoughts. Broken moans escaped his throat. “I didn’t steal it. That watch… was mine. Grandpa… gave it to me!” Wendy showed no pity as Shawn struggled in a pool of blood. Ethan covered her eyes and led her away. Shawn watched them disappear and closed his bloodshot eyes. He bit down hard on his lips, smeared with blood and tears, and forced himself to make no more sound. When the punishment ended, Martin and Caroline walked away without looking at him. The guests and servers left too, mocking him as they went. No one came to help. He lay battered on the cold floor until the lights went out. Endless darkness closed around him. Chapter 6 Shawn didn’t regain enough strength to move until the early hours of the next morning. He went to the hospital alone to have his wounds treated. Even the doctor was startled by the severity of his injuries. It took three hours to clean and bandage them. Cold sweat soaked Shawn’s clothes. Several of his fingernails broke as he endured the pain, but at last it was over. He stayed in the hospital for two days, and his wounds slowly began to scab over. Ethan sent him taunting messages every day. [Mom and Dad agreed to turn your room into a nursery. Wendy and I will put our children there whenever we visit. When are you moving your junk out?] [I went wedding dress shopping with Wendy today. I liked several gowns, so I bought them all for her. I tried on so many shoes that my feet hurt. She felt so bad for me that she even rubbed my legs.] Shawn looked at the photos and saw the loving way Wendy gazed at Ethan. He felt nothing but numbness. He didn’t reply to a single message. Once he was well enough to go home, he started packing. He kept only his essential documents and belongings. He threw everything else away. The butler saw what he was doing and approached him nervously. “Mr. Yates, your brother meant for you to move into the basement. It doesn’t get much sunlight, but there’s plenty of space. You don’t need to throw all this away.” Shawn looked around the empty room and answered quietly. “I won’t need any of it. Throw it away. I’m leaving the country soon, and I won’t be coming back.” The butler froze, surprise flashing in his eyes. “You’re leaving and not coming back?” Before he could say more, Wendy opened the front door and walked in. “Who’s leaving and not coming back?” The butler was about to answer when Ethan emerged from his bedroom. “Why are you here so early? I’m not even ready yet.” Wendy forgot about Shawn and the butler. She went straight to Ethan and tapped his nose. “That’s all right. Take your time. I can wait.” “I can’t get this bow tie right. You’re good with your hands. Will you help me?” They laughed together as they returned to his room and closed the door. Shawn looked away and silently zipped up his suitcase. Wendy and Ethan spent the rest of the day together, openly affectionate. She made him breakfast herself. He held her in his arms and fed her one bite at a time. She watched a movie with him and pointed out the little details he might have missed. She kissed him on the balcony and deliberately left lipstick on his collar. Tenderness filled her eyes… The servants noticed and whispered among themselves. “Mr. Yates and Miss Stone are so in love. They aren’t legally married yet, but they already act like newlyweds. They can hardly bear to be apart!” “He’s been spoiled since childhood, but he’s never developed a bad temper. Once he marries Miss Stone, she’ll spoil him even more. He’s so lucky.” “I feel sorry for the younger Mr. Yates. His family has ignored him all his life, and when he finally fell for someone, she turned out to be his future sister-in-law. How can two brothers have such different luck?” Shawn heard them through the door and lowered his eyes. He used to ask himself countless times why fate treated him this way. But after dying once, he understood something: if he had to fight to keep someone, they were never his to begin with. Neither his family’s love nor Wendy’s was his to fight for. He no longer wanted to hold on. He only wanted to leave and never be trapped in this misery again. Chapter 7 At dinnertime, a servant told them Martin and Caroline had booked a private room at Briarhill Hotel and wanted them to eat there. Shawn planned to make an excuse and stay home, but Ethan pulled him into the back seat of the car. Throughout the drive, Wendy answered everything Ethan said at once. “Wendy, after we get married, can we go to Westmere for our honeymoon? We can see the northern lights and go to fashion shows. I’ll take so many pictures of you, then make a different selfie of us the wallpaper on your phone, computer, and tablet!” “Of course. I’ll ask a few photographers to teach me how to take better pictures too. I want to capture our happiest moments and hang the photos all over my office and study. Then whenever I miss you, I’ll only have to look up.” “You have to keep that promise. When we have children, we can look through the albums with them and remember all our trips. If we have a boy, I hope he’s tall and handsome like me. If we have a girl, I’d rather she take after you…” They talked as though Shawn wasn’t there. He stared out the window without a word. On the day of Wendy’s eye surgery, the sleeping pills kept Shawn unconscious. He dreamed while he slept. In that dream, he was the first person Wendy saw when she woke, and from then on, she had eyes for no one else. She stayed by his side, planned surprises for him, went on dates with him, and discovered the world together with him. He got down on one knee and proposed. He held her hand as they walked down the aisle. Later, he held her and their child for a family photograph. In his dream, someone truly loved him, and they built a family of their own. But when he woke, none of it was real. He fought with everything he had to make that dream come true, only to die in the end. The screech of brakes pulled Shawn from his thoughts. He looked up and saw a sports car hurtling straight toward them. Its brakes seemed to have failed. The impact slammed their car into a bridge pillar. Shawn’s whole body jolted violently. Blood ran from his forehead, arms, and legs. Pain tore through him so fiercely he could barely breathe. He forced his eyes open through the blood and saw Ethan help a trembling Wendy out of the car. The doors on both sides were badly crushed, and flames had caught in the trunk. Shawn bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He forced himself to stay conscious and dragged his injured body toward the front passenger seat. Every movement sent blood dripping onto the seats and floor. He managed to crawl out of the car and move a few steps away before an explosion sounded behind him. Flames shot upward. The blast knocked him to the ground. Shawn stared at the burning wreck, his blood running cold. If he had hesitated a few seconds longer or lost consciousness in the crash, he would have died in another car accident. Five minutes passed between the collision and the moment he escaped. Wendy never looked at him once. Even after Ethan was safe, she never thought to go back for Shawn. He watched Ethan hold her and comfort her gently. A weary, bitter smile crossed his face. His strength was gone, and his eyelids grew too heavy to keep open. Through the haze, he heard an ambulance’s beeping and a nurse’s urgent voice. “Shawn Yates is in worse condition. He’s unconscious from blood loss. Miss Stone, we need to get him into surgery first, or he could die!” “I don’t care what happens to Shawn! I just want Ethan to be safe. He’s hurt too. You have to treat him first!” Shawn recognized Wendy’s voice. He managed to open his eyes a sliver and saw the worry on her face. Martin and Caroline had arrived as well. They stood around Ethan, wiping away tears. “Save Ethan first! We’ve raised him all these years. If anything happens to him, how will his father and I go on?” “Yes, we’re their family. If something happens to Shawn, we won’t hold the hospital responsible! Leave him for now. Ethan’s safety comes first!” Every one of them chose Ethan. The last trace of hope Shawn held for them disappeared. Darkness surged over him and pulled him down. The helplessness and fear he felt before his death in his previous life closed in on him again… Chapter 8 Shawn hadn’t expected to survive. The smell of antiseptic filled his nose. He lay there for a long time before his thoughts cleared. The doctor examined him, relief in his voice. “We worked for more than ten hours to save your life. I’m glad you’re awake.” Shawn’s eyes shifted. His voice was hoarse. “Thank you for saving me.” The doctor nodded and looked at him as though he wanted to say something. “Were those your parents who brought you to the hospital that day?” Shawn parted his lips but said nothing. The doctor saw his expression and didn’t press him. He left with a sigh. Shawn spent the next two days alone in the hospital. No one came to visit. Martin and Caroline finally appeared on the day he was discharged. They didn’t ask how he felt. They came to remind him of something. “Your brother’s wedding is tomorrow. You promised us you’d leave, so go before the ceremony.” Shawn listened to their matter-of-fact tone and nodded. Their expressions softened when he agreed without a fuss. “Step aside for your brother’s happiness. Once their marriage is settled and they have children, we’ll bring you home so the family can be together again. We’ve put money in your account. Take care of yourself while you’re abroad.” With that said, they hurried off to look after Ethan. Shawn watched them leave. Then he took the ticket to Westmere from his pocket and tore it to pieces. He pulled out his phone and booked a flight to Bellshore instead. He would give them what they wanted and let them all be happy. But he would disappear from their lives for good, somewhere they could never find him. After he left the hospital, Shawn went to see the doctor and drew up a document severing his ties with his parents. He signed his name carefully and placed the document in a box. He added an old recording he made at the Stone family estate, back when he visited Wendy. On it, she told him a story. He had taken the recording to her countless times, but she never gave him even a minute of her time. She refused to listen. Now that he had decided to leave, he wanted to clear this away too. Whether Wendy listened was no longer his concern. Soon he would disappear for good, beyond anyone’s reach. That night, the preparations for the wedding kept the house noisy. Shawn slept poorly. He woke early, ate breakfast, and put his suitcase in the trunk of the car. Just as he was about to leave, the wedding cars arrived. Wendy stepped out in a white wedding gown, so beautiful it was hard to look away. Shawn nodded to her and addressed her as his sister-in-law for the first time. It was also the last. Wendy paused. She glanced at the car behind him and frowned. “You don’t need to attend the wedding. Stay home.” Shawn knew they feared he would turn up and disrupt the ceremony. He shook his head and handed her the gift he had carefully prepared. His voice was calm. “I’m not going to your wedding, and I won’t interfere with your lives again. I wish you a happy marriage. Goodbye.” He got into the car and closed the door. Wendy watched it start, her heart pounding. She almost called out to ask where he was going. Before she could speak, Ethan appeared in his suit and called to her. “Wendy, you look beautiful!” In the rearview mirror, Shawn saw Wendy hand the box to her assistant without a second glance. She turned back to Ethan with a smile, and he swept her into his arms. The car slowly left the neighborhood. Shawn lowered the window and threw his phone outside. The Shawn Yates he had been was gone. The new Shawn Yates would have a fresh start.