By the time Leyla stepped back into the exclusive VIP suite, only Erick remained, seated beside Shawn and keeping watch over him. The other three had already left.

"Sorry I'm late," she said quietly as she entered. There was no trace left of the tears that had streaked her cheeks earlier.

"You're not late at all. The others just left, and I've got somewhere to be tonight. So I'll have to leave you with the trouble of taking Shawn home," Erick replied with a warm grin, though he avoided her eyes for a split second.

His mind drifted back to the earlier conversation. For a moment, he debated whether he should say something about Corrine and Shawn.

But eventually, he held back. He decided Theo was right. Whatever was going on was up to Shawn and Leyla. It wasn't his place to get involved.

"Why did he drink this much? If he keeps this up, his stomach issues are going to come back." Leyla moved closer to the couch, her eyes settling on Shawn's striking face. No matter what had happened between them, she still naturally found herself concerned about his health.

"Well… it's been a while since we all hung out like this. He probably just had a couple more drinks than usual. I swear, next time I'll watch him more closely and stop him before he overdoes it," Erick said, rubbing the back of his neck as he scrambled for a reasonable explanation.

Leyla didn't respond. She simply stood there, studying Shawn's sleeping face in silence.

"Uh, did you drive here? Are you okay driving Shawn's car?" Erik asked, extending the car keys toward her.

Leyla shook her head slightly. "I didn't bring a car."

She had taken a cab to Charm Club, hurrying over with the intention of sharing good news with Shawn. Now, thinking back on it, she felt painfully foolish.

When she accepted the keys, Erick quickly stepped forward. "I'll help you get him to the car."

"Thank you," Leyla replied.

Shawn was tall and solidly built. Without Erick's support, there was no way she could have managed to lift him, let alone get him into the car.

"Take care, Leyla," Erick said once Shawn was settled in the back seat.

Already in the driver's seat, Leyla nodded at Erick and eased the car into traffic.

She had only gotten her license after marrying Shawn, and she rarely drove, certainly not a large vehicle like his. Her hands stayed tense on the steering wheel as she drove carefully through the night, completely unaware that Shawn's eyes had opened in the back seat.

He had already regained consciousness when Leyla first walked into the VIP suite. He had chosen to stay quiet, pretending to be asleep as they carried him out and placed him in the car.

The truth was, his meltdown tonight was because Corrine had called him earlier in the day.

"Shawn, my flight lands in Fladena tomorrow. Can you come pick me up?" Corrine's voice, so familiar it felt almost unreal, wafted through the phone.

For a brief second, Shawn stopped breathing. Then he answered quietly, his voice low and restrained, "I'm married."

The moment the words left his mouth, he ended the call. Even so, the brief conversation unsettled him. That was why he later drank himself numb with his friends.

Two years earlier, certain Corrine would accept, he had planned a grand proposal for her, who was his girlfriend then. The proposal had been so extravagant it drew attention across the city.

Yet Corrine never came. Instead, she called him to say she was leaving to pursue her dream of becoming a dancer.

On that day, surrounded by a vast arrangement of flowers, he stood abandoned and humiliated, quickly turning into Fladena's biggest joke.

The very next day, Garrett pushed him into marrying Leyla. Still drowning in shock and emotion, Shawn went through with the marriage.

Over the following two years, he convinced himself that Corrine had faded from his thoughts. But the moment her call came through, he realized how fragile that belief truly was.

By the time they reached home, Leyla noticed that Shawn was no longer unconscious.

"You're awake?" she said, turning toward him. "Can you get out of the car by yourself?"

She knew she wouldn't be able to support his height and weight on her own.

Shawn grunted in response, but the alcohol still left his head spinning. Leyla stepped closer and helped him out of the car.

He leaned heavily against her, and her familiar minty scent seemed to shatter the haze in his mind, bringing a brief moment of clarity.

Side by side, they entered the mansion. Leyla guided him to the sofa and carefully sat him down before heading to the kitchen to get him a glass of electrolyte water.

Shawn remained seated, his eyes fixed on her back as she disappeared into the kitchen.

When she returned with the glass, she noticed his brows drawn together in a frown.

"Drink this," she said, passing the glass to him.

He took the glass and finished it in one go. Afterward, he looked at Leyla, who was standing stiffly in front of him.

"Is there anything else you need?" he asked suddenly, causing her expression to falter.

She couldn't help but feel startled by her own earlier thoughts about trying to win him back with her pregnancy.

Then it occurred to her that their agreement was nearing its end. There was no reason to create more complications now.

Almost without thinking, she chose to lie. "Garrett called earlier. He wants us to come back to the manor for dinner when we have the time."

"All right," Shawn replied without emotion. "We'll go back to Cooper Manor tomorrow."

"Okay," Leyla answered quietly.

Since Shawn had drunk too much, Leyla woke up early the next day to cook him some light breakfast, believing it would be gentle on his stomach.

By the time she finished preparing it, Shawn was already awake.

"You're up? Come downstairs and eat something," Leyla called softly as she looked toward him, where he stood at the top of the staircase.

Shawn descended the stairs and took a seat at the dining table. Neither of them attempted to start a conversation.

A heavy, uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

Suddenly, a notification sound from Shawn's phone shattered the silence. He lowered his eyes to the screen.

"I don't believe you'd actually marry someone else. Are you doing this to make me jealous? No matter what happens, I'll be at the airport waiting for you."

The message was from Corrine. Without responding, Shawn turned off his screen.

Two years earlier, when Corrine had left Fladena, he had blocked her phone number and all of her social media accounts. This had to be a new number she was using.

His phone vibrated again. Another message from Corrine appeared.

"I didn't have a choice when I left you two years ago. I've never stopped thinking about you."

The phone chimed once more. It was still Corrine's message.

"I'm not leaving the airport unless you come."

Shawn stared at the string of messages, his jaw tightening. He was just about to block the unfamiliar number when yet another text appeared.

"Don't you want to find out the truth about how your parents died? I have information."

The moment he finished reading that line, the look on his face changed.

He placed the phone on the table and turned toward Leyla. "I have something important to handle today. I can't accompany you to my grandpa's for dinner."

Leyla hesitated. Memories of the conversation she had accidentally overheard outside the private room at the club the previous night resurfaced in her mind.

She forced down the bitterness welling up inside her and replied in a calm tone, "Alright. Take care of what you need to. I'll explain it to your grandfather."

Shawn glanced up at her. Throughout their two years of marriage, she had been compliant and reserved, never once challenging him no matter what he said. She listened quietly, agreed easily, and followed his decisions without protest.

Objectively, she was an excellent wife. She carried herself with grace in front of his friends, so much so that even he struggled to find fault with her. Even their sex life had been unexpectedly harmonious, which left Shawn uncertain about how to categorize his feelings toward her.

Perhaps, he had merely become accustomed to her presence in his life. Yet he found himself unable to offer her genuine tenderness. When Corrine walked away two years ago, it felt as though she had taken his capacity for love along with her.

He had been drawn to Corrine since their college days. She was widely recognized as the most beautiful student in the dance department. It was she who had pursued him persistently until he eventually gave in and fell for her.

And just when he had decided to propose and build a future together, she disappeared on the very day he planned to ask her to marry him.

Later, as she boarded her flight, she sent him a final message. "I can't miss this opportunity to study in Frenston. Can you wait for me for two years?"

Waiting had never been in his nature. The following day, he married Leyla and cut off all contact with Corrine.

...

After Shawn left the house that day, he did not come back that night.

Leyla tried calling him, but her calls went unanswered. Fearful that something might have happened, she reached out to his assistant, Jeffrey Watson. "Jeffrey, is Shawn still at the office working late?"

Although Shawn and Leyla had never publicly acknowledged their marriage, Jeffrey was aware of her identity.

He responded automatically, "Mrs. Cooper, there wasn't any overtime scheduled today. Mr. Cooper left the company earlier this afternoon."

"I understand. Thank you," Leyla replied.

Once the call ended, an uneasy thought began to take shape in her mind. But before she could examine it further, a wave of nausea twisted through her stomach. The queasiness had returned.

She hurriedly swallowed some medicine and lay down on the bed to get some sleep.

But she was restless throughout the night. When morning came, she opened her eyes to find that Shawn still had not returned. There had been no missed calls from him either.

The ache in her stomach intensified, evolving into a sharp, pulsating pain.

When she could no longer bear it, she decided to go to the hospital herself. She initially considered calling a taxi, but cabs were notoriously difficult to find in this upscale neighborhood. With no other option, she forced herself to drive, despite the mounting pain.

Halfway there, a violent cramp seized her stomach. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, making it difficult to maintain a steady hold on the steering wheel.

As the hospital building came into view, she clenched her teeth and sped up. But just as she turned a corner, a black car suddenly lunged out from the left. She did not react in time. Her vehicle collided directly with it.

The impact was immense, accompanied by a piercing crash. For a brief moment, her hearing dulled to a distant hum. Warm blood slid down from her forehead.

Her thoughts went straight to her baby.

Through a haze of semi-consciousness, she heard the wail of an ambulance layered over broken snippets of conversation.

"Quick! Get her into the Emergency Room!"

"She's pregnant. There are signs of a possible miscarriage. Contact her emergency number immediately!"

"I've tried. No one's answering."

Groggy, Leyla felt as though she were sinking into a boundless ocean, drifting without anything to grasp. Footsteps echoed faintly nearby, yet she could not muster the strength to open her eyes.

When she regained consciousness, darkness had already settled outside.

A nurse was seated beside her bed. The moment Leyla stirred, the nurse brightened with relief. "You're awake."

"Mm… I…" Leyla attempted to speak, but her throat felt painfully dry and rough. Her limbs were heavy, and she noticed a bandage wrapped around her forehead.

"You were in a car accident right outside the hospital earlier today. You have a mild concussion, but nothing life-threatening. However, your gastritis flared up, and since you're pregnant, your body needed extended rest," the nurse explained, placing Leyla's phone in her hand. "Now that you're conscious, please contact your family. We couldn't reach your emergency contact."

"Thank you," Leyla mumbled.

After the nurse stepped out, Leyla stared at the blank screen of her phone.

She checked the call history and saw that the hospital had attempted to reach Shawn several times. Every call had gone unanswered.

She tried to reassure herself that he was probably occupied with work.

Just as she made to switch off the phone and close her eyes again, a headline from an entertainment news site caught her attention. "Renowned Dancer Corrine Evans Returns to Fladena, Picked Up by Cooper Group CEO Shawn Cooper; The Two Spotted Spending the Night Together at a Private Apartment."

The phone slid from her weakened fingers and hit the floor with a clatter.

In an instant, every lingering suspicion she had suppressed surged forward, chilling her to the core.

So Shawn had actually gone to see Corrine. That explained why he had suddenly canceled their dinner at Cooper Manor the day before.

She imagined him spending the entire night with Corrine. After two years apart, there was little doubt in her mind about what might have happened between them.

Forcing herself not to dwell on the details, she lay stiffly and stared blankly ahead, her mind numb and silent for a long time.

Almost unconsciously, she laid her hand over her abdomen. A thought surfaced within her—perhaps it was time to let him go.

Then she whispered, "Baby, I'm sorry I can't tell your father about you. But I promise I'll protect you, and I'll give you all the love he should have given you too."

The doctor had advised Leyla to remain hospitalized for two full days, yet she insisted on checking out the very next morning and returned home immediately.

Driving back to the house, she saw that Shawn still had not come back.

Two days had passed without a word from him, not even a brief message.

Strangely, she did not feel shocked or even particularly hurt. Over the course of their two-year marriage, this pattern had repeated itself so often. Shawn never informed her of his plans or whereabouts.

Under the same roof, they existed more like distant tenants than husband and wife.

After stepping inside, Leyla prepared a simple meal for herself and took her medication as instructed. After that, she stretched out on the sofa, and drifted into sleep.

The sudden ring of the doorbell startled her awake. It took her a few seconds to gather herself. She pushed herself upright, walked slowly to the entrance, and opened the door.

There stood Corrine. The same woman who had been in the entertainment headline from earlier.

Leyla had previously only seen Corrine on television screens, renowned as an accomplished dancer. Seeing her in person was different. Corrine was even more striking up close.

She carried herself with the grace of a swan. Her features were refined and soft, yet beneath that gentleness lay a faint, almost undetectable edge of unfriendliness.

"Ms. Carter, hello. I'm Corrine Evans, Shawn's friend," Corrine said.

"I know," Leyla answered, looking up at Corrine. Her voice remained calm, revealing neither agitation nor submission.

"Please, come in, Miss Evans," Leyla added. It would have been discourteous to leave a visitor standing at the door.

Corrine accepted the invitation without hesitation and stepped inside.

Once they were in the living room, Leyla poured her a glass of water.

"I stopped by to return Shawn's watch. He left it at my apartment the other night. I tried reaching him earlier today, but he didn't pick up. Since he lives close by and I was already in the area, I figured I'd bring it over myself," Corrine explained.

She retrieved the watch from her handbag and set it gently on the coffee table. Her expression remained composed, her voice warm and polite. Yet each sentence felt deliberate.

Leyla had already guessed that Shawn had spent the night with Corrine. Still, without tangible evidence, she had been able to cling to a fragile sense of denial.

But Corrine's appearance at her doorstep, combined with those carefully chosen words, felt like an unmistakable challenge.

Leyla reached out and picked up the watch. She ran her fingers lightly over its surface. When she looked up again, she spoke even more calmly. "Thank you for bringing it over, Miss Evans. Shawn has always been absentminded. I've reminded him about it many times. He usually tells me that as long as I'm here, he won't lose anything permanently, so he never feels the need to be more careful."

Pausing for a second, she added, "It seems now he's caused inconvenience to someone outside the family. When he comes home, I'll make sure to speak with him so he doesn't trouble you again."

Corrine's smile almost froze. She clearly had not anticipated Leyla responding in that manner.

Before Corrine could recover and continue, Leyla gently signaled that the visit should end. "My stomach hasn't been great today, and I'm not feeling very well. I'm afraid I can't host you any longer, Miss Evans."

"That's fine. Please take care of yourself. I will take my leave now," Corrine replied as she stood up, flashing a composed smile once again.

Leyla escorted her to the door and watched as she walked away from the villa.

Only after she was a good distance from the house did Corrine wipe off the smile on her face.

Jealousy churned within her. In her mind, that mansion should have belonged to her. Instead, it was occupied by that useless housewife.

Of course, Shawn had gone to the airport to meet her for information about his parents' deaths. But throughout their encounter, his focus had remained entirely on the clues. He had shown no interest in how she had lived during the two years they had been apart.

After their conversation, he had driven her back to her apartment and prepared to leave immediately.

Refusing to let him walk away so easily, Corrine had intentionally spilled water on his hand. Forced to deal with it, Shawn had removed his watch and gone to the restroom to dry off. When he returned, he pressed her again for more details about his parents before leaving in haste, forgetting his watch behind.

Corrine found it difficult to accept that Shawn had truly married someone else. She could not reconcile the idea that a man like him would impulsively wed another woman simply because she had left the country.

Yet he actually had a wife now—the fragile, soft-spoken woman living in that mansion.

She had also heard that the marriage had been arranged personally by Garrett.

Regardless of who had arranged the union, Corrine was determined that Shawn would ultimately belong to her.

Her injured leg had ended her dancing career. Without Shawn, she would have no path back into the Evans family's favor.

After Corrine's departure, Leyla remained seated on the sofa, staring at the watch on her palm. It really was Shawn's. So he truly had been with Corrine.

Without warning, tears slid down her face. The sharp discomfort in her stomach, combined with the lingering soreness from the car accident, left her thoughts tangled and unfocused.

The doctor had cautioned her to rest and avoid emotional strain, yet her mind refused to quiet down.

She kept replaying the image of Shawn and Corrine together—how, in everyone's eyes, they seemed perfectly matched. In comparison, she felt like an intruder who had stepped into a place that was never meant to be hers. And soon, even the formal agreement that bound her to Shawn would come to an end.

Heartbroken, Leyla eventually drifted back to sleep. In her dream, her grandfather appeared before her, reminding her gently that no matter what life brought, she should always try to protect her happiness.