Chapter 545: Chapter 545



After a long absence, Leah caught up with Joelle and excitedly shared the latest happenings from Illerith. Someone had gotten divorced. Another had welcomed a second child. Someone else’s child had stirred up some trouble. Joelle always found these snippets fascinating, and they often sparked spirited debates between her and Leah.

“Oh, did I mention? The Kelly family just broke off Bobby’s engagement.”

“Why?” Joelle leaned forward, her eyes narrowing with interest. Taking this as a cue, Leah delved into another tale.

“It seems it’s connected to Katherine.”

Though Leah was usually well-informed, she was out of the loop regarding the dynamics between Katherine and Shawn. In the previous October, after relentless pursuit, Shawn had managed to win Katherine’s approval. They had started dating. Joelle wasn’t privy to all the details but felt confident that Katherine was open to the relationship with Shawn.

Nonetheless, Joelle was taken aback to learn that Katherine had rekindled something with Bobby. She could attest to Bobby and Katherine’s friendship being nothing more than platonic. Yet, her gut feeling suggested there was more to it.

That evening, Joelle spoke with Adrian about the situation. Both were eager to reunite Katherine and Shawn, prompting them to devise a pretext to invite the couple over for dinner.

Katherine and Shawn arrived separately, and Katherine’s frown deepened when she saw Shawn.

“Um, I think I’ll go check if Leah’s done with dinner,” Joelle suggested, tactfully providing them with a moment alone. Recognizing Joelle’s effort, Shawn felt compelled not to disappoint her. He shut the door behind him and approached Katherine.

“Katherine, please, let me explain.”

“What is there to explain?” Katherine snapped, pulling her hand away abruptly. “You were at the hospital with your ex-girlfriend’s child. What are you doing here now?”

Shawn exhaled deeply. “Look, whatever issues I have with Lina, her child shouldn’t suffer, right? That day, the kid had a severe fever, and Lina’s ex was nowhere to be found. After several attempts, she called me. I was already at the hospital, so I stepped in to help. How was I to know we’d bump into each other there?”

The circumstances were more coincidental than Shawn made them sound.

It was three in the morning at the hospital. Shawn was there helping a client who had developed sudden severe stomach pains. At the same time, Lina’s child was alone and sick. Bobby had suffered a dog bite, and Katherine had brought him in for a rabies vaccine. Initially, Katherine mistook the child Shawn was tending to for the client’s.

However, the picture became clear when Lina showed up, and Katherine recognized her as Shawn’s first love, and the child as hers as well.

Katherine’s forced smile never reached her eyes.

“So, I stumbled upon a little reunion with your ex, did I? Did I come at a bad time?”

Frustration colored Shawn’s response. “And what about you and Bobby? Out together at three in the morning—do you really think that looks any better?”

Katherine said, “I’m just friends with Bobby.”

Shawn retorted, “Friends who meet at three in the morning?” Katherine drew in a sharp breath, stifling her exasperation. “Are you interrogating me now? Is your approach to resolving issues just to place the blame solely on me? We’re discussing helping your first love with her child!”

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