Chapter 563: Chapter 563



As she rested her head on his shoulder, Katherine forced a smile. The word betray echoed in her mind, like a dark omen from Shawn’s past— a curse left by his ex, Lina.

Though Shawn professed indifference, the wounds Lina had inflicted seemed to haunt his dreams.

For Katherine, admitting her feelings for her best friend’s brother had always been a daunting task. But now, a new, sharp jealousy began to prick at her heart, intrusive and unwelcome.

“Do you hate Lina?” Katherine asked abruptly.

“Why would you mention her now?” Shawn retorted.

“Just tell me.”

“Yes. I despise her so much that the thought of confronting her stirs a rage in me.” His response was slow and measured, tinged with feigned anger.

Katherine’s body tensed at his words. They said love could easily warp into hatred. When love ran deep, resentment often followed just as intensely. Katherine had braced herself to be blinded by love, but how could she cope knowing Shawn still harbored feelings for someone else?

Katherine pulled away from Shawn’s embrace, her gaze fixed on him in contemplation.

“Would you and Lina be husband and wife today if she hadn’t betrayed you back then?”

Her question hung heavily in the air, prompting Shawn to adopt a more serious demeanor.

“There are no ‘what ifs’ in life. Even without her initial betrayal, Lina’s nature would have inevitably led her to betray me profoundly at some point.”

Katherine’s grip tightened on Shawn’s collar, nearly lifting him off the ground.

“Think carefully, Shawn. I’m entering this marriage out of love, not just to settle down with someone suitable. I expect you to be marrying me for the same reasons.”

“Absolutely!” Shawn responded hastily, lifting his hands in assurance. “My feelings for you are genuine. Without you, I’d rather remain alone forever.”

“Alright.” Katherine decided to trust his words for the moment. Shawn drew her close again, his mind racing with thoughts of what might have gone wrong in their earlier exchange.

“Katherine.”

“You asked whether I hated Lina. Honestly, I let go of that hatred long ago. I’m indifferent to her current situation—it’s irrelevant to me now. Everyone has a history, right? I’ve moved beyond hers long ago.”

“Alright then, I get it.”

On a cool Thursday evening, the two families convened at Moonview Restaurant. It was a restaurant opened by Adrian, and the largest private room was reserved exclusively for their gathering.

Turner and Shawn sat in the middle, with the Watson family on one side and Katherine’s family on the other.

“It feels like only yesterday we were watching Shawn and Joelle play in the yard. Now, Adrian, you’re a father. It’s a joy to see all of you building your lives.” Agate, caught in a wave of nostalgia, suddenly felt tears welling up.

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