“What do you intend to do about it then?” Devin suddenly found himself scoffing. “Let me get this straight, Shanae. One, we’re not engaged; it’s solely your grandfather’s own desire to have you married to me. Two, you’re the one who struck her first, which prompted her to retaliate in kind. Wasn’t that to be expected?”
There was no sentimentality in his eyes. His behavior was a complete turnaround from the moment he helped her up and checked on her.
Gone was his gentleness, and in its place was a kind of frostiness that chilled her to the bone.
Shanae was no longer able to muster up the strength to vent.
“W-What did you just say?”
“Did I not make it obvious enough for you? I’m giving you a way to bow out in grace on account of my mother. After all, she still has to return to the Woods residence from time to time.”
Shanae took it in silently while he spoke.
“Also, what did you call her just now? May I remind you to take a good look at yourself the next time you decide to insult someone!”
Devin did not mince his words and even purposefully pointed toward what was left of the birthday party at the bar’s dance floor.
Shanae grew pale when she arched her head over.
There, Finn, the wealthy scion who had thrown the party today in her honor, continued to await foolishly with a huge bouquet of roses in one hand and a velvety sapphire blue box in the other.
Who was the real shameless one?
Who was the least deserving of all?
Everyone else knew better.
“So, who is she, really?”
“What do you think?” Devin sneered derisively as he countered with a question of his own.
Shanae spoke no more. She had already guessed the answer from the moment Sasha made her appearance. The woman that even the wife of the Hayes Corporation president regards in such a sisterly manner…
And then there’s her overt brashness and proclivity for violence…
Shanae’s face went pallid again. This time, it was because she figured out who Sabrina was. When she recalled the absurdity of her own conduct here at the bar, her nails nearly dug their way into her own palms.
Devin ignored her. He walked toward the main entrance of the bar.
“Do you think it’s possible for you to be with her, Devin? So what if she’s the young lady of the Hayes family? Do you think your family will approve of your relationship?”
Shanae abruptly raised a sharp question which made Devin freeze in his tracks.
Shanae’s expression grew increasingly sardonic. “I bet you don’t even have the answer to that yourself. Otherwise, why would you have helped me up just now?”
Devin kept his back to her. A crisp cracking sound was heard from his clenched knuckles.
At this moment, the mood of this otherwise characteristically amiable man took a frightening downturn…
Sasha was finally able to settle down for a meal together with Sabrina.
She had no idea what happened inside the bar before her own appearance, but she did notice that Sabrina had left her food mostly untouched.
That already suggested the seriousness of the situation.
“Sab..”
“You can have the bar. I don’t want it anymore.”
While the disconsolate Sabrina looked at the scene outside the window, she spoke up so suddenly that it nearly made Sasha spit out her coffee.
We’re barely a couple of days into operation. What’s gotten into her again?
Sasha placed her cup down. “Your reason being?”
A disinterested Sabrina replied, “Why do I need to have a reason for anything? This isn’t your first day knowing me; I’ve always done things on a whim. I just don’t feel like doing it anymore. It’s fine if you don’t want to take over, though, cause I can always look to someone else.”
Sasha quietly studied Sabrina. After a few seconds, the former still could not figure out how best to respond to the latter’s remark.
The two parted ways after the meal. When Sasha went back to the Oceanic Estate, she picked up her phone and texted the man who had yet to return from military service.
Sasha: Darling, would you be able to return earlier?
Darling: Why? What’s up?
That man, as Sasha discovered, no longer made her wait too long when she texted him recently. Typically, he would get back to her within a few minutes.
Sasha: Today, that Shanae went to Sab’s bar. Devin came by later as well, and they got into some sort of argument with Sab when they met. I’m not sure what happened but now Sab says she doesn’t want to stay here anymore.
It took a while longer but Sebastian eventually texted back.
Darling: She shouldn’t have come here in the first place.
Sasha: Huh?
That took Sasha by surprise and left her staring at those words for some time.
Why would he say that?
Isn’t he yet to recover? If so, why is he so decisive and firm with regards to this matter concerning his own sister?
Sasha took a considerable pause before she sent out another message.
Sasha: Do you feel that there will be no happy ending for Devin and her?
Darling: What do you expect? Do you think the Jadesons would deem the Hayes good enough for them? Or do you think Jonathan Jadeson is like Frederick Hayes who needn’t consider his own son’s opinion when seeking a daughter-in-law?
Those last words made Sasha’s eyes pop.
What does he mean by that? Is he talking about us?
Does this mean… he has recovered?
Sasha’s blood ran cold. Her ear buzzed and her heart thumped against her chest to the point that she felt it close to bursting.
