Sophie Sullivan’s figure disappeared around the staircase corner.
Amelia Shaw was waiting, waiting for an explanation.
Time ticked by, every minute and every second.
Thomas Shannon acted as if nothing had happened, gently scratching Harry’s chin, seemingly... with no intention of offering an explanation.
Amelia Shaw couldn’t bear it any longer. Biting her lip tightly, she began, "Thomas, you and that maniac..."
"It’s just as you saw."
Before she could finish her question, Thomas Shannon looked calmly into her eyes and said so.
It was as if she’d been struck by lightning.
Her mind went blank. Amelia Shaw’s face turned deathly pale, and her lips lost all color simultaneously.
Was it just as she saw it?
Were he and that maniac... still maintaining an improper relationship?
Why would he do this to her?
Why did he give her hope, only to make her grieve and disappoint her time and again?
How long would he continue to hurt her?
She had endured being bullied by the maniac; she had endured being secretly targeted by Minimus Hart.
Just when their relationship had begun to ease, and he had occasionally shown concern for her, why did he still treat her ?
Why did he still hurt her so blatantly?
Countless "whys" flashed through her mind. Amelia Shaw couldn’t understand, couldn’t fathom what was so good about that maniac that he would hurt her, Amelia, for that woman.
Thomas Shannon chuckled. "Why?"
"That’s a good question."
He raised his hand, his fingers pinching her chin, his narrow eyes narrowing slightly. "Don’t you already know why?"
Amelia Shaw’s face turned ashen. Her mind raced, trying to grasp some piece of information, but it vanished in an instant.
She shook her head in confusion. "I don’t know... I don’t know..."
"Then let me tell you again: I don’t like women who have been used by others. Understand?"
His thumb caressed her chin, a soft laugh, seemingly gentle yet cruel, escaped his sexy thin lips.
Thomas Shannon released her chin, picked up Harry, and rose to leave.
When Amelia Shaw came back to her senses, she impulsively got up and embraced him, her cheek pressing tightly against his back. Through the layer of his shirt, she could feel his burning body temperature.
"Thomas... don’t punish me anymore, please? If you want to hurt me, then you’ve already succeeded."
Tears streamed from her eyes as Amelia Shaw’s cheek gently rubbed against his back. "I’m so sad, my heart aches so much I can’t breathe... Can you spare me, please?"
Thomas Shannon lowered his head, looking at the hands clasped around his waist. The corner of his mouth curled up slightly as he mercilessly pried her fingers apart, one by one.
Thomas Shannon tilted his head slightly, his voice cold and devoid of warmth. "You can choose to leave. No one is forcing you to stay."
Yes, no one was forcing her.
But with him here, where else could she go?
Watching him disappear from her sight, Amelia Shaw collapsed onto the sofa, tears pouring down like rain.
Minimus Hart stood at a distance, witnessing this scene with a cold smirk.
So what if it was Amelia Shaw? In the end, she still lost to that maniac.
「Upstairs, in the bedroom.」
Sophie Sullivan was comfortably soaking in the bathtub when she heard footsteps outside. She immediately held her breath.
Sure enough, within a few seconds, she heard someone approaching, right outside the door.
Sophie Sullivan secretly rejoiced, thankful she’d had the foresight to lock the door earlier.
Thomas Shannon, holding Harry, stood at the bath chamber entrance, intermittently stroking Harry’s fur. He asked gently, "Are you done with your bath?"