Chapter 6

Samuel turned his gaze away uncomfortably, then calmly said, "Your parents won't approve. I'm a cripple." The physical disability was a constant, agonizing pain for him. It was a continuous reminder of everything he had lost. "So what?" Shirley's tone was firm and stubborn. "Samuel Moore, I won't choose anyone but you." For the first time, there was a flicker of emotion in Samuel's calm gaze. So what? Was that what she really said? Didn't she realize that everyone's gaze had changed when she walked toward him? By choosing Samuel, Shirley might never escape those kinds of gazes. Shirley looked at the young man she had thought about for so long, then bravely extended her pale, delicate hand toward him. "Will you accept?" Her pretty face was fair and beautiful. Her eyes were as black as night, and they shone like precious gems. Shirley was perfect, but sadly, she wasn't the one he truly wanted. The person Samuel loved was Sophia. She was the one he would give his life to protect. They had grown up together and were childhood sweethearts. Sophia had taken the fatal blow for him in that car accident. She had saved his life, while his parents died instantly. Now, Aaron had locked her away. He used Sophia as a tool to threaten Samuel, and Samuel could do nothing about it. Samuel needed the Weiss family's help, and Shirley's status could open many doors for him. He stared silently at the woman before him for a moment, then raised his hand and gently enclosed her soft, delicate hand in his. Her hands were dainty and soft. At that moment, Shirley beamed with a sweet, innocent smile. It was so pure and shy. Samuel would later remember this smile for the rest of his life. At 16 years old, Shirley didn't understand that appearances could be deceiving. The angelic young man standing before her wasn't an angel, and the young man who seemed like a demon wasn't necessarily one. Years later, Shirley would often replay the memory in her mind. What if she had chosen the devil instead of the angel? How great would that have been? But ultimately, one moment's decision had led to a lifetime of love and regret. After the birthday party, Samuel became a regular at Weiss Manor. Owen and Rachel never treated him with disdain because of his disability. Instead, they treated him like their own son. Owen was a sharp, forward-thinking businessman, as well as a great mentor. As Samuel was naturally talented, he picked things up quickly. By the time Samuel turned 18 years old, he was more composed and reserved than his peers. He had a good temper, was hardworking and patient, and was especially considerate toward Shirley. After two years, Samuel had earned Owen's and Rachel's full approvals. They threw a grand engagement party for him and Shirley when she turned 18 years old. As for Shirley, she finally didn't have to force herself to study things she didn't care about. Whenever she had free time, she loved picking up a paintbrush and painting everything—from the sky and the earth to Samuel. Samuel was obsessed with extreme sports. He seemed desperate to prove to the world that he was normal and could do whatever a normal person could do. He would even dare to do things that normal people didn't dare to. So, Shirley went along with his madness. Skydiving, bungee jumping, scuba diving, surfing, horseback riding, shooting, snowboarding, and street racing… At one point, Shirley felt like she was proficient in everything else aside from her academics. Of course, there were times they rebelled and went overboard. However, Samuel would take care of the aftermath each time, leaving Shirley free from worry. This made her admire him even more. Before getting to know Samuel, Shirley thought of him as a pure, perfect young man who was untouched by the world's grime. After getting to know him, she realized this seemingly perfect young man had a rebellious and dark heart. Samuel could hardly be called a good person, but everything about him captivated Shirley deeply. When Samuel turned 21 years old, he suddenly settled down and joined Moore Group. Now, at 24 years old, Samuel had spent three years settling the Moore family's old scores and had successfully claimed the position of CEO. Meanwhile, Shirley had reached the age where she could get married, which led to the wedding they were having today. The dream stretched on all night. When the beautiful nightmare came to an end, Shirley didn't even realize her pillowcase had become soaked with tears. The news of Samuel running away from the wedding quickly became the talk of Elderstone. Within a week, everyone knew about it, and multiple versions of the story emerged. For a time, Shirley, the most prominent lady in Elderstone, became the subject of gossip and was laughed at by everyone. Shirley stayed at the hospital to take care of her parents and sister, ignoring all the rumors circulating outside. During the week, Samuel hadn't called once. It seemed like he wanted to sever all ties with the Weiss family. Shirley couldn't tell if it was because Owen remained in a coma, but her mother's mood seemed off in the past few days. After she showered that night, she heard Rachel's horrifying scream from outside. Shirley immediately ran out and found Rachel collapsed on the ground. "Mom! What happened?" Shirley rushed forward to help Rachel up, and the older woman grabbed her hand tightly. "Shirley, someone has taken Megan! You need to get her back quickly!" Megan Weiss was Shirley's baby sister, and she was only a week old. "Someone took Megan?" Who would have the audacity to come into the hospital and snatch a child? But Shirley didn't have time to think further. She immediately stood up, ready to run out after the kidnapper. Just then, Rachel seemed to remember something. She tightened her grip on Shirley's hand. "Shirley, go check on your father. Quickly!" With that, Rachel pushed Shirley forward. Shirley barely steadied herself when she saw a man wearing a duck-bill cap walk briskly out of Owen's room, his head down. "Who are you?" Shirley's expression changed instantly. "Stop right there!" The man immediately turned and ran. Shirley was about to chase after him when Rachel called out, "Don't go after him. Check on your father!" When Shirley entered the room, she saw Owen's oxygen mask had been taken off. She quickly grabbed the mask and placed it back over his face as she pressed the emergency button. Luckily, she had discovered it on time. Owen was safe. Even a fool could tell that the two events pointed to someone trying to target the Weiss family. However, Shirley had no idea what their goal was. However, from Rachel's reaction, Shirley sensed that her mother knew more than she was letting on. After a bit of pressure, Rachel finally revealed the truth. Owen's cousin, Wayne Clay, was the second-largest shareholder of the company. He had learned of Owen's condition three days ago. He planned to force Owen out of the CEO position and take over the company himself. That wasn't all. Wayne had also tried to buy Shirley's and Rachel's shares at a low price and had pressured Rachel into signing the agreement. It was clear Wayne was taking advantage of their vulnerability and saw them as easy targets. Naturally, Rachel refused to comply, and that was when the events today began to unfold. "This was just a warning," Rachel said in a shaky voice. "If he doesn't get what he wants, your father might not be so lucky next time. And your sister…" Rachel broke down in tears, not able to finish her sentence.