Chapter 4

When Samuel saw Shirley's bloodshot eyes, he looked away and lowered his eyes without saying anything. His eyelashes concealed all the emotions he felt. Shirley had always liked Samuel's good looks. Even now, he looked as perfect as a painting as he stood there. However, Shirley now hated him with all her might. She hated his eyes, his brows, and his flawless and unwrinkled white shirt. She hated how his gentle warmth and impassive demeanor never seemed to change. After a long time, she found her voice again. "I came here to ask you one thing. Why did you leave our wedding?" Why had he done this to her? "I'm sorry," Samuel finally said after a moment's silence. The words seemed to fall on Shirley's bleeding heart like a handful of salt. It hurt so much that she felt as if she were suffocating. After ten minutes or so, Shirley left Moore Manor, feeling as if she had lost her soul. Samuel watched her leave, and he saw how despondent and lonely she looked. In the end, he could not bear it, and he called Brook. "Take care of her." Brook answered coldly, "Remember this day. Since you chose to abandon her, her affairs will no longer be any of your business." On the way back, Shirley cried for a long time. She sobbed so much that she felt like her heart was breaking. Brook did not dare to say anything or ask anything. He only stayed silently with her. They were at the beach. Brook opened the car window, and the sea breeze swept into the car, bringing with it the salty smell of the sea. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks drifted into their ears, making the night seem unusually cold and lonely. Shirley did not know how long she had been crying. When she could not cry anymore, Brook said slowly, "That woman's name is Sophia. She's Billy's younger sister, and she and Samuel are childhood friends. Sophia saved Samuel's life in that car accident seven years ago." Shirley knew about everything that Brook was saying. "After that, Sophia was imprisoned abroad by Aaron, and she became the means for him to threaten Billy and Samuel. Samuel has been searching for her for all these years. He thought she was dead. It's a surprise to see that she's alive." Shirley had not known about that. Childhood friends! Sophia… Billy's younger sister… Samuel had been lying to her for so many years! "He thought that Sophia was dead. That's why he agreed to marry me. I see." Shirley laughed self-deprecatingly. Tears fell down her cheeks. Anyone's heart would ache to look at her. "I was the only one who was kept in the dark about all this. I was lied to like a fool for six years, and I still felt so happy." Samuel had apologized to her just now. There had been guilt and pity in his eyes, but no love. That was the moment that realization had finally dawned on her. She realized she had been the only one who had devoted herself wholeheartedly to their relationship for six years, while he had remained alert and detached. That morning, she had told her parents confidently that she believed that Samuel would not betray her and that he would make her happy for the rest of her life. Samuel had made her eat her words, and it hurt. Shirley thought of what Samuel had said. He had said, "Shirley, I'm sorry. I've disappointed you. The truth is that Sophia has always been the one I loved." Shirley had stayed by his side for six whole years. She had been with him through his wild and crazy moments and had been with him through countless other moments, in both darkness and light. In the end, all she had gotten in return was a perfunctory "sorry". The times that had made her feel happy now seemed like a carefully planned conspiracy. "Brook, he said that Sophia has always been the one he loved. He even said that the order in which people appear matters in love. With that one statement, he made me the most pitiful woman in Elderstone." She continued, "He's been putting on an act with me for all these years. He kept using my family, and I believed completely in his supposed devotion. I loved him and protected him with all my heart, and I even put my dignity beneath me as I tried every trick I could to get him into bed with me." The year she turned 18 years old, Shirley had been ready to give herself completely to Samuel. She had even crawled secretly into his bed. However, Samuel had acted like a conservative gentleman and insisted that she keep her first time for her wedding night. Even if he had been tempted, he was insistent on not crossing boundaries. "It's only today that I realize he refused to touch me not because he thought I was precious, but because he doesn't care about me at all." She was in so much pain that she could not even cry. Shirley laughed disconsolately. Her lips were bloodless. "Shirley." Brook held out his arm to her, and there was a certain emotion in his eyes that he could no longer conceal. "Even if you've lost him, you still have us. We're your friends. As long as you want to, I can lend you my shoulder at any time." Shirley leaned her head on Brook's shoulder and closed her eyes wearily. "Thank you, Brook." She was exhausted. Brook looked down at her. When she finally began breathing evenly, he mustered up the courage to lay a tender finger on her face. He began tracing its outlines yearningly. Shirley had a very long dream. In her dream, her past with Samuel seemed like a movie that was replaying in her mind. The year she turned 16 years old, her parents had held a grand birthday party for her. Many accomplished youths had attended. Although Shirley was good at music, chess, the arts, and studies, she had no talent for running a business. The Weisses had only one child for three generations consecutively, so she was Owen's only daughter. Owen was worried she would not be able to manage the Weisses' huge family company, so he had decided early on to choose a successor that he could train. The youths who had attended the birthday party that day were between the ages of 16 and 20 years old, and they were all full of potential and outstanding among their peers. Owen and Rachel had stood on the balcony of the second floor, scanning the youths who had come to the party. They were carefully making their choice. After looking around, Rachel pointed at an especially handsome youth. "What do you think of that one? I think he's the one who stands out the most among all of them." Owen had looked in the direction that she was pointing in. After a moment's consideration, he said, "That's the Blackwoods' child. The Blackwoods have a complicated family situation. A family like that wouldn't suit Shirley." The young man's name was Benjamin Blackwood, and he had stood aloofly behind his aunt, looking around expressionlessly at the crowd. He seemed mature beyond his years. He was 19 years old and very tall, with striking looks. His natural elegance made him especially conspicuous in the crowd. It was a pity that the Blackwoods had a complicated family history. Benjamin had been ostracized from a young age, which had resulted in his cold and reticent manner. He was not a good choice. Rachel had listened to Owen and looked away regretfully. She soon found another candidate that she liked. "How about that one? I heard he's from the Moore family and gets excellent grades. He looks clean-cut and gentle." Owen's brows wrinkled. "The Moores? Which one are you talking about?" "The one standing under the magnolia tree." Rachel pointed again. "I think his name is Samuel." Owen finally saw the young man standing under the said tree. He was 18 years old and dressed neatly. He looked gentle, and there seemed to be stars in his eyes. He looked like a spotless painting as he stood under the magnolia tree, as if he were completely untainted by the world. "Him?" Owen's brows furrowed even more. Rachel looked hopefully at him. "What do you think? I heard that he also has excellent grades and has good character. He excels in everything." However, Owen shook his head again. "No. The Moores are even more complicated than the Blackwoods. Besides, he lost a leg in a car accident last year."