Zoe Carter thought she was expressing concern for Yvonne Sung, and her brows even relaxed as a hint of joy crept in. Still, her voice remained firm: “Yuche’s not in a good way right now. If you’ve got time, you should go see him…”
Lauren Shaw cut her off. “If his condition is so bad, shouldn’t you be at the hospital with him? What are you doing over here instead?”
“I—I came to tell you! To ask you to go see him.”
“Why should I go see him? What does he have to do with me?”
At that, Zoe Carter shot up from her chair, her expression darkening.
“You’re not involved with him? Aren’t you already my daughter-in-law? How can you say you have nothing to do with him? My son’s like this all because of you. Don’t think for a second you can just wash your hands of this!”
Only then did Lauren Shaw realize where Yvonne Sung got his shamelessness from—turns out, he’d had a role model right at home.
“Who’s your daughter-in-law? Don’t call me that. I have nothing to do with him, and nothing to do with you, either. You’d better hurry back to the hospital and check on your son. After all, a bleeding stomach isn’t a minor issue—could even shave a few years off his life…”
Enraged, Zoe Carter stabbed a finger at Lauren Shaw’s nose and snapped, “You vicious woman! Are you cursing my son now?”
Lauren Shaw’s gaze turned icy cold, and a chill radiated from her entire body. “Care to hear something even nastier?”
She had always been docile and polite in front of them, but now it was as if she’d become someone sharp and spined.
Zoe Carter was cowed by her presence. No matter how angry she felt, she had to swallow it back—Lauren Shaw’s stare was enough to make anyone uneasy.
“Good thing Yuche never married you. You snake-hearted woman, you’re rotten to the core!” she spat, then stormed out.
Once Zoe Carter left, Xiaomei and Maya Wells, who had been waiting at the door, hurried in, concern on their faces. “Sienna Shaw, are you alright?”
Lauren Shaw shook her head. “I’m fine.”
She picked up her phone—Claire Xu had sent her several messages in a row:
‘Seriously? That old witch came to you for what?’
‘Shengsheng, are you okay?’
‘Was she just there to stir up trouble?’
…
Lauren Shaw replied: ‘She’s gone.’
Claire Xu immediately video-called her.
“Are you alright?”
“Fine. She just wanted me to go see Yvonne Sung at the hospital.”
“She must have lost her mind. Still thinks you’re their daughter-in-law?”
Thinking of Zoe Carter’s earlier words, Lauren Shaw could only agree. “Yeah.”
“Hmph, lucky you stayed away from that family. Anyone with an ounce of sense would’ve run from that mess.”
They’re all selfish to the core.
Everyone in their family knew about what Yvonne Sung pulled. Even so, they’re shameless enough to come ask her to check on that jerk? Unbelievable.
After chatting a while longer, Lauren Shaw ended the call, calmed herself down, and went back to sketching her designs.
At the hospital.
Stewing from her encounter with Lauren Shaw, Zoe Carter had nowhere to vent her anger, so she came to complain to her son.
Yvonne Sung had just regained consciousness when Zoe Carter’s incessant chatter reached his ears.
Yana Quinn sat in silence at his bedside, listening to the tirade.
“Mom, can you please stop? I’m not feeling well.”
Yvonne Sung frowned, every feature pinched tight. The pain in his body was bad enough; did he also have to endure his mother’s mental barrage?
“What do you mean, not feeling well? Still hung up on that woman? After the way she treated you, you still think about her?”
Yana Quinn finally spoke up. “Auntie, maybe you should let Yuche rest. He’s not well.”
Zoe Carter shot her a withering glare.
She knew this woman. After graduation, she’d broken up with her son, and now, seeing the Sung family doing better, she had the nerve to come back. Even more shameless than Lauren Shaw!
Yvonne Sung glanced at Yana Quinn, who wordlessly got up and left.
Zoe Carter eyed her son suspiciously. “Son, tell me honestly—are you really serious about her?”
Yana Quinn hadn’t walked far when she heard this, and her hand tightened involuntarily.
“Dr. Shen, what brings you here today?”
“Came to check on a patient.” Yancy Shaw, wearing a white doctor’s coat and a face mask, revealed only a pair of deep, gentle eyes that gave him an air of effortless approachability.
The nurse couldn’t help but think, no wonder Dr. Shen was the most handsome doctor at their hospital—even a mask couldn’t hide his aura.
“That ungrateful Lauren Shaw—stay away from her from now on…”
At the mention of Lauren Shaw’s name, Yancy Shaw unconsciously paused at the door to the ward.
Voices from inside spilled out into the hallway.
He stopped a passing nurse and asked, “When did the patient inside arrive?”
“Stomach bleeding, admitted this morning.”
“Thanks.”
After the nurse left, Yancy Shaw seemed lost in thought as he walked away.
The elevator stopped at the cardiac surgery floor.
As Yancy Shaw stepped out, someone suddenly ran into him. Quick on his feet, he dodged aside, but the woman still accidentally stepped on him.
“Sorry about that.”
The woman apologized without looking up—she was talking on her phone as she hurried down the hall.
“I’ve given you what you asked for. When are you going to deliver your end of the deal?”
Yancy Shaw watched her until she disappeared around the corner, only then turning back toward his own office.
Six o’clock in the evening.
Yancy Shaw arrived at Lauren Shaw’s studio.
Xiaomei and Maya Wells had already left, so only Lauren Shaw was inside. She was focused on hand-stitching the finishing touches onto a garment displayed on a mannequin.
So absorbed in her work, she didn’t notice Yancy Shaw had come in.
Whenever she worked, she lost herself so deeply she could even forget the time.
Yancy Shaw found a chair and quietly sat nearby, waiting for her.
Lauren Shaw looked radiant as she worked, her independence and beauty shining through—he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
Why did he fall for Lauren Shaw? Someone had asked him that before. He couldn’t really say—sometimes a heart is decided in an instant. From the very first moment, he had known what he wanted: her, and a future together, maybe even a lifetime.
Satisfied with her adjustments, Lauren Shaw glanced at the finished outfit. Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, she began unbuttoning her shirt, planning to try on the new piece herself.
Only then did she notice Yancy Shaw sitting right in front of her.
“When did you get here?” she asked, startled.
Yancy Shaw checked his watch. “More than half an hour ago.”
Lauren Shaw walked over, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, I was so focused just now I didn’t see you there.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He pointed at the garment on the model. “What were you about to do—undress?”
“Chloe Shaw and I are about the same height and build. At first I wanted her to come try this on, but she’s an award-winning actress—too busy for that. So I thought I’d try it myself.”
A hint of laughter glimmered in Yancy Shaw’s eyes. “Then go ahead, try it.”
Somehow, that look in his eyes seemed too mischievous, almost a little wicked.
Lauren Shaw hesitated, “I might as well wait until tomorrow to try it.”
Yancy Shaw took her hand. “Let’s go home.”
She turned and quickly tidied up her things, telling him to wait a moment.
Yancy Shaw wandered toward the front desk, glancing around. A work badge lay on the tabletop.
He asked offhandedly, “Did this employee resign?”
Coming over, Lauren Shaw saw him eyeing Sisi’s work badge and explained, “No, her family had some trouble so I gave her a few days off.”
Yancy Shaw nodded, released her hand, and together they walked home.