The mother and daughter exchanged furtive glances at Lauren Shaw; their little scheme was all too obvious to her.

Mrs. Chen picked up her phone and studied the photo for a moment before letting out a cold laugh. "Honestly, what era are we living in? Having dinner with a male colleague—does that really warrant such a fuss?"

"He's definitely not just a colleague! I saw them together, and they looked way too close. He's got to be her secret lover," blurted Shen Siyi, earning a sharp look from Mandy Snow.

Undeterred, Shen Siyi continued to stare at Lauren Shaw, looking as though at any moment she'd spit out the words, 'shameless woman.'

Lauren Shaw regarded her calmly. "You're right. We are quite close."

She admitted it openly, unbothered.

Mrs. Chen looked at her, confused.

Lauren Shaw took out her phone and found a photo of herself with Owen Shaw. "Is this the man you saw?"

Shen Siyi peered at the picture, even more excited now—she couldn't believe Lauren Shaw had walked right into their trap.

"Yes, that's him!" Shen Siyi declared, missing the deepening smile on Lauren Shaw's lips.

"That's my uncle, Owen Shaw. Not your so-called lover." With that, she pulled up another photo, this one of the whole family.

Looking at the image of the entire family seated together, the mother and daughter fell into a contemplative silence.

Lauren Shaw's gaze grew darker. "You accused me of something like that based on a single photo? Makes me wonder—do you have some other motive here?"

Mrs. Chen bristled, looking at Shen Siyi. "Siyi, you're a girl. How could you speak so rudely? People would think our Shaw family failed in teaching you proper manners."

Mandy Snow's face grew strained and she stepped in to smooth things over. "Mother, Siyi is still young. She's a little impulsive with her words. I'll make sure she learns her lesson."

Mrs. Chen cast her a frosty glance. "So young, yet not an ounce of respect for her elders. If word gets out, people will think the Shen family failed to raise her right."

Mandy Snow gripped Shen Siyi's hand tightly. Shen Siyi looked ready to argue back, but she didn't dare.

Meanwhile, Nathan Shaw remained silent the entire time, making no effort to defend his wife or daughter—as if the whole affair had nothing to do with him.

"You two can go now. There’s nothing left here for you," Mrs. Chen said bluntly, not bothering to hide her dismissal.

Mandy Snow's face turned especially sour. Clutching Shen Siyi's hand, the two left in a huff.

Mrs. Chen looked toward the reticent Nathan Shaw and sighed guiltily. "Back then, we didn't think things through when arranging your marriage. Otherwise, we wouldn't have put you in this impossible situation … turning our family upside down."

Nathan Shaw’s expression was unreadable, his voice as calm as ever. "Mother, don't blame yourself. This is just my fate."

…

With the rain coming down even harder, Lauren Shaw grabbed an umbrella and headed over in the direction of Yancy Shaw.

Shen Wenting had already left. In front of the gravestone, Yancy Shaw stood ramrod straight, his eyes fixed on some distant point.

His clothes were mostly soaked through, but he stayed put before the old man's tombstone, softly murmuring words Lauren Shaw couldn't make out.

She stood under the umbrella beside him. Yancy Shaw looked over, his gaze shimmering faintly, as if longing for someone to save him.

"Let's go home. You're soaked through," Lauren Shaw said, reaching her hand out to him.

Obediently, Yancy Shaw took her hand.

Parking lot.

Nathan Shaw had just opened his car door when Mandy Snow approached, her expression taunting.

"So, being the Shen family’s eldest son amounts to nothing more than an empty title, doesn't it?"

Nathan Shaw’s grip tightened on the car door. He shot her a frosty glare. "What are you trying to say?"

Mandy Snow gave a cold snort. "As a man, you just stand by and let your wife and daughter be humiliated without saying a word—can you even call yourself a man?"

"You brought this on yourselves. It's none of my concern." Nathan Shaw didn't look at her and slid into the car.

Mandy Snow yanked his door back open. Nathan Shaw eyed her, irritation written all over his face.

Yet seeing Shen Siyi behind her, he tamped down his anger.

Mandy Snow kept at it. "Nathan Shaw, marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life! Who knew you'd turn out so useless!"

"You just let that woman boss us around like we're nothing? She's not even your real mother. You think she'll ever treat you like her own son?"

"Enough! Mandy Snow, if you're going to lose your temper, leave me out of it. I'm nothing like you," Nathan Shaw said, struggling to contain his fury.

Mandy Snow laughed bitterly. Shen Siyi, unable to bear it, piped up, "Dad, she's not even my real grandmother—why do we have to listen to her? You—"

Her words died in her throat—she’d just caught sight of the anger blazing in Nathan Shaw’s eyes.

She’d never seen him this angry before, and it shook her.

"I don't want to hear talk like that again. Next time, you can forget about staying in Ancheng for school," he said coldly.

Mandy Snow bristled. "Nathan Shaw, you're a coward! I want a divorce!"

"Fine. If that’s what you want, just say the word—anytime."

Mandy Snow froze, stunned by his immediate reply.

Done with the argument, Nathan Shaw refused to waste another word. He pulled the car door shut and sped off.

…

Back home, Lauren Shaw went to draw a hot bath before finding a set of loungewear for him. She was about to call him in when she noticed him stretched silent and unmoving on the sofa, watching her.

Lauren Shaw approached. "You got caught in the rain. Take a hot bath first."

"Hmm?" Yancy Shaw squinted at her, a strange flush coloring his cheeks.

Getting up from the sofa, he looked unwell. Lauren Shaw reached out and placed her palm to his forehead, pausing, then comparing it to her own. "You're running a fever."

He stood, his voice hoarse. "It's nothing. I'll go take a bath."

"Change into something dry first—I'll get some medicine for you." She remembered spotting a first aid kit at home before.

As Yancy Shaw went into the bathroom, she retrieved the kit. When she reached for it, she accidentally knocked a notebook off the shelf; it fell to the floor with a soft smack.

Bending down to pick it up, a few photographs slipped out, arresting her attention. In that instant, she froze.

The photos were all of her—one in front of her university, another in her graduation gown.

All of them had been taken before she’d even met Yancy Shaw. How on earth …?

The bathroom door opened just then, and hearing the sound from the bedroom, she hurriedly gathered the photos and grabbed the fever medicine.

Yancy Shaw emerged in loungewear, damp hair falling messily over his forehead. Somehow, even this disheveled look made Lauren Shaw’s heart race.

"Shengsheng," he called softly.

She brought the medicine over and spoke gently, "You didn’t even dry your hair?"

After making him take the medicine, she picked up the hairdryer and came over to dry his hair.