Eliza Sutton froze for a mont, then it clicked. "It was Emtt. He told Mrs. Lockwood we’re getting a divorce."
"Eliza Sutton, let’s make a deal. We’ll file the divorce papers now but wait a year before announcing it publicly." ’A year would be enough ti for him to create a safe environnt for his mother and Emtt.’
"A year? That long?" Eliza Sutton blurted out.
The last ti she’d treated the wound on Shane Lockwood’s back, she had also secretly added dicine to help his body recover.
But the poison in Shane Lockwood’s system was too aggressive. Her short-term conditioning had only a minimal effect; a year was far too long for him.
"What? Do you have a lover you’re eager to run off with after the divorce? Is it Ivan Willow? Or Sean Hughes?" Shane Lockwood’s tone was icy, his expression holding a chill he himself didn’t even notice.
"It’s neither of them," Eliza Sutton said imdiately. "I’m worried that this long delay will cause a misunderstanding with *your* sweetheart."
"Don’t worry. She’s always magnanimous. She’ll understand."
"Oh," Eliza Sutton replied, an inexplicable tightness forming in her chest.
She quickly shook her head, trying to cast aside the strange thoughts.
"I can’t agree to this. It’s not because I want to use this to threaten you or demand sothing. It’s because deceiving Emtt like this will devastate him when he finds out the truth. Why don’t you leave this to ? I’ll talk to him."
Shane Lockwood stared at Eliza Sutton for a long mont before finally looking away. "Then do as you please."
Eliza Sutton breathed a sigh of relief. "I’ll push you to the bathroom and help you get cleaned up."
"Don’t trouble yourself." Shane Lockwood maneuvered his wheelchair into the bathroom on his own.
Eliza Sutton didn’t insist and simply got into bed.
She had been exhausted lately and fell asleep not long after lying down.
When Shane Lockwood ca out of the bathroom, Eliza Sutton was already letting out soft snores, sleeping soundly.
Shane Lockwood used his arms to pull himself onto the bed. Seeing Eliza Sutton sleeping so peacefully, he suddenly felt extrely annoyed.
’She really is carefree. I said I didn’t need help, and she just took at my word and didn’t care at all.’
’If this is Eliza Sutton’s way of convincing him that she has no feelings for him,’ Shane thought, ’then it’s starting to work.’
「The next day.」
Eliza Sutton sensed a cold gaze fixed on her.
Eliza Sutton jolted awake. Her body tensed, and she shot up, her hand flying out before she realized what was happening and quickly pulled it back. "Mr... Mr. Lockwood, good morning."
"Morning," Shane Lockwood said suddenly. "Eliza Sutton, were you just about to attack ?"
"No, no." Eliza Sutton wouldn’t dare admit it. "I was just doing so morning stretches," she said quickly. "Mr. Lockwood, why are you up so early?"
"It’s not that early. Your little boyfriend is already downstairs waiting for you."
"Wh... what?" Eliza Sutton nearly choked on her own saliva. "Little boyfriend? What little boyfriend?"
’And one who dares to show up at the Lockwood estate, no less.’
’Does he have a death wish?’
"You’ll have to be the one to answer where he ca from. Eliza Sutton, I never realized you not only play around but really play the field."
"..." ’Don’t think I can’t hear the sarcasm in your voice, Shane Lockwood.’
"I’m going down right now."
Eliza Sutton seethed.
’If she had actually cheated and enjoyed the company of so boy toy, then fine. But she hadn’t, and she refused to take the bla for it!’
Eliza Sutton changed her clothes and stord downstairs.
And there, sitting in the living room, she saw Ivan Willow.
Ivan Willow and Emtt Lockwood were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa.
Ivan Willow was saying, "Hey, little brat, learn to address your elders. Call ’stepdad.’ When my Isla marries , you’ll be my stepson, and I’ll be your stepdad. Go on, let hear you say it. If it sounds nice, I’ll give you a big red envelope."
Emtt Lockwood looked like a feral kitten with its fur on end. "What stepdad? In your dreams! My mom will never marry you! She has my dad, she’d never get a stepdad!"
Ivan Willow teased him, "Nothing is absolute when it cos to adults. Besides, I’m so handso. Having as a stepdad ans your ancestors must have done sothing great to give you such luck. So you’d better start sucking up."
"Heh!" Emtt offered a cold laugh.
"Hey, you little brat!" Ivan Willow couldn’t resist trying to grab Emtt, but he was effortlessly pinned to the floor in just a few moves.
"OW, OW, OW!" Ivan Willow howled in agony.
Shane Lockwood turned to look at Eliza Sutton with a sneer. "This is the man you’ve chosen?"
The taunt in his voice was blatant, practically screaming a single word: weakling.
"He’s not the man I’ve chosen," Eliza Sutton said, taking a deep breath and stepping into the living room.
The mont Ivan Willow saw Eliza Sutton, he burst into dramatic tears. "Isla, you’re finally here! This little brat is about to beat to death!"
"Isla, co away with ! Your stepson is so violent, who knows how he abuses you in private? You’d be better off with . I’m cute, sweet, and totally harmless—an extrely low-risk choice."
A vein throbbed on Eliza Sutton’s temple. "Shut up!"
"Oh," Ivan Willow pouted pitifully.
Eliza Sutton took another deep breath and beckoned to Emtt Lockwood. "Emtt, co here."
"Mom." Emtt let go of Ivan Willow and hurried over to Eliza Sutton.
His eyes were red, and his soft, chubby face was full of grievance. "He was talking nonsense, so I taught him a lesson."
"I know. Emtt is a good boy. You wouldn’t lash out for no reason."
Emtt hadn’t expected Eliza Sutton to believe him. He could no longer hold back his tears, which stread down his face as he threw himself into her arms, hugging her tightly and calling for his mom over and over.
Even if Eliza Sutton had a heart of stone, it would have softened at that mont.
"Isla, what are you hugging him for? I’m the one who got beaten up! I’m the one who was bullied! If you’re going to hug soone, it should be !"
"Shut your mouth!" Eliza Sutton’s gaze snapped toward him, cold and sharp. "What did you just call ?"
"I... I..." Under Eliza Sutton’s stare, Ivan Willow stamred for a long mont before finally, and reluctantly, calling out, "Aunt."
The mont Ivan Willow said that, every single person in the room felt their jaw nearly hit the floor.
Emtt looked up too. "Mom, I think I heard this useless big brother call you ’Aunt’."
Ivan Willow yelled, "What did you just say, kid? What do you an, ’useless big brother’? Who says I’m not strong! I was just letting you win! You really think you can beat ? Watch pound you!"
Eliza Sutton: "You’re going to hit my son?"
"I..." Ivan Willow could only swallow his anger. "I wouldn’t dare."
"Mom," Emtt said, tugging on Eliza Sutton’s sleeve and asking persistently, "why did that big brother call you ’Aunt’?"
Eliza Sutton said, "Because his grandfather wants to adopt as his daughter, which would make his aunt."
"A nephew can’t marry his aunt, so he can’t be my stepdad, right?" Emtt was very concerned about this point.
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