Trouble in paradise
The following day arrived, and since Mia had been engrossed in her studies the previous day, she hadn’t been able to visit the hospital. After having breakfast, she swiftly made her way there.
Meanwhile, Shawn left for his undercover job, but before he departed, he glanced at the calendar. That day was here once again… This caused his mood to dampen.
After her visit to the hospital, Mia returned home and cheerfully announced, “I’m home, everyone!” She quickly changed into indoor flip-flops, raced upstairs to change her clothes, and in no time, she was out of the house again.
For a while, she had been admiring the garden from her window, hoping to go down there someday. And now she had finally decided to explore it. Someday was that day. Brimming with excitement, she made her way to the back of the mansion, venturing there for the first time since she had moved in.
As she entered the sprawling garden, her eyes widened with wonder at the vibrant display of flowers and the lush greenery that surrounded her.
For an extensive period, she wandered along the winding paths, the gentle fragrance of blossoms filling the air with a refreshing crispness. Her senses were invigorated by the experience; the garden appeared even more stunning up close than it did from her window.
Mia spent the entire afternoon immersed in the garden, carefully examining each plant, tree, and flower, her fingers delicately tracing the intricate details of each petal as she passed by.
As the sun began to set, she reluctantly started to leave the garden, already planning her return. In fact, the garden had become her serene sanctuary, a place she would frequent whenever she needed to retreat from the world.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
As Mia reached the entrance, she turned around, beaming at the garden. “Goodbye for now, beautiful garden,” she said with a contented smile.
Turning back around, she suddenly froze, finding Shawn standing right in the doorway. His expression was inscrutable, and his gaze bore into hers, sending a shiver down her spine.
“What are you doing here?” His voice was low and intense as he spoke.
“Um, you’re back-”
“Answer the question!” Shawn’s voice boomed, catching Mia off guard. She stumbled backward, nearly losing her balance.
“Who let you in here?!” His furious words echoed in Mia’s ears, causing a sudden wave of pain to throb in her head.
Trembling uncontrollably, she avoided his gaze. This was the first time she had seen him like this, and it was terrifying. Was she not allowed to be in there?
Shawn grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her out of the garden. “This better be the last time you step foot in here. Do you understand?!” He warned, his grip tightening.
Tears streamed down Mia’s cheeks as she winced from the pain coursing through her arm, crying out in anguish.
He released her abruptly and stormed away, the sound of a revving car quickly fading as it sped out of the mansion.
Sobbing, Mia rushed back inside, swiftly closing the bedroom door with a resounding thud. She crawled into bed, weeping uncontrollably, overcome by a torrent of emotions.
Why was the man’s behavior towards her shifting abruptly from kindness to cruelty? Why was he playing with her emotions? Why? Why would he not stop doing that to her all the time? Mia was heartbroken.
Downstairs, the maids exchanged suspicious glances, wondering what had happened to their Madam. Earlier, she had seemed so joyful when she left. What could have gone wrong?
Madam Susan glanced up at the staircase for a brief moment, her expression troubled. It appeared that the Young Master still hadn’t gotten out of it.
—–
“Just remember, always report everything to me,” Shawn’s aunt, Amanda, instructed Anderson over the phone, the corner of her eyes catching sight of a speeding car leaving Shawn’s residence.
Frowning, she focused on the figure in the driver’s seat, her eyes narrowing. It was none other than her nephew.
A few nights ago, Anderson had handed over the keys to the mansion right beside Shawn’s, where Amanda and her family had promptly moved in. Amanda had been relying on Anderson to keep her updated on any news related to Grandpa Mandez and Shawn.
But since Anderson only worked for the Old Master, he didn’t know much about what was happening in Shawn’s life. But he sure informed Amanda that the Young Master had gotten married.
In fact, he had informed her about it while she was still abroad, and that was one of the reasons why Amanda returned.
“Trouble in paradise already?” Amanda mused, a smirk playing on her lips as she watched the car vanish from sight.
“Ma’am?” Anderson, still on the other end of the line, sounded perplexed.
“Don’t worry, Anderson. Just ensure you keep me informed and let me know if he won’t be returning tomorrow,” she instructed before abruptly ending the call.
Currently, Grandpa Mandez was overseas, receiving medical treatment in India. Amanda speculated that he might not return the following day, but deep down she knew it was unlikely. Tomorrow held a significant date and it was certain the old man would make it back.
How pathetic.
Feeling exasperated, Amanda rolled her eyes and made her way back inside.
—–
Shawn pulled into the Beats Corporation premises, his temper flaring as he stormed into the elevator, followed closely by Lucas. Without hesitation, he made a beeline for the conference room.
Upon his arrival, the officials stood up abruptly. They were fully aware that it was the weekend and they ought to be resting at home, but then, the CEO’s personal assistant had suddenly summoned them for an impromptu meeting, leaving them with no choice but to attend, lest they invite the CEO’s wrath.
Tension hung thick in the air, each person on edge, sensing that something was amiss with the CEO. The fact that he had called for a meeting on a weekend only served to confirm their apprehensions. Nothing good was going to come out of the meeting.
As Shawn stepped into the conference room, a palpable chill radiated from him, intensifying the already anxious atmosphere.
It was clear to everyone that trouble loomed.
Seating himself at the head of the table, the CEO’s frosty demeanor set the tone for the meeting, causing a further spike in the officials’ unease as they settled back into their seats. The meeting commenced in silence.