Confession

Confession
Hearing the noise, Callie turned her head and saw Shane. She got down from the window seat and walked towards him. "How's Gabriel doing?"

Shane tugged at his collar and said, "He's planning to quit his job at the hospital and go work at his family's company."

Callie's expression dimmed slightly. She knew Gabriel loved being a doctor. It must be hard for him to give it up.

"Every loss comes with a gain," Shane said, seeming to read her thoughts. "Don't worry about him."

Callie helped him unbutton his suit jacket, her eyes lowered. "I'm not worried about him."

Shane watched her closely. She seemed a bit different today.

Callie hung up his jacket and asked, "Do you want to take a shower before bed?"

Shane gave a slight nod.

"I'll run the water for you," Callie said, heading to the bathroom.

Shane grabbed her hand and asked, "Is something on your mind?"

Callie smiled at him. "Does it show?"

She just wanted to get along peacefully with her and face her feelings for him head-on!

At this moment, her calmness and gentleness made Shane's heart flutter.

He bent down and scooped her up in his arms.

Callie wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him. "Aren't you going to take your shower?"

Shane placed her gently on the bed, leaning over her. "Do you think I'm dirty?"

Callie shook her head. "No, it's not that..."

"I'm very clean." With that, he leaned down and gave her a light peck on her pink lips, a faint smile playing at the corners of his eyes. He took Callie's hand and placed it on the collar of his shirt, whispering, "Unbutton it for me."

Callie blushed slightly, her eyes darting away.

Shane gently turned her face back towards him. "Look at me."

His tone was domineering and assertive.

Callie pushed him playfully, pouting, "You're bullying me."

Shane laughed; he loved seeing Callie like this.

He lowered his head, his face close to hers, and murmured, "I only bully you."

she laughed. "So, you can be sweet too."

Shane replied, "I'm human too."

He wasn't a god; when faced with the woman he liked, why should he pretend to be reserved?

Shane gently caressed her face, his fingers slowly trailing down her neck. Her skin was smooth and delicate, like fine porcelain, making it impossible to resist.

Callie slightly tilted her head, not resisting, which was a silent consent.

Shane grew bolder, his hand slipping under her clothes and lifting her shirt.

As the cool air rushed in, Callie shrank closer to him.

Shane pressed against her, using his body heat to warm her.

Their clothes fell away.

Shane wrapped her in the blanket, kissing her passionately. The atmosphere was intense, and just as they were about to become one, there was a sudden, urgent knock on the door.

Callie snapped back to reality from their light headed moment. She pushed against Shane, saying, "Someone's at the door."

Shane didn't want to pay attention, distractedly murmuring a response, his lips never leaving her skin.

"The door's not locked," she reminded him.

Bang, bang—

The knocking grew more insistent.

Callie feared someone might burst in.

What if someone sees us? How embarrassing would that be?

"No one will come in," Shane mumbled.

"Young Madam, your brother is here. He said your father has passed away," Mrs. Ford's voice came from outside the door.

Boom!

It felt like something exploded in her mind!

Callie's eyes trembled, and her face showed a look of horror.

Shane snapped out of their intimate moment and looked down at Callie, asking softly, "Are you okay?"

Callie was too upset to speak.

Her whole body felt cold.

Shane held her close and whispered soothingly in her ear, "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here with you."

A single, glistening tear slid from the corner of her eye, disappearing into her hair.

"I—I hated him—but... it still hurts," she said in a hoarse, trembling voice.

Shane replied, "I know."

He was her father, after all. Blood is thicker than water.

How could she not feel anything?

"I—I need to see him," she said, scrambling to get up.

Shane helped her get dressed. "Don't rush."

"How can I not rush?!" she suddenly shouted.

She was too emotional.

After yelling, she immediately realized she shouldn't have acted impulsively. No matter how upset she was, she shouldn't have taken it out on him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Shane gently wiped away her tears. "How could I ever blame you?"

She stared at Shane in a daze, then suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably, her shoulders shaking with each cry.

Shane held her close, patting her back soothingly.

After a while, she calmed down, got dressed, and left the room.

When she arrived at the hospital, she didn't get to see Rafael one last time. He had already been moved to the morgue, covered with a white sheet. Gianna was beside him, crying her heart out.

Callie hesitated for a few seconds before stepping forward.

Gianna pushed her away. "You jinx! It's all your fault your dad is dead..."

"Mom!" Myron interrupted her. "How can you blame her? If you and Dad hadn't been fighting, he wouldn't have been so angry!"

Myron had been there when Rafael died. He knew it wasn't Callie's fault.

Gianna shot her son a fierce glare.

How could this child side with an outsider?

He couldn't tell friend from foe.

Callie cast a cold, emotionless glance at Gianna.

Rafael's illness was severe, but he still had some time left. His sudden death was likely connected to Gianna.

Feeling guilty, Gianna couldn't meet Callie's gaze. Instead, she cried loudly, "How can we live without you? You left us all alone!"

She acted heartbroken, all the while slandering Callie. "Look at your daughter! She didn't even shed a tear when she heard you died. What a waste of a daughter!"

"Mom," Myron pulled Gianna aside, "If you keep this up, my sister won't even get a chance to see Dad one last time."

Gianna turned and glared at her son.

Myron ignored her, pulling his mother aside to give Callie space to see Rafael for the last time.

Callie appeared calm, but her tightly clenched fists betrayed her true emotions.

Shane held her hand. Though he said nothing, his presence brought Callie warmth and comfort. Gradually, she calmed down under Shane's reassuring touch. She stepped forward, lifted the white sheet, and saw Rafael's face for the last time.

Although Rafael's eyes were closed, his expression showed that he did not pass away peacefully.

Callie did not shed a tear.

She looked at Myron. "Were you there when Dad passed? Did he say anything?"

Myron was about to speak when Gianna interrupted, "What could he possibly say? Of course, he said to leave everything to Myron."

Myron tried to speak again, but Gianna shot him a glare and snapped, "Do you think I would lie? I am your mother!"

Her last sentence was emphasized, sounding both like a warning and a reminder to Myron that she was his family.

Myron's lips moved, but in the end, he remained silent.

Callie hadn't expected Myron to say anything useful.

She was merely testing Gianna.

With Gianna's attitude, Callie was determined not to let her get away with it.

Originally, she didn't care about the Norris family's fortune, but now, she was determined to take it all!

"It's not up to you to decide who gets the Norris family's inheritance, Gianna. I will find out how my dad really died, and if you had anything to do with it, I won't let you off," Callie said coldly.

Gianna had just returned, "If you dare to fight my son for the inheritance, I won't let you off either!"

"Mom..."

Myron tried to persuade her. Rafael had just passed away, and here they were, arguing heatedly in front of his body. How could the deceased rest in peace?

"Myron, I'm telling you, don't let your father brainwash you. I'm the one closest to you. What does Callie have to do with you?" Gianna snapped. Myron always sided with Callie, which made her very unhappy.

She believed that Myron's behavior was all Rafael's fault.

He had instilled the wrong ideas in their son!

Half-siblings, what kind of bond could they have?

Given her own conflicts with Callie, it was destined that Myron could never see Callie as family!

And now, with the inheritance dispute, she absolutely couldn't allow Myron to get close to her!

"Gianna, let me make this clear," Callie called out, "My parents aren't divorced. My mom and I are the primary heirs. No matter how hard you try, you won't get a single penny of the Norris Family's wealth if I don't want you to!"

A flicker of panic crossed Gianna's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "Your dad made a will. Everything goes to Myron."

Callie didn't want to argue in front of Rafael.

She softly said to Shane, who was beside her, "Let's go."

Throughout the confrontation, she remained tough and strong.

But as soon as they left the hospital, her spine seemed to lose its strength.

Shane wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a comforting embrace. "I'll take you home," he whispered.

She nodded.

When they got back to the villa, she saw Cynthia in the living room.

Cynthia must have heard her leave earlier and learned from Mrs. Ford about her father's passing. She was waiting in the living room, worried.

Seeing Callie with Shane, Cynthia didn't approach but asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

Callie, her voice hoarse, replied, "I'm fine."

Mrs. Ford was also awake and concerned about her.

"It's very late. Everyone should get some rest," she said before heading upstairs, with Shane following her.

Once in the room, she curled up on the bed, and Shane wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his body closely against her slender frame, offering silent comfort without saying a word.

That night, Callie couldn't sleep at all.

She lay there with her eyes wide open until dawn.

Her eyes were bloodshot from the sleepless night.

She got up quietly.

Shane hadn't slept much either, only dozing off just before dawn.

She didn't want to wake him.

She took her phone and walked to the balcony, dialing Caitlin's number.

It was too early, and Caitlin was still asleep. After a few rings, she finally answered.

"Hello... Callie, are you missing Leif?" Caitlin's voice was raspy from sleep.

Callie's voice was thick with emotion. "Mom, Dad is gone."

"He left? So what?" Caitlin seemed not to grasp the full meaning of "gone."

"Mom, Dad passed away," Callie said softly. "Please come back."

The other end of the line fell silent immediately.

Caitlin seemed to freeze in place.

Her thoughts and expression were locked in an instant.

"Mom, are you okay?" Callie asked worriedly.

Caitlin snapped back to reality. "I'm... fine."

But her voice didn't sound fine at all.

"You have Leif with you, it's inconvenient. I'll come pick you up..."

"No need, that would waste too much time. I'll come over directly, don't worry," Caitlin said.

Callie still felt uneasy.

"I'm hanging up now. I'm fine, but I need to bring all of Leif's things."

The call ended abruptly.

Callie could sense Caitlin's urgency.

They were husband and wife after all.

Caitlin must have had feelings for Rafael, right?

The morning air was still a bit chilly.

She hugged herself with her arms.

If only she had told Caitlin earlier, then they could have at least seen each other one last time.

Rafael's passing was not peaceful. Did he regret not seeing Caitlin one last time?

"What are you thinking about?" A voice came from behind as a coat was draped over her shoulders.

Callie turned her head to see Shane. His deep-set features looked different from his usual meticulous and clean-cut appearance; he seemed more relaxed and approachable now. She averted her gaze lightly. "I just called my mom. If I had told her earlier, she could have seen my dad one last time... I feel like I robbed her of that chance."

"It's not your fault. They have their own thoughts and choices." If two people truly love each other, they wouldn't part ways.

Since they did, it was their own decision, not something others could influence.

Besides, they're adults with their own independent thinking.

So, Callie had no reason to feel guilty!

Taking a deep breath, Callie said, "There's still some time left. You should go get some sleep. You didn't rest much last night because of me."

"It's fine. I'll stay with you," Shane replied, staring straight ahead.

Callie turned to look at him.

When someone loses a loved one, they're at their most vulnerable. Having someone by their side, even if they don't say a word, just quietly accompanying them, makes them feel less alone.

It provides some comfort to the soul.

As dawn gradually broke, Callie left without having breakfast. Shane wanted to go with her, but she refused.

Shane wasn't idle either; he had his own work to attend to. He had already spent a lot of time with her, and now she had adjusted her emotions.

Callie went to a law firm to consult about inheritance rights.

After learning more, she discovered that Myron had a legitimate claim to the inheritance, even though Gianna and Rafael were not married.

It wasn't that she wanted to claim the Norris Family's fortune for herself. The current situation was that Gianna had driven Rafael to his death in order to get the inheritance.

Because of this, Callie couldn't let Gianna succeed!

However, Myron had the legal right to inherit, so she couldn't let Gianna end up with nothing either.

Taking the legal route was out of the question. She had to come up with another plan. For now, she needed to handle Rafael's funeral arrangements. Despite all the unpleasant past, he was still her father, and her grief was genuine.

Callie arrived at the hospital, intending to claim Rafael's body and take it to the funeral home. However, she was informed that it had already been claimed.

Checking the records, Callie saw that the signature was Myron's.

Gianna and Rafael had no familial relationship, so Gianna couldn't have done it.

But Myron was Rafael's son, so he could handle the arrangements.

Callie hurried to the Norris Family estate.

Sure enough, Gianna had already set up the funeral, deliberately positioning herself as the hostess!

Callie knew exactly what Gianna was plotting. By organizing Rafael's funeral, Gianna wanted everyone to believe she was Rafael's rightful wife.

She was overstepping her bounds.

Callie walked over.

Dressed in black and managing the various arrangements, Gianna's face immediately darkened upon seeing Callie. The last person she wanted to see at the funeral was her.

She wished everyone could just forget about Callie.

"What are you doing here?" Gianna glared at her.

Callie remained calm, not wanting to argue. Whatever needed to be said could wait until after Rafael's funeral.

"I am Rafael's daughter. You are just a mistress without any status. You have no right to be here. I am allowing you to stay out of respect for the fact that you gave my father a son. But make no mistake, you need to know who the real host is here."

Gianna's face turned ashen at the mention of her lack of status.

It was her sore spot.

She hated Rafael for not giving her a proper place in his life.

Callie walked past her and headed inside.

Gianna gritted her teeth. She knew that as long as Callie was around, Myron would never fully inherit the Norris family's fortune.

The urge to kill surged again.

Gianna saw Callie walking under the iron scaffolding used for painting. A malicious glint flashed in her eyes as she quickly walked over. Just as Callie was passing under the scaffolding, Gianna gave it a hard shove!

The scaffolding came crashing down towards Callie!

"Callie, go to hell!" Gianna sneered coldly.

She sensed something and looked up, only to see the iron scaffolding inches away from her. Her pupils dilated in shock and terror!

Just as the scaffolding was about to crush her, she heard someone shout, "Watch out!" A dark figure lunged towards her.

She was forcefully pushed out of the way, landing outside the danger zone.

A loud crash followed.

The scaffolding collapsed.

She quickly turned to see who had saved her.

When she saw the face of her rescuer, her own face turned ghostly pale!

It was Myron!

"Myron!" Gianna rushed over in a panic, terrified that something terrible had happened to her son.

She lifted the metal frame and cradled her unconscious son, patting his cheeks. "Myron, wake up! Please don't scare me like this, please..."

Gianna was genuinely crying. Myron was her only son, and all her hopes were pinned on him.

If anything happened to him, she wouldn't be able to live on.

Everything she did was for her son!

"Are you stupid? Why did you save that woman who's fighting you for the inheritance?"

Callie's knee was bleeding heavily from the impact, but she ignored her own injury and took out her phone to call 911.

She limped over, wanting to check Myron's condition. Gianna, thinking Callie meant harm, pushed her away. "Don't touch my son!"

Callie stumbled from the push.

"If you don't want your son to be in danger, let me take a look. I'm a doctor; I won't hurt him," she said coldly.

Gianna, still holding her son and crying, accused, "If it weren't for you, my son wouldn't be like this..."

"It's your own malicious intent that got your son involved," Callie retorted, standing up. "If you won't let me check, then I won't. If he dies, there will be no one left to fight me for the inheritance."

her words hit Gianna right where it hurt!

Gianna shot Callie a fierce glare. "You really have no good intentions!"

Callie, with an air of indifference and authority, signaled the people setting up the memorial hall to continue their work and not to watch.

"Ah!"

Gianna screamed, "Blood, there's blood..."

Callie immediately turned to look at Myron and saw blood seeping from his hairline.

He must have injured his head.

She walked over to check the wound.

This time, Gianna didn't stop her. "Is my son going to die?"

Callie ignored her, focusing on examining the injury.

There was a cut on the top of his head, but it didn't seem deep. Her initial assessment was that it wasn't serious.

Using professional techniques, she stopped the bleeding. After a while, the ambulance arrived, and Myron was taken to the hospital. Gianna, still worried, went along with him.

With Gianna gone, Callie was left to oversee the memorial hall.

She walked inside and saw the urn placed on the table, her face immediately darkening.

Caitlin hadn't returned yet, and Gianna had already cremated Rafael, not even giving her a chance to say a final goodbye.

She clenched her fists in anger.

Gianna was truly heartless!

Buzz buzz—

Her phone suddenly rang in her pocket.

It was Caitlin calling.

She was about to get off the bus and wanted Callie to pick her up.

Callie immediately hailed a cab and headed over.

After waiting for a while, she finally saw her.

It had been nearly two months, and Leif's face had grown fuller.

Callie's first instinct was to check on her child. The reunion was filled with joy and relief as she held her baby close.

Looking at her child, her heart felt like it was melting.

She couldn't imagine anything in the world more blissful than this moment.

She wanted to smile, but her eyes ached with unshed tears.

As a mother, she felt she had failed.

She hadn't provided her child with a complete family, nor had she been there to watch him grow.

"Your dad..." Caitlin began.

Callie finally looked up at her mother. Caitlin's face was pale, clearly showing signs of having cried.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry you didn't get to see Dad one last time," she apologized sincerely.

Caitlin didn't blame her. Callie had mentioned it before, but Caitlin hadn't taken it seriously at the time. She sighed deeply, "Even though I had many grievances and complaints against him, now that he's gone, all those past issues don't matter anymore. I came back because, after all, we were married. I wanted to see him off one last time."

"Leif is still young. You take him back first. I'll go by myself," Caitlin said, handing Leif's belongings to Callie.

Callie looked worried. "I should go with you..."

"Leif is too young to see a dead body. I'll handle it alone," Caitlin insisted, her expression strong and her emotions seemingly calm.

Callie knew Caitlin had feelings for Rafael. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stayed married to him for so long.

Now that Rafael was suddenly gone, Caitlin must be heartbroken.

She just acted indifferent in front of Callie to avoid causing her worry.

After recovering from her illness, Caitlin had come to terms with many things. She hadn't divorced Rafael despite their issues, partly because of her feelings, but she also knew he didn't deserve her love—he had cheated on her with another woman.

Even if there were feelings, they were no longer pure.

Now, there was mostly a sense of sorrow.

"Callie, don't worry. I'm not the same person I used to be. I won't be weak like before. I survived, and I've realized a lot of things. My past weakness caused you a lot of pain, but that won't happen again," Caitlin said, patting Callie's shoulder. "Facing Gianna now, I won't let her bully me. I haven't divorced your dad yet, so she still has no rightful place. I should be the one to host your dad's funeral."

Callie was taken aback for a moment. Caitlin's current demeanor made her see her in a new light.

After recovering from a serious illness, her personality had changed significantly, becoming much more resilient.

Callie nodded, "I might be a bit late getting there."

Caitlin's gentle gaze fell on Leif. "I know you want to spend more time with him. You gave birth to him and then had to be separated from him. It's been almost two months now. It's perfectly normal to miss your child. I'll handle your father's matters. You just take good care of Leif. The living are more important than the dead."

Caitlin's feelings for Leif were no less than Callie's. After all, she had been the one taking care of the baby since he was born.

Rafael was gone, and taking care of Leif was the priority now.

"If he gets hungry, just mix up an ounce of formula for him. If he eats too much, he'll spit up, so feed him small amounts more frequently. Don't use disposable diapers, no matter how good they are; they can cause rashes. Use breathable cotton cloth instead. I've put all his supplies in a bag for you. Just take them out when you get home," Caitlin instructed, worried that Callie might not take good care of Leif.

Callie nodded, "I understand."

After parting ways at the high-speed rail station, Caitlin returned to the Norris Family estate, while Callie took Leif back to the villa.

At the villa, Cynthia was preparing to leave.

Seeing Callie holding Leif as she returned, Cynthia approached to take Leif into her arms, casting a wary glance around to ensure Mrs. Ford wasn't nearby.

In a hushed tone, she asked, "Did Auntie come over?"

Callie nodded.

"You brought Leif to the villa. What if Shane sees him? What will you say?"

Callie looked down at the baby in her arms, her eyes filled with tenderness. "If he finds out, then he finds out."

Cynthia didn't understand. "You don't care about Shane anymore?"

"I... I like him, but not enough to hide my own child for his sake. The things you said to me that day, I thought about them too. But after seeing Leif, I realized that nothing else matters. Men don't matter. I just want to be with my child."

Cynthia didn't stop her and felt a deep admiration for the power of a mother's love.

"Leif is here, and I don't regret it, nor do I want to hide it. I think all my previous worries were unnecessary. If Shane is the kind of man who would lose interest eventually, he would do so even without Leif. And I think hiding the fact that I have a child from him is lying and not being honest about our relationship. If I like him, I should let him see all of me. If he can't accept it, it's understandable, and I won't blame him. But if he does accept..."

She gently caressed Leif's soft cheek, her heart and eyes filled with love for this tiny baby—her flesh and blood, her child, her everything.

"If he truly accepts Leif and treats him as his own, I'll be good to him too. But if he only says he doesn't mind and then treats Leif poorly, I won't hesitate to leave."

Seeing that she had thought it through, Cynthia didn't say much more. "You have to handle your father's funeral arrangements, right? You probably won't have time. My workload is light these days, so I can help take care of Leif."

She glanced at the baby in Callie's arms. "Leif's eyes look a bit like Shane's. Maybe they are destined to be together. Perhaps you can give Leif a complete family."

"Waaah, waaah..."

Suddenly, the baby started crying.

Mrs. Ford, having finished tidying up the upstairs rooms, came downstairs. Hearing the baby's cries, she curiously asked, "Why is there a baby crying?"