A marriage certificate

A marriage certificate
Lydia noticed the brief glance from Shane.
Her smile grew even brighter.
Shane left immediately.
On his way out, he received a call from Old Master Robinson.
"Shane, I heard that Lydia applied for a job at the company. She might have been let go because she lacks experience. Can you find a position for her, considering she's just graduated and has no work experience?"
"Grandpa, did you bring her here?" Shane asked.
Even though they thought they had acted well, Shane had noticed something.
Lydia's appearance was too coincidental.
So coincidental that he couldn't help but overthink it.
"Shane, what are you talking about? I don't know anything," Old Master Robinson tried to cover up.
"Grandpa, do I look stupid to you?"
Shane's tone turned cold. "Last time you came to me, you wanted me to divorce Callie. Now, suddenly, there's this woman. Grandpa, are you not trying to set us up?"
Old Master Robinson thought his plan was flawless. Who knew Shane would see right through it?
He couldn't help but sigh.
Sometimes, being too smart isn't a good thing.
"Well..."
The old man wanted to explain.
But what could he say other than, "I'm doing this for your own good"?
What else could he say?
In the end, it just turned into another sigh.
"I'll have Henry arrange a job for her. Grandpa, please don't do this again."
His patience had its limits.
Too much interference in his personal affairs.
"Alright, alright, I won't do it again. Although I did want to set you up with Lydia, I genuinely wanted you to find her a job too. She moved abroad with her grandfather at a young age, her parents are long gone. She's had a tough life, just like you, losing..." He didn't finish the word "parents," realizing he had said too much, and quickly changed the topic. "Look at me, getting all senile."
Shane's expression remained calm. "If there's nothing else, I'll hang up now."
With that, he ended the call.
But in truth, his heart was anything but calm.
As his car pulled into the driveway, he got out and tossed the keys to the driver, striding into the house. The living room was empty, so he asked, "Is Callie not here?"
Mrs. Ford replied, "She should be in her room."
Shane gave a light "hmm" and started up the stairs.
As he passed by her room, he paused, raising his hand to knock. Just as his knuckles were about to touch the door, he hesitated, lowered his hand, and continued towards his own room.
Inside her room, Callie held a book in her hands, but she couldn't focus on reading it.
She felt particularly irritable.
She didn't know what was wrong with her, so she put the book down, put on her slippers, and ran downstairs.
Mrs. Ford rarely saw Callie so flustered; it was clear that something was bothering her today.
"Ma'am, what's wrong today? You seem distracted, and you didn't have much of an appetite at dinner."
Callie scratched her head and asked, "Really?"
Mrs. Ford smiled. "Yes, really. Is it because Mr. Robinson isn't here that you can't enjoy your meal?"
Callie's face inexplicably turned red.
"I... that's not true. How could I lose my appetite because of him?" Callie denied it boldly, refusing to admit it.
She thought Mrs. Ford's words were simply nonsense!
Mrs. Ford chuckled and waved her hand. "If you say it's not true, then it's not. But deep down, you know the truth."
Callie froze for a moment.
Was she really this agitated because of Shane?
Had he already started affecting her emotions?
No.
That couldn't be.
She didn't want to admit it, but the truth was undeniable. She was indeed restless because of him.
How could she have feelings for a man who had hurt her and indirectly caused her to lose a child?
She shook her head vigorously, trying to erase Shane from her mind. But the more she tried to forget, the more she thought about him.
At this moment, Shane's image was vividly imprinted in her mind, replaying like scenes from a movie.
"By the way, ma'am, Mr. Robinson has returned. He just went upstairs. Didn't he come to see you?" Mrs. Ford asked.
Callie paused on the stairs and turned to look at her. "You said Shane is back?"
Mrs. Ford nodded.
Callie became indifferent, walking upstairs with tangled thoughts, seemingly hesitant about whether or not to see him.
But impulsiveness won over reason, and she found herself walking towards Shane's room.
The door wasn't fully closed, leaving a small gap. She gently pushed it open. The room was brightly lit, and the sudden brightness made her squint. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw Shane standing inside.
He seemed to be looking at something.
Callie pushed the door open wider to get a clearer view. To her surprise, he was staring at that painting.
The one he had bought from Kane at the auction—the painting of her when she was pregnant!
She stepped inside and softly asked, "Why did you spend so much money to buy that painting?"
Shane had sensed her presence the moment she pushed the door, but he didn't turn to look at her.
His gaze remained fixed on the painting.

This woman, he thought, was only quiet and well-behaved when she was asleep or when she was like the painting—still and serene.
"Because it's you," he said.
Callie felt she couldn’t catch her breath, and her heart started pounding.
It wasn't a romantic line, but it felt more powerful than one.
She had to admit, she had feelings for this man.
Almost as if guided by an unseen force, she walked over and hugged his lean waist from behind. Maybe it was the loneliness in his silhouette, or maybe it was her emotions taking control.
In short, she did it.
Even she found it unbelievable.
When she finally realized and tried to pull her hand back, Shane grabbed it, not letting her go. His voice was low and husky, "I like you like this."
Callie lowered her gaze, her cheeks flushing pink. She shyly tried to pull her hand away, "You like it when I'm forward, huh?"
Shane turned around, "Why can't you just be a bit more obedient?"
Callie bit her lip, "I'm not a child. Why should I listen to you?"
Shane frowned. This woman could make anyone lose their temper in seconds.
"Callie Norris."
"Hmm?" As she looked up, Shane leaned in, pressing his lips against hers.
She held her breath, and as she felt the warmth and softness of his lips, she closed her eyes.
Shane took the opportunity to pull her into his arms. His kisses always had a possessive quality, making it easy for one to get lost in them.
Callie thought she might lose herself to him because this man knew exactly how to stir a woman's heart.
"Don't run away anymore, okay?" A midst the kiss, Callie heard Shane's voice, deep and tinged with a hint of pleading.
He was always such a lofty man, yet now he was speaking such humble words.
If Callie claimed she felt nothing, it would be a lie.
"I never intended to run. Gianna wants to seize the Norris family fortune and tried to harm me..."

Callie explained in a soft voice.
Shane only had a rough idea of what happened. After all, Gianna had chosen a remote location, and Shane was clueless about what transpired in between.
Hearing Callie say that Gianna had tried to harm her, Shane's nerves tightened. "Are you hurt?" he asked.
Callie shook her head.
Thinking about Corey's injury, Shane felt reassured. She was skilled with a scalpel; it wasn't easy to harm or capture her.
However, she was still a girl, and no matter how smart, her physical strength had its limits.
"Be careful from now on," he advised. "If anything happens, contact me immediately."
"Okay," Callie replied, her clear, bright eyes blinking. "Shane, I..."
She wanted to tell him that she had given birth to a child.
But as the words reached her lips, she hesitated, unsure of how to begin.
"What's wrong?" Shane asked.
Callie lowered her head, trying to find the right words in her mind. "It's about last time. I had something important to tell you."
"Hmm?"
"It's just that I..."
Bzzz—
Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket.
"Whatever you need to say, just say it. No need to hold back with me," Shane noticed her hesitation.
"I have a child!" she mustered up the courage to confess.
Shane's lips tightened. He knew; Callie had told him before.
Seeing his expression, Callie thought he misunderstood, thinking she was referring to the time she lied to him.
"No, actually, it's..."
"I don't care," Shane reiterated firmly.
At that moment, her phone vibrated again in her pocket.
Callie worried it might be Caitlin calling. If something happened to Leif, she couldn't afford to delay. She thought for a moment and said, "Forget it."
She turned to leave.
Shane grabbed her arm!
"Where are you going? Stay with me tonight," his eyes burned with intensity.
Callie whispered, "I have something to do."
"What is it?"
"I need to contact my mom. My dad is sick and wants to see her. I need to let her know," Callie explained. It was partly true, though not the whole truth.
Shane couldn't interfere either.
After all, this was serious business.
He had no choice but to let go. "Alright."
Callie stepped out of the room!
Back in her own room, she closed the door, sat on the edge of her bed, and took out her phone to check her messages.
To her surprise, it wasn't Caitlin who had messaged her, but Cynthia.
She hesitated for a moment but decided to call back.
The call was quickly answered.
"Callie."
"Yeah." Callie was also concerned about her current relationship with Gabriel, so she asked, "How are things going with you and Gabriel?"
Cynthia didn't respond, but through the phone, Callie could hear faint sobbing.
"Are you crying?" she asked.
Cynthia still didn't respond.

Callie could clearly sense that something was wrong with her emotions!
"What's going on?" she asked urgently.
Cynthia was on the verge of breaking down and couldn't communicate calmly.
"Where are you?" Callie asked.
After a long pause, Cynthia finally answered, "I'm at Gabriel's place. Can you come and pick me up?"
Callie said yes, but she didn't know where Gabriel lived.
She had never been to his place.
"Send me the location," she said.
Cynthia responded with a quick "okay."
Callie hung up the phone and immediately headed out, only to bump into Shane in the hallway. He was also on his way out.
They exchanged glances, and Shane spoke first, "Heading out?"
Callie nodded, "A good friend of mine is in a bit of trouble and asked me to go over."
Seeing that Shane also seemed to be going somewhere, she asked, "Are you going out too?"
"Yeah."
Shane took the first step, walking as he asked, "Where are you headed?"
Callie had just checked the address and told him.
Shane stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her, "We're going to the same place."
"What?"
She was clearly surprised, but quickly realized that Gabriel and Shane knew each other. "Did Gabriel call you?"
He let out a soft hum and said, "Let's go together."
Callie nodded in agreement.
Shane drove the car while Callie took the passenger seat.
Both of them were quiet.
They wanted to talk.
But neither knew what to say.
After a long silence, Callie finally spoke up, "My friend Cynthia used to date Gabriel."
Shane hadn't paid much attention to Gabriel's personal life, so he didn't know much about it.
It was only after hearing Callie's words that he realized Gabriel's recent gloominess was due to relationship issues.
"So, are they breaking up?" he asked.
Callie struggled to find the right words, "Cynthia wants to break up, but Gabriel isn't willing to let go yet. Or rather, he can't let go."
Shane's expression remained calm, and he didn't ask further.
It seemed he wasn't one to pry into others' affairs.
Soon, they arrived at their destination. Callie got out of the car first, followed by Shane.
Gabriel opened the door when they knocked.
Seeing them together, Gabriel wasn't surprised. He had been right next to Cynthia when she called Callie.
He stepped aside to make room and said, "Come in."
Callie quickly walked over to Cynthia, who was sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch with her face buried in her arms.
Callie squatted down in front of her and gently patted her back. "Cynthia."
Cynthia lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen from crying for a long time. Her voice was hoarse. "Take me away from here."
Callie helped her stand up and said, "Alright."
Cynthia was so weak from crying that she could barely walk without her support.
"You should head back to the villa," Shane said, handing the car keys to Callie.
Callie reached out and took them, saying, "Thank you."
Shane looked at her for a moment but didn't respond.
Back at the villa, Callie helped Cynthia to the couch and poured her a glass of warm water to soothe her throat.
Cynthia took a few sips.
Mrs. Ford approached and asked, "Young Mistress, is this your friend?"
Callie nodded.
"Will she be staying here tonight? Sir..."
"Shane knows."
This was Shane's residence, and he generally disliked having strangers around. Mrs. Ford was worried about any potential misunderstandings or conflicts between them.
Understanding Mrs. Ford's concerns, Callie reassured her.
Upon hearing that Shane was aware, Mrs. Ford relaxed and warmly offered, "I'll prepare a guest room for this young lady so she can rest."
Callie replied, "Thank you, Mrs. Ford."
She responded that it was no trouble and left to make the arrangements.
By now, Cynthia had calmed down a bit.
Callie asked with concern, "Are you feeling any better?"
Cynthia replied, "Not really."
"What happened?" Callie asked.
Cynthia didn't hide anything from Callie. After all, Callie knew about her and Gabriel.
"Did you know that Gabriel went to the tea house for a blind date?"
Callie nodded. "Yeah, I knew." She looked at Cynthia. "Did it get ruined because of you?"
"Yes," Cynthia said with a bitter smile, "He told his date that I was his girlfriend. The girl felt humiliated and called Gabriel's mother right on the spot. It turned into a big mess..."
Callie could easily imagine the chaos that must have followed.
"And then? How did you end up at his place? Did you two talk things out?" Callie asked.
Cynthia remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Gabriel found out."
Callie thought this was a good thing. "You two are in love. Now that he knows, he won't want to let you go even more, right? You have no idea how miserable he's been lately. He's been drowning his sorrows in alcohol and has lost so much weight. Doesn't it break your heart to see him like this?"
Cynthia could see it too. Gabriel, who used to be so cheerful, had become so dispirited. It pained her to see him like this.
But given the current situation, Gabriel's mother disliked her even more. Before, she thought Cynthia wasn't a good match for her son because of her lack of family background. Now, she believed Cynthia was untrustworthy.
Cynthia had promised to leave Gabriel, but now they were back together.
You can imagine the situation she was in now.
Gabriel's mother despised her.
Callie reached out and held her hand, comforting her, "Relationships can be built over time. With Gabriel understanding and protecting you, I believe his mother will eventually see your good qualities."
Cynthia wasn't so optimistic.
His mother's face had been quite unpleasant at the time.
Callie continued to comfort her, "Actually, I think this is better. You can face it together with him now. Before, you were bearing it alone, and both of you were suffering. Now at least Gabriel isn't suffering as much. The only obstacle is his mother, and I'm sure Gabriel will work hard to resolve it."
At this point, Cynthia could only hope for the best.
"Let's hope things get better," she sighed deeply.
"I'll get you my pajamas. You should take a hot bath first," Callie said as she stood up to fetch the clothes, then led her to the room Mrs. Ford had prepared.
The villa was large, and the guest rooms had their own private bathrooms.
"I don't have new pajamas. I hope you don't mind," Callie said, trying to sound light-hearted with a smile.
Cynthia replied, "You've worn my clothes before. We're like sisters; it doesn't matter."
"Talking to you has made me feel much better. Don't worry about me, you should go rest," Cynthia said.
Callie wasn't convinced. "I can stay with you."
"Callie, is Leif's father the man who was with you at Gabriel's place today?" Cynthia couldn't help but ask.
Callie shook her head, sighing. "I wish he was."
"Hmm? Why do you say that?" Cynthia didn't understand what she meant.
"Shane is the man I married back then. Leif's father was... an accident," she said quietly.
"Does Shane know about Leif? Does he care?" Cynthia sighed, feeling that Callie's situation was even more complicated than her own.
Callie walked to the bed and sat down, feeling drained.
This was what she was struggling with.
"I... I didn't think much of Shane before, but after spending time with him..."
"You've fallen for him?" Cynthia interrupted, her tone more of a statement than a question.
Callie nodded honestly, "It was a surprise for me too..."
"It's not a surprise," Cynthia said. "Even though I haven't spent time with him, just from his appearance, you can tell he has what it takes to drive women crazy. He's young, good-looking, and rich. If he's even a little bit nice to a woman, she would definitely fall for him."
Callie didn't deny Cynthia's point.
She used to think that looks didn't matter, that it was the inner qualities that were worth appreciating.
But in front of Shane, she was just like anyone else. She admired his looks and was moved by his small acts of kindness, even forgetting the bad things he had done to her.
Could beauty really blind someone?
"I'm surprised myself that I fell for him. I want to tell him about Leif, but when I'm in front of him, I can't find the words. Do you know, I've never regretted anything before, but when it comes to him, I have regrets..."
"Regret having Leif?" Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
Callie shook her head, "Regret that impulsive night."
She never regretted having Leif.
Leif was her precious baby.
What she regretted was that when you like someone, you want to give the best of yourself to that person.
Even though Shane said he didn't mind, she couldn't help but feel concerned.
Cynthia sat down next to her, speaking earnestly, "Callie, maybe I'm wrong, and this is just my personal opinion. If you find an ordinary guy who says he doesn't mind you having a child, I might believe it.
But Shane Robinson isn't an ordinary man, is he? At his level, what kind of woman can't he get? What kind of beauty hasn't he seen? Right now, he might be infatuated with you, but in the long run, will he really not care about another man's child?
People have imaginations. When he looks at that child, won't he think about you being intimate with another man?
Over time, won't it affect your relationship?"
Callie hadn't directly voiced these concerns to Shane, but she had them nonetheless.
After all, Leif wasn't his child. Would he truly care for her child with all his heart?
Moreover, she didn't want Leif to feel like he was living under someone else's roof.
"I might be wrong, maybe I'm just being cynical..."
"No." Callie knew Cynthia was saying these things out of concern for her. She felt Cynthia had a point. After all, who could say if Shane was just after the novelty?
How long could this freshness last?
She knew she shouldn't get too deeply involved.
Even when facing emotions, one should remain clear-headed.
Taking a deep breath, she said, "I know what I need to do."
"Are you planning to break up?" Cynthia hurriedly tried to dissuade her. "Maybe he's different from other men..."
"No, it's not that. Actually, our relationship isn't that certain yet.
We live together because we have a marriage certificate." She wanted to wait until she and Shane Robinson were truly sure they wanted to be together for life.
She would explain more later.
"Callie, if you really like Shane, honey, I can help you take care of the child, and you can see him often," Cynthia said sincerely, genuinely thinking about her well-being.
Callie shook her head quickly. Her child was hers to raise.
She had carried the baby for nine months and given birth.
She could forgo love, but not her child.
Cynthia sighed again, a sigh for both herself and Callie.
Their paths in love were not smooth at all.
"You take a shower. I'll head upstairs. Call me if you need anything," Callie said as she stood up.
Cynthia nodded.
Back in her room, Callie took a shower but couldn't fall asleep. She got up, sat by the bay window, hugged her knees, and gazed at the moon outside.
Click—
Suddenly, the doorknob turned!