waking
Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The silence in that hospital room was deafening. Javier looked like he was about to burst from the pressure, and Victoria and Rosalind weren’t faring much better. Then, as if compelled, Victoria and Rosalind sank to their knees with thuds.

Naomi felt a burning sensation in her chest, emotions threatening to overflow. She couldn’t recall ever having someone defend her honor like Shawn just did.

Back in the day, Freddy never really stood up for her when Javier and Victoria were on her case. He’d only sneak her some kind words or small gestures of comfort after her tough moments, and it was those tiny acts of kindness that got her through her last run. But deep down she knew that if Freddy really had her back, she wouldn’t have been bartered off to that cruel man in exchange for a brighter future for the Edwards and Sanders families, who built their joy and success on her misery.

Fighting back tears, she steeled herself, utterly determined to pay back Shawn, the man who had her back.

“Apologize.” Shawn’s voice cut through the tension, commanding and icy. “Naomi is mine. So think long and hard before you lay a finger on her, and ask yourself, do you even come close to measuring up!”

Javier opened his mouth, itching to sass back at the thought of this stranger barging into the Edwards family’s drama. But Shawn’s air of authority. the kind that screamed top–dog, pressed down on Javier so heavily, he couldn’t even lift his head. And the idea that Naomi belonged to Shuwn- since when did a big shot like that show up in Atopan

The news about Shawn’s accident and his status had been on

on the down–low, so no had stories hit the media. Families like the Edwards and Sanders always scrambling up the social ladder and dying to mix with the Pischer family, were in the dark about the power player now before them. They couldn’t have guessed that the young heir of the Fischer Group was the same guy that Naomi, the orphan they took in, had snagged.

Naomi’s heart swelled with a kind of warmth that filled her soul. Her nails dug into her palm to stop the tears from falling; she couldn’t afford to break down during her moment of victory.

“T–I’m sorry.” Rosalind broke the ice, her voice quivering. “Sorry, Naomi.””

Turning to her so–called parents, Naomi’s tone was even “Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, cut the sister act. I can’t stomach the fakeness anymore.”

“But you carry the Edwards name, given by us,” protested Victoria, trying to resist the overwhelming aura. But when Shawn fixed her with his chilling, predatory stare, her courage melted away like ice on a hot day.

Naomi stated. “Victoria, by the time you and Javier brought me home, I was already ten. My name? That came from a tag wrapped with me at the orphanage. And let’s be real, the Edwards family only raised me for one thing my blood. You needed it to keep Rosalind alive. If it weren’t for all those transfusions, would you have even looked my way? Truth is, you’d have lost Rosalind a long time ago without me.”

She added, “Actually, it’s you who should be thanking me. You should be the ones on your knees, showing some respect. From now on, I don’t want to hear a peep about owing the Edwards family anything, or next time, I won’t be so nice.” There was a fire in Naomi’s eyes, a silent vow

In the heavy silence after her words, Shawn spoke up, sounding pretty pleased. “Let’s head out.

“Yes, Mr. Fischer.” Naomi wheeled Shawn out of Rosalind’s hospital room and didn’t look back. They left the building with Naomi’s mind in a whirl from the showdown. Shawn had declared her as his, warning the Edwards family off, and it replayed in her head over and over.

She rode this wave of emotions back to Spring Villa Inside, Shawn ditched the wheelchair and strode ahead, forcing Naomi to jog to keep up

“Mr. Fischer, I can’t thank you enough for helping me back at the hospital,” Naomi said, her appreciation genuine. “I won’t forget what

you

did for

Shawn stopped, giving her a long look. Despite his guard being up since she appeared in his life, in the last couple of weeks, she hadn’t set off any alarms. Plus, having her around had actually made his sleepless nights and general dislike of touching a lot better.

*Comic

upstairs,” Shawn said, his expression unreadable, as he headed to the third floor. “I need that ointment.”

Naomi nodded and followed. In the bedroom, when Shawn parked on the couch, his glance told her it was go–time.

“Let me just wash up first,” said Naomi.

She washed her hands thoroughly and then wiped them down with sanitizer to make sure they were spotless before touching Shawn,

As she applied the cream to Shawn’s scarred face, Naomi felt a pang of sympathy. The scars were still rough despite days of treatment, showing just how deep they were.

Remembering something from her own childhood, her touch on his skin grew soft, and without thinking, she blew gently across the scars, just Vera used to do for her, saying. “Blow on it, and the hurt fades away?

“Blow on it, and the hurt fades away,” she whispered, startling both of them.

Hike

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hapter 32

sawn locked eyes with her, something shifting inside him. It was like a flashback to when his mam used to do that for him, easing his childhood rapes with those exact words. Shaking off the unexpected emotion, he pushed it down and regained his icy composure. “Once you’re done, leave. on’t let me see you again today unless I say so

tunned, Naomi asked. “Mr. Fischer, did I mess up?”

4o. Shawn gently moved her hand away and headed for the bathroom.

‘nomi bit her lip, puzzled. She’d gotten used to the free reign she had at the mansion over the past two weeks, no longer hemmed in by fear ettling into this new life came easier and faster than she’d imagined.

Alright then. I’ll leave you to it,” Naomi said, standing to go. After she walked out, the sound of running water echoed in the bathroom. Shawn’s utex mask, now coated with ointment, ended up in the trash.

“he “face” was on its way to healing, and soon, it’d be the “legs” tum.

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