Callie stared at him, feeling that he was up to no good.
Sure enough, Shane let out a light chuckle and said, "Seeing you in a tough spot makes me happy."
Callie was speechless.
She retorted coolly, "You have a strange hobby. If someone didn't know better, they'd think you were insane."
With that, she sat down on the bed.
Her body felt much better today, and after moving around a bit, she was now tired. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was almost nine o'clock. "Aren't you going home?" she asked.
The more she wanted him to leave, the more Shane refused to go.
"Where would I go when you're here?" he said, leaning back casually.
Callie ignored him and lay down on the bed, trying to sleep.
Shane spoke again, "Tonight, I'm sleeping here with you."
She pretended not to hear, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket, as if afraid he would come over and try to steal it from her.
Watching her actions, Shane couldn't help but smile. Her behavior was somewhat endearing.
He tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling a bit hot.
The room had air conditioning, and it was already fall, so the nights weren't warm. He didn't understand why he felt both hot and restless.
Soon, his vision began to blur, and he frowned deeply.
Who was he, and why was his body reacting this way? It was clearly abnormal.
"Callie," he rasped, his voice still carrying a hint of hoarseness. "Did you put something in the water?"
Callie thought he was looking for trouble and didn't respond.
Shane clenched his back teeth. What was this woman trying to do?
He abruptly stood up and walked to the bed, his steps appearing steady but actually faltering.
The sensation was intense!
The heat, like a living, evil fire, surged straight to his head.
He yanked at Callie's blanket. "Are you so desperate for a man that you'd resort to drugging me?"
Callie opened her eyes and glared at him. "What nonsense are you spouting? What drugs?"
"Callie, are you too cowardly to admit what you've done?" Shane wasn't truly angry. He liked this woman, and it seemed that if he were drugged, he could rightfully get close to her and then claim he was under the influence.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he bent down, his voice low and husky. His eyes locked onto hers. "If you like me, just say it. I wouldn't mind fulfilling my duties as a husband."
Callie noticed Shane's flushed face and finally realized something was wrong. Just as she tried to get up, Shane firmly pressed her shoulders down.
At that moment, Belinda arrived at the hospital room door with a man in tow.
Belinda had drugged Shane.
She had also brought a man along.
Her plan was to film Callie and the man in bed together and then show the video to Shane.
She wanted Shane to believe that Callie had cheated on him, leading to their divorce.
That way, she could take Callie's place.
As she quietly pushed open the hospital room door, ready to bring the man inside, Callie spotted her.
Callie immediately understood what was happening.
She glanced at the table where Shane's water glass sat.
The hot water had been fetched by Mrs. Ford from the hospital.
Belinda had tampered with it, causing Shane to end up like this.
Belinda really would stop at nothing.
Last time, they drugged her and performed a genetic testing. This time, they spiked the water.
Such a cruel heart.
Callie decided to switch from resisting to seducing, taking the initiative to be friendly with Shane. "This is a hospital. Can we go back?"
Shane, already tempted, found his thoughts spiraling out of control at Callie's willingness. His voice turned husky, "You want to?"
"Of course, I do," she said, glancing toward the door.
Belinda had spiked the water, intending for Callie to drink it.
But it seemed Shane had drunk it instead.
How could she stand it, her plan backfiring and bringing Shane and Callie together?
She suddenly pushed the door open! She couldn't think of anything else.
She had to stop Callie and Shane!
The door swung open abruptly, and Shane's face darkened instantly.
He stood up, glaring angrily at the intruder. "Who let you in?"
Seeing it was Belinda, his expression grew even more severe.
Belinda reacted quickly, immediately saying, "I'm here to find Callie."
Callie knew that Belinda was trying to set her up.
She got up from the bed and, pretending to be affectionate, wrapped her arms around Shane from behind.
Although Shane was tall, Callie, kneeling on the bed, could just rest her chin on his shoulder.
She looked at Belinda with a smug smile. "You're here to see me? What do you need?"
Outwardly confident, she was silently praying that Shane wouldn't push her away at this moment.
Shane, being considerate, not only didn't push her away but also played along.
He enjoyed Callie's closeness. Her scent was something he liked.
Belinda's face turned as red as a beet, but she didn't dare to lose her temper in front of Shane.
"I'm on night duty today. I came to check on the rooms and see if Callie needed any help," she said, forcing a smile.
Callie chuckled. "You're so good to me, aren't you?"
She glanced at the man standing by the door. He was not only ugly but also bald.
Belinda really was... ruthless!
If she had drunk the water and found herself in a room with such a man, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Her eyes flickered, filled with a cold, icy glare.
"Who is this guy? He can't be your boyfriend, right?" Callie pondered. Shane's attitude towards Belinda had been lukewarm ever since he saw her on a date with another man.
Since Belinda wanted to frame her, Callie saw no reason to hold back. "You sure have a lot of men around you, one on the left, another on the right, but they all look so ugly. What kind of taste do you have?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Belinda almost jumped up in anger, ready to curse. "Stop slandering me!"
She immediately turned to Shane to explain, "Don't misunderstand, he's just one of my patients, not my boyfriend. I've never had a boyfriend."
As soon as Belinda finished speaking, Callie quickly glanced at Shane Robinson's expression.
Whether Belinda had ever had a boyfriend, both she and Shane had seen it with their own eyes.
At this moment, she denied it.
What would Shane think?
As expected, Shane's face turned extremely grim.
Callie finally understood why he had such mixed feelings about Belinda.
It must have been that when he first got together with Belinda, he didn't know she had a boyfriend.
Later, when he found out, he felt both disgusted and bound by their past relationship.
That's why sometimes he treated Belinda poorly, and other times he was kind to her.
Callie decided to add fuel to the fire. "I remember when we were in school, there was a rich kid named Corey who pursued you. Didn't you turn him down?"
Belinda didn't expect things to escalate like this. She originally wanted to frame Callie, but now the fire had turned on her. She was furious. "Just because many people like me, does that mean I have to accept all of them?"
"Oh—" Callie deliberately drew out the sound.
Because Shane knew Belinda had someone. But she kept denying it. He could only doubt her character!and her goal was achieved.
Belinda liked Shane.
By driving a wedge between them, she had avenged her child.
"Get out!" Shane growled.
Belinda bit her lip. "Shane..."
"I told you, don't call my name. Do you not understand?" His eyes blazed with uncontrollable anger.
Belinda didn't dare say another word. Reluctantly, she left the room.
After she left, Callie tried to pull her hand back, but Shane caught it halfway. "Are you happy now?"
Callie didn't deny it. "Seeing you two having problems does make me quite happy."
She didn't fully understand the relationship between Shane and Belinda, nor did she care to.
All she needed to know was that Belinda cared deeply about Shane.
Being with Shane would definitely upset Belinda.
That was enough for her.
Shane appreciated her honesty. He pulled her close by the waist and flipped her onto the bed.
Callie panicked instantly.
She stuttered, "W-what are you doing? This is a hospital! What if someone sees us? Have you no shame?"
Shane smirked, "So, you're saying it's okay as long as it's not in a hospital?"
"N-no, that's not what I meant," Callie denied it immediately.
No way! She wouldn't want anything to happen between them, no matter where they were.
She had only said those things to provoke Belinda!
Shane looked at her, his eyes burning with desire, yet he was still trying to control himself.
The drugs in his system were indeed affecting him, but he wasn't completely irrational. Driven by the effects of the drugs, he indulged himself, craving her scent.
Callie felt her throat go dry under his intense gaze. She knew his behavior was due to the drugs and deliberately said, "Shane, you wouldn't sleep with a woman who's been with another man, right?"
Callie could see through Shane, a man who was always so high and mighty.
His pride was immense. Men like him had extremely high standards for their partners.
Just looking at how he treated Belinda made it clear.
Any hint of deceit, knowing she had been in a relationship before, and he would immediately abandon her.
Shane's eyelids drooped, hiding a fleeting complex emotion.
His voice was as cold as ice, "You don't need to constantly remind me that you have a filthy body."
He abruptly stood up.
Turning around, he walked out of the room.
Belinda hadn't left the doorway.
Seeing Shane come out, she let out a heavy sigh of relief, feeling a glimmer of hope. After all, Shane was under the influence of the drug now.
She considered herself a beauty.
At this moment, she believed that if she just used her feminine charm, she could definitely seduce him.
She swayed her hips as she approached him, "Let me take you back."
Shane shot her a cold, piercing glance. "Belinda, you deceived me with a fake pregnancy, and I didn't hold you accountable. That was the greatest mercy I could offer, considering we had one night together. Tonight, you have no chance."
With that, he turned and walked away.
In the hospital room, Callie heard every word Shane said at the door.
Belinda dared to deceive Shane with a fake pregnancy?
Callie smirked, thinking about how desperate Belinda must have been to climb the social ladder.
But it backfired. Shane found out, and now they couldn't even be a couple, right?
Was this his way of announcing their breakup?
She walked to the door and saw Belinda, whose face was a mix of red and green from anger and embarrassment.
Belinda saw her too.
Her most humiliating moment was witnessed by the person she hated the most.
Furious and ashamed, she snapped, "What are you looking at? Do you want me to gouge your eyes out?!"
Callie just smiled silently, saying nothing. Clearly, it was an act of disdain.
Belinda was trembling with rage, wanting nothing more than to tear Callie's pretty face apart right there and then!
She made another move to strike.
But Callie was quicker, reminding her, "There are cameras. If you lay a hand on me, I'll send the footage to Shane immediately."
Belinda was on the verge of losing her mind, letting out a furious scream!
Callie leaned casually against the door, watching with a smug expression.
Seeing how much Belinda cared and liked Shane, knowing that Shane no longer felt the same, brought her a sense of satisfaction.
She gently touched her stomach, speaking in her heart to the baby she had lost, 'See, those who hurt you are getting what they deserve.
She closed the door and sat on the bed, her eyes falling on the water glass.
Since the day Belinda showed up, she hadn't eaten or drunk anything from the hospital, only consuming what Mrs. Ford brought her.
Belinda had intended to harm her, but by a twist of fate, Shane had ended up drinking it instead.
In a way, he had taken the hit for her.
She took out her phone and called Gabriel, informing him about Shane's condition. "You need to find him a woman or give him some medicine, whatever it takes."
Belinda wanted to frame her, and the drug she used must have been very strong.
Just now, Shane didn't seem to be in a good state either.
Gabriel, "..."
"I understand," he said.
Callie hung up the phone, but for some reason, she couldn't fall asleep.
She tossed and turned in the bed.
...
On the other side, Gabriel was incredibly efficient and actually found a woman for Shane.
"I heard from Callie that you were drugged. If you don't take care of it, it might harm you. She asked me to find a woman for you. Don't worry, she's clean..."
Shane sat on the sofa, his cheeks flushed unnaturally. His messy hair fell over his forehead, shading his deep, clouded eyes. His shirt was wide open, revealing his delicate collarbones and a glimpse of his firm chest. His voice was hoarse, "What did you say? Callie asked you to find her?"
Gabriel nodded, "Yeah, otherwise, how would I know you were drugged? She called and told me. She must be worried that if you endure it too much, it might harm your health."
Ha!
Shane suddenly clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking! Was this her way of caring for him? caring for him by finding him another woman?
"Damn woman! If she was worried about me holding it in, why didn't she just do it herself?"
He was fuming!
Breathing heavily, his chest felt like it was on fire, a fire that had no outlet and was about to explode inside him.
He had nowhere to vent his anger!
With a swift kick, he sent the table in front of him flying. "Get out! I don't need a woman!"
Gabriel was startled. He had never seen Shane so angry, even resorting to such uncharacteristic curse. He quickly tried to usher the woman out.
Carefully, he suggested, "If you're really uncomfortable, there are other ways. Maybe take some calming pills; it might help..."
Shane shot him a glare. "You get out too!"
Gabriel was confused. "We're just concerned about you."
"Concerned?" Shane sneered. "If she really cared about me, she wouldn't deliberately provoke me!"
Fake concern!
Gabriel paused, finally realizing that Shane was talking about Callie.
He had heard from Henry that Shane had a soft spot for Callie.
Could it be that he really liked Callie?
Gabriel blinked. "Do you like Callie?"
Shane let out a cold snort, dripping with sarcasm. "How could I possibly like her?"
"I thought so too," Gabriel deliberately replied.
It wasn't because Callie wasn't good or unworthy of affection.
It was because Callie was pregnant.
And the father of the child wasn't Shane.
Could Shane really be generous enough to raise another man's child?
Knowing Shane as well as he did, Gabriel was certain that Shane couldn't do it.
So, he said it on purpose, hoping Shane would give up on Callie sooner rather than later.
Shane was already in a bad mood, and now he was even more irritated.
He stood up.
Gabriel suggested, "If you won't take medicine or be with a woman, at least go home and take a cold shower. It might help a bit."
Shane ignored him.
But when he got back to the villa, he did take a cold shower.
The next day, Callie was discharged from the hospital.
Just as she stepped out of the hospital doors, someone blocked her path!
The person blocking the way was Gianna.
Rafael had come to see Callie to plead on behalf of Myron, but Callie didn't help. Now, her son was going to jail.
Although it wasn't for a long time, he would still have a criminal record.
Even if he completed his studies, many future opportunities would be limited.
Gianna was both furious and resentful.
She held a grudge against Callie for not helping.
She thought Callie was cold-hearted and unfeeling.
Today, she was here to embarrass her.
She even brought reporters.
She knelt down in public!
Yes, she wanted to create a scandal, making everyone believe that Callie was an ungrateful girl who wouldn't lift a finger to save her own brother.
Crying and accusing, she said, "Myron is your brother! How can you just watch him suffer? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog? He's your only brother..."
Her tears and cries were so convincing that anyone who didn't know the situation would think she was deeply wronged.
The hospital entrance was crowded.
Her commotion attracted a lot of onlookers.
Regardless of who was right or wrong, just seeing an elder kneeling before a younger person was enough to garner sympathy for the one kneeling.
Plus, Gianna was a good actress, quickly turning public opinion against Callie.
The crowd was buzzing with chatter.
Some self-righteous individuals began to scold Callie, "How could you be so inconsiderate? Making an elder kneel before you? You don't look that old, but your heart is so cold."
Gianna immediately chimed in, "Someone is bullying her brother, and she can help, but she refuses. What kind of sister is she?"
Callie Norris watched Gianna's performance with cold eyes. If she wanted to kneel, then let her kneel.
Callie was ready to leave.
But Gianna clung to her leg, refusing to let go. "Just tell me, will you save Myron or not?"
Callie knew Myron was at fault.
This matter required legal responsibility.
But she also knew that the situation could be resolved.
As long as Shane didn't press charges, with his influence, he could smooth things over.
All it would take was for Callie to ask him.
There would be a way out.
"He brought this on himself!" Callie replied coldly.
"He's your brother!"
Callie hated that phrase the most and shouted, "You're my dad's mistress. The child you had, has nothing to do with me!"
She deliberately emphasized the words "home-wrecker" loudly.
After all, no one likes a "home-wrecker."
Sure enough, the onlookers began to shift their opinions.
Gianna immediately retorted, "You stood by and did nothing, and now you're throwing dirt on me. You're truly heartless and ruthless. Your dad said you were cold-blooded, selfish, and vicious, and he was right. You're just that cruel."
She purposefully attributed her insults towards Callie as words from Rafael, Callie's own father.
Rafael was her biological father. Being described this way by her own dad—Callie couldn't possibly remain indifferent.
At the same time, it would drive a wedge between Rafael and Callie.
Callie's heart skipped a beat. Was this really how Rafael saw her? Was this how she appeared in her father's eyes?
Seeing Callie's expression change, Gianna knew her words had hit the mark. She pressed on, weaving more lies, "Your dad asked for your help, and you refused. When he got home, he threw things around and regretfully said he should have strangled you at birth! That he should never have let you live in this world."
Callie's hand, hanging by her side, trembled slightly. But she quickly regained her composure. Her gaze grew even colder.
Gabriel arrived at work and immediately saw the commotion. Without hesitation, he instructed the hospital security to disperse the onlookers.
He approached Callie and addressed the crowd, "There's nothing to see here. If you need medical attention, go get it!"
With that, he shielded Callie and led her away.
Gianna tried to step forward again, but Gabriel blocked her and warned, "If you cause any more trouble, I'll call the police!"
Gianna finally backed down.
"What happened? Didn't I say I would help you with the discharge? Why did you leave the hospital on your own?" Gabriel asked as he escorted her to his car.
Callie kept her head down. "I wanted to leave the hospital as soon as possible."
So, she had handled the discharge paperwork herself.
"Should I take you home now?" he asked.
Callie nodded. "Yes."
During the drive to the villa, neither of them spoke.
When they reached the entrance, Gabriel stopped the car. After a moment of hesitation, he told her, "Yesterday, I did as you asked and found a woman for Shane, but he didn't touch her."
Callie suddenly lifted her head, she felt a mix of surprise and a bit of joy without realizing it.
But she kept her face indifferent. "Really?"
Gabriel nodded vigorously. "Yes, I wouldn't lie to you."
Callie trusted Gabriel, she opened the car door and stepped out.
Suddenly, Gabriel called out to her, "Callie."
"Yeah?" She turned back.
Gabriel looked at her intently. "Has Cynthia really not contacted you?"
She avoided his gaze. "...No."
It wasn't that she was lying to Gabriel; it was just that Cynthia had forbidden her from telling Gabriel that she knew where she was.
Cynthia was her senior.
She had been in the same year as Gabriel.
And she was also the one Gabriel liked.
Back in school, they were a couple everyone envied.
But then they broke up.
And Cynthia left.
Gabriel had been searching for her for a long time but never found her.
"If she contacts you, you must tell me. Even if we broke up, I think I deserve a reason, not just a sudden disappearance."
His expression darkened.
Callie nodded and said, "Okay."
She felt sorry for Gabriel.
But she had already promised her senior sister, so she had to keep her mouth shut.
As she walked into the villa, Mrs. Ford was just about to leave for the hospital, unaware that Callie was being discharged today.
Mrs. Ford beamed, "You're out of the hospital!"
Callie nodded.
"I'm glad you're better." Mrs. Ford supported her as they walked inside.
Shane came down the stairs. When he saw her, he didn't say a word, not even a glance in her direction.
He was still upset about her finding another woman for him.
What did she take him for?
Did she think he would just go for any woman she found?
Callie sensed that something was off with Shane, but she didn't know why he was angry.
After he left, she asked Mrs. Ford, "What's wrong with him? Who made him angry?"
Mrs. Ford shook her head, "I don't know."
Callie Norris wondered if he was still mad about last night.
Shouldn't he be mad at Belinda instead?
After all, Belinda had deceived him. Although the drugs was meant for her, it was him who ended up taking it.
Gabriel said he hadn't been with any woman, so he must have had a rough night, right?
And it was Belinda who had drugged him.
So, was he angry with Belinda?
Once she figured it out, she didn't dwell on it any longer.
That afternoon, she was hunched over her computer, replying to patient messages.
Mrs. Ford came rushing up with her phone in hand, her voice filled with urgency. "Ma'am, something's wrong. You need to see this."
Thankuu