Mistaken shadi

"Not seeing anyone," Shane said as he pushed open the office door. "Get me a cup of coffee."

With that, he walked towards his desk.

"President Ortiz said if you don't see him, he won't leave today."

Shane glanced back at his secretary.

The secretary immediately lowered her head.

"Bring him in," he said as he sat down and unbuttoned his suit jacket.

Soon, the secretary came in with a cup of coffee, followed by Kane.

Kane wore a face full of resentment as he started questioning, "That woman, where did you find her?"

Shane picked up his coffee and gestured for the secretary to leave. Only then did he look up at Kane.

"Look at what she did to me!" Kane pointed at his neck, where a visible scar lay, and his wrist was wrapped in bandages. "She nearly severed my tendons."

Shane's gaze briefly lingered on Kane's injuries, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction.

Feigning ignorance, he asked, "How did it happen?"

Kane, still shaken, replied, "That woman had a knife! Her skills were so precise it was astonishing. When I went to the hospital, the doctor said she was just a hair away from cutting my artery. I didn't get to enjoy the beauty, and I almost lost my life. I just want to know, where did you find that woman?"

Shane's mood lifted when he heard that Kane hadn't managed to take advantage of Callie. Leaning back in his chair, his expression remained as cold as ever. "Why are you looking for her?"

"Revenge, of course."

When had Kane ever taken such a hit?

He didn't know much about Callie's work or life, so he was genuinely clueless.

"If you want revenge, find her yourself."

Kane was speechless, "..."

"Fine, I'll figure it out myself. Once I find her, I'll break her hand. Let's see if she dares to come at me with a knife again!"

He said with a hateful tone.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Callie Norris stepped out of the examination room and shivered, feeling an inexplicable chill.

Was someone cursing her?

"Dr. Norris, don't forget about Dr. Ayers' farewell party tonight at 8 PM, Crestview Hotels, Block B."

A colleague reminded her as they passed by.

Callie responded with a noncommittal "Mm" while her hands were stuffed in the pockets of her white coat. She was extremely reluctant to go.

She couldn't help but think about Belinda and her relationship with Shane.

A chill ran down her spine.

At 8 PM, Callie arrived at the farewell party venue.

Just as she was about to enter, she saw a car pull up at the entrance.

Belinda stepped out of the car, followed closely by Shane.

Callie quickly hid behind a pillar.

Peeking out, she saw the two standing together, looking quite compatible. It seemed Shane really liked Belinda, considering he was willing to attend such an event.

Tonight's farewell party would probably see almost everyone from the hospital in attendance.

"Thank you for coming tonight," Belinda said, her makeup meticulously done and her elegant dress highlighting her grace. There was a hint of shyness in her voice.

Shane replied, "We're friends."

The only reason he agreed to come was because of the bond they had formed that night.

Belinda wanted to get closer to him, but the words she had spoken before now stood as a barrier between them. She could only maintain her composure. "Let's go inside."

After they walked in, Callie emerged from behind the pillar.

The thought of facing Shane made her feel uneasy. After much deliberation, she decided to call Belinda and explain that she had an urgent matter and couldn't make it.

She took out her phone and was about to dial a number when a colleague approached and called out, "Dr. Norris."

Belinda turned around.

Callie's hand stiffened as she held her phone, accidentally pressing the call button. By the time she realized it, Belinda's phone was already ringing.

She quickly hung up and forced a smile. "Sorry, I dialed the wrong number."

The voice seemed somewhat familiar. Shane turned around and saw Callie standing not far away, holding her phone in a somewhat awkward manner.

He raised an eyebrow.

Is this woman also a doctor at Renai Hospital?

Belinda gave a gentle smile. "I didn't mind."

As she spoke, she moved a bit closer to Shane.

Following Shane's request not to acknowledge their relationship publicly, Callie pretended not to know him.

"Is this your boyfriend?" she asked with a bright smile, her eyes clear and sparkling like a Pristine lake.

Belinda didn't explain, letting people assume it was true.

Shane didn't deny it either, seemingly curious to see Callie's reaction. His gaze lingered on her.

Callie laughed lightly and praised, "You two are a perfect match, a couple made in heaven."

For some reason, Shane felt an intense urge to tear that smile off her face.

Knowing Shane's malicious tendencies, Callie quickly made her escape. "I won't disturb you any longer, I'll be going now."

She linked arms with the colleague who had just called her and hurried inside.

After they had put some distance between themselves and Shane, the colleague whispered, "That man, the CEO of Skyreach Corporation, is so young and capable. Dr. Ayers is really lucky to be with someone like him."

Callie didn't respond.

The colleague continued, "How can there be such a perfect man in this world? He's rich, handsome, and has a great body..."

"How do you know he's perfect? For all we know, he could be a total creep." Callie couldn't hold back, recalling the time he almost strangled her. Calling him a creep was practically a compliment.

The colleague couldn't help but laugh.

Belinda certainly had a lot of influence. Even the hospital director showed up, and the entire staff from top to bottom attended. The whole B-section was reserved for the event.

"Dr. Norris, why don't you sit at this table?"

Callie was about to head to the farthest corner table when the dean called out to her.

She turned around and saw Shane looking at her.

She quickly smiled at the dean, "I..."

"Come on," the dean said, pulling her to sit down.

Reluctantly, she stayed at the table, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

She didn't even dare to lift her head.

"Dr. Norris and Dr. Ayers were classmates and are now colleagues. Dr. Ayers is about to transfer to the Second Military District General Hospital, so you should toast to her," the dean nudged Callie.

"She doesn't drink."

Shane suddenly spoke up.

Everyone was stunned. How did Shane know whether she drank or not?

Callie was equally surprised. When she looked up, she met Shane's eyes, which were filled with a teasing smile.

Her hands clenched tightly under the table.

What is he up to now!?

Belinda sensed something unusual but didn't take it to heart, thinking she might have misheard.

"In our profession, it's not advisable to drink. Dr. Norris and I have always had a good relationship. Even after I leave, I'll still think of her," Belinda said with a gentle smile, maintaining her graceful and composed demeanor throughout.

Shane's phone suddenly rang. He answered it.

Whatever was said on the other end, he only responded with a brief "I understand," before hanging up.

Just as he put his phone down, Callie's phone rang as well. She pressed the answer button, and Butler Imani's voice came through, "Madam, please come to the old mansion. The master wants to see you, now."

Callie replied, "Okay."

After hanging up, she turned to Belinda and said, "I have an urgent matter to attend to, so I need to leave. I'll toast with tea instead of wine and wish you all the best."

With that, she picked up the tea on the table and drank it.

As she stood up, Shane's gaze fell on her, a playful smirk on his lips. "What a coincidence, I have something to do as well. Shall we go together?"

Callie was speechless, "..."

For some reason, seeing Callie pretend not to know him irritated him.

He was curious to see how long she could keep up the act.

Everyone's eyes were now on Callie.

Everyone was puzzled. How could it be such a coincidence? Both of them had something urgent?

Belinda also sensed something was off. If she had misheard earlier, what about now?

Her eyes darted back and forth between Shane and Callie, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Dr. Norris, what urgent matter do you have?" she asked cautiously.

Callie wanted to blurt out that she was Shane's wife and let him explain everything to Belinda.

But in reality, she didn't dare. She couldn't afford to offend this man.

Having already lost the chance to work at the Second Military District General Hospital, she couldn't risk losing her job here as well.

So, she shrank back like a quail, "My grandpa called me back for something urgent. I couldn't refuse. I didn't expect President Robinson to have something urgent too. What a coincidence, haha—"

She forced out a laugh.

She hoped to muddle through, but Shane had to stir the pot. "Coincidentally, my grandpa called me too. Where does your grandpa live? I can give you a ride."

The smile on Callie's face was barely holding up. If it weren't for her strong self-control, she would have smashed the teacup on the table right into his smug face!

"President Robinson, you must be joking. How could we possibly be heading the same way? I need to go now. Please, make yourself comfortable, President Robinson." With that, she hurriedly left, almost as if she was escaping.

Belinda felt a bit uneasy as she glanced subtly at Shane. "Do you know Dr. Norris?"

Shane's expression remained indifferent, as if the words just spoken hadn't come from him. "No, I don't."

With that, he stood up.

Belinda felt a sense of relief. She had deliberately invited Shane today, hoping to show off in front of everyone at the hospital.

Who knew it would turn out like this?

But at least Shane showed up, so everyone should be clear about their relationship.

"I'll walk you out," Belinda quickly followed, worried that Shane might run into Callie outside.

After all, it was Callie that night.

As they exited the hotel, Shane glanced around at the entrance. Callie was nowhere to be seen.

Callie couldn't wait to get away from Shane, so there was no way she would be waiting for him here.

She had already taken a cab and left.

Henry opened the car door. "President Robinson."

Shane glanced at Belinda and said, "you go back." Then he got into the car and left.

Belinda watched the car drive away.

She felt a pang of regret in her heart.

If she had known, she would have asked for marriage directly back then.

By now, she would have been Mrs. Robinson.

When would she ever win Shane's heart?

When would Shane see her worth and fall in love with her?

At the Robinson Family's old mansion.

Callie had arrived first.

Old Master Robinson, who was over eighty, had a face deeply etched with the lines of time, giving him a wise and steady appearance.

He seemed to be in good spirits. His eyes, though not as bright as in his youth, still held a kind and caring light as he asked, "Are you getting used to life here?"

Callie nodded. "Yes, I'm getting used to it."

t was her father's idea to marry her off to Shane. Everyone knew that Old Master Robinson's favorite grandson was Shane.

Knowing full well that Shane didn't like her, she thought Old Master Robinson, given his affection for Shane, would refuse the proposal.

Even if there were some obligations, he could have offered other benefits to persuade her father.

However, not only did he agree, but he also used his connections to get their marriage certificate processed while Shane was away.

Moving her into Shane's villa was also his doing.

To this day, Callie Norris couldn't understand why Old Master Robinson did it.

"Shane hasn't been giving you a hard time, has he?" the Old Man asked kindly.

Callie wanted to say that Shane was nothing short of a monster.

But she knew deep down that although Old Master Robinson treated her well, Shane was his true grandson.

"No..."

Just as the words left her mouth, Shane walked in.

As soon as he walked in, Old Master Robinson began to scold, "You and Callie are married now. Why aren't you together at this hour? Callie has been here for a while, and you just arrived?"

Shane glanced at Callie but didn't respond.

Old Master Robinson, fully aware of Shane's dissatisfaction with the marriage, said this more for Callie's sake than his grandson's.

"Tonight, you both will stay at the old house. Imani, take Callie to Shane's room."

Butler Imani respectfully replied, "Yes, sir."

He then gestured politely to Callie, "Young Madam, please follow me."

Callie cautiously stole a glance at Shane. His expression was cold, and he didn't look at her. She quickly averted her eyes and followed the butler out of the room.

Now, only the grandfather and grandson were left.

Old Master Robinson spoke earnestly, his aged voice tinged with a hint of helplessness, "I know you have grievances and resentment, but it's been so long. You need to let it go."

It seemed that recalling the past made the Old Man's eyes grow even dimmer.

Shane sat casually in his chair, his lips pressed tightly together in silence. His expression was unreadable that no one could guess what he was thinking.

The old man sighed. "The matter of you marrying Callie was my decision. Don't blame me for being presumptuous. I'm doing this for your own good. You're not young anymore; it's time to settle down. Even though Callie's father used favors to pressure us, which was rather underhanded, Callie is a good girl."

Shane raised an eyebrow, his coldness evident. A good girl? One who would cheat on him?

But he didn't voice these thoughts to Old Master Robinson. He was determined to divorce that woman.

Old Master Robinson looked at him and sighed again in his heart.

In the Robinson Family, Shane would only listen to him. Otherwise, Shane wouldn't even step foot into this house.

Since his parents passed away, Shane had mostly been this silent and was even more reluctant to come home.

Old Master Robinson didn't want to push him too hard. He waved his hand weakly. "It's getting late. You should go rest."

Shane stood up.

Butler Imani returned just in time. "Young Master."

Shane Robinson gave a faint acknowledgment and then walked out of the room.

Butler Imani approached Old Master Robinson and whispered, "Will this really work?"

Old Master Robinson replied, "No matter how cold-hearted he is, he's still human. Can he really be devoid of all emotions and desires? Faced with a beautiful woman, can he truly have no thoughts or impulses that any man would have?"

Butler Imani still looked worried. "You know Young Master's temper. He'll definitely realize that you deliberately arranged for him and the Young Mistress to stay together."

"How can feelings develop if they don't interact? Outside, I can't control him, but in the old house, he still listens to me." The old man's voice was low, filled with guilt towards Shane.

With a meaningful tone, he added, "I don't have many days left. He needs someone by his side to take care of him."

"Young Master will surely understand your good intentions," Butler Imani said, supporting the Old Man back to his room.

In another room.

Callie had been led by Butler Imani to Shane's room..

As she was about to leave, she was told, "This is the Young Master's room. He has lived here since he was a child, though it was renovated once."

The decor here was different from the rest of the villa. This room had a more somber tone, with black and gray as the main colors. There was no warmth, only a cold, stark atmosphere.

Her eyes inadvertently fell on a shelf, where a delicate box caught her attention. It looked like something a girl would like, completely out of place in this otherwise cold room.

Just as she was about to take a closer look...

"What do you think you're doing?!"

A cold, sharp voice came from behind her.

A sudden noise startled Callie. As she turned around, she accidentally knocked over a box, which fell to the ground with a loud clang!

Shane glared at her, his immense anger making his expression terrifying.

She hurriedly tried to explain, "I... I didn't mean to..."

As she spoke, she crouched down to pick up the box. Just as her fingers were about to touch it, her wrist was grabbed with such force that it felt like her bones might shatter.

Pain!

It felt like her hand was about to break, and cold sweat broke out from the intense pain.

Shane's eyes were bloodshot with rage. "Get your filthy hands off it!"

With that, he violently shoved her away. Callie as caught off guard and fell backward, hitting her head on the corner of a cabinet.

The sharp pain left her momentarily numb, her head buzzing. She could feel warm liquid trickling down and reached back to touch her neck, feeling something sticky.

No surprise, it was blood, but not much.

She lifted her eyes, peering through a few strands of disheveled hair, and saw Shane carefully picking up the box. Even through his actions, she could sense how important that item was to him.

Shane opened the box, meticulously checking its contents, afraid that anything inside might be damaged.

Fortunately, the box had protected its contents, leaving them undamaged.

He let out a sigh of relief.

But the thought that this woman had almost shattered it fueled his rage once more!

He was furious enough to want to kill her!

With a bloodthirsty glare, he spat out, "Callie, you must have a death wish!"

Callie struggled to get up. The numbness had worn off, and a sharp pain shot through her nerves. She trembled as she stood, whispering, "I'm sorry..."

She could tell that the item was incredibly precious to Shane.

"Sorry? Do you think I would accept that?" This woman was not only shameless but also audacious!

He took a step closer, his overwhelming presence and intimidating aura making Callie's heart race. She backed away in fear until she hit the wall with a thud. Terrified, she stammered, "Y-you, don't come any closer..."

Shane grabbed her jaw with a vice-like grip, his fingers strong and unyielding.

Callie could hear the sound of her bones shifting, the pain so intense that she couldn't even scream. She could only look at him with terrified eyes. This Shane was terrifying.

Like a demon emerging from the depths of hell!

Madness!

Savage!

He leaned in closer, his aggressive aura overwhelming her. She resisted, but it was futile. She could only endure as his lips brushed against her ear. "I will destroy everything you care about!"

The last two words were emphasized.

Callie trembled all over.

Shane pushed her away.

Her body, like a boneless doll, slumped to the side. If it weren't for the wall supporting her, she would have collapsed to the floor.

She trembled as she tried to stand straight, but her body couldn't leave the wall. Without support, she couldn't stand upright.

Shane placed the box back to its original position. Next to it was a photo frame holding a family picture of him and his parents.

Callie glanced over unintentionally, her gaze lingering for two seconds.

The items in the box seemed familiar, but before she could get a closer look, Shane barked, "Get out!"

Callie didn't have time to think further. Panicking, she reached for the door.

She wasn't sure if staying in the room any longer would result in Shane killing her!

She fled the room as fast as she could.

The moment she left, Shane's cold face finally showed a hint of softness. He lowered his eyes, gazing at the items in the box, a rare gentleness in his eyes.

After his parents passed away, his heart had turned cold.

The owner of these items was the last bit of warmth in his heart.

Even after all these years, he still remembered that small body, struggling but determined to drag him along. Those clear eyes were the purest he had ever seen.

In the water, her body felt so warm.

It brought a touch of warmth to his icy heart.

…

Outside the room.

Callie clutched her head injury, and Old Master Robinson, who had just arrived, saw her pale face and asked, "What happened?"

"I got hurt," she replied softly.

Old Master Robinson's face darkened. He knew Shane had a bad temper, but he didn't think he'd hit a woman so easily.

"What happened?" the Old Man asked.

"I accidentally knocked over a box..."

"Was it the one with the family photo?" the Old Man quickly asked.

Callie nodded, "Yes."

The Old Man immediately understood and sighed deeply. "I'm afraid I can't protect you. That item is very important to him. Even I don't dare to touch it lightly."

Callie understood well. Shane kept that item with his parents' photos, showing its significance to him.

Once, she also had something precious, but she lost it.

It was the first birthday gift her grandfather had given her.

She still remembered how she lost it. It was when she was seven years old, and her grandfather took her to the Robinson Family's old mansion. She didn't understand much back then, only knowing that the Robinson Family was holding a funeral. She didn't know who had died. It wasn't until she grew up that she realized it was Shane Robinson's parents' funeral.

When she was young, she would often run around the vast backyard of the Robinson Family estate.

One day, behind a rockery, she saw a woman pushing a boy, who looked about ten years old, into the water...

It was the first time she witnessed the evil in human nature.

She was terrified.

She wanted to run away.

But seeing the boy struggling desperately, she waited for the woman to leave, then, with a bravery beyond her years, she jumped in to save him.

Luckily, she knew how to swim, but it was still a struggle. She almost couldn't make it herself. She managed to drag the boy to the shore but couldn't pull him up. It was her grandfather who arrived just in time to pull both of them out.

By then, the boy had already lost consciousness.

With her and her grandfather's efforts, the boy coughed up water and started to wake up. But before he fully regained consciousness, her grandfather hurriedly pulled her away.

She didn't understand why her grandfather was so anxious and curiously asked, "Grandpa, who was that boy? Why would someone want to hurt him?"

Her grandfather replied, "He was just like you, here to attend the funeral."

She didn't know that her grandfather wasn't telling the truth, fearing that she might be targeted for revenge, he lied to her.

"You must forget what happened today. No matter who asks, you must not say a word." Her grandfather repeatedly warned.

She obediently followed her grandfather's instructions.

When they got home, she realized she had lost her jade pendant.

It was a jade Buddha pendant, and her grandfather had told her that the word "Buddha" sounded like "blessing" in their language. He hoped she would grow up to be a kind, tolerant, optimistic, and open-minded person...

That was her grandfather's blessing for her. She had worn it since she was one year old, she understood why Shane was angry.

She didn't resent Shane for his harshness.

But deep down, she was afraid of this man.

He was just too violent!

"Imani, go get Dr. Byrne to check on Callie," Old Master Robinson ordered.

Callie snapped back to reality at the sound of his voice and quickly said, "No need, is there a first aid kit in the house? I can take care of it myself." She knew her injury wasn't serious.

Seeing Old Master Robinson's uncertain look, she added, "I'm a doctor myself, I know what I'm doing."

Seeing her confidence, the Old Man agreed.

Her injury was indeed not serious, just a small but deep cut that caused some bleeding.

Using a mirror, she cleaned the wound herself. Covering it with a bandage wouldn't help much since it was in her hair, making it impossible to use gauze or a band-aid.

Butler Imani glanced towards the bathroom to ensure Callie Norris couldn't hear, then whispered, "The Young Mistress just entered the house and got injured right under your nose. If she wasn't in the main house, would the Young Master treat her even worse...?"

Butler Imani didn't say the rest of his thoughts out loud.

But Old Master Robinson understood perfectly. "Just to be on the safe side, if she can't handle Shane's temper and wants a divorce, we'll have to use some tactics."

Thankuuu