After Prison I Rushed into Marriage with a Comatose Tycoon-Chapter 23: Give Me Back My Mom

’What does he mean, "don’t make the same mistake as Mae Sheffield"?’

Eliza froze for a moment, then quickly understood.

Shane Lockwood had likely seen her long ago, along with the fact that she was with Woody.

Eliza didn’t bother to explain. She just said coolly, "Don’t worry, Mr. Lockwood. I won’t do anything to betray you before our marriage is dissolved."

The implication was clear: once the marriage was over, what she did would be none of Shane Lockwood’s business.

There was nothing technically wrong with her statement, yet it was inexplicably grating.

The look on Shane Lockwood’s face grew colder. He signaled for Erik Irvine to push his wheelchair into the car.

Once settled in the car, Shane Lockwood saw that Eliza was still standing in the same spot. His gaze swept over to her. "What are you standing around for? Get in."

The atmosphere inside the black Bugatti Veyron was so heavy that one couldn’t help but breathe softly, as if afraid of disturbing the silence.

Eliza sat ramrod straight, filled with regret. ’I never should have gotten in the car,’ she thought. ’I should have insisted on going back to the office on my own.’

Suddenly, she noticed the scenery outside the window and asked in astonishment, "Are you... are you going to the Sutton estate?"

"Mm."

"I don’t want to go back to the estate. I need to go back to the Lockwood Group to work."

The corner of Shane Lockwood’s mouth twitched into a smirk, his voice as cold as ice. "What? Trying to look diligent in front of your boss? If that’s your goal, I’m sorry to say you’re going about it the wrong way. I despise opportunists more than anything."

Shane Lockwood’s harsh tone made Erik Irvine, who was driving, glance in the rearview mirror. ’Is President Lockwood... angry?’ he thought with uncertainty.

’No, that’s not it.’

Erik immediately dismissed the thought.

Ever since Shane Lockwood had woken up, even he, his own assistant, couldn’t fathom his boss’s thoughts.

Eliza hadn’t expected him to say that. After a moment, she lowered her gaze and said, "It’s not that I love working late. I just... don’t want to go back to the Lockwood estate right now."

Emmett Lockwood was at the Lockwood estate.

No matter how cold and unfeeling she believed herself to be, she couldn’t harden her heart when it came to Emmett.

Shane Lockwood froze, completely caught off guard. He never imagined Eliza would say something like that.

For a moment, Shane felt incredibly cruel.

But the thought lasted only a moment before he crushed it.

’Such a clumsy attempt to play the victim. He’d be an idiot to fall for it.’

"Turn around. Go to the Lockwood Group," Shane said coolly. "Since you want to work, I’ll grant your wish."

...

「Police Station.」

Mae Sheffield and her boy toy hadn’t been at the police station long before Harrison Sutton arrived with his lawyer.

The paperwork was processed quickly, and Harrison Sutton went to the holding cell to retrieve Mae Sheffield.

"We’re going home."

Mae Sheffield jogged to keep up. Her heart trembled at Harrison’s terrifying expression, but her fear quickly turned to rage. She rushed forward and grabbed his sleeve.

"Harrison, you have to get justice for me! Someone is definitely behind this!"

Remembering that she had seen Eliza standing beside Harrison when the police took her away, she shrieked, "It was Eliza Sutton! It must have been her! She wants to ruin me!"

Harrison Sutton raised his hand and slapped her.

SLAP—

The force of the blow sent Mae Sheffield sprawling to the ground.

She clutched her stinging, painful face, looking at Harrison Sutton in disbelief. "You hit me... you actually hit me..."

"You’re saying Eliza planned this?" Harrison Sutton snarled, his expression dark and terrifying. "Your affair with that man started two years ago. Eliza was still in prison then. Do you think she had the power to manipulate who you slept with from a jail cell?" The thought of the explicit photos of his wife he had just received made him want to tear the woman to shreds.

He had doted on her, bent to her every whim, and made her the respected Mrs. Sutton. And this was how she repaid him!

Mae Sheffield’s heart leaped into her throat. She couldn’t believe Harrison had uncovered everything so quickly.

Refusing to admit it, Mae lunged at him, screaming that she had been framed.

The lawyer came over to persuade Harrison Sutton. "Mr. Sutton, our priority right now is to leave. The longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will be for you and the Sutton Group."

"This isn’t over!" Harrison Sutton stormed off, his face ashen with rage.

Mae Sheffield lay on the floor, clutching her stinging face, her heart consumed by hatred.

’Eliza Sutton, you’ve really outdone yourself!’

...

[Boss, photos sent.]

「Lockwood Design Department.」

Eliza read the text message that had just arrived, then immediately deleted it.

...

Mae Sheffield’s affair was a hot topic online for several days. In the end, Harrison Sutton spared no expense on PR and shamelessly begged Master Lockwood before the matter was finally suppressed.

When Master Lockwood tasked Shane with handling the matter, he specifically summoned Eliza as well.

"Don’t you worry about this. I’ll have Shane help keep a lid on it. You married Shane and you saved his life. That makes you a great benefactor to the Lockwood family. I won’t turn a blind eye to the Suttons’ troubles. When one of us thrives, we all thrive; when one of us suffers, we all suffer. Do you understand?"

A tremor went through Eliza. Master Lockwood was simultaneously reassuring and warning her.

’Too bad Master Lockwood doesn’t know I’m the one who planned this whole thing.’

Eliza bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your guidance, Grandpa," she said with sincere conviction. "I will take it to heart."

Master Lockwood was pleased with Eliza’s attitude. "And remember to spend more time with Emmett when you can," he added. "You two have a special connection, and he’s fond of you."

Eliza’s expression faltered for a fraction of a second before she agreed.

She pushed Shane’s wheelchair out of Master Lockwood’s residence.

Suddenly, Shane spoke. "Are you disappointed?"

"It’s fine." She was, in fact, quite satisfied. When she planned this, she hadn’t expected to topple the Sutton family entirely. Causing this much of a stir was already a success.

Shane noticed her distraction. "What’s on your mind?"

"Mr. Lockwood!" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Eliza suddenly shot to her feet. "You’ll be okay on your own, right? I have to go, I’ve got something to do."

Before he could even respond, she was already hurrying away.

Shane’s brow furrowed as he watched her retreating figure. ’What on earth is she up to?’

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he heard a small, childish voice.

"Auntie Minnie, Mommy came to see Great-Grandpa today! We have to hurry, or we’ll miss her again!"

A moment later, a small figure came pattering over.

Emmett Lockwood was surprised to see Shane. "Daddy, you’re here too?"

Shane was stunned. He hadn’t heard Emmett approaching, yet Eliza had somehow known.

If he hadn’t replaced the staff around Emmett immediately after waking up, he would have suspected Eliza had planted a tracking device on the boy.

"Where’s Mommy?" Emmett pressed.

"She had something to do, so she left."

Emmett’s little face fell. "Aw, she left? I rushed over as soon as I heard she was here every time these past few days! How can I be so unlucky?"

His eyes landed on Shane, who was sitting nearby, and he suddenly had a realization. He demanded, "Daddy, did you say something to Mommy? Is that why she won’t see me? Yes, it must be you! Mommy liked me a lot before!"

Like an enraged little animal, Emmett lunged at Shane. "Give me my mommy back!"