Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 72: Special?

The nights were getting colder and colder lately.

Doctor Shawn Reynolds looked out, lost into the world from the terrace of his penthouse. He was currently at one of the highest points in the city, his gaze deep and distant.

"I met you on the first day of winter..." His voice was smooth and manly, filled with an internal longing.

That day, the snow had fallen in beautiful white flutters to the earth, but on that day, she was silently living in a virtual hell.

That day, his time had started.

It was amazing how we’d live all our lives without knowing what is missing, but one encounter could awaken us to the reality that all our lives have been a steady buildup of the very moment we’ll meet that special person.

That day, he realized that someone else’s presence could alter the beat of your heart.

One moment is enough for us to realize that our heart has been dead all along, waiting for someone meant to wake it up.

That day was still fresh in his memories.

It was his heaven and her hell.

His eyes slowly closed with an agonizing intensity.

He’d vowed to take her out of hell, vowed to search every corner of the world until he found her.

Her, whose smile was lovelier than a blooming flower.

Her, whose name was the same as a lovely flower...

To him, she was a beautiful, beloved memory.

To her, he was the man she hated.

She hated him because of his blood. She hated him because of his identity.

In her, he saw salvation. But to think he was someone she wanted to run away from no matter what.

What do I do? If only you knew that I would do anything to have you as mine.

Sighing, Shawn slowly retreated from the terrace. He had a consultation tonight with his friend; perhaps that would take his mind off her for once.

As he drove to the Sterling estate, he didn’t need to be shown the way to his friend’s room. The servants, knowing who he was, didn’t hesitate in letting him in.

"You’re early," Andrew said casually upon seeing him walk in.

"I have to sleep early. Have a very important surgery tomorrow. It’s a bit complicated and you know I love taking on challenging cases. It’s going to be the most difficult surgery I’ve had in years."

"If you keep flaunting your ability to sleep at will to my face, I’ll send you out," Andrew spat, giving the man a bored glare.

Shawn chuckled. "Well, you seem to be in a good mood today. Bourbon on the rocks? Get me a glass." Shawn made himself comfortable, sitting facing his friend.

Usually, Andrew would make some sarcastic remark and tell him to get his own glass, but the latter actually walked to the wine cabinet and grabbed him a glass, returning to pour him a drink.

Shawn smiled pleasantly and lifted his glass, silently toasting to his friend before downing the whole thing.

Usually, he wouldn’t drink a night before surgery, but tonight his mind was a mess and perhaps he could use the distraction.

After drinking, Shawn looked down at his glass in surprise.

"Caramel? Since when did you enjoy something so light and sweet?"

Andrew didn’t reply immediately, contemplatively taking another lazy sip from his glass before his mouth raised slightly as he replied.

"Someone I know seems to really enjoy this. Now I think it’s not bad at all."

Shawn scoffed, laughingly. "This person must be quite remarkable to be able to influence your tastes."

"Not that remarkable. Her intelligence is somewhat lacking, but I think every other part of her makes up for that."

"Wait, wait, we’re talking about a her? Female?" Shawn asked with keen interest.

Andrew gave him an it’s not that surprising kinda gaze.

"My employee. She could also be said to be someone who has a very important task to fulfill for me."

"Is that so? What makes this woman special?" Shawn asked with narrowed eyes.

"Special? What makes you think she’s special? What you should be asking is, what makes this woman the silliest creature I’ve ever met."

"Okay... what makes her the..." Shawn had not even finished asking the question yet when the man cut him off.

"I mean, if someone getting drunk over three glasses of light whiskey isn’t a bit too silly."

"Three glasses? There are people who get drunk on a single glass. It depends on that person’s tolerance."

"Fine, let’s say she has a pathetically low alcohol tolerance. Would three glasses of whiskey make you sing at the top of your lungs in the middle of the night?"

Shawn’s eyes kept becoming more and more fascinated the more he heard.

He’d really picked a good time to come here tonight. He had to milk this opportunity to get more info when his friend was cluelessly sharing so openly.

He knew how Andrew’s alcohol tolerance was. He wouldn’t get drunk even after ten glasses. In fact, Shawn had yet to see the extent his alcohol tolerance reached.

How many bottles had he had tonight for him to be openly talking this much?

Or was it not the alcohol?

"Some people tend to do crazy things when drunk," Shawn replied with a shrug.

"Crazy, exactly. Crazy enough to forget what fear actually means. If I didn’t fucking like the way she lights up like an uncontrollable disco ball, I would have..."

Shawn listened expectantly, but his friend trailed off, realization finding its way into the man’s eyes, making him swallow the remainder of his words.

"What would you have done?" Shawn pressed.

Andrew’s indifference seemed to have suddenly returned as his face became rigid. "Never mind. Let’s get on with why you’re here."

Seeing this, Shawn couldn’t help but feel some sort of regret. He’d almost gotten to the juiciest parts of this so-called woman his friend was talking about if the latter hadn’t come back to his senses.

Did he just say he liked the way she lights up? What did he mean by that?

He knew the man to be someone easily ticked off, so him making that statement about a woman made Shawn become increasingly curious about this woman’s identity.

"Alright, I just have a question," Shawn said.

While sipping his drink in a gracefully fluid manner, Andrew nodded for him to go ahead and ask.

"This woman we’re talking about, have you slept with her?"

A cough suddenly sounded in the room. Andrew had choked on his drink at that question.

"How is that any of your damn business?" Andrew growled, with his eyes reddening slightly from the sudden invasion of his drink slipping through the wrong pipe.

"Just curious."

"Shove your curiosity up your damn ass. Shouldn’t you be doing your job right now?"

"Fine, fine." Shawn raised his hand in surrender, laughing hard, and decided to quit annoying his friend.

Andrew’s reactions were very unlike him. It was evident this so-called woman was a fascinating discovery Shawn had to investigate.

After a mild question-and-answer session and a little check of his pulse, Shawn frowned slightly.

There wasn’t a noticeable improvement in Andrew’s condition.

"How many times have you slept this past week?" Shawn asked professionally. When he was immersed in his work, he was usually very serious.

"Twice. One time for about three to four hours, and the second time not up to two hours."

"I see. It’s a lot better than your usual routine of no sleep at all. What changes have you made that enabled you to sleep better?"

There was a long silence in the room, and Shawn waited patiently.

"When someone sleeps next to me," he suddenly heard Andrew admit.

Though Shawn was shocked, he didn’t show it on his face.

"Hmm, so if I were to sleep next to you, it would help you fall asleep, is that it? Could it be a mental longing for physical companionship or—"

His words were cut off by a strict glare.

"You?" Andrew sneered. "Don’t flatter yourself. It doesn’t work with just anyone. It only works when she sleeps next to me and..." He cut himself off again, his thick brows furrowing as he seemed to realize something.

"She?" Shawn asked, with a faint smile he could barely suppress. "Is this the same woman you mentioned earlier?"

When Andrew didn’t reply for a long time, Shawn called seriously.

"You know how your lack of sleep has been affecting your mental and physical health. You need to share everything with me as your doctor so we can come up with a solution."

A trace of reluctance flashed within his cold, dark eyes before Andrew finally opened his mouth, as if it were difficult for him to physically admit.

"Annelise Thompson. That’s her name. It only works when she sleeps next to me."

Shawn, whose lips had been smiling faintly, suddenly stiffened.

Annelise?

Was it that Annelise Thompson?