Chapter 48

Before Catherine could finish her sentence, a massive hand suddenly appeared to cover her mouth.

Shaun’s hand smelled like dry pine. The faint fragrance was surprisingly soothing.

More importantly, his hand was so warm!

“Shut up.” The man’s eyes twinkled beneath the lenses of his glasses.

She felt her own cheeks burning too. After he removed his hand, she placed the bowl of oat porridge
on the desk. “I bet you must be hungry after working all night.”

He looked at the oat porridge topped with cinnamon. It certainly looked appetizing.

“Catherine, you’re trying to fatten me up, huh?”

“No, your body is still in top shape.” She pouted. “I wouldn’t mind even if you’re fat. Perhaps you might
consider me if no other woman likes you anymore.”

He looked at her, the corners of his lips twitching into a sneer. “Forget it. I can’t afford a woman who
frequents the hospital every other day.”

“Don’t worry. Soon, I’ll be out there working to provide for you,” she promised.

“I dare not rely on that. I might die before that even happens.”

Shaun stirred the oat porridge with the spoon.

Catherine, who had just been ridiculed, walked out of the study feeling annoyed. She swore to prove to
him that she could achieve something!



…

1 a.m.

Catherine was jolted awake by her nightmares, only to realize she was sweating all over on her
forehead.

Immediately, she switched on the lights. A calmness came over her body gradually as the light took
over the darkness.

She had dreamt about being locked up inside that dark manor again. That place was filled with all sorts
of horrifying noises at night.



Terrified, she curled into a ball. It had become a problem for her to sleep alone now.

After moments of consideration, she wrapped herself in the blanket and knocked fearfully at the master
bedroom’s door.

“Who’s there?”

Shaun, who had been woken up in the middle of the night, said with a voice reeking of rage.

“It’s me.”

Half a minute passed by in complete silence. Just when she was about to give up, the door was
opened abruptly from the inside.

He appeared on the other side of the door. His hair was disheveled and his dark eyes looked
intimidating. “You’d better have a good reason for this.”



She blinked blankly at the buttons in front of his pajamas. He must have just put this on in a rush.

“I’m scared…”

She lifted her eyes slowly. Colors had drained off her face because of fear. However, he was baffled by
the blanket she was holding in her hands.

“Is this another one of your tactics to seduce me?”

Shaun admitted she looked especially vulnerable right now. However, he had been exhausted all day
and still needed to wake up early for a court case tomorrow. “It’s late. I need to sleep even if you don’t
need to.”

“It’s not that.”

Catherine genuinely did not want to stay in her room alone. She mustered her strength and tugged the
corner of his sleeve. “Ever since being locked up in the old manor, I don’t dare to sleep alone at night
anymore. I’m haunted by terrifying nightmares. Please let me sleep on the floor of your bedroom. I’m
being serious.”

“Weren’t you sleeping just fine in the hospital?”

“I was accompanied by the carer then.” Her eyelashes trembled. She was biting on her lower lip firmly.

He frowned upon seeing that.

It was him who had rescued her out of that old manor. That place was indeed eerily silent and dark as
the night. Even a man would be traumatized after being locked up in there for three days.

She noticed his hesitation and quickly made a promise. “I swear I won’t disturb you.”






62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda