Return, My Love: Wooing the Neglected Ex-Wife

Chapter 521:

Lina exhaled deeply, the weight of the relief she felt washing over her.

Shawn added, “I’m pursuing her.”

Lina’s smile became strained, the words hitting harder than she’d expected.

“Do you really need to pursue someone?” she asked, trying to mask the sting.

“It’s my first time pursuing a girl. I rushed things, and she got upset,” Shawn confessed, his tone tinged with frustration.

Lina’s smile faded further. In the past, she had been the one to pursue Shawn, which had led to their being together. Now, hearing him talk about his pursuit of another woman stung more than she cared to admit.

Shawn glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. I should go.”

Lina rose with him, her movements slow, hesitant.

“Shawn, let’s exchange our contact information. Maybe we can have dinner sometime.”

“There’s no need,” Shawn responded coolly, his indifference clear. The finality of his words settled in the space between them, and it was that coldness that truly devastated her.

“The moment you chose to leave me for my best friend during my family crisis, you should have known that we could no longer be friends.”

Lina froze, her body stiffening in place. Shawn’s words cut through the air, drawing the attention of the people at the next table. They scrutinized her openly, their gazes filled with unabashed curiosity. A wave of humiliation and discomfort crashed over her.

“Shawn, I had my reasons at that time.”

“I don’t care about your reasons,” Shawn replied coldly.

With that, he drove back alone, the weight of his thoughts pressing heavily on him. Memories surged in his mind, unstoppable, like a torrential wave.

In high school, he had been as popular as Lina, the class belle. Many boys had admired her. During those carefree days of youth, Shawn had been captivated by her fleeting smiles.

However, he had a distinct idiosyncrasy: he often detested what the majority admired. Despite this, during their senior year, Lina had boldly confessed her feelings for him in front of the entire class.

Shawn, unwilling to embarrass her and fueled by his own vanity, had agreed. Their relationship, once formed, blossomed with remarkable stability, though it was always anchored by his family’s affluence.

Before his family’s financial downfall, Shawn had planned to marry Lina. But after the crisis hit, she ended their relationship and, just six months later, married his best friend.

Shawn stopped reflecting for a moment, his thoughts darkening. After the family incident, each day had felt like an unending nightmare. He had been forced to mature quickly, facing harsh stares, betrayal, and a series of devastating blows that left him drained, stripping away any will to endure.

Were it not for Joelle, Shawn knew he might have succumbed to despair.

His phone rang, pulling him out of his reverie. He maneuvered to the side of the road to answer it.

“Hello?”

It was Katherine calling.

“Hey, Shawn. I find myself available tonight. Would you be interested in joining me for dinner?”

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