waking

7.Chapter 7 Where Else Can She Go

In this life, Naomi vowed not to let Rosalind steal her shine anymore. She was determined to watch Rosalind see all the praise and adoration she craved slip away from her grasp. Naomi would drag Rosalind down into the mire and make sure she would never rise again.

Naomi knew that even after she changed the code for the door, Rosalind would still come to her, but she would never return to the Edwards manor. And Freddy, that scumbag, she would make sure he got what he deserved, too.

A cold and determined look flashed in Naomi’s eyes and vanished in an instant when the office door swung open. She went back to playing the sweet and quiet girl without missing a beat.

“Mr. Fischer,” Naomi said to Shawn. She put away her sketchpad and iPad and then turned to Shawn with a sweet smile. His stare was intense, reminding her of midnight, but Naomi met his eyes with her own clear, honest look. After going through some really bad times in her previous life, she knew better than to judge a book by its cover. What was really nasty was what was inside a person. It could be a lot scarier than anything on the outside.

Besides, she had the confidence to heal Shawn’s scars if he cooperated, and she had the talent to bring his face back to how it used to be.

“Let’s go!” Shawn’s voice was as cool as ever. He shot her a quick look before looking away. Not wasting a moment, Naomi stepped up, ready to take over the task of pushing his wheelchair.

Naomi hit the button for the basement level after they got into the elevator. As it stopped on the third floor, the doors slid open, and there stood Javier and Freddy. They froze for a second after spotting Naomi and Shawn, but it was Shawn’s scarred face that made them step back in shock.

As Naomi was about to press the button again, Freddy and Javier scrambled inside, trying to calm their nerves and avoiding any eye contact with Shawn. Freddy then reached out to grab Naomi.

“Naomi, are you really done looking out for your sister?” he asked.

Naomi stayed quiet, just looking at her reflection in the mirrored wall.

“Where’s your mom?” Javier gritted his teeth. “Freddy, why waste your breath? Just take her back with us.”

Naomi looked over at Shawn. Mr. Fischer was as stone-faced as ever, not even giving her a second glance. He made it clear he wasn’t going to get involved in her problems.

Naomi held the wheelchair’s handles tight and said with no room for argument, “I won’t go back with you.”

“You heartless person, you want to just watch your sister die, huh?” Javier yelled, furious. “If it weren’t for Rosalind, you wouldn’t even deserve to be born.”

He continued, “We raised you because of your sister. If you don’t want to go back, fine, I’ll disown you.”

In her previous life, such words from Javier would have crushed Naomi, but this time around, no matter how mad Javier got, Naomi remained completely cool and unshaken.

Soon, the elevator reached the first floor and the doors slid open. Freddy had struggled to find a girl who could donate blood for Rosalind. They were now on their way to pick up that donor. The best plan, they thought, was to bring Naomi along, fearing that one person’s blood might not be enough.

“Come with me,” Javier reached out to grab Naomi, but with one forceful push, she thrust aside his hand. “Don’t touch me.” Her voice was cold as ice, and her eyes were as fierce as a ghost’s. “I’ve told you I’m not going back with you.”

What would happen to Rosalind was none of Naomi’s business.

“You…” Naomi’s fierce gaze had Javier stumbling back in shock. He didn’t know how to deal with those scary eyes of hers. Seizing the moment, Naomi quickly hit the close button.

“You’re nothing without the Edwards family.” Javier’s voice echoed from the narrow gap before the doors shut completely, “I bet you won’t last a day outside. You’re better off dead. Don’t ever come back.” Naomi’s face was expressionless, but her fingers gripped the wheelchair so tightly that veins stood out on the back of her hands. It took all her will to keep the rage inside from spilling out. Staying with the Edwards family was like living in a grave.

Shawn had been watching her from the mirrored wall, not uttering a single word to defend her. It seemed like he wanted to see how much she could endure.

When the elevator reached the basement, Naomi pushed Shawn out. They quickly went past the Edwards family’s car, which was rocking. Something was definitely going on.

Naomi took the gaze down. She had already turned on the car’s dashcam and had sneakily added an extra pinhole camera. It wouldn’t take long for her to figure out who “Mr. Garcia” really was.

“Go back,” Shawn said abruptly, pulling Naomi out of her thoughts. “Mr. Fischer, remember you said I could stick with you?” she begged.

Shawn chuckled without warmth. “I’ve got no use for girls who bring drama.”

“I’m not trouble,” Naomi insisted. She bit her lip and bowed to him without hesitating. “Mr. Fischer, I promise you. I’m telling the truth.”

Shawn tilted forward and gently cupped her chin to make her look him in the eyes.

“The young man in the elevator, what’s he to you?” Shawn asked in a low and commanding voice, his gaze pinning her in place. His intense eyes seemed to pull her into an endless void, all-consuming and unfathomable.

Locked in his stare, Naomi felt her heart racing faster. She tried to reply but found her throat had gone completely dry with no sound coming out.

Shawn squeezed a bit, and Naomi’s chin turned red, showing a mark from his touch on her great skin.

He tightened his grip, causing Naomi to furrow her brows in pain, but she kept silent.

Naomi struggled to catch her breath, bravely enduring the pain without showing any fear, her voice firm and certain as she explained, “Mr. Fischer, the man who yelled at me in the elevator is Javier, my… dad, and the younger one, Freddy, he’s my ex. But he was just using me to donate blood for Rosalind. There’s never been anything romantic between me and Freddy. He’s always been in love with Rosalind.”

She asserted, “The moment I decided to follow you, I was ready to leave my past behind. Mr. Fischer, whether you trust me, I’ve been completely honest.”

“If I’m lying, may I be struck by lightning and suffer forever after,” Naomi continued with conviction, her clear eyes reflecting his face, even with its intimidating scars.

Shawn’s eyes narrowed. Despite his fearsome scarred face, she managed to face him with a composure unlike any other woman. She was truly brave.

Shawn released her chin. “Do you know how to drive?”

Naomi nodded frantically, “Yes, I do.”

The next second, he tossed a set of Bentley keys into her lap.

On the ride back, Naomi drove while Shawn relaxed with his eyes closed in the back seat.

In her previous life, Rosalind always needed to go out but didn’t want to drive herself, so she made Naomi her driver. To outsiders, it looked like Rosalind was such a caring sister, always bringing her little sister along wherever she went. Everyone envied their close sisterly bond.

But once they arrived, Rosalind either made Naomi wait in the car or run errands and pick up the tab. Javier and Victoria gave Rosalind way more spending money than they gave Naomi, whose allowance mostly came from her own part-time jobs. Yet Rosalind still had the nerve to make Naomi pay for her fun and games.

It wasn’t enough to take Naomi’s blood. Rosalind also bled her for every cent she saved.

In her previous life, Naomi was betrayed by Rosalind, who pushed her down a hill and then spread a fake story that it was Naomi’s suicide attempt. After that, Freddy found her and forced her to donate blood to Rosalind, and she got seriously sick from it. Meanwhile, she was about to have her big break with a comic book deal after chatting with the editor on the hospital bed. But on the day she was supposed to sign the contract, Freddy gave her a glass of milk that totally knocked her out. By the time Naomi woke up, Rosalind had stepped in and signed the contract in her place, claiming all the credit as the author.

This time, Rosalind was still around and a threat to Naomi’s work. Naomi, with a sly smile, decided there was no way she’d let Rosalind play her for a fool or let her steal things from her again in this life.