With that, the nurse pushed past Arthur, leaving him alone.
He remained rooted to the spot for a long time, unable to move. Perhaps he was finally remembering the last time I’d called him while lying on the operating table, overwhelmed by despair. Or maybe he was remembering Ian brushing past him with my body in his arms.
He ran out of the hospital like a madman. To my surprise, he headed to Shawna’s place.
It was laughable. I thought he would at least feel guilty upon learning of my death, but it looked like I still couldn’t compare to Shawna, even in death.
The door to Shawna’s apartment was ajar when Arthur arrived. He stopped and listened to the conversation inside.
‘Haven’t you guys had enough? I’ve already paid you! Continue like this, and I’ll call the cops!” Shawna snapped.
Arthur subconsciously wanted to enter the apartment to help, but he stopped with his hand on the doorknob when he heard a man sneer.
“Do you think you can get rid of us with just 20 thousand dollars? You do realize you asked us to lie to a judge, right? He almost killed us! Give us another 50 thousand dollars, or we’ll go straight to Arthur Rothe with the truth! We’ll make him see your true colors!”
Arthur peeked inside, and I copied him. My soul jolted when I saw the faces of the men inside–they were the hooligans Shawna had claimed I’d hired to violate her.
She didn’t realize that Arthur was standing outside. She looked impatient as she pulled out a bank card and threw it at the men.
“This is all the money I have saved–take it or leave it! Now that you’ve got the money, get the hell out of this city. Don’t let me see your ugly mugs again!”
The man in the lead had a scar on his face. He leered at her and said, “Isn’t your lapdog supposed to be filthy rich and desperately in love with you? I can’t believe you can’t even give us 50 thousand dollars. You’re really slumming it up!”
Shawna rolled her eyes at him. “I’m an outsider for as long as he and I remain unmarried–that means I have no right to inherit whatever he has. I’m biding my time, which you guys obviously know nothing about!”
