Chapter 63 Rival
Chapter 63 Rival
As a top reporter, Shana had a sharp nose for juicy gossip.
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But she didn’t want to appear too nosy, so she shook her head slightly, trying to keep it casual. “Please, do tell me more.”
Cyrus seemed to drift into a memory, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “Actually, I spent some time here when I was in my teens. I’ve developed a bit of an attachment to this place and its people.”
Shana froze, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked at him.
He was about three or four years older than her. If she thought back to the timing, it matched perfectly with the period after her parents‘ tragic accident, when she had returned to live here.
She knew most of the people around here, and with his looks–handsome in the way that would be hard to forget–how could she not remember him?
Last night, Henry had trouble sleeping, possibly from having drunk too much. He tossed and turned all night, and as a result, he woke up late today, an unusual occurrence for him.
By the time he stepped out of his room, the sun was already high in the sky.
Grace was tidying up the living room when she saw him. She greeted him warmly, “Henry, you’re awake. There’s breakfast in the kitchen. Let me warm it up for you.”
She wiped her hands on her apron and headed toward the kitchen.
Henry stopped her with a question. “Where’s Shana? I haven’t seen her.”
“She went with Audrey to the park for the free medical clinic today,” Grace explained.
A charity clinic.
That means Cyrus would be there.
Henry’s dark eyes narrowed dangerously, and his lips pressed into a thin, hard line.
Grace, skilled at reading the atmosphere, noticed something off and hesitantly asked, “Henry, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Before she could get an answer, Henry turned on his heel, striding out of the room.
“Mr. Henry, where are you going? Aren’t you having breakfast?”
Grace called after him, but he didn’t stop, muttering to herself, “Where’s he off to in such a hurry?”
As the sun climbed, Shana and Cyrus stopped under a large tree.
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It was said to have been growing for over a century and was one of the park’s landmarks, a favorite spot for photos.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, Shana asked, “Dr. Grant, you really lived here before? Have we met?”
Cyrus’s gaze shifted from the shimmering lake to her face. Her features were striking, the kind that turned heads, with a certain allure when she wore make–up and a pure, innocent beauty without make–up.
“Actually, we…” He started speaking, but then he noticed a leaf had fallen into her hair. He chuckled softly, changing the subject. “You’ve got a leaf in your hair. Let me take it out for you.”
“Huh? Oh, sure,” Shana said, tilting her head slightly to make it easier.
As Henry entered the park, he ran into Audrey, who mentioned that Shana was by the lake and pointed him in the right direction.
As he drew closer, he discovered a scene.
Cyrus stood across from Shana, his hand gently resting on her head while she lowered her gaze, her lips curving into a small smile.
The scene looked undeniably intimate.
Henry’s eyes flashed with anger. He stalked forward, grabbing Shana’s delicate wrist just as Cyrus’s fingers were about to touch her hair, pulling her into his arms.
“What are you two doing here?” he asked in a flat voice, but Shana could hear the storm brewing beneath it.
She looked up at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
Henry smiled, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. He met her gaze with a cold intensity, his words deliberate, “Shouldn’t I be here?”
Shana winced as he tightened his grip on her wrist, a frown forming as she struggled to understand why he was acting this way.
Despite the tension, she maintained her composure in front of others. “Dr. Grant helped me with something. I’m showing him around the park as a thank you. He was just helping me with a leaf in my hair.”
“Really?” Henry’s tone made it clear he wasn’t convinced.
Shana, clearly irritated, shot back, “What else could it be? What exactly are you thinking?”
She stood there, calm and unbothered, as Henry studied her for a few secònds. Only when he saw the leaf in her hair did
the coldness in his expression soften.
With a swift motion, he plucked the leaf from her hair, and whether intentional or not, he waved it in front of Cyrus. “As her husband, I’m happy to help. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Cyrus merely smiled, saying nothing.
“Oh, by the way, Cyrus, why didn’t you come to our wedding reception yesterday? I had Larry deliver the
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Chapter 63 Rival
invitation to you. Didn’t you get it?”
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Henry loosened his grip on Shana’s wrist and casually draped an arm over her shoulder. The contrast between his tall, handsome frame and her petite, delicate one was striking–an image of a perfect couple.
Shana cast him a quick glance, surprised to learn that he had made sure Larry delivered the invite.
She hadn’t known he’d gone out of his way, but then again, she supposed that was expected since Cyrus and Henry were buddies. She had, after all; been neglectful about the wedding. She hadn’t really cared much for the event.
“I received it. I couldn’t make it yesterday due to some things that came up, sorry about that. I’ll make sure to come next time,” Cyrus replied, unfazed.
Henry’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he pulled out two small pieces of wedding candy from his pocket- gifts from a relative’s child.
“Well, since you missed the wedding reception, have some wedding candy. It’ll bring you some luck and maybe help you find your future partner sooner.”
He handed the candy to Cyrus.
Cyrus took it without missing a beat, his gaze briefly flicking over to Shana before he smirked, “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
Henry’s eyes grew even colder as he seemed to recall something. “By the way, I heard your mother has been trying to set you up with someone in our circle. If all goes well, it looks like good news is on the way.
“Congratulations in advance, Cyrus.”
Cyrus’s smile faltered, barely noticeable.
Shana, overhearing this exchange, suddenly realized something wasn’t right. There was an unspoken tension between them–like a subtle game of passive–aggression.
Henry was acting like a spoiled child, as if trying to stake his claim over something precious that was about to be taken away from him.
Wait, she needed to be more confident. Henry was just being petty.
She remembered Cyrus telling her once that they had both fought for something they held dear, which had caused some lingering hostility between them.
She hadn’t expected it to come to this–right in front of her.
But Shana wasn’t the prize they were fighting over. She was just a stand–in’for Kate at the moment. And with that realization, a surge of anger began to boil within her.
Was this s*mbag really so petty that he couldn’t piss her up for one day?
He had won the homewrecker, yet here he was, still digging into Cyrus’s wounds, trying to rub it in his face.
The sc*mbag didn’t even have the decency to maintain a bit of dignity. He was acting like a jealous little
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woman, and it was downright embarrassing!
Frustrated and disgusted, Shana couldn’t hold back anymore. “Dr. Grant, don’t you have consultations this afternoon? You should go eat something before your break is over,” she said, trying to break the tension.
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