Everyone Can Hear My Thoughts, and Now They're Panicking

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Wouldn’t That Move Pauline Shaw to Death?

Pauline Shaw grabbed Gordon Dawson.

If she could help it, she didn’t want to offend Jasper Sterling either. After all, he was someone she could never afford to provoke.

"Young Master Sterling, if you’re trying to play the hero, then let me be clear: Gordon Dawson and I are deeply in love. Our love is unbreakable."

She squeezed Gordon Dawson’s hand reassuringly. "We got together a year ago, and we will never be apart."

Gordon Dawson seemed to be placated. He stared coldly at Jasper Sterling. "President Sterling, I love Pauline Shaw. I’d give my life for her, you get it?"

Jane Lancaster was floored.

’The "I’d-give-my-life-for-you" trope. It’s a classic for a reason! So moving. Pauline must be touched to tears.’

’But Jasper Sterling really called it. A hot-tempered guy like Gordon Dawson, who always lets his fists do the talking, is actually holding himself back.’

’He’s obviously scared of the consequences of hitting Jasper Sterling.’

Pauline Shaw couldn’t take it anymore. "Jane Lancaster, what the hell do you want?"

Jane Lancaster was baffled. "I don’t want anything."

’Psycho. Why are you yelling at me? If you’ve got the guts, go yell at Jasper Sterling.’

Jasper Sterling lowered his long lashes, then looked up a moment later. "So, you two have been together for a year? You’re his girlfriend?"

Pauline Shaw answered firmly, "Yes!"

"That’s strange, then." Jasper Sterling turned to the woman who hadn’t left yet. "Ma’am, may I ask if you knew Mr. Dawson had a girlfriend?"

The woman shook her head. "I didn’t know."

She was still in shock that the two of them had gotten together so long ago.

Until just ten-odd minutes ago, she had thought Pauline Shaw was just someone pursuing Gordon Dawson.

After all, if he really had a girlfriend, he should have made that clear from the start. It’s not like she would have willingly thrown herself at him to become the other woman, right?

"He never once mentioned having a girlfriend to me. I thought he brought a friend along precisely because he didn’t have one."

That’s why she had still held on to a sliver of hope, wondering if perhaps he was in some kind of difficult situation.

Jasper Sterling smiled and asked Gordon Dawson, "So if you have a girlfriend, why be so secretive about it?"

’Because he needed this lady to land the contract, of course.’

’He doesn’t trust in others’ professionalism or fairness. He thinks all business is done through connections, and since he has no background, he can only use his good looks to climb the ladder.’

’Having a girlfriend would just get in the way of his schemes.’

’I bet they just signed the contract. Otherwise, he’d still be playing nice instead of suddenly turning hostile.’

Pauline Shaw opened her mouth, wanting to say a few words in Gordon Dawson’s defense, but found she had nothing to say.

Gordon Dawson had indeed mentioned yesterday that a major deal he’d been working on for a long time had finally been settled, and the contract was signed yesterday.

Gordon Dawson sneered. "Why should I announce I have a girlfriend at work? Bringing personal matters into the office would just make people question my professionalism."

"But if you had told me you had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t have asked you out to dinner," the woman said faintly.

Gordon Dawson flared up. "Don’t act so high and mighty! Aren’t you the one who kept harassing me, just because you’re the client?"

"Harassing? You think I was harassing you?" The woman was shocked. "Then why did you take me to an arcade that night and stay out with me until midnight?"

If he was just helping someone in need or trying to maintain the client relationship, the simple fact that he had chased away her ex-boyfriend would have been enough to earn her gratitude.

Taking her to an arcade and spending more than four hours with her went far beyond the boundaries of a professional relationship.

Gordon Dawson’s face darkened. "If you hadn’t been so difficult and kept delaying the deal, would I have needed to go to such lengths to suck up to you?"

He had always been proud and arrogant, used to being fawned over by women. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d had to swallow his disgust for the sake of this old woman.

"You’re a toad lusting after a swan’s flesh, and I’m the one who gets taken advantage of, but somehow it’s my fault?"

The woman was speechless, as if she were seeing him for the first time today.

The image she had in her mind of a handsome, untamable young man—masculine and responsible—suddenly shattered into a million pieces.

"Fine. I get it. I will never harass you again. And please, don’t randomly pin me against a wall anymore."

She didn’t want to argue any further. She turned and walked away on her high heels.

Gordon Dawson was so furious he slammed his fist into the wall. "Psycho! Who the hell pinned her against a wall?!"

Having seen enough of the drama, Jane Lancaster grabbed Jasper Sterling, ready to make a getaway.

"Let’s hurry. Dr. Sheffield must be getting anxious."

’Time to run. These two are about to start their whole red-eyed, waist-grabbing, "I’d-die-for-you" routine again.’

Pauline Shaw took a deep breath, swallowing the accusation that was on the tip of her tongue. She turned her head and saw Gordon Dawson’s bloodshot eyes, and her heart ached.

"If you dare leave me, I’ll take you down with me!" Gordon Dawson’s eyes glinted menacingly.

Pauline Shaw pressed her fingers to his lips and shook her head. "I trust you."

She would absolutely not give Jane Lancaster the satisfaction.

—

Inside the private room, Claire Sheffield saw the two of them walk in holding hands. His expression faltered for a moment before he politely averted his gaze.

Jane Lancaster quickly let go of Jasper Sterling’s hand. "Sorry, sorry."

Jasper Sterling glanced down at his now-empty palm and gave a helpless little smile.

Claire Sheffield was very well-mannered. Though a flicker of confusion showed in his eyes, he didn’t ask anything.

Jasper Sterling poured a glass of fruit tea for Jane Lancaster, who quickly drank it down.

"Speaking of which, I have you to thank for saving my life," Claire Sheffield said, revealing the main reason for tonight’s dinner invitation.

Jane Lancaster paused, her tone flat. "Dr. Sheffield, you’re exaggerating. I didn’t save your life."

’In the original plot, Claire Sheffield wouldn’t have died anyway.’

’He was just supposed to be seriously injured, fall into a coma, and be revived after a while. He would still wake up and go abroad for treatment on his hand.’

But Claire Sheffield shook his head firmly. "No. The suspect was targeting me. If you hadn’t seen through his disguise, his methods might have been more covert, and the consequences much harder to predict."

He had used his connections to check the surveillance footage and knew that the moment the suspect saw the security check at the clinic’s entrance, he had immediately turned and left.

He didn’t give up on the attack; he left to come up with a better plan.

If it weren’t for Jane Lancaster’s drawn-out entanglement with him, he would have met up with Ethan Carter long ago and hidden in the fire escape stairwell at the back of the clinic building.

The consequences would have been unimaginable.

Jane Lancaster frowned. "It couldn’t have been as serious as you’re making it sound."

"Why not?" Jasper Sterling’s gaze lowered, his handsome eyes turning cold and merciless. "He hides in the fire escape, quietly waiting for an opportunity."

"During that time, he’d chat and complain with Ethan Carter as usual, waiting for his chance. Soon he’d find out that Dr. Sheffield isn’t on duty today. Furious and alarmed, he would only suspect that Ethan Carter was messing with him, since Ethan had just told him a few days ago that this was Dr. Sheffield’s day to be on duty at the clinic."

"He might retreat, but who could have predicted that Dr. Sheffield is so responsible and conscientious that he’d be called into the clinic building on his day off by a patient?"

"And since Dr. Sheffield has shown up, why would he let the opportunity slip by and risk further complications?"

"He would only need to wait for Ethan Carter to be distracted to simply cover the victim’s mouth and slit his throat, all done without anyone knowing."

"Then, as Dr. Sheffield walks down the hall, he would rush out and stab him again and again..."

’In that case, I would have definitely died!’ Claire Sheffield couldn’t help but shudder.