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

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: I’m Begging You, You Two Must Be Locked Together

Claire Sheffield had never seen such a strong-willed patient. In unseen corners, she would fall and get back up, again and again. Pain would wrack her body with spasms, and cold sweat would soak through her thick clothes, yet she never complained, processing the emotions all on her own.

Every time she walked out of the rehabilitation room, her face was serene and calm, as if the agony had never existed.

In truth, a patient being too strong-willed wasn’t necessarily a good thing. After all, people aren’t machines that can run indefinitely just by programming them; they need rest and adjustment.

If too many negative emotions accumulated, the consequences of a collapse would be unimaginable.

Claire Sheffield didn’t like patients having too many strong opinions of their own, and had even criticized her for it with a cold, harsh attitude.

"Dr. Sheffield, I’m just reminded of the old saying: ’No child stays dutiful at a parent’s long-term sickbed.’" Jane Lancaster smiled. "It’s not a perfect fit, but it applies to my situation just as well."

It was true that caring for a sick person was an arduous and exhausting task. Over time, it was inevitable that many would start to feel resentful.

"But you’re different. Your family and your fiancé love you very much," Claire Sheffield had said, not understanding at the time.

She was the beloved daughter of a wealthy family, showered with affection. Did she really need to push herself this hard?

"It’s all the same. People are people; they get tired, they get fed up," Jane Lancaster said softly. "Besides, I was a living ghost back then. Even I was sick of myself. How could I expect anyone else to accept it with a smile?"

"Dr. Sheffield, I never test human nature." The young woman’s gaze was clear and resolute.

She was undeniably intelligent and perceptive, not just someone born with a silver spoon.

Even if she was surrounded by love, it must have been the result of her being an excellent person who was good at managing her relationships.

It’s just that people who are too strong-willed always end up having a harder life.

——

Meanwhile, Jasper Sterling also turned to leave after saying his goodbyes.

He hadn’t made any special effort to pry into Claire Sheffield’s movements; there was no need.

He was already familiar with this Dr. Sheffield. A graduate of a prestigious university, she had studied under a titan of the medical field and was already heading several research projects at a young age.

Her resume was clean. She was a scholarship kid from a small town, raised in a single-parent household, and had almost no social life outside of work.

A person like that, logically speaking, should be simpler and more pure of heart, even if she was very smart.

But after he gave her the investigation file... Claire Sheffield’s attitude had become rather thought-provoking.

She must have realized by now that he wasn’t just expecting repayment for a favor—he had specifically chosen her.

His only goal was to lay the debt of gratitude clearly out on the table.

How Claire Sheffield chose to act, and what kind of power she might have behind her, was not part of Jasper Sterling’s calculations.

Of course, if it turned out to be the icing on the cake, all the better.

——

As Jane Lancaster was getting ready to leave, the manager asked her to wait a moment, saying there was a complimentary gift for her.

While she was waiting, there was a knock on the private room’s door.

"Come in!"

The person who entered was, in addition to the manager, someone she had been expecting.

"Pauline, why are you here by yourself?" she asked with a smile.

Pauline Shaw waited for the manager to leave, her gaze landing on the exquisitely packaged gift.

She’d never heard of this Black Pearl restaurant giving out complimentary gifts.

"Oh, the manager said they have a few new pastries that are still in the testing phase and not officially on the menu yet. She thought today’s batch turned out particularly well, so she wanted to give them to me to try." Jane Lancaster finished explaining and then asked, "Do you want some? Why don’t you..."

"No, thanks!" Pauline Shaw refused quickly. It was just a box of pastries; she wasn’t that desperate for a snack.

’I knew you’d say no. Sigh. What I was actually going to say was, ’Why don’t I eat while you watch?’’

Pauline Shaw: "..."

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and said, "Jay, I need to talk to you."

Today had been terribly unfortunate, running into Jane Lancaster under those circumstances.

Gordon Dawson didn’t think she needed to come find Jane Lancaster, but she was afraid Jane would try to sabotage things, so she decided to come and have a word anyway.

"You’ve all misunderstood Gordon Dawson. He’s only putting up with that woman because she’s the client. I’ve seen the chat logs—she was the one initiating everything..."

’Mhm, and I’m sure he also said, ’I’m doing it all for you. I’m working myself to the bone to make money so I can be worthy of you.’’

’As if he wouldn’t have to work his ass off to make money if you weren’t in the picture.’

Pauline Shaw: "..."

She’d barely said a word, and the other girl was already lost in a sea of internal complaints. Seriously, where were her manners?

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Jane Lancaster was a little baffled.

’How did she get all puffed up with anger mid-sentence? Was she a pufferfish in a past life?’

Pauline Shaw told herself to calm down. "Jay, are you still biased against Gordon Dawson? I swore back then that I would never see him again..."

"No, no, no, don’t get me wrong! I’m not biased against him!" Jane Lancaster hurriedly denied. "The past is the past. It doesn’t count."

Pauline Shaw was a bit stunned. What was this new tactic?

"I was just about to say, Jasper Sterling was talking complete nonsense! The idea that Gordon Dawson wouldn’t love you if you weren’t pretty or rich enough? Impossible!"

’You two have true love! Later on, even after you went bankrupt, he was still madly in love with you.’

Pauline Shaw looked at her, a little surprised. This was the first time she had ever heard Jane say something positive about Gordon Dawson.

She quickly discovered she had overestimated Jane Lancaster.

’It just so happens that being madly in love with you didn’t stop him from sleeping with other women.’

Pauline Shaw’s face darkened. She thought for a moment and changed her mind.

Jane Lancaster had always been like this, always putting her down to show off how smart and rational she was. Now, she would turn the tables and see what Jane had to say.

"But I think there’s some truth to what Young Master Sterling said." Pauline Shaw sat down with her back to the door, settling in for a heart-to-heart.

"Jay, you’re my best friend. There are some things I can only talk to you about."

Jane Lancaster smiled, more than happy to play the role of her confidante. "What is it? Go on."

"Actually, I’m really conflicted. My parents used to forbid me from dating, but now that I’m working, they’re actively pushing me to spend more time with a business partner’s son."

"My mom says that since I’m an only child, the entire family fortune will be handed over to me someday. So, the person I marry must either come from a family of equal standing, or he has to marry into our family."

"Do you think Gordon Dawson would ever agree to marry into my family?"

She had actually asked Gordon Dawson this question before, and she had been very satisfied with his answer.

If Jane Lancaster intended to stir up trouble, she definitely wouldn’t have anything good to say.

"Pauline, of course he’d be willing! No wonder he’s so aggressive about landing deals. He’s doing it all so he can be worthy of you, so he can stand before your parents as soon as possible!"

"But you can’t introduce him to your parents too soon. You absolutely have to wait until his career has taken off a bit."

Wait, was she actually saying nice things?

Pauline Shaw: "Aren’t you going to try and talk me out of it, or help me analyze the situation? Like you did with Willow Summers."

As soon as the last part of the sentence left her lips, she froze. Why was she comparing herself to Willow Summers?

"You’re not the same as Willow Summers. Jim Jenson is a scumbag; Gordon Dawson isn’t."

Pauline Shaw: "Then tell me this... if it wasn’t for my parents’ money, would he really have noticed me back then...?"

Jane Lancaster lunged forward, clamped a hand over her mouth, and said loudly, "Don’t say it! I know you love him! I know!"

Her voice was loud enough to drown out any other sound.

A moment later, Pauline Shaw belatedly turned her head and met Gordon Dawson’s teasing gaze.

’I’m begging you, you two need to be locked together forever!’