Chapter 5 He Wouldn't Have Lived This Long

"What do you think you're doing, Shawn?" Eleanor asked.

The heat spread across her arm at once, turning it red. Pain slipped out in a soft cry as she looked at Shawn, her voice filled with confusion.

Even after hearing her gasp in pain, he showed no reaction. He followed the sound of her voice, lifted his hand, and struck out again.

"Eleanor, have you forgotten your place?" he said, his voice turning sharp and cold. "Since when do you speak to me like that?"

The hand came toward her, but she didn't react right away. A faint, cold laugh left her before she stepped back without saying a word.

His strike didn't land. Instead, he lost his balance and tipped forward, falling out of the wheelchair.

His body hit the floor with force.

He tried to push himself up, but his legs didn't respond.

Left on the floor, he could only lie there, unable to move.

Humiliation rose in him all at once.

His chest heaved as he lifted his head, about to speak, but his body suddenly jerked.

The shift caught Eleanor off guard.

She snapped back to focus and crouched beside him, laying him flat before starting first aid.

The noise brought a servant running in from outside. The moment he saw them, his expression changed.

"Something's wrong! Mr. Fletcher's having an episode!"

The news spread quickly and reached Lynne. The calm she usually carried disappeared. She rushed toward Shawn's house.

Right behind her, Robert followed without delay.

As they crossed the garden, Jenna caught wind of it and hurried after them.

All three arrived in a rush. Lynne took in the scene, the mess on the floor and Shawn convulsing, and panic took over. "What happened to Shawn? Eleanor, what were you doing? How did this happen?"

With everything happening at once, Eleanor stayed focused on helping Shawn and didn't respond.

Even so, Lynne didn't stop. Her voice kept cutting through the room, sharp and accusing.

For a brief moment, Eleanor's hands slowed, but she didn't stop what she was doing.

From the side, Jenna let out a cold laugh. "Mom, look at the food all over the floor. They must've gotten into a fight. That's why this happened."

After a short pause, something seemed to click in her mind. A dark look passed through her eyes as she went on.

"I saw her outside earlier," she added. "Who knows where she went this early. Maybe Shawn found out something, and that's why they argued."

"What?" Lynne snapped. "Eleanor, what did you do?"

She was already upset because of Shawn's condition, and Jenna's words only pushed her further.

Robert's face darkened as he listened.

Eleanor said nothing, and to him, that silence felt like an admission.

"Eleanor!" he said. "We didn't bring you into this family so you could live comfortably! You need to explain right now what happened to Shawn!"

The way they spoke made it sound like she had done something unforgivable.

By then, Shawn had stopped convulsing and slowly settled.

Only after that did Eleanor rise to her feet. "He fell out of the wheelchair. It was an accident. He's fine now."

The moment she finished, Lynne pushed her aside and hurried to direct the servants to move Shawn onto the sofa.

"An accident? Eleanor, do you think I'm blind? How does someone just fall like that? You must've done something," Lynne said.

Jenna followed right after.

Robert's gaze stayed fixed on Eleanor, cold and searching.

Shawn mattered too much to him. That was the only reason he had gone through the trouble of bringing her into the family.

Not one of them noticed the burn on her arm.

A faint smile touched her lips, though from behind, her frame looked unsteady.

Outside the house, Jonathan stood at a distance, watching everything.

Something dark lingered in his eyes.

After a moment, he stepped inside at an unhurried pace.

"Jonathan? Why are you here?" Lynne's tone shifted at once, and surprise flickered across her face.

She knew how to change her attitude.

A quiet laugh left Jonathan as his gaze moved toward the sofa. Seeing Shawn still breathing, he let his lips curve slightly. "I came to check why he's still alive."

The instant those words left Jonathan's mouth, the restraint Robert had been holding onto broke. He turned toward him, his expression turning dark.

"Jonathan! How can you say something like that? Shawn is your brother!"

His words cut off as a thought struck him. The look on his face shifted at once. He added, "Jonathan... did you do this?"

A low laugh slipped from Jonathan, though his eyes showed nothing. The mockery in his voice was unmistakable.

"If I had done it, he wouldn't have lived this long." There was no attempt to soften it. The words came out with clear malice.

Robert's eyes flickered with disbelief. He hadn't expected that kind of answer.

"Jonathan! You-"

The rest never came out. A harsh coughing fit overtook him as his anger surged.