Chapter 4 I Will Introduce My Uncle to You

"No need," Annie cut Sean off. "From this moment on, my affairs have nothing to do with you. I don't need your interference." With that, she turned around and walked out of the office without a single glance back. An inexplicable irritation rose in Sean's chest as he watched Annie walk out the door. In their two years together in their past life, Annie had always been gentle and obedient in front of him. She was even a little eager to please, as if she was a well-behaved house cat. Never had she shown such sharp, biting hostility. But Annie's sharp reaction only proved she still cared for Sean. Her love had merely curdled into hate. He knew best how humbly she'd loved him in their past life. Sean was convinced it wouldn't take long for Annie's anger to fade. Once she calmed down, she'd forget today's unpleasantness. She might even come back crying and beg him to reconcile. All he needed to do was give her time to calm down and accept reality. … Suzanna was pacing anxiously in the hallway. She hurried over the moment she saw Annie. "How did it go? What did that jerk say to you?" Annie's voice was calm. "Nothing much, just a bunch of nonsense. I've already decided to break off the engagement." Suzanna gritted her teeth. "I can't believe this! Sean always looked so prim and proper on the surface, but he's actually so disgusting behind closed doors! Everyone knew he was the one who pursued you back then. And now he's pulling something like this? This is absolutely vile!" She paused, glancing worriedly at Annie. "What are you going to tell your grandmother if you break off the engagement so suddenly, Annie? She hasn't been feeling too well lately, and she's been looking forward to your wedding…" Annie's expression dimmed for a moment. She had been raised almost entirely by Irene Glenhill, her grandmother, since young, as her parents had been busy with business. Irene was the person closest to Annie, but her health had been declining recently. Her greatest wish was to see Annie get married to someone reliable. Sean had visited the Steward residence once as her fiance. He'd behaved himself and was impeccable in every aspect, so Irene had been thoroughly pleased with her future grandson-in-law. If Annie suddenly informed Irene that she'd called off her engagement, Irene might not be able to bear the shock. A flash of determination crossed her eyes as she bit her lower lip. "At worst, I'll just hire someone to go through a fake wedding with me. Grandma's eyesight isn't good, so she wouldn't be able to tell whether the man before her is Sean or not. As long as he doesn't stand too close, it'll be fine." Suzanna's mouth fell open in shock. Then, her eyes lit up as if struck by a sudden idea. "Why don't you consider my uncle instead if you're really looking for someone? "My uncle Chris is only five years older than you, and he's a hundred times more handsome than that jerk Sean! He also has a solid character and a great personality." She continued, "Most importantly, he's also being pressured by his family to get married. If you two team up, you'd be solving each other's problems perfectly!" Annie looked perplexed. "Your uncle? How come I've never heard you mention him before?" "He's been studying abroad all these while, and only returned recently, so I never brought him up." Suzanna puffed up her chest confidently. "But anyone I introduce will definitely be reliable. If you're okay with it, I can arrange for you two to meet up tonight." With her mind and body drained, Annie only wanted to resolve the issue as soon as possible. And with her absolute trust in Suzanna, she nodded without hesitation. "Alright, I'll trouble you with it then." … After leaving the hospital, Annie did not return to her apartment. Instead, she took a taxi straight to the Steward residence. In the quiet living room, Irene was holding the old cat she'd raised for many years, occasionally playing with it. Even a simple gesture like that seemed to take her much effort. In her past life, she passed away peacefully shortly after Annie got married, as if she'd finally fulfilled her last wish. Tears stung Annie's eyes as she saw Irene's kind face once again. She rushed forward in a few steps and buried her face in Irene's warm embrace. Irene was startled at first, then chuckled softly, patting Annie's back. "What's wrong? You're about to get married, yet you're still acting like a little girl who hasn't grown up." Annie sniffled hard, her voice choking as she said, "It's nothing. I just missed you a lot suddenly. I can't bear to be away from you." Irene smiled gently, her voice full of affection. "Silly child. Sean is a dependable man. I feel at ease entrusting you to him. You two just need to live a good life together, and I'll be content just like that." A wave of sorrow surged through Annie's heart. She suppressed her emotions and whispered, "Alright, Grandma." To avoid giving herself away, she quickly added, "I'm a little tired, Grandma. I'll go to my room and rest for a bit." "Alright, go on," Irene replied. … Annie locked the door behind her once she was back in her room. Then she collapsed onto her bed in exhaustion. She then pulled out her phone, opened her photo gallery, and found the video she'd secretly recorded outside the VIP ward.