Chapter 8

A massive chandelier on the ceiling suddenly broke loose and came crashing straight down. And standing directly beneath it were Shayne and Melinda, who were chatting and laughing. In that split second, Shayne almost instinctively spun around and threw his entire body over Melinda, shielding her tightly in his arms. The heavy chandelier slammed brutally into his back and head, sending glass shards exploding in all directions. Shayne let out a muffled groan as blood streamed down from his temple and down his back. He swayed once, then collapsed heavily to the ground, losing consciousness. The scene erupted into chaos, with screams, cries, and frantic shouts. The ambulance arrived quickly, rushing the blood-soaked, unconscious Shayne to the hospital. Laura's parents pulled the pale Laura along with them, their expressions grim. The lights outside the operating theater stayed on for a long time. When the doctor finally emerged and announced that the surgery had been successful and that Shayne was out of the woods, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. Ronald and Juliana sighed when they looked at the hollow, dazed expression in Laura's eyes. In the end, they said nothing as they took her home. The car ride back was silent. After a long while, Juliana said softly, "Laura, have you really made up your mind to separate from Shayne?" Laura watched as the night scenery blurred past the window. Very slowly, she smiled, but that smile was filled with exhaustion and release. "Yes. I've thought it through. Mom, you saw it today, too. The one he likes hasn't been me for a long time." Ronald and Juliana looked at their daughter's calm, yet deathly pale face through the rearview mirror, and their hearts ached. The two of them fell silent for a long time before finally coming to a decision. After a while, Ronald said, "Laura, since you've made up your mind, we'll both support you. "I've been planning to move the family business southward, anyway. Since that's the case, we can move as a family. The house and the company will go with you to the south while you're there for university." Laura froze, her eyes reddening at the unwavering support and love her parents showed her. She nodded firmly, and her throat tightened. "Okay." It seemed that from now on, she and Shayne would truly never meet again. Over the next half month, Laura's family quietly prepared for the move. On the day of the departure, they brought gifts and paid a visit to the Jameson family to say goodbye. That was when Darren and Rosanne learned that Laura's entire family was moving away. And when Laura firmly stated that she was completely done with Shayne, they were utterly shocked and deeply regretful. "Laura, we've thought of you as our future daughter-in-law for a long time… Shay is just confused at the moment…" Rosanne held Laura's hand with reddened eyes. Laura shook her head calmly, saying in a gentle yet distant tone, "Mrs. Jameson, childhood feelings don't count. We'll all meet better people in the future." Darren and Rosanne tried to persuade her again and again, but they could only sigh in resignation when they saw that she had already made up her mind. Seeing that it was almost time, Rosanne took out her phone. "I'll call Shay right now and tell him to hurry back and see you off. Honestly, he's been missing so often ever since his injuries healed a bit…" The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered. Rosanne said anxiously, "Shay, where are you? Come back quickly! Laura is leaving for university today. Come to the airport and see her off! She…" On the other end, Shayne cut her off. "She's leaving today? Melinda and I are going together tomorrow. If she's leaving, just let her go on her own. I don't have time to see her off. I'm hanging up now." Before Rosanne could say anything else, the line went dead. All that was left was the cold sound of the dial tone.