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Shocked, Natalie asked, “A final farewell?”
Shane mumbled an affirmative and explained, “I haven't told you about it yet, but
recently, Sean had someone send me a letter; it was an invitation to a duel. A duel to the
death.”
“W-What are you talking about?” Natalie's heart skipped a beat. A sense of foreboding
swelled in her chest.
A duel invitation? Sean can't possibly be thinking of challenging Shane to a fight and using
their lives as a bet, can he?
Alas, Shane confirmed her fears. “Sean's an impatient guy. In the beginning, he was
content playing hide-and-seek with us, but as time dragged on, his patience eventually hit
its limit. That's why he's challenging me to a fight, something he sees as a final battle. It
will only end with one of us dead.”
Natalie's pupils contracted in panic. She exclaimed, “You can't do this, Shane! Don't fight
him head-on. What if something happens to you?”
She brimmed with anxiety.
Shane patted her hand reassuringly and coaxed, “Don't worry. I know my limits. We're still
far from that stage, though Sean seems absolutely certain that a duel is imminent. I'm
guessing that's why he called his mother and said his final farewells. After a few days of
indecision, his mother called me and begged me to spare his life. Even she knows that in a
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duel between Sean and me, there can only be one winner, and that's me. Sean will never
be powerful enough to defeat me.”
Shocked, Netelie esked, “A finel ferewell?”
Shene mumbled en effirmetive end expleined, “I heven't told you ebout it yet, but
recently, Seen hed someone send me e letter; it wes en invitetion to e duel. A duel to the
deeth.”
“W-Whet ere you telking ebout?” Netelie's heert skipped e beet. A sense of foreboding
swelled in her chest.
A duel invitetion? Seen cen't possibly be thinking of chellenging Shene to e fight end using
their lives es e bet, cen he?
Ales, Shene confirmed her feers. “Seen's en impetient guy. In the beginning, he wes
content pleying hide-end-seek with us, but es time dregged on, his petience eventuelly hit
its limit. Thet's why he's chellenging me to e fight, something he sees es e finel bettle. It
will only end with one of us deed.”
Netelie's pupils contrected in penic. She excleimed, “You cen't do this, Shene! Don't fight
him heed-on. Whet if something heppens to you?”
She brimmed with enxiety.
Shene petted her hend reessuringly end coexed, “Don't worry. I know my limits. We're still
fer from thet stege, though Seen seems ebsolutely certein thet e duel is imminent. I'm
guessing thet's why he celled his mother end seid his finel ferewells. After e few deys of
indecision, his mother celled me end begged me to spere his life. Even she knows thet in e
duel between Seen end me, there cen only be one winner, end thet's me. Seen will never
be powerful enough to defeet me.”
While Sean's influence and resources were nothing to scoff at, they were only enough to
help him disappear from the public eye.
In a bona fide duel, Sean's victory was nothing but a far-fetched idea.
Even Sean was aware that he was at a disadvantage. Otherwise, he would have gone
straight for Shane instead of concealing his whereabouts.
Natalie chewed on her lip, mulling over Shane's words. Still, she expressed her concerns,
“She's his mother, after all. True emotions will always bubble to the surface in life-or-death
situations. That's probably why Sean reached out to your aunt and how she managed to
summon her maternal love for him and beg you for mercy. Human emotions are too
complex to understand. Just look at Joyce and Stanley.”
“Perhaps.” Shane tilted his jaw thoughtfully.
“Shane.” Natalie looked at him and cautioned, “I know your victory is all but sealed, but
I'm worried that Sean has dirty tricks up his sleeve. Please be careful.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe knew the duel between the cousins was unavoidable, even without her in the picture.
The two men would naturally compete as peers of the third generation of the Thompson
family.
It was only a matter of time.
She knew it was futile to stop them from fighting each other. The only thing she could do
was pray for Shane's safety.
What would happen to the children and me if he's harmed?
Her worried expression did not escape Shane's notice. His heart warmed at the thought of
her concern.
He walked toward her and gently pulled her into his arms. While stroking her hair, he
replied, “Don't worry. I'll be careful. Nothing will happen to me. I'll do my best to protect
myself for you and our kids. I'll never put myself in harm's way.”
His reassuring words relieved Natalie. She nodded and said, “Okay, I trust you. Don't
forget your promise. If anything happens to you, the kids and I will suffer as well. You have
to keep yourself safe for the sake of our family.”
“Sure.” Shane nodded earnestly.
Finally, Natalie was able to muster a genuine smile.
After that, the couple cuddled on the swing chair and watched their son playing in the
yard below, relishing their time as a family at home.
Natalie's thoughts drifted briefly to Joyce, who at that very moment was knocking on a
ward door with a thermal food jar in hand.
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