Chapter <b>56 </b>


    Shannon’s words only fueled the woman’s anger. Her emotions exploded<b>, </b>spiralingpletely out <b>of </b>control. “You bitch, Shannon! My son should’ve beaten you to death!”


    “If he had, he’d already be rotting in jail.”


    The woman screamed at the top of her lungs. “This is outrageous! Somebodye take a look at this! How could my son have ended up with such a heartless woman? She cheated on him, got him arrested, and now she’s keeping him from seeing his own child. How is this even fair?”


    Her voice was so loud it quickly drew a crowd of curious onlookers.


    Shannon, however, showed no fear. She stared her down with icy calm. “Go ahead, shout louder. Make an even bigger scene. Rip off thest shred of your son’s reputation. Let’s see if he can still keep his job once this blows up.”


    The woman went silent immediately.


    A flicker of sarcasm crossed Shannon’s face. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you screaming now?”


    The woman red at her with pure hatred. Her voice shook with rage as she spat out, “Shannon, a woman like you, who disrespects her mother–inw and has her own husband arrested, will get what she deserves one day.”


    Shannon’s response was calm and cutting. “The biggest punishment I’ve ever received was marrying into your family and bing your son’s wife.”


    The woman’s face turned a deep, angry red. “My son marrying someone like you was the worst thing to ever happen to our family. You just wait. I won’t let this go.


    She violently pulled her arm out of Hunter’s grip and stormed off, practically running like someone was chasing her.


    Shannon let out a coldugh as she watched her retreat. The moment her son’s interests were threatened, the woman folded like a chicken with its neck snapped. She wentpletely silent.


    “Ms. Wilson, you should really have that cut looked at,” Liz said softly.


    Shannon turned to her and shook her head. “I’m alright, Ms. Smith. I want to go to the station and pick up my daughter first.”


    The police had called earlier to let her know she coulde and collect her child.


    “It won’t take long to treat the wound,” Liz said gently.


    Shannon gave her a faint smile. “You don’t have kids, Ms. Smith, so you probably wouldn’t understand how urgent this feels.”


    Just thinking about her daughter’s devastated face when Peter dragged her away made Shannon’s heart ache as if


    it were being torn in two.


    “Alright. I’ll drive you there.”


    “Thank you.


    The crowd began to lose interest and slowly dispersed.


    As Liz turned toward the parking lot, Hunter called out to her.


    <b>+15 </b><b>BONUS </b>


    “Liz, let me drive Ms. Wilson. You should really get that scratch on your face looked at. She <b>got </b>you pretty <b>badly </b>earlier.”


    Only then did Liz remember the stinging pain on her cheek. With everything going on, she had barely noticed. But now the scratches were starting to burn.


    Shannon nced over and finally saw the angry red marks across Liz’s pale skin. A wave of guilt rose in her chest. “Ms. Smith, I’m so sorry. I never meant to drag you into this.‘


    “This isn’t your fault, Ms. Wilson,” Liz said gently. “But I do rmend you stay with a friend or at a hotel for the time being. Somewhere safe, away from Peter and his family. It’ll help protect both you and your daughter.”


    Shannon nodded. “You’re right. I understand.“.


    Liz handed her car keys to Hunter. “Go ahead and take her. You do know how to drive, right?”


    “I do,” he replied. “I’ll drop her off and thene back to pick you up.”


    “That works.”


    She turned to Shannon. “He’s my assistant. He’ll take you to the station.”


    “Thank you,” Shannon said softly.