Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 548

**Keepsake 548**
**Chapter 548: Medical Emergency**

The night enveloped the world in a thick cloak of darkness. The only illumination came from the moon, which peeked shyly from behind a curtain of clouds, casting a silvery glow that barely penetrated the shadows. In Jolie’s hand, the keys sparkled momentarily, and the faint glimmer in her eyes mirrored a flicker of hope in the all-consuming blackness.

As she approached the apartment, a familiar tension filled the air.

“So, you finally decided to grace us with your presence?” Shannon’s voice dripped with icy disdain as she shot Henry a piercing look.

They occupied the same couch, yet an invisible chasm stretched between them—one on the left, the other on the right, like two strangers reluctantly sharing a confined space. The silence was thick, filled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.

Henry attempted to lighten the mood with a forced smile, though it felt more like a mask than a genuine expression. “Come on, don’t be upset. Just bear with me a little longer. Once this hectic phase passes, I promise I’ll be with you—really with you—all the time.”

He reached out, wanting to draw her close, to bridge the gap that had grown between them. But Shannon recoiled, pushing his hand away with a swift motion. “You always say that! It’s always something—work, deals, excuses! When will it end?”

Her glare pierced through him, a fiery arrow aimed directly at his heart.

Henry’s hand hovered awkwardly in the air before he finally withdrew it, the warmth of her presence slipping away. The smile that had graced his lips faltered, but he quickly masked his discomfort, trying to smooth over the tension. “Shannon, please, don’t do this right now. You know how swamped I am. The Larsons are in town, and you understand how crucial this is for our future. Don’t make this any more difficult for me.”

As he spoke, Shannon felt a tightness constricting her chest. A sharp pang of ache surged within her, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Perhaps it was the pregnancy hormones playing tricks on her emotions, amplifying her sensitivity, but she couldn’t help the way she felt. Every word he uttered was a reminder of their past conversations, yet it only deepened her sense of entrapment, suffocation, and simmering rage.

“You just want to stay there, don’t you?” she retorted, her voice laced with fury. Vivid images from earlier that day flooded her mind—texts, photos, clues that she could no longer ignore. Her vision blurred as the bitterness of anger intertwined with the sting of heartbreak.

She clenched her jaw tightly, transforming every ounce of sorrow into a fierce, burning anger.

Henry was already on edge, his mood soured by a day filled with financial strain and disappointment. He had come to Shannon’s place seeking solace, but instead, he was met with suspicion, accusations, and a tempest of yelling. His expression darkened.

“Enough!” he barked, rubbing his temples in an attempt to stave off the growing frustration that threatened to spill over.

Shannon froze at his outburst. The chill in his eyes sent a wave of fear crashing over her.

“I’ve been with you since we were kids!” she cried, her voice trembling with raw emotion. “You promised to marry me. You said it a hundred times! But then you betrayed me and married Kylie! I stood by your side as your lover, supporting your dreams. Is this how you repay my loyalty?”

Her eyes widened, filled with disbelief and anguish, as if she were confronting a stranger rather than the man she had loved for so long.

To Henry, her voice morphed into a cacophony—sharp, relentless, and utterly draining. The gentle Shannon he had once cherished now felt like a frenzied stranger, lost to him.

Why couldn’t she see? Everything he did—the deals he struck, the sacrifices he made—was for her and their unborn child.

But the apartment that once felt like a sanctuary now closed in on him, suffocating and stifling. He could no longer bear the weight of their shared space.

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