Chapter 704 The Ember Heir
“Kaleb, come to me.”
Shannon shot Kaleb a look and held out her hand to him.
Kaleb glanced nervously at Melanie, whose expression had shifted so suddenly, then scurried over and threw himself into Shannon’s arms.
For some reason, the moment he nestled into the embrace he hadn’t felt in so long, Kaleb frowned. Something about his mother smelled different.
She usually wore an elegant perfume that carried sweet hints of flowers and fruit, but this time there was something else mixed in, something bitter that made his throat tighten.
Kaleb quietly pulled his face back a little.
Shannon didn’t notice his movement. She simply held Kaleb against her, one hand supporting his back, and fixed Melanie with a defiant stare.
Melanie’s brow furrowed.
Her precious son Henry was no ordinary man, which meant his wife and children couldn’t be ordinary either. At first, Kylie had seemed like a suitable match in her eyes, but after Kylie was cast out of the Larsons, Melanie had grown increasingly dissatisfied with her. And Shannon? She had never even been worth considering.
But now, the woman she had dismissed completely had given Henry a son.
Melanie bit her lip, wrestling with herself for a moment, then forced a smile.
“Shannon, since you’ve given Henry a son, I won’t make things difficult for you anymore. As long as you stay home quietly and focus on being a good wife and mother, I’ll treat you like my own daughter–in–law.”
Listening to her condescending tone, Shannon felt the old hatred coil inside her like a snake.
She had suffered countless humiliations at this woman’s hands. If she hadn’t been so young and so desperately in love with Henry back then, her pride would never have allowed her to endure it.
“If it’s such a burden, then don’t bother. Kaleb and I aren’t good enough for the Embers.”
Shannon turned her face away and spoke coldly.
Melanie’s expression froze for a moment.
Heidi stood off to the side, watching in stunned silence.
“Shannon, since you’ve been with Henry, you know how delicate the situation is right now. I’m willing to let the past go. But you’re pregnant and you have a son with you. You need to be more careful.”
Though still visibly displeased by Shannon’s response, Melanie composed herself and spoke in a warning tone.
“If you didn’t want to be part of the Embers, you wouldn’t have stayed tangled up with Henry all these years.” She lifted her chin. “Here’s what we’ll do. Keep a low profile for now and don’t cause any trouble. Once Henry’s finished with his business, I’ll have him bring you home.”
Shannon’s fingers curled slowly beneath her sleeve.
Once upon a time, she had been naive enough to dream that her relationship with Henry would be accepted by the Embers. Instead, she had been met with a stinging slap that shattered her sweet illusions.


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