Chapter 41

Austin’s grip on the steering wheel loosened. The heavy, oppressive air around them dissipated. Noticing that, he raised an eyebrow. Finally, the great demon had calmed down. What they say!

Austin slowly leaned back in his seat, then said in a calm tone, “We’re married. You don’t need to worry about what they say.” As he spoke, the tension in his brows evened slightly. She was his wife. Protecting her was the most basic thing he should do.

“Also, your father is stubborn. If this could have been solved easily, it wouldn’t have dragged on this long,” Austin added as he turned his gaze back to her.

Suzanne, however, shook her head in disagreement. “It’s different now.” He frowned at her words.

Suzanne gave a slight smile. “Before, I cared because I didn’t want to upset them. But now, with this new mindset, I won’t be as indecisive as I once was.” Her eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint in them. Not to keep suffering or enduring everything. With…

Justin didn’t speak, but a hint of sympathy flickered in his gaze. What had she been through all these years?

Suzanne continued to look straight ahead as she continued, “Only deeper despair can give me the strength to overcome everything completely.” The last few words carried a sense of finality in her voice. Her grip on her phone tightened. These were things she had to go through and handle. No car could help her. Otherwise, she would never escape this calamity.

Austin’s gaze fell on Suzanne. She had her head slightly tilted back as she stared ahead with a hint of emptiness. In the end, he let her have her way. His deep voice carried a touch of softness as he said, “I’ll always be here.” He meant that if she ever needed help, he would be the first to do so.

Suzanne’s heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously looked at him; there was an unreadable complexity in her eyes. If Austin continued to be this kind to her, would she fall for him? And once she did, what would she do?

The car suddenly moved forward again. Suzanne snapped back to reality and pressed her lips together. She was overthinking it. She should take things one step at a time. Besides, she and Austin had no future together. She would never be good enough for him.

Neither of them spoke. Suzanne’s thoughts drifted, but when she noticed the road ahead seemed unfamiliar, she glanced at Austin in confusion. “Where are we going?” This wasn’t the way home.

The car didn’t slow down; Austin’s gaze remained fixed on the road ahead as he said in a calm tone, “You’ll find out in a bit.” Suzanne’s eyes were full of confusion, but she didn’t ask further.

Half an hour later, the car came to a smooth stop. Suzanne looked out the window and was surprised to see a very popular chain barbecue restaurant. Austin turned his gaze toward her and said in his clear voice, “We’re here. Let’s have dinner.”

Suzanne looked at him in surprise. She had spoken to Rita for over an hour earlier, and Rita mentioned Austin’s preferences. He didn’t like eating places like this, but… Before she could say anything, Austin was already getting out of the car. “Let’s just have something quick.”

Suzanne blinked. She didn’t believe that for a second. This was a bustling street. If they hadn’t meant to come here, they certainly wouldn’t have taken such a congested route. Had he brought her here because she was in a bad mood?

A strange thought passed through her mind, but she still got out of the car and followed him. Austin, with his long legs, had already walked quite a bit ahead of her. Suzanne quickened her pace to catch up. Just then, he slowed down, clearly waiting.