His Obsession Began After Losing Her-Chapter 22: Reunion and Revelation

"Rin?" Noran called softly to Shuri, concern lacing his voice.

Why was she crying?

Was she in pain?

Was she suffering?

Noran felt a surge of questions welling up within him, but he hesitated to voice them.

He sensed that Shuri was under immense pressure, and he feared that pressing her for answers might cause her to withdraw further.

The thought of her hanging up or avoiding him altogether filled him with apprehension.

He tried his best to remain patient, listening to Shuri's sobs amidst the chaos of Karlene's persistent attempts to snatch the phone from his grasp.

With a swift movement, Noran blocked Karlene's attempts with one hand while holding onto the phone tightly with the other.

Karlene grew increasingly frustrated as Noran effortlessly defended himself.

She couldn't believe it.

Despite being a second-dan black belt in Taekwondo, Noran easily deflected her attacks.

She knew Noran did some light training during his free time, but she had no idea he could easily outmatch her in martial arts.

She couldn't help but acknowledge that Noran was truly a genius in whatever he pursued.

Since Karlene couldn't defeat Noran, she thought about throwing something at him in frustration but decided against it to avoid damaging Shuri's house.

Reluctantly, she surrendered and sat down with a huff, her dissatisfaction evident as she glared at Noran, her expression fraught with irritation.

Meanwhile, Noran remained on the phone, his attention fully focused on Shuri's tearful voice.

After what felt like an eternity, Shuri finally spoke, "Ran... I-I miss you...Hic... I want to see you..."

Noran's heart skipped a beat at her words, feeling a mixture of relief and anticipation that Shuri was longing for him.

"Where are you, Rin? I'm coming over now. Wait for me," he replied hastily, rushing to grab his already-packed luggage, eager to be by her side as soon as possible.

"I'll meet you at the airport," Shuri replied, feeling much better when she thought she'd be seeing her husband soon.

It had been a while since Shuri last saw Noran.

During his absence, she discovered she had a terminal illness and had to deal with the complications caused by Sophia.

It was a lot to bear, but she managed to pull it through with quiet resolve.

Then, with Madam Faye offering a ray of hope, and upon realizing how much she had missed Noran after hearing his voice, Shuri couldn't hold back the flood of emotions she had been suppressing for so long.

It felt good to release all the built-up emotions and cry in relief.

However, Noran didn't know any of this as he ignored Karlene yelling at him and left the house with his luggage.

He believed Shuri was in pain and needed him by his side right now.

"No, just stay where you are, and I'll come to see you. Are you at the hospital now?"

"No, Ran. I'm fine. I actually found someone here who can cure me," Shuri replied with a smile, feeling relief she could share with him the good news.

"So, you don't have to worry. Thanks to that person, I'm feeling much better now."

"Really? You found a cure?"

Noran was in disbelief, hoping what Shuri had just told him was the truth.

His heart raced with hope, tempered by lingering uncertainty.

"Yes, I should get better in a week after receiving treatment here. Let's live a long life together, Ran," Shuri assured him in a gentle voice.

"Thank goodness," Noran murmured as he felt a wave of relief wash over him like a comforting breeze.

After learning Shuri had a terminal illness, he feared she had left him to face death alone.

However, it appeared she had gone abroad to seek treatment and would eventually recover.

As the tension melted away from his body, a smile finally spread across his face. "Yes, let's live a long life together, Rin."

Feeling delighted that they shared the same sentiment, Shuri became excited about the prospect of their future together.

Then, she happily suggested, "After I've recovered, let's go to the Guardian Forest, Ran."

Visiting the Guardian Forest was the other reason Shuri wanted to remain in Fushin.

"The Guardian Forest?"

"My mother once went to the Guardian Forest and received blessings from the fairies. I want to meet those fairies too," Shuri said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Ran, if we're fortunate enough to receive a divine blessing, shall we have a child together?"

Noran was more surprised when Shuri suddenly brought up the idea of them having a child together than when she talked about the Guardian Forest.

He struggled to respond for a while, and sensing his hesitation, Shuri asked softly, "You don't want to?"

"Rin, I'm concerned about your health. I've heard that childbirth can be very taxing on the body..." Noran replied honestly.

He'd love to have a child with Shuri, but not at the expense of her health.

He wanted her to live a carefree life, free from any physical and emotional pain; he didn't want her to suffer in any way.

"I'll get better! Then, we will go to the Guardian Forest and meet fairies! With their blessing, I'm sure everything will go smoothly, so don't worry!" Shuri insisted innocently with confidence.

Noran chuckled softly, thinking that his wife was quite adorable for believing in fairies.

Though he didn't quite grasp her sudden fascination with these mystical creatures, as long as it was something she wanted, he'd accompany her to find them, whether they were real or not.

Throughout his journey to the New Valley airport, Noran listened with delight as Shuri recounted the legends of the Guardian Forest.

While he cared little for the tales, he cherished every moment spent listening to her speak, only hanging up reluctantly when he needed to book the flight at the airport counter.

After ending the call with Noran, Shuri didn't forget to contact Karlene to reassure her.

Afraid that her sister would do something reckless and leave the country when she had a lawsuit to handle at the moment, she managed to persuade Karlene to stay home and help take care of Snowball.

For the first time in a long while, Shuri managed to sleep well without any worries as she anticipated meeting Noran the next day.

...

At the Carter's Investment Group Office

Sophia was browsing through various documents when her assistant knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Her assistant entered the office and handed her a few more files that needed her verification.

"Did they get back to you?" Sophia asked without looking up as she took out her phone to check the latest messages.

"They said they are working on it," the assistant replied.

Sophia clicked her tongue as she read a message from her intel informing her that Noran had gone abroad to look for Shuri.

Initially, she felt a sense of satisfaction knowing Shuri had left the country, believing Shuri couldn't handle the pressure.

However, after learning that Noran had abandoned his work to search for Shuri, Sophia felt frustrated.

She had tasked Noran's parents with getting rid of Shuri, not specifying how they were to accomplish it as long as they could make Shuri disappear.

This wasn't the first time Sophia had paid others to get rid of someone she didn't like.

She knew all too well that people would do anything for money, especially those, like Noran's parents, who were once wealthy and now faced with the risk of losing their status and fortune.

Throughout the years, she was meticulous in safeguarding her reputation, ensuring no connection to the crimes she commissioned.

As a result, even if the individuals she hired were caught, she never faced any criminal charges or consequences.

Sophia was confident that, as in the past, she would be able to get rid of Shuri without getting her own hands dirty.

"Tell them to hurry up. I'm losing patience," Sophia stated.

"If they can't get it done by the end of this week, they can forget about me investing in Skylight and helping them relieve their debts."

"Yes, I'll let them know immediately," the assistant replied and quickly left the office to handle the task given.

Sophia reclined in her leather chair and smirked, eager to hear the news she had been longing for in the upcoming days.

...

The next evening, Shuri left the hotel feeling excited.

Noran informed her that his flight would arrive at midnight.

Due to the late hour, he didn't want her to pick him up from the airport.

However, since Shuri was so eager to see him, she insisted on going to meet him upon his arrival.

After taking the express train to the airport, Shuri realized she was an hour early.

"I've arrived early. I'll stop by the convenience store first to grab some snacks for our way back."

Shuri texted Noran before heading to the 24-hour convenience store next to the airport.

The streetlamps stretched long shadows over the empty road, their faint light doing little to push back the encroaching darkness.

Although it was rather quite during this late hour, Shuri didn't mind traveling alone at night in Fushin because it was known to be a safe country.

However, as she walked on, a sense of unease crept over her.

She noticed a subtle change in the air and couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

With each passing moment, her senses sharpened, and she became increasingly alert, replacing her earlier calmness.

"Am I being followed?"

Shuri turned around cautiously to scan the deserted street, her heart pounding in her chest.

At first, the darkness appeared to hide all signs of movement, but then Shuri spotted a shadowy figure lurking in the distance.

She sensed danger.

However, before she could react, someone suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her path.

Startled, Shuri froze, her heart racing as she confronted the unfamiliar figure standing before her.

Before she could respond, a sharp blow to her head knocked her out cold, and the world faded into darkness as she slumped to the ground.