Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 262: Chapter 262

When Zoe admitted that he was her "husband", Shawn couldn't suppress the faint smile twitching at his lips. He kept his eyes shut, still feigning sleep.
"You've got a good man. Only someone truly good would risk everything for his wife. I'll go get you both something to eat. Take care of him for now." With that, Lara headed off.
As Lara left, Zoe shot Shawn a sidelong glare. "How long are you gonna keep this up?" She'd known he was awake all along.
At her words, Shawn finally dropped the pretense. His eyes—deep as midnight—fluttered open, that smug grin still playing on his face.
Zoe saw right through him, but since he was injured, she let it slide.
She stepped closer and asked, "How are you feeling?"
Shawn replied, "I'm alright, but it looks like... I'm bedridden for a few days."
Even shifting slightly tugged at his wounds. Normally, he was strong enough to shrug off this injury, but Zoe's concern made him rethink—maybe getting hurt wasn't so bad.
Zoe nodded. "Then rest. The terrain's rough, so we're stuck here a while." With no way to leave, they settled in.
Lara and Gavin, the locals who'd taken them in, were good-hearted folks. When they learned Shawn was hurt, they even scrounged up nourishing food, insisting Zoe and Shawn stay as long as needed.
Time flew by and evening had arrived. Zoe and Shawn finally met the couple's son. The boy was naughty. He hovered outside their door, peeking inside with a mischievous grin.
Zoe was spooning soup into Shawn's mouth when she spotted him. She blinked in surprise.
But before Zoe could say anything, Shawn spoke up first. "Hey, kid, come in."
Realizing he'd been caught, he marched in, fearless. "Mom said we have guests—is that you two? You both look so cool. Not like locals."
Zoe and Shawn exchanged a glance, both instantly feeling a fondness for this cheeky boy.
The boy continued, "My mom also said you two came in a helicopter. Did you fly it here? How amazing!"
Zoe raised an eyebrow. "You like helicopters, huh?"
"Yeah! I'll be a pilot someday." he said, clenching his little fists as he shared his dream.
Seeing the bright smile on his face, Zoe froze, memories flooding back—the orphanage kids who were long gone. That had been her most peaceful time. But now, everything was different.
"What's your name?" Zoe stepped forward and ruffled his hair roughly.
"I'm Nolan Hale," he answered seriously.
Shawn watched Zoe's patience with the boy, his gaze unreadable.
Zoe asked, "Can we call you Nolan?"
Nolan replied, "Sure. Everyone here does. We're all close."
Zoe blinked, surprised by the village's tight-knit vibe.
Nolan, a chatterbox, buzzed around the room, spilling village secrets. With him around, Zoe and Shawn were never bored.
This little fishing village was pretty isolated. The people here had lived freely for generations. Usually, no one left unless there was a special reason. Their lives revolved around fishing; bosses bought their catch, so they fished without worry.
As night fell, Lara called out, "Nolan, stop pestering Zoe and Shawn—it's bedtime!" She came over to send her son off to sleep.
Nolan looked at Zoe and said, "You promised to make me a plane, remember? I'll come get it tomorrow, so don't forget."
Lara swatted his head lightly. "You little rascal, You can't just demand things from guests."
Nolan stuck his tongue out at Zoe, then dashed off in a flash.
Lara turned to Zoe, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, he's a handful. Hope you don't mind."
"It's fine. He's lively," Zoe replied.
"Alright, I'll let you two get some rest," Lara said, and then stepped out.
After Lara left, Shawn smirked. "If you like kids so much, maybe we should have our own someday."
Shawn who was usually serious dropped a line that flirty. It made Zoe's ears turned red all the way down to her neck.
But she still shot back, "Who says I want to have kids with you?"
"It's only a matter of time," Shawn replied, raising an eyebrow, his handsome face full of confidence.
Right after he finished, Zoe whipped the damp towel at his face like a missile. He didn't flinch, just grinned as it hit him.
Zoe shot him a look. "Keep dreaming." Honestly, with the way they bickered, they already acted like an old married couple.
Since Shawn was injured, Zoe gave up the bed for him and found a chair to spend the night on instead. Seeing this, Shawn said, "We're both soldiers. Just share the bed. Don't be shy."
But Zoe just shot him a look, then closed her eyes and ignored him completely.
Shawn couldn't believed that he would be so thoroughly snubbed by a woman one day given his status. If word of this got out, no one in Clusia would ever believe it.
Zoe dozed lightly in the chair. Maybe it was because everyone here was just an ordinary villager and the atmosphere was so simple and honest, she actually let her guard down and truly fell asleep.
Shawn lay on the bed, unable to sleep. Zoe was curled in a chair so nearby, having given him the only bed, so he couldn't rest easy.
Once her breathing steadied into sleep's rhythm, he clenched his teeth against the fire in his back and eased her into the bed, movements feather-light. She didn't stir—rare peace for someone always on guard.
Shawn settled beside her, studying her face in the moonlight. Zoe had surprised him so many times. Even after learning her true identity, he'd only found out about everything she'd been through much later.
She had endured so much alone, which most would've broken down long ago. But things would be different now. However rocky the road, he'd walk it beside her.
Early the next morning, as soon as Zoe woke up and opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a handsome face bathed in sunlight.