Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 479: Chapter 479

Shawn chose to come here instead of returning to the Ludwig residence—probably because there were people at home he disliked.
Zoe looked at the tombstone and said softly, "Hello, I'm Zoe."
He said, "I brought you here because the family back home has probably long forgotten my parents ever existed. All those hollow formalities are utterly meaningless."
Zoe teased, "And here I thought you were bringing me here for a date."
Shawn let out a sigh. "Be serious."
"Got it, are you really mad now?" Zoe smiled.
Then she turned to the tombstone and said, "You guys see what I mean? Your son is such a stick-in-the-mud. If it weren't for my good temper, I would've stormed off long ago. Who'd want a boyfriend as dull as a log these days?"
Shawn pulled Zoe into his arms with a teasing smile. "Are you hinting I'm not proactive enough?"
Zoe joked, "I'm hinting you should treat your future wife better, or you'll end up old and alone—that'd be truly pitiful."
She thought, 'But honestly, I'm starting to have second thoughts. Shawn's been treating me so well lately that I can't even bring myself to kill him anymore.
'If this keeps up, I'm bound to end up at his mercy sooner or later. Damn it, that's so not how Firefox operates.'
Shawn looked at the tombstone and said softly, "Mom, Dad, we came to visit you today. I also wanted to let you know that we're getting married soon. Maybe before long you'll have grandchildren. Who knows?" Shawn was already thinking that far ahead, even mentioning kids.
This made Zoe feel extremely uncomfortable—even though the words were meant for the deceased, she couldn't help but blush. With an awkward laugh, she said, "Hey, what's this about kids? Shouldn't we be taking things a bit slower?"
Shawn said with a teasing smile, "Don't forget about that night. Who knows, you might already be carrying our child."
Zoe paused, and then rolled her eyes. "Seriously? That's not even funny."
Shawn looked at Zoe intently. "I'm not joking. The White family is breathing down our necks. If we don't settle our marriage soon, they'll just find new ways to make your life hell. This is the most effective way to put an end to all this trouble."
Zoe shot Shawn a look. "And who told you that just your marriage could stop those people from having designs on you?"
She thought, 'It's almost funny—someone as sharp as Shawn actually has such an endearing side.' Still, his way of proposing, especially here of all places, really didn't sit well with her. Honestly, she wasn't ready to marry him—not yet.
Shawn looked at Zoe intently, his voice low. "You don't want to?"
"Marriage is a big deal. If I said yes without thinking it through, I'd be letting you down."
Zoe glanced at the tombstone and said coldly, "Sorry, but I have matters to attend to. I'll be leaving now." Without hesitation, she turned and walked away, not looking back, as if she felt no attachment at all.
Shawn immediately hurried after her. "Zoe, wait!"
Zoe stopped and turned to Shawn. "I won't say yes," she said firmly.
"I was too hasty. I should've considered your feelings more," Shawn said, his voice softening in a rare show of vulnerability—he needed Zoe to understand just how much she meant to him.
Zoe wasn't throwing a tantrum—she simply wouldn't make any promises until she figured out how to properly face Shawn. After all, she had her own principles to live by.
They got into the car in heavy silence, the air between them thick with awkwardness.
When Shawn drove into the downtown district, Zoe abruptly ordered him to pull over.
Shawn complied, but as he watched Zoe walk away without so much as a backward glance, a pang of melancholy washed over him. 'Was I really too pushy?' he wondered. 'Or is she getting cold feet now that it's come down to it?'