After pausing, Aurum softened his tone.

"I'm not here to argue with you, Shawn. You want to protect Gale, and so do I. If you can't, then let me. I've done a lot of things I shouldn't have, and I know I was wrong."

"But, Gale doesn't know the truth. Let's keep her in the dark. Otherwise, with your illness and my despicable actions, how could she bear all of it?"

Shawn lifted his chin. "Aurum, listen. The reason I haven't given the evidence to Gale yet isn't because of my illness. It's becaus