Evelyn woke with a gasp, her breath ragged and her eyes wide with tears. Blinking against the dim light, confusion etched on her face before her gaze fell on Zevian sitting right beside her.
Memories of her earlier breakdown and their current proximity made heat race to her cheeks. She abruptly sat up, but her attempt to distance herself only brought them even closer, almost face to face, locking eyes with each other.
"Feeling better?" Zevian asked, his hand instinctively reaching to hold and caress hers. She had fallen unconscious in his arms in the car, and though Mike had assured him she was fine, he had stayed beside her for more than three hours, restless and concerned.
Stunned by his gesture, Evelyn didn't know how to react. His warm gaze and the gentleness in his tone teleported her back to when they were dating, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions. She quickly averted her eyes and nodded, her cheeks blushing beet red.
A sigh escaped her lips as Zevian stood up and shifted to the chair before the bed. He filled a glass of water and handed it to her, his stoic expression hiding the similar emotions he was experiencing, unlike her obvious awkwardness.
"Thank you," Evelyn murmured, accepting the glass, and took a sip. The last time she had seen him was in the hospital, unconscious and covered in bandages following his wife Katherine's death in a tragic accident. He looked better now, but the memories still stung.
"Goodness! You're finally up!" A woman's voice broke the silence between them. They both looked up to see Avery Cartwell, Zevian's maternal cousin and also Evelyn's best friend since childhood.
Avery dropped Kiana from her arms and hurried to the bed. Crawling onto the mattress like a child, she reached Evelyn and hugged her tightly. Her embrace instantly filled Evelyn with the warmth she had been craving since last night's drama, and she smiled as Avery grumbled about how worried she had been throughout her nine-hour flight.
"I told you to stick to our plan," Evelyn scolded in a low voice, referring to the crucial business trip Avery had interrupted upon hearing the previous night's news.
"But how can I leave you here alone in this mess?!" Avery grumbled, breaking the hug. As if the scandal wasn't enough, her annoying cousin Zevian delivered another shocking blow that Evelyn was attacked, and she needed to rush to his house, leaving her in panic.
"Well, I do have good news for you," Avery said excitedly, ignoring the other person sitting adjacent to them. "Guess what? Mr. Igor wants to continue working with our company and signed us as his exclusive designers for all his upcoming projects."
Evelyn smiled nervously and pressed Avery's hands firmly, trying to stop her from saying too much or worse, revealing her secret identity. But Avery, being Avery, ignored her and continued with a cheeky smile, "And I think he seems to have fallen head over heels for you, Evy! He couldn't stop complaining about your absence."
Zevian's expression hardened at his cousin's words. His hand which was resting casually on his knee, clenched into a fist. Was this crackhead using Evelyn to extort deals off that Italian prince? But why did Evelyn look happy about it? He thought, his fists tightening though he knew he had no right to feel jealous. Not after abandoning Evelyn alone in front of the marriage bureau six years ago.
Even Kiana, who had walked up to her dad and was standing beside him, didn't like what her aunt said. Though she could barely understand grammar, all the fairy tales and dramas had taught her enough to understand what falling for someone meant. And she couldn't let her aunt ruin her plans of making Evelyn her mommy! Not when the kids in her new school kept bullying her because her real mommy was dead and her daddy didn't love her.
Avery, oblivious to the glares pointed at her, continued chatting, her voice a bright contrast to the thick tension around them. Unlike her, Evelyn could read the room clearly, especially Zevian's stare, and decided to zip her best friend's mouth.
"Where's Elias, by the way?" she asked, diverting the topic. Avery's joyous reaction quickly changed to one of dread, recalling how Elias had stormed out of the house just a couple of minutes earlier to confront his father.
"What's wrong?" Evelyn frowned, her gaze shifting from Avery to Zevian. As their eyes met, she felt something was definitely off.
"Avy, what's wrong? Is he alright?" Evelyn asked again, her voice filled with worry this time. The last thing she wanted was for Elias, her only family, to get hurt because of her.
Avery sighed, realizing all her babbling went in vain. She was just trying to keep Evelyn distracted for some time, unsure if she could handle another blow, but failed miserably. "Steel yourself, okay?" she said, taking out her phone.
Evelyn's heart raced anxiously as Avery opened a news article and passed it to her. Her eyes squinted in confusion before shock overtook them as she read the headline:
[The Wright and Blake family are strengthening their bond through marital ties. Mr. Wright's adopted daughter Evelyn Wright is all set to marry Nicholas Blake, the second largest shareholder of the Blake company this weekend.]
Evelyn's expression was a mix of everything: disappointment, anger, and pain. All she had asked for was a small chance to prove herself, yet her father didn't think she was worthy of it. He simply decided to stab her from the front, right through her heart while the rest of her enemies preferred to attack from the shadows.
Avery sensed her heartbreak and moved closer to pull her into yet another hug. She knew Evelyn's dynamics with her useless father well and quickly tried to console her. "Don't worry. I have the best solution for it."
Even Zevian was curious about how this troublemaker could actually help someone out of trouble. But what Avery said, though it made sense, didn't quite sit well with him, nor was Kiana happy about it.
"Let's call Mr. Igor and explain your situation. Your prince charming will surely save you," Avery joked, breaking the hug. "Maybe he might just ask for your hand in marriage."
"No!" Kiana was the first to refute, even before Evelyn could speak. Taking a step forward, the little girl huffed and continued, "My daddy saved her first! He should be her prince charming!"
Looking at Evelyn, Kiana continued, "You should marry my daddy!" Thinking that Evelyn wasn't impressed by her daddy, she added, "I know he is stoopid, but he is also rich. And... He has lots of cars too! "
Even Zevian was stunned by his daughter's outburst. He never taught her to be this brutally honest!
While on the other side of the city.
"We already got the fake results. Why do I need another check-up?" Annabelle grumbled as Sophia dragged her into the hospital, dropping her limping act now that they were out of suspicious eyes.
"Vincent insisted on taking you to another hospital for a speedy recovery. I asked him to come here, so just cooperate with the doctor," Sophia replied, shoving Annabelle into the orthopedic department. Annabelle's act had been a little too perfect that Vincent had actually started liking her. While this was exactly why Sophia had hired this con artist—to steal Vincent away from Evelyn—his concern for this cheap con artist was beginning to grate on her nerves.
"Hello, doctor," Annabelle greeted as they entered the office. The doctor looked surprised but sighed heavily. With a forced smile, he stood up and bowed to Sophia.
"Vincent Blake will be here soon. Keep your act together," Sophia warned as Annabelle lazily sat on the chair before his desk. The doctor nodded, and Sophia excused herself as her phone rang loudly.
"Hello, William," she pretended, stepping out of the room. Once outside, her tone changed to one of irritation. "Where are you?" she demanded, scanning the corridor. A man in a white coat and mask waved his phone at her. She quickly looked around before following him to another floor.
As they reached an empty lab with the corridor completely cleared, Sophia cautiously scanned the surroundings before entering the room. As soon as the man removed his mask, she slapped him hard.
"Are you out of your mind?" Sophia yelled, her usual kind demeanor breaking into the maniac she truly was. The stunned man glared back at her, holding his burning cheek, which was jagged with a huge scar.
"I've told you many times that killing her isn't the solution! No matter how much that useless man hates his daughter, he still has a soft spot for her, and we need to be careful!" Sophia continued, referring to William. Though she had ensured William loathed Evelyn for his wife's death over the years, she couldn't completely get rid of her. That was why she hired Annabelle and played this fake heiress act like in those dramas.
"Relax!" the scarred man replied through gritted teeth. "I was just trying to scare her since she seemed to have forgotten."
"But my son was with her!" she screamed, recalling how Elias had informed her of the attack when she called to confirm if the marriage news had reached Evelyn. "What if he was injured because of your careless tantrum?"
The man remained silent, guilty of his actions. Sophia let out an exasperated sigh. Why did she have such troublemaking partners? She glared at the man and thought about Annabelle. They never listened to her!
"You know how much he adores her, Rick! What if he had taken that bullet trying to save her? Could you have saved him?"
"For god's sake, stop shouting!" Rick finally snapped, his frustration boiling over. "He is my son too, Sophia! I would never think of harming him."
Sophia's eyes widened, and she tried to hush him, even though no one was around. "I told you never to speak that aloud!" she grumbled, her frustration peaking.
"Oh, come on! How long do I need to stay away from him?" Rick continued, ignoring Sophia's warning. "Do you know how much it irks me whenever that bastard William calls him his son in front of everyone?"
Annabelle, who had sneakily followed Sophia, gasped in shock. She had been suspicious when Sophia suddenly stormed into the room, claiming her lover boy wanted to see her just after ending the call with him. A chuckle escaped her lips, but she pressed them together, amused by this new plot twist.
"She's a smart bitch," Annabelle murmured, continuing to eavesdrop. Not only was Sophia trying to get rid of Evelyn, but she was also plotting to make Elias take over the Wright Company, who wasn't even William's child.
"Just a few more weeks, Rick," Sophia mumbled, moving closer. "Once Evelyn is married off to that moron, I'll have more control over William."
When Maverick didn't look satisfied, she moved even closer and caressed the jagged scar on his right cheek. "Just wait until our son's eighteenth birthday."
"Oh, shit!" Annabelle cursed under her breath when Sophia suddenly kissed the sturdy man. As they started to get on a wild ride, she took out her phone and started recording it with a smug smile.
———
"Why are you smiling?" Sophia inquired as they entered the Wright mansion. Annabelle's unusual smugness brought a frown to her face. But before she could ask further, their eyes landed on Elias causing havoc in the living room.
Elias sensed their entrance and, in frustration, destroyed yet another vase. "Where is your husband?" he glowered at his mother, making Sophia sigh instantly.
"Calm down first," she said, moving closer, only to be shrugged off by the giant teenager.
"I know you don't like her, but how can you stay quiet, Mom?" Elias continued, his voice a mix of rage and disappointment. "Don't tell me you were the one who suggested this whole mess." He continued, now skeptical as his mother acted quite motherly around Annabelle.
"No, Elias," Sophia lied, her expression shifting to one of hurt. "Do you think that low of me?" she added, tears naturally streaming down her cheeks.
Though Elias was slightly moved, he still didn't believe her completely. "Then why the heck didn't you stop him?!" he glowered, his eyes full of anger.
"I tried, but you know your dad, Eli," Sophia replied, almost making Annabelle chuckle. Yeah, she tried hard to convince William about this marriage last night. Moving closer, Sophia continued, "No daughter deserves such harsh punishment for small mistakes. And I promise to never let this marriage happen. Trust me, please!"
Elias let out a huff and dropped the vase in his hands. Sophia sighed and moved closer, helping him sit on the couch. She gently patted his back while gesturing for one of the maids to get her job done.
The maid rushed into the kitchen and quickly returned with a glass of juice. Annabelle, tired from recording, beamed with joy and took the glass from her tray. "Thank you!"
But before she could take a sip, Sophia snatched the glass with a horrified expression. She glared at Annabelle, who scowled at the disrespect, before returning to her son.
"Here, drink this. You must be hungry," Sophia said, handing the glass to Elias. Her warm smile and the mischief in her eyes amused Annabelle. She sat back on the couch and crossed her arms, wondering what new twist her noble mother had brought to this drama.
Don't tell me you spiked his drink! And just as Annabelle guessed, Elias's face twisted as he finished the drink. "What—" Before he could speak, he slowly succumbed to sleep due to the high-dose pills in it.
Annabelle gasped out loud, at a loss for words, as Sophia lovingly patted Elias's back while ordering the staff to prepare the car. As the bouncers rushed in to fulfill their mission, Sophia smirked in triumph. Now Evelyn was all alone, and no one could help her out of this trap.
Little did she know, someone she couldn't have imagined in her wildest dreams had already stepped in to help Evelyn. And what's more? Evelyn had agreed to it!
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