Chapter 7
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A voice rang out. “Seriously, Adrian’s been so good to Clarissa. If they’d come later, her wound would’ve already healed. After finding out she’s pregnant, Adrian almost never leaves her side.”
The nurses chatting by the IV stand froze when they realized Evelyn was awake and staring straight at them.
Startled, they exchanged a guilty glance, then quickly gathered their things and rushed out of the room.
Evelyn lay motionless, as though a hole had been torn through her chest. The pain pulsed out of her, wave after wave, sharp and unending.
She thought bitterly, ‘So this is the difference between being loved and not? When they love you, even a scratch gets treated like it matters. But when they don’t, even if you fall to pieces, they won’t spare you a glance.
Suddenly, the door creaked open. Soft footsteps clicked against the floor, and the sharp scent of Chanel’s latest perfume drifted in.
Clarissa’s voice came, dripping with sarcasm. “Evelyn, you are such a loser. While you were laid up here, your husband was all over me, and your son practically begged me to be his mom. That’s got to sting, huh?”
The usual sweet Clarissa she played in front of others was gone. Here, she looked smug and victorious, standing over Evelyn like a queen surveying her defeated enemy,
Evelyn retorted in a sharp tone, “You just drop your act now? Why don’t you enjoy your moment quietly? You know, as long as Adrian hasn’t signed the papers, you’ll never be more than a mistress.”
Evelyn was not the pushover who’d let her husband’s mistress act high and mighty in front of her.
Clarissa just smiled, tracing her fingertips lightly over her flat belly. “Ady said the divorce will be done soon. He wants to give me and our baby a real home.”
She’d been dying to say it, dying for Evelyn to hear it.
She’d been waiting for this moment, waiting to watch Evelyn crumble.
But Evelyn just replied in a calm tone, “Congrats, then. Hope to receive your wedding invitation as soon as possible. I bet Adrian’s planning you a wedding even grander than ours was, right?”
She sighed, “Our wedding took two years to plan. However…”
She glanced at Clarissa’s belly and added, “Thing is, no matter how thin you are, once you hit four or five months, that bump is gonna show. You might wanna get married quickly. But that rushed ceremony won’t
come close to ours.
Evelyn’s words hit like a blade, and Clarissa’s smile faltered slightly.
Back then, it was Evelyn and Adrian who planned the whole wedding together. They really nailed the details.
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19:20 Wed, Sep 3
Chapter 7
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Adrian was the real planner behind it all–he took in Evelyn’s thoughts, tweaked things again and again, and just the planning alone took nearly half a year. Then came another two years or so just getting everything ready.
From the venue setup to the flowers and drinks, Adrian handled all of it himself.
But even that picture–perfect wedding everyone used to envy couldn’t hold up against time. In the end, he still let his heart wander.
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Clarissa said in a light tone, “Why live for what others think? I don’t need a flashy wedding. As long as Adrian’s heart is with me, that’s enough.”
Evelyn scoffed in her mind, ‘Yeah right. Every side chick says something like that, but deep down, they’re all aiming for the main wife’s spot. You said it like you didn’t care, but every word screamed otherwise.’
“Clarissa, I don’t have time for your love story. Get out. I need to rest,” Evelyn said flatly while closing her eyes.
Right then, Clarissa heard the sound of steps skipping down the hallway, and a calculating smile slowly spread across her face.
“Oh, your lips look dry. Let me help you drink some water,” she cooed, lifting the cup and stepping up to Evelyn’s bedside.
Evelyn’s brows twitched with irritation. She opened her eyes and saw the cup hovering just inches from her face.
If Clarissa let go now, the water would splash all over her, and the heavy cup would slam straight into her cheek.
“Could you not be so annoying? I don’t need your help,” Evelyn snapped.
She raised her arm and pushed Clarissa’s hand away. Clarissa let out a soft gasp and tumbled to the floor.
As she fell, she caught herself on the edge of the bed and eased down carefully. The baby in her belly was her ticket to marrying Adrian, so she wasn’t about to risk it.
The cup hit the floor and shattered with a sharp crack.
Clarissa let out a scream, clutching her belly in exaggerated pain.
“Claire, what happened?” Noah burst through the door. The second he saw Clarissa on the floor and the broken cup, his eyes shot daggers at Evelyn.
He snapped, his tone accusing, “How could you push her? She’s pregnant. What kind of horrible witch are you?”
His little fists balled tight, his body tense, like he was ready to fight.
Evelyn slowly reached for the call button and said, “Someone, please come and remove the lunatics in my ward. They’re disturbing my rest.”
19:20 Wed, Sep 3
Chapter 7
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She closed her eyes again after speaking. Right then, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. Adrian stormed in, his face dark as thunder.
“Evelyn, since when did you become so cruel?” His tone was full of disbelief, like Evelyn was suddenly a stranger to him.
“Probably around the time I found out you were sneaking around with her,” Evelyn replied without even opening her eyes.
She wasn’t shouting. Her voice was sharp enough on its own. Adrian and Noah had already broken her heart in more ways than one.
She gave up her career for this family. Once Noah started kindergarten, she finally had time to rebuild her own life–and that was exactly when her world collapsed.
Everything she gave, her husband and son just ignored. Thus, she was too tired to waste any time on them.
“Did you really have to be so cruel with your words?” Adrian frowned, his tone annoyed.
Before Evelyn could reply, Clarissa stood up with a perfect sigh of regret. “Adrian, don’t shout at Evelyn. I only came because I was worried she had no one around. I shouldn’t have come.”
After those words, she turned to leave.
Noah rushed to grab her hand and said sincerely, “Wait, Claire. I’ll make her say sorry to you.”
Evelyn lay still, her silence heavier than words. Hearing Noah’s words felt like countless needles piercing her heart. The pain was beyond words.
Her chest tightened, and her eyes burned with tears she refused to let fall.
Even though she had already been deeply hurt by Adrian and Noah, the pain from the one she held dearest pierced straight through her, effortlessly breaking down all her pretense.
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Clarissa said gently, kneeling beside Noah, “Sweetheart, I know you love me. I love you too. But Evelyn’s sick. She’s still your mom. Right now, she needs you and your dad by her side.”
Her soft, soothing voice was like running water–sweet and generous to anyone listening. The kind of voice that would make strangers think she was selfless.
But Evelyn? Evelyn wanted to throw up.
Noah was still a little kid. He didn’t know how to tell people’s intentions. Evelyn wouldn’t blame Noah.
10 20 Wed Sep 3
Chapter 8
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
