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Adrian stared at his son, curled up in pain in his arms. That was the moment it hit him–the Evelyn he knew was really gone.
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‘She doesn’t even care about Noah anymore. When she said divorce, she wasn’t bluffing. She indeed meant it, he thought bitterly.
And just like that, something inside him went hollow.
“Daddy, I really don’t feel good. Did she really not care about me anymore?” Noah’s voice was small and shaky after hearing what Evelyn said.
He snorted inwardly, ‘Claire was right. Mom found someone richer, and she doesn’t want me and Dad. Good thing Claire’s still here.’
“Shh, it’s okay. Daddy’s taking you to the hospital,” Adrian whispered, trying to stay calm as he scooped Noah into his arms and walked out the door.
Clarissa quickly followed them, her eyes glinting with barely hidden pride.
She mused, ‘Evelyn, you pushed them in my arms yourself. I thought you’d be tough to deal with, but I barely lifted a finger and you already folded. What a boring competition.‘
*****
Evelyn wasn’t actually that heartless as she appeared. She sounded cold, but deep down, she was still worried about Noah. She grabbed her keys and drove straight to the hospital.
She knew exactly where to go. Anytime Noah had an allergic reaction, it was always the same hospital. They kept detailed records of everything.
After asking the nurse for Noah’s room, Evelyn walked briskly down the hallway.
The door was ajar. She paused outside and looked in. Inside, the scene was painfully familiar, like watching a picture that didn’t belong to her anymore.
Clarissa was sitting beside Noah, gently stroking his hair with the kind of tender concern that made her look like his real mother.
She said softly, “Ady, I probably shouldn’t say this, but Evelyn really went too far. Noah is her son. How could she ignore his health like that?”
As she spoke, the tears started falling.
“I almost hurt him because of my carelessness. I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, her voice trembling.
Evelyn thought from the doorway, ‘Wow, look at that. Passing the blame right onto me, then crying just enough to stroke Adrian’s ego and fish for sympathy. She’s got this routine down.’
19:21 Wed, Sep 3
Chapter 19
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Adrian reached over and pulled Clarissa into a comforting hug. “It’s not your fault. She’s Noah’s mother. It’s on her for not taking care of Noah properly.”
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If Evelyn hadn’t heard it with her own ears, she wouldn’t have believed it. She did nothing at all and somehow still ended up getting blamed.
When things were good, Clarissa was Noah’s second mom. But now that something went wrong, it was Evelyn’s mess to clean up.
Evelyn wanted to barge in and ask them if they had even a shred of decency left, but she swallowed her anger
back.
Clarissa said sweetly, “Ady, I think I’ll skip the party tomorrow. I’ll stay here and look after Noah. When he wakes up and doesn’t see Evelyn, he will be sad.
“I want to be here to comfort him. I don’t want this to leave a scar on his heart.”
Adrian said firmly, “No, Evelyn chose to walk away. I’m not gonna be nice anymore. You’re coming with me tomorrow. I want everyone to know I love you. Evelyn will definitely be there. I wanna see how she handles all those eyes on her.”
Adrian hated anything out of his control. His voice left no room for argument.
Clarissa hesitated. “Won’t that be too cruel? You are not divorced yet. Just don’t humiliate her like that in public. Ady, please don’t do this.
“If you get tired of me one day, will you do the same to me? The thought of that alone makes me want to cry.”
Her brows drew together, and her tear–streaked eyes shimmered with mist.
“That day will never come. I promise,” Adrian reassured her.
Evelyn let out a bitter laugh from the hallway. She thought, ‘So that’s why he likes her. The one that got away, soft and sweet, showing up at the perfect time. Who could resist?‘
But what annoyed Evelyn wasn’t Clarissa’s fake kindness. It was how Clarissa constantly painted herself as the gentle one, only by using Evelyn as the cold, heartless foil.
AD
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.
