5.Chapter 5 Is It A Threat?
Evelyn forced herself to reach for the phone on the nightstand. Her fingers trembled as she found Adrian’s number and removed it from the block list. Then, she hit the dial button.
However, no one answered. She tried again, and the call finally connected.
“What’s up?” Adrian’s voice came through, flat and cold.
Evelyn gritted her teeth against the pain and spoke up with effort, “Are you free right now? Can you come to the hospital? I’m waiting for surgery. They need a family member to sign.”
There was a pause on the other end, followed by a low, mocking laugh. “Seriously, Evelyn? You’re pretending to be sick just to guilt-trip me? I told you already, no more hard-to-get tricks.”
Evelyn’s voice cracked slightly. “I’m not pretending. They won’t proceed unless a direct relative signs the form.”
She felt as if her whole body was being ripped apart by the immense pain.
Adrian didn’t hesitate but replied, “I don’t have time, unless you apologize to Claire now.”
Evelyn shut her eyes tight, every breath stabbing at her ribs.
Then Adrian’s voice came again, colder than before. “This is your last chance. Whether you ruin it or not is on you.”
And with that, he hung up the call.
Evelyn stared up at the ceiling, feeling the pain in her chest cracking open like glass under pressure. The aching in her stomach almost felt easier than the hollow tearing in her heart.
From outside the open door, two nurses passed by. One of them said, “Did you see the family in that ward? Picture perfect, huh? That man is probably the best-looking man I’ve ever seen, and the kid’s just as cute. I heard the woman’s pregnant.”
The other nurse replied, “You know what, that man looks familiar, actually. Think I saw him in a finance magazine once. He’s called Adrian, maybe?”
Evelyn felt her entire body freeze upon hearing that. She wondered in shock, ‘Clarissa’s here too? She’s pregnant? With Adrian’s child?’
Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, sharp enough to draw blood. She clenched her jaw and started to move out of bed. Even though the pain hit her like waves, she forced herself to walk toward the door.
She made it to the doorway of the next room, and what she saw stripped away the last of whatever hope she had left.
Noah was sitting beside the bed while looking at Clarissa with curiosity. “Claire, is there really a baby in your tummy now? Am I gonna have a little brother or sister?”
And Adrian, who said he didn’t have time to visit Evelyn just minutes ago, was standing there next to the bed, gently adjusting Clarissa’s blanket.
He said in a sweet tone, “I’ve already arranged for the best prenatal care and a full nutrition team. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
Nothing could be more disappointing and heartwrenching than what Evelyn saw right now. She felt like her heart had been pierced clean through.
She thought bitterly, ‘So Clarissa is pregnant. But if that’s true, why doesn’t Adrian let go of me? Is it just pride? Does he think he’s the only one allowed to ask for a divorce?’
Her breathing grew ragged. It felt as if every cell in her body was screaming in pain.
She had made up her mind about the divorce, but her deep love for him over the past six years couldn’t just vanish overnight.
The blade that came from her two beloved sliced her open from the inside out.
Just then, Adrian noticed Evelyn. His face turned dark in an instant as he strode toward her, snapping, “Evelyn, how low are you planning to stoop? Are you seriously stalking me now?”
Evelyn steadied herself with one hand on the wall. Her voice was calm, but her smile was full of pain. “I asked you to sign the consent form for me. You told me you didn’t have time.
“Turns out you are just dreaming about another baby with another woman.”
Adrian’s lips pressed into a thin line, something unreadable flickering through his eyes.
Evelyn stood there in her blue-and-white hospital gown. Her face paled like she might shatter with just a breath.
‘Wait, is she really sick?’ The thought flickered in Adrian’s mind, but he stamped it out just as quickly. ‘Impossible. She’s manipulative. Drama is her specialty.’
“I gave you a chance. You’re the one who threw it away,” Adrian sneered, his eyes sharp, his voice thick with mockery.
He snorted, “Really didn’t expect you to go this far. You even borrowed a hospital gown for your acting. What’s next? Teaming up with the doctors to deceive me?”
Evelyn stared at the man she once loved, now barely recognizable. For a split second, she wanted to slap him, but her body was far too weak for that now. She could barely stand upright.
Evelyn stared at him, her voice came out strained but steady. “Clarissa is pregnant. So why are you still dragging out this divorce?”
In her opinion, if they had finalized the divorce as she asked, she would’t have to call him. Without the legal tie, she wouldn’t have needed his signature to get treated.
Adrian’s tone turned even colder. “You don’t get to talk about divorce with me. Did you forget who saved your family from going bankrupt?”
Evelyn clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe through the searing pain in her gut. “I married you. I gave birth to Noah. I took care of your lives, your home. I’ve already paid you back in full.
“I’m willing to end this peacefully. You better not push me. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to tell the world about your affair. And then no one wins.”
Adrian’s company was at a crucial moment. One whiff of a cheating scandal, and everything he’d built would start to crack.
A flash of rage lit up Adrian’s face, and he snapped, “Good for you, Evelyn. Is that a threat?”
Evelyn didn’t blink but blurted out, “You brought us to this point.”
Hearing the voices from the hallway, Noah ran out of the room.
“Leave now. I don’t want Claire getting upset because of you,” he shouted, giving Evelyn a shove.
Evelyn was already struggling to stay on her feet. The push made her stumble hard.
“Evelyn,” a worried voice broke out.
Just as Evelyn braced for impact, certain she’d crash onto the cold floor, a pair of strong arms caught her. She came to a stop against a firm chest, the chill of pine-scented cologne curling around her like mist.
Her back arched in pain, and she felt herself slipping fast. But before she could collapse fully, a solid arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling flat.
Nathan’s voice was low and biting. “Yeah, you should divorce him. But first, you’ve gotta survive long enough to show up in court.”
There was a sharp edge in his stare—displeasure aimed either at Evelyn for not taking better care of herself, or at the father and son who stood watching her fall apart without lifting a finger.
“Sorry for the mess,” Evelyn whispered, biting down on the scream burning in her throat. Her whole body was trembling from the pain.
Clarissa stepped out of the ward. She reached over to cover Noah’s eyes like she was shielding him from something obscene.
She said with a tsk, “Evelyn, even if you’ve got someone else now, you should still watch how you behave in front of your son.”
She just publicly pinned Evelyn and Nathan together, implying that they had an affair.
Noah stood frozen. He didn’t really understand what Clarissa meant, but he knew one thing for sure—only his dad was allowed to hold his mom like that.
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.
