Evelyn's world shatters when she discovers her husband, Hunter, is having an affair with her own sister, Sophia. But that's not the only devastating truth - Hunter reveals he never loved Evelyn, and their marriage was only a promise to her father. Heartbroken and betrayed, Evelyn demands a divorce. But as she navigates the treacherous landscape of her own family's secrets and lies, she begins to realize that nothing is as it seems. Will Evelyn find the strength to rise from the ashes, or will the truth destroy her forever?
View MoreEvelyn's pov ;
I never imagined this would ever happen to me. Hunter and I have been together for three years, and not once did I doubt his love for me. But now, as I sat in the backseat of the car, I realised how wrong I was. "Where did Hunter say he was going?" I asked the driver, trying to sound casual. He hesitated before answering, "He said he was going to the old house, Madam Evelyn." My heart skipped a beat. The old family house? What business did he have there? A pit of dread grew in my stomach. My phone suddenly buzzed. I pulled it out to see several new messages from my sister. My hands shook as I opened them. Photos of Hunter and Sophia, my sister, kissing and hugging popped on my screen. Each picture felt like a stab to my heart. "No…no, this can't be," I whispered, feeling tears well up in my eyes. My phone buzzed again. Another message from her. I opened it with trembling hands, afraid of what I would see. It was another photo of Hunter and Sophia, wrapped in each other's arms, their faces buried in each other's necks. My breath caught in my throat, and a sob escaped my lips. "Oh god…” My whole world began to crumble around me as I watched the photos. How could they do this to me? "Take me to the old house!" I requested. The driver nodded and stepped on the gas pedal. I leaned back in the seat, staring out the window. when the car came to a stop outside the old house. I got out, my legs shaking as I made my way towards the front door. I pushed open the door and stepped inside, my eyes scanning the room. But all I found was Sophia alone. "Where's Hunter ?" I asked directly without wasting any time. Sophia turned to me and smirked. "So, you finally found your way to my house, huh?" I frowned as a huge wave of anger swept through me. "Your house? Since when did it become your house?!" My eyes roamed around the house where Hunter brought me after our marriage, the house I have decorated with my own hands, every wall, every painting. However, just after a year of our marriage, he decided to move out because he couldn't get rid of his nightmares here. Nightmares of his father, who was an alcoholic and used to beat him and his mother. He never told me about it but I always felt his pain. After that, we moved into the house he owned in the city. It appeared that, after that, he completely forgot about this house, he would never talk about it. Many businessmen wanted to buy this property but he was never interested in selling it. I can still remember the first time he brought me here. The house was a mess back then, but I could still feel the love he had for this place. He promised to restore it and make it beautiful, and he did. And we would have still been living here if not for his nightmares. So, what is she doing here? "I'm asking again, where's Hunter ?" I gritted my teeth while glaring at her. "Hunter is mine now, sis." She replied with a smirk in her tone. I scoffed but she continued. "Don't you get it? He never loved you. You were just a passing fancy for him. So, why are you being a burden to him? Just leave him, he never loved you and he will never. He has decided to come to me and give himself to me just like he gave this house to me." My head was spinning with the information. I clenched my fists as my chest felt uneasy hearing her words. He never loved me? I couldn't help but wonder in that moment, had Hunter ever really loved me? Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. I couldn't comprehend it. He had never treated me badly, never raised his voice, or laid a hand on me. But he had also never truly shown me love. No tender moments, no sweet nothings whispered in my ears. His affection had always felt distant and reserved. The more I thought about it, the more I realised how one-sided our relationship had been. I had given him my heart, my trust, my everything, and in return, he had given me…what? Politeness? Courtesy? It felt so empty now, so devoid of the warmth and passion I longed for. I know he has a rough past, but I always hoped that we could build a new future together, one full of love and happiness. But that dream felt shattered now, and I could never put the pieces back together again. "Didn't you see the photos I sent you? He loves me and not you." Sophia taunted, pulling me out of my thoughts. I couldn't speak, the words stuck in my throat. She smiled and walked towards the stairs. "Why don't you go home, Evelyn?" she suggested boredly. "You should be thankful that he didn't kick you out of that house to bring me. If you have an ounce of shame. Just get out of his life, divorce him, or kill yourself I don't know. Do whatever you have to, but just leave him." I couldn't bear it. I turned and ran, tears streaming down my face. How could they? How could my own sister and husband betray me like this? He doesn't want me to live in the old house but he's okay to live with her in that house? How long has he been living there with her? How laughable? I feel like a joke. I got into the car and slammed the door shut. I didn't have to say anything as the driver started the engine and drove away from the old house. I don't know when I reached home. My eyes were swollen with tears and my body was aching. I felt hollow inside. As soon as I entered the house, I saw Hunter standing in the hallway. He was talking to someone on the phone. Our eyes met but I hurriedly tried to walk past him, I shuddered in disgust looking at this cheater. However, my hand was grasped before I could reach my room. "Let go of me!" I gritted my teeth. "Are you okay? I've been calling you but you weren't picking up your phone." I was surprised when I heard his concerned voice. But what's the point? I don't need his fake concern or sympathy. I gasped when his hand reached my chin and pulled my face up to meet his worried eyes. "Are you crying?" "Don't touch me! I know what you did, you and Sophia. You both are disgusting. Go away," I yelled and freed my face by shoving him away furiously, he stumbled and gave me a bewildered look. "What? What are you talking about?" He inquired innocently. I wasn't in the mood to stand there and listen to his bullshit. I was so mad that I took the nearest vase and threw it at him. But he was quick and dodged it, the vase hit the floor and broke into pieces. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with you?!" he shouted, his face turning red with anger. "What's with this crazy behaviour?" But I didn't stop, I went for the second vase, however, he quickly pulled me back and pinned my hands against the wall. "Let go of me," I shrieked and struggled to free myself. "Tell me what's going on first," He demanded but I struggled hard. "I hate you." I cried. "I hate you! Let go of me. You betrayed and lied to me, you cheater,” I couldn't take it anymore, I broke down. I screamed and punched him. I wanted to hurt him. so badly. "Why did you do that? Why did you sleep with her?" I wept, my tears running down my cheeks. He seemed to be taken aback. His expression appeared as if he couldn't understand what I was saying. So, now he's planning to play dumb. Great! "I don't know what you're talking about. I never cheated on you.” "Liar!" I screamed and hit him in the chest. "Okay, okay. Stop," He tried to calm me down. The audacity of this man is truly incredible, trying to calm me down after he cheated on me. "I didn't cheat on you. And stop blaming Sophia. I know how much you hate her, but you should think twice before accusing me and her of such hideous things. We never did something like this.” "Oh, so now you are accusing me of lying. Then, what about the photos she sent of you two? I have proof, you bastard!" I screamed in his face but he didn't seem edgy. "Mind your language, Evelyn. What proof? What are you talking about?" “Let go of me and I'll show you-” “I don't need to see some photos to prove myself. I'm telling you I never cheated on you, so stop framing Sophia because it's disgusting.” I'm framing her. So, he had already made up his mind that I was the vicious one. He doesn't even care to understand the situation and clear my doubts. Or maybe, everything he's saying is just excuses because once he saw the proof he knew his affair would be exposed. "Don't you dare to defend her!" I shouted furiously. "She’s a snake! A manipulative, conniving—" "Stop it!" H's voice was sharp, cutting through my words. "You don't know what you're talking about." The sudden intensity in his voice stunned me into silence. He was defending her, actually defending her but doesn't care about my tears. The realisation twisted the knife deeper into my heart. "Do you love me?" I asked directly. There's no point arguing with him. But the silence right after my question felt heavy and suffocating. When he finally spoke, I froze. "No," he said quietly. "I don't love you. I don't need to love you. I just need to take care of you as I promised your father before he died." His words hit me like a physical blow. I staggered back, the world spinning around me. "S-So that's it? This whole time, you've been with me out of some sense of duty?" He looked away, unable to meet my gaze. "Your father asked me to look after you, to make sure you were happy and safe. That's what I've been trying to do." I felt the rest of my strength leave me, my legs threatening to give way. “So you…really don't love me. It means…she was right. You–” "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you." My vision blurred with tears making me realise that everything I had believed in was a lie. The man I loved, the man I thought loved me, had never truly been mine. He was just bound by a promise, a duty, and never by love. And now, I was truly alone. “Fine then. Let's get a divorce!” I announced, loud and clear.The chilling tendrils of the nightmare clung to Evelyn even after she jolted awake. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat in the oppressive silence of the predawn hours. Images of betrayal, of being lost and alone in a vast, empty space, flashed behind her eyelids. The air in her room felt thick, suffocating. She needed to breathe, to escape the lingering terror of the dream. Carefully, so as not to wake Grandma or disturb the quiet house, Evelyn slipped out of bed. The wooden floorboards were cool beneath her bare feet as she padded softly towards the living room. The large sliding glass door leading to the veranda beckoned, promising fresh air and the cool embrace of the night. She pushed the door open, stepping out into the cool, pre-dawn air. A gentle breeze rustled through the garden, carrying the faint scent of jasmine. Evelyn wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly, not just from the cold, but from the lingering fear. She hugged herself tighter,
The air in Grandma’s house, once thick with unspoken tension, was now imbued with a fragile, burgeoning warmth. Evelyn, despite her lingering fears, found herself gradually letting go, her rigid defenses softening with each passing day. Hunter’s quiet, consistent efforts were no longer just about seeking forgiveness; they were about a profound, unwavering commitment to making her feel truly seen, deeply loved, and utterly safe. He was not merely rebuilding trust; he was trying to mend the very fabric of their shared life, piece by painstaking piece. One morning, Evelyn awoke to a soft, tinkling melody. It was faint, barely audible, but unmistakably familiar. She pushed herself up, her heart thumping, and looked towards her nightstand. There, bathed in the gentle morning light, sat her old music box. The delicate antique, which she had found broken years ago and stored away, was now gleaming, its tiny ballerina poised. As she watched, the ballerina slowly twirled, its delicate tune fi
The dim light of the bedside lamp cast a soft glow on Evelyn’s sleeping face. Hunter knelt beside the bed, his hand hovering inches from her cheek, his heart a raw, aching knot in his chest. He watched her, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the peaceful curve of her lips. The temptation to bridge the distance, to finally give in to the overwhelming surge of longing that consumed him, became an unbearable weight. He had resisted for so long, had promised himself he would earn her trust, earn the right to touch her again, but in her vulnerability, in the quiet intimacy of the room, his resolve fractured. His gaze dropped to her lips, soft and slightly parted. He leaned in, slowly, irresistibly, drawn by a force he could no longer control. His breath ghosted over her skin, light and warm. He closed the last inch, his lips gently, tenderly, brushing against hers. It was a feather-light touch, a hesitant whisper of a kiss, a desperate plea for connection. For a fleeting second, a p
The morning sun, usually a gentle balm, felt like a harsh, unwelcome glare through Evelyn’s curtains. She stirred, a wave of nausea washing over her, churning her stomach with unsettling ferocity. Her head throbbed, a dull, insistent drumbeat behind her eyes, and her limbs felt strangely heavy, leaden. She pushed herself up, a groan escaping her lips as the room spun momentarily. Just a little lightheaded, she tried to convince herself, a bad night's sleep. But she knew it was more. She managed to make her way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face, trying to quell the rising queasiness. Her reflection looked pale, her eyes shadowed. When she finally descended the stairs for breakfast, moving slower than usual, Hunter was already in the dining room with Grandma, a cup of steaming tea in his hand. He looked up as she entered, his gaze immediately sharpening, an almost imperceptible flicker of concern in his eyes. "Good morning, Evie," he said, his voice quiet, his usual m
The days at Grandma’s house continued their gentle unfurling, each passing moment weaving a delicate tapestry of quiet care and subtle shifts. Evelyn’s emotional fortress, though still formidable, was no longer impenetrable. Hunter’s consistent, unwavering presence, devoid of demands or expectations, was slowly, meticulously, eroding her defenses. He was now doing things he had never done before in their past, smaller, more intimate gestures that spoke a language Evelyn had always yearned for but rarely heard from him. Her mornings began with a silent ritual. Each day, a tray with her favorite herbal tea, steeped to perfection, would appear by her bedside. Beside the steaming mug, a hand-written note would lie, sometimes just a few words, sometimes a simple drawing. The first note had read: "Good morning, Evie. Hope you slept well. Tea is ginger and lemon today – for comfort." His handwriting, usually a hurried scrawl on business documents, was neat, almost painstaking. Evelyn stare
Days bled into weeks at Grandma’s house, each one a testament to the quiet, almost imperceptible shift in the atmosphere between Evelyn and Hunter. The initial sharp edges of her anger had softened into a dull ache, a pervasive sadness that lingered, but no longer consumed her. She still carried the weight of past hurts, the phantom pain of neglect, but Hunter’s unwavering presence and his meticulous, unobtrusive care had begun to chip away at her defenses. Evelyn no longer actively avoided him. The elaborate detours through the house, the hurried retreats to her room when she sensed his approach, had ceased. She accepted his presence, a silent acknowledgment of his role in her healing. When he offered a glass of water, she took it. When he silently adjusted the pillow behind her head while she read, she didn't flinch away. She might not offer a smile, or initiate conversation, but the outright rejection was gone, replaced by a quiet, watchful acceptance. Hunter, for his part, ma
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments