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 day's emotional turmoil had taken its toll on Evelyn. After their heart-wrenching conversation in the attic, she had retreated to the living room, seeking the soft comfort of the couch. The gentle rustle of the evening breeze and the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock were a soothing lullaby. She had curled up, a book resting unread on her chest, and without realizing it, she had drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep. Hunter found her there, a quiet, vulnerable figure in the soft lamplight. Her hair was a messy cascade of dark waves against the cream-colored cushions, and her face, in the peaceful repose of sleep, was a study in soft vulnerability. All the defenses, the walls she had so painstakingly built, were gone. He felt a profound, aching tenderness swell in his chest. He moved quietly, a silent shadow in the room. From a nearby chair, he retrieved a thick, woolen blanket, one that Grandma always kept there. With meticulous care, he knelt beside the couch and gently
The morning was one of those rare, perfect days in early autumn, where the air was crisp and cool, and the sun cast a golden glow over everything it touched. Evelyn, feeling stronger than she had in weeks, decided to take a longer walk in the garden. She felt a profound sense of peace, the result of her slow but steady physical and emotional recovery. Hunter was nowhere in sight, and the solitude was a welcome companion. She walked slowly, savoring the feeling of the soft grass beneath her slippers. The scent of damp earth and late-blooming roses filled the air. She passed the small indoor garden Hunter had made for her, a small smile touching her lips as she admired the vibrant green of the ferns. Her heart, so recently a clenched fist of resentment, was now a more open, vulnerable thing, accepting his care and the burgeoning hope it offered. As she rounded the corner of the house, a sudden, familiar wave of dizziness swept over her. It was a remnant of her recent illness, an unwel
The quiet sanctuary of Grandma’s house, with its scent of freshly baked bread and the gentle rustle of leaves, was now a façade. Beneath its peaceful exterior, a silent war raged, with Hunter at the center, a ghost moving between two worlds. The one where he was a patient, attentive caretaker for Evelyn, and the other, a ruthless strategist meticulously dismantling a man's empire. Nico, true to his word, had become Hunter’s eyes and ears in the city’s underbelly. The inside information began to pour in, a steady stream of data that was as valuable as it was dangerous. Nico’s texts and encrypted emails were a dark mosaic of James’s life: a hidden ledger detailing money laundering through a chain of seemingly legitimate restaurants, an address for a safe house in the hills, a list of associates with their own secrets, and the location of illegal shipments disguised as international exports. Hunter spent his nights in the study, the only light coming from his laptop screen. He was sett
The quiet stillness of Grandma’s house, once a sanctuary, now felt like the calm before a storm. Evelyn’s gradual thawing, her tentative acceptance of his presence, was both a source of immense relief and a constant, gnawing fear for Hunter. He knew that their fragile progress, her safety, her very freedom, hinged on one man: James. The legal battle, while a necessary first step, was a slow-moving beast. Hunter had to move faster, more discreetly, in the shadows where James truly operated. He spent his nights in his study, a ghost in the silent house, hunched over his laptop. The legal proceedings were moving forward, but Hunter's real work was happening on a parallel track. He was meticulously investigating James’s movements, his shell corporations, the seedy underbelly of his business empire. He knew a man like James wouldn’t simply surrender to legal pressure. He would retaliate, and his targets would be Hunter and, more importantly, Evelyn. Hunter knew he couldn’t fight this bat
The quiet hours after sunset were Evelyn’s. Once Grandma had retired to her room and Hunter was safely occupied in his study, Evelyn would retrieve a small, leather-bound journal from beneath the loose floorboard in her closet. It was a secret sanctuary, a space where she could unspool the tangled threads of her thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or vulnerability. The air still held the day's warmth, a soft counterpoint to the turmoil in her heart. She would write by the soft glow of a single lamp, her pen scratching softly across the page. Her entries were a raw, honest chronicle of the days at Grandma’s house, of Hunter’s quiet presence, and the bewildering softening of her own heart. Dear diary, He fixed the music box. He planted the indoor garden. He even tried to cook curry, and the entire kitchen filled with smoke. I saw him, of course. He was so mortified. And I… I actually smiled. A real one. I can’t believe it. I'm writing this down so I don't forget. So I rem
The afternoon sun, which had been a warm and constant presence, suddenly gave way to a bruised, grey sky. Evelyn was in the far end of the garden, lost in the quiet contemplation of a new sapling she had planted. She was so absorbed in the simple, grounding task that she didn’t notice the first heavy drops of rain. By the time the sky opened up, releasing a sudden torrent, she was too far from the porch to make it without getting soaked. A frantic dash proved futile; within seconds, the front of her clothes was plastered to her skin, her hair was slick with rain, and cold rivulets ran down her face and neck. She finally reached the shelter of the porch, breathless and shivering, a frustrated laugh escaping her lips as she stood there, dripping. She looked up. Hunter was standing in the doorway, a soft, woolen towel clutched in his hands. His expression was a familiar blend of concern and a quiet, almost heartbreaking, intensity. He didn't speak, just held her gaze for a long, heavy
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