The Caldwell villa was unusually quiet, save for the sharp commands Sophia was barking at the servants. "Get rid of that rug," she snapped, pointing to the intricately woven piece in the corner of the living room. "Evelyn always loved sitting there with her books. And that vase—she picked it out. Toss it. Everything that reminds anyone of her goes. Do you understand?" The servants hesitated for a moment, exchanging nervous glances. Evelyn had been kind to them, always asking after their families and treating them like people rather than mere staff. But Sophia's sharp glare left no room for argument, and they reluctantly obeyed. Sophia watched with satisfaction as each item was hauled away, her lips curling into a slight smirk. This was her moment. Finally, Evelyn's presence would be erased from the house—and from Hunter's life. The sound of the front door opening made her pause. Hunter walked in, loosening his tie, his expression weary. But as his gaze swept the room, his tire
The morning sun streamed through the thin curtains of Evelyn's apartment. She sat curled up on the couch, staring blankly at her phone. Her mind was a storm of emotions—confusion, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Vinni burst in without knocking, carrying two steaming cups of coffee. “You look like hell,” she announced bluntly, setting the cups on the table. Evelyn groaned. “Thanks for the uplifting observation.”“Don’t start,” Vinni shot back, sitting across from her. “We need to talk. I’ve been thinking about Hunter.”Evelyn stiffened at the mention of his name. “Don’t. I don’t want to deal with him anymore. Let’s just... let it go.”Vinni’s eyes narrowed. “Let it go? Are you serious, Evelyn? He messed up your life. You can’t just let him walk away like that.”“What do you want me to do, Vinni?” Evelyn snapped, exasperation creeping into her voice. “Follow him around and demand an apology? Or better yet, challenge him to a duel?”Vinni leaned forward, her expr
Hunter sat in his sleek, glass-walled office, the skyline of the city stretching out before him. The sound of his pen scratching against paper filled the room as he signed one document after another. His brow was furrowed, his focus razor-sharp—until his phone buzzed on the desk. He glanced at the screen and groaned. It was his best friend, Jake. “Great,” Hunter muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose before reluctantly answering. “What do you want?”Jake’s voice boomed on the other end, loud and unapologetic. “Well, well, if it isn’t the man of the hour! Mr. Divorced and Loving It! How’s it feel to be single again, buddy?”Hunter scowled, leaning back in his chair. “Jake, I’m busy. Do you ever stop talking nonsense?”“Busy? Come on, don’t tell me you’re already signing another prenup! Give it a week, at least,” Jake teased, laughing at his own joke. “Jake, I’m hanging up,” Hunter warned, his voice clipped. “Wait, wait! I’m just saying—think of the possibilities! No nagging, no
Evelyn rushed into the City Hall, her heels clicking against the polished floor as she adjusted her coat. She was running late—again. The late-night drinks with Vinni and Edwin had been worth it, though. For the first time in a long while, she had felt genuinely happy, and the hangover was a small price to pay. When she entered the room, Hunter was already there, sitting stiffly with a scowl on his face. He rose to his feet the moment he saw her, his annoyance evident. “You’re late,” he snapped, crossing his arms. “Do you have any idea how unprofessional this looks?” Evelyn sighed, brushing past him to take her seat. “It’s not like you’ve got a board meeting to attend here.” Her dismissive tone only fueled his anger. “You think this is a joke?” She didn’t bother looking at him, instead flipping through the documents in front of her. “No, I think you’re overreacting. Can we get this over with? You seem desperate to be rid of me.” Hunter’s jaw tightened as he leaned closer
Edwin pulled up outside a lively bar that was already buzzing with energy. The neon lights outside blinked in vibrant reds and blues, casting a playful glow on the street. Evelyn squinted at the sign, reading it aloud. “The Velvet Note? Seriously, Edwin? What is this place?” Edwin grinned as he hopped out of the car and jogged around to open her door. “A surprise. Trust me, you’ll love it. Now, come on.” As they stepped inside, Evelyn’s senses were overwhelmed by the pulse of upbeat music, the sound of laughter, and the smell of craft cocktails mingled with delicious bar food. Her gaze swept across the room and landed on a very familiar face waving wildly at her from a corner booth. “VINNI?!” Evelyn exclaimed, her mouth falling open. Vinni jumped up, rushing over and throwing her arms around Evelyn. “SURPRISE!” she squealed. “Welcome to your official Divorce Freedom Party!” Evelyn laughed, the joy bubbling up unexpectedly. “You two planned this?” “Of course we did!” Vinni
Evelyn’s mind reeled. Sophia had a boyfriend? An aggressive one at that? Which she's trying to dump to get Hunter. Does Hunter know? But that doesn't change the fact that he cheated on her. She shook her head in disbelief. Growing up, Evelyn had known Sophia was wild, always running after excitement and validation, but she had never imagined something like this. Sophia had a habit of jumping from one fling to the next, but that had always seemed like her personal choice. Evelyn had never judged her for it, even though she couldn’t relate. But this? This was something darker. Sophia’s scream echoed in her ears, and Evelyn clenched her fists, trying to push away the pang of guilt that clawed at her. She didn’t step in. She couldn’t.As she tried to steady herself, memories came flooding back, unbidden. Memories of their mother—Vivian—the woman Evelyn had always struggled to understand. Vivian had always favored Sophia, showering her with affection and attention while Evelyn was le
Inside the apartment, Evelyn exhaled heavily as the door clicked shut behind them. The tension from the confrontation outside still lingered in the air, thick and suffocating. She turned to Edwin, her expression calm but firm. “Thank you for stepping in, Edwin,” she said quietly, “but you don’t have to fight for me. Especially not with him.” Edwin frowned, crossing his arms. “Evelyn, I wasn’t about to just stand there and let him treat you like that. He had no right—” “I mean it, Edwin,” she interrupted, her voice sterner this time. “I can handle Hunter on my own.” He held her gaze for a long moment, his brow furrowing as though he was about to argue.Then, with a soft sigh, he looked away. “Fine. But don’t expect me to just stand by if he pulls something like that again.” Evelyn shook her head, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I’m serious, Edwin. I don’t want anyone else getting involved. This is my mess to deal with.” Before the tension could stretch any further, Vinn
Hunter stormed into his house, slamming the door behind him with a force that made the walls tremble. His tie felt suffocating, a noose around his neck, and with a sharp tug, he tore it off and threw it onto the desk. His chest heaved as he paced the room, his anger consuming him like a wildfire. 'How dare she?' The thought repeated in his mind, fueling his fury. Evelyn’s cold indifference, the smug smirk of that bastard Edwin, and her outright dismissal of him—it was all too much. Hunter ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the roots in frustration. 'She’s acting like I never meant anything to her,' he fumed. 'As if I was just a passing phase in her life, someone she could forget the moment she signed those damn divorce papers.' The image of her laughing with Edwin flashed in his mind, and his jaw clenched. 'And now she has a new lover?' His fists tightened, the veins on his arms bulging. He couldn’t stand the thought of her moving on so quickly, of her giving someone else t
The grand ballroom of the city’s most prestigious hotel pulsed with a vibrant energy, a symphony of clinking champagne flutes, hushed conversations punctuated by bursts of elegant laughter, and the smooth melodies of a live jazz band. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm, shimmering glow across the impeccably dressed guests, a glittering tableau of the city’s elite gathered for the annual charity gala.Evelyn moved through the throng with an effortless grace, a radiant figure who seemed to exist on a different plane of existence than the mere mortals surrounding her. The strapless emerald gown, a masterpiece of understated design, clung to her curves like liquid moonlight, accentuating her every movement. Her dark hair, a cascade of soft, luxurious waves, framed a face of exquisite beauty, her makeup a subtle enhancement that suggested she was the most captivating presence in the room without any conscious effort. Every gaze seemed magnetically drawn to her, a silent acknowledgment of her
Her eyes were glacial, icy pools reflecting none of the warmth they had once held for him, a stark contrast to the fiery passion that had once burned so brightly between them.“You really need to stop doing this, Hunter,” she said sharply, her voice clipped and devoid of any emotion.“Doing what, Evelyn?” His gaze searched hers, a desperate plea for understanding in his eyes.“Invading my personal space, walking into my life whenever you please, disrupting my workday, acting as if you still have the right to ask for things from me,” she said, her voice rising slightly with each word, the carefully suppressed anger threatening to erupt.Hunter’s jaw tensed, the muscles along his temples flexing. “I didn’t come here to start another fight, Evelyn. I came to apologize. Again.”“And I’ve already told you, repeatedly, that I don’t want your hollow apologies,” she snapped, taking a step closer, her eyes blazing with a contained fury. “You don’t get to treat me like garbage for years, believ
Evelyn stood at the head of the expansive, polished oak conference table, her presence a quiet storm of authority. Sunlight streamed through the panoramic windows, illuminating the digital screen behind her, which displayed a complex tapestry of projected growth charts and meticulously planned timelines.Across the table sat her five most crucial clients – impeccably dressed, their expressions serious and focused, their time a valuable commodity they were not inclined to squander.“…Therefore, if we implement this multi-platform digital strategy proactively, before the close of Q3, you’re realistically looking at a minimum twelve percent increase in measurable brand visibility within that single quarter,” Evelyn stated, her tone smooth, confident, and underpinned by the unwavering conviction of data-driven certainty. “And that projection, I assure you, is being deliberately conservative.”Mr. Henderson, the lead client, a man whose skepticism was as legendary as his company’s success,
The next morning, a fragile semblance of routine settled over Vinni’s apartment, but the air remained thick with unspoken emotions. Evelyn sat at the familiar dining table, the chipped ceramic mug warm in her hands, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee doing little to dispel the lingering shadows beneath her eyes. Her composure was a carefully constructed edifice – the sharp lines of her tailored pants, the pristine simplicity of her white silk blouse, the severe elegance of her sleek bun – a visual declaration of control. Yet, beneath the polished surface, a profound weariness lingered, a dull ache that no amount of caffeine could alleviate.Vinni, ever attuned to the subtle shifts in Evelyn’s demeanor, watched her friend with a quiet concern, her own breakfast croissant momentarily forgotten. “You were up most of the night again, weren’t you, Ev?” she asked gently, her voice a soft murmur in the quiet morning.Evelyn offered a dismissive shrug, her gaze fixed on the swirling p
Her fingers hovered over the screen, frozen mid-motion, a strange paralysis gripping her. A simple, unassuming text message illuminated the dark screen:"Good night, Evelyn. Sleep well."Her heart twisted painfully, a sharp, unexpected pang of something she couldn’t quite name – a flicker of longing, perhaps, or maybe just a visceral reaction to the unexpected intimacy of his message.Why was he doing this? The silent question echoed in the quiet room. Why now, after everything he had put her through? Did he genuinely believe that a few softly spoken words, delivered via text message in the dead of night, could somehow erase the years of loneliness she had endured during their marriage, the profound betrayal that had shattered her trust, the agonizing sting of his indifference?She pressed her lips into a hard, thin line, a resolute act of self-preservation. She didn’t reply. She couldn’t find the words, the emotional energy completely depleted. Instead, with a deliberate movement, sh
Evelyn pushed open the door to Vinni’s apartment with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the day’s strained interactions, the subtle click of her heels against the worn wooden floors a familiar punctuation mark to her weary arrival. The comforting blend of Vinni’s signature vanilla and soft lavender scent usually offered a small measure of solace, a gentle hug after a long day, but tonight, even that familiar aroma couldn’t penetrate the heavy weight pressing against her chest, a dull ache that mirrored the hollowness within.She still hadn’t taken the plunge, hadn’t severed the last tangible tie to her old life by finding her own place. Part of her knew she should. Financially, she was more than capable now, StarLink’s recent surge of cautious optimism offering a fragile sense of stability. But the prospect of returning to an empty apartment, the suffocating silence of living alone with only her thoughts for company, felt unbearable. Here, amidst Vinni’s cheerful chaos, the
The lingering ghost of Evelyn’s perfume, a delicate whisper of lavender and something uniquely her own, still clung to the air around the vacated lunch table.Hunter, however, was no longer present, the imposing figure who commanded boardrooms and bent industries to his will now absent, leaving behind only the faint indentation on the plush velvet seating. He had watched her departure, a study in elegant defiance – head held high, her stride sharp and purposeful, each click of her heels against the polished floor a decisive punctuation mark on their severed connection. It was as if the years they had shared, the intricate tapestry of their intertwined lives, had been relegated to the realm of a forgotten nightmare, one from which she had finally awakened and was determined to erase from her memory entirely.A dull ache, a physical manifestation of the emotional turmoil churning within him, constricted Hunter’s chest.For once, Hunter Blackwood, the man renowned for his glacial compos
Few days later - The sterile finality of the signed contracts hung in the air, a tangible representation of Evelyn’s pragmatic decision to intertwine StarLink’s fate with that of her ex-husband’s formidable empire. The alliance, born of necessity and a sliver of grudging respect for Hunter’s business acumen, felt like a precarious truce, a delicate balance teetering on the precipice of their volatile shared history. The memory of his raw possessiveness in the hotel hallway, the unsettling glint of protectiveness in his eyes amidst the violent outburst, lingered in Evelyn’s thoughts, a confusing undercurrent beneath the carefully constructed surface of their professional interactions.It was with a sense of inevitability, a weary resignation mixed with a sliver of reluctant curiosity, that Evelyn received Hunter’s subsequent message. It arrived mid-morning, a curt digital summons that vibrated her phone with the familiar, unapologetic tone that had always characterized his communicat
Three days of her meticulously constructing a narrative of indifference, a fragile wall against the unwelcome pang of hurt and the surprising sting of jealousy that still dared to surface. She had almost begun to believe her own carefully crafted facade, clinging to the hope that his abrupt departure from her office would translate into a prolonged absence.That fragile hope shattered that afternoon with the arrival of a terse, demanding message on her private, unlisted number – the one only a handful of people, including Hunter, possessed.Hunter: Dinner. Hotel LaVelle. 8 PM. Don’t be late.Evelyn scoffed, her fingers tightening around her phone, her eyes blazing with a mixture of indignation and a reluctant flicker of intrigue. No polite preamble. No inquiry about her availability. Just a blunt command, thinly veiled as an invitation, delivered with the casual arrogance she had come to both despise and, inexplicably, expect. Her initial instinct was a resounding refusal. She had no