Evelyn’s pov ;
I thought about it for a moment. Have I made the right decision? Grandma was the only person who had ever shown me love in that house. Leaving her felt like abandoning the one person who truly cared about me. But as we pulled up to the restaurant, any uncertainty I had evaporated in an instant. As we stepped out of the car and approached the entrance, I saw Hunter and Sophia getting out of a car across the street. Sophia's hands were tightly clutched around Hunter 's arm, and he seemed perfectly okay with it. I felt like pulling my hair. How could he be so bold, parading his affair around for everyone to see? Does he think that because I had always been tolerant, I would just accept this too? "Are you okay?" Vinni asked me. Before I could answer, Sophia's voice rang out. "Evelyn, what a surprise to see you here!" Hunter 's face turned pale as he saw me. He sheepishly tried to yank his arm out of Sophia's grip, but it was too late. I laughed bitterly, the sound was harsh and empty. "Don't bother, Hunter ," I taunted sharply. "No need to hide it now." He shook his head. “No, it's not what you-” Sophia quickly put on a mask of innocence. "Evelyn, you misunderstood. It's not what it looks like." The sight of her false remorse made me angry that before I could stop myself, my hand shot out, slapping her across the face. "Don't you dare pretend to be innocent! You knew exactly what you were doing, breaking up my marriage." She clutched her cheek and soon her fake sobs followed. Hunter immediately pulled her to his side while glaring at me. "That's enough, Evelyn! You're being too much now. Sophia isn't the one breaking our marriage, you are. You're the one who decided to run away and leave everything behind. You're the one who gave up." His words hit me like a sledgehammer, each one driving deeper into my heart. "How dare you?" I choked out in pain and rage. "You never loved me. You were never there for me. And now you defend her, the one who helped destroy everything we had?" “You're going too far. Grow up." I couldn't bear to listen to any more of his twisted justifications. The pain of seeing him protect the woman who had come between us was too much. Without another word, I turned around and walked away while the tears of agony rolled down my face. "Evelyn, wait!" Hunter called after me, but I didn't stop. I kept walking, each step taking me further away from the life that had caused me so much pain. Vinni caught up to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "You did the right thing, Evelyn. Don't let them get to you. C’mon, wipe your tears and cheer up.” Walking away from him, I realised that I had indeed made the right decision. His actions and words confirmed that he never truly cared about me. It was time to let go of him. But then, I did something I shouldn't have. When Hunter and I got married, it was the biggest wedding of the year. His grandmother urged him to make it a grand wedding. I was closer to her than to anyone else. So, despite Sophia being the one closer to Hunter , Grandma had forced him to marry me. In my anger and desire to strike back, I told Vinni to make headlines about our divorce. Vinni praised my decision and did exactly that. But it turned out to be the biggest mistake I had ever made. I received a call late that night. Grandma had been rushed to the hospital after reading the news of our divorce. I quickly rushed to the hospital in fear. When I arrived, Hunter was already there. Grandma was inside the operation room, and Sophia was rubbing his arm in comfort. I approached them cautiously, my heart pounding in my chest. "How is Grandma?" I asked in a trembling voice. Hunter 's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a rage I had never seen before. He slowly stood up and walked toward me. I gasped when he gripped my arms tightly. "If anything happens to Grandma, I will never forgive you, Evelyn. I will make your life hell. You just wait and watch.” His words pierced through me, and I realised the enormity of my mistake. Even if I hate Hunter and want to hurt him, how could I do that to Grandma? She had been my rock, my only family after my parents' death. “I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I only wanted—" He cut me off in a cold and unforgiving voice. "Save it. You wanted the divorce so badly, right? Sure, you'll get it. I will divorce you." He let go of my arms and stepped back. Sitting back next to Sophia who whispered something in his ear and stroked his back. She looked in my direction with an evil look and I figured out that I had played right into her hands. Finally, the doctor came out after a few hours. Hunter and I both stood up. "She's stable for now.” I sighed both in relief and guilt. I wanted to see her but Hunter didn't let me. So, the next day, I planned to meet her when he wasn't there. I was getting ready to visit Grandma at the hospital when my phone rang. It was Vinni. "Evelyn, we have a crisis at Galaxy Gemstone," she let out worriedly and desperately. My heart sank. "What happened?" "There’s been a hostile takeover. 55% of our shares have been purchased.” "What?!" I exclaimed, trying to wrap my head around the news. Galaxy Gemstone was my father’s pride and joy, a company he had built from the ground up. We specialise in high-end jewellery, using ethically sourced gemstones to create unique, luxurious pieces. The company has always been financially stable. This sudden acquisition of such a significant portion of our shares is shocking. "How is this possible?" I asked, panic rising in my chest. "Who bought the shares?" Vinni hesitated for a moment. "Hunter . He’s the one who did it." "Hunter ?" I repeated in utter shock. He did this? "How could he do this?" "I don’t know all the details yet, but he must have used his connections and resources to buy out our shareholders. Evelyn, I’m so sorry. I had no idea this would happen," Vinni's voice was filled with sympathy. So, this is how he wanted to play this because this is clearly more than just a business move, it is personal. That bastard. I quickly sent him a text. “Meet me at this address in an hour.” I can't just let him destroy my father’s company so easily.The click of the door latch echoed in the silence of the wisteria room, a small, definitive sound that ripped through Hunter. He stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed wooden panel, the stark finality of her words ringing in his ears. The air felt heavy, suffocating, laden with unspoken pain and insurmountable barriers. Slowly, his shoulders slumped. He backed away from the door, each step heavy, dragging. The carefully constructed facade of calm he had maintained for days, the relentless pursuit of truth, the desperate hope that had fueled him, all crumbled into dust. He didn’t go to his own room, or to the comfort of his grandmother's presence. Instead, he simply sank to the floor, right where he had spent so many nights, just outside her door. He didn't curl up. He didn't pace. He didn't make a sound. He simply sat, his long frame folded, his elbows resting on his knees, his head falling heavily into his hands. His fingers tangled in his hair, gripping it, as if tr
The silence that followed Hunter's raw confession hung heavy in the air, a palpable weight between them. Evelyn remained at the window, her back to him, the soft lamplight doing little to dispel the shadows clinging to her. Hunter’s words—"I can never cheat on you, Evelyn, because you are my only truth, my only desire"—were a potent balm to a wound she had believed festering, but they couldn't mend the deeper gashes left by neglect and absence. Finally, she moved, slowly, deliberately. She walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down, her shoulders still hunched, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her face remained unreadable, a carefully constructed mask of composure that gave away nothing of the turmoil raging within her. Hunter, still standing frozen by the desk, watched her, his heart a raw, exposed nerve. Every fiber of his being yearned to cross the space between them, to kneel, to beg, to simply touch her, but he held back, respecting the invisible, yet impenetrable, ba
The silence in the wisteria room was thick and suffocating, punctuated only by Evelyn’s ragged breathing and the soft, insistent drip of her tears onto the laptop keys. The weight of Sophia’s betrayal, coupled with the crushing realization of her own misguided anger, pressed down on her. Hunter’s quiet declaration—"I never did. Not once. I could never cheat. Not on you. Not on us"—echoed in the air, a devastating truth that brought no immediate comfort, only a fresh wave of agony. With trembling hands, Evelyn reached out and, with a swift, decisive movement, slammed the laptop shut. The sharp click resonated in the quiet room, a final, emphatic punctuation mark to the horrifying revelation. She pushed the laptop away, as if its presence burned her, then she turned away from Hunter, walking a few shaky steps towards the large window that overlooked the moonlit gardens. Her back was to him, her shoulders hunched, her hands clasped tightly together. Hunter remained rooted to the spot,
The grand estate was cloaked in the deep, velvet silence of late night. Hours had passed since Hunter had received the irrefutable proof from his lawyer, the digital files a damning testament to Sophia’s malice. He’d spent the time pacing, the weight of the truth heavy in his hands, contemplating the best way to present it to Evelyn. He wanted to be patient. But the urgency to clear his name, to alleviate Evelyn’s torment, was a burning ache in his chest. He couldn't wait until morning. The thought of Evelyn spending one more night believing the lies, suffering under the weight of a betrayal that wasn't real, was unbearable. He moved silently through the hushed corridors, the soft carpet muffling his footsteps, until he stood before the heavy wooden door of the wisteria room. His heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs, a mixture of trepidation and desperate hope. He raised his hand and knocked softly, just twice, a hesitant, almost imperceptible sound in the stillness. A
The quiet rhythm of the estate continued, punctuated by the soft sounds of daily life, yet for Evelyn, the underlying current of Hunter’s presence was a constant, unsettling hum. She’d wake each morning, a faint dread coiling in her stomach, knowing what she would find. And each morning, he was there. She stepped out of the wisteria room, the gentle morning light spilling into the hallway, and there he was – slumped in the same antique chair, a thick blanket pulled up to his chin, his head lolled to one side. He looked utterly exhausted, faint shadows etched beneath his eyes, his hair a rumpled mess. The sight, a stark testament to his stubborn vigilance, ignited a complex cocktail of emotions within her: annoyance, a flicker of guilt, and, despite herself, a grudging, almost imperceptible warmth. He stirred, a soft groan escaping him, and slowly, his eyes fluttered open. They focused on her, and a tired, genuine smile, disarmingly soft, touched his lips. "Morning, Evie," he murmure
The days at his grandmother’s estate settled into a quiet, almost domestic rhythm, a stark contrast to the chaotic storm that had brought Evelyn there. Hunter maintained his silent vigil, a constant, unobtrusive presence in her periphery. He didn't hover, didn't demand attention, didn't even try to engage her in conversation unless absolutely necessary. His care was a quiet, steady current, flowing beneath the surface of her resistance. Each morning, before the sun had fully climbed above the ancient trees, Hunter would bring a tray of freshly brewed herbal tea and a light breakfast to the small table outside the wisteria room. He’d tap softly, just once, and then retreat, giving her space. He knew her routine, the faint rustle of silk sheets, the soft pad of her bare feet on the polished floor. Sometimes, she would open the door just enough to slide the tray inside, her face a blank mask. Other times, she would leave it for a few minutes, a silent acknowledgment that she knew he was