Chapter 3

“Take all your clothes and get out of this house!”

Selena’s voice echoed through the grand living room. Her breath was ragged, her eyes ablaze with hatred. She threw Evelyn’s suitcase and clothes one by one toward the front door. Dresses, nightgowns, and underwear scattered across the floor, now mixing with dirt and the rainwater beginning to soak the terrace.

Evelyn stood trembling on the doorstep. Her fists clenched tightly as she fought back the shame and heartbreak. She had just signed the divorce papers, and now, she was forced to watch her dignity be trampled like garbage.

“Julian, are you really throwing me out tonight? It’s raining. Can you honestly watch me get drenched like a stray dog with no place to go?” Her voice was hoarse, nearly drowned by the pounding rain on the rooftop.

Julian stood behind Selena, his face expressionless but firm. Yet Evelyn could still see a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

Selena quickly stepped forward and grabbed Julian’s arm. “If you still care about this woman, I’m leaving! Choose—her or me!”

Julian lifted his chin. “Leave, Evelyn. I can’t hurt Selena just for someone like you.”

Thud.

It was like a sledgehammer hit Evelyn’s chest. Julian’s words shattered every ounce of pride and every memory they had built together.

Selena let out a sharp breath. She strode over, yanked Evelyn’s arm harshly, and shoved her past the gate. Evelyn fell to the ground, her clothes soaked and muddied.

“Get out of our lives, you pathetic beggar!”

The gate slammed shut behind her. Bang!

Evelyn slowly looked up. Her hair clung to her face, soaked by the rain, and tears streamed down, merging with the water running down her cheeks. She bit her lip, trying to stop the sobs threatening to burst out. Shivering, she began picking up her scattered clothes from the wet street.

She had no money, no cards. Home had become a place that rejected her. And the world felt so vast, yet not a single corner offered her shelter.

Her steps were unsteady. Her shoes were soaked, her stomach twisted in pain, her head pounded. The street was dark and muddy, and her weary body began to falter.

Thump! Evelyn collapsed, lying flat on the deserted road. The rain kept pouring, and her consciousness slowly faded.

In the distance, headlights reflected off puddles. A sleek black sedan screeched to a halt.

“Mr. William! There’s a woman passed out on the road!” the driver shouted as he jumped out and rushed to check on Evelyn’s limp, freezing body.

From inside the car, William Montgomery stared out the window, his gaze sharp and commanding. But when he saw the face of the woman lying there, his pupils widened in shock.

“That… it’s her… the girl… the one who saved me ten years ago.”

William’s voice caught in his throat. He opened the car door himself and knelt beside Evelyn, gripping her shoulder tightly.

“Quick! Get her in the car. We’re going to the hospital now!”

The driver nodded and helped him carry Evelyn’s frail body into the car.

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At the hospital…

Hours passed. Evelyn lay in a hospital bed, an IV drip in her hand, a blanket pulled over her cold body. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

A man was sitting beside her. A man in an expensive black suit with eyes as sharp as a hawk.

“Who… are you?” Evelyn murmured, her voice weak, her mind foggy.

The man stared directly into her eyes, his lips curling into a faint smile.

“My name is William Montgomery.”

Evelyn frowned. The name meant nothing to her.

“Thank you for saving me, sir…”

William nodded, then asked in return, “Why were you lying in the middle of the road like that? What happened to you?”

Evelyn lowered her gaze. Her heart ached again. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her tears at bay.

“I… I just lost everything.”

“Did your husband just throw you out of the house?”

Evelyn’s heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught in her throat. How… how did this man know exactly what she was going through?