Chapter 1

Evelyn Walsh was completely lost in Matteo Gallagher's kiss inside the car.

Her clothes had been stripped away while he remained impeccably dressed. The stark contrast between them made her flush with embarrassment.

Matteo wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer as he whispered with a low chuckle, "The partition is up. The driver can't hear anything, and he wouldn't dare to, anyway. What are you so shy about, hmm?"

Evelyn's heart swelled with affection as she watched the usually reserved man's movement grow rougher. Just as waves of pleasure surged through her, sending her to the edge, an unexpected ringtone shattered the moment.

Being interrupted like this made Matteo frown in irritation, but when he saw the caller ID, he still answered.

Through her ragged breaths, Evelyn caught sight of the name on the screen. It was his closest friend, Alex Hall.

"Matteo, have you lost your—"

Matteo's expression darkened as he cut him off in perfect Haranese. "It's inconvenient now. Speak in Haranese."

There was a deep inhale on the other end before Alex finally responded in Haranese, "Did you really get legally married to Rebecca? What are you thinking? Years ago, you went blind saving her, and she repaid you by leaving you at your lowest and running off with another man.

"She nearly ruined you! And now you're getting back together with her?"

Evelyn's mind instantly translated the unfamiliar words.

As she processed them, an unbearable chill spread through her body, making her feel like she had fallen into an ice-cold abyss.

Matteo didn't notice her reaction. "If I don't marry her, the Pittman family will force her to wed some old man. I can't stand by and let that happen to her."

"Then what about Evelyn? She was the one by your side when you were blind. She's been with you for years, loving you so much that she might as well have handed you her heart. All of us have seen it!"

Alex's barely concealed fury was evident in his tone, but Matteo remained indifferent. "I'll find a way to keep it from her. She'll never know."

"How long do you think you can hide it? Forever? Isn't Evelyn expecting you to marry her?"

The more Alex spoke, the more irritated Matteo became. His voice turned sharper. "Keep this marriage a secret. Don't tell anyone. I'll prepare a fake marriage certificate for Eve in a while."

With that, he ended the call without giving Alex a chance to say more.

Lowering his gaze, Matteo tossed the phone aside and resumed his activity on Evelyn's body.

Evelyn trembled uncontrollably. When their passion finally peaked, and they began dressing, she parted her lips to speak.

However, before she could, his phone buzzed again.

It was a distinct notification sound.

Matteo picked up his phone, glanced at the screen, and then instructed the driver to stop.

"Eve, something urgent came up at the company. I need you to get out and take a cab home, okay?"

She didn't say a word. She only nodded silently and opened the car door.

The sleek black Maybach sped off like a bolt of lightning.

Standing on the sidewalk, Evelyn stared blankly at the busy street. Unable to hold back anymore, tears poured down her face.

No one knew that she had already learned Haranese long ago, just to bridge the gap between her and Matteo.

So, she understood every single word he and Alex had exchanged. Each sentence echoed in her ears like a sharp dagger piercing her heart.

Along with the shattering of her love, long-buried memories came rushing back.

Matteo was born into wealth and power while she was the maid's daughter.

That year, she had followed her mother into the Gallaghers' grand mansion for the first time and saw him playing the piano in the sunlight.

She had never heard such beautiful music before or seen such a breathtakingly handsome boy.

With just one glance, Matteo's name became permanently etched in her heart.

She never told anyone about the person she secretly loved, and it wasn't just because of the impossible gap between their social statuses but also because she knew Matteo already had someone he loved.

Her name was Rebecca Pittman. She was his childhood sweetheart.

He had never hidden his feelings for her, treating her like the most precious treasure, keeping her close to his heart.

At 17, he even lost his sight in a car accident while saving Rebecca.

But from that day on, Rebecca disappeared. She never set foot in the Gallagher estate again, choosing instead to date someone else.

The Gallaghers had other heirs, and Matteo's parents were too busy with their business empire to care for their newly blind son.

He was sent to the old estate and left to fend for himself.

It was Evelyn who volunteered to transfer there, tending to him day and night for seven years.

At 23, she even knelt outside a renowned doctor's house for three days and nights, begging him to come out of retirement and cure Matteo's blindness.

When Matteo regained his sight, he soared back to the top, reclaiming his position as the heir to the Gallagher Group.

She was the only one by his side through every season. She was the one who stayed up with him through endless nights. She was the one who endured those difficult seven years with him.

She was the one he kissed, the one he held, the one he slept with.

However, she never expected that once he regained control, the first thing he would do was marry Rebecca, the woman who had abandoned him!

For years, she worked tirelessly to keep up with his pace, to become worthy of standing by his side.

Yet, no matter how much she changed, his parents still thought she wasn't good enough for their son. They had tried to pay her off multiple times to make her leave.

Matteo always fought against his family for her. Wanting to stay by his side, she never once considered leaving.

That was all until today.

Evelyn didn't want to stay anymore.

So, she wiped her tears, took out her phone, and dialed a number.

"Mrs. Gallagher, I'll take the five million dollars. I'll leave Matteo forever."