Our Encounter Was Destiny—The Wrong One

"Ms. Wynn, are you sure you want to buy an uninhabited island? It's in the middle of nowhere. There's no running water, no electricity, no cell service. Once you go out there, you'll basically be completely cut off from the world.""I know," Evelyn Wynn replied softly, her gaze dropping to the medical report in her hand—the one confirming her cancer. A strange calm loosened her shoulders."Don't worry. I won't be living there for long. How soon can we finalize the paperwork?" she asked."Give me a moment. I'll check."Papers rustled faintly through the phone's speaker as Evelyn's thoughts drifted.No one would have believed she was diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer a month ago. The cancer had probably started seven years earlier, when she was juggling sales calls by day and taking care of Daniel Hayes after his car accident at night.Back then, Daniel had been right in the middle of his career breakthrough. To help him establish himself in Riverton, she drank with every cl

Daniel left with Noah, clearly determined to teach Evelyn a lesson. In the past, whenever Daniel and Noah froze her out, Evelyn would be terrified.The moment they went cold, she would panic and apologize over and over again until they finally forgave her. Only then could she breathe again.This time, she did nothing.For days, she quietly packed up the things in the house.The team handling the private island needed her documents, so Evelyn picked a time and handed everything in. She had just finished the paperwork when her phone rang."Ms. Wynn, your wedding gown is here," the consultant from the bridal boutique said. "When would you like to come in for your fitting?"Only then did Evelyn remember that Daniel was planning a wedding for their anniversary.When they got married, Daniel was still in a wheelchair. There was no ceremony or wedding photos, just a marriage certificate and a rushed signature at the courthouse. He promised that on December 26th this year, he would make

Zoe really didn't need to worry. Evelyn had no intention of telling the truth. She would wait until after she was gone. Then, Daniel and Noah could finally find out what had really happened.That kind of grief and regret, when there was no way to make things right, would follow them for the rest of their lives."I heard you were here, so I came to see you," Evelyn said calmly. Her expression was so mild that both Daniel and Noah visibly relaxed."So, you came over from another department?" Daniel asked."Yeah," Evelyn replied.Daniel let out a breath, but his brows stayed furrowed. "What are you in for? You're in a hospital gown."Evelyn's mouth curved in a mocking smile. "Stomach issues."The words landed, and both Daniel and Noah exchanged an uneasy look. Daniel knew she'd had stomach problems for years. He just hadn't thought they had gotten bad enough for her to be hospitalized.Before he could say another word, Zoe walked up, her eyes misty and her voice shaking. "Evelyn,

When Evelyn opened her eyes again, she was in an old, rundown warehouse. The rope dug into her wrists and ankles, tight enough to make them ache.Across from her, Zoe sat with her legs crossed, casually fussing with her manicure. When she noticed Evelyn was awake, Zoe smiled and said, "You're finally awake, Evelyn."Evelyn's nerves tightened. Confusion and disbelief swirled through her. "Zoe, what are you doing?"She didn't have much time left. Her life was already measured in weeks. She wasn't a threat to Zoe at all.Daniel and Noah had turned away from her long ago. She just needed to endure one more day. Tomorrow, she would disappear to a place no one could reach. Why would Zoe bother kidnapping her now?Zoe smiled brighter. "Aren't you curious? If both of us are in danger, who would Daniel and Noah choose to save? Want to bet on it?"Before Evelyn could answer, one of the men stepped over and tapped a number on his phone.As soon as the call connected, Zoe let out a fake sob

In the villa, Daniel jolted awake. A stabbing pain tore through his chest, as if something had been ripped out, and cold sweat slid down his forehead."Daniel?" Zoe slipped an arm around him. "What's wrong?"He pushed her away. "What time is it? How did I fall asleep?""It's 3:00 am," Zoe said softly. "You brought me back from the hospital and were so tired you fell asleep in the guest room."Daniel thought of what Evelyn had said on that mountain, and the pain in his chest only tightened. Panic churned under his breastbone. Without thinking it through, he got out of bed. "I'm going to check if the cash is ready.""Daniel, don't!" Zoe grabbed him right away. For all she knew, Evelyn might still be with those two men. The last thing Zoe wanted was Daniel showing up and ruining it. She only needed to wait until noon to see Evelyn tossed into the wedding hall like garbage.By then, every guest would be pointing at Evelyn and tearing her apart with their insults. Daniel would be so e