Evelyn's pov
I coughed out water from my mouth as I laid on the cold floor. Someone else saved me and my husband...he was crotched to his ex-girlfriend's side holding her protectively.
Hot tears formed in my eyes as I watched him care for another woman.
âWhat about me Landon? Am I not good enough for you? Why do you care about someone like her? Is my love for you not enough for you?' I pondered in my mind, shivering from the cold.
His ex-girlfriend sat up and leaned on his chest crying like a bereaved.
"Oh, Lan. I shouldn't have come here if I knew that I would face a near death experience. Your wife pushed me into the pool just because I wanted to exchange pleasantries with her. What did I do to deserve this?" Jade lied against me.
Landon turned to me with a cold glare that pierced my heart. I could feel his burning hatred for me under his murderous gaze.
"I...I... didn't do such a thing, Landon. She..."
"She pushed herself? There are witnesses, Evelyn and all of them saw you push her into the pool. I can't believe you would do such a thing let alone lie to my face because of your stupid jealousy. This party is cancelled and I don't want to see you for the next forty-eight hours. Go back to your room," he growled with hate in his voice.
I got up from the floor shivering in the cold with a heavy heart. Landon returned to care for Jade while I was abandoned and judged by the guests disgusted stares.
âShe is completely useless. Now I see why the Byers family don't show her off in public."
âWhat do you expect from a spoiled brat?"
âI heard that she tied down Mr. Byers with her connection to his late grandfather.â
âShe is so disgusting.â
Some guests gossipped regardless , knowing fully well that I can hear them . I hastened my steps to get away from their sentimental glares.
No one wanted to hear my own part of the story. They all pointed fingers at me without investigating on the situation. I was made the liar while Jade was the Princess being protected by my shining armor.
Lost in my thoughts, I mindlessly bumped into a waiter carrying a tray of drinks. I prepared myself to be drenched for the second time but a strong hand whisked me out of the way and the drinks crashed to the ground.
âWhat were you thinking?â A gentle manly voice said and I looked up to see who it was.
My gaze fell when I saw that it was Landon's best friend, Lucas Carpenter.
I pulled away from him, keeping my distance quickly.
His gaze roamed my body with his brows scrunched at the center of his head.
âWhat happened? Why are you soaked? Did something happen?â He asked out of concern.
Lucas was the direct opposite of my husband. However, he never took his life seriously. To be precise, he lived a very dangerous life.
âNo, I am fine. My husband is at the pool if you want to meet him,â I said and continued at my direction.
I went back to my room, locked myself inside and slided to the ground. My tears finally is out of control and ran down my cheeks like a newly released dam. I cried myself to sleep since there was no one to comfort me from my sorrow.
The next morning, I woke up exhausted with dark puffy eyes. I felt feverish, maybe it was because of the tears I shedded too much last night.
I tried to get up from my bed regardless of my weak signs.
The time was already seven a.m. but no one came to wake me up. Not even my personal assistant.
Certainly, Landon must have employed her and other employees to attend to Jade since she was his precious jewel.
I made my way to the bathroom and almost stumbled to the ground as a heavy wave of dizziness hit me.
âEnergy, Evie. You have to be strong,â I muttered to myself persistently going into the bathroom.
As I was about to reach out to the shower curtain, I lost my footing and slumping to the ground.
My head began to pound excruciatingly causing my dizziness to worsened.
I rest my back against the door, trying to regain my strength as there was no one coming to my rescue.
That same minute, I reconsider my thoughts and decided to visit the hospital for a medical checkup. After all,I'm all I have.
With the little strength I had, I managed to bathe, get dressed and leave my room without being noticed by anyone.
Once I was out of the building , I flagged down a passing taxi and gave the driver the hospital address to take me to.
I looked at the tall buildings by the road side as the driver drove through the city. For some reasons, I felt so relieved that I was experiencing something so ordinary.
The feeling was so comforting and peaceful. Maybe, it was because of the sudden asunder in my marriage that made me feel unease.
After an hour, the driver stopped at the hospital. I thanked and paid him for his service before going into the hospital.
I wore my sunglasses making sure to look very ordinary. It won't be nice for me to be seen in public by any of my husband's acquaintances.
They were not too kind to keep my visit to the hospital a secret. Plus, the Byers family never welcomed scandals.
Aside from being married to their most eldest son, my in-laws didn't bother about my existence. They were against my marriage to Landon because of my low status as an orphan.
When Landon's grandfather stood by my side, they had no other choice but to agreed to the marriage.
After that, they never concerned themselves in my matter. Whenever there were family gatherings, Landon was strictly warned not to bring me as I was a disgrace to their family reputation.
I won't blame them for being prejudiced about my humble background. Wealthy people only associated with their kind. But I was an exception they couldn't endure.
Once I got into the hospital elevator, I pulled off my glasses feeling secured since I was alone.
Immediately the elevator doors opened, I took a different route to avoid the Byers family doctor. He would definitely rat me out if I crossed path with him.
Getting to the counter where a reception nurse was, I made my complaint and she quickly assigned me to a doctor.
I went down to the doctor's office and knocked at the door, waiting for a response to come in.
âPlease, come in,â a female voice said and I walked in, still hiding my face.
âGood morning, doctor.â
âGood morning, MrsâŚ?â
âEvelyn,â I answered. It was best I avoid using my husband's last name.
âOkay, Mrs. Evelyn. What complaints do you have?â she asked.
âWell, this morning when I woke up, I felt very dizzy and weak. I also had a severe migraine,â I complained and she wrote them on her clipboard.
âAside from those symptoms, did you experience anything else?â She enquired and I shook my head in response.
âMrs. Evelyn, would you like to be scanned or tested? Scanning will give a faster result for us to identify the problem. But if you want to go through the normal process, it is fine as well,â she adviced.
âI will go with the scanning,â I chose the quicker process. She wrote down something on her clipboard and called in a nurse to take me through the procedure.
The nurse took me to a room and instructed me to change out of my clothes and wear a blue gown. After that, I was taken to a CT scan room and had the procedure done quickly.
After the scan, the nurse told me to wait behind for a few minutes. I tried not to feel anxious about the whole thing. And continued to pray that nothing was wrong with me.
Forty-five minutes later, I was called in by the female doctor to her office.
âMrs. Evelyn, we have your scan result,â she said and I breathed in deeply, folding my toes under my feet.
âYou are two weeks pregnant. congratulations,â she announced and I widened my eyes in surprise. âIs this for real?â
Chapter 59 Third-person POVThe car ride to the hospital was quite tense. Cecily was buckled in the back, fast asleep after an emotional afternoon. Evelynâs fingers gripped the steering wheel, her mind racing with everything Bennett had said on the phone. Claire had collapsed. Blood pressure, he guessed.The hospital corridors felt colder than usual as Evelyn made her way to the room where Claire was being monitored. Bennett stood just outside, his arms folded, his eyes weary but calm. As soon as he saw Evelyn, his shoulders dropped in relief.âSheâs okay,â he said. âThey ran a few tests, and itâs just what I thought. Her blood pressure has been unstable for a while. She didnât say anything.âEvelyn exhaled a breath she hadnât realized she was holding. âAnd now?ââThe doctor said she can go home today. Theyâve given her something to stabilize it. Prescribed a few meds. She just needs rest.âInside, Claire sat upright on the hospital bed, sipping from a paper cup. Her cheeks were pale
Chapter 58Third-person POVThe morning sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, casting golden rays across the living room where Evelyn sat with her laptop open, halfway through a video call with Mr. Harrington and Carlos.âWe should be done here in about two or three days,â Mr. Harrington said, his voice steady but tired. âOnce we wrap up this presentation in Geneva, weâll be on the next flight back.âEvelyn nodded, her hand gently stroking Cecilyâs curls as the little girl sat beside her, leaning toward the screen. âWe miss you already,â Evelyn said, her eyes soft with warmth.Carlos grinned from his corner of the video. âDonât let her eat too many marshmallows, okay?âCecily giggled. âI only had five yesterday!âEvelyn and Mr. Harrington exchanged knowing glances. After a few more minutes of catching up, the call ended, and just like that, the morning routine resumed. Cecily ran off to get her backpack while Evelyn checked in with Claire and Bennett.Claire and Bennett were t
Chapter 57: The Drive HomeThe mall lights faded in the rearview mirror as Carlos steered them onto the main road, the car humming gently beneath them. The city was quieter now, painted in shades of amber and navy. Evelyn leaned back into her seat, her body relaxed but her mind unusually quiet.Carlos broke the silence with a low chuckle.âNow that⌠that was a scene to behold.âEvelyn turned to him with a teasing brow. âWhat do you mean?âCarlos smirked. âOh, donât play dumb with me.ââIâm not playing dumb.â She folded her arms. âWhat are you even talking about?âCarlos scoffed, shifting gears as they took a curve. âGirl. Come on. The way Zenda was looking at you all evening? That man is head over heels.âEvelyn let out a laugh, tinged with disbelief. âCarlos, stop it. Donât start assuming things.ââIâm not assuming anything. Iâm stating facts.â He glanced at her. âHe wasnât just being nice, Evie. That man was practically breathing in sync with you. Watching your every move. If youâre
Chapter 56: Games and Glancesthird person povThe mall glowed with early evening light, its ceiling lit with warm yellow bulbs and glass panels that reflected the bustle below. After browsing through rows of shoes, handbags, and a few chic dresses that Evelyn didnât need but enjoyed admiring, Carlos suggested they check out the gaming area.âCome on, Doc. Youâve had a long week. Time to unwind a little,â he grinned, nudging her toward the escalator.Evelyn chuckled. âYouâre just trying to make me lose at arcade racing so you can brag all the way home.ââMe?â Carlos raised his eyebrows. âIâm offended you think Iâm that competitive.ââCarlos. Last week, you argued with Dad over chess for three days.ââOkay, mildly competitive,â he said, leading her to the glowing neon lights of the mallâs gaming floor.The area was bursting with sound bumping music, kids laughing, machines flashing. The scents of popcorn and cotton candy clung to the air. Evelynâs eyes widened in amusement.âOh wow. Th
Chapter 55:Sunshine in Small Momentsthird person povCecily was already awake before anyone else in the house. With her curly brown hair bouncing wildly behind her, she dashed into the hallway like a spark of joy, calling for everyone to get ready.âToday is park day!â she sang, jumping onto Mr. Harringtonâs bed with a toothy grin. âUp, Grandpa! Up!âMr. Harrington chuckled from beneath the covers, pulling the child into a warm embrace. âYouâve been up since sunrise, havenât you?âCecily nodded proudly. âMommy promised. Today is our big day.âAnd she made sure no one forgot. She dragged Bennett out of bed, tugged on Claireâs robe, and even knocked on Carlosâ door with a wide grin. By the time Evelyn was out of the shower, the house was already alive with laughter and the faint smell of cinnamon pancakes wafting from the kitchen.By midmorning, everyone was dressed and packed snacks, drinks, Cecilyâs tiny soccer ball, a picnic blanket, and her favorite bubble wand.They arrived at the
Chapter 54: The Cracking Empirethird person povThe sleek Manhattan penthouse, perched above the chaos of the city, looked exactly like Jade Hollandâs life used to be flawless, polished, and expensive. But just like the woman pacing barefoot across its marble floor, that perfection was crumbling fast.Jade stood near the floor-to-ceiling window, her silk robe loose around her frame, a glass of untouched wine in hand. Her eyes werenât on the skyline. They were on her reflection.âYouâre quiet,â Charlie muttered, voice gruff as he walked in from the guest bedroom, pulling a shirt over his head. He tossed his phone on the couch with a grunt. âWhatâs that supposed to mean? You havenât said a word since I walked in.âJade exhaled. âBecause Iâm tired, Charlie.âHe laughed dryly. âTired? Or broke?âShe turned sharply. âExcuse me?ââYou heard me. Landonâs not sending money like he used to, is he? Guess the cash cow finally stopped mooing.ââDonât be ridiculous,â Jade snapped, setting the win