Chapter 5: No appointment

Evelyn – POV

I woke up to sunlight brushing against my face, warm but cruel. For a moment, I didn’t remember where I was. Then the blanket wrapped around me, the faint smell of coffee, and the quiet of Clara’s apartment reminded me.

Reality crashed in again. Ethan. The house, Ethan’s laugh, the papers, the slap. My chest clenched so tight I could barely breathe.

I curled deeper into the blanket Clara had wrapped around me last night, pressing my palm against my stomach. My baby. My child. The one thing Ethan would never take from me.

“Finally awake?” Clara’s voice came softly from the kitchen.

I turned my head. She was standing there in jeans and a loose shirt, her hair tied back. She held a mug in her hand, her eyes studying me carefully, like I might break all over again.

I sat up slowly, the blanket slipping off my shoulders. My body ached, my heart even more.

“I… I didn’t mean to sleep here,” I whispered, my throat rough.

Clara walked over and set the mug down in front of me. “You’re not going anywhere like this. Drink.”

I obeyed, wrapping my fingers around the cup. The heat seeped into me, steadier than the sunlight. I took a sip, bitter but grounding.

Clara sat across from me, crossing her arms. “We need to talk about Ethan.”

Just hearing his name made my stomach twist. I stared at the coffee instead of her. I shook my head. “I don’t want to—”

“You have to,” she cut in, her tone firm. “You can’t just sit here hiding. He’s not going to stop, Evelyn. You know that, right?”

Her tone sharpened. “You’re not just thinking about yourself anymore.” Her eyes flicked briefly to my stomach.

" You left the brown envelope here yesterday. And...... I read it." She admitted.

Tears welled in my eyes as I whispered, “I wanted to tell him. I wanted to celebrate. But instead…” My voice broke, and I pressed a hand over my mouth.

Clara reached across the table, gripping my trembling fingers. “Don’t waste another tear on him. He doesn’t deserve you—or that child.”

The words hit me like a knife and a balm all at once. My tears spilled freely as I whispered, “But he owns everything, Clara. The house, the company… he even made me sign away my name.”

Her jaw tightened. “Then you fight. You protect yourself, and you protect that baby. I warned you about him, Evelyn. Now you see what he really is. Don’t let him win.”

Her voice didn’t shake, but her eyes glistened. She wasn’t just angry for me—she was hurting with me.

I sat there clutching my stomach with one hand, the coffee mug with the other, and for the first time since everything shattered, I let the thought settle in.

I wasn’t just fighting for me anymore.

I had to survive for my baby.

* *

* *

* *

I stood at the revolving doors of Veylor Corporations, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might burst. The glass tower loomed over me, every gleaming surface screaming power, wealth, untouchable influence. I drew a shaky breath and pushed the doors open.

I moved to the receptionist desk. “Hello, I… I need to speak with Mr. Alexander Veylor,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

The woman glanced up, her eyes sharp. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No,” I admitted, my throat tight. “But it’s important. Only he can help me.”

Her lips pressed together as she studied me for a long moment. Then, picking up the phone, she dialed a number and spoke quietly, glancing at me from time to time. I waited, my heart hammering. Finally, she hung up and turned to me.

“I’m sorry Ma,” she said, voice polite but firm. “Even after calling, I still can’t let you meet Mr. Veylor without an appointment.”

I felt my stomach twist. “Please… just a moment. I can wait.”

She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ma”

I sank into a chair in the lobby, hugging my bag to my chest. If I stayed here long enough, maybe she’d change her mind. I could plead again, or something would happen. Hours passed. The sunlight faded, replaced by the deep shadow of night. My stomach growled faintly. I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t moved.

Maybe this had been a stupid idea.

Why would a man like Alexander Veylor ever agree to see me?

He didn't know me. He had probably never even heard my name.

Everyone knew who he was, though.

Even I knew.

Alexander Veylor wasn't the kind of man people approached for help. He was the kind of man people avoided. Powerful. Ruthless. The sort of businessman who could destroy a company and sleep peacefully that night.

I remembered the look on Clara's face when she mentioned him.

"If there's one person Ethan would never want against him, it's Alexander Veylor."

At the time, I thought she was desperate.

Now, sitting alone in his lobby after hours of being ignored, I wondered if I was the desperate one.

Maybe Clara was right.

Maybe Alexander Veylor was my only chance.

Or maybe I was wasting my time chasing a man who wouldn't even spare me five minutes.

My stomach growled faintly. I hadn’t eaten. I hadn’t moved.

By the time dawn crept through the glass walls, exhaustion weighed me down. My eyes stung, and my body shook. I stood, brushing invisible dust off my gown.

Maybe… maybe I could try again another day. Maybe tomorrow would be different after booking an appointment.