Evelyn’s POV

Evelyn’s POV

A dull ache throbbed in my head as I slowly blinked my eyes open. My body felt heavy, my mind groggy. The soft scent of cologne lingered in the air, unfamiliar yet strangely calming.

I turned my head slightly, taking in my surroundings. This… this wasn’t my hotel room. My breath hitched as I sat up abruptly, panic rushing through me. Where was I? What happened last night? My heart pounded against my ribs as flashes of hazy memories flooded my mind. I had been drinking… but after that?

My gaze darted around until it landed on Sean. He stood near the window, casually buttoning his crisp white shirt, his broad shoulders and toned muscles on full display for a brief moment before he covered them up. Heat rushed to my cheeks.”Oh my god, did we have sex last night?”

The thought sent a panic through me. My eyes darted toward Sean, searching his expression for any clues.

He must have sensed my distress because he turned to me, his expression unreadable but calm. “Don’t worry,” he said, voice even. “Nothing happened last night.”

Relief flooded me, but the embarrassment that followed was just as strong. I overthinked. myself up for nothing.

Just then, the sound of running water filled the room. My eyes flickered toward the bathroom door, and an involuntary blush crept up my cheeks. The thought of Sean in the shower, water cascading down his toned body… I shook my head quickly, scolding myself for even going there.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, but my relief was quickly replaced by mortification when he added, “You threw up on me, so I had to send my clothes to the dry cleaners.”

My entire body stiffened. My stomach twisted in embarrassment. I had thrown up on him? On Sean? The man who barely showed any reaction in normal situations?

“I…..I’m so sorry,” I stammered, my face burning. “I’ll pay for the dry cleaning.”

Sean didn’t respond immediately. He simply gave a short nod before walking into the bathroom.

I exhaled sharply, pressing my hands against my warm cheeks. This was beyond humiliating. I had already embarrassed myself in front of him before, but this? This was on a whole new level.

Trying to distract myself, I reached for my clothes and got dressed quickly. As I was fixing my hair, my eyes caught sight of Sean’s phone on the couch. The screen lit up with an incoming text message.

Progress in Carter's case.

I froze. Carter ? My last name.

My fingers clenched into fists as I stared at the message. It had to be a coincidence… right? There were other people with the last name Carter. But “case”? What kind of case? A lawsuit? A business deal? Was it related to me?

I shook my head, pushing the thought aside. There was no reason for Sean to have anything to do with me outside of work. It was probably nothing.

We packed up and left for the airport. Sean barely spoke, completely absorbed in his laptop. His fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard, his focus was fully on the laptop. typing away as if I didn’t exist. I stole glances at him, my mind still replaying everything that had happened that morning.

Meanwhile, my mind refused to let go of what had happened that morning. I should have been able to move on from the embarrassment, but the image of him standing shirtless, his muscles flexing slightly as he moved, kept flashing in my mind. I clenched my jaw, shaking my head. No, Evelyn. Focus.

I was still lost in thought when my phone suddenly rang, snapping me out of my daze. I glanced at the screen, and my breath caught. The hospital,I silent the call,doesn't want to pick up in front of Sean.

Again my phone rang, snapping me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out and my stomach twisted when I saw the caller ID. The hospital.

Panic surged through me. Tomorrow was the deadline for the surgery payment.What should I do now ?

I hesitated, then threw Sean an apologetic smile. He barely looked up but gave a slight nod, signaling with his eyes that I could take the call.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pressed the answer button.

“Hello?”

“Miss Carter,” the doctor’s voice came through. “I wanted to inform you that we received your payment last night. We can now proceed with your mother’s surgery. However, you will need to come in to sign some documents.”

My blood ran cold.

“Wait… last night?” I asked, gripping my phone tightly. “I made the transfer last night?”

“Yes. It was processed late at night.”

I couldn’t breathe. My hands trembled as I slowly turned my head toward Sean. He was watching me, his expression unreadable as usual.

My grip on the phone tightened. Last night? But I was totally drunk!

A chill ran down my spine as realization hit me. There was only one person who could have done it.

Slowly, I turned my head toward Sean.

He didn’t even look up from his laptop. But suddenly, everything felt silent.

I was completely drunk last night. There was no way I could have transferred the money myself.

And the only person who had been with me… was Sean.

I forced myself to stay calm as I spoke to the doctor. “I’ll be there soon to sign the papers,” I said quickly before ending the call.

The car was silent. The air felt thick.I turned fully toward Sean, my heart hammering against my chest. “

My mind raced, panic creeping in. What if there was a mistake? What if the surgery didn’t go well? What if I still ended up losing my mom?

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "My mom... she…" My voice cracked, fear gripping me like a vice.

Doctors' words are barely comforting me. My heart pounded against my ribs, and my vision blurred for a moment. What if something goes wrong? What if I’m too late? The weight of my helplessness pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.

A hand suddenly touched mine,holding me which gave me warmth.

I turned and met Sean’s gaze. His laptop was closed now, his full attention on me. His brows were drawn together slightly, concern flickering in his eyes.

“You’re shaking,” he murmured, his voice unusually soft.

I hadn’t even realized it, but I was. My entire body was tense, frozen in fear.

Sean’s grip on my hand tightened just enough to steady me. “Take a deep breath, Evelyn.”

I tried, but my chest was too tight. I exhaled shakily instead, my pulse racing.

“Look at me,” Sean said firmly. I did. His expression was unreadable, but there was something reassuring in the way he held my hand.

“The money’s matter taken care of,” he reminded me. “The surgery is happening. Your mom is in good hands.”

His words shouldn’t have been enough to calm me, but somehow, they did. I focused on the warmth of his hand,in the caring and soft way he spoke, the quiet confidence in his tone.

I nodded weakly, forcing myself to breathe. “I just… I can’t lose her,” I whispered.

"You won’t," Sean said, his voice certain. “I promise.”“I don't know why, but I want to trust him.”