Chapter 4

A sudden tap on my shoulder caught me off guard before I even had a chance to react. A piece of tissue was held out in front of me.

"Here, use this. You're looking kind of scary right now."

I was in no mood to deal with strangers. Worse yet, my emotions were a mess.

Without thinking, I shoved the man away and ran off crying.

Tears blurred my vision, and I didn't notice the pole in front of me until it was too late.

But the impact I braced for never came. Instead, a pair of warm hands blocked me just in time.

I blinked through the tears, trying to see who had stepped in to protect me.

Realization hit me all at once. I recognized the man as Graham Sinclair, the captain of the basketball team that had once played against Elias' team.

Back then, Elias and I had still been madly in love. I used to sneak out to watch every one of his games.

Even though I'd never spoken to Graham before, I remembered his face clearly. He was strikingly handsome in a way that stuck with you for a long time after.

To my dismay, I was crying so hard that I couldn't even manage a thank-you. My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't form a single word.

Graham rubbed the spot on his hand where I'd accidentally bumped into him, now reddened, then offered me another tissue.

"Come on, Evie. Wipe your face. You look like you're halfway through a Halloween party."

Hearing this, I glanced at my reflection in a nearby store window and froze.

My makeup was now a total disaster, mascara streaking down my cheeks. My hair was also a tangled mess from all the running.

I had no idea how Graham managed to recognize me in my current state. I barely even recognized myself.

I took the tissue and hastily wiped my face, trying to fix the damage. Then, feeling embarrassed, I muttered a quiet thank-you.

Graham didn't respond. Instead, he reached out and gently smoothed my messy hair with his warm hand.

I instinctively stepped back to put some distance between us, but he moved forward again, effectively closing the gap once more.

Holding up a shopping bag, he said, "I was picking something up for my sister. I saw you out here and figured I'd give you a ride home."

I wanted to say no. But my house was too far away, and I was too drained to consider my other options. In the end, I got into his car.

The scent inside was reminiscent of his—clean, comforting, and unexpectedly soothing. The frantic edge of my emotions began to settle.

Neither of us spoke during the drive. The silence hung thick between us, but it wasn't unpleasant.

When we finally arrived at my house, I reached for the door handle. But before I could leave, Graham spoke up.

"Evie, why were you crying alone back there? Did your boyfriend leave you behind?"

His question was blunt, and I had no good answer for him.

Elias and I had never gone public with our relationship. Now, he was officially with Bella.

I didn't want anyone digging into that humiliating mess, not even for Sophie's sake.

Thus, I didn't answer his question. Feeling awkward, I pushed the car door open and ran out in a hurry.

At the time, I didn't notice that Graham had slipped a note into my bag.

Blissfully unaware, I jogged the rest of the way home. But when I reached my front door, I found Elias waiting for me, face dark and expression unreadable.

He stepped forward, grabbed my wrist, and slammed me against the wall. His voice was cold as he demanded, "Evie, who was the guy that brought you back just now?"

I swung my bag at him with all my might until he finally let go. I stood there panting, then snapped, "What's it got to do with you?"

Elias ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He looked like he wanted to grab me again, but stopped short. His hand froze midair.

After a long pause, his voice dropped.

"I just wanted you to calm down for a bit. When I went back to find you, you were already gone.

"Evie, I wanted to tell you that you've done well these past couple of months. And since you still like me, I don't mind keeping things going between us."