7

Evelyn’s POV

My whole body felt icy when I saw the name light up on Damien's screen.

Chloe Calling.

Silence filled the hospital room instantly.

Damien's face changed for a short time before he quickly said no to the ͏call.

I laughed bitterly while staring at him.

"She just can’t stay away from you for even five minutes huh?"

His jaw tightened immediately.

“It’s not like that.”

"Really?" my voice shook a bit. "Then why does she call you every time you're with me?"

Damien looked exhausted now.

He pulled a tough hand through his hair before he spoke softly.

“She’s pregnant, Evelyn.”

Pain twisted violently inside my chest again.

As if I needed another reminder.

My eyes burned.

"So that makes her bigger than me?"

“That’s not what I said.”

I looked away before the tears could fall again.

Everything about this situation felt humiliating.

I was the legal wife.  

Yet somehow I feel like an outsider standing between Damien and a woman carrying his child.

His phone vibrated again. The ringing was louder in the quiet room.

Damien glanced at the screen.

Then he shut his eyes quickly like he was fighting inside.

“Answer it,” I whispered coldly.

His gaze snapped toward me immediately.

“Evelyn.”

“Go on.” A empty grin appeared on my lips. “Your expecting lover may need you.”

Frustration flashed across his face.

For some long seconds, Damien stayed there still.

The phone continued vibrating nonstop in his hand.

Eventually, he answered.

“Chloe.”

As soon as I heard the gentle sound in his voice my chest ached so much that I could hardly catch my breath.

I immediately turned my face away.

Still, I could hear everything clearly.

“What happened?”

A pause followed.

Then Damien’s expression changed instantly.

“What do you mean you’re bleeding?”

My fingers tightened around the blanket.

Fear showed up on his face as he took his coat fast.

“I’m coming right now.”

Now. Not later. Not after talking to his wife.

Immediately.

After ending the call, Damien looked toward me.

For the first time tonight, he seemed uncertain.

“Evelyn, I-”

“Just go.”

My voice sounded empty even to myself.

Damien stepped closer.

“I’ll come back after checking on her.”

A quiet laugh escaped my lips.

“You always say that.”

Something painful crossed his face briefly.

Sad to say, it wasn't enough to keep him from going away again.

Moments later, a hospital room door shut behind him

Once more he chose her. 

Tears slowly ran quietly down my face. I did not care to wipe them away anymore.

At this time, I felt so tired to keep acting like I was tough.

My phone suddenly vibrated again.

A video call from a strange number showed up on the screen.

I already knew who it was before answering.

Still, I pressed accept anyway.

Chloe’s happy face popped up on the screen.

She looked perfectly fine.

No blood,  emergency and nothing.

This means she told a falsehood just to cause Damien to go away from me once more.

“You bitch,” I whispered shakily.

Chloe laughed softly.

“Wow. You sound angry.”

I clenched my jaw tightly.

“What do you want from me?”

Her smile widened smugly.

“I just wanted to let you know Damien got here really quick.” She turned the camera a bit towards Damien walking fast down the hall. “See he always comes when I call.”

My chest tightened painfully.

Chloe lowered her voice teasingl͏y afterward.

"You know what is silly?" She grazed her belly gently. "No matter how long you've been wedded to him, I am still the one holding his child."

I quickly hung up the phone before she said more.

Then I threw my phone onto the bed violently.

Humiliation spread through every inch of my body.

I felt pathetic. 

How much more shame was I meant to take before just leaving?

That night, I barely slept.

As soon as the sun came up, I got in touch with Sophia right away.

“I need the divorce papers done real quick.”

Sophia sounded relieved hearing my voice.

“Good. Finally.”

“I’m serious this time.”

Silence followed briefly.

Then Sophia sighed softly.

“What happened now?”

I closed my eyes tightly.

“She’s pregnant.”

Sophia cursed loudly on the other end of the call.

“That son of a bitch.”

A bitter smile formed on my lips.

“Can you make sure Damien gets nothing from me?”

“Of course.”

I looked empty out the hospital window after.

Gray clouds filled the sky outside. Everything felt cold and empty lately.

"Evelyn," Sophia said more carefully. "Did you tell your dad yet?"

My chest tightened immediately.

Dad.

I have been dodging that talk the whole time.

Though after all, my dad really liked Damien.

He always believed Damien loved me deeply.

“I don’t know how to tell him.”

Sophia’s voice softened.

“You don’t have to rush.”

Unfortunately, I knew I had no choice. Dad’s condition has been getting worse lately.

The doctors already warned me to avoid stressing him out too much.

Still, I could not hide the truth forever.

After ending the call, I sat silently for nearly ten minutes before finally leaving the hospital room.

Dad’s private ward was located several floors above mine.

The moment I entered, he smiled weakly after seeing me.

“There’s my daughter.”

Guilt immediately crushed my chest.

Dad looked thinner lately.

PalER too.

The heart monitor beside his bed beeped steadily while IV tubes connected to his fragile arm.

“You should be resting,” I said softly while forcing a smile.

He chuckled weakly.

“I was waiting for you.”

I sat beside his bed quietly.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke. Then Dad suddenly looked at me carefully.

“You’ve been crying.”

My throat tightened instantly.

“No, I haven’t.”

“You always rub your ring finger whenever you’re upset.”

I froze.

Slowly, I looked down.

My fingers were unconsciously touching the empty spot where my wedding ring used to be.

Dad’s expression changed slightly.

“What happened between you and Damien?”

Pain spread through my chest again.

I opened my mouth. Then closed it again.

How was I supposed to tell my sick father that my husband got another woman pregnant?

Dad watched me silently.

Concern slowly filled his tired eyes.

“Evelyn?”

Before I could answer Dad’s phone suddenly vibrated on the bedside table.

We both glanced toward it.

“Can you check who it is?” he asked weakly.

I reached for the phone automatically.

Unfortunately, the moment the screen lit up my entire body froze.

Unknown Number.

Several images had just been sent.

A horrifying sense of dread immediately crawled through my chest.

Slowly I opened the messages.

The first photo showed Damien kissing Chloe passionately inside a car.

The second photo showed Chloe holding her ultrasound pictures proudly while smiling against Damien’s chest.

Then I saw the final message underneath.

[Your son-in-law is finally becoming a father.]