8

Evelyn’s POV

“Dad?”

My voice trembled badly as I took his phone from the bed.

The hue had fully gone from my dad's face. His breath got shaky as his shaking eyes stayed on the pics shown on the screen.

“Dad, look at me,” Worry shot up in my chest, “Please, breathe slowly."

His hand suddenly clutched his chest tightly.

The heart beeped loud near the bed.

Everything happened too quickly afterward.

Docs and nurses ran into the room while alarms rang loud around us. A nurse quickly took me from the bed as the care team closed in on my dad.

“My heart rate is rising!”

“Prepare the medication!”

“Sir, can you hear me?”

Terror consumed me instantly.

"No." I said softly while holding my lips. "Dad."

My dad looked so thin laying there with machines and cords all around. Tears stung my eyes as I saw his chest move up and down not evenly.

This was my fault.

If I had seen the notes sooner, I would have kept him safe. Maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Almost twenty minutes passed before the scene finally got calm.

The docs slowly moved from the bed while fixing their gloves wearily.

"He must stay away from strong feelings of stress all the way," the old doctor said seriously. "His state is already not steady."

I nodded numbly.

The time the doctors went out of the room, hush took over the air heavily.

Dad looked exhausted now. His eyes slowly turned toward me.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered weakly.

My chest tightened painfully.

“Why are you apologizing?”

His lips trembled slightly.

“I thought Damien loved you.”

A broken sound nearly escaped my throat.

Dad looked away like he couldn't stand seeing my fac͏e.

“I thought joining the Sinclair family would keep you safe.” His breath got unsteady again. “Instead I threw you into danger”

Tears rolled down my cheeks immediately.

"No." I said fast while taking his hand soft. "None of this is your blame."

Regret filled his tired eyes.

“I sold my daughter for security.”

That sentence shattered me completely.

This was the first time in my whole life I saw my dad cry.

My strong father.

The man who raised me alone after Mom died.

Now he looked completely broken because of me.

"I'm going to split from him" I said with tears in my eyes.

Dad slowly closed his eyes.

“You should have left sooner.”

Pain spread through my chest again.

Maybe he was right.

Maybe I stuck around too long thinking Damien would care for me like I cared for him.

Sadly, love by itself couldn't fix a marriage that was already falling apart from dishonesty.

Many hours later I was called into a doctor's office.

The time the doc put a new paper in front of me, fear quickly filled my belly.

"Your dad's operation has to be done sooner," he said slowly. "Sadly, the cost for it is really high."

I looked with no expression at the rough costs written on the sheet.

The numbers made my vision blur.

“That sum,” my voice came out weakly, “I can't pay it right now.”

The doctor sighed softly.

“We need an additional deposit before proceeding.”

My hands slowly tightened around the documents.

All felt tight. Dad's state was getting worse.

My marriage was falling apart.

Now the operation may be pushed back due to me not having enough cash.

When I left the office, my legs felt weak already.

I rested on the hospital wall and tried to calm my breath.

Then one name suddenly appeared inside my mind.

Sebastian Sinclair.

I hated myself for even considering it.

Yet, Sebastian was the one guy strong enough to help right away.

My hands shook a bit before finally calling his number

He answered after only two rings.

“Yes?”

His deep voice remained calm as always.

For a reason, hearing it made my chest feel tight.

“I,” I swallowed hard. “I need help.”

Silence followed briefly.

Then Sebastian spoke again.

“Which hospital?”

Less than forty minutes later, Sebastian arrived.

The second he got out of the lift, the whole feel around the hallway changed right away.

Tall and Cold.

Terrifyingly composed.

Some nurses quickly stood up, looking nervous after they saw him.

Sebastian walked right at me without doubt.

“What happened?”

I lowered my gaze.

“My father’s surgery might be delayed.”

He stayed quiet while reading the papers in my shaking hands.

His quick eyes looked at the numbers for a bit before coming back to me again.

“That’s all?”

I blinked slowly.

“What?”

Sebastian handed the papers back calmly.

“I’ll handle it.”

My chest tightened immediately.

“You don’t have to-”

“I know.”

His voice remained low and steady.

“Then why help me?”

For a bit, Sebastian just looked at me quiet.

Hospital lights͏ shined weakly on his cold eyes.

Finally, he answered quietly.

“Because I hate injustice.”

Something inside my chest trembled unexpectedly.

No one had stood beside me like this in a very long time.

Not even my own husband.

Within one hour, everything changed.

The hospital director personally came downstairs to greet Sebastian. Dad’s surgery schedule was immediately prioritized while the best cardiovascular specialist in the city was reassigned to his case.

Money. Connections. Influence.

Sebastian solved everything effortlessly.

Meanwhile, I could only stand there in stunned silence.

“You look like you’re about to cry again,” Sebastian suddenly said.

I immediately looked away.

“I just don’t understand why you’re helping me this much.”

A faint crease appeared between his brows.

“You’re Damien’s wife.”

The sentence made my chest ache strangely.

For some reason, hearing that from Sebastian sounded more sincere than hearing it from Damien himself.

Right then, another voice echoed sharply behind us.

“What are you doing here?”

I froze instantly.

Damien.

He stood several steps away wearing yesterday’s clothes. Exhaustion covered his face the moment his eyes landed on Sebastian beside me.

The atmosphere immediately turned icy.

Sebastian slipped one hand into his pocket lazily.

“Visiting the hospital,” he answered calmly.

Damien’s jaw tightened.

His eyes slowly moved toward me afterward.

“You called him?”

I crossed my arms tightly.

“You weren’t available.”

Something dangerous flashed across Damien’s face.

“I was dealing with an emergency.”

A bitter laugh nearly escaped me.

Of course.

Chloe was always the emergency.

Sebastian suddenly stepped slightly closer toward me.

“You seem very busy lately, Damien.” His tone remained calm. “Too busy to take care of your own wife.”

Damien’s expression darkened instantly.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Really?” Sebastian’s gaze turned colder. “Then perhaps you should start acting like her husband.”

Silence exploded between them.

Tension filled the hallway so heavily that even nearby nurses looked nervous.

Damien suddenly grabbed my wrist possessively.

“Evelyn. We’re leaving.”

I immediately pulled my hand away.

“No.”

His eyes narrowed.

“We need to talk.”

“I’m tired of talking.”

Pain flashed briefly across Damien’s face before disappearing again.

Sebastian watched everything silently beside me.

Unfortunately, his presence only made Damien look angrier.

Late that night, I finally returned to the Sinclair mansion.

Not because I missed Damien and I changed my mind.

I came back only to pack my belongings.

The moment I entered our bedroom, memories immediately flooded my chest.

Three years of marriage and loving Damien.

Now everything inside this room felt disgusting.

I opened the closet before pulling out a suitcase quietly.

Clothes and Documents.

A few personal items. Nothing else mattered anymore.

The bedroom door suddenly opened.

Damien walked in immediately after noticing the suitcase on the bed.

His expression changed instantly.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m leaving.”

His jaw clenched hard.

“You’re not serious.”

I continued folding my clothes calmly.

“I can’t stay here anymore.”

Damien suddenly walked toward me.

“You’re my wife.”

I laughed quietly without looking at him.

“A wife you cheated on.”

Frustration flashed across his face.

“I already told you I’ll fix this.”

I finally looked at him directly.

“How?”

Silence.

My eyes slowly filled with tears again.

“Will you have a miscarriage?” I whispered painfully. “Will that fix everything?”

Damien froze completely.

That reaction alone already gave me the answer.

I nodded slowly afterward.

“Exactly.”

He grabbed my arm suddenly before I could close the suitcase.

“You can’t leave me.”

His voice sounded darker now. More desperate.

I looked down at his hand gripping my wrist tightly.

Then back into his eyes.

“I’m already gone, Damien.”

For the first time since our marriage started falling apart I finally saw genuine panic on his face.

Unfortunately, it was far too late.

Minutes later, I dragged my suitcase downstairs.

The servants watched silently from a distance while I walked toward the front door.

Rain poured heavily outside again and it felt fitting.

Behind me, Damien still stood frozen in the middle of the living room.

Watching me leave. his wife walked away for real.

Then just as my hand touched the mansion door.

Damien’s cold voice suddenly echoed behind me.

“If you walk out tonight, Evelyn.”

I stopped moving. His breathing sounded uneven.

“Don't expect me to let you come back so easily.”