Evelyn"Because I could have done far worse to you than I did. I was capable of exploiting you for even darker motives, and you know it. So, who's to blame here? It wasn't me who pursued you first, Evelyn. You were the one who threw yourself at me. If you consider that, it wouldn't seem like I used you," his voice remained unwavering, void of hesitation.God, his words...I bet, he didn't even know how easily they were shattering me, or had even an idea of the damage they inflicted. Even if he did, I was certain he didn't care. Still, I couldn't stop myself. I needed a valid explanation; maybe that wasn't even the main reason...maybe I simply required something to help me move on from him.He made it easier by continuing to speak."You and I both wanted this; that's why we got close in the first place. I can't stay with someone I don't love. My heart belongs to Chloe, and no matter what we've been through, no matter what she's done, it doesn't change how I feel. I still want her in my

Flashback Continues:JacobHer words resonated strangely within the confines of those bygone walls, walls that Evelyn had painstakingly mended. Regrets, it seemed, were remarkably easy to cling to, weren't they? Especially when you begin to lose those things most dear to you."It might appear that she has it all with you now, Jacob," Danica began, her voice tinged with a note of caution, "but mark my words, regrets will come knocking. She's young, caught in the whirlwind of her emotions. In time, when reason takes hold, when she begins to depend on her mind rather than her impulses, she'll realize what she's missing. And, Jacob, I'm sorry to say this, but why would you want her to bear the burdens that haunt your life? Your crazy ex is a constant headache, always after you, showing up everywhere you go, your uncles still hound you for money, you still haven’t recovered from those incidents in your youth, and your scars…they still run deep, perhaps too deep to ever heal. Why, then, wou

EvelynAs Jennie and I descended the stairs, my gaze locked with my dad's. He was seated next to Clara but appeared less enthusiastic than usual. The reason for his subdued demeanor eluded me at that moment, as a furrow formed between his brows, diverting my attention away from his other friends gathered around. While I couldn't recall everyone's name, their faces were familiar."Where the hell are you off to, Evelyn?" Well, I couldn't deny that I had expected this kind of reaction from him, because I truly had. How could I not? It was my dad, after all— he wanted me there, right before his very eyes, all the fucking time."I'm heading to the club with my friends," I replied, offering him a smile as I passed by. However, my smile faded when I noticed who was seated across from them—Jacob and Chloe. They sat side by side, Jacob's arm around Chloe's waist, and Chloe sitting perilously close to him, their intimate body language unmistakable. There was a beer bottle in his hand, and the o

EvelynFor a moment, my entire world ground to a halt. There was an odd sense of relief that coursed through my nerves as the guy's hand finally released its grip on me. Yet, the shock of seeing Jacob Adriano, right there before my eyes, was overwhelming. I just couldn't get over it.Is he really here?My eyes stretched wide with surprise, my mind struggling to process the sight. And then, for a fleeting second, my vision went blank, only to be filled with the crimson stain on Jacob's knuckles and the fresh trickle of blood streaming down the assailant's nose. Even in my inebriated state, it wasn't hard to piece together that Jacob had just thrown a punch, a moment I'd missed while I had zoned out.He is here….Everything was just happening too fast or it was just me and the intoxication of the alcohol. But I doubted, it was just the alcohol.With a single glance in my direction, his piercing green eyes carrying a storm of anger beneath them, Jacob seized the man by his collar and del

EvelynMy eyelids weighed a ton—super heavy. Like someone had hung dumbbells on them. I could sense the car seat behind me and the absence of that accursed morning sun, confirming that this wretched night was far from over.But wait....why was I in the car? I was supposed to be at the club with my friends. My memories swirled in a tumultuous shitty dance, making it even harder to pry my eyes open and assess my surroundings.Did someone kidnap me? Oh no.Okay, It was evident that I was still too drunk, probably even more so than I faintly remembered being the last time. Intoxication should fade with time, so why did mine seem to intensify? Damn it.God only knew what mess I had gotten myself into this time.I just hoped it wasn't something too horrific—My thoughts screeched to a halt as the memories began to trickle back, one by one, slowly and languidly, starting from the blonde guy forcing himself on me to Jacob's sudden appearance, until it all poured over me like a torrential down