Chapter 9

Evelyn felt as though a thousand knives had pierced her heart, each cut deeper than the last.

"Alexander, I'm telling the truth!"

"To me, nothing matters more than Victoria's feelings. What nonsense are you spouting?"

His cold dismissal was like a blade, slicing through her with brutal precision.

So, the truth didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was his love for Victoria—a love that overshadowed everything else.

Her heart sank like a stone, dragging her hopes down with it.

Evelyn forced a bitter smile. "Fine. I’ll apologize."

She swallowed the agony burning through her body and bowed her head to Victoria.

The triumphant smirk on Victoria’s lips was blinding.

Evelyn had never imagined Alexander would discard the truth so easily. But love made people blind. And he loved Victoria—so much that nothing else existed.

Days passed without a single glimpse of him.

She needed a distraction, something to pull her out of this suffocating despair.

Evelyn had always excelled in jewelry design. She sent out applications, and soon, two companies responded. She chose the one closer to home, hoping work would numb the pain.

But no matter how hard she tried, thoughts of Alexander still haunted her.

Even though he despised her.

The autumn nights grew colder. Most employees had already left, but Evelyn stayed behind, drowning herself in unfinished designs.

Going home meant facing the emptiness.

At nearly ten, hunger gnawed at her.

Her hand drifted to her stomach, where a tiny life grew. The warmth of that thought was the only comfort she had left.

Then her phone rang.

Her pulse spiked.

Alexander.

After a moment’s hesitation, she answered, hope fluttering in her chest.

"Alexander—"

"Ah—yes! Alexander, you're incredible... I love you..."

A woman’s moans filled the line, followed by his low, satisfied groan.

Her heart plummeted.

She hung up, but the sounds were already seared into her mind. Tears spilled over, unstoppable.

She dragged herself home and pulled a bottle of red wine from Alexander’s cabinet.

One sip. Two.

Then she stopped.

She couldn’t hurt the baby.

But the pain was too much.

She drank until the world blurred.

In her drunken haze, she saw him—the man she had loved for twelve years.

Tall. Devastatingly handsome. The man who haunted her dreams.

Evelyn stumbled forward, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Alexander," she whispered, her voice thick with intoxication. "You don’t need anyone else. I’m your wife. If you want something, take it from me."

She was throwing away every shred of pride.

She loved him. Loved him enough to beg.

He shoved her away in disgust.

But she clung to him like a desperate fool, fingers fumbling with his clothes. She rose on her toes, pressing her lips to his.

The scent of Victoria’s perfume clung to him.

She ignored it.

This might be her last chance to feel his touch.

She would be shameless.

She would be reckless.

She would take whatever scraps he gave her.