Chapter 2

Evelyn's head snapped to the side from the slap, red swollen fingerprints instantly covering half her face. Hearing such blunt humiliation, even though she bit her lip hard, tears still streamed down against her will.

Caspian's chest heaved violently, his palm still held in the position of the strike, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

It must be from anger, he tried to convince himself, definitely not because the slap was too hard and seeing the red mark made his heart ache.

He slowly exhaled, straightened up, and spoke the words he'd been hiding in his heart for so long: "I'm ordering you to apologize to me for what happened back then."

Evelyn looked directly into Caspian's eyes, churning with complicated emotions, raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, and slowly turned her head back.

Caspian pressed his lips tightly together, his expression proud, yet she could somehow taste a hint of grievance in his slightly downturned mouth corners.

He was waiting—waiting for her to say "I was wrong," waiting for her to reveal the truth about why she left seven years ago.

But Evelyn said nothing, just like seven years ago, stubbornly guarding the secrets of the past, and today adding a new layer to that old secret.

She reached up to wipe the blood seeping from the corner of her mouth, then bent down to pick up those bills from the floor, folding them one by one neatly and putting them in her coat pocket, her voice flat: "Are you done venting? Do you still need the condoms?"

Without waiting for his answer, she had already turned around, her hand reaching for the door handle.

Caspian's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He yanked her back, pressing both hands on either side of her head, trapping her entire body between the door and his chest.

The smell of cologne, semen, sweat, and women's perfume on him mixed together into a strange odor that made Evelyn furrow her brow.

"Look at me."

Evelyn raised her head, looking directly into his eyes, her heart still unable to stop trembling.

She had looked at this face for seven years, and it was still the face she loved most.

He used to look at her tenderly, used to have only her in his eyes no matter when or where.

But now, these eyes no longer held pure love—they were mixed with countless amounts of hate.

"Why are you staying by my side now?" Caspian's voice was impossibly hoarse. "You left so decisively back then. I knelt before you begging, and you wouldn't even look at me. Now I'm making your life a living hell, yet you won't leave. Why?"

Evelyn blinked rapidly. She knew why he was asking this—even now, Caspian still hadn't given up.

She thought again of that rainy night, when he had been just as persistent in chasing her for an answer.

But in the end, what she saw was Caspian's blood dripping down from the shattered car window.

Just thinking of that unstoppable pool of blood made Evelyn's whole body start shaking uncontrollably, her teeth chattering against each other.

"I'm asking you a question, speak!" Caspian's voice pulled her back to reality. She blinked slowly, wanting to avoid this confrontation, but he forcefully gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

Evelyn struggled to pull at the corners of her mouth. The pain of her jaw nearly dislocating added a touch of bitterness to her practiced smile.

He wanted an answer, so she would give him the most disgraceful one—one that could make him give up on her and stay away from her completely.

"Because you have money," she made her voice sound flippant. "Caspian Drake, real estate mogul on the Forbes list. Why would I leave? As long as the numbers on that monthly check are pretty enough, I'll do whatever you want."

Caspian's fingers tightened around her chin, the tears in his eyes burning Evelyn's heart. His voice choked: "Are you really that cheap?"

"Didn't you already know that seven years ago?" She pretended to casually repeat what she'd said earlier tonight.

He suddenly let go, stepped back, and looked at her with the kind of eyes one would use to look at the most disgusting creature in the world.

Caspian coldly turned around, obviously wanting to display the marks from having sex with Kiera on his back, saying spitefully: "Buy the condoms and bring them to the master bedroom."

Evelyn let out a heavy breath in the corner he couldn't see, her fingers clenched into fists at her sides. Her face hurt, her hands hurt, her heart hurt even more.

But she showed none of it, just nodded and pulled open the door to leave.

The moment the door closed, she heard Kiera's soft voice mixed with the sound of bodies colliding, making her scalp tingle. She quickened her pace.

The convenience store was three blocks away. When Evelyn walked in, the cold air and fluorescent lights rushed out together, finally easing her from that suffocating emotion.

She walked straight to the shelf and grabbed two boxes of condoms.

She still remembered the first time they went to the supermarket to buy these in college—he had blushed and pushed her away: "I'll do it myself."

She had teased him for acting innocent, and he had held her tightly in his arms, threatening without much intimidation: "Say that again and I'll leave you here alone!"

She smiled bitterly as she pulled herself from the memory, placed the two boxes on the checkout counter, grabbed a chocolate bar on impulse, paid, and put everything in a paper bag.

Walking out of the convenience store, she tore open the chocolate and took a bite. It used to taste sweet, but now it had a hint of bitterness.

Caspian liked this brand of chocolate. He used to eat it himself and then pop a piece into her mouth. The two of them would cuddle by the fireplace, even their kisses tasting of chocolate.

Evelyn raised her hand and slapped herself hard. She shouldn't be thinking about this. No matter what the past was like, they could never go back.

When she returned to the villa, the master bedroom light was still on, but the sounds had stopped.

Evelyn placed the paper bag at the master bedroom door, knocked twice, then turned to go downstairs.

"Stop." Caspian's voice came from behind. He had already put on a robe, his hair still wet, holding those two boxes of condoms.

Evelyn stopped halfway down the stairs: "What is it?"

His tone was awkward: "I've prepared an ice pack, it's in the kitchen. Remember to treat the injury on your face."

Evelyn froze for a moment, then refused flatly: "Thanks for your concern, but no need."

This was the first time in three years he had shown her any concern, but it was already too late.

She was determined to leave. It was better if their relationship stayed as bad as before.

Caspian snorted coldly and said angrily: "Hmph, seems like you know that injury on your face is nothing compared to my car accident back then."

Without waiting for her response, the master bedroom door was slammed shut again.

Evelyn returned to the small room under the stairs. Every time Caspian brought a woman home, she lost the right to sleep peacefully and could only huddle in the storage room.

This room was packed with junk, barely enough space to turn around. Her bed was a cot with a thin blanket, and even the pillow was bought from a thrift store.

She took out the satellite phone from the hidden compartment of her suitcase.

On the screen was an encrypted message from Garrett: [In seven days, execute the fake death plan on Malibu cliff road. Someone will be there to pick you up and take you to headquarters.]

Evelyn replied [Roger that.] and tucked the satellite phone back in, lying flat on the bed. She could see a patch of unevenly painted wall above—the shape looked like a bird spreading its wings to fly.

She too would soon spread her wings and fly far away.

The next morning, Evelyn was woken by the sound of things being moved upstairs.

She got dressed and went upstairs to see servants moving Kiera's luggage into the master bedroom.

Caspian had never let any woman stay overnight before. Kiera was the first, and she was also the only one who had moved into the master bedroom.

Caspian had already had all of Evelyn's clothes cleared out, piled in the hallway like a heap of trash.

In front of Kiera were five whole rows of haute couture dresses. She was leisurely selecting one while Caspian held her slender waist, gently answering her every question.

When she saw Evelyn, she flashed a sweet smile: "Morning, Evelyn. Caspian said today is my birthday and he's throwing me a birthday party. I'm picking out a dress—would you like to help?"

Evelyn smiled politely. Toward the man she once loved deeply and her once closest friend, she still couldn't bring herself to angrily condemn them.

She gathered the pile of clothes on the floor into a bundle and picked them up, responding: "I'll be there on time."

The evening party was even more grand than Evelyn had imagined. Caspian's business partners and former classmates all unanimously ignored Evelyn, who was Mrs. Drake, and gathered around Kiera with greetings.

Caspian, all smiles, held Kiera's hand as they poured the champagne tower. The two kissed in front of a specially customized 10-foot-tall cake.

Grand, sweet, and romantic—Evelyn's expression was smiling, but her heart felt like it was pierced by ten thousand needles.

She fled in panic, away from the crowd, walking to the poolside. She wanted to cry out loud, to condemn them both for their double betrayal, but in the end she only pulled bitterly at her lips. She no longer had the energy to be angry.

The balcony door opened again, and surprisingly it was today's guest of honor, Kiera, who walked in: "Do you mind? Me being with him."

"I don't mind." Evelyn's tone was flat. As if to emphasize, she even shook her head.

"That's good." Kiera walked over, leaning close to her ear and lowering her voice: "You know what? I actually hate you. I hate that you don't care about anything, hate that you always listened to me, but I'm also grateful to you for bringing Caspian to me."

Kiera smiled, her finger twirling a strand of hair by her ear: "I actually liked him even before you did, but his eyes only had you in them."

"I know you've had him in your heart during these years away from him, but I didn't expect that he couldn't let you go either. He secretly contacted me, asking me to tell him all your whereabouts, and he even married you."

"Evelyn, what makes you deserve to be loved so much by Caspian? He hates you, but he loves you more."

"Actually, I hate you too. I hate that even after you treated him that way, he still can't let you go. Every time he hurts you, he comes to me for psychological counseling. When he's not fully conscious, he keeps apologizing to you over and over, begging for your forgiveness."

"Do you know why he suddenly let me move in?"

Evelyn's fingers trembled slightly, but there was no expression on her face.

"Because I told him that kidney back then—I was the one who donated it to him."

"He believed it," Kiera's eyes took on a hint of madness. "Do you know what this means? It means from today on, you're just a gold-digger who betrayed him, and I'm the person he'll be grateful to for the rest of his life."

"Evelyn, today is my birthday. You haven't given me a birthday present yet. Can I ask you for something?"

Evelyn was silent for a long time. Just when Kiera thought she wouldn't speak, she did: "Okay."

Kiera's smile grew even brighter. She took Evelyn's hand and pressed it against her chest, then leaned backward: "Give me a complete Caspian—one whose heart doesn't have you in it!"