Chapter 83
Monica grabbed Evelyn's hand resting on the blanket, her eyes reddening. "Eve, what happened? How did you fall?"
Evelyn opened her mouth but didn't know how to explain.
She took a deep breath and recounted everything that had happened today.
Monica listened, tears streaming down. "That's too much! How could this happen..."
"Two days ago, I even argued with Shawn, saying he was talking nonsense, that Matthew was so good..." She paused. "But why would he say he wanted to marry you? It doesn't make sense!"
Evelyn smiled sarcastically.
"Probably using me as a shield," she said, her voice flat. "The Perkins family has never been peaceful. Marrying into his family isn't that easy, is it?"
"Probably once Sloane recovers, he'll kick me aside. What a... clever calculation."
She paused, thinking that Verity calling her to the hospital today was probably intentional, too.
As she was thinking, her phone rang.
"Beauty, are you... okay?" Verity's voice was anxious and uncertain.
Evelyn remained silent.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Verity apologized somewhat guiltily. "I just..."
"It has nothing to do with you," Evelyn interrupted, her voice calm. "Thank you, Verity. Finding out sooner is better for me, too."
She hung up.
"Mon," Evelyn said, "Matthew can't find out about the baby. The decorations in the apartment—I need you to help me take them down."
Monica froze, then nodded. "Okay. I'll go right now."
She stood up, then turned back to look at Evelyn with concern. "Will you be okay here alone?"
Evelyn shook her head. "I'm fine. Go ahead."
Monica closed the door and walked quickly out.
The floor wasn't high, but the elevator was packed with people. She glanced at it, turned, and headed for the stairs.
The stairwell was very quiet, only her own footsteps audible.
She walked quickly downward, still thinking about Evelyn's situation.
Just as she reached a corner, she suddenly felt someone push hard on her lower back.
She didn't have time to react. Her whole body lurched forward, one foot missing the step.
The world spun.
She tumbled down the stairs, her head striking the steps. Everything went black.
"Miss! Miss, are you okay?"
Someone ran up and crouched beside her, calling out anxiously.
Monica didn't respond.
Blood seeped from the corner of her forehead, staining the steps red.
Evelyn lay in the hospital bed with her eyes closed but wasn't asleep.
The door opened.
She opened her eyes to see the earlier doctor standing in the doorway, his expression troubled.
"Ma'am," the doctor said, "your friend just fell in the stairwell. She's currently unconscious."
"What?" Evelyn sat up abruptly, her face pale as paper. "Where is she?"
She threw off the blanket to get out of bed.
"Don't panic. She's still in surgery," the doctor said, holding her back. "We've examined her—mainly a fractured lower leg."
"Her head also needed several stitches. Mild concussion. She's still unconscious."
Evelyn's head buzzed. She pushed past the doctor's hand and staggered toward the operating room.
Outside the operating room, the red light glared.
Evelyn leaned against the wall, trembling all over.
If not for her, Monica wouldn't have been hurt...
She had harmed Monica.
She hugged her arms, curling up in a chair, silently praying. 'Monica, you have to be okay. You have to be okay.'
Urgent footsteps echoed down the corridor.
"Eve! How are you?" A familiar voice called out.
Evelyn looked up, stunned.
Ronald stood before her, out of breath, sweat on his forehead.
"You... why are you here?"
Ronald was also stunned. "Didn't you send a message saying there was a problem with your prenatal checkup and you wanted me to come to the hospital with you?"
He frowned. "When I saw the message, I was so worried I took the first flight here."
Evelyn's mind was a complete mess.
Monica falling, Ronald rushing to the hospital... she vaguely sensed some conspiracy in all this, but couldn't make sense of it.
Too much had happened today—she was overwhelmed.
"I didn't send you a message," she said.
Ronald froze, pulled out his phone, and found the text.
Only then did he notice the sender wasn't Evelyn but an anonymous number.
He frowned.
"Is your health okay?" he asked, his eyes full of concern. "The message said there was a problem with the prenatal checkup..."
"Nothing serious," Evelyn said. "I just fell today. The doctor said to stay for observation for a few days."
She paused. "But my best friend also fell in the hospital, so I came to see her."
Ronald looked at the red light above the operating room, then at Evelyn's pale face, his heart aching.
"You should rest," he said. "I'll keep watch here."
Evelyn wanted to refuse, but saw the determination in his eyes.
Thinking of the babies in her belly, she didn't insist further and returned to her hospital room bed.
Who had called Ronald here?
What conspiracy lay behind this?
She thought and thought, but couldn't figure it out.
On the other side, Matthew had just found out where Evelyn was.
Just as he was about to head there, his phone rang.
It was Emma.
He frowned and answered.
"Matthew, look at what kind of person you like!" Emma's voice was sharp and cold. "She's already having someone else's child!"
Matthew froze. "What are you talking about?"
"Look at the materials I emailed you!"
Matthew opened the email and saw photos.
Photos of Ronald and Evelyn at the hospital.
"I know about this," he said. "When Eve was in Seaside City, he went with her to the hospital for a DNA test."
"Keep looking!" Emma sneered. "They went to the obstetrics department! And... I got her prenatal checkup report! Evelyn is already pregnant behind your back!"
Matthew's heart sank.
He scrolled down and saw a photo of a prenatal checkup report.
The report stated: two months pregnant.
Two months ago, he and Evelyn were still in a cold war. They really hadn't...
His hands trembled slightly.
"My relationship with Eve is none of your business," he said, his voice strained.
"My people say Evelyn is with Ronald for a prenatal checkup right now!" Emma's voice grew colder. "Whether I interfere or not, she's blatantly cheating! Are you just going to let this happen?"
Matthew abruptly hung up.
But his heart also sank because he'd found that Evelyn was indeed at a hospital.
Matthew felt his breathing quicken. He didn't want to believe it...
He decided no matter what, he had to see Evelyn first.
After surgery, Monica was out of danger but still unconscious, arranged in the room next to Evelyn's.
Thinking Evelyn hadn't eaten, Ronald brought packed food to her bedside.
Evelyn still had an IV in her hand, making it inconvenient. Ronald picked up the bowl, preparing to feed her congee.
Just as Evelyn was about to refuse, a cold shout came from the doorway.
"What are you doing?"
Matthew stood in the doorway, his eyes containing hurt, anger, and an icy chill.
He stared hard at Ronald. "Who gave you permission to get close to Evelyn?"