Chapter 12
"What are you doing here?"
When Sophia saw Evelyn suddenly appear, a flash of obvious resentment crossed her eyes.
The next second, she switched to her usual understanding demeanor: "Evelyn, after the scene you caused yesterday, with all that public criticism, where does that leave Benjamin's reputation?"
"Besides, everyone knows you like Matthew. You and Benjamin should just sit down and talk this through, and call off the engagement."
"That would be better for both of you."
Sophia really was always acting like she had everyone's best interests at heart.
But her true thoughts...
Evelyn watched Sophia's shy, timid gaze toward Benjamin and suddenly felt a bit better.
She wasn't the only blind fool—Matthew was one too.
She walked over to Benjamin's side and naturally reached up to adjust his perfectly smooth collar.
"You want to call off the engagement?"
It wasn't exactly an intimate gesture, but as her fingers lightly brushed past his Adam's apple, his eyes darkened.
Not getting an answer from Benjamin, Evelyn glared at him with some displeasure.
Evelyn's playful look, combined with her annoyed expression, made Benjamin feel his lower abdomen tighten.
He raised his hand to grip her waist, pulling her against his chest: "Absolutely impossible."
Evelyn's slightly husky voice carried an unmistakable desire, though unfortunately, no one around them was thinking in that direction.
Especially Evelyn in his arms, who instantly smiled like a little fox.
Leaning against him, she turned her head toward Sophia with an alluring, charming smile: "What can we do? Someone doesn't appreciate your concern and is willing to be with someone as troublesome as me."
Evelyn caught the instantly twisted expression on Sophia's face.
So Sophia did like Benjamin after all.
Stella didn't believe Evelyn had really gotten over Matthew, but supporting her friend was her life principle.
"Sophia, you're already with Matthew, so why are you running over here trying to get them to break off their engagement? What are you trying to do?"
"Don't tell me you want Evelyn to lose Benjamin's support while being attacked by public opinion, so you can manipulate her however you want!"
The speaker didn't mean much by it, but the listeners took it to heart.
Benjamin and Evelyn's eyes both sharpened at the same time.
One was angry at Sophia's cruelty, the other was amazed that Stella had seen right through Sophia and Matthew's vicious scheme at a glance.
And she had only learned the truth after going through so many horrific experiences.
Evelyn was really about to die of anger at her own past stupidity!
Evelyn's breathing suddenly became uneven, and deep hatred flashed in her eyes, with nowhere to hide.
Noticing the change in Evelyn's emotions, Benjamin narrowed his eyes.
He wasn't sure if her mood had changed because of being set up by Matthew.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
A flash of panic appeared on Sophia's face, but she quickly recovered: "How could I do such a thing? All along, I've only wanted what's best for Evelyn."
She looked at Evelyn, her eyes becoming misty.
"You know I've always been on your side."
"Breaking off the engagement with Benjamin and becoming Matthew's girlfriend—isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"From start to finish, I'm the only one who's been helping you!"
At the end, she even glanced at Stella.
Stella froze in place. She had always advised Evelyn to give up on Matthew and be with Benjamin properly.
This had caused a rift in their relationship, and they hadn't seen each other in a long time. Today was rare...
Just as bitterness was spreading across her lips, Evelyn's voice rang out: "If you're helping me so much, why are you so close with Matthew?"
"I was helping you convince Matthew to be with you."
"Really? I feel like you've actually been driving us further and further apart."
Her fingers gripping Benjamin's shirt kept tightening.
Sophia was good-looking and a woman with tricks up her sleeve—who knows, she might actually make Benjamin see her differently.
To avoid temptation, you must stay away from it. Evelyn didn't dare gamble on Benjamin's feelings for Sophia .
She had to make Benjamin believe that Sophia and Matthew were already together!
Benjamin looked down at the obviously nervous Evelyn in his arms, his eyes darkening as his thin lips slowly pressed into a straight line.
Before he could speak, Evelyn looked up: "Why did you ask her to come here?"
Evelyn's questioning tone made his expression darken even more.
"The video from the hospital room last night—if she didn't film it, then Matthew did."
"It wasn't me!"
Sophia immediately spoke up: "I had no idea there would be such a video online. This matter..."
"If not you, then who?"
Evelyn was determined to make Benjamin see Sophia's ugliest side.
But in Benjamin's eyes, this behavior meant, on one hand, that Evelyn couldn't bear to see Matthew smeared, and on the other hand, that she wanted to nail Sophia to the pillar of shame.
"...It was Matthew. You know how much he hates you now."
Then her face showed guilt: "I didn't mean to say it like that."
"So you did mean it?"
Evelyn smiled coldly: "He was lying in a hospital bed while I was beating him up—how could he have held a phone to film? And from such a good angle, too. Sophia, do you really think I'm that easy to fool?"
She didn't give Sophia a chance to defend herself, turning to look at Benjamin instead.
"You'll protect me, right? She hurt me like this, and I want her to pay."
Evelyn's sweet manner and wronged expression—how could he bear to refuse?
Even though Benjamin knew she wanted Matthew to see Sophia's true face, he still nodded in agreement.
"Chase, proceed as planned."
"Yes!"
Chase, who had been standing at the door, acknowledged and went to get busy.
Sophia's expression changed drastically, unease crawling up her spine: "Benjamin, what are you going to do? This has nothing to do with me..."
"Don't you get it?"
Evelyn interrupted her: "Whether this has anything to do with you doesn't matter. What matters is that he's always on my side."
She proudly held onto Benjamin, her face full of triumph.
Sophia was clearly affected, her facial expression stiffening, unable to contain the resentment in her eyes.
"So what? Yes, I filmed the video and posted it online. So what?"
"You were the one who hit him, you're the one who can't let go of Matthew, and I really am your best friend."
As she spoke, tears fell, showing some desolation: "So you really do hate me out of love, wanting to destroy me and hurt Matthew!"
Her last sentence was very soft, but it fell like a sharp thorn.
Benjamin and Stella both looked at Evelyn.
Though they said nothing, their eyes both conveyed the same meaning—
Hate is born from love.
She could not care about Sophia's opinion or Matthew's attitude, but she absolutely could not let Benjamin misunderstand her.
Just as Evelyn opened her mouth to say something, Sophia suddenly did something that caught everyone off guard—she walked to the window and pushed it open.
At an altitude of nearly 300 feet above the ground, wind suddenly rushed in, blowing her long hair and making her look especially pitiful.
"No matter what I say now, you won't believe me, and you're going to destroy me."
"In that case, I can only prove my innocence through death."
"From beginning to end, I've always been on your side."