Chapter 137: Betrayal of a Best Friend
Evelyn’s hands shook as she took the phone. On the screen, Sophie appeared without makeup, her eyes red and swollen. She looked exhausted. She faced the camera, her voice choking up, yet every word was crystal clear.
"I am Sophie Martin. Regarding the rumors circulating about Mrs. Evelyn Green and Dr. Ethan Reed, I have something to say."
Sophie took a deep breath as if making a final, painful decision.
"Those rumors... are mostly true."
"Dr. Reed was not pursuing me. We were never a couple. Those photos of us being intimate and our dates were all an act."
"It was because... because she and Dr. Reed developed feelings that went beyond friendship during her marriage. She was afraid her husband, Mr. Damian Green, would find out. She asked me to act as a shield to cover it all up."
"I am so sorry for deceiving the public and hurting Mr. Green. I couldn't live with the guilt anymore. I had to stop this lie..."
The video snapped to an end. The phone slipped from Evelyn’s hand and landed on the blanket with a soft thud. The room went deathly silent.
Evelyn stared at the black screen, her mind a total blank. This was her best friend. The Sophie she had pulled all-nighters with. The Sophie she was willing to sell everything she owned to save.
Sophie had just stabbed her in the back.
This statement didn't just label Evelyn as an adulteress; it turned every defense Ethan had made for her into a calculated lie.
"How could this happen?" Evelyn whispered. "Why... Sophie, why?"
Ethan picked up the phone. His face turned grim as he looked at the thousands of hateful comments and the trending hashtags: #TheEvelynScam and #CunningWhore.
"Someone gave her an offer she couldn't refuse."
The door opened, and Ryan walked in. He still carried the chill of the outside air, and he held a freshly printed document.
"Just now, Omni Group dropped all charges against Sophie. That fifty-two million dollar debt has been wiped clean." Ryan tossed the paper onto the nightstand. "Sienna also gave her an offer letter for Lead Designer at Omni with a three-million-dollar salary."
"Human nature is cheap."
Evelyn didn't look at the paper. With trembling fingers, she dialed Sophie’s number. Even with the facts in front of her, she had to hear it for herself.
The phone rang twice before being picked up.
"Sophie..." Evelyn’s voice held a sliver of hope. "Tell me they forced you. Did Sienna threaten you with the debt? Did Damian intimidate you? If you tell the truth, Ryan will help us. We can still win..."
"Shut up, Evelyn."
The voice on the other end was no longer her friend's. It was sharp and full of venom. "Nobody forced me. I chose this."
Evelyn’s grip on the phone tightened. "Why? We were best friends. We promised to become top designers together..."
"That was your dream! Not mine!" Sophie suddenly shrieked. "It’s been like this since college! Professor Hayes only ever saw you. Every project, every assignment—she only praised your 'natural talent.' And me? I worked myself to death, pulled all-nighters, and all I ever got was 'you should learn from Evelyn'!"
"Do you know what it’s like to live in someone’s shadow? I was your accessory! Even this time, you messed with the Greens and dragged me into it. You have Ryan Lawrence to protect you. Of course you aren't afraid!"
Evelyn’s heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. "I never saw you as an accessory... I was trying to help you..."
"Help me? You were pitying me!" Sophie sneered. "Sienna was right. Following you only brings bad luck. I’ve made up my mind. I have the skills. I want the spotlight too. Omni gave me the position and money I could never earn in a lifetime. Don't blame me, Evelyn. Blame yourself for being so bright that you blocked everyone else's path."
The line went dead.
Evelyn didn't sob. Huge tears simply rolled down her face, scalding her skin. The loneliness of being betrayed by the whole world was more painful than any physical wound.
Ryan saw her grief, and a flash of pity crossed his eyes, but he quickly replaced it with cold reality. He had to wake her up.
"There’s one more thing you need to know." Ryan stepped to the bed. "Back at the Four Seasons, when we were working on the menswear drafts. How do you think Damian knew where you were?"
Evelyn looked up, her eyes red and full of disbelief.
"We checked Sophie’s records," Ryan said bluntly. "After you left the restaurant with me, she stayed behind and sent a GPS pin to a stranger. That number belonged to a middleman hired by Damian."
The last bit of hope in Evelyn’s heart collapsed. Sophie had sold her out even back then. A bone-deep chill swept through her. She hugged herself, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.
"Don't think about it anymore." Ethan handed her a glass of warm water, his eyes full of pain for her. "She isn't worth the heartbreak. The priority now is your health and the upcoming legal battle."
Ryan pulled up a chair and sat down, his long legs crossed.
"Sophie’s betrayal is a problem. She’s your best friend and Ethan’s 'official' girlfriend. Her testimony is extremely persuasive to a judge. Now that she’s claiming you committed adultery and that Ethan is your lover, Damian will use it to destroy you."
"If the judge believes her, you become the 'at-fault' party in the divorce," Ryan said, tapping his knee. "You won't get a dime in the settlement, and you might even face a countersuit from Damian."