Chapter 22
Zeal rushed forward and caught Evelyn's body steadily.
"Evelyn, wake up," his voice couldn't hide the urgency.
Evelyn felt herself being held securely, consciousness gradually returning.
"Don't fall asleep." The voice came from above. "Ambulance is almost here."
She opened her eyes. Zeal's face was close, his eyes showing a concern she'd never seen before.
"...Mr. Jennings." Her voice was hoarse.
"Don't talk." Zeal carried her in long strides toward the exit. "Save your strength."
But Evelyn spoke anyway, half curious, half surprised. "How did you find me?"
Zeal's steps faltered slightly. He glanced down at her.
"I was seeing a friend off." His words came quickly. "Happened to see you standing by the street. Was about to say hi when I saw that car door open."
His Adam's apple bobbed, as if suppressing some lingering fear.
"I got in my car and chased immediately. But the roads here are so damn winding... I lost them."
Self-blame colored his tone. "This area's huge. Took me almost twenty minutes to find this warehouse."
Evelyn's eyes grew moist. She turned her face away and blinked.
The calls she'd made went unanswered, but the most unexpected person had saved her.
She had no idea how he'd managed to pinpoint this industrial area without a specific location.
She only saw that right now, fine beads of sweat covered his temples and his chest was heaving.
She opened her mouth and said hoarsely, "...You saved me again."
Zeal looked down, meeting her weak gaze.
He curved his lips, trying to lighten his tone. "Wouldn't mind saving you a few more times."
Evelyn froze for a moment, then said softly, "Thank you."
In the distance, the ambulance was rapidly approaching.
---
The paramedics lifted Evelyn into the ambulance, Zeal following alongside.
A white-coated doctor was about to give Evelyn a tetanus shot when she quickly shook her head.
"Doctor," her voice was low, "is there a topical treatment instead? I can't have shots."
The doctor looked up questioningly. Zeal turned his head too.
Evelyn met their gazes without flinching.
She gently placed her hand over her lower abdomen and said clearly, word by word:
"I'm pregnant."
The air briefly stilled.
The doctor switched to an ointment, instructing, "Topical works too, but the wound's deep. You must change the dressing on schedule."
After bandaging Evelyn's wound, the doctor turned to Zeal, his expression darkening immediately.
"She's pregnant and you let her get involved in something this dangerous?"
"This wound was a centimeter away from needing stitches!"
The doctor's anger grew, his voice rising. "What kind of husband are you?"
The moment Zeal heard "I'm pregnant," it was like someone hit pause on him.
Now being scolded, he stood there stiffly, almost glitching.
Evelyn quickly propped herself up to explain. "The baby isn't his."
The doctor froze, shook his head with a sigh, and said nothing more.
The ambulance grew quiet. Evelyn looked down at her belly.
She stroked it gently with an instinctively protective gesture.
Something exploded in Zeal's mind with a buzz.
Then anger came flooding in.
Not at Evelyn. At someone else.
"Does Matthew know?" he asked quietly.
Evelyn looked up at him, silent for two seconds, then gently shook her head.
Zeal took a deep breath, but couldn't suppress his fury.
"You're pregnant and he let you come to S City alone?"
"And go deal with Johnson by yourself, only to end up kidnapped in some abandoned warehouse?!"
"Fucking jerk!"
Evelyn opened her mouth, her expression complicated.
In all the time she'd known him, this was the first time she'd seen Zeal like this.
No longer carefree—just undisguised anger. For her.
Strangely, she almost wanted to laugh. She looked at Zeal.
"I didn't tell him." Her voice was calm. "I don't plan to tell him."
Zeal froze.
"I'm leaving." Evelyn's voice was soft but certain.
"This baby... is mine. It has nothing to do with him."
She looked up at Zeal. "Please keep this secret for me."
The ambulance lights poured down from above, making her face look almost translucent.
But she sat up straight, her posture independent.
Zeal stared at her for a long time.
He remembered the first night they met, the focused look in her eyes when she explained designs to Ellen.
Remembered how calm and proud she'd been facing down Johnson at the test site.
And now, though injured, she still held herself with quiet dignity.
They'd all gotten it wrong. She was never a caged bird.
"Don't worry." Zeal's voice carried a solemn promise. "I won't say anything."
Evelyn relaxed, but then saw Zeal break into a brilliant smile.
After a moment of silence, his expression showed hints of his usual casual attitude, though his eyes remained serious.
"Can I apply for a position?"
Evelyn didn't follow. "What?"
"Godfather." Zeal said matter-of-factly. "I want to be the kid's godfather."
Evelyn stared, stunned.
Zeal continued, "I know this secret before Matthew does. By seniority, I'm first in line. Most importantly..."
He paused, dropping his usual flippant demeanor and growing more earnest.
"From now on, I want to look after you and the kid."
He said it naturally, without calculated sentiment or probing ambiguity.
As if he were just stating the most normal decision in the world.
Evelyn looked at him. His gaze was so sincere and open, completely clear.
Her eyes stung slightly.
"Aren't you afraid of what people will say?" she asked softly.
Zeal jumped in fast. "What gossip? They'll be jealous of my good taste if anything."
He smiled with a roguish edge. "Evelyn, I'm not Matthew."
"I don't need a strategic marriage to consolidate anything, and I don't care what others think of me. I've lived by my own rules my whole life. Hard to find something this worthwhile to do."
He looked at her seriously. "Your kid's gonna be adorable. Can't wait to be their godfather."
Evelyn finally couldn't help herself—her lips curved slightly.
"They're not even born yet." Her voice held exasperation, with a softness she didn't notice. "And you're already singing their praises."
"That's called strategic vision." Zeal was confident. "Early investment, future returns immeasurable."
Evelyn's smile widened.
But then she said earnestly, "Zeal, I don't want you waiting for me."
Zeal didn't respond.
"We're both adults. I know how you feel about me," Evelyn continued.
"It's not fair to you." Her voice was low but clear. "My life's about to get very complicated. There's a lot I need to handle."
"I don't have the energy, and I don't plan to... consider romance again."
She paused, looking at him. "But the godfather position—I'll save it for you."
She curved her lips with a hint of relief.
"After all, thanks to you, the baby's safe."
Zeal looked at her, his smile deepening.
He didn't say things like "I'll wait"—that would be too heavy, not what she needed right now.
He just nodded, his tone light. "Deal."
---
The ambulance pulled away from the emergency entrance toward the inpatient wing.
Evelyn was placed in a private observation room. A nurse changed her dressings, gave her some instructions, pulled the curtain, and left.
Zeal went to handle admission paperwork. The room grew quiet.
Evelyn took out her phone and plugged it in to charge.
The moment the screen lit up, it started vibrating—once, twice, three times, continuously.
Missed call notifications popped up one after another, all from the same number.
She stared at that familiar string of digits for a long time.
Matthew.