Chapter 37
The car pulled up in front of the apartment building.
Evelyn pushed the door open and got out.
No movement behind her. She turned to see Matthew still sitting in the car, not moving.
He just sat there with a cold expression and waved the driver on.
The engine started, and the car quickly disappeared into the night.
Evelyn stood there for a moment, then leaned against the elevator wall watching the numbers climb.
He was pissed.
She thought back to what he'd asked earlier—"Weren't you resentful?"
She thought about it. Maybe not.
Resentment required having expectations. She'd long since... stopped expecting anything.
She walked back into her apartment, idly wondering if he'd gone to see Marigold.
After all, she was his safe haven. His legitimate fiancée.
Who could stand someone as stubborn as her anyway? Especially Matthew.
Her lips twitched in a bitter smile.
Whatever. Fine.
She was only here because she'd been forced to stay anyway.
---
After washing up, Evelyn sat at her vanity applying moisturizer.
She'd just smoothed some lotion on when she suddenly felt the baby move.
Very light, like a little fish blowing a bubble.
Evelyn froze. She looked down at her stomach, hand gently pressing against it.
It moved again.
This time clearer, like the baby had rolled over inside.
Evelyn's breath caught. This was the first time she'd felt the baby move!
She stared at herself in the mirror, expression both joyful and surprised.
She wanted to tell someone, wanted someone to see that her baby was moving.
But there wasn't a single person she could share this with.
In the end, Evelyn just placed her hand gently on her stomach.
"Baby," she whispered, "Mommy can feel you."
In response, another gentle flutter.
Her lips curved, eyes soft.
---
The next morning, the first thing Evelyn did was text Monica.
[Mon, you drank so much yesterday. How are you feeling today?]
She waited forever with no reply. Evelyn started to worry.
Yesterday Monica had been carried off by security. Matthew said he wouldn't touch her, but...
She couldn't sit still anymore. She got up, threw on some clothes, and took a cab straight to Monica's place.
She knocked for ages before the door finally opened.
Monica stood there, eyes red and swollen like walnuts.
Evelyn's heart jumped.
"Mon? What's wrong?" She quickly grabbed her hand. "Did the security guys do something to you?"
"Or... did your dad lecture you again?"
Monica didn't answer. She just looked at Evelyn, her mouth trembled, and she burst into tears with a loud "waaah."
Then she threw herself at Evelyn, hugging her tight.
"Eve," she sobbed, barely able to breathe. "You've been suffering for so long—why didn't you tell me!"
Evelyn froze. "You..."
"Shawn called me this morning," Monica sniffled. "He told me everything."
"That Matthew's forcing you, that you had no choice but to stay with him."
"You dummy, why didn't you tell me..."
Evelyn closed her eyes. Shawn, that meddling idiot.
She patted Monica's back, waiting until she'd cried herself out before speaking.
"Mon, listen to me."
Monica lifted her red, swollen eyes to look at her.
"When I signed that contract with Matthew, it was my choice," Evelyn said.
Monica stared. "Really?"
Evelyn nodded.
"My mom was hospitalized then. I needed money." She paused. "Matthew offered... a lot."
"So he didn't force me. I chose this myself."
Monica's mouth opened. "But Shawn said..."
"He's guessing." Evelyn cut her off. "Back then when he wanted to study abroad, he just up and left."
"Now he's back and wants to start over with me—Mon, do you think he's trustworthy?"
Monica fell silent.
Evelyn looked at her, tone softening.
"Right now I do want to leave Matthew. I'm just waiting for the right moment."
She paused, then smiled. "But I'm not the type to take abuse. You don't need to worry about me."
Monica looked at her, tears welling up again. "So you... you're really okay?"
"I'm fine."
"And you'll be okay in the future too?"
Evelyn smiled. "Future stuff, we'll deal with later."
Monica threw herself at her again, hugging her tight.
"Eve," she mumbled into her shoulder, "I'm gonna treat you so well from now on."
"A hundred times better than that jerk."
Evelyn patted her back and nodded. "Okay."
---
When Evelyn left Monica's place, it was almost noon.
She took a cab back to the apartment. As she pushed open the door, a delicious smell wafted over.
She froze.
Matthew was standing in the kitchen, plating food.
He wore a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the smooth lines of his forearms.
Several dishes sat on the counter: chicken soup, honey-glazed shrimp, braised beef.
Evelyn stood in the doorway, stunned.
Matthew. Cooking?
"What are you standing there for?" Matthew didn't turn around. "Wash your hands. Time to eat."
Evelyn changed her shoes and walked in, stealing glances at him the whole way.
He was wearing an apron. A pink apron with cartoon characters on it.
The CEO of the Perkins Group, wearing a pink cartoon apron, cooking in the kitchen.
Evelyn felt like she was dreaming.
When she came back from washing her hands, the food was already set out.
Matthew speared a shrimp on his fork and held it up to her mouth.
"Try it."
Evelyn looked at the perfectly cooked, appetizing shrimp, steeled herself, and opened her mouth.
The shrimp was fresh, and the taste... surprisingly good.
She chewed a few times and swallowed.
"How is it?" Matthew watched her.
"Really good," Evelyn said honestly.
The corner of Matthew's mouth twitched like he wanted to smile but was holding it back.
He sat down across from her. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly spoke.
"Yesterday, I shouldn't have left you there alone." His tone was stiff, like he rarely said things like this.
"I'm sorry."
Evelyn's utensils paused. She looked at him, expression complicated.
Was he... apologizing?
Evelyn couldn't help looking toward the window. Was the sun rising in the west today?
Matthew watched Evelyn's dazed expression and inexplicably wanted to laugh.
"Eat," he interrupted her thoughts. "It won't taste as good cold."
Evelyn looked down at the beef in her bowl, not sure what to feel.
She'd thought he went to see Marigold, but he'd been home cooking.
She'd thought he'd keep giving her the cold shoulder until she made up with him, but instead he'd come to apologize first.
Evelyn suddenly felt like she couldn't read this man at all.
---
After eating, Evelyn sprawled on the couch scrolling through her phone.
Matthew finished cleaning up and came to sit beside her.
Neither spoke. The atmosphere was unusually relaxed.
Evelyn held her phone, catching him watching her from the corner of her eye.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
She ignored him and kept scrolling.
Her phone suddenly buzzed—an unknown number.
She answered. A middle-aged woman's voice came through, cultured and refined.
"Miss Arden, hello. I'm Matthew's mother, Emma Perkins."