Chapter 78
The night was enchanting.
Moonlight leaked through the curtain gaps, falling on their entwined silhouettes.
Occasionally, there were soft whimpers, mixed with pleading whispers of "be gentle."
Matthew would slow his movements, coaxing Evelyn bit by bit, waiting for her to adjust.
After an unknown amount of time, both finally fell into deep sleep.
The next morning, when Evelyn woke, the space beside her was already empty.
She moved her arms and felt sore all over, unable to stop herself from mentally grumbling: Why was Matthew's physical strength so good?
Thinking about everything from last night, she couldn't help burying her face in the pillow and secretly smiling for a long time.
The blanket slipped down, revealing scattered kiss marks all over her shoulders. She froze for a moment, her face flushing red again.
Only when she remembered her appointment with Monica today did she scramble up.
She changed into a high-necked shirt to cover those marks, tidied up the room, and waited for Monica.
Before long, the doorbell rang.
Monica burst in carrying bags large and small, giving her a huge bear hug the moment she entered.
"Eve!" Her voice nearly lifted the roof. "I'm so happy for you!"
Evelyn was squeezed breathless and pushed her away with a laugh. "You're not the one getting married. Why are you happier than me?"
"Of course I'm happy!" Monica set down her things and started gesturing around the living room.
"Balloons here, banner there, cake over there." She pointed at various corners, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh, right, the cake needs to be custom-made—the kind with gender reveal cards inside. We must give Mr. Perkins a surprise!"
She suddenly thought of something and looked at Evelyn with anticipation. "Eve, do you know the baby's gender yet?"
Evelyn's eyes crinkled as she nodded. "It's twins. A boy and a girl."
Monica's eyes went wide, her mouth forming an O.
"Twins?" She shrieked, her voice jumping another octave. "Oh my god! This is such wonderful news! Mr. Perkins is going to be over the moon when he finds out!"
Evelyn smiled and touched her belly. "Yes, so we really need to set everything up perfectly."
The two of them spent ages planning around the house, going through several rounds of discussion.
Finally, both collapsed exhausted on the sofa, looking at each other and laughing.
"It's been so long since we ate together," Evelyn said. "Want to go out today?"
Monica immediately raised both hands in agreement.
They ordered grilled fish and ate with relish.
Halfway through the meal, Monica suddenly remembered something and put down her utensils.
"Eve, I'm telling you, that Shawn guy is seriously sick." Monica's face filled with disgust, her eyebrows nearly knitting together.
Evelyn looked up. "What happened?"
"After he confessed to you and got rejected, Matthew must have been watching him closely."
"Since he couldn't get near you, he's been following me around every day."
Monica rolled her eyes. "Last week I went to the supermarket, and he actually followed me around for half an hour!"
"Just to tell me some nonsense about 'Evelyn will suffer with Matthew, I should convince you to be with him instead.'"
Evelyn frowned.
She'd seen through him back in college—Shawn appeared gentlemanly on the surface but was actually selfish and narrow-minded.
Now, three years later, he was still the same.
"Just ignore him," she said. "But be careful. If it gets bad, I'll talk to Matthew about having someone watch over you."
"No need." Monica waved her hand and burped. "He can follow me all he wants—what's he going to do?"
"Besides, I'm a gym regular with muscles. You think I'm scared of him?"
Evelyn was amused.
"I'm so full," Monica rubbed her belly. "Want to walk around and digest?"
The two strolled through the mall.
The mall was crowded and brightly lit.
They wandered aimlessly, passing one shop after another.
Monica dragged Evelyn to try on a few outfits, then complained about the prices being too expensive.
As they wandered, Monica's eyes suddenly lit up.
"A baby store!" She pointed ahead. "Come on, let's check it out! I need to buy some clothes for my future godson and goddaughter!"
Before Evelyn could refuse, she was pulled inside.
The store was filled with adorable little clothes, shoes, and toys.
Pink ones, blue ones, fluffy and soft—everything was irresistible.
"This one's cute... this one too... oh my god, they're all so cute!" Monica exclaimed.
Evelyn watched her with amusement while also being drawn to the little outfits.
She picked up a tiny onesie in light blue with a little elephant embroidered on it.
The fabric was so soft and comfortable to touch.
She imagined her children wearing it, warmth flooding her heart.
Monica came over, already carrying an armful.
"This one for the girl, this one for the boy, this one works for both..."
She kept chattering while stuffing things into Evelyn's arms. "Hold these for me first—I want to check out over there!"
Evelyn didn't know whether to laugh or cry, only able to hold the pile of clothes and follow her.
All of this was being watched by a man not far away.
Shawn stood behind a pillar, his gaze fixed intently on the baby store.
His eyes were wide with disbelief.
Shawn had been following Monica for a while now.
He didn't understand why Monica, like Evelyn, had suddenly stopped talking to him.
She wouldn't answer his calls or messages. When they occasionally ran into each other on the street, she'd take a detour as if avoiding something filthy.
Since he couldn't get close to Evelyn, he'd focused on Monica.
He figured there'd eventually be a chance to see Evelyn through her again, to have a proper talk with Evelyn.
She must have been deceived by Matthew. Once she knew his true feelings, she'd surely change her mind.
He hadn't expected to actually get his chance today.
He followed from a distance, watching the two chat and laugh as they entered the restaurant, his heart racing with excitement.
He waited outside for a full hour, planning to approach when they came out.
Just as he was looking for an opportunity to get closer, he saw them finish eating and cheerfully turn into a baby store nearby.
Monica didn't have a boyfriend—she had no reason to visit a baby store.
Could it be... Evelyn was pregnant?
Matthew's child?
Shawn's knuckles turned white from clenching, as if he couldn't feel the pain.
Matthew must have deceived her.
Evelyn was so innocent—how could she be Matthew's match?
He had to tell her the truth, make her wake up, and get away from Matthew.
He waited outside the store, the fire in his heart burning hotter and hotter.
Finally, the two came out.
Monica went to get the car. Evelyn stood by the roadside waiting for her.
She lowered her head slightly, thinking about something, a faint smile still lingering at the corners of her mouth.
Shawn strode forward and grabbed her hand as she was about to open the car door. "Evelyn."
Evelyn looked up. Seeing it was him, her brow immediately furrowed. "What are you doing?"
Shawn stared at her, his eyes reddening, his voice very low. "You're pregnant? With Matthew's child?"
Evelyn said nothing.
Shawn took a deep breath, as if trying to convince her, or perhaps convince himself.
"Evelyn, it's not too late." His voice was urgent. "I'll take you to get rid of it. Abort the baby, and we can start fresh."
"Listen to me, I'm doing this for your own good—"
Evelyn's gaze turned cold, but Shawn continued babbling.
"Do you know what happens to illegitimate children in elite families like the Perkins family?"
"Matthew will never acknowledge your child!"
"Someone like him—likes this person today, that person tomorrow. How could he truly care about you?"
"Only I—only I truly care about you!"