Chapter 82
Evelyn stared at that face, her entire body's blood seeming to freeze.
Sloane.
Of course, she recognized her.
That was the original she'd been a substitute for three years, Matthew's first love hidden deep in his heart.
The person she'd imitated for three years but could never become.
Looking closer, they really did look alike.
Their features, contours, and even the way they slightly pursed their lips held some resemblance.
How ironic. She pulled at the corners of her mouth but couldn't manage a smile.
These past few days, Matthew had kept saying he was busy with company matters, saying he couldn't come home, telling her to sleep early.
She'd believed him.
She'd even been racking her brains about how to give him a surprise.
Turns out he was with his first love.
Evelyn stood there, feeling cold all over.
Matthew saw her too.
He also froze, blurting out, "Eve? What are you doing here?"
She just looked at him, looked at him and Sloane standing together.
Then she let out a cold laugh, turned, and walked away.
"Eve!" Matthew snapped back to reality and chased after her, grabbing her hand. "Eve, let me explain. It's not what you think!"
Evelyn stopped and looked back at him.
That gaze was very calm—so calm it was frightening.
"What do I think?" she asked, her voice flat. "Matthew, do you think I'm a child you can just pacify?"
Matthew opened his mouth.
Evelyn shook off his hand.
"Let's just end things here," she said. "I was always just a substitute anyway. Now that the original is back, I should leave."
"I wish you both happiness."
"It's not like that!" Matthew's voice rose. He grabbed her wrist again. "Sloane is just sick. I came to take care of her."
"Back then, she left because of my mother. She was forced to marry someone, suffered domestic violence, and only came back after divorcing..."
"I have a responsibility to her, that's all."
Listening to his explanation, Evelyn's heart only grew colder.
Responsibility? Did responsibility mean lying to her?
"Let go!" she said.
"Eve..."
"I said let go!"
Evelyn shoved him away with such force that Matthew staggered back a step.
"Who are you? Why did you push him?"
A soft, weak voice interjected.
Evelyn looked up to see Sloane standing up from the wheelchair, somewhat unsteadily blocking Matthew's front.
Her face was pale, but her expression was resolute as she glared at Evelyn.
That look—like she was protecting someone she loved.
Evelyn looked at them standing together, her heart feeling like something had brutally struck it.
Evelyn let out a sarcastic laugh, turned, and walked away.
"Wait! You can't leave!"
Sloane caught up and grabbed her hand. The strength was unexpectedly great, her nails digging into Evelyn's flesh.
Evelyn instinctively pulled away.
She really just pulled away, didn't use much force.
But Sloane's entire body fell sideways, landing hard on the ground.
"Sloane!" Elysia rushed out from the side, shoving Evelyn aside. "What are you doing? Sloane is still a patient—how could you push her like that?"
Evelyn was pushed back several steps. Her foot slipped, and she fell heavily to the ground. A sharp pain shot through her lower abdomen.
She clutched her stomach, curling up on the ground, too pained to speak.
"Eve!" Matthew rushed over, crouching down to help her. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Evelyn looked at him. That face was full of concern, brow furrowed tight.
But she suddenly couldn't tell if this concern was real or just his habitual performance.
She pushed away his hand.
"I don't need your help." Her voice trembled, but she fought to hold it back. "Get away!"
She braced herself on the ground and stood up, staggering toward the exit.
She didn't look back.
"Matthew, who is she?" Sloane's aggrieved voice came from behind. "Why did she push you?"
Matthew didn't answer.
He watched Evelyn's retreating figure, his eyes darkening frighteningly.
"Take Sloane back to her room first," he told Elysia, his voice cold and hard.
Then he chased after her.
But he was a step too late.
By the time he reached the hospital entrance, Evelyn had already started her car.
The white sedan rushed out of the parking lot and disappeared around the corner.
"Eve!"
His voice was scattered by the wind.
Kevin arrived breathless to witness this scene.
Matthew stood at the hospital entrance like a soulless statue.
When Kevin heard Matthew had come to the hospital to see Sloane, he felt something was wrong and hurried over.
He hadn't expected things to still go wrong.
He walked over and stood beside Matthew.
"What were you thinking?" he asked, his tone suppressing anger. "You've already gotten together with Evelyn, and you have..."
He suddenly stopped. Not knowing if Evelyn had told Matthew the news, he really couldn't speak up.
He cleared his throat lightly and continued, "Why did you still get involved with Sloane?"
Matthew didn't look at him. "This is my business. Stay out of it."
"You..." Kevin took a deep breath, suppressing his anger.
"Sloane is sick because of me. I have no choice but to take care of her," Matthew said, his voice low. "I'll explain to Eve. Things between Sloane and me are innocent."
Kevin frowned.
Matthew was really confident.
Matters between women—how could they be explained clearly? How could he think he'd definitely make someone believe him?
"Just stop taking care of Sloane," Kevin said. "If you're worried, I can help you look after her. You and Evelyn properly explain things, or you'll have regrets..."
"Stay out of it." Matthew frowned and called the bodyguards.
"Follow Evelyn's car," he told the driver. "Quickly."
Kevin stood there watching his departing figure and sighed.
"Mr. Perkins, we lost her. Miss Arden was driving too fast..."
Matthew's brow furrowed even tighter. "Find someone to check where Evelyn went."
Evelyn drove, her mind a complete mess.
Her head kept replaying the scene from just now.
Matthew pushing Sloane's wheelchair, Sloane standing in front of him protectively, how well-matched they looked together.
She couldn't believe the Matthew who'd been saying "marry me" one second was with his first love the next.
The person who'd messaged "sleep early" was actually with another woman.
With such difficulty, they'd made it through three years.
Through arguments, through cold wars.
Through kidnapping and rescue, through his breaking off the engagement with the Quinn family.
Happiness had clearly been within reach.
Now she'd discovered with her own eyes that it was all just a lie.
Evelyn felt her breathing becoming more and more rapid, her chest feeling compressed, and unable to breathe.
Her lower abdomen cramped again.
She suddenly came to her senses.
Right, the baby.
She looked down at her stomach, fear instantly flooding through her.
She quickly found the nearest hospital, parked, and stumbled inside.
After the examination, Evelyn lay on the hospital bed listening to the doctor's instructions.
"There's some bleeding, but fortunately no major problems for now," the doctor said. "You're carrying twins—you need to be even more careful."
"To be safe, stay in the hospital for observation for a few days."
Evelyn nodded, a weight lifting from her heart.
The doctor had barely left when Monica, who'd received the news, rushed over.