Chapter 37
Evelyn frowned, surrounded by an urban village.
It was called a village on the city's outskirts, but because it was close to downtown and with the city's development, it had long since merged with the urban area.
Trying to pull off a demolition here wouldn't be easy.
"If you know you can't handle it, just go home and be your little princess, and allow someone else!"
Fallon spoke with a mix of jealousy and dissatisfaction, her words dripping with sarcasm: "Using connections to get an opportunity that others would kill for, and still complaining here."
"You want to handle the demolition?" Evelyn cut straight to the point.
"You're willing to let me do this project?"
After Fallon spoke, her face showed anger again: "Don't think you can use this to make things difficult for me."
"Just now you said this was an opportunity others would kill for, and now you don't want it?" Evelyn continued, "Looks like you not only lack my good family background, but you're as useless as me. What do you call that?"
Evelyn's beautiful eyes blinked. She hadn't said anything explicit, yet every look seemed to say 'born with nothing but dreaming of everything.'
Fallon couldn't take this kind of provocation and immediately clenched her fists: "What's so hard about it? Watch me handle it!"
"Alright, how about I treat you to coffee first?"
They walked toward a street-side café, but before they could enter, Evelyn stopped. The smile on her lips froze.
"What, don't want to treat anymore? Planning to say your phone died?" Fallon jabbed, following Evelyn's gaze through the window to see a tall man inside the café.
The man looked distinguished, from his clothing to his every gesture, completely out of place with his surroundings, making him easy to spot.
What drew even more attention was the petite girl standing beside him.
The girl had big, bright, clear eyes, with an innocent look that made people want to get close to her.
"From the looks of it, you should be clear whether Mr. White is training you or making things difficult for you."
Because of the distance, Evelyn couldn't see Benjamin's expression clearly, but with his status, why would he be here?
And he was allowing a strange girl to stand so close to him?
She wasn't even sure if the girl was a stranger.
But...
Evelyn thought of the countless times he had protected her, and even in her last life, in her final moments of consciousness, she had seen him.
While her mind was still in chaos, her phone had already dialed his number.
She watched clearly as he answered the phone, and her anxious heart eased slightly.
"Benjamin, my car broke down. Can you come pick me up?"
The question she wanted to ask about where he was ultimately changed to a different topic when she spoke.
If he lied, she didn't know what she would do.
Through the window, she could see Benjamin nod slightly to the girl, then walk aside with his phone: "Where are you?"
His familiar, gentle voice calmed her a little: "I'm at The Velvet Mirage."
The Velvet Mirage was Emerald City's most upscale entertainment venue. Plus, with the mysterious and powerful background of The Velvet Mirage's owner, no one dared cause trouble there, and people with status all liked to do business there.
"Okay, I'll head over in a bit."
"How long?"
Benjamin's low laugh came through the phone: "What's gotten into you?"
Evelyn suddenly realized her behavior was exactly like a girlfriend checking up on her boyfriend, and her face flushed slightly.
"Just asking, to figure out my schedule."
"I'm in the East District right now. It'll take about an hour to get there. Just in time to have lunch with you."
She didn't respond, just hung up directly, then walked toward her car without looking back.
The East and West districts were in opposite directions. Benjamin was hiding his location.
No, from here to The Velvet Mirage would take half an hour at most. His purpose was to extend his time staying here.
Evelyn forced herself not to think about it, but her whole body was trembling slightly, and her usually smiling face had turned pale.
Fallon saw her reaction and somewhat understood that Benjamin's answer had upset Evelyn.
She quickly caught up, reaching out to support her: "If you're bothered by it, just go in and ask him directly. Why torture yourself?"
"Ask what?"
Evelyn's voice was very low, as if speaking to Fallon but also to herself: "They haven't done anything. If I go in and ask him, he can say he has other things to handle later. Instead, it makes me look dramatic and troublesome."
Her mumbling voice revealed her anxiety.
Watching her reaction, Fallon suddenly realized something: "You really don't care about Matthew anymore, you've fallen for Mr. White?"
Evelyn didn't know. She tried to control her expression, forcing a smile: "You're the first person to say I don't care about Matthew."
Her phone rang. It was Benjamin calling.
She had hung up too impulsively just now.
She closed her eyes, declined the call, and sent a message.
[I'm waiting for you at The Velvet Mirage.]
"Go to The Velvet Mirage." She sat in the car, watching the café blur in the rearview mirror.
That Benjamin cherished her like a treasure was something everyone knew, and something she had never doubted.
But he had just lied.
She slowly closed her eyes. Were all men the same?
Even Benjamin, who seemed to love her like his life on the surface, would he also be attracted to women who brought him novelty?
Just like those novels she used to scoff at, where the male lead deeply loved the female lead, yet how could he deceive her with a fake marriage certificate and make her adopt a child he had with another woman?
Now images of Benjamin standing with that girl in the café flashed through her mind, and she suddenly felt this could happen with him too.
The Velvet Mirage.
The half-hour drive didn't calm Evelyn down, but it did help her control her expression.
She walked in expressionlessly and immediately bumped into someone. Both of them staggered back.
For a moment, Evelyn wanted to just pick a fight with the person to relieve her frustration.
Looking up, she saw a beautiful and elegant woman.
Even though she considered herself a beauty, she had to admit the other woman was gorgeous.
It was... Mabel Simpson, the non-biological daughter who had been switched at birth in the Simpson family.
She'd heard that after the Simpson family's real daughter returned, Mabel's status in the family had plummeted, but did she have to be this disheveled?
Mabel's dress was soaked through, semi-transparent, revealing her underwear underneath.
The air reeked of alcohol—clearly someone had thrown a drink on her.
"Sorry." Mabel steadied herself and immediately apologized.
When she saw clearly it was Evelyn, her eyes flickered slightly, and she apologized again: "I'm sorry, Ms. Thomas."
They were in the same wealthy circle, and though not close, they knew of each other despite their young age.
Evelyn nodded slightly. Before she could speak, several men came chasing out from behind.
She took off her jacket and draped it over Mabel.
"Beautiful women really do have beautiful friends. Come have a drink with us. We promise you won't regret it. Make us happy, and we'll make it worth your while."
Not only was his tone sleazy, but the man reached out to put his arm around Evelyn's shoulder.
"Don't touch her!" Mabel stopped him.
The man sneered: "What, afraid if I touch her, I won't be able to satisfy you?"