Chapter 72
"With such a big wheelchair, how could I possibly mistake it? That must be Matthew!"
Evelyn narrowed her eyes, her tone a bit odd.
"Before, to save Sophia, he said he'd agree to any condition."
"After Sophia's accident, he looked completely devastated. Now he's already got someone new this quickly?"
Recalling the woman who had appeared by his side just now, her brow furrowed even tighter.
Evelyn felt like she'd seen her somewhere before, but just couldn't remember where.
Evelyn went through all the girls around this age in her memory, but still couldn't find anyone who matched.
"Evelyn, don't you think that girl looks a bit like Sophia?" Stella suddenly asked.
Evelyn's eyes widened suddenly, and the fog in her mind instantly cleared.
No wonder Evelyn found her so familiar - that woman's figure looked just like Sophia's!
"Could Sophia not be dead?"
"Impossible."
Evelyn shook her head in denial.
"After the car accident, her body was completely disfigured. What if someone pulled a switcheroo and let her escape?"
Stella wasn't so certain, looking in the direction where Matthew had long disappeared, and didn't continue.
Others might not have that kind of ability.
But since Matthew wanted to protect Sophia from the start, who knows?
"I know what you're thinking, but that's impossible." Evelyn rejected her idea. "When Sophia had her accident, Matthew was with me. He couldn't have done something like that."
"For something like this, why would he need to show up in person? Besides, someone in a wheelchair couldn't possibly go to the scene."
Stella analyzed logically: "Maybe he came to find you just to lower your guard."
Evelyn laughed: "When I say it's impossible, it's not because of Matthew. It's because that girl isn't Sophia."
"What?"
"I've known Sophia for so long, I know her figure too well. That girl looks a lot like her, but she's thinner. They're not the same person."
"You really do have deep feelings for Sophia, seeing so clearly from so far away."
Thinking about how she'd been cold to Stella before because of Sophia, Evelyn felt terrible.
Now that Stella was saying this, she felt even more embarrassed.
She immediately put her arm around Stella's shoulder: "Isn't my best friend right here? Only our Stella is the most important person in my heart."
"Come on, the number one person in your heart now is probably Benjamin, right?"
Evelyn paused, smiling a bit sheepishly: "Is it that obvious?"
"It couldn't be more obvious. Your eyes light up whenever you mention him now."
The two were still teasing each other when Evelyn's phone rang. It was Benjamin calling.
Stella winked at her: "See, I'm clearly the third wheel. I'll go buy chocolate and leave you two some time together."
Evelyn laughed and cursed at her, then answered the phone.
"Out shopping?" Benjamin's voice was very calm.
"Yeah, what's up?"
She leaned against the railing, watching the people in the mall, considering whether to tell him about the woman who appeared beside Matthew.
"Let's have lunch together."
"Lunch?" Evelyn was stunned. When you go shopping together, you eat together too.
She'd just been accused by Stella of choosing romance over friendship, and now if she ditched her to find Benjamin, she'd probably get called out again, right?
"What, no time?"
"I'm shopping with Stella..."
"You two can shop, but have lunch with me."
Benjamin's tone was very calm, but you could still sense the dominance in it, giving her no choice at all.
"How can you do that? She'll be upset." Evelyn's tone was a bit playfully reproachful, expressing dissatisfaction, but her voice carried a smile.
Benjamin chuckled softly: "If you don't have lunch with me, I'll be upset too. I've already made a reservation. I'll send you the address later, have the driver bring you over."
"You've just decided like that? What if Stella's unhappy?"
"Today's shopping is on me."
"Aren't you afraid we'll go buy two villas?"
"As long as you're happy."
The simple, unpretentious life of rich people.
After Stella complained for a bit, near lunchtime, Evelyn took a car to the restaurant Benjamin had reserved.
As soon as Evelyn walked in, she noticed they were the only table dining. Had Benjamin rented out the whole place?
He knew about this kind of romance?
When she walked over, he had already stood up to pull out her chair, and only sat down across from her after she was seated.
"What did you buy?"
"Clothes and bags. Someone's paying today, so I couldn't pass up anything I liked."
Looking at her pretty, charming face, Benjamin was happy to pay for her shopping. He had no intention of objecting at all.
Benjamin smiled and took out a velvet box, pushing it toward her: "Open it and see if you like it."
"You prepared a gift too?"
No one dislikes gifts, especially ones specially prepared by someone they like.
Evelyn's pretty face was full of smiles, feeling like all her recent unhappiness had dissipated.
"Are you trying to win me over?"
"Yes, you've been in a bad mood lately."
Because Timothy and Hannah had helped Matthew, her mood had been a bit low.
But having already seen through the root cause, she wasn't really upset, just felt her skills weren't good enough. She was determined to make Timothy and Hannah see through Matthew's schemes.
But now that Benjamin had noticed her mood and was thoughtfully trying to cheer her up, the smile in her eyes was especially bright.
She opened the box and saw a beautiful diamond necklace.
The necklace wasn't particularly expensive, but it had thoughtful little details, delicate and cute - the style that girls her age would like.
"You're pretty good at picking gifts. Put it on me."
He smiled and stood up, lifting her long hair and putting the necklace on her: "Do you like it?"
"It's beautiful."
She was in a good mood, and her appetite was good too.
After the meal, she even had an extra piece of dessert.
"The performance is coming up soon. Eating like this, aren't you worried about gaining weight?" Benjamin naturally wiped the cake crumbs from the corner of her mouth.
"You're ruining the joy of eating good food."
Evelyn pouted, glaring at him somewhat unhappily, but it didn't affect her good mood.
Full and satisfied, she naturally took his arm and followed him outside.
"The performance is in half a month. Do you want to come with me?"
"Of course."
He smiled, looking at Evelyn by his side with her radiant smile, the tenderness in his eyes clearly visible.
The two walked side by side toward the parking lot, talking about things without much substance, but both found it very sweet.
Until a female voice sounded behind them—
"Mr. White."
Benjamin stopped, and Evelyn stopped with him, turning to look back.
The woman was probably a year or two older than her, not as strikingly beautiful, but still pretty.
She wore a proper business suit, elegant and composed - clearly a socialite raised by a prominent family.
She nodded slightly at Benjamin, then her gaze fell on Evelyn: "Ms. Thomas."
"Celeste Harris, a new manager at the company."
Evelyn smiled and nodded, acknowledging the greeting.
But in her heart, she had a guess. Surname Harris?
Was it the Harris family she was thinking of?
"Are Mr. White and Ms. Thomas leaving together?" Celeste smiled, her manner elegant.