Chapter 71: The Two-Dollar Apology
Evelyn’s body stopped shaking, and her tears dried up. She picked up her phone again. Her fingers were stiff, but she consciously forced them to move. She opened the photos Sienna had sent, saved every single one, and didn't delete them.
She screenshotted the attached text message, opened a private, encrypted cloud drive, and uploaded the photos and screenshot. She added the previous sex toy receipts and the anonymous video, organizing them into a folder labeled "Evidence." This was for the inevitable divorce battle. She was doing this for herself and the child she was carrying.
Afterward, she felt she had no more energy left for sorrow. She couldn't afford to be ruled by emotion, or wallow in self-pity—that would only please Damian and Sienna.
Evelyn grabbed the sofa armrest and, gritting her teeth, stood up. A stabbing pain in her right ankle made her gasp, instantly clearing her head.
She limped to the study. She opened the laptop she’d brought from the studio. The screen light illuminated her pale face. She opened an encrypted folder containing her 'Rebirth' sketches and a document detailing Ryan K. Lawrence’s measurements. She still had to design the companion piece to the 'Rebirth' collection for him.
Evelyn picked up her stylus and created a new canvas. The lines she drew were sharp and decisive, not soft. The suit's shoulder line was drawn high, and the collar design was unconventional. She used shading to emphasize the fabric's drape, giving the garment a substantial, powerful feel. She poured her entire focus into every stroke. Only this way could she temporarily forget the agony in her ankle and the emptiness in her heart.
Time slipped away. The night deepened outside. Evelyn was lost in her work, the pen never stopping.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she heard the key turning in the front door, followed by Damian’s heavy footsteps. Evelyn’s hand paused, but she immediately continued sketching, pretending not to hear.
Damian’s footsteps approached. He paused in the living room before heading upstairs. Evelyn didn't look up, knowing the study light was on.
Sure enough, the study door soon opened. Damian stood in the doorway, bringing in the outside chill, his face tired and slightly impatient. He walked in, offering a perfunctory, “It’s late. Get some rest.”
Evelyn didn't reply, her stylus moving across the tablet. Damian walked to her side, his gaze falling on the design sketch. His eyebrows slightly raised.
“You’re drawing menswear?” He paused, mistakenly believing Evelyn had come to her senses and was preparing a surprise for him. “Is this for me?”
His hand rested casually on the back of her chair. He didn't notice her motionless right foot or the terrible swelling in her ankle. All he saw was the design that could bring value to his company.
He pulled something from his suit pocket and held it out. “It was too crowded at the park today. I didn't look after you properly,” he said. “Take this as compensation.”
It was a pink, plastic hair clip with a crude, fuzzy cartoon bunny. It looked like a cheap carnival prize, worth maybe two dollars. Evelyn’s eyes landed on the clip. The image of the expensive diamond bracelet Damian had bought for Sienna immediately flashed in her mind.
He was using a worthless plastic trinket to "compensate" for her fear, her fractured ankle, and a heart he had completely shattered when he abandoned her. The gesture was deeply insulting.
Yet, her face remained blank. She slowly reached out and took the clip. “Thank you.”
She turned and opened the bottom, dusty drawer of her desk, filled with old files and discarded stationery. She tossed the pink clip inside.
Damian completely failed to notice the emotion behind her action. In his mind, she had accepted the apology, and the matter was closed. His patience was running thin; it was time for business.
He leaned down, his chin nearly touching her shoulder, the posture intimate, but the tone non-negotiable. “This design of yours… it looks good.” He pointed at the screen. “The company needs a new menswear collection. If it sells well, it will help the Group go public.”
It was a command, not a discussion. He naturally assumed her talent, her designs, and everything about her belonged to him—to the Omni Group—just as she did.
Evelyn's finger paused on the tablet, but she quickly resumed sketching, offering no reply.
“Did you hear me?” Damian pressed. “Finish the complete series design for me soon.”
Evelyn finally stopped. She didn't look up or speak, only staring at the finished sketch. Damian took her silence as concentration and agreement. He hummed in satisfaction, feeling that everything was back under his control. He decided he could overlook past issues if she would be obedient and create value for the Omni Group.
“Evelyn, behave yourself and do what a Mrs. Green should do.” This house, and this woman, ultimately had to submit to him.
“Get some rest.” He turned and left the study, closing the door softly.
Silence returned. He had walked past her, and never once looked down at the bruised, swollen foot hidden under her desk. It didn't matter. She no longer wished for the slightest genuine care from this deeply hypocritical, selfish man.