After too much wine, Evie’s words started flowing.
She leaned against the wall, just talking.
She said she used to study hard in school because she always felt slow. She didn’t know what else she could do besides hit the books.
When college entrance exams came around, she wanted to apply to a university far from home. She wanted to be independent. But her family said no.
Maybe all along, they thought she was stupid. They thought she needed special care. They never trusted her.
But she wasn’t that fragile. She was just a little slow on the uptake.
Then she brought up what Charlie once said. Slow reactions meant an underdeveloped brain. Basically, she was dumb.
Alexander didn’t interrupt. He just listened quietly.
Later, Evie talked about her family going bankrupt. About being forced into marriage.
“Tell me,” she said, looking at him with drunken eyes. “My family was broke. Why did the Sterling family still want us?”
“Not your family,” Alexander corrected. “You.”
“Oh. Why do you like me, though? My sister is prettier. She’s smarter too.” Evie asked like a curious child.
“Because you and I are meant to be,” Alexander said with a smile.
Evie looked up at him and grinned.
“Right. Oh! Do you know something?” she continued, her face turning mysterious.
“What?” Alexander asked.
“Let me tell you a secret. Don’t tell Alexander! I only agreed to the marriage because Ethan told me Alexander was gay.”
“If he was gay, why would you agree?”
“Because if he’s gay, I don’t have to worry about anything! Maybe in a few years, he wouldn’t want to live with me. He’d divorce me! Then I’d be free again. I could help my family through the hard times. Isn’t that perfect?”
“Is that still how you feel now?” Alexander asked, his voice rough.
“Not now.” Evie shook her head.
“Why not now?”
“Because Alexander isn’t gay. Because I’ve…”
“You’ve what?” Alexander looked at her, pressing on.
“I’ve fallen in love with him. I don’t want to be apart from him. I want to be with him forever. Also, he said we’re meant to be,” Evie murmured.
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll cheat on you?”
“No. He won’t cheat on me.” Evie’s answer was firm.
“You just believe him?”
“Of course I believe him. He’s my husband.” Evie said with a sweet smile.
Alexander looked at her quietly. He didn’t ask anything else.
What Evie just said was enough.
Sure, their marriage started with a lot of problems. But now, they were working together. Their married life was getting better every day. Wasn’t that enough?
Other people fell in love first, then got married. They were different. Getting married first and falling in love later wasn’t so bad.
“Evie, time to sleep.” Alexander got up, walked over, and held her.
“Alexander, we have to stay together,” Evie whispered in his arms.
Alexander didn’t know what mood she was in. But he knew one thing clearly. This was what he had wanted ever since he decided to get married.
Once you get married, you live a good life.
As for the romantic past, it was gone.
Evie slept until dawn.
When she woke up, the room was full of light.
Alexander wasn’t there.
“Alexander?”
She called out. No one answered.
After a while, she got up.
When she picked up her phone, she saw a note underneath it.
Alexander said he went to work first. He’d be back at noon. He told her to get up and have breakfast on the second floor. Then stay in the hotel and wait for him.
Evie couldn’t help laughing when she read his message.
Like she was three years old. He was always afraid she’d get lost.
If she was this slow and he still wanted her, it was basically true love.
Evie brushed her teeth, looking at herself in the mirror with a narcissistic smile.
Well, happy women really were beautiful.
After washing up, Evie listened to Alexander and went downstairs for breakfast.
There was no free breakfast now. She had to order extra.
She ordered a seafood porridge. She even took a picture and sent it to Alexander to prove she had eaten.
After sending the picture, Evie put down her phone and started her rich breakfast.
There were three pleasures in life. One was sleeping well. Two was eating well. Three was being with the one you love.
Evie felt she had all three right now. She was a little too happy.
Then she had to remind herself. Don’t be too happy. It wasn’t good to be overjoyed.
So she tried to hold back. But after a while, the smile was still on her lips.
Her phone rang. Evie picked it up. It was Charlie.
“Mirror, you’re up so early today!” Evie said.
“Get out of here. What time is it? It’s not early!”
“Don’t you usually sleep in at this hour?” Evie laughed.
“You think I’m on American time? Where are we going today? I’m getting moldy here!”
“I can’t hang out with you today,” Evie replied with a smile.
“You can’t hang out on the weekend? Which wild man are you going to see? Oh, wait. You don’t have a wild man anymore. You have a husband now!” Charlie teased.
“You’re on speaker!” Evie cried.
Charlie yelled from the other end of the phone.
Evie quickly pulled the phone away from her ear.
“It’s too much that you didn’t invite me! I’ve decided to end our friendship. Cut it into eight pieces. Never talk to you again…”
“I’m with Alexander. He’s on a business trip. He’s taking me along.”
“Oh. Forget it. I’m not interested in being a third wheel.” Charlie’s tone suddenly dropped. Like a balloon about to burst. Now it was just deflating.
“Next time I travel on my own, I’ll make plans with you.”
“Forget it. Last time I went out with a direction idiot like you, I didn’t get lost. But you led me astray!”
“You’re the idiot. I’m a direction idiot. I can take a taxi. The driver knows the way,” Evie laughed.
“Ha. I didn’t expect our Evie to get smart after getting married.”
“I’m not stupid at all. I’m just not very smart,” Evie replied with a chuckle.
“Go away. I’m not pretty enough! When are you coming back?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“Then this weekend is a total waste.”
“Next weekend. I’ll give it all to you,” Evie replied.
“Next weekend? I might as well go back to school again.”
“Alright. Next weekend. I’ll go wherever you want,” Evie said with a smile.
“You said it. If you break the promise, I’ll strangle you,” Charlie threatened.