Evelyn drifted into a restless sleep.
She was exhausted after the afternoon at the farm.
In the early hours, she felt someone beside her.
She barely opened her eyes before falling back asleep.
At dawn, sunlight streamed into the room.
It cast a pale glow that felt unreal.
Evelyn stared at it for a long moment.
Then she shook herself awake and got up.
Alexander stepped out of the bathroom.
He saw she was already awake.
He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Did you sleep well?”
Evelyn looked at him.
After a pause, she nodded.
“I had a lot of dreams.”
“What about?” he asked, stroking her cheek.
“I can’t remember now. Just that there were many.”
“Maybe you’re stressed. I’ll come home early tonight to keep you company.”
“Okay,” she said softly.
She didn’t say anything else.
“Evelyn, I had dinner with Grace last night. It’s over between us. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. That’s all.”
He held her gaze.
“When I drove her back, she fainted. I took her to the hospital.”
Evelyn studied him quietly.
Then she spoke.
“Alexander, if Grace and I both fell into the water, and you could only save one of us, who would you choose?”
He laughed softly and touched her head.
“Silly girl. Why ask that?”
“It sounds childish now, I know.”
She took a breath.
“But Alexander, you’ve never really let Grace go.”
He started to speak.
She held up a hand.
“Let me finish, please.”
“I don’t know what happened between you. But I know you were forced apart when you were still in love. That leaves regret. A gap.”
“Don’t interrupt. Just listen.”
“Maybe if you’d stayed together, you’d have fallen out of love eventually. Broken up for other reasons. No regrets.”
“But that’s not what happened. You were still in love when you separated. That regret stays. Ten years from now, twenty years, it’ll still be there. Because time doesn’t go back. You can’t change the past.”
“I know you’d never betray me. Your morals, your sense of responsibility won’t let you.”
“You’ll be good to me. You’ll take care of me. You’ll make me feel loved. We’ll be happy.”
“But is that what you really want?”
“I know Grace regrets her choice. She came back for you. She still loves you.”
“I asked my mother. You two didn’t break up because Grace wanted to. It was impulse. Pride. You’re both too proud.”
“Proud people can’t lose. Can’t let go.”
“So tell me. If Grace and I fell into the water, who would you save first?”
“Forget about morality. Forget about marriage. Forget about everything else. Just think about what you truly want. Your instinct.”
“When you have the answer, you’ll know who you really want to spend your life with.”
“As for our marriage, let’s go back to how it was. Why did we get married? You needed to satisfy your mother. I needed to save my family. We both got what we wanted.”
“As for the baby, I’ve thought about it. As long as we guide him well, he’ll grow up healthy and happy. Don’t let him be an obstacle.”
“Just think about what you really want.”
She fell silent.
“Evelyn,” Alexander said, his voice low. “What about us? What about everything we’ve shared?”
“I’m not someone who settles,” she replied. “Especially not in love. I’m a perfectionist.”
“If I’d had any other choice back then, I would never have agreed to this marriage.”
“Alexander, I could pretend. I could ignore it. We could go back to being happy.”
“But I don’t want to see you one day, thinking of someone else, with that look in your eyes. That look that says you regret me. That I’m the reason you two can’t be together.”
“Do you understand?”
“That’s not just disrespect. It’s an insult.”
He tried to speak.
She stopped him.
“Don’t answer me now.”
“Take your time. Think about what you really want. The life you want. The person you want.”
“That’s the greatest respect you can show me.”
“I’ll stay here. I’ll live the same life. But we should live apart for a while.”
“I don’t agree,” he said.
He cupped her face.
“Evelyn, it’s not that serious. You’re angry. Let’s talk when you’ve calmed down.”
She looked at him.
Then she took his hand, got out of bed, and walked to the bathroom.
At the door, she spoke softly.
“Alexander, you never really knew me.”
She went inside and closed the door.
He stared at the closed door.
His brow furrowed.
His eyes darkened.
After Alexander left for work, Evelyn followed her usual routine.
She stayed in Sterling Manor.
She knitted a sweater.
She read parenting books.
Victoria called.
Evelyn answered with a smile.
“Sister, you worry too much about me.”
“Don’t give me that. Did Alexander explain everything?”
“There’s nothing to explain. Grace is leaving. They had dinner with some old friends. There were other people there too. They just left early.”
She was getting good at lying.
Smooth. No hesitation.
“Really?”
“Of course. Sister, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
“Okay. Just live well with Alexander. Take care of yourself. A happy mood means a smarter baby.”
“I know. Don’t you have work today?”
“Of course I do. The company is busy. I’ll let you go. I’ll come home in a few days. We’ll talk then.”
Evelyn smiled and hung up.