"I haven't seen it yet!" Evie teased deliberately.
Charlie stared at her for a long time through the mirror.
"Don't try to change the subject," she said.
Evie laughed softly and took a sip of water.
"I really couldn't put it down before," she continued.
"I think living in suspicion every day is exhausting.
It's better to end things early and keep some good memories instead of becoming bitter.
Later, when he got sick, I slowly figured things out.
My mom and sister told me I had a massive hemorrhage when the baby was hospitalized. Alexander went crazy. He grabbed the doctor and begged him to save me.
So when he had that high fever, I finally understood how he felt back then.
At that moment, I didn't care about anything else. I knew he had other women in his heart. I didn't care what would happen to me in the future. I just wanted him to get better.
I would have agreed to anything he asked for then.
Even if it meant abandoning my principles.
There would be no bottom line.
So sometimes people only learn to cherish when they're about to lose.
Most of the time, there's no second chance.
It's like death. You can't come back.
There's no do-over at all.
So back then, I thought if Alexander could just be healthy, I really wanted to live a good life with him. I didn't want to dwell on the past anymore."
She paused and laughed at herself.
"Sometimes people lose all their principles for the person they love," Evie said.
"That means handing your weakness to the other person completely. Laying yourself bare in front of them.
You know you might get hurt, but you can't help it.
If you want to cut off your feelings.
Well, if the other person feels the same way, they'll cherish you.
Otherwise, you're just asking for trouble.
Right now, I'm basically at the point where I've accepted whatever happens.
If Alexander can stay with me in the future, we can still be happy.
If not, then I'll lose my last hope.
If I don't even have good memories to look forward to, then I'll be completely free."
Charlie looked at Evie in the mirror and listened to her words. Even though she wasn't married, she could relate.
She had always loved Noah Grant, hadn't she? Wasn't that the same feeling?
She wished Noah would just be cruel to her so she could let go completely. She didn't want him to stop loving her, but she wished he would always be this good to her, so she couldn't bring herself to move on.
She would let go now, maybe because she had been disappointed too many times. Finally, she had lost all hope.
When she stopped thinking about him, she would finally be free.
"I don't think Alexander will disappoint you, Evie. I can see he cares about you now," Charlie said.
"Maybe. Because he's always been good to me, that's why I can't let go sometimes," Evie laughed bitterly.
"It's easy to be nice to someone for a while. But for a lifetime? Besides love, I can't think of any other reason," Charlie sighed.
Evie looked at Charlie and nodded with a smile.
It was true. If someone could truly be good to another person for a lifetime, aside from parents to their children, it could only be love.
"Honestly, I always thought you two would never get divorced," Charlie said.
"Why?" Evie smiled.
"Unless Alexander wanted a divorce too. With his personality, I don't think you could succeed.
Do you really think you can outsmart him with your IQ and EQ?" Charlie stared directly at Evie.
Evie couldn't help but laugh.
"You're here to hurt me," she said.
"I'm just telling the truth.
Let's not even talk about experience, life experience, or connections.
Let's just talk about Alexander's IQ.
If he doesn't want a divorce, he has a hundred ways to make sure you can't leave.
Don't even mention anything else. If he doesn't give you custody of the baby, you can't go anywhere."
Evie had to agree with Charlie.
"So now I think Alexander agreed to the divorce and signed the papers just to let you go back to your mom's house.
It's all a game. He's making you think you can really get a divorce.
He's letting you relax for a while, untie your emotional knots, and then he'll take you back. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?
Aren't you back with him now?" Charlie analyzed logically.
"Monday morning quarterback!" Evie complained.
Charlie burst out laughing.
But Evie still thought Charlie's analysis wasn't completely unreasonable. Now that she thought about it, if Alexander really didn't want a divorce, he had many ways to stop her.
But he didn't use those extreme methods. Instead, he took a roundabout way. She was willing to go back with him in the end, and it didn't damage their relationship.
If she really wanted to fight, she was no match for Alexander at all.
After shopping with Charlie, Evie returned to Sterling Manor.
Before going to sleep that night, Evie sat on the sofa reading a book.
"Not asleep yet?" Alexander walked over to the empty seat next to her and sat down.
"Not really tired yet," Evie put down the book and answered.
"Then let me talk to you," Alexander said. He put his arm around Evie's shoulder, and they sat close together.
"Perfect. I wanted to ask you something," Evie turned to look at Alexander.
"What is it?" Alexander looked down at her.
"I was thinking, if I hadn't agreed to come back and insisted on the divorce, would you have really divorced me after three months?" Evie crossed her legs, placed the book on her lap, and looked at Alexander.
"Do you want me to answer honestly, or do you want me to sugarcoat it?" Alexander didn't answer directly.
"Honestly, of course," Evie rolled her eyes.
"No," Alexander answered simply.
"So you were just playing with me all along?" Evie raised an eyebrow.
"Not playing with you. I just needed some time to figure out how to win you back," Alexander explained.
"What would you have done if I never came back with you?"
"Then I would have had to move in with you at your mom's house," Alexander held Evie's cheek and smiled.
Evie grabbed his hand in protest.
"You're impossible," she said.
"I'm answering your question very seriously.
I wasn't going to get a divorce no matter what.
Think about it. Getting remarried after a divorce would not only hurt our feelings but also cause a lot of trouble.
What if you decided not to remarry me, or ran off with another man after the divorce?" Alexander said seriously.
"Didn't you sign the agreement? I can't remarry before you do," Evie countered.
"The agreement is signed, but it has no legal force. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. No one can stop it," Alexander sighed.
Evie slapped him playfully, laughing and crying at the same time.
"So after all that, signing the agreement was just a joke to you!" she protested.