Chapter Forty Nine: Emotional Distraction

EVELYN'S POV:

As I stepped out of the car, I stood for a moment, watching Leonard drive away. A pang pierced my heart. I had chosen to suppress whatever feelings I harbored for him. A tear trickled down my cheek. I watched him turn the car around and drive off. I knew my decisions wouldn't be an easy one.

But I had a task to accomplish and I had to stay undistracted.

Swallowing my emotions, I went inside. After a quick change of clothes, I went downstairs and got a bottle of water from the kitchen. I needed to catch up with Dad. The classes had to start soon, and I needed to update him about Caleb and Dana, though I still felt uncertain. I was reluctant to leave my room, but summoning all my strength, I forced myself to go.

As I stepped out of the house, I took a deep breath and closed the door behind me.

When I reached Dad’s place. I saw him seated on the balcony. Quietly, I made my way upstairs to where he sat. He was engrossed in a small book, barely noticing my presence.

“Morning dad.” I greeted but I got no response.

“Hey, Dad,” I called softly again as I approached him.

He looked up, his expression unreadable, his silence unsettling. Something seemed off. 

“Dad, is something wrong?” I asked, concerned laced in my voice.

He motioned for me to sit, and I did. His demeanor hadn’t changed, and his pensive gaze made me uneasy. I was now hungry for whatever the reason was. His silence was building strong tension in me.

“I’ve been thinking about how the poisoning happened,” he began, his voice calm but laced with tension. “I made the coffee you had on your birthday—it was the only food or drink you consumed that morning, before the incident.”

He paused, as if assessing my reaction. I stared back, unsure of where he was going with this. But I was a bit relieved since I have a light clue on the problem.

“I was trying to figure out who could have tampered with the drink,” he continued, searching my face. “When Leonard came, he asked if you had eaten anything the night before, I remembered our dinner with Dana. He suggested we test the food, if there was a remnant.”

Dad’s voice grew more animated as he recounted his actions. “I rushed to the kitchen, praying the maid hadn’t cleaned the dishes yet. Luckily, she had just arrived, but there were no leftovers. I took the dish you used, hoping it would be enough. I called in a lab technician, who assured me it would work. I gave it to him and waited until the result was out.”

He paused again, his eyes narrowing. “The results came back yesterday. The lab tech delivered it immediately when you were out for work. The food you ate that night was poisoned, Evelyn. And the only person who had access to it besides me was Dana.”

The anger and concern in his voice were palpable. A year ago, this revelation would have shocked me. But I was no longer that naive Evelyn. I had already suspected Dana’s capacity for malice and anything else. Still, guilt gnawed at me. How could I have invited her over, knowing what she was capable of? And I’d even planned to meet her later today. Since I hadn't accepted the meeting officially, I made my mind instantly not to see her again.

Dad’s sharp tone broke my thoughts. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” he demanded.

I hesitated before replying, my voice measured. “I’m just surprised, Dad. How could she have done it without being noticed? We were together the entire time.”

A pang of regret struck me. I knew better than to trust Dana, yet I kept giving her opportunities to strike, what was I even thinking. But it passed now and it wasn't completely a waste.

“Evelyn, we need to report this to the police,” Dad said firmly. His tone left no room for debate.

But that felt too simple—too easy for someone like Dana. She deserved far more than mere legal consequences. She deserves hell on this earth and there's no way she's getting punished without her accomplice. There were other matters I needed to address first. I met Dad’s stern gaze and pleaded my case.

“Dad, we don’t have solid proof yet. Let’s give it time. We need something concrete before taking action.”

He wasn’t convinced but eventually relented, though not without a warning. “Be extremely cautious, Evelyn.”

“I will,” I assured him. Then, shifting the conversation, I reminded him, “For the course, we should start next week since the weekend’s almost here. I want to get started soon dad.” I said, my voice filled with genuine optimism.

He nodded in agreement, his mood softening. We talked a while longer, and he seemed more relaxed by the end of it. .” But my own thoughts remained restless. I couldn’t bring up Caleb and Dana now as I have planned__not when things were already tense. I decided to postpone that conversation for another time. But for how long would I keep these away from him, I thought to myself.

He needs to know, but definitely not at the time.

After lunch, I retreated to my room. As I walked back, countless thoughts swirled in my mind, but I pushed them aside. I needed to stay focused.

The sound of my phone ringing jolted me. Rushing to the sitting room, I checked the caller ID. It was Leonard.

 As I picked up my phone the call ended, I checked my notifications and I had missed two of his calls.

With not much thought I dropped the phone and made to leave but it buzzed again. I clicked on the answer button.

“Hey,” I greeted briefly, not intending to have a long conversation.

I could hear his breaths from my end, “ Do you still have plans with Dana?” He asked.