Time To Return

Evelyn was a second too late in closing the door of her apartment. The door was held in a strong grip, and no matter how much she groaned or sweated over it, it wouldn't budge.

Meanwhile, her eyes were trained on her ground, not bearing the courage to face the horror before her. Her heart drummed in her chest in an alarming rate as though it would burst out any second now.

She stared at the black and shiny shoes of his. As always they seemed perfect. There was not even a stain of dirt on them. She honestly didn't know how he managed to do so when she had it bad with hers. They never managed to stay clean for long for her.

"Evelyn," he enunciated.

And she felt ashamed to admit that his voice made her feel jittery. It always did, and even after years, the effect didn't diminish. Why was her hormones so dramatic and pathetic just like her heart?

Countless times she had heard him take her name. It was always using the same tone— composed and cold. Was there anytime when there was fluctuations in that voice. She couldn't honestly remember.

Given how rare it was, she would have really imprinted that in her memory and repeat it over and over again while bursting with joy.

She was really easily satisfied when it came to this cold-hearted bastard.

How pathetic!

No, she shouldn't be a pathetic loser anymore. She was now a changed and grown woman. A better version of herself that didn't cower in front of this cold-hearted bastard.

Mentally encouraging herself, she lifted her head and smiled at him, stretching her lips to the point it physically hurt. She was probably overdoing it, but her determination to show him how cool she became over the years made her overlook that.

"Mister, don't you know it's impolite to barge in a young and unmarried woman's home at the middle of the night?" she pointed out, emphasizing on the word 'unmarried'.

He seemed unamused, and involuntarily, she found herself examining him. This made her subconsciously go back to three years ago. He hated change. That's why, even after three years, he looked the same. Not even a strand of hair of his was out of place.

That immediately got her attention to how unkempt she might look compared to him. Random hairs stood up awkwardly while the rest of it was pulled into a messy bun. Dressed so warmly, she looked like a round ball. Her height contributed a lot too.

Her inferiority complex acted up again, and this made her more determined to seem cool in front of him.

It was after all her who left him, abandoned him. So, that's why, she shouldn't be the one who is shaken up.

"It's fine if you are old and married?" he questioned.

She did call herself old earlier. But that was only fine from her mouth. Being insulted like this infuriated her, and moreover, his matter-of-fact tone bothered her further.

Her cheeks puffed up without her noticing.

"I am none of these, so leave."

He kept his eyes on her, and they seemed same as before. But being with him for so many years, she could read them somewhat. He was clearly mocking her!

She could totally envision him mentally calling her a fool!

He placed his palm on her shoulder and patted on it gently to allow her to make space. She gave him way to enter her apartment reflexively, and when she processed how she reacted, she frowned.

This isn't right.

She shouldn't be controlled like this.

Closing the door, she watched the man walk as he owned the place and sat down on the couch. Her footsteps were hurried as she made her way over to him and folded her hands over the chest, looking unimpressed.

"I don't think I gave Mister the permission to enter. I will be kind and give you a minute to leave before I call the police. This wouldn't go well with that sparkly clean reputation of yours, would it?" Evelyn sneered.

He replied her with silence, as though indicating to her to go ahead.

Evelyn felt frustrated. Looking at his figure which were over six foot and her dainty stature that was below five foot and half, there was no way she would be able to pull him out of her apartment.

As for calling the cops, forget it. She would only embarrass herself. What was she in front of the sheer amount of money and power he had?

Evelyn took in a deep breath. She recalled her promise to herself to not lose her cool. She should be like him— mature and composed.

"What is it that you need, Mister?"

"Three years had passed," he pointed out.

Evelyn was confused.

Three years had passed? So what? Nonetheless, Evelyn was proud of herself for being able to abandon this man for three whole years and not feel the desire to go back!

One should know that ever since she fell hard for him, she stalked him hard— terribly hard to the point it was embarrassing— because in her infatuated mind, she couldn't stay a day away without him.

The her back then would have probably jumped from a tall building and take her own life if she got to learn that she would separated from this Cold-hearted bastard for a little over three years.

The romance movies and novels she went through back then desperately clearly didn't have a good influence on her. All they taught her was to throw away her pride into the trash can and follow your heart like a pathetic loser.

They gave her the fucking delusion of how she can be the special one, the one who would be able to melt his cold heart.

Thinking about it now have her the goosebumps due to the cringe.

And it also made her fucking mad! If she wasn't so convinced and manipulated by those, now disgust inducing, romance novels, she would have done better in her life.

She should really beat up those authors and ask for compensation for ruining her life! Was it really good to deceive innocent people who invested their money and time like this?

What was the use thinking about it now?

"Yeah, it was the three year anniversary exactly four weeks ago. Celebrated with a cake. You should have come. I would have spared you a slice and a glass of coke. Nothing expensive of course since I am kind of poor. However, that certainly doesn't matter since I am happy every day, each second of it."

Aren't you talking too much? Not cool, Evelyn. Why do you need him to badly know that you are happy? Desperation is pathetic!

"I apologize for being late," he expressed, "now, it's time to return."

"Eh!?"