Chapter 6 The Meeting

‘This man!’

As Evelyn stared at the man in front of her, she found herself at loss for words.

It wasn’t just his intimidating gaze; it was also the bright blue eyes that she recognized all too well.

“It’s okay,” Adam replied in a low voice that sent shivers down her spine, not waiting for her to finish her sentence.

His voice made Evelyn's heart race. Despite trying to forget that night for years, memories of it haunted her. Her body recalled every touch from the man standing before her.

Eight years had passed, yet Evelyn could never forget how he looked.

Those piercing blue eyes, his thin lips, and the toned body that had once consumed her thoughts.

Evelyn opened her mouth to say something, “You—”

“Mr. Adam, we need to leave now,” another voice interrupted, pulling Adam’s attention away from her.

“Julian, I’m just—”

Realizing how close she was to making a mistake, Evelyn quickly said, “I’m sorry again. Excuse me.” She turned and hurried away.

Adam was taken aback by her sudden rush, but he quickly shifted his gaze and said, “Let’s go.”

**

“Are you still hurting, sweetheart?” Evelyn asked Lily, who was sitting on the sofa, and the girl simply nodded. “That’s why you need to be more careful when you play,” Evelyn scolded gently as she blew on her daughter’s knee, which she had just treated.

Beside Lily, Liam held his sister’s hand. “It’s my fault, Mom. I asked Lily to play. Don’t scold her, just scold me.”

After finishing up Lily’s bandage, Evelyn smiled softly. “I’m not angry, Liam. I just want you both to be careful next time, so you don’t get hurt like this again,” she said firmly. “If you’re sick, it makes me sad. Do you understand?” She gently patted both of her children’s heads.

“We understand, Mom,” they replied in unison.

“Okay, you two stay here and watch something while I tidy up before we go for ice cream.”

At the mention of “ice cream,” Lily’s previously downcast eyes lit up. “Ice cream!” she squealed, making Evelyn laugh.

Now, Evelyn was back in her apartment in the city—a place she had bought with her own earnings from working abroad, not from the Collins family.

Even though she returned to New Santerra, Evelyn hadn’t contacted her family at all.

For eight years, she had been cut off from her father and sister, learning about them only through the media. Now, she preferred to stay away from the Collins family.

As she organized her things, Evelyn’s mind drifted back to her encounter with the blue-eyed man. ‘All because of that night,’ she thought. ‘If it weren’t for him, maybe I wouldn’t be in this situation.’

Life abroad hadn’t been easy, especially since she was pregnant and alone. Besides initial financial help from her father, she hadn’t received any support from Richard since Rebecca and Andre’s wedding, as he had considered her a useless daughter.

If it weren’t for her skills and determination, she might not have made it this far.

Seeing Adam again brought back all the painful memories from that night, leaving Evelyn feeling restless.

‘Was coming back to New Santerra the wrong decision?’ she wondered.

Suddenly, her phone rang. Evelyn grabbed it from the bed and answered, “Hello?”

On the other end, a familiar voice said, “Evelyn, it’s Anita. You’ve arrived at the apartment, right?”

Hearing her friend and former boss’s voice from abroad made Evelyn smile. “Hi! Yes, I’m here. Just cleaning up. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to let you know that you can go to the address I sent you for the interview tomorrow,” Anita continued excitedly. “My friend called. There’s a big interview at his office, and he wants you to come. He seems really interested in your skills.”

Evelyn was pleasantly surprised by the news, and she smiled. “Really?” She nodded as she listened to Anita about the job interview. “The office is on South City Road? Okay, got it. Thank you so much!” she replied before hanging up.

Suddenly, the door to Evelyn’s room opened, revealing two small faces with bright eyes. “Mom, is it time yet? Lily wants ice cream,” Lily said in a small voice, worried about upsetting her mom.

Seeing her children, Evelyn immediately felt guilty. “Sorry, sweethearts. Have you been waiting long? Just a moment.” She quickly put away a pile of clothes in the closet. “Let’s go now.”

Evelyn helped Lily put on her shoes while Liam put on his own—being so independent. After that, she took their hands and led them out of the apartment.

As they walked, Evelyn thought to herself, ‘You need to be strong, Evelyn. For Liam and Lily, you must endure.’ She lifted her gaze forward. ‘Besides, you won’t run into him again, right?’