Chapter 1

Evelyn Rivera was drifting off when a knock pulled her back from the precipice of sleep.

As she opened the door, she saw Joshua Moore standing there.

Evelyn couldn't read his expression, but it was different from usual. It carried a hint of hostility that seemed unlike him, along with an oppressive edge.

She instinctively tried to shut the door, but his hand shot out to stop her.

He stepped inside and turned the lock, every movement quick and deliberate.

Joshua fixed his gaze on the clearly startled woman in front of him. His presence was stifling, and grew even more so with every passing moment.

Evelyn backed up until her shoulders hit the wall. She stiffened and called out, "Joshua, what are you doing?"

His gaze stayed fixed on her. "You owe me an explanation."

He wanted to hear it from her own lips.

Joshua was so close that Evelyn felt the air grow thin. Each breath became harder to take. Soon, she couldn't meet his eyes anymore. She turned her face away, flustered. "An explanation for what?"

Joshua gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. His voice was low and dangerous. "Explain yourself. Have you been playing me?"

His hand held her face in place. When she didn't answer, he lowered his voice and pressed again, "Tell me, Evelyn. Have you been playing me?"

She couldn't break free. A flicker of anger rose in her chest. "Yeah, I've been playing you."

Her admission carried a trace of defiance as she waited for his rage to erupt.

Joshua's eyes blazed with fury, and his body trembled. The intense rush of emotion nearly swallowed him whole.

His gaze wandered over her face, finally settling on her lips. His Adam's apple bobbed, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "Then keep playing."

Her whole body went rigid, and her eyes snapped wide open. Her voice caught for a moment. "What did you just say?"

"I said keep playing." Joshua yanked her against him and buried his face in her neck before inhaling deeply. "Keep playing me."

Evelyn's heart pounded so hard she couldn't get a word out. He was holding her too tightly.

For a second, she wondered if she had misheard him. But soon, she felt the dampness at the side of her neck, tinged with desperation.

Then she heard Joshua speak. His voice came out broken and hoarse. "Do you want to play now?"

He had forced his way in, yet somehow he sounded like she was the one breaking him.

Evelyn froze, unsure what to do. After a long silence, she slowly reached out and gently pushed him away.

The room was bathed in dim, yellow light.

She caught the faint redness at the corners of Joshua's eyes and felt an unexpected wave of exhaustion wash over her. She tried to steady her voice. "You shouldn't be doing this."

He brushed his thumb over her lips, then suddenly pressed down. In a hoarse voice, he asked, "What am I supposed to do, then?"

Evelyn didn't answer right away. Her voice rasped when she finally spoke. "I'm going to marry Zachary."

She met his eyes. "You know there's no future for us."

Just then, her phone buzzed from the bed. She pushed him away to answer the call.

However, Joshua caught her and held her in place, locking eyes with her. "I don't care."

His tall frame loomed over her, trapping her in the corner. The scent of his oud wood perfume lingered in her nose.

Her mind went blank at his words, and a faint ringing filled her ears. Moments passed before she managed to force out the words, "What did you just say?"

Joshua leaned in slightly, his eyes still locked on hers. Slowly, he replied, "I said I don't care. And I won't ruin things between you and him."

His gaze was focused, and Evelyn's breathing quickened. They were so close she could hear his heartbeat.

In the stillness of the room, each beat seemed to bang against her chest, making her pulse stutter.

Joshua's hand rose to her cheek, his fingertips brushing over her skin. His eyes were rimmed red, and his body trembled faintly as he leaned in close. His voice was low and intoxicating as he whispered, "I'll be careful. He'll never know."

Chapter 2

Six months ago, Zachary Schneider brought his fiancee, Evelyn, to meet his friends for the first time. They had barely been in the private room for a few minutes when the door swung open again.

Quinn Winston walked straight toward Zachary. The crowd fell silent in an instant, and even the deafening music was cut off right away by a perceptive friend.

Every gaze in the room locked onto her. Everyone close to Zachary knew that Quinn was the one he longed for but could never have. No one dared to lay a hand on her. And after she left the country, her name became the one thing no one mentioned unless they wanted Zachary to blow up.

Yet now she had suddenly come back and reappeared without warning, at the very gathering where Zachary was formally introducing his fiancee to his friends.

People shifted in their seats, glances darting between Zachary and Quinn before landing on Evelyn, who sat quietly by his side.

The light hit her just right where she sat, making her fair skin seem like porcelain. She had a slender frame and bright, innocent eyes. When she smiled, the faintest dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Evelyn was the daughter of George Schneider's—Zachary's father—late best friend. A car accident had taken her parents over a decade ago, leaving her to be passed around among relatives.

Six months ago, George finally found her. Knowing how much she had suffered over the years, he felt a pang of guilt and ordered Zachary to get engaged to her.

At that time, Quinn had gone abroad after high school and had been out of contact for years. Zachary had already given up hope.

When George gave him the order, he glanced at Evelyn standing quietly beside him and nodded after a brief hesitation.

And in that moment, he thought he saw a whole sky of stars reflected in her eyes.

Now, in the quiet, dimly lit room, Quinn stood before Zachary. With the lights behind her, she looked down at him and softly called, "Zach."

Zachary didn't answer. Instead, he instinctively glanced at Evelyn beside him.

She knew who Quinn was. She had once found a photo of her in his study.

When Quinn didn't get the reaction she wanted, she followed Zachary's gaze toward Evelyn, and their eyes met.

Quinn froze the moment she saw Evelyn's face.

She had known Zachary had a fiancee, and she had heard from mutual friends that George had forced her onto him. So after a brief moment of disappointment, she told herself it didn't matter. But now, seeing Evelyn in person, she suddenly wasn't so sure.

Maybe Zachary's agreement hadn't been just about George's instructions.

While she drifted in thought, Nathan Sheares, sitting beside Zachary, cleared his throat to break the uneasy silence. Smiling, he asked, "Quinn, when did you get back? Come sit here."

He slid over, making space for her.

With that, the crowd seemed to breathe again. People started greeting Quinn, and the mood instantly grew lively.

Quinn soon regained her composure. She smiled at Nathan before sliding into the spot he had made. Her voice stayed soft and gentle as she replied, "I just got back. I didn't tell anyone because I wanted it to be a surprise."

Her words were directed at Nathan, but her eyes were on Zachary. It was obvious who the surprise was for.

Now Zachary sat with Evelyn on his left and Quinn on his right.

The moment Quinn sat down, Evelyn felt the tension in him. His body went rigid, and his breathing grew heavier.

He didn't look at Quinn. Instead, as if suddenly irritated, he leaned forward, grabbed a glass of liquor from the table, and tipped his head back to down it in one go.

The very fact that he didn't look at Quinn at all made his behavior seem even stranger.

Evelyn's gaze fell on his hand gripping the glass. After a pause, she reached over and tugged lightly at his sleeve.

When he looked at her, she gave him a small smile and asked gently, "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

The scene, which had just grown lively again, instantly cooled once more.

Her voice wasn't loud, but almost everyone heard it.

Zachary frowned almost imperceptibly. After setting his glass down, he slipped an arm around Evelyn with casual ease and replied calmly, "Quinn Winston, my high school classmate."

Then, his gaze darkened as he looked at Quinn. With deliberate emphasis, he said, "Evelyn Rivera, my fiancee."

Quinn straightened up under his sharp gaze, then turned toward Evelyn and smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Evelyn didn't seem to notice the awkward tension in the room. She returned the smile, faint dimples appearing at the corners of her lips. Shyly, she replied, "Nice to meet you, Quinn."

She paused for a moment, then couldn't help but add, "You're really beautiful."

Her eyes were sparkling when she said that. She was just too sweet.

Everyone in the room caught that, and the feeling of discomfort deepened.

Quinn looked at Evelyn with a complex expression and didn't reply right away.

Liam Campbell, sitting next to Nathan, couldn't hold back. He looked at Evelyn and said, "Quinn was our school's top beauty. If she wasn't beautiful, why would Zach have been hung up on her all these years?"

Like most of the people here, he knew Evelyn was the fiancee George had forced on Zachary, so he held a bit of bias against her. And knowing all the things Zachary had done for Quinn only made him root for Quinn even harder.

So when Quinn came back and asked about Zachary, Liam didn't hesitate to spill everything and even sent her the address for tonight's gathering.

The awkward dynamic between the three was laid bare by Liam's blunt remark.

Nathan's face darkened, and he kicked Liam under the table. Just as he was about to laugh it off, Quinn cut in.

Her eyes flicked to Zachary, then settled on Evelyn. With a smile, she said, "We were all classmates. Liam just loves to joke. Don't take it the wrong way."

Zachary stayed silent, but his expression was dark and dangerous. When he looked up, his glare was a clear warning aimed at Liam.

Evelyn met Quinn's gaze with a smile. After a moment's thought, she replied sincerely, "It doesn't matter even if it's true."

Her tone was honest. Zachary felt the irritation flare up inside him again. He grabbed her wrist and asked, "Are you tired? Let's go home."

Evelyn glanced down at his hand gripping her wrist and didn't answer right away. She was lost in thought, admiring how handsome his hands were.

Before she could respond, Zachary stood up and grabbed his coat, ready to leave.

Quinn heard his question to Evelyn and saw him stand. Her fists clenched tightly. Before he could make a move, she called out, "Zach."

She simply called his name, but her tone was pleading.

So many people here knew them. Since she had arrived, Zachary hadn't said more than that cold introduction. Leaving now would humiliate her.

Zachary froze. He turned back to look at her, his expression dark and unreadable.

Nathan's gaze flicked between the three of them. He rubbed his nose and gestured to someone nearby to turn the music back on and lighten the mood. Then, he smiled at Zachary. "Zach, Josh said he's on his way. Maybe you should stay a little longer."

Chapter 3

Joshua was different from the rest of them. Even in their wealthy circle, his status was top-tier. The only reason they knew him and could call him "Josh" was because of Zachary.

The Schneider and Moore families were rivals in power and influence, but Zachary and Joshua had been best friends since childhood despite their very different personalities.

Zachary was straightforward in his feelings and deeply loyal, so he had a large circle of friends.

Meanwhile, Joshua was calm and steady, never rushed or rattled. After all these years, nobody had ever seen him lose his temper.

Those in their circle who threw parties didn't even get a chance to invite him. He only showed up when Zachary was around.

Tonight's gathering was quite formal as Zachary was introducing his fiancee to the group. It was expected that Joshua would come.

Zachary's temple twitched. He didn't respond to Nathan. Instead, he lowered his gaze to Evelyn and quietly asked, "Do you want to go back?"

All eyes subtly shifted toward them, watching the tension between the two.

Those glances weighed heavy on Evelyn. She raised her chin, smiled at Zachary, and made her decision. "Let's stay a little longer."

She was still as sweet as always. Zachary's stubbornness softened just a bit. He tossed his coat aside and sat back down.

Nathan immediately jumped in to liven things up. He nudged Liam and raised his chin as if to say, "Your girl's waiting for you. What are you still doing here? Go and sing!"

The women around Liam often changed like clockwork. Nathan couldn't remember their names, so he just called them all "your girl." Everyone knew that it was just casual, so no one cared if they were official girlfriends or just flings, and the women didn't either.

Liam gave Nathan a quick look before getting up and pulling his new girlfriend with him to pick a song.

Sensing the mood, Liam's girlfriend didn't pick anything wild—just a soft love song.

It was the kind of tune made for memories and catching up. The lights dimmed further, casting blue shadows that blurred the edges of reality.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Quinn, now that you're back, are you staying for good?"

Quinn's expression had long since calmed. Hearing the question now, she looked thoughtfully at Zachary and slowly replied, "Yeah, I'm not leaving anymore."

Just then, the door swung open again.

Joshua stepped in with a coat draped over his arm. At six feet two, he had a presence that filled the room. The moment he appeared, everyone but Zachary and Evelyn stood up to greet him.

Quinn smiled at him. "Joshua, long time no see."

As always, Joshua nodded to her quietly, then looked at Zachary. "I got caught up in a meeting."

His explanation was brief before he made his way to the corner of the couch.

He was dressed in a custom black shirt with the top two buttons undone and sleeves rolled up. He leaned back with a faint look of fatigue.

As he settled, the dozen people in the room eased back into their seats.

He was always polite and composed, but nobody dared cross him.

However, he showed up so rarely that someone couldn't help but speak up, "Josh, we haven't seen you in a while. We thought you wouldn't make it today either."

Joshua accepted a drink from someone nearby and smiled faintly. His voice was low and steady as he replied, "I went to Prauton."

Liam had just returned from his new girlfriend's side. When he heard Joshua's answer, his eyes widened, and he exclaimed in surprise, "For that summit?"

These were all future heirs and leaders, and it wasn't a surprise that such a high-profile summit drew the attention of those who cared to notice.

But a few weren't sure and asked, "What summit?"

Liam cleared his throat and slowly said, "The Business Leaders Summit."

The reaction in the room was immediate, thoughts crashing silently inside everyone's heads.

Joshua stayed calm and nodded to Liam. "I went with the family elders to see the world."

Though he spoke humbly, the mood in the room changed in a flash, breaking the tension that had been simmering between Zachary and Evelyn.

As the love song reached its end, the guys circled around Joshua.

Zachary cut them off, his voice even but firm. "Josh is tired. Can't you guys tell?"

Then, turning toward Evelyn, he introduced, "This is my friend, Joshua Moore."

When Joshua walked in, Evelyn had almost stood with everyone else. After all, even Quinn was on her feet. However, Zachary stopped her.

Now, hearing the introduction, she finally looked at Joshua and nodded politely to Joshua with a smile. "Hi, I'm Evelyn Rivera."

"I know," Joshua said in his usual calm tone. A few seats away, he glanced at her and paused before adding, "You're Zach's fiancee."

As soon as he finished speaking, he withdrew his gaze and turned around before asking casually, "Why'd you guys stop singing?"

The room buzzed back to life—some sang, others played dice, chatted, or drank.

Evelyn stayed quiet, sitting apart from the lively crowd. Zachary brought her a fruit plate and casually fed her while chatting with others.

Quinn watched silently for a long time, feeling out of place but unwilling to leave. She kept her head down and drank occasionally.

Slightly tipsy, she couldn't help but glance at Joshua.

Usually, Joshua would have left by now, but tonight he remained, calmly handling the steady stream of friends coming over to talk.

Quinn's fingers twitched. She recalled a recent unexpected meeting with Joshua while overseas.

She had just ended a rough relationship. Feeling low, she unexpectedly ran into Joshua at a friend's party. She asked him about everyone, especially Zachary.

What had he said again?

"Zach got engaged.

"You should ask him.

"Quinn, if you can't make up your mind, don't mess with him."

Those words made her chest tighten sharply. She was sure Joshua was telling her Zachary had been waiting for her all along. Suddenly, she felt alive again. That was when she decided to come home.

Since greeting Joshua earlier, Evelyn hadn't said much to anyone else. She quietly accepted fruit from Zachary and occasionally glanced down at her phone.

After a while, she leaned toward Zachary, sounding a little apologetic. "I need to go back to campus for a bit."

As a third-year university student, she didn't have a too demanding schedule. Since getting engaged, she mostly stayed with Zachary and rarely returned to her dorm.

But tonight was different.

Her roommate, Whitney Yates, had just messaged her, telling her that another roommate, Rachel Kingsley, had broken up. It wasn't just a regular breakup. Her boyfriend had cheated on her. Rachel was drinking and planning to confront her ex and the other woman.

Whitney couldn't talk her out of it and needed Evelyn's help.

Zachary had been drinking and couldn't drive. He grabbed her with one hand and reached for his phone to call his driver with the other, but his driver didn't answer.

Evelyn pulled her hand away, stood up, and looked down at Zachary. "I'm taking a cab."

Zachary's eyes locked on her face. He refused to agree. He glanced around the room, then settled on Joshua. "Did you drive here? Give us a ride."

He was the only sober one there. And besides Zachary, no one else would dare order Joshua around.

Joshua stood, grabbed his coat, and looked toward them through the dim light. His voice stayed gentle as he said, "Let's go."

If Zachary followed, the party was basically over. Evelyn hesitated, then looked at him. "You don't have to come. I'll text you when I get to campus."

Chapter 4

Evelyn sat in the passenger seat beside Joshua, while Zachary stayed behind at the club.

The window was rolled down. A cool breeze drifted in with a subtle woody scent.

Joshua played some soft music as Evelyn leaned back in her seat, gazing out the window, lost in thought. He glanced over at her briefly before pulling his gaze away.

After about ten minutes, Joshua finally spoke up. "Why didn't you answer my calls?"

His grip on the steering wheel tightened without him realizing it.

Evelyn snapped back to reality. She narrowed her eyes but didn't look at him. Her voice was soft as she replied, "I made it clear. That night was just an accident."

…

Three months into living at Zachary's place, Joshua showed up late one night at their door, reeking of alcohol, while Zachary was away on a business trip.

Evelyn had been asleep but woke to the doorbell and sleepily opened the door.

She stood there in a delicate white lace nightgown, looking soft and fragile.

Joshua stood frozen, staring down at her. Usually calm and composed, he suddenly felt his heart pound fiercely, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand. The drunkenness he had felt before shot up from moderate to almost overwhelming.

After a long moment, he tugged at his tie and muttered in a low voice, "I'm looking for Zach."

He didn't know who she was, but he was certain she was close to Zachary.

Evelyn, still drowsy, softly replied, "He's not here."

She waited politely but heard no answer. After some hesitation, she reached to close the door.

However, Joshua reflexively reached out to stop it.

Evelyn's eyes flew wide open. She looked at him with a mix of surprise and fear on her face.

Seeing her frightened expression, Joshua swallowed hard. Soon, he realized his loss of composure. He blinked away the dark look in his gaze and stiffly loosened his grip.

The door soon shut tight. As he stared at the closed door, he forgot why he had come for Zachary in the first place.

But soon, he learned who the woman was and the connection between them.

The late-night arousal fueled by alcohol should have faded quickly once he learned about Zachary and Evelyn's relationship.

But instead, everything spiraled out of control. Joshua couldn't stop thinking about her—in meetings, on the road, and even in the middle of the night.

He had dreamed of her in that white nightgown standing at the door. This time, she invited him into the house. He pulled her into his arms, carried her to the bedroom, and laid her on the bed.

When he woke up, he was drenched in sweat, and his heart was pounding loud enough to drown out everything else. He was painfully aware of his body's reaction.

Joshua started watching Evelyn closely. After learning her name and background, he easily found her on social media. She didn't post often, but there was something new every ten or 15 days.

After finishing work, he would scroll through old posts and save rare selfies she shared.

A month after meeting her, only one thought filled his mind—he had to get closer. So when her university invited him for a public speech, he agreed.

During discussions with the school, his secretary dropped subtle hints to the school authorities.

The seating in the school auditorium was limited, so the students had to secure a spot through the registration system.

Evelyn had heard a casual mention of the event from Whitney and didn't think much of it.

But soon, her academic advisor called her into the office and told her she had been chosen as a representative of the Faculty of Arts to attend the talk and ask Joshua a question.

She sat in the front row, her fair skin glowing against her floral dress. Her soft hair draped over her shoulders. A few strands gently framed her delicate face as she looked up at him.

When she asked her question, Joshua stared at her slightly parted lips, but all he could hear was the thunderous pounding of his own heart growing louder by the second.

He had shown up to prove to himself that this woman he had met only once didn't affect him much.

However, he was wrong.

Her impact on him hadn't faded. Instead, it grew stronger. At the same time, the torment nearly overwhelmed him.

About five days after the talk, Evelyn posted on social media with the caption, "Tipsiness sparks like fireworks." She included a photo of a blue cocktail and even added a location tag.

Joshua stared at the picture for a long moment, then suddenly stood, grabbed his coat, and left the office.

He didn't even bother calling his driver. He drove himself to the bar Evelyn had tagged.

He waited in the car until around 11:00 pm. Just as exhaustion set in, he saw her emerge with her classmates.

Evelyn was clearly tipsy as she walked slowly. It was a gathering of about ten people. Their conversation was inaudible to Joshua. In the end, one of the guys called a cab to take her home.

As Joshua watched the guy help her, a wave of unexplainable frustration surged inside him. He loosened his collar, unbuttoning the top two buttons.

What started as just wanting to see her turned into him following that cab all the way to Zachary's place on Norwell Avenue.

Evelyn got out of the cab, and it drove off. Joshua's car stayed parked outside Zachary's house for over 20 minutes. He leaned back in the driver's seat, staring blankly, jaw clenched.

Zachary was out of town at a conference, and a drunk Evelyn was home alone.

Over an hour later, Joshua typed in the code and entered Zachary's house. Zachary trusted him completely, even sharing his usual door code.

Ringing the doorbell was usually just a courtesy. But tonight, with less pure intentions, he skipped the formalities.

Inside, no lights were on. Moonlight poured in through the windows. He moved through the shadows like a predator lurking in the night.

In the bedroom, Evelyn was asleep. The air smelled faintly of alcohol.

As he stared at the small shape curled on the bed, his throat went dry.

When she let out a soft whimper, his heart lost control again. He breathed heavily and closed the bedroom door behind him.

Alcohol numbed the nerves, and Evelyn thought it was Zachary. Groggy in bed, she caught the woody scent on the man and couldn't help but snuggle closer.

Joshua tensed.

Just as she was about to pull away in frustration over his silence, he tugged her back into his arms in the darkness.

Evelyn's sleep was restless. Her hands were pinned firmly at her sides, and she heard heavy breaths near her ear. A shiver of overwhelming pleasure ran through her.

All night long, she drifted in a hazy daze.

Just before dawn, thirst woke her. In her grogginess, her body felt utterly weak. She didn't want to move. Feeling the tight hold, she whimpered softly, "I want water."

Her voice held the gentle charm of someone just awakened from slumber.

The man holding her stiffened for a moment but quickly got up to get her some water.

The bedroom door opened, and a faint light spilled in.

After a few sips, Evelyn felt her head starting to clear and sensed something was wrong. She looked up at him.

Joshua noticed her trembling and clenched his jaw. He set the glass on the nightstand.

When she tried to pull away, he grabbed her hand and locked his gaze onto hers with a chilling calmness. "You were drunk last night."

In the dimly lit room, Evelyn was held against the bed's headboard. Her teeth chattered from fear.

Joshua hadn't slept all night but was unusually alert. He should have left before she woke up, but he didn't want to.

When Evelyn calmed down a little, he switched on the small bedside lamp.

He thought she would cry or lash out and demand an explanation, but she didn't.

After the initial panic, she hugged the blanket and sat up. She raised her delicate face up to him and softly called out, "Joshua."

She recognized him and knew he was Zachary's friend. Zachary had mentioned him more than once.

She was confused but didn't want to dig into how this happened. Her nature was to accept what had happened and focus on solving any problems. Crying wouldn't change a thing.

Right now, she only had one thought—Zachary must never find out. Otherwise, it would be over between them.

"This was an accident," she said, gripping the blanket tighter as she looked at him. "Please leave, Joshua."

Chapter 5

After that night, Joshua had to leave the country for a trip he had planned long ago. He called Evelyn a few times while he was away, but unsurprisingly, she never picked up.

Now, as he looked at the woman in his passenger seat, his throat tightened. He asked again, "Evelyn, why didn't you answer my calls?"

Even if she blocked his number, he could always get a new one. But Evelyn just never picked up or would hang up right away.

The car shifted course, and a flicker of impatience crossed Evelyn's face. Finally, she replied seriously, "I don't see the point. Is that reason enough?"

Joshua's gaze darkened. He said nothing, but suddenly pressed the accelerator.

Evelyn frowned, thinking he was losing it. After a moment, she spoke again. "Take me back to campus. If you don't agree, I'll have Zach come pick me up."

His grip on the wheel tightened. At the next intersection, he turned the car around.

The black Bentley pulled up outside the university gates. Evelyn stepped out without once looking back. Her eyes were glued to her phone.

Whitney had calmed Rachel down and didn't need help at the moment. However, she was completely wiped out and needed bubble tea to recharge.

Evelyn's face softened into a small smile as she texted back, "Got it."

Instead of heading onto campus, she turned and went to a nearby bubble tea shop to order three cups of bubble tea.

The Bentley was parked conspicuously by the gates. When Evelyn stepped out of the bubble tea shop, she walked straight back onto campus without so much as glancing at Joshua.

Joshua saw the smile on her face. It was the same sweet smile she had tonight at the club.

He stayed parked there for a long time.

…

Zachary had pulled Evelyn into his circle, bringing her to almost every hangout with his friends. Occasionally, she would run into Joshua, but he remained cold toward her, and gradually, Evelyn's tension eased.

On the first day of summer break, Evelyn had dinner with classmates, then went straight to her dorm.

The next morning, the dorm was empty. Everyone had gone home.

She curled up under her blanket, staring at the sunlight leaking through the curtains. Her mind went blank for a moment. She had no home to return to, nor did she want to go to Zachary's place.

When she was younger, summer and winter breaks terrified her. They were long, and no matter which relative she stayed with, she felt like an outsider. No one mistreated her, but living under someone else's roof had her walking on eggshells.

The Schneider family was the only lifeline she had had in over a decade.

She had neither abundant love nor strong character. She worked hard to grow up, shedding all naive illusions long ago.

Zachary called around 9:00 pm. She let the phone ring a while before slowly answering.

"Are you awake?" His voice was bright.

"Yeah." Evelyn's voice was low and heavy.

Her soft whimper brought a touch of amusement to his voice. "Get dressed and come downstairs."

Evelyn paused for a moment, then realized he had come to pick her up.

Over the past six months, he had gone from barely acknowledging her to checking in on her every day. He would even come to pick her up and would stay home longer to keep her company.

She noticed the change. It worked in her favor, so she had no reason to refuse.

…

On the third day of summer break, a heavy rainstorm hit Baychester.

In the early evening, Evelyn was reading in the study. They had planned to go out for dinner, and she was waiting for Zachary to come home and pick her up. But as night fell, he still hadn't returned.

Around 8:00 pm, she put down her half-read book and called him with a frown.

He answered quickly, but the background was noisy. "I've got something to handle. It won't take long."

Evelyn heard Quinn's voice on the other end. After a brief pause, she replied with a single word, "Okay."

The rain poured harder. After 10:00 pm, Evelyn stared out at the storm, growing restless and feeling like things were slipping out of her control.

Her fingers drummed on the table. After a while, she looked down at her phone and scrolled through her contacts.

At 10:30 pm, she called Joshua and asked bluntly, "Do you know where Zach is right now?"

Joshua had just gotten off a plane. His driver, who had been waiting, picked him up to head home.

As the black Maybach drove through the rain, Joshua answered his phone. Hearing her voice, he fell silent for a moment before replying, "Give me a moment."

Less than ten minutes later, he sent her an address.

Then he called back and asked politely, "Do you need me to pick you up?"

Evelyn declined and arranged her own ride directly to the location.

Skyline Club, Baychester's elite private club, was a members-only place. She couldn't get in.

Only after stepping out of the car did she remember that she hadn't brought an umbrella. Then, when she was stopped at the club's entrance, she realized once again that she was from a completely different world than them. Without Zachary, she didn't even have the right to go inside.

It dawned on Evelyn that Joshua had given her an out earlier. Only with him could she get in to find Zachary.

The rain soaked her instantly.

Inside the club, glasses clinked amid a swirl of elegant scents and shimmering figures.

Evelyn's body was chilled, and she was almost ready to give up waiting.

Just as she thought about leaving, Zachary emerged from the club carrying Quinn in his arms.

The rain was so heavy, blurring the scene before her.

A familiar car soon pulled up and the driver opened the door. Zachary carried Quinn inside and sat down, soothing her the whole time. He never once noticed Evelyn's presence.

The car sped off.

At that moment, a black umbrella appeared over Evelyn's head. She turned, drenched and disheveled, to find Joshua standing there.

He looked down at her, calm as ever. "Do you want to chase after them?"

In the rain, he stood tall, leaning slightly forward to look at her as he waited for her reply.

Evelyn shivered from the cold. She shook her head and looked at him with a mix of confusion and helplessness. "I'm hungry."

She looked utterly pitiful.

Joshua swallowed hard. He quickly looked away and replied softly, "Alright, let's get you something to eat."

The very club that had turned her away now treated her like an honored guest.

The club's interior was styled like a royal palace, lavishly decorated with numerous rosewood ornaments. Its members were almost exclusively the elite socialites of Baychester.

A staff member led Evelyn to a private room. After a shower, a fresh dress arrived shortly.

Joshua quietly stayed with her as she finished her meal.

Her mood had settled. Holding a steaming cup of lemon tea, she looked up at Joshua and whispered, "Can you tell me about them?"

Joshua's eyes landed on her still slightly lost expression. Setting down his cup, he reminded her gently, "You should go back now."