Chapter 7
Evangeline didn’t want to complicate matters. “What’s the matter? Hesitating to give it up? Didn’t you say Evelyn was worth it?”
Her taunt worked. Joseph abandoned his suspicion and resumed signing. However, there was mockery in his gaze. “Evangeline, I used to think you were above greed, but it turns out you’re just as disgusting as anyone else.”
With those cutting words, he signed the final agreement.
Evangeline didn’t respond. She simply took the papers and went upstairs.
The love that once sparkled in her eyes, later replaced by hurt and disappointment, was now utterly calm.
Toseph felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest, as if she was hiding something important from him. Just as he was about to chase after her, Evelyn clung to his arm. She lightly grazed his palm with her fingertip.
“Thank you, Joseph. Since she makes you sick, let’s go out for dinner.”
Brandon and Madeleine tactfully excused themselves. “Now that everything’s resolved, we’ll leave you two to enjoy your time together.”
Evelyn sweetly pulled Joseph toward the door. She silently vowed that tonight would be the night. She would make sure to solidify their relationship, preferably with a child on the way.
Once that happened, Joseph would never refuse her again. She would then replace Evangeline as Mrs. Cunningham.
In the days that followed, Joseph was preoccupied with helping Evelyn shoot her short drama, while Evangeline focused on her own plans.
First, she submitted the divorce papers to the courthouse and successfully obtained her divorce certificate.
Then, she liquidated the properties Joseph had signed over to her. With that, she established the Evangeline Charity Foundation. She viewed it as a way to contribute to society and accumulate good karma.
In her original world, Evangeline had loving parents. However, a medical checkup had revealed an incurable disease.
Overwhelmed, she ran out of the hospital and into a car accident, which resulted in the loss of her legs. Her parents, heartbroken, had aged rapidly under the weight of grief.
When the system approached her, she agreed immediately. If she successfully completed the quest, her wish was to return to her original world with a healthy body.
Unfortunately, she had fallen short by just one point.
Thinking about the reality awaiting her–limited time and a broken body–Evangeline donned sunglasses and a mask and wandered the city.
Days when she could move freely felt especially precious to her.
And just like that, the final day before her departure arrived.
Evangeline planned to take a yacht out to watch seagulls but received a call from Antoine. He informed her that Joseph wanted her to attend a dinner meeting to discuss a new role in a film.
Since she was about to leave, none of it mattered anymore. Without hesitation, she declined.
Antoine sounded uneasy. “Mr. Cunningham said to be courteous first and forceful if necessary. If you don’t attend, I’ll have to…”
Evangeline let out a bitter laugh as she recalled how she was coerced into transferring the script. She also remembered her first meeting with Joseph at a dinner.
So be it. It started at a dinner; it could end at one too. That way, there would be some closure.
When Evangeline entered the private room, she was surprised to find Evelyn waiting alone.
“Evangeline, how long are you going to cling to Joseph? You know that he loves me. Do you want to hear how many different positions we tried last night? We-
Before she could finish her vile boasting, Evangeline cut her off coldly, “Did you call me here just for that?”
There was really no need for that. Evangeline would be gone by tomorrow.
“Of course not,” Evelyn replied with a chilling smile. The malice in her eyes resembled a venomous snake, cold and calculating.
“I believe in taking matters into my own hands. Instead of waiting for you to step aside, I’d rather ensure it myself.”
Suddenly, a heavyset man with a prominent belly walked in from outside and suddenly grabbed Evelyn’s hand.
His grip was light, yet Evelyn screamed as if in agony.
“Don’t do this to me! I won’t fight for him anymore! I’ll keep my feelings for Joseph to myself. Just don’t let him hurt me!”
The next moment, the door burst open, and Joseph stormed in with blazing eyes. “Let her go!”
Seeing the legendary Joseph, the man quickly released Evelyn.
“Joseph! Thank goodness you came to save me!” Evelyn threw herself into his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
“Eva invited me for dinner, and I was so happy. But I didn’t expect her to hate me so much… and want to ruin me…”
Instinctively, Evangeline protested, “Antoine called me here for a dinner meeting.”
Antoine looked genuinely baffled. “I didn’t. I only follow Mr. Cunningham’s orders, and he never instructed me to do so.”
The warmth drained from Joseph’s expression, replaced by icy disdain. He didn’t bother verifying further. He just glared at Evangeline with undisguised loathing,
“You can’t tolerate Evie, can you? I warned you. If you mess with Evie again, I won’t spare you.”
He pulled Evelyn tightly into–his embrace and coldly instructed the overweight man, “Whatever you were planning to do to her, do it to Evangeline instead.”
