Chapter 58 Chapter 59
The sunlight streamed in through the window, bathing the room in a warm glow. A soft breeze wafted in, not too dry, not too dam
“Evelyn… L. Caleb slowly stretched out his hand, wanting to embrace Evelyn. Yet, when he saw Evelyn’s body visibly trembling, his hand instantly stopped in midair.
“Caleb, aren’t you the one with someone new?” Evelyn’s voice was laced with accusation. “So what’s the deal with hassling me now? What are you going to do, kill me to keep me quiet?” She left the words hanging, but her eyes–filled with fear and anger–seemed to say the rest for her.
Evelyn’s face was streaked with tears; her eyes, bloodshot and swollen. She glared at Caleb, a mix of rage and devastation that robbed him of any response
With a bitter laugh. Evelyn eyed Caleb’s inaction and then mustered the strength to get off the bed. She frantically stuffed her clothes into a suitcase, ignoring Caleb completely. After locking it, she gripped the handle to pull the suitcase upright. But as she yanked on it, pain shot through her shoulder, causing a sharp inhalation. She winced and clutched at her shoulder, beads of sweat forming on her brow. The suitcase toppled over with a thud.
As Caleb reached–out to help, Evelyn, gritting her teeth against the pain, violently swatted his hand away. She turned her back to him and spat out coldly, “Get lost. Don’t touch me.”
Caleb’s arms hung limply at his sides as he watched in silence, Evelyn wobbling unsteadily with her suitcase trailing behind
hen
A faint click of the door latch echoed, and Caleb emotionlessly turned to see the disheveled bed, his mind conjuring the image of Evelyn trembling at its edge. After a moment of heavy silence, he took a seat at the bedside. He reached toward the pillow, hoping to feel her presence again but was met with an abrupt vision: Evelyn’s head snapped up, her shoulders and mouth pouring blood as hatred filled her gaze,
“Evelyn… what happened?” The words barely left Caleb’s lips before the apparition vanished, replaced by the stark reality of
a bare wall
Turning toward the now–empty wardrobe, Caleb felt panic rise. The tangible evidence of her existence was gone, fueling an inexplicable tightness in his chest. With a weary hand, he massaged his forehead and leaned heavily against the nightstand Outside, Evelyn shut the door and crumpled against the wall, seated on the cold ground. Searing pain spread across her shoulders, nearly numbing her. Her forehead was slick with sweat, mingling with the loose strands of her hair.
A lone tear traced a path down Evelyn’s face as she closed her eyes against the bitter taste in her mouth.
With a bitter chuckle, she mused to herself, ‘Caleb, you really hate me that much, huh? Wanted me dead? It’s absurd. What have I done to you to come that close to taking a life? I was such a fool, blinded by my own feelings. Why am I even crying? Was there ever any love from you? No… never… She lifted a trembling hand and wiped away the tear. All along, the only person harboring ay affection was her.
Her shoulders throbbed mercilessly, and the pain seemed to worm its way into her skull. Her grip on the suitcase faltered and it slid to the ground. Suddenly, she heard a startled gasp and footsteps rushing towards her. With her vision clouded by tears and her body wracked with pain, she couldn’t make out who it was. A bitter twist of her mouth, she thought to herself, It’s not him. It can’t be. As the pain overwhelmed her, she could no longer keep herself upright and collapsed to the floor.
p–just perfect.
Evelyn slowly turned her head, taking in the strange rooms. It was small and cozy, with walls painted a soft shade of pink. faint floral patterns faintly visible upon closer inspection. The entire room followed a pink color scheme, from the curtains to the bedspread, all cast in a warm, rosy hue.
“Oh, you’re awake? Would you like to eat something?” A fresh, lively voice broke the silence.
Evelyn turned her head and asked in surprise, Zoey?”
Zoey set a steaming bowl of oatmeal on the table and helped ease Evelyn up against the pillows. Her smile was infectious, dimples flashing. Yeah, it’s me. Evelyn. Let’s get some food in you, huh? I’ll help.”
Evelyn tried to lift her hand. Although her shoulder no longer hurt, she couldn’t exert any strength. She smiled shyly. Thanks, guess I’m gonna need your help eating, I can’t really move my arm.”
Zoey had the ultimate cute face, complete with dimples that made her instantly endearing. As Evelyn took slow bites, she couldn’t help but notice how much Zoey reminded her of someone. “Hey, Zoey? How old are you now?”
Zoey answered. Just hit twenty.”
“So, college student?” Evelyn asked.
“Yep, sophomore at Clovia Arts, Zoey replied with a giggle.
Evelyn nodded slightly, piecing it together. If Zoey was studying at Glovia Art Academy, she might be “Zoe, the young actress who rose to fame last year..
She asked again, “So, is Zoe your stage name?”
Zoey flushed with a mix of embarrassment and pleasure. “You know about that, Evelyn?”
Zoey had been in the acting game since middle school. She was the cute girl who had persevered in the industry without the push of a big–name backer, which meant she never really hit it big. Still, she loved acting enough to go against her family’s wishes. She juggled auditions and schoolwork, secretly enrolled at Glovia Art Academy after taking the SATS. And finally. during her freshman year, after five dedicated years in the industry, she landed her first lead role and made her debut on the
screen
“The summer hit movie last year was all the rage; I totally know it. Evelyn said with a tinge of recognition, “Can’t believe I didn’t realize it was you, Zoe, the superstar.
“Evelyn! Come on! Superstar? Stop teasing me! Hurry up and eat. If it gets cold, it won’t taste good!” Zoey’s face turned–a shade of pink, her head bowed a little, and for a second, there was a hint of melancholy in her eyes. She had longed for the spotlight for so long, and now that she was finally there, compliments about her star status made her oddly shy.
Evelyn watched Zoey clean up the table, hesitated for a long time, and finally spoke–up, “Zoey”
Zoey looked back at Evelyn with confusion. “What’s wrong, Evelyn? Anything I can help?”
Evelyn was stunned for a moment, then she slightly pursed her lips and smiled, “Well, I wanted to ask you about yesterday. How, I mean…
“Evelyn, are you asking me how I ended up at my house, right? Zoey asked.
Evelyn nodded embarrassedly. She actually wanted to ask more, but anyway, Caleb wasn’t important anymore.
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was originally going to Zoey paused. She was
denly stunned and then smiled at Evelyn. I originally went there to
find a friend, and when I came back, I saw you sitting in the corridor. Just as I was about to greet you, you suddenly fainted. Seeing that there was no one around, I brought you back here. By the way, your luggage is still in the living room”
