Chapter 20
Inside the Decker residence, Kayden and Eliza were in an animated discussion.
“That Cunningham guy dared to hurt Eva like that? We must beat him to a pulp if we see him!”
“But… if you think about it, he did indirectly help Eva. Without his affection, Eva wouldn’t have regained her health. Should we really beat him up?”
“Let’s do it first. We can express our gratitude later with some compensation or whatever. But for now, we need to vent this anger on Eva’s behalf!”
“Good point, darling. You’re so brilliant!”
Evangeline and Sterling, sitting hand in hand on a nearby couch, couldn’t help but chuckle. They had long since grown accustomed to Kayden’s and Eliza’s quirky thought processes.
Unfortunately, Joseph’s arrival shattered the warm and cheerful mood.
He nervously followed the maid inside. The moment he stepped through the door, his eyes landed on Evangeline.
His eyes reddened uncontrollably as he fought back the heat building in them. Trembling, he called out, “Eva! You’re finally back!”
Then his eyes fell on Evangeline’s and Sterling’s intertwined hands.
“Let go of Eva! She’s my wife! Let go of your hand!” Joseph’s eyes were filled with jealousy as he shouted.
Kayden and Eliza, already itching for a fight, couldn’t hold back anymore. They both charged at Joseph.
“How dare you bully Eva? You deserve this slap!”
“And this one! You scumbag!”
Joseph was startled at first, but once he figured out their identities, he stopped dodging. Instead, he wore a humbled expression and leaned forward, offering his face.
“Mr. Decker, Mrs. Decker, it’s all my fault. I deeply regret everything I’ve done. If you want to hit me, go ahead. But after you vent your anger, please convince Eva to come back to me. I’ll treat her twice as well in the future!”
Since he was offering himself up, Kayden and Eliza didn’t hold back. They gave him a proper beating
When they were finally satisfied, they sneered at Joseph’s swollen face.
“You’ll treat her well? Don’t make us laugh.”
“Eva is getting married soon, and the groom isn’t you.”
Joseph’s expression twisted in pain.
Ever since learning Evangeline wasn’t from this world, he had considered countless possibilities, including the chance that she might already be with someone else when they reunited. But he had worked so hard and sacrificed so much. How could he give up because of a minor setback?
At this thought, Joseph swallowed the bitterness in his chest and looked at Evangeline with deep affection.
“Eva, I know I hurt you. But you should know that I truly love you. My affection for you has reached 100 points. I did those things because I was sick. I was hurt by Evelyn and lost faith in love. That’s why I tested your love for me.
“But the moment you left, I realized how much you meant to me. You’re the only one who can heal me. Please forgive me, Eva. Give me a chance to make it up to you!”
His words were heartfelt and emotional, but Evangeline remained unmoved.
“No.” Her tone was calm and indifferent. “Joseph, I didn’t cause your illness. You hurt me, and now you want me to fix you? Do I look like some kind of medicine to you? Don’t be ridiculous.” Joseph froze, stunned. The Evangeline he remembered would never speak to him like this. She had been quiet, introverted, and compliant.
But this Evangeline seemed radiant and confident, and Joseph found himself even more drawn to her.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I don’t want you to fix me,” Joseph hastily clarified. “I just want you to come back to me, Eva. I want to make things right. You love acting, right? I’ll get you whatever resources you want. Oh, yes, I owe you a script, How about I get you even better ones?”
Evangeline calmly replied, “That won’t be necessary, Joseph. What’s owed is owed. That script was something I wrote myself. There’s no ‘better‘ or ‘replacement.“”
“Then I’ll give the script back to you! I’ve read it, and it’s full of your love for me, I know you care about me.”
“That was in the past. And if I want a script, I can write a new one myself.”
If the systern hadn’t tasked Evangeline with persuading Joseph to let go, she wouldn’t have bothered wasting her breath on him.
Yet, Joseph began to feel a flicker of frustration. He’d already lowered himself so much, but Evangeline remained as indifferent as ever.
The always–proud Joseph felt his patience wearing thin, and irritation began to creep in.
“I admit I was wrong, Eva, and I’m apologizing, I’m trying to make it up to you. You’re not perfect either! I haven’t even blamed you for what you did, so why can’t you give me a chance?” Evangeline froze. “What did I do?”
