Chapter 51
Evelyn felt her breath catch under Dominic's intense, smoldering gaze.
"About leaving the concert early today..." she began after a brief hesitation. "My friend messaged saying she wanted a photo with you afterward. I assumed you wouldn't appreciate taking pictures with strangers, and I didn't want to explain why we were there together."
"Why not?" Dominic's voice was like winter frost.
"It's not exactly a simple explanation, is it?" Evelyn countered. "We're from completely different worlds - not just in social standing but... in age too. Would you really want to spend time with my friends? We can be quite childish at times... Wouldn't it bother you if they pestered you about our relationship? Doesn't one less complication sound better?"
The unspoken truth was far simpler - their marriage could end any day. There were no guarantees they'd stay together forever.
If Evelyn introduced Dominic to her circle only to divorce the next day... The humiliation would be unbearable.
Better to wait until things were more certain.
Her thorough explanation seemed to soothe Dominic somewhat.
Her concerns weren't unfounded.
He had zero interest in her friends.
Beyond Evelyn, he had no desire to interact with anyone significantly younger or less mature.
"Return to your room," Dominic finally said, his lips barely moving.
Evelyn exhaled sharply, as if granted a royal pardon.
She peeled a banana and stubbornly pushed it toward him.
"These are Goldfinger bananas - my absolute favorite. They taste completely different from regular ones. Try it," she urged, eyes shining with anticipation.
Dominic hesitated at the fruit's bruised appearance but couldn't bring himself to refuse.
He accepted the banana and took a cautious bite.
An initial tartness gave way to surprising sweetness as he chewed.
The texture was starchier than expected, creating a unique flavor profile.
"Don't judge by the outside - it's perfect inside," Evelyn said with a bright smile. "And thank you for taking me to the concert today. Even though we left early, I really appreciated it."
She rushed the words out, then darted to her room before he could respond, closing the door firmly behind her.
Dominic stood perplexed.
Was this her idea of gratitude?
While her sincerity was evident, she could have at least waited until he finished eating before fleeing.
The next morning, Mrs. Wilkins noticed Evelyn hadn't come down for breakfast, with Dominic waiting pointedly in the living room.
Though he didn't say it, the housekeeper guessed he wanted to dine with Evelyn.
When knocking brought no response, Mrs. Wilkins entered Evelyn's room.
After a quick assessment, she returned to report, "Madam Evelyn is asleep at her desk, Master Dominic. She must have worked through the night. Perhaps you should breakfast without her."
Before she finished speaking, Dominic was already striding toward Evelyn's bedroom.
He lifted the sleeping woman from her chair and gently placed her on the bed.
She didn't stir - her slumber was that deep.
She couldn't have been asleep long.
Why push herself so hard for a thesis?
Dominic's gaze shifted to the laptop on the desk.
An outdated model from a defunct brand - no wonder it had crashed before, forcing her to use his study computer.
Approaching the desk, he noticed the screen's slight blurriness and pressed the power button.
The display illuminated, showing a sparse desktop with few icons.
Among them - Evelyn's thesis and a file labeled "The Plan," which Dominic opened without hesitation.
The document's title stood out in bold capital letters: "THREE-MONTH DIVORCE PLAN"!