Chapter 124

The rain poured down in sheets, drumming against the pavement like an unrelenting storm.

Ethan Caldwell stood outside the entrance of the alley, his car parked haphazardly near the curb. He didn’t bother with an umbrella—his mind was too preoccupied with one thought.

Evelyn Carter.

An hour ago, he had tried calling her. The call didn’t go through.

Then he sent a message, only to realize—she had blocked him.

Blocked.

The word echoed in his mind like a taunt. Evelyn, the woman who had once chased after him relentlessly, who had always been at his beck and call—she had blocked him?

It didn’t make sense.

His jaw clenched as he strode forward, ignoring the security guard who stepped in his path.

"Sir, this is a women-only residence. You can’t enter."

Ethan barely spared him a glance. He knew Evelyn lived here. And he wasn’t leaving until he got answers.

"Evelyn!" His voice cut through the rain, sharp and demanding. "Enough with the games! If this is your way of getting my attention, it’s working. Now come out!"

The security guard’s grip tightened on his arm. "Sir, if you don’t lower your voice, I will escort you out."

Ethan barely registered the warning. His mind was still stuck on one thing—

Why had she cut him off?

And more importantly—

Why did it bother him so much?

Ethan appeared completely oblivious to the security guard's words. "Evelyn! I know you're in there!" His voice cracked with desperation.

The guards exchanged glances before firmly escorting him toward the exit.

"Get your hands off me!" Ethan thrashed against their grip. "I'm Ethan Caldwell of Horizon Enterprises! I could purchase this entire building by morning and have every one of you unemployed!"

The security team regarded him with undisguised amusement, their professional demeanor slipping.

"Check this guy out," one muttered to his partner. "Dressed in designer clothes but clearly off his rocker."

"Probably some rich kid having a meltdown," the other replied, shaking his head. "Should we call the cops?"

"Claims to be Ethan Caldwell. Ever heard of him?"

While Ethan's name carried weight among Cresthaven's elite, it meant nothing to the working-class guards.

They unceremoniously shoved him into the torrential downpour outside Willowbrook Apartments. Icy rain immediately plastered his hair to his forehead, his expensive suit transforming into a second skin.

Trevor's call came through moments later. After getting Ethan's slurred location, he sped through the storm-slicked streets without hesitation.

The windshield wipers fought a losing battle against the deluge as Trevor spotted his friend - a soaked, shivering mess standing beneath the apartment complex's awning, still screaming Evelyn's name into the night.

The rain poured relentlessly, drenching Ethan Caldwell completely. His clothes clung to his skin, his hair plastered to his forehead.

"Ethan, what the hell are you doing?" Trevor Moss gasped, rushing forward with an umbrella. He held it over Ethan's head, though it was pointless now.

Ethan barely noticed. His gaze remained fixed on the apartment building ahead. "Evelyn lives here," he murmured, his voice rough.

Night had fallen, and the scattered glow of apartment lights made the building look warm, inviting—everything he wasn’t.

Trevor stiffened. "You… what?" He couldn’t believe his ears. Ethan had come here, in this storm, for Evelyn?

It was absurd.

"Ethan," Trevor said carefully, "today is your wedding day. With Vanessa. Why are you looking for Evelyn?"

Ethan exhaled sharply. "She blocked me."

Trevor stared at him, incredulous.

That was his reason?

Pathetic.

Trevor clenched his jaw. This wasn’t just an excuse—it was desperation. And it made no sense.

Not after everything.

Not after the choices Ethan had made.

Ethan couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Evelyn hadn’t shown up at the wedding to cause a scene. It gnawed at him so much that he sought out Trevor.

"Could Evelyn be ill?" Ethan studied Trevor’s expression as he spoke. "Maybe she’s bedridden—too weak to even confront me. That’s why she didn’t come, right?"

Trevor was at a loss for words.

Ethan actually expected Evelyn to storm in and reclaim him?

The absurdity of the thought sent a chill down Trevor’s spine. "Ethan, what the hell are you talking about?"

He gripped Ethan’s shoulder firmly. "You married Vanessa today. Why are you still hoping Evelyn would crash your wedding and make a spectacle? Wasn’t Vanessa the one you always wanted?"

Trevor shook his head in disbelief. "You got what you wished for. Shouldn’t you be celebrating instead of obsessing over Evelyn?"

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond.

Because deep down, he wasn’t sure what he truly wanted anymore.