Chapter 138

Ryan smirked, crossing his arms as he blocked Ethan's path. "Ethan, where's your better half? Leaving all by yourself? Trouble in paradise?"

"Mind your own damn business." Ethan's jaw clenched, his mood darker than the storm clouds overhead.

Seeing Evelyn and Alexander together had twisted something inside him, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth.

But Ryan wasn't done. He leaned in, grinning. "Come on, give me the scoop. How do you feel about Uncle Alexander marrying Evelyn? Any regrets?"

"I said shut your mouth!"

Ethan's head pounded—last night's whiskey, the relentless rain, and now this fever burning through him. Humiliation coiled tight in his chest, a snake ready to strike.

All he wanted was to collapse somewhere quiet and make sense of the wreckage.

None of this felt real. It couldn’t be.

Evelyn turned away, her fingers brushing Alexander's. "Where should we go for dinner?"

Secret Longing: A Love Reclaimed

Ryan smirked, crossing his arms as he blocked Ethan's path. "Ethan, where's your wife? Leaving alone? Trouble in paradise?"

"Mind your own damn business." Ethan's jaw clenched, his mood darker than the storm clouds overhead.

Seeing Evelyn and Alexander together had twisted something inside him, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth.

But Ryan wasn't done. He leaned in, voice dripping with mock concern. "Tell me, how does it feel knowing Uncle Alexander is marrying Evelyn? Regret stings, doesn't it?"

"I said shut your mouth!"

Ethan's head throbbed—a brutal combination of last night's whiskey, the relentless downpour, and the fever burning through him. And now this humiliation? It was too much.

His vision blurred at the edges. All he wanted was to collapse somewhere quiet and process the wreckage of his life.

None of this felt real. It couldn't be.

Across the room, Evelyn turned away, her fingers intertwining with Alexander's. "Where should we go for dinner?" she murmured, her voice soft, deliberate.

Alexander's thumb brushed over her knuckles. "Anywhere you want, darling."

The words sliced through Ethan like a blade.

Realizing that Alexander and Evelyn were only marrying for a business arrangement, Ethan suddenly felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

Ethan convinced himself, "Evelyn doesn’t love Uncle Alexander. She only married him to prove something today."

"Yes, that has to be it."

"Hey! Have you lost your mind?"

Ryan stood beside him, watching Ethan’s expression shift from confusion to relief. He waved a hand in front of Ethan’s face, but got no reaction.

After calling his name several times with no response, Ryan sighed in frustration.

Without a word, Ethan abruptly got into his car and sped off in the direction Alexander and Evelyn had gone.

Dinner had been a quiet affair.

Alexander drove Evelyn back to her apartment, his grip on the steering wheel tight.

Parking outside her building, he turned to study her face. "You’re moving back tonight. Go pack your things. I’ll pick you up after I finish at the office."

The unspoken meaning behind his words made Evelyn’s cheeks flush.

She nodded, stepping out of the car.

As she watched his sleek black sedan disappear down the street, her phone buzzed.

Claire’s name flashed on the screen.

"So? How did it go?"

Evelyn quickly filled Claire in on everything that had happened at Whitmore Manor earlier that day.

Claire burst into laughter on the other end of the call. "That’s brilliant! She actually respected you? If Vanessa dares to mess with you again, just throw this in her face. She’ll be absolutely humiliated. This will haunt her forever."

Vanessa was the type who thrived on pride. What had transpired today would undoubtedly shatter her confidence for quite some time.

"Alright, I should go. I need to head upstairs and pack. Alexander wants me to move back home tonight."

Claire’s voice turned teasing. "Sounds like someone’s eager for some quality time."

Evelyn’s cheeks burned. "Stop it."

"Take it slow tonight. You’ve got all the time in the world. Don’t overdo it—unless you want to be stuck in bed tomorrow."

Flustered, Evelyn ended the call—only to freeze when she spotted a figure standing a short distance away.