Chapter 2

Evelyn POV

The next morning, I woke to the aroma coming from the kitchen.

I walked out of the bedroom and saw Ethan wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen.

"You're up?" Ethan heard movement and turned to smile at me. "Go wash up. I made your favorite foie gras today."

I watched him skillfully cooking the foie gras, his movements meticulous.

Suddenly, he accidentally cut his finger with the knife, and blood seeped out.

I instinctively stepped forward, wanting to get a bandage, but my steps halted.

If it were before, I would have been panicking. But now, I just found it ironic.

These hands. Had they also caressed another woman the same way last night?

Ethan saw I didn't move and looked a bit surprised. He grabbed a tissue and pressed it to the wound himself, then brought the foie gras to the table.

"Try it quickly. Today's foie gras is delicious."

I had just picked up my utensils when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Ethan frowned and went to open the door.

Outside stood Sophia with red, swollen eyes.

"Ethan," Sophia's voice was tearful from the start, "the pipes burst in my rental. The place is uninhabitable now. I don't know anyone in this city, so I could only come find you."

Ethan instinctively glanced at me, his tone somewhat stiff. "My wife doesn't like strangers in the house. I'll have my assistant book you a hotel."

"But I'm scared to stay in a hotel alone..." Sophia's tears dripped down. She stepped forward and grabbed Ethan's sleeve. "Ethan, I'll just stay a few days. I absolutely won't disturb you two, okay?"

I sat at the dining table, coldly watching this performance.

Sophia was a student from a poor background that Ethan had sponsored. After graduation, she went straight to his company. Before, Ethan always said this girl had it tough, he'd help where he could.

And now the two of them were in bed together.

Ethan watched Sophia cry, sighed, and turned to look at me, his tone consulting. "Evelyn, she's a young woman, it really isn't safe. How about we let her stay in the guest room for a few days?"

I took a sip of milk, not even lifting my head. "Whatever you want. It's your house."

Ethan fell silent. He might have noticed something unusual about me today, but he still let Sophia in.

As soon as Sophia entered, she sat at the dining table as naturally as the owner, staring at the foie gras with shining eyes.

"Wow, Ethan, you can cook! This foie gras looks so delicious."

As she spoke, she directly picked up utensils and took the foie gras Ethan had specially made for me, taking a bite.

"So good!"

My hand holding the utensils paused.

Ethan's expression changed slightly as he lightly scolded. "Sophia, that was for Evelyn. If you want some, there's more in the kitchen. Get it yourself."

Though it was a reprimand, his tone carried an unmistakable indulgence.

Sophia stuck out her tongue playfully. "Sorry, I was too hungry. You won't hold it against me, right?"

I put down my utensils and wiped my mouth with a napkin.

"If you like it, eat more. I'm not hungry anymore."

With that, I got up and walked toward the backyard.

The backyard had a huge glass greenhouse that Ethan had spent tens of millions building for me. It was filled with my favorite bellflowers, blooming year-round.

I walked into the greenhouse and skillfully opened the surveillance computer in the corner.

This computer was connected to the dashcam in Ethan's car, originally installed for convenient vehicle monitoring. Ethan had always known about it.

I clicked on last night's footage.

The image was somewhat dark, but the sound was piercingly clear.

In the cramped back seat, two people were tightly entangled. Sophia's coquettish moans and Ethan's heavy breathing intertwined.

"Ethan, if you treat me like this, Evelyn will be heartbroken..." Sophia said.

Ethan's movements suddenly intensified, his voice hoarse. "Don't mention her. Evelyn's health is poor, I don't dare touch her. Only you can satisfy me. Sophia, you're such a temptress."

"Between her and me, who do you love more?"

"She's a responsibility I can't shirk, but you're my life."

I stared at the screen, my nails digging deep into my palms, drawing blood without me even noticing.

Responsibility.

So these ten years of feelings, in his eyes, had been reduced to nothing but a responsibility he couldn't shirk.