Chapter2

I looked at the woman inside the glass window, wearing a haute couture dress, holding my husband's arm, and smiling shyly in front of the cameras. Suddenly, I loosened my clenched fingers.

I took out my phone directly and dialed Evan's private number.

He had promised me before that he would answer this number saved in my phone in seconds, letting me find him anytime.

But now, there was only ring after ring. I dialed once, and then again...

The crowd behind me laughed even harder. "What are you pretending for? If you really are Evan's family, why wouldn't he even answer his phone? Stop making a fool of yourself here!"

I ignored them, opened my contacts, and dialed another number.

After three rings, it connected.

"Miss Chloe?" The person on the other end of the line was the secretary of the company's PR department. His voice sounded somewhat surprised. "Why are you calling personally?"

"I am outside the red carpet and can't get in." My tone was very calm. "Please, bring me in now."

"...Okay, okay, I'll be right there."

I hung up the phone and stood there waiting.

The fans behind me were still whispering. A girl held up her phone to record me. "Posting this to my Moments. So funny, people pretending to be family are so persistent these days."

In less than three minutes, the side door of the banquet hall was pushed open, and a young man rushed out.

He yelled at the two security guards, "Do you know who you just stopped? She is the company's—"

Halfway through his words, I raised my hand and stopped him.

Under everyone's gaze, I walked straight into the hall.

While passing through the crowd, I stopped a waiter carrying a tray and lowered my voice, asking him to take me to Evan's VIP lounge.

The moment I pushed the door open, I heard the sound of shattering glass.

Then came Leah's cries. "Evan! If you come near me, have the guts to announce to the public that you love me!"

Then, the sound of things being smashed came from the room.

Leah sat in front of the vanity mirror, sweeping cosmetics onto the floor. The last item was Evan's silver thermos that he always carried with him.

That thermos was a gift from his fans. He usually treasured it very much, and whenever I washed it on ordinary days, he would remind me to be careful.

But now, he let Leah smash it as she pleased.

She destroyed his treasure, yet he didn't roar in anger at all.

Through the crack of the door, I saw Leah angrily throw herself into his arms, beating his chest. He endured it with a frown. I bit my lower lip and made no sound.

Evan knelt on one knee in front of the angry Leah who was sitting on the sofa. He wrapped one arm around her and rubbed her red and swollen heel with his other hand, his eyebrows furrowed tightly.

Evan paused for two seconds. "I don't love you. I just pity you, and I hate you too."

I finally couldn't hold back anymore and pushed the door open.

He hurriedly stood up.

"Chloe, why are you here today?"

I took that custom order form out of my bag, walked over, and slapped it hard against Evan's face.

"If I didn't come, how would I have missed our Best Actor's masterpiece of a performance?"

Evan's face turned deathly pale, and he scrambled to hug me.

Leah suddenly flashed a smile at me. "Sister, don't you understand yet? You've long been just a decoration in his heart."

"You might as well be smart and give him to me."

After saying that, she shot me an arrogant glance and walked out of the lounge.

I stared at the man in front of me who supposedly loved me deeply, but his peripheral vision still lingered on Leah's retreating figure.

That caring look in his eyes didn't seem fake.

At that moment, I felt like dry heaving.

He bent down, picked up the custom order form from the floor, and coaxed me just like usual. "This... is a sponsored prop I found for her shoot. Don't overthink it."

"Honey, don't you like their bracelets too? I'll custom order one for you too, okay?"

I looked at him calmly.

"No need. It's outdated, and I stopped wanting it a long time ago."

He sighed. "Chloe, stop throwing a tantrum. Dealing with her pestering is just too exhausting!"

I clutched my chest and questioned him, "Back then, she drugged my drink and almost got me screwed by an old man."

"Swear to God, do you really hate her?"

Evan fell silent for a moment, turned his head, grabbed the dessert box that the assistant had just bought from the coffee table, and shoved it into my hands. "This is your favorite mango pudding. Stop making a fuss, okay?"

I looked down at that box of pudding.

I was allergic to mangoes, and he knew it better than anyone else.

I placed the pudding back on the table.

I turned around and walked out. When I reached the door, I asked one last question.

"Are you coming home for dinner after work tonight? I'll fry your favorite steak."