Chapter 3

Genevieve's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at him. Did he really have to find a wife like this? It wasn't that she thought less of herself; it was just... what had she done to deserve this unexpected turn of events?

Their eyes met, and his gaze was so intense that Genevieve couldn't hold it. She awkwardly looked away, her eyes landing on his hand gripping the spoon so tightly that his knuckles were white. She suddenly realized he was nervous.

Unexpectedly, his nervousness eased her own. Genevieve hesitated, "Aren't you and Mac Stewart friends?"

Evan's gaze turned icy, his tone indifferent, "As if he'd be worth my time."

Indeed, given the Stewart family's status, they were no match for the Rays.

Genevieve paused for a moment before mustering the courage to ask tentatively, "Can I say no to this?"

Evan's grip on the spoon tightened as he looked at her without expression. His presence was so overwhelming that even a single glance made Genevieve shiver slightly with apprehension. Her abdomen still ached, but perhaps because Evan had helped her before, she didn't dismiss him and instead looked at him sincerely.

"Evan, I endured three years in a loveless marriage and finally got out. Although I don't know why you chose me, it certainly isn't out of love, and I don't want to..."

Before she could finish, Evan's voice was slow and deliberate, "How do you know it isn't love?"

Genevieve's heart pounded, leaving her speechless as her cheeks belatedly grew warm.

Evan leaned forward slightly, his compelling voice whispering in her ear and impossible to ignore, "You can think about it until the day you receive the divorce papers from Mac. But let's eat first; you don't look well."

The meal was unremarkable, and as Genevieve walked outside, she noticed Mac and his group still lingering around. Not wanting to be seen with Evan and cause any misunderstandings, she quickened her pace instinctively.

Evan watched her haste, his lips curling into a subtle smile as he increased his stride to match hers. When Mac and his friends glanced over, they saw Evan strolling leisurely behind a woman.

They could only catch a glimpse of the woman's pale calf emerging from a Victorian-style dress as she moved gracefully. The two were close, Evan almost enveloping her in an unspoken, intimate embrace.

Nayeli squinted, "That woman... that looks like Genevieve."

Mac was quick to dismiss the notion, "No way!"

His friend immediately chimed in, "Of course not, Evan is in a different league; he wouldn't be seen with Genevieve like that. Besides, Genevieve was so devoted to Mac—she's probably at home crying her eyes out, not out here dining."

Hearing this, a smug smile spread across Mac's face. Remembering how agreeable Genevieve had been when she signed the divorce papers, he pulled out his phone and transferred her a hundred thousand dollars via WhatsApp, sending a message that read, "I'm looking after Nayeli for now, so I can't come home. You're pregnant; treat yourself to some good food."

As Genevieve reached the door, she saw the message and felt a tangle of emotions. Over more than three years of marriage, she had harbored feelings for Mac. But those emotions had drained away once Nayeli returned from her travels.

Now, only a numbing sense of disdain for his infidelity and ignorance remained. At least he remembered she was pregnant. During their entire marriage, Mac never transferred her money. But now, divorced, he chose to send her cash.

Genevieve didn't reply but accepted the money, knowing she needed it for recovery after the miscarriage.

After the miscarriage, she was confined to bed for several days, so Genevieve took leave and rested at home. Relishing the rare leisure, she was lounging on the balcony sofa, soaking in the sun when her phone suddenly rang.

Her ex-mother-in-law's harsh voice burst through the line, "Get to the old estate immediately!"