Chapter 3

I looked at her. "So you all decided I didn't need to know anything?"

"We thought you and Andrew would get married in the end..." Chloe trailed off.

"Who told you that was certain?" I asked.

She had no answer. I kept my voice quiet. "Did he think I would never leave, or did you all think I had no self-respect and couldn't want anyone but him?"

"That's not what I meant," Chloe said.

"Then what did you mean?" I asked.

Tears slipped down her cheeks. "I thought you loved him so much, and he loved you, too. Nina was an outsider. I didn't think she needed to come between you."

By then, I felt calm. "So it didn't matter that I waited six years. It didn't matter that he never came. As long as you thought I'd marry him eventually, it was fine to lie to me over and over?"

Chloe shook her head, crying. "No."

I nodded. "Alright. I understand."

"Please don't go, Evelyn," Chloe pleaded.

"Why?" I asked.

"If Andrew finds out..." Chloe trailed off.

"What will he find out?" I cut her off. "That I'm moving to Southvale?"

She pressed her lips together.

I smiled. "Then let him find out."

After Chloe left, Andrew called. I stared at his name on the screen for a long time before answering.

Andrew sounded tired when he answered. "Evelyn, something came up yesterday, and I couldn't get there."

I hummed in acknowledgment.

He must not have expected me to sound so calm. He paused. "You're not angry, are you?"

"No," I said.

He paused. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said.

He let out a breath. "I knew you'd understand."

There it was again. Holding the phone, I felt a bitter laugh rise in me.

"Evelyn, I'll make it up to you tomorrow," Andrew said.

"Make what up?" I asked.

"Our trip to Rivergate Pier," he said.

I glanced at the box on the floor. "The equinox is over."

"One day doesn't make a difference," he said.

"It doesn't to you," I said.

He didn't catch my meaning and kept laughing. "It's settled, then. I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon."

"I can't," I said.

"Why not?" Andrew asked.

"I'm going out of town."

"Where?"

"Southvale."

He didn't seem concerned. "How long will you be gone?"

I paused. "I don't know."

He sounded perfectly natural, as if wherever I went, I'd always return. "Fine. We'll talk when you get back."

"Evelyn, don't overthink it," he added before hanging up. "Once things calm down, we'll talk about getting married."

I didn't answer.

The next morning, I took my suitcase to the train station. Before boarding, I sent a courier the box of his things. The recipient was Andrew Rivers. The note said, "I'm returning everything of yours."

Ten minutes after the train pulled out, my phone rang. It was Andrew.

He called again, then a third time. By the fifth call, I picked up.

For the first time, his voice sounded a little panicked. "Evelyn, what do you mean?"

I watched the city outside the window recede. "Nothing."

"Did you send back everything I gave you?" Andrew asked.

I paused for two seconds. "Andrew, let's end things here."

The other end of the line fell silent. After a few seconds, he seemed not to understand. "What did you say?"

Before I could answer, his voice suddenly dropped. "Evelyn, where are you now?"

Then the train announcement sounded: "This train's final destination is Southvale."

The other end of the line fell silent.