Chapter 2

That night before bed, I received a message saying I needed to go on a business trip the next day.

After college, I joined Evans Corporation and clawed my way up the ladder until I landed in the executive suite.

Charlotte just came back to the country, and her father had arranged for her to work directly under me so she could get the hang of things.

Charlotte also had to accompany me on the trip. By the time we arrived at our destination the next day, Charlotte's eyes locked on someone familiar.

"Lucas?" Charlotte called out hesitantly, making the man in front of us turn around slowly.

Her eyes instantly sparkled with joy as she shouted, "No way. You're here too?"

Lucas's gaze lingered between the two of us. With a faint smile, he gave a polite nod, then turned back to continue his conversation with the people beside him.

Charlotte quickly shuffled closer to me, pretending to be intimate as she looped her arm around mine.

Charlotte spat, "Eve, I heard you've been with Lucas for ten years. When are you two planning to get married?

"But from what I know about the Reed Family, his parents would never agree to him marrying someone without a powerful background."

Marriage? The word felt foreign to me. As I thought back on my time with Lucas, it hit me that he'd never once brought it up.

Was he too busy to even think about it, or was it what Charlotte said? Was it that his family would not approve, and he was just stringing me along, neither ready to let go nor willing to commit?

The thought didn't make me sad or disappointed. Instead, it stirred up a feeling I couldn't put into words, and a sharp pain stabbed my heart.

Charlotte paused, her tone suddenly shifting to one of false sympathy as she said, "Don't take it the wrong way, I'm just telling it like it is. No shade meant.

"You've climbed the social ladder on your own. My dad never stops bragging about you and wants me to follow your example."

I forced myself to ignore the sharp pain in my chest and quietly brushed her hand off.

I grunted a reply, then started making my way up the mountain with her trailing behind. Before long, she was falling behind.

Charlotte's startled yelp made everyone whip around.

Her heel had gotten stuck in a crack, and she was bent over, trying to yank it free.

Without a second thought, Lucas dashed over, sank to the ground, and offered his back for her to sit on.

He reached out to pull her shoe loose. There were plenty of people around, and every single one of them knew I was supposed to be with Lucas.

Watching the chemistry between them, several folks exchanged looks before throwing me a few sympathetic glances.

"You're such a dummy, Charlotte. You knew we'd be hiking, and you still wear stilettos?" Lucas said.

Without missing a beat, he snapped off the thin heel of her shoe to make the walk less brutal.

Charlotte's cheeks flushed a soft pink as she said in a gentle voice, "It's my first time, and Eve didn't tell me any precautions either."

I felt my breath hitch as I met Lucas's gaze.

His eyes pinned me with silent accusation, like he was wondering why I hadn't told her to wear something comfortable.

He supported Charlotte as they walked over to me.

"Eve, Charlotte just got back from overseas, and she's starting in the workforce. There's a lot she doesn't know yet. As her senior, you ought to guide her more closely," Lucas said.

It was obvious he was blaming me for not looking out for her. I swallowed hard, forcing down the sting of being singled out.

I'd only been told about this business trip at the last minute. How could I possibly cover everything?

Even setting everything else aside, Charlotte is not a child. This should be basic common sense, and she should know better now.

Should that be blamed on me? I really wanted to ask Lucas in what capacity he thought he had the right to instruct me.

But as the words were about to leave my lips, an uneasy feeling overwhelmed me, and a fine layer of sweat gathered at the tip of my nose.

The urge to cry faded away, leaving only awkwardness. I managed to mumble, "I understand."

Lucas noticed I looked a little off and stepped protectively between me and the others. "Let me take your backpack," he said.

While handing the bag over, a weird-looking plush keychain tumbled out. I thought it was some random junk and nudged it aside with my foot.

Lucas picked it up right away and pressed it back into my hand. "Take care of it," he said.

The plush toy's face was crooked and deformed, so I tossed it down the mountain.

Lucas shot me a look of utter disbelief, but in the end, he kept quiet.

The mountain was steep as hell, and by the time we hit the halfway point, everyone was gasping for air.

I climbed a steep part when my foot slipped. Luckily, Lucas was right behind me and caught my waist before I could fall.

"Mr. Reed, Ms. Evans twisted her ankle and couldn't move," someone shouted from up ahead.

Immediately, Lucas let go of me, brushed past my arm, and rushed up the hill.

I was already unsteady, and his bump made me lose my balance. I tumbled backwards, rolling down the slope as the sharp branches on either side scraped against my exposed skin.

The fabric at my knees was torn open, and blood stained the cloth bright red.

The stabbing pain made me gasp, sweat dripping down my forehead in heavy beads. Just getting back on my feet drained nearly all my strength.

I tipped my head back, about to shout for help, but all I saw was Charlotte clinging to Lucas, tightly gripping his collar.

"Lucas, I can't feel my foot. What should I do?" Charlotte whimpered.

Lucas wore a grim expression as he quickly fashioned a splint for her ankle with a branch and some fabric. He then asked everyone to help carry Charlotte back down the mountain.

On the way down, Lucas's assistant noticed how bad I looked. He paused, struggling to get the words out.

Before he could finish, Lucas cut him off and snapped, "Call an ambulance, now!"

From beginning to end, no one ever cared about how I was doing.

I lowered my head, quietly watching as beads of blood gathered on my skin, falling one by one to the ground, swallowed up by the dirt.

Every painstaking step down the mountain was pure agony. I couldn't even tell anymore if the pain was from my wounds or from my heart.

By the time I stumbled to the bottom of the mountain, Lucas spotted me and dashed over from across the street.

His brows knitted in worry as he pulled out a wet wipe, carefully wiping the grime off my hands and face.

"How'd you manage to get yourself into this mess?" Lucas asked, half exasperated, half worried. As he accidentally brushed my injured knee, a sharp jolt of pain made me grimace.

He quickly hooked my arm over his shoulder, wrapped his other arm around my waist to steady me, and led me toward the car.

Once he'd settled me inside, Lucas gazed at me, his eyes soft with sympathy and guilt. "I'm sorry," he murmured, voice tinged with regret.

I looked at him, my voice steady and sure. "Lucas, we should break up," I said.

It was something I had carried for two months. I could finally say it out loud, without tears and without heartbreak, feeling only calm.

His eyes grew wide, and for a moment, I caught a flash of panic there.

"Eve, what are you saying?" Lucas blurted out. "Are you mad because I didn't take care of you? Charlotte has always been weak and sickly. Her situation was urgent. Can't you understand me and not be angry?"

He swung my hand gently, his voice lowering as if trying to be soft and endearing.

In this relationship, Lucas always had the upper hand.

But now, seeing him swallow his pride and show genuine vulnerability, it was clear he was reaching out, asking me to forgive him.

Back then, I would have caved the moment he looked at me like that, ready to make up with him. But things are not the same anymore, and what we had before couldn't be restored.

I pulled my hand away, face cold as I said, "You have only one heart, Lucas. You can't split it between two people.

"You and Charlotte grew up together, and your families both fit perfectly. She's the perfect match for you. Why bother with me?"

Whether it was my bluntness or because I had hit a sore spot, Lucas's face grew awkward, as if I had caught him off guard.

"I only see her as my sister, okay? Could you please stop making a scene?" Lucas snapped.

I tried to fire back, but Lucas cut me off. He said coldly, "Let's go to the hospital first. We'll deal with the rest later."

Once he handed me off to the doctor, a phone call dragged him away. He didn't even spare me a second look.

The doctor said my leg was infected and that I'd have to stay in the hospital for a few days.