6
Meanwhile, my plane had just landed.
Outside the arrival gate, a man in a dark suit, devastatingly handsome, had been waiting for what felt like forever.
It was Caleb Scott, my childhood friend, who I’d grown up with.
And the man I’d secretly admired for so long before I ever got involved with Damien Thorne.
A large part of why I’d rejected Damien Thorne’s confessions repeatedly in my past life was because of Caleb.
But after my rebirth, once I chose to be with Damien, five years passed, and I never saw Caleb again.
It wasn’t until a few months ago. He must have heard about my situation from someone, because he called me for the first time, asking if I was willing to leave with him.
I refused.
At the time, I still held onto a sliver of hope for Damien. I never imagined that decision would separate me from my mother forever.
Two weeks ago, Caleb made his second call.
This time, I finally made my choice.
Five years had passed. He was even more handsome than I remembered, with a new air of mature composure that time had granted him.
Seeing my silence, Caleb gently broke it himself.
“Evelyn, welcome home.”
Just a simple phrase, yet it brought an uncontrollable flood of tears to my eyes.
After choosing to be with Damien Thorne, I had left this place where I’d grown up. Five long years, and I hadn’t stepped foot here once.
Caleb handed me a tissue, his voice as gentle as I remembered.
“Don’t cry. You’re home now, that’s all that matters.”
He had already chosen a burial site for my mother, a beautiful place nestled between mountains and water.
I imagined my mother would love it here.
After my mother was laid to rest, Caleb took me out to eat. The table was filled with all my favorite dishes from before.
But a bittersweet ache welled up inside me, and I found myself lost in thought.
Noticing my distant gaze, Caleb sighed softly and placed a piece of pork rib on my plate.
“Evelyn, you’ve changed so much.”
His voice was tinged with both regret and tenderness.
I finally snapped out of my daze, a faint smile touching my lips.
“Caleb, you’re different too.”
Caleb simply said, “Really? Some things might change with time, but some things… they never will.”
I paused, pretending not to understand his unspoken meaning.
But Caleb continued, “Evelyn, even though I don’t know why you suddenly chose him five years ago, I want you to know I don’t care about it anymore. I don’t care why you changed your mind overnight, and I don’t care that you once gave up on me.”
He looked at me, his gaze gentle yet restrained.
“What I want to say is… my heart is still yours.”
Then, now, or forever. You’ll always be the only one I love in this life.”
To say I wasn’t moved by his words would be a lie.
But five years of a tortured marriage had left me bruised and scarred. I felt I had no strength left to love anyone. And besides, in my current state, I was hardly worthy of the refined, gentle man before me.
I didn’t reply, and Caleb didn’t press me.
He knew exactly when to stop, perfectly respecting my space.
Over the next few months, he guided me through the company’s operations, and I threw myself wholeheartedly into my work.
Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
But for some reason, a growing unease settled in my heart.
Then, late one night, after I finished working overtime, my unease finally proved true.
Because I saw someone outside the company building.
Someone I never wanted to see again in this lifetime.
Damien Thorne. Dressed entirely in black, a cigarette held between his fingers, he leaned casually against a car, his eyes fixed intently on me.
“Long time no see, sweetheart.”
In that instant, my blood ran cold.
The fragile peace I had painstakingly built over these past days shattered, leaving me in a state of panic and fear.
Suddenly, a warm hand took mine.
“Evelyn, didn’t I tell you to go get the car first? What are you doing just standing here?”
Caleb squeezed my hand. It was strange, but the heart that had just been pounding frantically suddenly settled.
“Oh? And who do we have here? Mr. Thorne, I presume. What exactly is the meaning of you stopping my girlfriend late at night?”
The moment Caleb took my hand, Damien’s face darkened. Now, provoked by Caleb’s words, his eyes turned utterly menacing in an instant.
“Care to repeat that?”
Clearly, the words ‘my girlfriend‘ had struck a nerve. His voice was laced with a dangerous chill.
But Caleb wasn’t easily intimidated. He shot back without hesitation.
“I can say it a hundred times, it won’t change the fact. Mr. Thorne, have some self–respect.”
Those words drove Damien Insane.
“If I’m not mistaken, Evelyn Price is my wife! Caleb Scott, you’re desperately trying to be the other man. Aren’t you afraid I’ll blow your brains
out right here?”
Caleb, however, simply smiled.
“But Mr. Thorne, Evelyn told me she was your ‘wife‘ for five years, yes, but you never actually got legally married, did you? So, from a legal standpoint, she’s hardly your wife.”
“Oh, I forgot. Mr. Thorne, you’re used to acting above the law. Perhaps you don’t care about legalities, but *I* do.”
Clearly, Caleb’s words had stung Damien again.
