His Mail Order Bride

Chapter 30

Hurts Like Hell by Tommee Profitt ft. Fleurie.
Breath me by Sia.

"Your name... it used to be Marie Quinn, didn't it?" Evelyn utters, her voice a chilling whisper that pierces through the air like a knife.

Time stands still as her revelation sinks in, the words hanging in the air. The blood in my veins runs cold, icy tendrils of fear snaking their way through my body.

How did she know that!?

She sees my reaction, and a sinister smile appears on her lips as she continues to glare at me. I swallow, doing my best to calm my racing heart. "How did you know that?" I ask, my voice clipped.

"Remember Zachary Donovan? That bastard was my husband. You were the whore he kept." She states, and my heart skips multiple beats. Although I'm terrified, I do my best not to allow it to seep to the surface. Steeling my expression, I cock my head to the side, pretending to be lost in thought but every nerve in my body is on high alert.

"Oh, that guy. He talked about you a lot while having sex with me," I say.

"What I also know is that you killed him," she throws at me, her voice dripping with accusation and disdain. I scoff, but my hands tremble, betraying the fear that courses through my veins.

"Oh, please... I did both of us a favor by getting rid of that guy. You should be thanking me for that."

"You still have that smart mouth. Tell me, Jessica, or should I say Marie, does Devon know about this?" She asks, and I stiffen. The mere mention of Devon's name sends a jolt of panic through me, my breath catching in my throat. "Of course, I thought as much," she whispers and starts to walk around me. "Imagine this, every newspaper and media house talking about your bloody past when I reveal it to them. The trophy wife of Devon Reeves is a murderer who killed my husband. How does it sound? How do you think Devon will feel?" She asks, stopping right in front of me.

My blood starts to boil, but all I can do is glower hatefully at her, petrified by her threats. If she tells Devon about it... I can't even imagine it. Sucking in air to my hurting lungs, I blink back the tears stinging my eyes and walk closer to her. Peering into her eyes, I start to mutter, "I couldn't care less about how Devon feels when he hears about it, but you'll be doing yourself a disservice if you reveal it. For someone who wants to win the favor of an ex-lover, that doesn't seem like a good move," I spit out.

"But it also means you won't have him either, you murderer. And that is enough for me," she finishes, smirking at me.

"Please, I'm done listening to you," I mumble, my voice barely audible as I turn my back to her, desperate to escape the suffocating tension. With each step I take, the air grows thicker, the weight of my secrets threatening to crush me.

I reach the exit and pause, turning back to look at her.
"Do whatever you feel like. That's none of my business. By the way, that's the man you left Devon for?" I say, and she flinches, startled. I sneer at her as I grip the doorknob. "Karma really did a number on you," I spit at her before finally walking out.

I run through the amusement park, my heart pounding in my ears. Every sound, every thud of footsteps, amplifies the paranoia that now grips me. What if Evelyn follows through with her threats? Will my life crumble, the carefully constructed walls I've built around me shattered into a thousand irreparable pieces? I can't bear the thought of losing everything, of losing Devon.

Lost in thought, I walk back to the parking lot and spot him outside the car, seemingly waiting for me. Unbidden, my steps slow, and tears fill my eyes, but I quickly wipe them away, doing my best to appear neutral. Finally reaching him, I get into the passenger seat without sparing him a glance, closing the door behind me. The action stuns Devon, but he eventually gets in and glances at me.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asks, noticing my tense demeanor. He turns to look at me. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I rush out. "Just worried. Let's go home already," I mumble. He stares at me for the longest time before glancing at Emma, who's sitting in the backseat, and starts the car, driving us home.

The ride is eerily quiet, a painful contrast to the bubbly atmosphere we had when we were coming here. Emma keeps moaning about her stomach ache, and it only worsens my agitation. My hands won't stop shaking, but I hide them beneath my clothes to prevent Devon from noticing. Once we arrive home, I immediately tend to Emma, getting her medicine and instructing her to use it.

"Shouldn't she go to the hospital?" Devon asks, observing me picking up a thermometer.

"That would be later if her condition worsens. Her stomach just doesn't agree with whatever she ate. If she rests now, she'll be better in no time," I tell him without looking at him.

"I'll just have diarrhea the entire day. I'll be fine," Emma mutters, giving herself a thumbs up. That seems to reassure Devon somewhat, and he relaxes. I finish caring for Emma and only leave when she falls asleep. I hurry to the kitchen to wash my hands, doing my best to avoid Devon. However, he intercepts me as I try to return to my room.

"Hey, what's wrong? You've been acting off ever since we returned from the amusement park. What happened?"

"I'm fine, Devon. Nothing happened," I tell him, attempting to walk past him, but he grips my hands, stopping me.

"It doesn't look like it. What is it, Jessica?" he asks again. I let out a huff, my mind in disarray.

"There's nothing wrong, Devon. I just want to be alone," I grit out through clenched teeth. He turns to look at me.

"Is this because of the almost kiss?"

"It's not because of that!" I snap at him, shocked at my outburst. I snatch my hands away from his grip, caressing them. "It's not because of anything. I just want to be left alone. Please..." I beg, my voice trembling at the end.

Devon appears torn, as if he wants to say more, but when he sees the tears in my eyes, he takes a step back, his brows scrunched up in thought. "Okay..." he finally mutters.

I take it as my cue to run to my room, locking the door behind me before sinking to the ground. A sob breaks out of my lips as I bury my face in my hands, letting the tears flow freely. Evelyn's words continue to echo in my head, haunting me with their weight. Why can't I catch a break? What did I do to deserve this?

I don't know how long I sit there on the floor, just crying my heart out. When I finally regain some semblance of composure, I gather the strength to leave the room. As I step into the hallway, I notice that Devon is nowhere to be found.

I search for him everywhere before I realize he isn't at home. Not knowing what else to do, I wait for him to come back. He arrives home really late, a first of its kind. Once he steps into the hallway, our gazes meet, and time seems to stand still. I open my mouth to speak, planning on apologizing, But before I can utter a word, he lets out a heavy sigh, as if the weight of the world rests upon his shoulders, and walks past me, his footsteps echoing with indifference.

New tears fill my eyes, and I start to hyperventilate as a wave of despair crashes over me. Clutching my chest, I clench my teeth together, refusing to cry once more.

"Get yourself together," the voice in my head returns, scolding me. "You're stronger than this." I repeat it to myself over and over again, but unlike before, it doesn't ring true. Because deep down, I know the truth—I'm teetering on the edge of emotional exhaustion. I'm tired. I'm so very tired of everything.

Why can't I be happy?

*****
This chapter.... Gosh!😭😭
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