Shattered Vows

Chapter 7: Evan's Suspicions

The hum of conversation at the café barely registered as Sophie stirred her coffee, her thoughts consumed by the weight of her discoveries. The world around her felt distant—everything blurred and muffled in comparison to the storm inside her head. She was supposed to be meeting Evan, Mark's best man and one of her closest friends, for their usual catch-up. But today, the thought of casual conversation felt almost impossible.

She didn't even hear him approach until Evan slid into the chair across from her, his usual carefree grin in place. "Hey, Sophie! Been waiting long?"

Sophie blinked, forcing herself to focus, to push down the knot of anxiety tightening in her chest. She plastered a smile on her face, just like she had at the engagement party. She had gotten good at pretending everything was fine. Too good.

"No, just got here," she lied, stirring her coffee again absentmindedly.

Evan's eyes, sharp as ever, seemed to linger on her a little longer than usual. He tilted his head slightly, observing her with that keen sense of intuition she'd always admired. Evan wasn't like most people. He didn't just listen to what people said—he saw through them. And right now, Sophie knew he could see that something was off.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice soft but probing. "You seem a little... distracted."

Sophie's smile faltered for a split second before she quickly recovered. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... busy, I guess. Wedding planning and all."

Evan raised an eyebrow. "That's it? You sure?"

Her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't ready for this conversation, not with Evan. He was too perceptive, and she wasn't sure she could keep up the charade if he pressed further. She took a sip of her coffee, hoping it would buy her a moment to compose herself.

"Yeah, it's just the usual stress, you know," she said, forcing a lightness to her voice that felt foreign. "Everything's fine."

Evan didn't seem convinced. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied her. "You know you're a terrible liar, right?"

Sophie's breath caught in her throat. She forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow even to her own ears. "What are you talking about?"

Evan shrugged, his gaze never leaving her. "I'm talking about the fact that you're acting weird. I've known you long enough to tell when something's up. And right now, something's definitely up."

Sophie felt the familiar knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. She wasn't ready for this. Not with Evan, not now. But as much as she wanted to deflect, to change the subject, she could see that he wasn't going to let it go.

"I'm fine, really," she said, her voice softer now. "Just a little overwhelmed, that's all."

Evan watched her for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His voice dropped to a near-whisper, serious and concerned. "Sophie... if something's wrong, you know you can tell me, right?"

Sophie swallowed hard, her heart racing. The urge to confide in him—to spill everything about what she had seen, what she had overheard—was almost overwhelming. But she held back, unsure of how much she could trust anyone right now. The betrayal had cut so deep that she wasn't sure who was on her side anymore.

"I appreciate that, Evan," she said, carefully choosing her words. "But it's nothing. Really."

Evan sat back again, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was quiet for a moment, and Sophie could practically see the wheels turning in his head. He was always good at reading between the lines, and she knew that her deflections weren't fooling him. But what came next caught her completely off guard.

"You know," he began, his tone casual but laced with something deeper, "I've noticed some... strange things lately."

Sophie's stomach dropped. She didn't know what he meant, but the way he said it made her skin prickle with unease. She forced herself to remain calm, her hands gripping the edge of the table beneath her.

"Strange things?" she echoed, trying to keep her voice neutral.

Evan nodded, his eyes still fixed on her. "Yeah. Between Mark and Jessica."

Sophie's heart stopped. Her breath caught in her throat as the words hung in the air between them. She stared at Evan, trying to gauge his expression, but his face gave nothing away. Did he know? Had he seen something? Did he suspect the affair?

"I mean, I've always thought they were a little... close," Evan continued, his voice careful. "But lately, I don't know. Something just feels off. The way they talk to each other, the way they look at each other..."

Sophie's blood ran cold. This was exactly what she had been afraid of. That someone else might have noticed. That the facade was cracking and people were beginning to see the truth. But she couldn't let Evan know that she knew. Not yet.

"You think they're... what?" Sophie asked, her voice trembling just enough to sound like confusion rather than the panic she was trying to hide.

Evan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Sophie. I'm probably reading too much into it. But sometimes, it just seems like... like they have some kind of secret. Like there's something going on that they're not telling you."

Sophie felt a lump rise in her throat, but she swallowed it down, forcing herself to remain composed. She couldn't let Evan see how close to the truth he was. Not until she had all the pieces of the puzzle.

"Evan, that's crazy," she said, her voice more steady now. "Mark and Jessica are just friends. They've always been close, but that's all it is. I would know if something was going on."

Evan gave her a long, searching look, his brow furrowing slightly. "Would you?"

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, Sophie wasn't sure how to answer. Would she have known? If she hadn't stumbled upon them at the party, if she hadn't overheard their whispered confessions—would she have kept believing their lies?

She forced herself to nod. "Of course, I would. Mark and I are about to get married. There's nothing going on between him and Jessica."

Evan didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue further. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Okay. If you say so."

They sat in silence for a moment, the tension thick between them. Sophie could feel Evan's eyes on her, watching her carefully, as if trying to read her mind. She knew he wasn't satisfied with her answers, but he wasn't going to push her any further. Not today.

"Anyway," Evan said, breaking the silence, "if you ever need to talk about anything—anything at all—you know where to find me."

Sophie forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Thanks, Evan. I appreciate it."

As they finished their coffees and exchanged polite goodbyes, Sophie's mind raced. Evan had planted a seed of doubt, not in her—she already knew the truth—but in himself. He suspected something, and that could be dangerous. If he started digging deeper, he might uncover more than she was ready for him to know.

As Sophie walked back to her car, the weight of the conversation settled heavily on her shoulders. She had thought she could keep up the act, maintain control. But now, with Evan's suspicions looming in the background, everything felt more fragile than ever.

The web of lies was unraveling, and Sophie knew it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down.