Evan's Rose [18+]

Chapter 27

Evan returned home late that night, so late that I had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for him. I was awakened by the gentle stroke of his hand through my hair. His coat was draped over his arm, and his dress shirt was untucked. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and the dark circles under his eyes indicated a long night of work.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily.

"Around midnight," he replied. He then gently lifted me into his arms and carried me to bed. I was too tired to protest, and I don't remember him joining me in bed. By the time I woke up in the morning, he was already gone.

When I arrived at the office of Carter Industries, I learned that he hadn't yet arrived. Worried, I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail after a few rings. I texted him, asking where he was.

He didn't arrive until the afternoon.

"Hey, is everything alright? You weren't answering my calls. I even texted you," I said as soon as we were alone in his office. He took off his jacket and sat down at his desk, his attention immediately drawn to the spreadsheet on his computer screen. I cupped his face, forcing him to look at me.

"I always worry about you," I said, noticing him swallow hard. "Can I bring you some lunch? We can eat together." But he simply removed my hands from his face and returned his focus to his screen.

"I grabbed something on my way. You should eat too." I didn't want to overthink it. He could've been at a business lunch. It wasn't uncommon for him to have those. Deciding to keep my thoughts to myself, I left. Just as I was about to open the door, he called out to me.

"Don't starve yourself. Eat something." I walked out without replying.

He didn't come home until after I had fallen asleep, and the next morning he was gone again. This was not what I had in mind when I told him that I wanted to be left alone. It was clear that he was avoiding me. He used to be unable to stop himself from touching me, but now he wouldn't even look at me. Deep down, I was craving his touch, his kisses, and his love. I didn't want to believe that all this was happening because of Carin's return to his life.

I opened my laptop and searched for Evan's name. Numerous links popped up, but they were mostly business-related. I clicked on one gossip news link.

Evan's handsome face filled the page, surrounded by beautiful women. In each article, a different woman was at his side. I was jealous of every one of them because, as much as I hated to admit it, they looked good together.

I searched for Evan Carter and Hailey Goldstein and a few pictures popped up. They dated back years. Some were taken outside a restaurant, some on the streets, and some showed them being quite intimate. It was disturbing to see my husband kissing another woman.

The article in the top left corner caught my attention. It was a recent post. I hesitantly clicked it open, afraid of what I might find.

But what I saw broke my heart. There, in broad daylight, just outside a local deli, was my husband with his arm around Hailey's waist, making their way through a swarm of paparazzi. Evan's head was bent down, obscuring his face, but I could recognize him even in the blurriest of situations.

I heard someone clear their throat behind me and I knew it was him. I shut the laptop and wiped away my tears. He saw what I was doing.

"You shouldn't have done that," he said.

"You were with her the whole time?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You're misunderstanding. You should've asked me instead of searching on gossip sites," he said, clearly irritated.

"I wanted to ask you. But you weren't here. You haven't spoken to me properly since the day Hailey arrived," I said, trying to read his facial expressions, but he gave nothing away. He seemed to be expecting me to say this. He took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

"I can't be with you all the time. I'm a busy man and some things require my attention. Isn't that what you wanted? I thought you made it clear that I should steer clear of you. What's the problem now that I'm keeping my distance? If you don't want my attention, then I'll pay it to other matters."

"And you decided the best way to do that was with your ex-girlfriend?" The words flew out of my mouth automatically. Evan's eyes widened as if he couldn't believe that I'd say something like that to him.

"What did you say?" He was beside me in an instant, squeezing my arm, his fingers digging into me. I hissed in pain.

I didn't let my resolve fade. I was angry and hurt and I wanted him to know it. "How would you feel if I was doing the same thing?"

"Listen to me very carefully, Rose. You are my wife and I'm your husband. You are mine and I'm yours. Nothing and no one can come between us. I won't let anyone come in between us," he said. His pupils were dilated, and his voice was husky. There wasn't much distance between our faces. Our lips were a mere inch apart. I saw his eyes fall upon my lips and he licked his lips as if he was tasting mine. The sudden pull of attraction between us made me go crazy. And here we were supposed to argue.

"Not even Hailey?" I challenged.

"Not her. . . wait, are you jealous? Of course, you are. Fuck! You are jealous," he said, releasing his grip on me. A smile spread across his face.

"Damn, you are sexy. Ah, I see now! I wasn't aware that you could hold such jealousy. Perhaps you should ask god for forgiveness, given the ill thoughts brewing in your mind." His lopsided smile was a clear indication of his satisfaction.

"Don't ridicule my faith, Evan. And I'm not jealous."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to his body, leaving no room for movement.

"Of course, I'm not and of course you're not. But just look at your nose, it's practically glowing red with anger," he teased, pinching my nose. I gently swatted his hand away.

"I'm serious, Evan." His smile faded, replaced by a stern expression.

"My dear wife, so sweet, yet so quick to anger and jealousy. I meant it when I said that nothing, not even Hailey, would come between us." I waited for him to continue, refusing to be swayed by his attempts to distract me.

"Yes, I did have lunch with her the other day. We parted on bad terms, but we've been friends for a long time. She apologized, and I forgave her. Honestly, I wasn't even angry with her because she doesn't mean to me what you do. You are incredibly special to me. Never doubt us. You can't even begin to comprehend how much you mean to me and how much I need you..."

"...Then tell me." I needed to hear him express his feelings for me. I yearned to feel his affection, his love. I wanted him to verbalize it, to remind me that I was more to him than just a woman who shared his bed occasionally.

"I need you more than I need my next breath. I would perish if you ever left me." I was taken aback. The vulnerability in his eyes was palpable. It was a dangerous admission, but I had no doubt he meant every word.

"I saw the photos and how you use to look at her."

"They're old. I had no idea you'd become a permanent part of my life. Nothing will alter the way I feel about you."

"What do you feel for me?" I asked. He froze, as I had anticipated.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts. "I can't stop thinking about you, even when I'm at work. It's like you're constantly running through my mind. The softness of your lips brings me inner peace. Being with you gives my life a new purpose. I've never experienced this before. You're the only one for me. I will never cheat on you, Rose. Never." Evan had never expressed these sentiments to me before. But knowing that I held an equally important place in his life was enough for me. This was the man I loved. He was complex, but at least now I knew I didn't have to worry about any other woman. He was going to remain faithful to me.

. . .

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