Ever Since New York // H.S. - ON HOLD

CHAPTER 26 - EVELYN?

A/N - I'm sorry...

~HARRY'S POV~

The muscles around my eyes twitch as my pupils narrow on the name before me. Surely, it must be a mistake. Maybe this person lived here before Amber did? Thoughts scatter around in my brain as my brows pull into a tight line, creating crevices in the skin of my forehead. Why does that name sound so familiar though?

Evelyn Winters.

Tilting my head to the side, my tongue pokes out between my lips as I focus on recollecting where I have heard this name before.

"Patient's first and last name, please." The woman sitting behind the check-in desk speaks in such a monotonous tone that you would think she just rose from the dead.

"Um...Ginny Winters." Amber glances over at me, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before turning her attention back to the secretary. My eyebrow raises in suspicion as I pull at my bottom lip with my thumb and forefinger.

"Winters? Does she not have your name?" I question as we walk toward the direction of the pediatric triage area. The tension and anxiety in Amber becomes visibly apparent as we pass through the corridor.

"I-ehm, yeah...I mean, no...It's her father's." I furrow my brows at her, still not completely convinced. "I told you it was complicated..." She continues and my expression softens. Ginny's father seems like a touchy subject, so maybe I should just leave it alone. Before I get the chance to reassure her, faint, sad whimpers echo in our ears.

Oh my god...Winters isn't Ginny's father's name...It's her's.

What the fuck? Who the hell is Amber Hampton? Who have I been getting to know the past two months? Who's house is this? Who is Evelyn Winters?

So many questions meander around in my brain as I try to put the pieces together. Clutching the envelope in my left hand, I make my way into the kitchen absentmindedly. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I scrunch my face in dismay as pain pierces through my skull. Leaning against the counter, I fold my arms across my chest, still gripping onto the envelope and staring it down as if it will sort my thoughts out for me.

She lied to me about her name, who she is. The simplest thing defining oneself. Sure, I understand giving a fake name at first, considering our first introduction was in an alley behind a club, but to continue this for two months? There must be some ulterior motive here. I can't begin to comprehend why she would continue this facade for so long.

This must be why she has been so reserved. Why she doesn't want to be seen out in public. She gave me a fake name...How stupid am I not to see past this?

Right as I feel myself falling past the point of no return. Right when I begin to feel like I have found the one thing I have wanted most in the world. Right when she has me cast under her spell and wrapped around her fingers. Unbelievable.

Everyone always said I was too naive when it came to love, and I guess this is just another shitshow to add to the list of my comical romantic relationships.

It makes so much sense.

This is why whenever I tried to dig deeper, whenever I tried to force myself past the iron curtain, she closed the blinds and shut me out. She couldn't open up because all of the focus needed to be on me. She couldn't let herself be under the spotlight because she knew her cover would be blown. Have I been nothing but a good story to her?

Fuck! She's a journalist. I should have seen this coming from a mile away. She works for THEMEGA for fuck's sake. Thinking back to how ill she spoke of her coworkers and how journalism wasn't her ideal career choice has me cursing myself into the wind. How could I have been so blind?