Chapter 16 A Desperate Gambit

William woke up to find it was already the next morning, with Evelyn by his side. The two of them had spent the whole night lying on the couch like that, with the blanket still covering him. The morning sunlight, gentle and not too glaring, streamed in through the French windows, giving off a sense of eternity.
William leaned in and planted a kiss on Evelyn's lips.
"What are you doing?" Evelyn, annoyed, woke up and glared at William, furrowing her brows.
"Morning," William knew she was in a grumpy mood upon being woken up, and if he disturbed her any further, she'd surely scold him. So he got up and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the two of them.
Evelyn watched him busying himself in the kitchen, and even her morning grumpiness faded away. She just sat on the couch, looking at William. No words were needed, but the atmosphere was warm. It had been a long time since she felt this sense of home. It seemed that ever since a certain someone came, Evelyn had gradually regained that feeling.
"When are you leaving?"
"...My flight is later. I have to hurry and go make the final preparations. I should have everything sorted out in the next few days."
"Sorted out completely, or just how you're expressing it now?"
"You noticed that, huh? You truly are my goddess." William didn't turn around as he fried an omelette. "It's indeed troublesome."
"What exactly do you do?" Unable to contain her curiosity, Evelyn couldn't help but ask.
"I'm into the family business, but there have been some recent issues, so I had to step in temporarily. It's quite nerve-wracking."
Evelyn could sense the evasion in his answer, so she didn't press for more details.
"What do you feel like eating in my absence? I'll make it and keep it in the fridge." William thought about her culinary skills from last night, as well as the difficulty he faced when cleaning up the kitchen afterward. He felt like he couldn't let her cause more havoc in his stomach and kitchen.
"Is my cooking really that terrible?!" At some point, Evelyn had already stood beside William, casually picking up the knife used for chopping vegetables and gesturing as if she were about to hold it against his neck.
Almost instantly, William snatched the knife away, firmly holding both of Evelyn's hands.
Seeing how quick his reaction was, Evelyn felt frustrated. Antonio had mentioned that William had trained in judo, was it because of that? His reflexes were so fast.
William also realized that his reaction was somewhat abnormal compared to others. After all, he had spent years honing his physical abilities, and after months of being on high alert, it was difficult for him to overcome his instinctive reactions. So, he tried to act natural, slowly sheathing his knife, but still refusing to let go of her hand.
"What's this? You want to murder me? Just because the meal last night didn't poison me, you thought of resorting to this? I traveled all the way back here, and you've hurt my heart..." He gently rubbed his head against Evelyn's shoulder.
"Let go. I need to freshen up," William reluctantly released her hand and let her go. Falling for an intelligent woman was dangerous, and he was well aware of it.
However, there were certain things that couldn't be said at the moment. William lacked confidence; although Evelyn had let down her guard in their interactions, he was satisfied with that. But there were deeper truths she couldn't accept. He could only wait a little longer.
While brushing her teeth, Evelyn looked at herself in the mirror. Something felt odd. His reaction was strange, and her own response was also peculiar. Everything recently seemed strange. It felt like she was starting to believe in him more, becoming more dependent on him. She wondered if this was a good or a bad thing.
When she came out, William had prepared breakfast and even changed his clothes. It seemed she had spent quite a long time in the bathroom.
"Let's eat breakfast," William pulled out a chair, and Evelyn naturally sat down. Their life together truly felt like that of a long-married couple.
During breakfast, Antonio called, asking if Evelyn had time today. Evelyn glanced at William, thinking he would leave soon, so she wouldn't have any plans. "Yes, I'm available. What's the matter?"
"While you were in the hospital, I checked out a few houses on Ash Street. They're perfect for a studio, so I was wondering if you have time today to go take a look," Antonio replied.
Evelyn was astonished by Antonio's efficiency, but she should have expected it when he made the suggestion. Antonio was reliable and efficient. She then said, "Alright, let's go this afternoon."
After confirming the time, Evelyn continued eating her breakfast. In contrast, William had lost his appetite. This was a major problem that needed to be resolved. "Are you two planning to open a studio together?"
"Yes, we're considering it," William knew that if he spoke up now to support Evelyn, she would definitely refuse. He didn't have the confidence to compare his worth in Evelyn's heart to Antonio's. It was better to delay and see how things developed.
Standing in the kitchen, he pondered for a while. It seemed that there was only one option left to him now - the desperate measure.
He truly hesitated when it came to harming himself. Taking a gamble, if getting hurt this time could take Evelyn away with him, it would solve many problems. But what if he wasn't that important in Evelyn's heart?!
Frustrated that he wasn't discussing important matters, Evelyn wondered if they should leave soon. Why was he lingering in the kitchen? "What are you doing?"
Evelyn suddenly appeared, and William was genuinely startled. He didn't have a firm grip on the knife, so it accidentally cut his left index finger. Fresh blood flowed out from the wound, and he was startled...
It was a big deal, and now things had taken a turn for the worse. The plan had unexpectedly succeeded, leaving Evelyn frightened. She dragged him by the hand to the faucet, where they rinsed off with water, turning it red. "No, we can't sort this. Let's go to the hospital."
Evelyn was sweating with anxiety when she noticed he showed no urgency. "No, we can't. We need to stop the bleeding first."
She pulled him to find the first aid kit, and William was surprised by the severity of the wound. Blood was dripping down, and Evelyn quickly found a towel to press against the wound. The thick towel slowly turned red. William took the opportunity to act weak, as if there was a lot of blood flowing.
Evelyn saw that the bleeding had slightly subsided. "Let's go to the hospital!"
"I won't make it in time. My flight is at nine. It's already eight-thirty, and I have to leave for the airport, then prepare for the presentation over there, or else it won't work out." He put on an expression of enduring the pain and insisted on going to the airport, as if something terrible would happen otherwise.
Evelyn sighed. "I'll go with you," she said.
She picked up the first aid kit and pulled William out the door. William didn't expect things to go so smoothly, but then Evelyn added, "I can help you bandage it on the way, and then you can handle it yourself when we get there."
"Don't you accompany me? I got injured in your kitchen. You should take responsibility. What if something happens on the plane? I get dizzy from blood. I won't be able to manage alone later, and when I get there, I'll be busy with work and won't have time to go to the hospital..."
As they got into the taxi, William didn't stop pretending to be in pain. Evelyn couldn't help but feel helpless as she bandaged his wound while shaking her head.
Finally, even the taxi driver couldn't stand it anymore. "This sir probably really wishes you would accompany him. Just go with him. It's not a big deal."
Actually, the driver wanted to say that if she didn't go, he wouldn't stop talking.
"Yeah, even the driver agrees with me," William said helplessly.
She hesitated for a moment, thinking, why not just go? Treat it as a vacation. He got injured at her home and is flying around like this. It wouldn't be difficult for her to make a trip there, and she hadn't had any work arrangements recently. So, she nodded in agreement. "I didn't bring my passport or anything."
"Don't worry. I have everything prepared," William said, taking out her bag, which contained her phone, iPad, passport holder, and various odds and ends. Evelyn suddenly realized that this was all planned by him. She unintentionally applied more pressure while handling the bag, causing William to grimace in pain.
Actually, when William picked up the bag, he had already called to cancel the private jet and was waiting at the airport. So as soon as they got off the car, someone came over to take their documents and buy tickets. "Didn't you already book the tickets?"
"Yeah, but this one is for you." Evelyn realized that this was all his plot, why else would he go to such lengths to coax her into going to France? If he had such innocent intentions, occasionally doing something like this wouldn't be too bad. She felt ashamed of her own thoughts.
On the plane, William leisurely waved his injured finger. "If I had known this trick would work so well, I would have used it earlier." Evelyn was speechless.
When they landed, there was someone waiting to pick them up.
Odile couldn't help but admire Evelyn when she saw her standing there together with everyone else. She was truly beautiful. Some people possess a subtle and non-threatening beauty, but Evelyn didn't belong to that category. Her beauty was striking, a type that immediately captured the attention of others but also appeared captivating upon closer examination. She had a tall and slender figure, and her simple yet stylish clothes, perhaps due to the lack of makeup, made her features even softer than in the photos.
In the presence of Evelyn's radiance, Odile instantly felt a sense of despair and disappointment. She realized how plain she looked compared to her.
Initially, Evelyn was surprised by the number of people who came to pick up William, but then she noticed the foreign woman in the crowd who seemed naturally noble and highly appealing. She suspected that this woman must have some connection to William considering how respectful everyone was towards him. It made her wonder what kind of business he was involved in that had such a significant influence.
"Sir, where should we go first? Your hand is injured, so we should go to the hospital. Or should I call a family doctor?" Leo noticed the bandage on Étienne's hand and asked.
"Sir?" Evelyn repeated softly and looked up at William. "It's a family enterprise, you know. It's just a little melodramatic. Calling it that way makes it sound more impressive, right?"
"Just give me a car. You guys can go back." Leo wanted to argue, but Étienne gave him a stern look, silencing him.
On the way back, Odile felt extremely upset in the car. She had followed along to pick up William, but in the end, Étienne didn't even spare her a glance. Why did everything change like this after their trip to the United States? It felt unfair and frustrating.
Not wanting Evelyn to think too much, William said, "Let's go."
He had completely forgotten about the pick-up situation here. He realized it was a mistake.
During the flight, he pondered on where to settle Evelyn. After thinking for a while, he felt that his small villa with the farm would be the most suitable. The house wasn't big, but there would be someone with her, the air was good, and there were many things she could do. He was sure she would like it there.
Suddenly, Evelyn felt a strong sense of fear. Everything felt strangely familiar, just like when she had met Jovan. Gradually, she realized that he had always hidden something from her, and after two years, she finally discovered that he was Marcus' son.
Now, she wondered if William also had bigger secrets that he hadn't told her. Evelyn's anxiety grew.