Chapter 92 Jealousy Is Not in His Condiments
"If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave." Evan straightened his suit, his scholarly charm apparent. "This was a setup, a deliberate trap."
"Wait."
Charles stopped him.
Evan looked up, waiting for what was to come.
With a penetrating gaze, Charles asked a soul-searching question, "What are your true feelings towards Daphne?"
"I am whatever she needs me to be," Evan replied without missing a beat.
The two had been best friends since childhood, their bond transcending the usual confines of friendship—deeper than mere camaraderie, more steadfast than romance, and familial affection with something extra.
Should Daphne ever need to marry, he would willingly be the man on her marriage certificate. And if she chose not to marry, he'd be content to remain her friend for life.
Listening to Evan's words, Charles had a moment of clarity: "You don't have romantic feelings for her."
"Is that so?"
"Would you really be indifferent if she still clung to a first love in her heart?" Charles proposed, his eyes darkening with thought. "Not to mention her beloved Fred, whom she can't seem to sleep without."
True affection comes with a desire to possess.
That's especially true for someone like Evan.
"You have a very narrow view of what it means to like someone," Evan maintained his calm smile. "If Daffy is happy, then I'm happy to do anything for her."
Charles tried to detect a slip in his composure but found none.
Could Evan's love for Daphne be that selfless?
"When she rushed to Ivrea City for that quickie wedding with you, I didn't stand in the way," Evan added, sensing Charles's doubt.
He didn't want Charles to think Daphne was uncherished. Only by giving him a sense of urgency could he make him regret after a potential loss.
Daphne deserved better.
Evan adjusted his glasses, still appearing aloof. "Her impromptu marriage to you was love at first sight for your good looks. If you treat her well and she's happy, I'm content. But if you don't, I can ensure her happiness."
"You won't get that chance," Charles blurted out almost instinctively.
Evan offered a friendly reminder, "You're picking up the divorce papers the day after tomorrow."
Charles couldn't shake the discomfort he felt at Evan's confidence, his assured demeanor leaving an unsettling feeling in his heart.
"Do you think she knows how you really feel about her?" The question hung in the air, dense with implication.
Evan smirked, fully aware of the pit Charles was trying to dig for him. "She thinks we're just friends," he said, evading the trap with a simple truth.
If he admitted the truth, Charles would undoubtedly label Daphne a heartbreaker without a second thought. Evan wasn't going to waste any more words. What needed to be said was out there; the rest was for Charles to mull over in his own time.
Charles couldn't quite identify his feelings at that moment. Evan's words echoed in his head, and he was painfully aware that Evan's face was just the type Daphne was drawn to. The thought of Daphne leaving him and choosing Evan instead stirred a restless annoyance within him.
Over the two years of his marriage to Daphne, it seemed as if Evan had only appeared after they had discussed divorce. Did Evan genuinely care for Daphne that much? It was a question to which he knew he wouldn't get an answer now. After arranging for someone to investigate, Charles returned to his own affairs.
Evan left the Lancelot Group in relatively good spirits. Remembering Daphne's concerns, he decided to give her a call and let her know he had clarified things with Charles.
"Hmm," was all Daphne uttered in response, her tone indifferent.
"That's not the reaction I was expecting," Evan said, accustomed to their usual candid exchanges.
"It doesn't matter whether he believes it or not," Daphne had come to terms with it. "I'm thinking about tonight's dinner at the Lancelot family estate. They'll probably ask me to wait until after Grandpa's birthday to go through with the divorce."
She knew all the maneuvers her grandfather and mother would pull. Awareness was one thing; dealing with them was another. She couldn't just refuse to go; the elders treated her so well, and her schedule was open. Skipping the dinner would be impolite.
"When's Grandpa's birthday?" asked Evan.
Daphne replied, "September 15th."
"Isn't Charles heading overseas for a business trip on the 16th?" Evan remembered. "Just hint at it and get confirmation in advance. You can use that as your excuse."
The cooling-off period was winding down, and they had less than thirty days to collect the divorce certificate. If they missed it, they would have to reapply and wait another month-long cooling-off period. A lot could happen in a month.
"Okay," Daphne agreed.
Regardless, she had to end her marriage the day after tomorrow. Her feelings about Ivrea City had changed; what was once affection had faded.
Right before hanging up, Evan mentioned something else. "By the way, I told Charles I'm into you."
Daphne was taken aback, not quite following his strategy.
"He seemed... jealous," Evan added with a hint of amusement.
" He wouldn't get jealous even if someone else was flirting with you," Daphne said casually, the storm of her emotions having passed. "But let's not crack that kind of joke in front of Kevin and the crew, ok?"
"Got it," Evan replied with a chuckle.
The gossip skills of Kevin and his gang were practically explosive.
After hanging up the phone, Evan began to organize his return trip to Gedser. Having spent a significant amount of time in Ivrea City, there were now piles of matters requiring his attention back home.
Daphne, on the other hand, was enjoying her leisurely days.
But once her brief respite was over, it was time to dive back into her career. Had her assistant not pressed her urgently, she might have considered post-divorce life on a scenic and tranquil island a little while longer before returning to work.
It was noon when she prepared herself a simple lunch. As she ate, she pondered over the things Evan had mentioned. She made a discreet call to Mark to sniff around and, learning that Charles was indeed going on a business trip on the 16th, felt relieved.
After the call, her mind drifted to Daisy's situation, prompting her to ring Daisy up. She didn't want her to suffer through everything alone.
As for Austin, Daphne didn't trust that man one bit. The call was answered almost immediately.
"Cloud..."
"Help me, Daphne!" Daisy's voice was raw with crying and sped with fear, signaling the urgency of her plight, "Austin wants to force me to terminate my pregnancy."
"Where are you now?"
Daphne wasted no time on pleasantries.
Daisy barely managed the word "I" before the call was abruptly ended. Daphne redialed swiftly, only to find the phone had been turned off.
Meanwhile, Daisy's attempt to flee had been thwarted by Austin.
He locked her in the car, hurling her phone, now switched off, to the furthest corner from her.
"Trying to run?" Austin's grip on her wrist tightened, his eyes glinting with cold severity.
He had not anticipated this. Just last night she had agreed to follow his orders and get rid of the child, yet today, while he was at work, she had stealthily purchased a plane ticket and planned her escape.
"Let me go!"
Daisy wrestled against his control, to no avail due to the disparity in their strength.
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