Chapter 165 How Many Sisters Does He Have
Evelyn lifted her chin and walked straight toward Edward, not looking around.
Edward's heart raced, his throat tightened, and his muscles tensed. Every part of him wanted to reach out to Evelyn.
Jessica frowned and clung to Edward, sensing his deep connection to this beautiful woman.
Just as Edward thought Evelyn was coming to him, she walked right past.
"Christian!" Evelyn called out with a bright smile, leaving Edward stunned.
"Oh! My sweetheart!" Christian, approaching from the other end of the corridor, waved excitedly and greeted her warmly.
Everyone was shocked, including Jessica. She thought, 'Christian's usually so aloof. In three years, she's barely praised me, yet Evelyn gets a rare smile from her so easily!'
"Dear, I didn't know you were in Mugden! If I had, we would've had dinner!" Christian hugged Evelyn joyfully.
"You have rehearsals; I didn't want to bother you," Evelyn replied gently. She knew Christian as Sharon, having made several dresses for her, and they had a deep friendship. Evelyn had a knack for turning professional relationships into personal ones.
Watching Evelyn and Christian chat, Edward's memories flooded back. His shoulders trembled, and his vision blurred. He remembered how Evelyn used to smile at him brightly and chatter like a young girl when they first married. But he neglected her, barely giving her a glance. Over time, she became quiet and reserved, almost invisible in Riverside Villa. He found her boring, inferior to Nicole, and regretted marrying her. He realized he had almost destroyed her with his coldness, turning her into a self-restrained and compromising woman. Her deep affection for him had been like a ship hitting an iceberg, ending in disaster.
"Gilbert! Come here!" Evelyn's eyes sparkled as she waved at Gilbert, smiling.
"Coming," Gilbert said, adjusting his tie and clothes nervously before walking briskly toward Evelyn.
Edward clenched his fists, bitterness rising in his chest. Eric was equally jealous, their faces darkening.
As Gilbert passed Edward, he paused, pushed his glasses up with slender fingers, and gave Edward a mocking, victorious look.
Gilbert's contempt cut Edward deeply. He thought, 'Am I just a useless bystander? Is there no way to stop them?'
"This is my friend. He and his mother are big fans of yours. He hopes to get a signed album for her," Evelyn introduced Gilbert to Christian.
"Sure! I'd be happy to!" Christian replied, unusually friendly to the unfamiliar Gilbert. She not only gave him a signed album but also called her manager to take a photo of them together.
Everything seemed perfect, but Edward felt only heartache, as if his blood had turned sour.
As they left the concert hall, Jessica clung to Edward's hand, chattering non-stop about her time abroad and how much she missed him.
The only difference from when she was a kid was that she used to hold Eric's hand with her left and Edward's with her right. Now, Eric was just carrying her bag, while her whole focus was on Edward.
Eric trailed behind, looking displeased. 'Evelyn left me, and now Jessica's ignoring me. I'm starting to doubt myself.'
In the parking lot, Edward suddenly stopped, took a deep breath, and gently pulled his hand away from Jessica's.
"Edward? What's wrong?" Jessica asked, her hand frozen mid-air.
"Jessica," Edward said sternly, his gaze distant, "You're grown up now. Some behaviors aren't appropriate anymore."
"How is it not appropriate? You're my brother!" Jessica protested. "What's wrong with a sister holding her brother's hand?"
"Eric is your real brother. I don't have the right to do this," Edward replied bluntly.
Jessica pouted, looking hurt but burning with anger inside. 'Edward's change is definitely because of that beautiful woman! I worked so hard to get Nicole out of the picture and rushed back to be with Edward when he was lonely. I can't let another woman steal him now!'
"Edward, that's too harsh," Eric said, stepping in to hug Jessica. "She grew up with you. Holding hands shouldn't be a big deal. Besides, you're single now. If you had a girlfriend, it would be different. But you're single, just like me, so why make a fuss?"
"Jessica will find a boyfriend someday. Her hand should be for him to hold," Edward said, taking a deep breath. Evelyn's face flashed in his mind. "My hand should be for my woman to hold."
After parting with Gilbert, Evelyn got into her Rolls-Royce. She sneezed hard, feeling the cold air from the concert hall.
"Evelyn, are you catching a cold? I'll get some medicine when we get back," William said, handing her a tissue.
Evelyn wiped her nose, the tip turning red. "It's nothing, maybe someone is cursing me behind my back."
"Who would've thought we'd run into Edward at a concert!" William grumbled, taking the tissue from her without disgust.
Evelyn thought of Jessica clinging to Edward, and her eyes darkened. 'Edward probably enjoyed that little girl acting so inappropriately with him.'
She had known Jessica was Eric's sister but didn't realize Edward was so close to her. Evelyn sneered, shaking her head. 'Three years of marriage, and I knew so little about Edward.'
"Edward, having two sisters at home isn't enough; he has to find another one. How vulgar," Evelyn muttered.
"Evelyn, what did you say?" William asked, puzzled.
"Nothing," Evelyn said, crossing her arms and closing her eyes to rest.
Her phone rang. It was Landon. "Landon?"
"Evelyn, don't leave after work the day after tomorrow. I'll pick you up at the hotel, and we'll go back to Hameen."
"Back to Hameen? Did something happen to Charlie?" Evelyn's heart tightened.
"Don't worry, Charlie is fine," Landon reassured her. "Uncle Elbert is visiting with his two sons. Charlie wants all the kids who can make it to come home. They've been friends for over twenty years, and he doesn't want to neglect his guests."
Evelyn relaxed and took a breath. "Okay, I got it."
