Chapter 35 Emotions Willingly Given , No Regrets
Evelyn didn't feel like going to the hotel; she changed direction and headed home.
William remained silent for a long time before finally couldn't help but ask, "Ms. Taylor, does Edward still not know that you are a member of the Taylor family?"
"Yes," Evelyn replied softly, her expression sad.
William understood. ‘It's no wonder that when Edward visited her last time, she wanted a substitute to appear. That's why.’
"William, I didn't mean to hide it from you..."
"I understand."
Evelyn looked surprised.
"No one wants to bring up painful things. You naturally want to keep them in your heart forever. "
"I'm just worried about you. I'm afraid Mr. Taylor will find out about this and be heartbroken." William's hand gripped the steering wheel tightened, and his eyes were moist.
He thought, ' She is the apple of the Taylor family's eye, yet she was being bullied by that despicable Edward. Mr. Taylor might just show up with a big knife to put an end to him.'
"Let's keep it from them for now. After experiencing a failed marriage, I want to live alone. I don't want to marry again." Evelyn closed her eyes, Edward's knife-like words filling her mind. She chuckled lightly, "Marriage is really boring."
"If you don't marry, I won't marry anyone else either," William said directly, his emotions sincere.
"No. You can do whatever you want. You're my secretary, not someone I bought. Don't let it spread as if I'm unjust and unreasonable, tarnishing my reputation." Evelyn waved her hands anxiously.
William smiled bitterly.
He knew he was not worthy of her, but he was willing to protect her light silently.
"Ms. Taylor, why did you marry Edward?" William asked.
Evelyn half-closed her eyes, her expression desolate, filled with mixed emotions.
"It's my fault for being nosy. I won't ask anymore..."
"When I was eleven, I participated in a school mountain climbing activity. My mother left me a blue sapphire pendant as a keepsake, but I lost it on the mountain.
Ignoring the teacher's objections, I went up the mountain alone when it got dark, retracing my steps, but I still couldn't find it. As a result, not only did I get lost, but I also encountered a powerful typhoon and got trapped in the mountains. My phone lost signal, and I almost died.
At that time, Edward was working as a forest ranger in the national forest park during the summer vacation. He led a team to search for me despite the extreme weather conditions, and eventually, he found me almost freezing behind a rock..."
Evelyn narrated her story with a gentle and enchanting tone, describing how this warm story had deeply touched her entire youth.
"I opened my eyes and saw Edward in mountaineering gear. His handsome face was wet, and his beautiful eyes were shining, more dazzling than the vast stars in the sky... "
"It's great, I finally found you. Don't be afraid. I'll carry you down the mountain."
It was in this scene that they first met, and it was this scene that made Evelyn deeply rooted in love and unforgettable.
"On the way back, he carried me on his back the whole time. He was afraid I might fall asleep, so he kept telling me unfunny jokes. His joke-telling skills were really terrible," Evelyn reminisced with a serene expression, smiling faintly.
"What's your name?"
"If you won't tell me, then I'll just call you Lily. You're like a lily blooming in the mountains..."
"I'm not like a lily. I'm more like a red rose, passionate than other girls."
"Little girl, you can say that to me, but don't say it to other boys."
"Why not?"
"I'm afraid some bad boys might take advantage of you, silly girl."
Evelyn's breath quickened, her heart pounding.
Edward had been only seventeen that year, not as tall or as strong as he was now, but he had given her an irreplaceable sense of security.
Later, they almost fell off a cliff, and it was Edward who protected her in his arms, saving her life in the nick of time.
After that, Edward disappeared from her life for three years. She saw him again on TV, attending a charity event with the Wellington family.
From then on, Evelyn embarked on her "Chasing the Light" mission.
When she heard he was going to the battlefield, she became a volunteer doctor without borders, fighting alongside him in places he couldn't see.
Once she loved him despite the hardships, but now she felt indifferent, unable to love him anymore.
Evelyn smiled bitterly, realizing that her thirteen-year infatuation with Edward had also come to an end.
William listened quietly, shocked but mostly filled with regret.
"But William, I can't bring myself to hate him."
Evelyn reached out her hand, feeling the wind slipping through her fingers, like the love she couldn't grasp.
"My feelings for Edward were willingly given. Even with this ending, I have no regrets; he doesn't owe me anything."
…
Edward's journey back to Riverside Villa felt surreal, his mind buzzing as if there were a thousand flies flying around. His chest felt like it was being crushed by a huge stone, making it hard to breathe.
Images of Lily's disappointed and resentful gaze kept flashing before his eyes, as if they were archenemies. His heart felt hollow, as if he had lost something very important.
As Edward stepped into the study, May followed, looking somewhat displeased.
"Mr. Wellington, Ms. Adams' car has arrived downstairs. You should go down to greet her."
"I'm not going."
May was surprised, thinking, 'My goodness, Mr. Wellington is unusually firm. Has he come to his senses?'
"I know why she's here to see me."
Edward slumped on the sofa, his eyes vacant. "Tell her, if she's here for Dick, she shouldn't waste her time. Her family must be in turmoil right now. Tell her to go back and spend more time with her parents. Let things calm down for a couple of days, and I'll go see her then."
"If she insists on staying..."
"Then, let her be." Edward took a deep breath, rubbing his throbbing head.
Edward took a deep breath and rubbed his throbbing head. He couldn't help but think about the phrase "useless ex-husband." He thought to himself, 'How dare she call me useless? She never even used me. How does she know I'm useless?'
May responded with a cheerful smile, silently giving a thumbs up, and then left the study.
Edward furrowed his brow. May seemed to hate Nicole from the bottom of her heart. She was overjoyed when she heard that Nicole was going to leave as if it were a holiday.
...
May walked outside the villa, standing on the steps and disdainfully looking at Nicole, who was impatiently waiting.
"Mr. Wellington said he would never interfere in your family affairs. Don't wait for him, go back."
"Let me go in and see Edward."
Nicole tried to force her way into the door.
But May, who was physically stronger, easily overpowered Nicole. With just a slight posture adjustment, Nicole stumbled and fell to the ground.
"How dare you push me. I am Edward's fiancée, the future mistress of this place. How can you be so rude to me?"
Nicole sat helplessly on the ground, pointing at May. "I will tell Edward that you bullied me. I will have him fire you."
"The future mistress? Well, come back and give me orders when you actually become one. Besides, even if you marry Mr. Wellington, I will never acknowledge your identity. In my heart, Ms. Brown is the only mistress of this place. Even though Mr. Wellington and Ms. Brown are now separated, she will always be the only mistress I recognize. Don't delude yourself."
"You..." Nicole's face turned red with anger.
"If you want to complain to Mr. Wellington, go ahead. If you can actually get him to fire me, I will thank you. I was just thinking about retiring and wondering how to explain it to him."
May really wanted Edward to see the fierce look on this woman's face right now, which was completely different from her usual soft and innocent appearance.
"Edward! You can't be so indifferent. You have to help my brother."
Nicole no longer bothered with May and sat on the ground, crying loudly.
This scene was reminiscent of a TV drama, a fallen imperial concubine pleading with the emperor for forgiveness or a family member begging for mercy after committing a crime.
After a while of silence from Edward, Nicole changed her target for help.
"Please help me, Aunt Tiffany!"
"Don't bother calling. Mr. Patrick took Mrs. Wellington and their two daughters out to dinner with Mr. Byron. They won't be back for a while."
"Then I'll wait here until Edward sees me."
May looked up at the cloudy sky and said, "It's going to rain. I have to go and collect the clothes. If you want to keep shouting, go ahead."
After saying that, May left Nicole behind and entered the villa, instructing the servants not to open the door for Nicole under any circumstances.
Nicole continued to shout for a while; her voice became hoarse, but Edward still didn't appear.
Her face turned pale, and she felt anxious and confused. Edward had changed recently, and she was finding it harder and harder to understand him.
Normally, whenever she came, no matter how busy he was, he would put aside his work to see her. When he saw her cry, he would do everything to comfort her. He never hesitated to spend millions on cars and millions on jewelry to make her smile.
But now, she couldn't even get to see him anymore.
Soon, the dark sky began to rain, and the rain got heavier and heavier.
Nicole made up her mind to pretend to be pitiful. She had a car but chose to kneel outside, trembling in the rain.
"Edward... let me see you..."
"What a despicable trick. Only a fool would fall for it," May sneered as she watched from the window.
Suddenly, the sound of leather shoes came from behind her.
May turned around and saw Edward frowning as he walked towards the door.
