Chapter 79
Evelyn’s POV
I heard footsteps on the stairs behind me and noticed Leon’s sudden silence. Turning around, I spotted Calvin standing at the second-floor landing, his imposing figure leaning against the railing.
His black shirt was a mess, unbuttoned halfway down his chest, showing off his muscled torso. The sleeves were rolled up carelessly to his forearms, his powerful arms resting on the banister. Even in the warm yellow hallway lights, his disheveled appearance and commanding presence were impossible to ignore. He looked like he’d just… well, got lucky in a woman’s bedroom.
My face immediately darkened. This man was doing this on purpose!
I turned to Leon who stood by the doorway. “He’s here to see the children. What brings you here so late p>
Leon pulled his gaze away from Calvin and nodded. “I have feeling in my legs again p>
I couldn’t help but feel happy for him. I still remembered the first time I saw him at the university’s freshman orientation game. He was the star quarterback, throwing perfect passes under the stadium lights, his messy hair tousled by the wind. That sharp jawline and confident swagger made it impossible not to look at him. From that day on, he was the name on everyone’s lips at university. He led the team to win the state championship that year.
“Tomorrow I’d like to increase the intensity of my training, if that’s possible?” he asked.
I nodded. “I’ll have someone run a new set of tests on you in the morning. If the data looks good, we can move into the second phase of training early p>
Leon could be cold and distant, but when he smiled, it was like watching ice melt—breathtakingly beautiful.
He gave me that smile now. “Great. I’ll be waiting for you p>
Something in his tone made my heart skip a beat. It felt like his words carried another meaning.
His gaze dropped to his legs as he touched the blanket covering them. The sooner he recovered, the sooner he could leave his wheelchair behind. And now that I was single… I could see in his eyes that his feelings for me hadn’t changed.
After seeing Leon off, I stormed back to the second floor. Not wanting to wake the children, I grabbed Calvin by his collar and dragged him back to the study.
My face flushed with anger, my eyes glaring at him with hurt and blame.
“Calvin, I told you not to come out! Are you deaf?” I snapped.
He answered seriously, “I remember. That’s why I didn’t go out the front door p>
I was speechless. Did he really think I meant just the front door?
Calvin’s gaze dropped to my collarbone. “This late at night, and you’re wearing that to meet another man p>
This was just a normal tank top, nothing inappropriate about it.
I shot back immediately, “Yes, what business is it of yours p>
Indeed, Calvin no longer had any right to question my choices.I could see he wanted to say something but couldn’t get the words out.
Just then, his phone rang. It was Clara. Her soft voice, trembling with tears, came through the speaker clearly enough for me to hear in the quiet night.
“Calvin, I’m so scared. I dreamed that Evelyn took a knife and cut my face p>
“My wound hurts so much. Even painkillers aren’t helping p>
“Won’t you come back? Please, come back and stay with me p>
Clara was sobbing as though she’d die if he didn’t return immediately. But Calvin’s burning gaze remained fixed on my scornful expression, ignoring her pleas.
“There are security guards outside your hospital room. No one can hurt you,” he stated coldly.
“If your wound hurts, you should call a doctor. I can’t help you with that p>
What he said was factual, but to Clara, it must have sounded like a refusal to return, perhaps even suggesting he was with another woman.
“Calvin, you really can’t come back?” Her voice was pleading.
“No. Focus on healing.” His voice was detached, not at all like someone comforting a woman he cared about. There was even a hint of impatience in his expression.
I couldn’t help but wonder—when I used to call and ask him to come home for dinner, had there been impatience behind his calm words then too?
The sleepiness that had eluded me earlier suddenly washed over me in a wave of exhaustion. I turned and walked toward my bedroom, my shoulders slumped with fatigue, ignoring the man behind me.
Third POV
Calvin stood at the study doorway, watching Evelyn leave while Clara kept crying on the phone. He checked Zeon’s message on his private phone, a small smile forming as he prepared to reveal Clara’s lies.
“If you need to talk, call a friend. If you’re in pain, see a doctor. I’m not your painkiller,” he told her firmly.
After thinking for a moment, he added, “Clara, let me say this one last time. What we had was a teenage crush. After meeting Evelyn, I found real love. You’re just someone from a neighboring pack who I once dated. Nothing more. Do you understand p>
His words cut through all of Clara’s dreams. The truth that he’d fallen for Evelyn must have hurt.
They had been each other’s first love, back when they were young. She had thought they would end up together, until Evelyn appeared. In her mind, everything was Evelyn’s fault.
If Evelyn hadn’t shown up for their arranged marriage, taking Calvin away for five years, maybe Rowan and Rhys would have been Clara’s children instead.
Children— it all came down to the pack’s bloodline!
If she could just have his baby, surely he would remember their past love. Everyone knew how much he loved family and children.
Making up her mind, Clara started planning.
As the sun came up over the water, Clara found her plastic surgeon. She pulled up pictures of Evelyn on her phone, ready to do anything to win Calvin back.
“Make me look just like her,” she said firmly.