Chapter 5 - THE MAN WHO THOUGHT SHE WOULD RETURN
Damian waited seven days before contacting Evelyn directly.
He had already sent flowers.
Messages.
A handwritten apology.
She hadn't responded.
Finally, he called.
Evelyn answered on the fourth ring.
“Hello?”
“Evelyn.”
His voice sounded different.
Tired.
Almost uncertain.
She closed her eyes.
“Damian.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere you don't control.”
Silence.
Then he whispered, “I deserve that.”
Evelyn sat down.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“About what?”
“Everything.”
She looked at the rain outside Hannah's window.
“Start with Lydia.”
Damian exhaled.
“It was a mistake.”
“No.”
He went silent.
Evelyn continued.
“A mistake is forgetting an anniversary. A mistake is saying something cruel in anger.”
Her voice trembled.
“You saw me watching, Damian.”
He closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“And you kissed her anyway.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
For several seconds, he couldn't answer.
Then he whispered, “I wanted to hurt you.”
Evelyn felt her chest tighten.
Damian continued.
“I believed you were hiding something with Marco Bell.”
She stared.
“So you punished me.”
“Yes.”
He swallowed.
“And I was wrong.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Six years.
Six years of marriage.
And he'd destroyed it because he chose suspicion over conversation.
Damian continued.
“I never slept with Lydia.”
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“Do you expect that to comfort me?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He took a breath.
“I want you home.”
Evelyn stared at the wall.
Then said, “I don't have a home with you anymore.”
The silence that followed was terrible.
Damian whispered, “Evelyn—”
“No.”
She wiped her tears.
“You told me to run if I dared.”
“I was angry.”
“And I was your wife.”
He couldn't answer.
She continued.
“I need you to understand something.”
“What?”
“I didn't leave to make you chase me.”
Her voice steadied.
“I left because I finally understood I was allowed to.”
Then she ended the call.
Damian remained in his office for a long time.
He looked at the photograph on his desk.
Their wedding day.
Evelyn laughing.
Her hands wrapped around his.
May you like
He remembered promising to protect her.
Now he understood that the person she'd needed protection from had sometimes been him.
