Evan's Rose [18+]

Chapter 30

Shoutout to heyambrose for the beautiful picture

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I clenched my eyes shut, as if the darkness could shield me from his gaze. This was a nightmare, worse than any I'd ever had. When I dared to open my eyes, I found Mark staring at me, his expression one of utter bewilderment. He glanced back and forth between me and his friend, the silence in the room growing heavy.

"Don't look at her. She's mine." Evan's voice echoed in the hallway. Despite his state, he managed to shoot a piercing glare in Mark's direction.

"Really? What am I supposed to do then?" Mark retorted; his voice laced with confusion. "Out of all the places we could've met, it happens to be in the house of my friend, your boss. It's like..." He glanced at his wristwatch, then back at me, "...it's freaking ten o'clock at night and I see a woman in your house. I didn't even know where you lived, but she's already here." His face twisted in confusion.

"Rose..." Evan's voice was weak, but I immediately went to his side. I didn't expect him to pull me close to him. I could feel him slowly slipping into unconsciousness. Left with no other choice, I turned to Mark for help.

"Can you please help me take him upstairs?" I pleaded. Mark gave me a disapproving look but complied, nonetheless. Together, we managed to carry Evan's heavy body upstairs and laid him on the bed.

"Woah! Man, you're heavy!" Mark muttered, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat from his forehead.

"Thank you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You're wel..." He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze fixed on something behind me. I turned to see what had caught his attention, only to find him staring at a framed photograph of me and Evan on the bedside table. Our wedding photograph .

Mark moved closer and picked up the small frame. My throat tightened. He wasn't supposed to know.

"What the hell!" He exclaimed, his voice echoing in the room.

"Mark..."

"You two have been married? For God's sake, why couldn't you guys tell me? Evan Carter is married, and no one bothers to tell me." His tone was harsh, and I flinched. This was not what I expected. Evan was soundly asleep on the bed, oblivious to the world.

"Mark, can we talk outside? Please." He stormed out of the room, heading downstairs. I closed the door and followed him, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Explain," he demanded, turning around to glare at me.

"Why are you angry?" I asked him.

"What am I supposed to do then? I've been thinking of different ways to woo the woman I've met a few times in my friend's office and lo and behold! She's suddenly his wife. For heaven's sake, I liked you, but you made a fool out of me." His words stung, and I felt a pang of guilt. It was never my intention to hurt him.

"I've never led you on. I never said that... I know it was wrong of me to hide this fact from you, but believe me, it wasn't my choice," my voice shaky was shaky as I tried to explain.

"What does that mean? You knew I liked you. You could've told me. Stopped me." His words took me by surprise.

"You like me?" I blinked, "You can't like me. You said you just wanted to be friends with me."

"What difference does it make now?"

He was right. It wasn't going to make a difference now. I was someone's wife. There was no way I was going to be someone else's. We stood there in silence, neither of us knowing what to say next. Mark seemed so angry. I had never seen him so angry. How did I not know that he liked me? Sure, he had flirted with me a couple of times, but he did that with every female employee at Carter Industries whenever he'd come to visit Evan.