Zain saw the woman practically fly toward them. She embraced Evelyn tightly before giving a quick hug to Jinhai. She turned to him and hesitated a moment before she reached out for him. He returned her hug.
Only Phoenix, Jinhai, and Zain noticed her moment's hesitation. Phoenix linked her arm through Evelyn's and pulled her toward the restaurant.
"I'm going to kill you," Zain muttered under his breath. He meant for Jinhai to hear him. Jinhai glanced back. He almost felt sorry for his ploy.
The guys followed the girls who were up ahead with their heads together. When they were all in the restaurant, Phoenix walked them to one of the rooms.
Jinhai moved to pull out Evelyn's chair for her and she glared at him. She mumbled a quick thanks. He took the seat next to her. That meant there was no choice but for Phoenix and Zain to sit next to each other.
"Li Li, don't take this the wrong way but why do you look like you went into a cage match and came out with two black eyes?" Phoenix asked.
"Taking it the wrong way," Evelyn said drily. She sighed and answered her.
"I haven't been sleeping well." She admitted. Phoenix looked at her with concern.
"Are you sure you want to live by yourself right now?" Phoenix asked.
'No,' Evelyn thought. But that wasn't what she said.
"Yes," she said instead.
"Wouldn't it have been better to move back in with your dad? You know he would welcome you home with open arms." Phoenix said. 'So he can feel bad as he watches me struggle at night?' Evelyn thought.
"It's easier this way," Evelyn said evasively.
"You could ask Ben or Chloe to move in with you. At least that way you'll have someone to look out for you." Phoenix suggested.
"I'll be okay," Evelyn told Phoenix. Suddenly Phoenix's eyes lit up as I'd she was suddenly remembering something .
"Wait, are the nightmares back?" Phoenix asked a little loudly. The boys were silent up until now.
"What nightmares?" Jinhai and Zain asked at the same time. Evelyn gave Phoenix a look. Phoenix ducked her head a bit chagrined.
"It's nothing," she tried to brush off the topic. She didn't really want to describe to the guys that she keeps dreaming of babies, death, and blood.
"Evelyn," Zain said leaning forward.
"Talk to us, maybe we can help." He said softly.
"You can't help." She said.
"They'll go away." She said. They always did but only after lengthy sessions with a therapist and a prescription for sleeping pills and anti-depressants. Evelyn hated anti-depressants as they tended to make her more anxious, irritable, and basically killed her sex drive. The sleeping pills helped her sleep peacefully enough. She still dreamt but she would go right back to sleep if she did wake up.
She's thankful now that she didn't tell Phoenix about the medications now.
"What nightmares is she talking about," Zain turned his attention to Phoenix when he knew he wasn't going to get anything from Evelyn. Evelyn kicked Phoenix under the table gently enough not to hurt her but hard enough to get her attention. She also gave her a look. Phoenix gulped.
She wanted to tell them, but she couldn't betray Evelyn's trust. At least not without a very very good reason. That reason being she isn't taking care of herself.
"It's nothing," Phoenix said finally. The guys didn't believe her for a second but didn't see any other choice once a waiter walked in asking them for what they wanted.
Phenix ordered all the main things on a dim sum menu and sent the waiter on his way. Phoenix stood up and poured tea into everyone's cups.
They finished their second breakfast without much fanfair. Phoenix sent them on their way and promised that she would check up on Evelyn later. Phoenix gave a longing look at Zain's back for a second before she turned and went back inside.
When Zain had got to the car door he glanced back. He saw her back as she disappeared into the restaurant and sighed quietly. He got into the passenger seat without further adieu.
Jinhai wisely made no fight for the driver's seat this time. He just opened the door and waved her in before he went to the backseat and got in. That did wonders to ease her earlier anger.
She drove them to her apartment and parked the car on the street. She would need to get herself a car. Well, she had a car. It was just parked at the manor. She decided she would go there later to pick it up. She didn't want to but she didn't have the time to get a car at the moment. She would need it to get to work in the mornings.
The guys helped her carry all of her things upstairs. It was Jinhai's first time in her aparment and he looked around. He was commiting all of the details to memory.
They set her bags down just away from the entryway. They took their shoes off and walked around. Evelyn grabbed a couple of suitcases and started to put some of her clothes away. She was hanging them when Jinhai came in to join her. He wordlessly crouched down and started handing her clothes so she didnt have to keep bending down. In no time all her clothes were put away.
"Are you going to tell me about the nightmares?" He asked her when he saw that they were done. She shook her head.
"Why not," he asked closing in on her.
"It's not that big of a deal." She retreated a step. Jinhai's eyes tracked her movement and she realized she messed up. You don't retreat in a battle of wills. It's how you lose before the fight even begins.
"It is if you're losing sleep," his tone was gentle. It was his tone that made her soften. She was taught to be on guard when it comes to someone trying to intimidate you. But she wasn't taught to doubt sincerity.
"I dream of things that shake me to my emotional core. It's really draining and causes me to wake up in cold sweat, tears, and my heart racing. If I'm lucky I can go back to sleep afterward. But if I'm not then I stay up until daybreak." She finally answered.
He didn't say anything at first. He processed what she said.
"How long has this been occuring?" He asked.
"They first started about three years ago. After my first miscarriage." She answered.
"When did they stop?" He asked.
"After I saw someone about it and went on medication." She said. His brows furrowed.
"They came back?" He said.
"They came back after each miscarriage." She stated.
"So your nightmares started up again about two weeks ago?" He asked. She nodded.
"You were fine when you slept next to me." He said.
"That's the thing. The three nights we slept together I didn't have nightmares." She shrugged. Her nonchalant tone slightly irritated him.
"But the past two nights?" He questioned her.
"They came back." She said to him.
"Do they happen only when you sleep alone?" He asked. She shook her head.
"Back then when Shawn slept next to me I slept okay. When I had nightmares he was able to calm me down." Jinhai's eyebrow twitched at the mention of Shawn. He still couldn't believe the things he read in the folder last night. But now was not the time to mention it to her.
"Hey guys," Zain peeked into the room. He stopped at their close stance.
"Uh, am I interrupting?" He asked.
"No," Evelyn said.
"Yes," Jinhai said at the exact same moment.
"Uh well, your internet and other electronics are all set up. You should be golden now." Zain said.
"Thanks Zain." She said to him. She walked toward him.
"Also I ordered two pizzas. One pepperoni and one all veggie, just the way the American's like it," he said. They were both Evelyn's favorite and her mouth watered at the thought.
It was almost 2 o'clock. They went to go wash up and waited around the table for the food. When it got their they dug into the food. The boys devoured nearly all the pepperoni slices before Evelyn was through her second veggie slice. She quickly set her half eaten slice down and reached for a large pepperoni before Zain could get his hand on it.
"Hey!" He complained.
"You still didn't finish your slice." He said.
"Yes but this was the last pepperoni. Don't I at least get one?" She asked lifting the slice to her face. He reached for a veggie slice and ripped a bite off. He looked at it in slight disdain but he ate it. Then he grabbed another. Evelyn had three slices and the guys had the other thirteen. When they finished she suggested that they take a nap before driving again. They agreed Zain took the bed in the guest bedroom and Jinhai took the couch. She passed Jinhai a blanket them went to quietly finished unpacking the rest of her stuff. When she finished she took a nap herself.
It was about 6 o'clock when they all woke up again. The freshened up then mentioned to them that she needed to go get her car.
"Sure," Zain said after sharing a look with Jinhai. They went downstairs. Evelyn came by and made sure to arrange for a parking spot and the front desk advised her that there are three spots allowed for her apartment number. She received three keys for the garage.
The three of them made it back to the car. Zain dangled the keys to her.
"Do you want to drive again?" He asked her. She shook her head. She went to the backseat. Jinhai took the passenger side and Zain drove the half hour to the manor.
They got to the gates and they had to be verified. Evelyn hopped out of the car and the gate keeper immediately opened the doors. Butler Chu met them at the door.
"Miss Wei," he addressed her using her maiden name.
"Good evening, Butler Chu." She greeted him. He eyed the two guys in the car and his face became troubled.
"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked catching on.
"Now isn't a good time." He said hesitantly.
"Why not?" Evelyn asked. He nervously wrung his hands.
"Master Cheng is here. He's not alone." Butler Chu answered.
"Who's here?" Zain asked. Butler Chu looked relunctant to answer. Immediately Evelyn knew exactly who else was in the house.
"The mistress," she said.
"Um, the mistress of the house is with Master Cheung at the moment." He said. Evelyn's eyes flared.
"Until the day my name is off that deed, I am the mistress of this house. She has no right to claim that title." Evelyn declared then marched into the house before Butler Chu could stop her.
Jinhai and Zain were quick to get out of the car and follow her. They pushed passed the guards that tried to stop them.