(Serena's POV).
*5 Years Later*
"Serena?"
Someone greeted me, sounding familiar to my ears when I heard his voice. Then, my heart skipped a beat, and I swallowed my saliva.
My eyes blinked in disbelief at what I just saw. Meeting him had never even crossed my mind because I thought I was completely out of touch with anything about him.
"Right, it's you," he said, looking up at me.
"Mommy, I'm sleepy," my daughter suddenly interrupted.
I immediately panicked as I realized that I was holding my daughter. I bit my inner cheek and tried to act as normal as possible.
"Evan, you're here," I said, finally. I hoped my voice sounded completely normal.
"I have a business here that I just launched. How are you?" he asked. I could also see him looking at my daughter.
"As you can see, I'm alive and well."
"Are you the owner of this boutique?" he asked as he looked at my boutique shop.
I took a breath and let it out. My heart was really pounding from meeting him. Or was it because I still loved him? It had been five years, and it should be gone for good anyway.
"Yeah. I own this. Thanks to you, I can open my own business," I replied.
"Glad you're finally looking good and becoming a career woman," he said while looking at his watch. "It's not too late; maybe we could have a quick coffee."
Damn! Why did he ask me out for coffee? Why didn't he feel the slightest bit awkward or something?
"I—"
"Put your daughter in my car. Put her to sleep for a while, and my men will take care of her," he said with an idea and an order.
I started to hesitate because I really didn't want Evan to know about Gracie, but fate had brought us here.
I saw Gracie had started to close her eyes, and I looked back at Evan. "Fine."
He then opened the car door for me, and then he waited in front with his calm and still handsome face. I started to put Gracie in the passenger seat until she was completely asleep without waking up when I put her down.
And here we were, sitting face-to-face with two different drinks.
Evan was still faithful with his hot Americano while I was with my iced cappuccino.
We were silent for a while; it was obvious that Evan wanted me to start talking, but no
I wasn't going to start considering he was the one who asked, and especially since I had changed enough.
While he wasn't talking, I quietly looked at his ring finger. I didn't see his wedding ring with Mona at all. Did he really take it off? But that was impossible because when he was with me, he always wore our wedding rings. Of course, I assumed that he would do the same after getting married to Mona.
"You're married," he said, starting to speak.
Oh? Did he think that because he saw Grace? It was funny, but so sad that he would think that way.
"But I'm divorced," I replied with a swallow.
One eyebrow was raised, and he sipped his coffee. "How did it happen?"
"I don't think it's any of your business, Evan. How's Mona? Are you guys having a happy ending?"
Evan's face darkened instantly at the mention of her name. He looked tense, but gradually normalized. I could tell because the pattern of his character was still the same.
"She's married to another man. It was an arranged marriage because her family is very against men who are widowers," he explained.
I was shocked and surprised. We had been separated for five years, so they weren't getting married? Did that even mean that Evan's divorce was a waste of time?
"I know you're surprised, but it's the truth. Our divorce didn't work out," he said.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"But life must go on. Just like you look successful without me."
I smiled stiffly with my body erect. "Yeah. Life must go on."
We then fell silent together. I was busy staring back and forth while looking at my watch. Time even slowed down when I met him. Was the universe intentionally like this?
At that moment, Evan looked busy with his cell phone. His forehead was wrinkled, and he had a surprised expression on his face. I don't know what he received on his cell phone, but I hoped it was good news.
But his face was still the same. He was still handsome without any wrinkles on his face. He really looked young.
"What's her name?" he asked, looking at me after he pocketed his phone.
"Gracie."
"How old is she?"
The more he asked calmly, the more nervous I felt, and I didn't know if I should honestly answer his question.
"If I guess, she's five," he said, answering himself.
I inhaled and exhaled my breath. "It's true." I couldn't lie to him myself because he would know if I was lying.
"She's about the age of our divorce," he said. "And it's weird that you remarried shortly after we divorced and then went back to divorce again."
"Evan," I said.
I didn't want to hear how he analyzed everything to be clear and correct.
"Who is your ex-husband? I want to know. I wonder if he knows that you have such a beautiful daughter."
My heart was beating fast, and my hands were covered in a cold sweat. I was nervous. Should I leave here immediately? But my butt seemed to be sticking to the chair in this cafe, refusing to leave even if I wanted to.
"That's me, isn't it? I'm your ex-husband who turns out to be Gracie's father," he said, looking at me sharply. "And you didn't tell me about your pregnancy back then. Why?"
My blood rushed. He protests as if I were the one at fault here, even though I did it so he could be happy with his choice.
"She's not your daughter, Evan. I tell you now," I said firmly.
"Yeah. Keep lying with that nervous expression and that shaky voice of yours, Serena. I have proof that she's my daughter. You think, after seeing her, I'm just going to shut up? I even did a quick DNA test while our daughter was in the car," he said, confessing.
My eyes widened at him, shocked by his statement just now. "You what?!"
"Don't forget how I am able to take control of everything, speeding up things that could have waited," he said, warning me.
I then stood up and left him; as soon as I could, I had to get Gracie away from there.
"Serena!" He grabbed my hand and turned my body, which he had accidentally cradled against his. Then, with a stern look in his eyes, he said, "I want you to come back to me! No rejection!"