Evelyn's phone buzzed with an unknown number. She frowned, the name flashing on the screen making her stomach flip—Damien. It had been months, even years, since they'd last spoken, and yet here he was, as persistent as ever.
She hesitated for a moment, glancing over at Leo, who was sitting across the room, his focus on his laptop but his posture rigid. Evelyn wasn't sure if he had noticed the change in her demeanor or if he was just too absorbed in his work.
The phone buzzed again. This time, Evelyn didn't wait. She answered it, holding the phone to her ear with a deep breath.
"Evelyn," Damien's voice came through, smooth and familiar, a sound that still made her feel things she didn't want to feel. "I need to see you. Can we talk?"
Evelyn closed her eyes for a second, sighing. She wasn't ready for this. But she also wasn't ready to be rude. Not yet.
"Damien, I—" she began, but before she could continue, Leo's voice interrupted.
"Who is it, Evelyn?" His tone was casual, but there was something in the air—an unspoken tension between them. He stood, walking over to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch grounding, possessive.
Evelyn glanced up at him, biting her lip. She didn't want to cause a scene, but Leo knew her too well.
"Damien," she finally admitted, lowering her voice. "My ex."
Leo didn't flinch, but his eyes darkened. He could feel the shift in the air—the same old ex who thought he could still win Evelyn over. But this time, it wasn't going to be as easy. This time, Leo wasn't going to let her slip away.
Evelyn spoke again, her eyes not leaving Leo's. "I don't know why he keeps calling. I'm not interested."
But Damien wasn't done. His voice came through again, smooth and persuasive, but there was an edge. "I know you, Evelyn. You can't just forget everything like it never happened. I've been patient. Let me show you that we still have something."
Leo felt a fire spark in his chest. This was it. The one thing he hadn't been prepared for—the thing he had tried to ignore: Evelyn's past.
His grip on her shoulder tightened, and his voice came out low, filled with tension. "Evelyn," he said, his gaze never leaving hers. "You don't owe him anything. I'm right here, and I won't let you go back."
Evelyn's heart raced, not just from the call, but from Leo's words. He was serious. He wasn't backing down.
Damien, on the other hand, wasn't done yet. "You think you can replace me with him, Evelyn? You know I'm still the one who understands you the best. No one else can."
The challenge hung in the air like smoke, suffocating the room. Leo stepped closer to Evelyn, his chest almost touching hers. He wasn't just reacting to the words—he was staking his claim.
"You don't get to tell her what she needs," Leo muttered, his voice edged with a quiet fury that only Evelyn could feel. She knew him well enough to see it—he was letting his jealousy consume him. And part of her loved it.
"You think he's better for you, Evelyn?" Damien pressed, his words dripping with a mix of bitterness and longing. "You can't outrun us."
But Leo, with a sharpness that could cut through anything, leaned in and whispered against Evelyn's ear, "You're mine now, Evelyn. And I'll fight for you. No one will take you from me."