The sun was rising lazily in Lorencia, and the city's movement was beginning to pick up pace. The sound of cars mixed with the buzz of hurried conversations, while the sidewalks filled with life. However, in Evelyn's small apartment, time seemed to move at a different pace.
She was in the kitchen, still in her pajamas, with a mug of coffee in her hands. The hot, bitter drink was her first attempt to organize her thoughts. Not that it was working very well.
Ever since her coffee with Matthew Oliver, she had been feeling restless. It wasn't just the fact that he was unexpectedly charming, although that definitely didn't help. It was more the feeling that there was something hidden about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
She sighed, throwing her head back as she stared at the ceiling.
"Stop thinking about it, Evelyn. He's just another complicated guy."
But even as she tried to convince herself, she knew it wasn't that simple.
The hospital was busy, as always. Evelyn threw herself into her work with the determination of someone trying to avoid her own thoughts. Between appointments, chart checks, and running down the hallway, she barely had time to breathe.
But, of course, fate had other plans.
Around noon, when she finally managed to break for a glass of water, a familiar voice echoed down the hallway.
"You always seem to be busy."
She turned around slowly, already knowing who it was before she even saw his face.
"Matthew."
He was there, leaning casually against the wall, with that air of someone who didn't care about the rules of the world. But there was something different about him that day. He looked... tired.
"What are you doing here again?" she asked, crossing her arms.
He shrugged.
"Routine checkup. You said I should take care of myself, remember?"
She narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious.
"And you do everything the doctors tell you to do?"
"Only doctors intrigue me."
Evelyn rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the slight smile that tugged at her lips.
In the office, Evelyn began examining Matthew, as she had done before. But this time, she noticed something different.
"You're more tense than last time," she commented as she checked his vital signs.
Matthew hesitated before answering.
"A lot going on."
"Like?"
He looked at her, and for a moment it seemed like he was going to blurt it out. But then he looked away.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
Evelyn paused, holding the stethoscope tightly.
"You know secrets only complicate things, right?"
He chuckled softly, but there was little amusement in the sound. "You sound like you know what it's like to live with secrets."
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she went back to organizing the medical instruments on the table. When she finally spoke, her voice was lower.
"Maybe I know."
Matthew raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"You, Doctor? You don't seem like the type."
"No one does, until you really know them."
There was a silence that seemed full of more words than any conversation could contain.
When Matthew left the hospital, his mind was in turmoil. Evelyn was an enigma he didn't know how to solve. She had a quiet strength, but also a vulnerability he couldn't ignore.
Back in the office, Marcus was waiting with a stack of documents and a worried look on his face.
"We have a problem," Marcus began bluntly.
Matthew picked up the papers and began to leaf through them. They were reports on the Alvarezes, photos, information.
"They're moving faster than we thought," Marcus continued.
Matthew threw the papers on the table with a sudden movement.
"Then let's act before they gain any advantage."
"What about the doctor?" Marcus asked, looking at him inquisitively.
Matthew froze for a second, but quickly regained his composure.
"She has nothing to do with this."
"It doesn't seem like it's what you think."
Matthew ignored the comment.
That night, Evelyn was at home, trying to relax with a book and a glass of wine. But her thoughts were racing, as usual.
When the doorbell rang, she stood up slowly, frowning. She hadn't been expecting anyone.
When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Matthew standing there, holding a paper bag.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, more surprised than irritated.
"I thought you could use a decent dinner."
Evelyn blinked, confused.
"You broke into my address to bring me food?"
He smiled.
"I prefer to 'use my resources to be helpful.'"
She huffed, but eventually let him in.
The two of them sat at the small kitchen table, with simple dishes that Matthew had brought from a local restaurant. Evelyn reluctantly admitted that they were tasty.
"Why do you do these things?" she asked suddenly, as she put a piece of food in her mouth.
Matthew looked at her, clearly surprised by the direct question.
"What things?"
"Coming out of nowhere, acting like you've known me for years..."
He smiled, but there was something else in his eyes.
"Maybe I just want to get to know you."
"Get to know you?" Evelyn chuckled softly. "You seem like the kind of person who doesn't really need to get to know anyone."
Matthew was silent for a moment, staring at his plate as if choosing his words.
"What if I told you that sometimes I don't want to be the kind of person you think I am?"
Evelyn stared at him, trying to decipher what he meant. But before she could answer, he stood up.
"I think I've already taken up too much of your time."
Evelyn walked him to the door, questions still swirling in her head.
When Matthew left, Evelyn stared at the door for a few seconds before finally sitting down on the couch. Something about him confused her, but also attracted her.
Meanwhile, Matthew was in his car, staring at the city lights as he drove. He knew he was getting too close, but he couldn't help it.
Two worlds that kept crossing, even when it seemed impossible.
The morning seemed grayer than usual in Lorencia. A thick fog covered the city, muffling sounds and slowing down the frenetic pace that Evelyn was already beginning to know well. Still wrapped in her wool blanket, she sat at the table with a steaming mug of coffee.
As she blew on the hot liquid, her thoughts wandered, as they had been doing more often lately. All because of him. Matthew Oliver.
"What a strange guy..." she murmured, staring out the window and the world outside.
Even after a whole night of reflection, she still didn't know why he had shown up at her door with dinner. This man was an enigma. Mysterious, yes. Intimidating, no doubt. But there was also something else. Something that made her question if he was as cold as he wanted to appear.
She shook her head, trying to push her thoughts away.
"Come on, Evelyn. Life goes on."
Later that morning, Evelyn decided to go to the grocery store. The simple routine of picking out fruits and vegetables and idly looking at the shelves helped her feel normal, even though her life had been far from it lately.
As she walked past the produce section, she heard a familiar voice.
"Do you really like buying carrots?"
Evelyn turned abruptly, almost dropping the bag of oranges she was holding. There he was again, Matthew, casually leaning against the shopping cart as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Are you stalking me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
He gave her a carefree smile, the one that always made her suspicious.
"Coincidence. I promise."
"Coincidence?" She crossed her arms, looking at him skeptically. "So, do you shop at this market often?"
Matthew looked around, as if he were seeing the place for the first time.
"Not exactly."
"Exactly."
Despite his firm words, Evelyn couldn't help but laugh. He looked so out of place there, in his crisp suit amidst the reusable bags and fruit specials.
"Well, since you're here, can you help me get that bag of rice?" He pointed to the top shelf.
Matthew raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He just picked up the bag of rice and put it in her cart.
"Okay. Anything else?"
She shrugged.
"Not yet."
But when she left the store, Matthew was still by her side.
"You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"
"I could say the same about you."
Evelyn laughed in spite of herself. For some reason, he made her lower her guard in a way no one else did.
Back at Evelyn's apartment, she was putting groceries in the refrigerator when she heard her phone vibrate on the counter. Picking it up, she saw that it was an unfamiliar number.
" Hello?"
" Evelyn LaMont?" The voice on the other end was firm but polite.
" Yes, who is this?"
" This is Dmitri Volkov. I am the Alystair family's lawyer."
At the mention of that last name, Evelyn's blood ran cold.
" What do you want?"
" Just a conversation," Dmitri replied, with a calmness that seemed rehearsed. " About your past relationship with Nycolas."
Evelyn gritted her teeth. Just hearing her ex-husband's name was enough to bring back memories she would rather forget.
" I have nothing to talk to you about."
" I recommend that you reconsider your position. This may be important to avoid future complications."
Before she could respond, the line went dead.
Evelyn stood there, phone still in hand, trying to process what that meant. The Alystairs had not contacted her since the divorce. So why now?
Later that night, as Evelyn tried to distract herself by reading a book, she heard a knock on the door. At first, she thought it was Matthew. After all, he seemed to have a habit of showing up unannounced.
But when she opened the door, she saw two tall, well-dressed men, clearly security guards. Among them was a figure Evelyn recognized immediately: Nycolas Alystair.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, crossing her arms and blocking the entrance.
Nycolas smiled in that way that always irritated her, a smile that never seemed genuine.
"Evelyn, my dear. Is that any way to greet an old acquaintance?"
"You're not an 'old acquaintance.' It's a closed chapter."
Nycolas' smile disappeared, replaced by a serious expression.
"Don't be so rude. I'm here to talk civilly."
"Civilly? After everything you've done?" Evelyn gave a bitter laugh. "I don't think so."
Before he could answer, another voice came from the hallway.
"Is everything okay here?"
Evelyn turned and saw Matthew standing there, hands in his coat pockets and a serious look on his face.
"Who are you?" Nycolas asked, clearly irritated by the interruption.
Matthew gave a small smile, but his eyes remained cold.
"A friend."
Nycolas narrowed his eyes, but eventually backed away.
"This isn't over, Evelyn."
When he finally left, Evelyn let out a sigh of relief.
"Friend, huh?" she said, looking at Matthew.
"I thought that sounded better than 'a curious guy.'"
After all that, Evelyn and Matthew ended up sitting on the couch in her living room. Evelyn was still shaking, trying to process everything.
"I didn't expect him to show up like that," she confessed, holding a cup of tea in both hands.
Matthew watched her closely, as if trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together.
"He seems... persistent."
"Nycolas doesn't know how to lose. And he thinks he can control everyone around him."
There was silence as Matthew pondered his words. Finally, he asked,
"And you?"
"I left him. It was hard, but there was no other choice."
Matthew nodded, but didn't press further. Instead, he changed the subject, something Evelyn silently appreciated.
When Matthew had gone, Evelyn was left alone in the apartment, staring out the window. Outside, the city glowed with the lights of cars and streetlights. But inside, something felt dark, as if Nycolas's shadow still loomed over her life.
Meanwhile, Matthew drove through the city, his mind on Evelyn. He knew there was more to the story, more than she was willing to tell.