Night fell heavily on Lorencia, bringing with it a biting cold and a starless sky. Evelyn remained seated on the sofa in her apartment, her body sunk into the cushions, while silence filled the space around her. In her right hand, her cup of tea was now lukewarm; in her left, the remote control that she had barely used, flipping through the channels without paying attention.
It was as if, since Nycolas' unexpected visit, the sense of security that Evelyn was beginning to rebuild had been taken away. Everything seemed more fragile, closer to falling apart, and she hated to admit how much that still affected her.
"Why can't he leave me alone?" she muttered to herself, her voice thick with frustration.
Suddenly, the sound of her phone vibrating on the table pulled her out of her reverie. She picked up the device reluctantly, expecting another message or call that could reopen wounds she was struggling to close.
But it wasn't Nycolas, or Dmitri, or some unknown number. It was Matthew.
Matthew: "Are you okay?"
The simple text caught her off guard. She didn't know how to respond. After all, how do you tell someone you're okay when you're not?
After a long sigh, she typed:
Evelyn: "I've been better, but I'm surviving."
In less than a minute, his reply arrived:
Matthew: "Surviving is a start. If you need to talk, you know where to find me."
She stared at the message for a few seconds before putting the phone away. Matthew had a disconcerting ability to be both enigmatic and… reassuring.
The next morning, Evelyn walked into the hospital with firm steps, trying to focus on her work. The air was filled with the smell of antiseptic, and the hallways were busy, as usual.
She had just put on her lab coat when Clara, one of her colleagues, appeared beside her, with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Evelyn, are you going to tell me who the hottie is?"
Evelyn looked at her with genuine confusion.
"What hottie?"
"Don't act like you don't understand. I saw you guys at the grocery store yesterday. He was stuck to you like glue."
Evelyn rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the slight blush that rose to her cheeks.
"He's just... an acquaintance."
"Oh, right, 'an acquaintance.' If all acquaintances were like that, I'd be set for life!" Clara laughed, elbowing Evelyn lightly before walking down the hallway.
Evelyn shook her head, but Clara's comment kept echoing in her mind.
During her lunch break, Evelyn sat alone in the small doctors' lounge, absently chewing on an apple while reading some charts. But her concentration was interrupted by a notification on her phone.
It was an email from Dmitri Volkov, the Alystairs' lawyer.
"Dear Evelyn,
We would like to reiterate the importance of a conversation to clarify some points about your relationship with Mr. Nycolas Alystair. It would be of great help in avoiding any future misunderstandings.
Sincerely,
Dmitri Volkov"
Evelyn huffed, throwing the phone on the table.
"Future misunderstandings, my foot..."
But deep down, she knew that the Alystairs would not give up easily. They were like that: persistent, relentless, always determined to maintain the family's image of perfection.
Her heart raced as she thought about what that meant. Were they planning something? Or was this just another attempt to control her life?
That afternoon, as Evelyn was checking a patient's vital signs, she heard someone call her name at the front desk. She turned and saw Matthew standing there, wearing a black leather jacket that looked like something out of a movie.
"You know I have a normal life, right?" she said as she approached, trying to hide her smile.
"Yeah, but your normal life seems kind of boring," he replied, with that carefree smile that was becoming familiar. "I took the rest of the afternoon off. I thought you might want some company."
"Matthew, I'm working."
"When you're done, then."
Evelyn blinked, surprised by his insistence.
"Are you trying to take me somewhere?"
"Maybe."
She stared at him for a few seconds before finally giving in.
"Okay. Give me a couple of hours."
Two hours later, Evelyn found Matthew outside the hospital. He was leaning against the car, staring at the sky as if he had all the time in the world.
"You seem pretty relaxed for someone who's always busy."
"Today's a rare day. Enjoy it while it lasts."
He opened the passenger door for her, and Evelyn got in the car, still not knowing exactly what to expect.
"So, where are we going?" he asked.
"It's a surprise."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. The drive was smooth, with Matthew driving in silence, while soft music played on the radio.
When they finally stopped, they were in a secluded park, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The trees were tall, and the sound of birds seemed to fill the air with a calm that Evelyn hadn't felt in a long time.
"I didn't know you were the nature type," she teased as she got out of the car.
"Everyone needs a little peace now and then."
The two began to walk through the park, chatting about everything and nothing. Evelyn found herself laughing more than she expected, as Matthew shared stories of travels and experiences that seemed to come from a completely different world than her own.
For a moment, she almost forgot about the pressures surrounding her.
As the sun began to set, the two sat on a bench overlooking a small lake. Evelyn hugged her knees, feeling the cold wind on her face.
"Thank you for this," she said, looking at Matthew.
He looked back at her, with an intensity that made her look away.
"You don't have to thank me."
"Still..." She paused, biting her lip. "I haven't felt this way in a long time."
"Like what?"
"At peace."
Matthew didn't answer right away. Instead, he leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
"I think we all deserve some peace."
The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable. On the contrary, it seemed full of meaning that neither of them needed to put into words.
When Matthew dropped her back at her house, Evelyn felt a mix of gratitude and confusion. He was like a puzzle she couldn't put together, but she also couldn't stop trying to solve.
At that very moment, Matthew was driving through the streets of Lorencia, his thoughts on Evelyn. He knew he was getting more involved than he should, but there was something about her that drew him in in a way he couldn't ignore.
The morning in Lorencia was especially cold, the kind of cold that seemed to pierce right to the bone. Evelyn woke to the sound of her alarm clock, but it took her a few minutes to actually get up. The warmth of the duvet was a small bubble of comfort that she hesitated to leave. When she finally got up, she dragged herself to the kitchen and made herself a strong cup of coffee.
The last few days had been… intense. Nycolas' unexpected visit, Matthew's insistent stares, and now Dmitri Volkov's emails. It all seemed to be piling up, like a storm brewing on the horizon.
Evelyn sighed deeply, leaning against the kitchen counter as she watched the steam rise from her cup.
"One day at a time," she muttered to herself.
Arriving at the hospital, Evelyn was greeted by the typical morning chaos. Patients arriving, doctors rushing in, nurses trying to organize the whirlwind of demands. It was a kind of energy that, although exhausting, also had something comforting about it. There, she knew what to do.
"Evelyn, can you take over the case in room 312?" Clara asked, already running with a clipboard in her hand. "He's a post-operative patient, he seems stable, but he needs monitoring."
"Sure, leave it to me."
She headed to her room, adjusting her lab coat and taking a deep breath. At work, Evelyn found a kind of refuge, a chance to forget, even if temporarily, her personal problems.
When she entered room 312, she found a gray-haired man with a tired but sincere smile.
"Good morning, Mr. Vicente. How are you feeling today?" he asked, as he checked his vital signs and reviewed his medical records.
"Better now that the pain is subsiding. And this bad coffee you serve helps keep me awake, at least."
Evelyn laughed.
"I'll see if I can get you something more decent, but I can't promise miracles."
They chatted for a few minutes, and when she left the room, she felt a little lighter. Simple interactions like that reminded Evelyn of why she had chosen medicine: to help people find comfort in difficult times.
At lunchtime, Evelyn was in the doctors' lounge, flipping through a notebook. It was a rare moment of calm, until the door suddenly opened. She looked up and saw Matthew standing there, his expression a mix of casual and serious.
"You don't really get a day off, do you?" he said, entering uninvited.
Evelyn frowned, but couldn't help the small smile that escaped.
"I work in a hospital, Matthew. Not exactly the most flexible place in the world."
He approached, holding a small paper bag.
"I thought you could use a decent lunch."
Evelyn looked at the bag curiously.
"Did you bring me any food?"
"Not just food. I brought the best sandwich in Lorencia." He set the bag down on the table with a triumphant gesture.
"This is very... unexpected."
"I'm just trying to balance the scales. You saved me last time, remember?"
She laughed, shaking her head.
"Okay, point for you."
They ate together, and the conversation flowed naturally. Matthew had an uncanny ability to lighten the mood, even when he himself seemed to be carrying something heavy on his shoulders.
But as they laughed at a nonsensical joke about the strange names of medicines, Evelyn noticed that he was quieter than usual.
"Are you okay?" " he asked, his tone genuinely concerned.
Matthew hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Let's just say my week has been... complicated."
"Complicated how?"
He looked away, fiddling with his napkin as if he were gathering his thoughts.
"You know I'm a CEO, right?"
"Sure."
"Well, let's just say the life of a CEO isn't always all ties and meetings."
There was something in the way he said it, something that Evelyn couldn't quite decipher. But she decided not to press it.
"If you want to talk, I'm here," he said with a slight smile.
Matthew looked at her, and for a brief moment, his eyes seemed to reveal more than his words ever could.
After lunch, Evelyn went back to work, but Matthew's words kept echoing in her mind. He was a man shrouded in mystery, and no matter how hard she tried, it seemed impossible to ignore the magnetic pull he felt. he exerted on her.
At home that evening, she sat on the couch with a book in her hands, but she couldn't concentrate. What was it about him that intrigued her so much?
Across town, Matthew was in his office, staring at a stack of papers. But his mind was elsewhere, too.
He picked up his phone, typed a message, and hesitated before sending it.
Matthew: "I enjoyed lunch today. I hope it made your day better."
On the other end, Evelyn smiled when she saw the message.
Evelyn: "It did. Thanks for the company (and the sandwich)."
Matthew put his phone aside, but he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips.
As the night wore on, they both found themselves immersed in thoughts about each other. Evelyn knew she was getting involved with someone who carried secrets. Matthew knew he was getting closer to someone who could change everything.
And while Lorencia slept, fate silently began to intertwine their lives in ways neither of them could have foreseen.