The morning began with a gray, heavy sky, as if the universe itself were reflecting the confused mood inside Evelyn. The conversation with Matthew the night before kept coming back to her. He had said so little, but each word seemed to carry more weight than necessary.
Sitting at the kitchen table, with a cup of coffee in her hands, Evelyn looked at the flowers in the center of the table. The note was still there, folded next to the vase. She ran her fingers along the edge of the paper, lost in thought.
"Get a grip, Evelyn. This is no time to get carried away," she murmured to herself, drinking her coffee in one long gulp.
But even as she prepared for another day at the hospital, it was impossible to ignore the growing feeling that something bigger was happening.
The hospital was busy, as always. The reception area was crowded, with patients and caregivers arguing with nurses, children crying, and a phone that seemed to never stop ringing.
Evelyn walked through the chaos, waving to Clara, who had an irritated expression on her face as she dealt with a man who insisted on knowing "how much longer he was going to wait."
"Good morning to you too, Clara," Evelyn joked, picking up a clipboard.
"Good morning? Only if it's to you, because it's hell in here!" Clara replied, before returning to her appointment.
As she walked through the hallways, Evelyn was greeted by other colleagues and patients. It was a routine she knew well, but it was still tiring. Even so, she enjoyed what she did. She felt that, in some way, she was helping people find a little light in the midst of their problems.
That morning, an elderly patient caught her attention. Mrs. Margot, as everyone called her, was a lively lady, full of stories about her youth and always with a funny comment on the tip of her tongue.
"Evelyn, my dear, you're so thoughtful today. Are you in love?" Margot asked, while Evelyn checked her exams.
"In love? I wish, Mrs. Margot. It's just tiredness."
The old woman laughed, shaking her head.
"Not tired at all. That sparkle in your eyes is something that comes from someone who's thinking about someone special."
Evelyn blushed, but didn't answer.
At lunchtime, Evelyn decided to escape the hospital. The air outside was humid and heavy, but at least it was a relief from the frenetic atmosphere inside.
She walked to a nearby park, where she liked to sit down to eat something quick and breathe a little. The place was quiet, with a few children playing and elderly people walking slowly.
As she opened her lunch box, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"It seems like we're always meeting by chance."
She turned around and came face to face with Matthew. He was wearing a dark coat, and there was something in his eyes that seemed lighter than usual.
"Or maybe you're following me," Evelyn joked, smiling.
"Who knows?" he replied, his tone enigmatic.
Matthew sat down next to her, and they both sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the movement around them.
"And your day?" he asked finally.
"Busy, but nothing out of the ordinary. And yours?"
He laughed softly.
"A little less busy than yesterday, but still full of... complications."
Evelyn looked at him, trying to decipher what he really meant.
"You always talk as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders."
"Maybe because I do."
She didn't know if he was joking or serious, but before she could ask, he changed the subject.
"You know, you should take a day to really rest."
"Is that irony coming from someone who never seems to stop?"
Matthew smiled, and Evelyn felt that strange warmth again. He had this ability to disarm her with a simple look or gesture.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the city, a man wearing a black suit walked toward an inconspicuous building. Dmitri Volkov was in Lorencia, and his presence was no coincidence. He entered a room lit only by a lamp in the corner, where a man was waiting for him.
"So, Matthew Oliver is starting to move," Volkov said, his voice low and cold.
"Yes. He knows you're here."
"Perfect. Let him come to me."
The man nodded and left, leaving Volkov alone. He looked at the window, a cruel smile on his lips.
"Let's see how far you can go, Oliver."
Back at the apartment, Evelyn tried to concentrate on a book, but her mind kept returning to Matthew.
She was beginning to realize that there was something about him that attracted her, something beyond the obvious. But at the same time, she knew there were risks in getting close.
Across town, Matthew was in his office, analyzing reports and strategizing. But his mind was also on Evelyn. He knew it was dangerous to let her become a distraction, but he couldn't help it.
"Maybe it's too late for that," he thought, before turning off the lights and settling in for another night of restless sleep.
The early morning in Lorencia had a peculiar silence, as if the city, so lively during the day, turned into a lethargic organism at night. Evelyn, sitting on the floor of the living room of her small apartment, stared out the open window. The light breeze that came in brought the distant sound of sirens, mixed with the murmur of the few cars passing by on the avenue.
Her gaze was fixed on something that seemed at the same time so present and so far away: Matthew's note, which now rested next to the flower vase.
"Why does he insist on invading my thoughts?", she thought, as she turned the mug of already lukewarm tea between her fingers.
Evelyn sighed, almost irritated with herself. It was too late to continue brooding over it, but the weight of the day, of unexpected encounters and unspoken words, wouldn't let her rest.
Dawn broke slowly, with the sky painted in shades of lilac and orange, as if the sun had been lazy that morning. Evelyn woke up before the alarm clock. She made some coffee and, while stirring the spoon in the cup, tried to organize her mind for what would be another ordinary day at the hospital.
But even though she tried hard, she knew that the day would not be ordinary. Matthew had invaded her thoughts in a way that she could not ignore.
"He's just a man, Evelyn. Nothing more," she murmured, almost as if she needed to convince herself.
At the hospital, the day began as usual: patients arriving, nurses rushing around, doctors discussing cases in the hallways. Evelyn lost herself in the routine, trying to use work as a way to escape her thoughts.
She was in one of the offices, reviewing a medical record, when she heard a light knock on the door.
"May I come in?"
She looked up and was surprised to see Matthew standing there, with his impeccable posture and that penetrating gaze that seemed to see beyond the obvious.
"Matthew? What are you doing here?"
He walked in, closing the door behind him.
"I needed to talk to you."
"Here? At the hospital?" she asked, frowning.
"I knew you'd be busy, but this couldn't wait."
Evelyn felt her heart race, but she kept her tone firm.
"So, what's so urgent?"
Matthew hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully.
"I just want you to know that... I'm not what I seem to be."
"That much is clear, Matthew. You have this ability to be enigmatic even when you don't need to be."
He smiled slightly, but there was something in his eyes, a kind of vulnerability that she had never seen before.
"I know it sounds strange, but you'll understand soon enough. Just... trust me."
Before she could respond, he took a step back and walked out, leaving her alone in the office.
While Evelyn tried to digest what had just happened, Matthew was walking down the hospital stairs, phone in hand. Once he was out on the street, he dialed a number and waited until he heard the familiar voice on the other end.
"Any news on Volkov?" he asked bluntly.
"Yes. He's making subtle moves, but we know he has one clear target: you."
Matthew clenched his jaw, his gaze darkening.
"Keep monitoring. I don't want him getting anywhere near Evelyn."
The person on the other end hesitated.
"Do you think that's wise? You've already unwittingly put her on his radar."
Matthew stood on the sidewalk, watching the movement of the street.
"I know. That's exactly why I need to protect you."
He hung up the phone, feeling the weight of responsibility grow.
Later that day, Evelyn was finishing her shift when she ran into Clara in the hospital cafeteria. Clara was flipping through a magazine while she was on her phone, but she looked up as soon as she saw Evelyn.
"You're different today. What happened?"
Evelyn hesitated, but ended up sitting next to her friend.
"Matthew showed up at the hospital today."
Clara's eyes widened.
"Really? What did he want?"
"I don't know for sure. He said some cryptic things, as usual, and left before I could figure them out."
Clara laughed, but there was a hint of concern in her expression.
"You know he's not just any guy, right? He has a dangerous air about him."
Evelyn nodded slowly.
"I know. But for some reason, I feel like I can trust him."
Clara rested her chin on her hand, looking at Evelyn with a mischievous smile.
"That's passion, my friend. It's obvious."
Evelyn rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the slight smile that appeared on her lips.
Night fell quickly, and Evelyn found herself back in her apartment, trying to make sense of the confusing day she had lived. She was sitting on the couch, with a book on her lap, but her mind was far from there.
Meanwhile, Matthew was in his office, reviewing the latest reports on Volkov. But, just like Evelyn, he couldn't concentrate.
Outside, the rain began to fall again, covering the city in a blanket of melancholy.
Evelyn got up and went to the window, watching the drops run down the glass. Below, the city lights twinkled like stars lost on the ground.
"Maybe he's right," she thought. "Maybe I need to trust him."