Chapter 4

The moment he shoved me toward the window, security burst in and pulled him off.

Nat's first move was to grab Diana's hand. "It's okay, it's okay, don't be scared."

A coworker gasped. "Evelyn, are you all right? You're bleeding so much."

Nat gave me one flat glance. "Evelyn, go register and get yourself checked. The company will cover the medical bills. I'll take Diana home first."

A second later a message landed on my phone. "Evelyn, if I take you to the hospital, people will definitely misread our relationship."

I replied, "Understood."

He didn't spare it a thought.

Ignoring every stare in the room, he scooped up Diana and left.

Late that night, Nat came back.

"Evelyn?"

I didn't answer. He called again.

Any other time, I'd have been waiting at the door long before he arrived, ready to take his coat.

I spoke evenly. "Nat, I've already signed the divorce agreement."

He froze, his voice going stiff. "You're sulking? Just because I didn't take you to the hospital?"

"Do you have any idea how much it would hurt the company if Diana got hurt?"

My voice came out hoarse. "And if I get hurt it doesn't matter?"

"As Mrs. Gilbert, giving a little for the company is nothing."

As Mrs. Gilbert, I'd gotten not one bit of good out of it.

And now that something had gone wrong, I was the one who had to take the hit.

"Evelyn, tomorrow the company will officially appoint you as director."

"And don't bring up the divorce again."

The director's seat I couldn't earn no matter how hard I worked.

I'd gotten it now, in the most laughable way.

The next day, the second I walked into the company, every eye turned on me with that strange look.

"Did you hear? Turns out Diana is Mr. Gilbert's secret wife."

"Evelyn saved Diana and got bumped straight up to director. If I'd known, I would've..."

Hearing them spin their story, I couldn't hold back anymore. I pulled out the marriage certificate.

"I'm Nat's wife. Not the mistress!"

The whole room went quiet for a second.

Then someone spoke up. "Hilarious. Who knows if that certificate's even real."

"Maybe you're just jealous of Diana and faked it on purpose."

Furious, I went to confront Nat head-on.

"Nat, I'm asking you one last time. Am I your wife or not?"

To my surprise he frowned and snapped in a low voice, "Evelyn, this is the office."

Then he turned to clarify it for everyone. "Whatever's between you and me, it can only be a clean working relationship."

The coworkers' laughter broke out. "What a daydreamer, thinking a crow can turn into a phoenix!"

"Never thought Evelyn was that kind of person, trying to latch onto Mr. Gilbert."

In that moment, my dignity was ground into the dirt.

I dragged the corner of my mouth into a smile. "Fine. As you wish."

I gathered my things in silence.

This time, I was walking out of his life for good.

The housekeeper called in. "Mr. Gilbert, this is bad!"

"Mrs. Gilbert left behind a finalized divorce agreement, and then... she left."

Nat let out a scoffing laugh. "What's she pulling now, the running-away-from-home act again?"

"Let her go. Tell her, even if she comes crawling back on her knees begging me, I won't remarry her."

I'd just reached the door, and I heard it clearly through the housekeeper's speakerphone.

I answered softly. "Okay."

Nat, now we truly have nothing to do with each other.