The Devil's Pawn
Evelyn Chen is trapped between a nightmarish home life and a brutal high school. Desperate for a way out, she targets Julian Hayes, the city’s most powerful and ruthless heir, using him as a shield. She constructs a flawless performance of a girl deeply in love, a role so convincing it fools everyone—including Julian himself. But her carefully laid plans spiral out of control when Julian's identical twin brother, Logan, returns and a dangerous game of deception begins. As Evelyn is pulled deeper into the Hayes family's dark world of wealth, control, and brutal games, she must fight to keep her true self hidden and survive long enough to escape. But what happens when the devil she made a deal with decides he's not ready to let her go?"
Chapter 1
Late at night, I had just finished my shower when a message from Julian Hayes came through.
It was an address for a high-end private club.
My grip on my phone tightened. Perhaps seeing that I didn't reply, Julian sent another text:
"Don't keep me waiting, Evie."
I sighed and typed back, "On my way."
I quickly got dressed. The moment I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw my stepfather standing in the doorway. His murky eyes held a repulsive desire.
"Done with your shower and still all covered up? Going somewhere?"
He took a drag from his cigarette and inched closer.
I backed away, putting some distance between us. "Julian Hayes is looking for me."
Hearing that name, my stepfather stopped, a hint of fear in his eyes. I used the opportunity to slip past him and open the door.
"You shameless little bitch. Think you can threaten me with your little safety charm? Now I can't touch you," he spat viciously from behind me.
I turned and gave him a cold look. "You dare?"
Then I slammed the door shut.
The sound of the door and my stepfather's curses followed me down the stairs.
Chapter 2
The club was extravagantly decorated. The guests, all dressed to the nines, looked impossibly wealthy. In my hoodie, I stuck out like a sore thumb.
The hostess led me to a penthouse suite. As we approached, I heard voices from inside.
"So, bro, I hear Evie is really devoted to you, huh?"
"Let me pretend to be you and have some fun with her."
A chorus of cheers and whistles erupted.
"Whoa, Logan, you’re openly trying to steal your brother’s girl."
"You don't get it. Evie is pure. She makes him home-cooked meals, reminds him to take his medicine. That kind of gentle devotion is irresistible."
"Will the great Julian Hayes let you get away with it?"
"Of course! Julian and I are tight. We've done this before."
The commotion died down, and then Julian's deep voice cut through the noise.
"Fine. Consider it a welcome-home gift."
His voice was laced with an indifferent laugh. The cheering grew louder.
The hostess stood awkwardly, looking at me. As the subject of their little game, I felt nothing.
I gave her a small smile and pushed open the suite door.
When I first approached Julian Hayes, all I wanted was the protection of his family name. I wanted to be safe from the bullies at school and from the lecherous gaze of my stepfather at home. When your safety is hanging by a thread, all you want is to climb out of the pit. Who or what the rope is doesn't matter.
In the end, all ropes are cut.
Chapter 3
The rich kids in the suite saw me and whistled. They were arrogant, and they reveled in it.
I wore a gentle smile on my face and walked towards the center of the room.
Julian and Logan were sitting together, watching me with a predatory glint in their eyes, like beasts waiting for their prey to walk into the cage. They had the exact same face. The same fair complexion, the same flawless good looks.
"Evie, you're here."
A hand reached out and pulled me down beside him.
I looked at his face, a cold laugh forming in my mind. Although Julian and Logan looked identical, their auras were completely different if you looked closely. Julian was a dark, brooding presence. Logan was a reckless, arrogant one.
But to me, it didn't matter.
I didn't care if he was Julian or Logan. As long as he could keep me safe until my exams were over and I could leave that rotten home, that was all that mattered.
I naturally took Logan's hand, pretending to have mistaken him for Julian. Logan was pleased with my action. He intertwined his fingers with mine and gestured to the person next to him.
"This is my brother, Logan Hayes."
I saw Julian frown at the name, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded at me, as if we were meeting for the first time.
I politely greeted him and then looked at Logan with feigned affection.
"Julian, I picked up some hangover medicine on the way. Do you want to take one now?"
I had said those words to Julian many times. I always prepared hangover pills whenever he drank. After I drove him home, I would even make him a bowl of nourishing soup.
Logan's eyebrows twitched as he looked at the medicine in my hand. He smiled.
"Sure, feed it to me."
I glanced at Julian from the corner of my eye. He was holding a cigarette but not smoking, lost in thought. I brought the pill to Logan's lips and fed it to him.
Chapter 4
After a few rounds of drinks, someone suggested a game.
"The people with the three and six of clubs have to kiss for thirty seconds."
One of the guys, holding a king card, gave the order. Logan and I both laid down our cards.
"Look at that, we've got a couple!"
The guy was a friend of the Hayes brothers and was in on their little 'boyfriend switch' game. He played along, covering for them.
Logan cupped my chin, about to kiss me.
A dull thud sounded beside us.
Julian kicked the coffee table in front of him, stood up, and looked down at us.
"I'm tired of drinking. Party's over."
Logan stopped inches from my lips, a cold glint in his eyes. He released my chin after a while, stood up, and pulled me with him.
"Guess you're right. I forgot Logan just got back today. We should call it a night."
Logan looked at the scowling Julian and kept up the act.
Before we left, I gently pulled Logan's jacket closed.
"It's windy and cold outside. You just got over a fever, don't catch a chill."
As I said this, Julian stood right behind his brother, staring intently at me. Just a few days ago, he had a fever. I was the one who went to his house to take care of him, remind him to take his medicine, and make him soup and porridge.
"Evie, let's go home."
Logan hesitated for a few seconds, then gently pulled me into a hug.
As we were leaving, Julian, who had been silent, finally spoke.
"Evelyn."
I stopped and turned back, looking at him as if he were a stranger.
Julian's brows knitted together, his voice deepening. "Who is it that you like?"
I lowered my gaze, hiding the flash of mockery in my eyes. Then I looked up at Logan, who was holding me.
"It's Julian. The person I like is Julian Hayes."
Logan's expression chilled slightly at my words, but he continued the charade.
Chapter 5
Julian thought I was in love with him. Everyone around him thought I was in love with him. But they didn't know it was just an elaborate deception I had orchestrated, just for Julian.
All to save my life, to climb out of that rotten sewer of a home.
If the disease hadn't taken my father, I would have been a girl who grew up with love and prosperity. Even though my mother passed away when I was very young, my stepmother was always kind to me.
She would bake me sweet cookies, tell me stories, and cover for me when my dad scolded me for being lazy. I thought I would grow up happily like that.
But on my twelfth birthday, my dad collapsed at home and was diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer.
After a year of treatment, he was gone.
I remember that day at the hospital, my dad held my hand and wiped away my tears.
"It's my fault, Evie. I didn't get to see you eat your twelfth birthday cake."
"I won't be here for your thirteenth birthday. Don't be mad at me, okay?"
I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. I just shook my head. I didn't want birthday cake; I just wanted my dad. If I could, I would trade all the birthday cakes of my life for my dad to be healthy and safe.
But God didn't hear my prayers, and the bell of life still tolled its last note.
In that moment, his final words to me were:
"Promise me you'll live a good life, Evie."
A dark cloud seemed to settle over me from that day on. My stepmother used my dad's remaining inheritance to start a business, but she was conned out of all of it. I became a burden.
My grandfather, who favored boys, didn't want me. My grandparents on my mother's side had already passed away. The only relative I had left was my stepmother, who no longer cared for me.
Chapter 6
"What are you looking at? I'm not going to raise you. It's your dad's fault for being so short-lived!" my stepmother yelled as she pushed me away, getting into a cab without a second glance.
Ignoring my scraped knees, I got up and chased after the car, crying.
"Mom, please don't leave me! I'll be good. I won't eat much."
After what felt like an eternity, the car stopped. I saw tears in my stepmother's eyes, filled with hatred and helplessness.
And so, my stepmother and I started living alone. Later, she remarried. The man was ten years older than her. That marriage became my personal hell.
On the very first night we moved in, the locked door to my room was opened with a key by that man. When I ran to tell my stepmother, all I got was a slap.
"Don't spread rumors! He was just worried you'd kick off the covers and get cold. If you try to ruin my marriage, you can get out!"
After that, every time I went to my room, I would barricade the door with a table. At night, I would stand by the bed, holding a pair of scissors, watching the door rattle. One time, two times, three times. Until the person outside gave up and the noise faded away.
At that time, school was my only refuge. There was no disgusting stepfather, no cold, indifferent stepmother. But that refuge became hell after a mock exam.
I was celebrating getting the highest score when, the next second, I was dragged into the bathroom and soaked with a bucket of cold water. I was held down and couldn't fight back.
The ringleader was a pretty new transfer student named Felicity White.
"Evie Chen, because of you, I got second place. Do you know how much I got beaten at home for that?"
Felicity squeezed my chin, looking at me like I was a rat.
A slap landed on my face. The sound of her friends counting the slaps was like a slow, agonizing countdown to an execution.
When I told the teacher about it, all I got was this:
"Felicity is an excellent student. She wouldn't do something like that."
"Students should be more understanding and forgiving when they have conflicts."
In that moment, I realized it wasn't that Felicity wouldn't do it; it was that the White family was too powerful, and they didn't dare to intervene. As I left the office, I saw a boy surrounded by a crowd. Judging by their reactions, everyone seemed to be afraid of him.
Chapter 7
I got home in my wet clothes and saw the man who was supposed to be on a trip with my stepmother. His gaze slid over my body like a snake's tongue, making me shiver with disgust.
"Evie, what happened to you?"
He smiled menacingly.
"Don't call me that!"
I growled, my eyes searching for my stepmother.
"Who are you looking for? That woman's not here. She went on her trip."
"I told her I had some business to take care of at home and to wait for me at the destination."
He got up and started walking towards me. I took out the box cutter I had just bought from my backpack.
"Evie, you're getting prettier and prettier."
The look in his eyes deepened. As if he couldn't hold back anymore, he lunged at me.
I slashed wildly with the cutter, and blood gushed from his forearm.
"You little bitch!" he roared in pain.
"Touch me again, and I'll kill you. I don't care about dying," I said, putting the cutter back in my backpack and running out.
I was lying to him; I cared a lot about my life. Because I had promised my dad I would live a good life.
Suddenly, I remembered the boy I had seen earlier that day. I think I heard them call him Julian Hayes. An idea began to form in my mind.
Chapter 8
I started to secretly watch Julian Hayes, collecting every bit of information I could. I waited outside the bar he frequented for several days until I finally found him drunk. He sat on a chair outside, smoking a cigarette, lost in thought.
I adjusted my school ID, making sure the name was clearly visible. Then I bought a piece of gum and walked towards him.
"You look like you're having a rough night. Here's some gum. Want a piece?"
Julian looked up, his dark eyes heavy.
When he didn't say anything, I smiled, took his hand, and placed the gum in his palm.
"Don't worry, it's a sweet one."
He looked me up and down and took a drag from his cigarette.
"You're wearing a school uniform at a bar?"
I blushed and said softly, "No, I just came because I was worried about you."
Julian leaned back and scoffed. "You were stalking me?"
I feigned embarrassment and nodded.
"I'm sorry. I was just worried you'd feel sick from drinking too much."
Julian's smile was dark and unreadable. "You like me?"
I bit my lip and nodded again.
"Yes, I like you. I'll be good to you."
Julian's hand, holding the cigarette, paused. He stood up and walked towards me, his fingers brushing against my school ID.
"Third period, Evelyn Chen."
"I'll give you a chance."
He said it nonchalantly. Before I could react, he kissed me. Just as I was about to suffocate, Julian let me go.
"Remember to breathe next time. Go home now, and don't come back here."
He turned and went back into the bar. The look of shyness and excitement on my face disappeared. I wiped my mouth, then a satisfied smile slowly spread across my face.
The plan was a success.
Chapter 9
The next time Felicity and her group cornered me, Julian Hayes appeared.
The door to the abandoned storage closet was kicked open. Julian stood behind his bodyguards, his expression frigid. It was the first time I had seen Felicity look so disheveled and miserable, kneeling on the floor as she was slapped a dozen times.
"Felicity, remember who the owner is before you kick their dog."
Julian wrapped his arm around me, looking down at Felicity.
Yes, a dog. From the very beginning, Julian only saw me as an obedient pet that was good to him.
When he drove me home, we ran into my stepfather, who was just back from the hospital after getting his bandages changed. Seeing me get out of a luxury car, he grabbed my hair.
"You shameless little whore, you act so innocent in front of me, but I knew you were just trash!"
"Today I'm going to..."
Before he could finish, a bodyguard grabbed his wrist. My stepfather cried out in pain and let go of my hair. The next second, he was kicked to the ground. He screamed in agony and ended up in the hospital for a month.
I kept track of the time until my exams. I worked hard to act like I was in love with Julian, and I worked hard to be good to him. I ignored his flings and intimacy with other girls.
I didn't want his love.
Gradually, I became the person who stayed by Julian's side the longest. There were even rumors that Julian was genuinely falling for me. Until today.
They finally realized that Julian never had any real feelings. In his eyes, I was still just a pet he could give away on a whim. But I didn't care.
Because soon, I would be able to leave all of them behind.
Chapter 10
"Evie, you've been zoned out this whole time."
Logan's voice suddenly cut in, pulling my thoughts back.
I looked at the high-end apartment in front of me and feigned a look of confusion.
"Julian, did you move?"
Logan seemed annoyed by my choice of name and tightened his grip on my hand. "Yes, I have many apartments."
As soon as we walked in, Logan pinned me against the sofa.
"Evie, what were you thinking about just now?"
I replied sweetly, "I was thinking about what kind of nourishing soup I should make for you tonight."
Logan's dark eyes softened slightly. "You're a good girl, Evie."
He took my hand, lowered his head, and kissed the inside of my wrist.
"Evie, who am I?" his voice was a little hoarse.
"Julian, you're Julian."
"Ah! Why did you bite me?"
I suppressed the mockery in my heart and feigned a pained expression. Logan's fingers traced the bite mark he had left on my wrist, and he asked again:
"Evie, who am I?"
I bit my lip and said in a low voice, "You're Julian."
"Ah, why did you bite me again?!"
This time, Logan bit my neck, like a predatory beast.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
The repeated doorbell was an urgent summons. Logan gritted his teeth and went to open the door.
"What are you doing here?"
Julian walked past Logan without a word, coming straight towards me.
"The game is over."
Julian stood in front of me and said coldly to Logan.
"That's no fun," Logan said with a twisted smile.
Julian didn't waste any more time. He pulled me up from the sofa. The bite mark on my neck was exposed. Julian stopped, a dark shadow spreading in his eyes, like the calm before a storm.
It was eerie, sinister.
Before I could react, there was a loud crash against the wall. Julian had grabbed Logan by the throat and slammed him against the wall.
"Did you forget the rules after being away for a few years?"
"Who gave you permission to touch her?!"
Chapter 11
An out-of-control, deeply menacing Julian was a Julian I had never seen before.
Logan seemed surprised, too. After a few seconds, he curled his lips into a wicked smile.
"What's the big deal, bro? Didn't you send her to me?"
"Don't pretend to be the good guy now."
A vein pulsed in Julian's arm. After a few seconds, he released Logan and was silent. Logan rubbed the red mark on his neck and waved at me.
"Hello, Evie. Let's reintroduce ourselves. My name is Logan Hayes."
He showed no signs of being exposed or embarrassed. He just smiled, a look of complete indifference on his face. Julian walked forward and blocked my view, his eyes dark and unreadable. I couldn't understand the emotion in his eyes, but I knew what emotion I was supposed to be showing.
I looked up at Julian, and tears, which I couldn't control, began to fall. But my words weren't accusatory. I asked him softly,
"Did I do something wrong? Don't you want me anymore?"
Julian's back seemed to stiffen for a second. I saw his Adam's apple bob. Then, I was pulled into a warm embrace.
"I'll take you home."
Julian's voice was low and gentle. But in my heart, I was relieved. I had gotten through this hurdle.
I looked over Julian's shoulder and saw the smile on Logan's face slowly fade. His dark eyes were bottomless as he stared at me.
When Julian led me out, he glanced at Logan, who was still standing there.
"I said the game is over."
"Stay away from her from now on."
Logan reverted to his usual arrogant self, pouting. "I can't promise that."
Julian's lips curled into a disdainful smirk. "You can try."
Logan leaned against the table, hands in his pockets, his smile innocent.
"Don't be so angry, bro. We've done this before. You never cared."
"Shut your mouth." Julian's voice held a warning.
Logan smiled and put his hands up in surrender.
"Fine, I won't say anything. The game's over. It's no fun once it's been exposed anyway." He snapped his fingers at me.
"Evie, remember, my name is Logan Hayes. Don't get it wrong next time."
Julian's patience ran out. Not wanting to waste any more words on his insane brother, he pulled me into the elevator.
Chapter 12
When we got out of the elevator, the driver pulled the car up to us. As soon as we got in, Julian raised the partition, separating the back seat from the front. An uneasy feeling came over me.
When Julian's hand reached for me, I instinctively grabbed it fiercely, looking at him with a cold expression, showing an undisguised disgust for his touch. It was a self-preservation instinct born from a long time spent in a dangerous environment. In my silence, I realized my facade had cracked.
As I was thinking of a plausible excuse, Julian spoke.
"What, are you afraid I'll hit you?"
"Have I ever hit you?"
There was no anger, no doubt, just a slight, helpless smile.
I was stunned for a few seconds. I shook my head and let go of his hand. Julian pulled me closer, cupped my face, and exposed my neck.
"Let me see if it bled. Do I need to get you a rabies shot?"
Hearing him call his own brother a dog, I couldn't help but let out a little laugh. I felt Julian's hand still. I looked up and saw his gaze shift from my neck to my face. He just stared at me.
I fluttered my eyelashes, feigning confusion.
A few seconds later, I heard Julian let out a faint sigh. He ran his fingers through my hair.
"Evie, that won't happen again."
I put on my obedient act again and rubbed my cheek against his palm. After what had just happened, I decided to stick with Julian as my lifeline. Logan's craziness was too much of a liability.
Chapter 13
After Julian took me home that day, he had a diamond necklace delivered to me the next day and didn't contact me again. I knew it was his way of making amends. In the past, whenever I saw him getting intimate with other girls, he would give me an expensive gift. It was like giving a treat to a pet—a simple act of charity to win it back over. I hid all the jewelry and planned to sell it all before I left to get enough money.
As I thought about this, I handed a completed transfer application form to the office.
"Evie, the final exams are next semester. Are you sure you want to transfer after this semester?"
My homeroom teacher frowned, asking me in a sincere tone.
I nodded.
"My uncle should have already spoken to you about the transfer. The school over there is also very good. They reviewed my past exam scores and competition results and have agreed to let me in. My uncle also thinks that as my only remaining relative, he can take better care of me."
"As you know, my stepmother and stepfather don't care about me."
The teacher had nothing more to say about it. After all, no one had ever come to my parent-teacher conferences. My stepmother and stepfather's phones were always unreachable.
After leaving the office, I went to the bathroom, took out my phone, which was on silent, and called back the missed number. After a brief dial tone, a calculating male voice answered.
"Hello, Evie. I've taken care of your transfer. Shouldn't you send me the money now?"
I held the phone, a cold smile on my face. This man, my uncle, used to suck up to my dad when he was still alive. The moment my dad passed away, he cut all ties with us. When I had nowhere to go, he looked at me coldly and told me to get lost.
"You're not going to stiff me, are you? Evie, do you know how many connections I had to pull to get this done for you?"
"If it weren't for Mason's urgent need for money, I wouldn't have bothered with your nonsense."
The man kept rambling. Mason, my useless cousin, had gotten into a fight and needed money for compensation.
"If you didn't care about my nonsense, your son would be screwed. Don't act all high and mighty with me. I'll send you the rest of the money when I feel like it." I scoffed and hung up, cutting off his low curses.
The sunlight streamed through the window into the quiet bathroom. Dust motes danced in the light, rising and swirling as if trying to chase the light. Just like a person running forward, trying to escape.
Chapter 14
The final school bell rang, and I finished the last question on my test. As I packed up and left the classroom, I saw an arrogant-looking boy standing outside the door. I recognized him—he was the one who whistled in the private suite that night.
I was about to ignore him and walk past, but he blocked my path.
"Evie Chen, why are you pretending you don't know me? I came here specifically to find you."
He smiled flirtatiously.
"What do you want?" I looked at him expressionlessly.
His eyes lingered on my face, and he said as if he just remembered, "Do you know that Julian Hayes is getting engaged?"
Engaged? Julian hadn't told me. That's why he hadn't contacted me these past few days. This was good. I had been planning my escape anyway, so now I didn't need to.
"Are you sad? It's okay. Julian doesn't want you anymore, but I can. I can give you everything Julian gave you."
He reached out to touch a strand of hair that had fallen on my ear. I slapped his hand away with a cold face and scoffed.
"Sorry, but I'm not that desperate."
"The thought of you makes me sick..."
SLAP!
A loud slap cut off my words. A burning pain spread across my cheek.
"Who do you think you are, to talk to me like that?"
"You're just a stray dog Julian threw away. I'm being charitable by even wanting you."
"Even if I dragged you away right now, who would care?"
His expression grew more and more unhinged as he stepped closer. Just as I reached for the box cutter in my backpack, a sinister voice sounded from behind him.
"Who are you dragging away, Marcus?"
Marcus Thorne's body froze. When he saw the man's face, his expression instantly changed.
"Ju-Julian?!"
Logan Hayes's smile grew wider. He stood next to me, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Stunned? Take a closer look. Who do you think I am?"
Marcus swallowed hard and squinted.
"Logan?"
Logan clapped his hands in satisfaction.
"Congratulations, you got it right. Let me think, what should your prize be?"
Marcus's face was pale as he backed away.
"No, that's not..."
AHH!
His words were replaced by a shrill scream. Logan had somehow pulled the box cutter from my backpack. He quickly and precisely kicked Marcus down and plunged the knife into the hand that had just slapped me. The blade went straight through the back of his hand, tearing through the flesh. Logan twisted the knife twice. As Marcus's screams grew more and more agonizing, Logan slowly stood up and placed his expensive shoe on his face.
"Who's the stray dog now, huh?"
Marcus's face was distorted. He stammered out pleas for mercy.
Logan tilted his head to look at me, then bent down and smiled at Marcus.
"Let you go? Sure. Bark like a dog for her, and I'll let you go."
Logan raised an eyebrow at me and put more pressure on his foot. Marcus looked at me, and after a while, weakly barked.
"Woof, woof, woof."
I watched Marcus's miserable state, but I felt no sense of satisfaction. Instead, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. Wasn't this all my fault? Wasn't it me who willingly bent my spine, put that invisible collar of crushed dignity around my own neck, and handed the leash to every person around Julian? If Marcus was the cruel one for humiliating me, then I was the real culprit who destroyed myself. I gave the knife to every person in Julian's circle.
The last rays of the setting sun painted the empty corridor crimson. It fell on me, and I felt like it was God's punishment. My dad would have been so disappointed.
Chapter 15
"What's wrong? Are you in shock?"
Logan squeezed my hand. I looked at him, my eyes glazed over. I felt Logan's warm fingers caress the corner of my eye. I heard his voice, full of unknown meaning.
"Why are you crying?"
Was I crying? When did I start? I blinked.
Marcus had already been carried away, and Logan's bodyguards were cleaning the blood off the floor. I pushed down my emotions and took a step back, pulling my hand away from Logan. "What are you doing here?"
Logan stared at his empty hand for a moment before looking at me.
"Wow, you're so heartless. I just helped you, and you're treating me so coldly?"
I pursed my lips, my eyes guarded. Logan, with one hand in his pocket, reverted to his usual carefree self.
"I just came to see you, what else would I do?"
"My brother has me locked up. He even had people watching me. I finally managed to escape today. In a couple of days, he's sending me back abroad. Is it too much to want to see my crush before I go?"
He said it playfully, with a mischievous look in his eyes. I frowned at his teasing and tried to walk past him. Logan grabbed my hand, his expression turning serious.
"Evie, I've been thinking about whether I should take you with me, or find a place to lock you up."
"You like my brother, right? I have the same face as him. Maybe if you spend enough time with me, you'll fall in love with me."
After he said that, he chuckled softly.
"Or maybe in the end, you'll just start seeing me as my brother. You'll take care of me like you took care of him, and be good to me like you were good to him."
"Evie, I like the way you look at me when you think I'm my brother. Not this cold look you have now."
He's a lunatic! I thought to myself. A bad feeling welled up in my heart. Logan was even crazier than I thought, and he would absolutely do what he said. Just as I was trying to figure out how to get away, Logan's tone changed again, sounding like a sigh, a soft murmur.
"But why were you crying just now? You looked so sad."
Logan's abrupt changes in mood left me confused. As I was pondering what he meant, he gently ruffled my hair.
"Let's go. I'll take you home."
Logan smiled at my now messy hair and turned around.
Chapter 16
In the car on the way back, Logan was uncharacteristically quiet. Just as I was relieved I didn't have to deal with his chatter, he spoke.
"Evie, stop thinking about Julian. It's not going to happen. This arranged marriage was decided by our grandfather. No one can defy his orders."
His eyes darkened, and his thoughts seemed to drift far away.
"That's how he forced his own son and daughter-in-law together. They both had people they loved and tried to resist, but in the end, they were forced into a resentful marriage, and one went crazy while the other died."
"The woman had postpartum depression and jumped from a building. Her blood stained the whole courtyard. The man went insane after he saw it."
"They left behind a pair of twins, who grew up and rotted in that cold old mansion."
"Even if Julian wanted to fight back, our grandfather has a thousand ways to make him obey."
"What do you think his ending will be?"
Logan's lips curled in a bitter, mocking smile.
It was the first time I had heard about the Hayes family's past. It was also the first time I learned about Julian and Logan's parents. It was like someone had peeled back a luxurious velvet curtain, revealing a stinking, rotten corner of the room.
As I was thinking of what to say, the car screeched to a halt. We had been cut off.
"He's fast."
Logan returned to his arrogant self, resting his hands behind his head as he watched the person get out of the car in front. Julian Hayes was wearing a black suit, as if he had just come from some high-society event. He looked proper and distinguished—if you ignored the grim, murderous expression on his face.
The car door opened, and Julian's cool hand pulled me out. His gaze fell on Logan in the car.
"I told you to stay away from her."
Logan nonchalantly brushed imaginary dust off his clothes.
"You got here so fast. The dinner with Miss Jo isn't over yet, is it? Are you that afraid I'll take Evie and lock her up?"
"That's my brother for you. You really know me."
"But you ruined your grandfather's arranged dinner. What do you think your punishment will be?"
Julian didn't get angry. Instead, he gave a smile that was full of menace.
"Did you get tired of being free? Do you want to come back to the Hayes house and be a dog on a leash again?"
Logan's pupils constricted, and his face soured.
Julian rested his hand on the car door, looking down at his brother like a king.
"If you don't want to come back and be tied down, then remember my words and get lost. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind letting you experience what it's like."
With that, Julian straightened up and slammed the car door shut. The driver sped away almost instantly.
Chapter 17
Julian looked at the fading slap mark on my face, and his breathing grew heavier.
"Are you sad?"
Am I sad? It had been so long since I'd heard those words. My throat tightened, and it took me a while to say softly, "I am."
It was as if I had given up the act of being an obedient girl, given up all the beautiful and moving words. In this moment, I was just being myself.
"Good. I'll get revenge for you."
Julian gently hugged me, his voice resonating from his chest. I felt his body heat and closed my eyes. The crimson of dusk was slowly swallowed by the deep blue of night.
Julian's phone kept vibrating, a sign of angry calls. But he ignored it and took me by the hand, leading me to the old apartment staircase.
"Evie, I might not be able to see you for a while."
"I have some things to take care of. Once they're done, I'll come back for you. Will you wait for me, good girl?"
The dim light made his eyes flash.
I gave him my usual sweet smile. "Okay."
I turned and started climbing the stairs. I knew Julian was still watching me.
Evie, will you wait for me, good girl?
No. Julian, I won't wait for you.
I looked at the stars twinkling in the sky and walked up the steps, one by one.
Chapter 18
The final exam bell rang, signaling the end of the semester. I bought a ticket to Sterling Bay. As I was packing, I realized there wasn't much I needed to take with me. The day before my departure, I finally saw my stepmother, who had been gone for days. She was sitting on the sofa and didn't even look up as I came out of my room.
I stood in front of her, blocking her view of the TV.
"Get out of the way," she said, frowning impatiently.
I placed a bank card on the table.
My stepmother finally looked at me. "What is this? You want money? I don't have any!"
I smiled.
"This is for you. Consider it a thank-you for not abandoning me and for raising me and letting me get an education."
During the time we lived together, she would complain a lot, but when she saw me admiring other kids' new clothes, she would use her meager salary to buy me some. During my high school exams, she even made me chicken soup, just like other parents. I remember once when I was on an IV drip in the hospital during winter, she warmed the tubing for me. But people are complicated, and they always change.
I came back to myself and continued.
"I've completed my transfer papers. I'll be moving out after this. This is where our relationship ends."
CRASH!
The TV remote was thrown and hit my forehead.
"Now you want to leave?! And you're giving me money? How much money could you possibly give me?"
"A hundred thousand dollars."
I said the number lightly. My stepmother's insults got stuck in her throat. She just stared at me, her eyes wide.
"You...where did you get so much money?"
It took her a while to find her voice.
"Julian Hayes gave it to me."
I noticed the confusion in my stepmother's eyes. She didn't know about Julian. She had been fooled into thinking my stepfather was attacked by a rival businessman. She never paid attention to anything about me.
I sighed and said frankly, "From a guy."
SLAP!
A heavy slap landed on my face the moment I finished my sentence. It hurt more than the one from Marcus Thorne. The pain twisted my heart.
"Evie Chen, have you no shame?! Have you no shame?!"
My stepmother screamed at me, her face twisted in disgust, as if she was looking at something vile. I lowered my head and laughed softly. The laughter grew louder and louder, and my shoulders shook. In the end, tears streamed down my face from laughing.
"Shame? What is that? Can it save my life?"
I looked up and met my stepmother's gaze.
"Shame? Could it have stopped my stepfather from harassing me? Could it have kept him from trying to open my door every night?"
"Could it have kept him from always trying to peek at me while I showered? Could it have stopped him from looking at me with those disgusting eyes? Could it have prevented him from taking me?"
With every sentence, I backed my stepmother onto the sofa. I looked down at her as her face crumbled in defeat, her struggle on full display.
"You...you're not allowed to spread rumors! He was just..."
"...just trying to care for me? Just trying to get closer to me? Is that what you're going to say again? Do you really believe that? If you really believed that, why did you never want to come home? Were you afraid to face me?"
I scoffed as if I was tearing off the human skin from these fake people, revealing the terrifying, rotten bones underneath.
"You've ruined yourself! You've ruined yourself! You've lowered yourself to this!" my stepmother cried, her voice hoarse.
"What do you call 'ruined'? Being slapped and having a bucket of water thrown on me at school, and almost being molested at home—that's ruined."
"And this isn't me lowering myself. I call it survival."
"No one was going to save me but myself, right?"
I used my finger to brush away a lock of hair from her tear-streaked face, a mocking laugh in my voice.
If I hadn't found my own lifeline, I would have been swallowed by this foul-smelling swamp and rotted away. But I wasn't willing to give up. I promised my dad I would live a good life. If heaven wouldn't give me a way out, I would find one for myself.
Chapter 19
I calmed down and straightened the collar of my stepmother's shirt.
"Take this money. If you can, divorce him."
"Find a new place and live a good life. Stop letting him force you to drink with those clients he wants to get in good with."
With that, I brushed my hands off and got ready to leave.
"Did he...did that Julian Hayes hurt you?"
"Do you love him?"
I didn't turn back. I just smiled at the doorknob.
"He never hurt me. In fact, he was a little kinder to me than you were."
I remembered when I passed out from low blood sugar in front of Julian once, and he had his housekeeper send a nourishing tonic to my school every day after that. Another time, we were watching a movie, and I casually mentioned that the main character's dress was pretty. The next day, a much more expensive and beautiful dress was delivered to me. He wasn't a good person, but I didn't hate him.
And while I didn't hate him, I didn't love him either.
"Love isn't a part of my plan. I just needed my plan to succeed."
"I needed his money, his protection, but his love was the one thing I didn't need."
After saying all that, I felt a sense of relief as I pushed the door open. And then...I walked straight into a pair of familiar eyes.
It was Julian Hayes, a man I hadn't seen in nearly two months.
Chapter 20
The air was sucked out of the room. All that was left was a suffocating tension. I blinked and gave a defeated smile.
"You heard everything?"
Julian pulled me onto the staircase, and we went up to the open rooftop. He was still silent, just walking towards me. He looked thinner. There were red streaks in his eyes, as if he hadn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.
Just as I was about to speak, he kissed me fiercely, like a wild animal tearing at its prey. I could taste blood in my mouth. Just as I thought he was going to kill me, Julian let me go. He lowered his head to my neck.
"So this is how you look at me when you're not acting anymore." His voice was low and hoarse.
I felt the tingling of his hair against my neck and pulled away, creating some distance between us.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you planning to just leave after you've used me?" His words were harsh.
I replied without any pretense, "Yes. So, are you going to get revenge on me?" I was already calculating what I would do if Julian decided to get revenge.
As I frantically thought of a solution, Julian chuckled softly and then sighed.
"Is that money enough for you?"
What?? My mind stopped working, like a machine whose gears had jammed.
Julian straightened up and cupped my face.
"Is the money enough? Do you need me to have someone transfer more to you?"
"No, it's enough." I came back to myself and refused without thinking. I had sold all the things Julian had given me. Even after giving my stepmother $100,000, I still had a lot left over.
"Is that so? Enough for you to eat well and live well..."
"Julian, this is it for us."
I cut him off and looked at him seriously. Julian fell silent. Then, a device on his wrist, like a black electronic watch, started to flash.
"What's that?" I stared at the flashing red light.
"A monitoring tracker from my grandfather." Julian's lips curled into a bitter smile.
Just as he said that, a car horn sounded from below. Looking down from the rooftop, I saw three black sedans parked in the narrow alley. There were four bodyguards in black suits standing outside each car.
"I made a deal with my grandfather to see you one last time. Time flies."
Julian said, bending down to kiss my lips, ignoring the men below.
"Take good care of yourself, Evie. We're not done yet."
With that, the bodyguards were behind him, and they led him away.
Chapter 21
The day after Julian left, I embarked on a new journey, back to Sterling Bay, the city I grew up in. I successfully enrolled in a new school. I got a new phone number and deleted all my old accounts.
My new deskmate was a very sweet girl. With her company, I happily spent the last semester of high school. Our brief friendship dissolved as graduation came and we went our separate ways.
On the day I got into my dream university, I bought the kind of flowers my dad used to buy me every year for my birthday. I went to the cemetery and raised my beer into the air in a toast.
"Dad, I got in. I did what I promised. I'm living a good life."
I said goodbye to everything from the past and started a new life. I would live a life where I could smile genuinely, with warmth, in the sun.
After graduating from university, I applied for graduate school abroad. I met a lot of interesting and talented people during my two years there and made warm and wonderful friends. On graduation day, my advisor asked me if I wanted to stay and continue my research on medicine. I shook my head.
"I'm going back home. The pharmaceutical research institute in my country has already accepted my application."
I studied tirelessly because I wanted to research better treatments for cancer. It was a goal I set for myself on the day my dad left.
After the graduation party, I waved goodbye to everyone. Humming a song, I walked home with a light step. And then...I saw a man leaning against a car downstairs. After more than six years, his shoulders were wider, and he was taller. His features were sharper. He had shed his youthful air and now exuded an invisible sense of power. The lit cigarette in his hand glowed red. Through the wisps of smoke, he slowly looked up at me.
"Evie, long time no see."
It was Julian Hayes. Even though I was no longer in contact with him, I would always hear about him. After high school graduation, I heard about his engagement. In university, I heard about him entering the family business. After university, I heard about him taking over the Hayes Corporation. In my first year abroad, I heard about him kicking many of the family elders out. This year, I heard he had called off his engagement. His news was everywhere—on phones, computers, and newspapers.
But now, that face was standing right in front of me.
Chapter 22
I stared at the man sitting on my sofa and frowned. I had almost sprinted to my door and opened it. Just as I was about to slam it shut, Julian's hand squeezed through the gap, and then his whole body.
"As a guest, can I get a glass of water?" Julian leaned back on the sofa as if he were in his own home.
"My place doesn't have any water. If you want water, go home and get some." I sat on the sofa opposite him and stared.
"I'll pass then. My place is too far." Julian rested his hand on his knee...