Chapter 20
“Whoa, go ahead and call. I want to see what your old husband can do,” Lydia said, sitting down smugly, crossing her arms and legs, showing she wouldn’t leave without seeing it through today.
Vanessa looked confused and quickly moved closer to Evalina, grabbing her arm nervously. ‘Evalina’s acting on impulse. Isn’t she divorced? Would calling her ex–husband now really help?”
Evalina took a deep breath and dialed the number. She waited for a moment; after two rings, the call connected.
Hugo was at Olive’s house. She was in the kitchen, making something for him to eat.
Hugo glanced over at her and said, “Olive, you don’t need to do that. You should be resting.”
Olive smiled warmly, “Hugo, you’ve been working so hard since I got back. Remember how I used to make that chocolate cake for you? It’s been a while, and I thought you might like it.”
Hugo nodded, recalling the taste of the cake she made for his birthday years ago. The taste stayed with him long after she left. “Alright, he said.
blive smiled and watched him as he returned to his work. She quietly placed something on the cake, thinking that after tonight, they could get back to how things used to be. Her eyes softened as she looked at him, her heart fluttering.
Just then, Hugo’s phone rang. “Hey, honey.” Evalina’s voice on the other end was sweet and drawn out, making Hugo’s skin crawl.
He thought in surprise, ‘But what’s with her voice? Evalina’s called me ‘honey‘ before, but always in a simple, hopeful tone. And I rarely responded, so she stopped.
‘But today’s ‘honey‘ is different. The sensual tone has a teasing edge, and don’t forget about that mocking look she’s been giving me lately…
All this thought made Hugo’s face darken. “Evalina, are you out of your mind?” he asked.
Evalina ignored him and continued in that exaggerated tone, “Honey, I got bullied at Elegance Dining. I’m your wife. If they push me around, it’s like humiliating you. If Bramwell finds out, he’ll think you can’t even protect your wife and give you a hard time.”
Hugo’s grip on the phone tightened. ‘Is Evalina addicted to threatening me? Mentioning Bramwell out of the blue–she clearly wants to tattle… She’s forcing me to say yes.’
His eyes narrowed, and his voice turned cold. “Evalina, do you know what happens when you threaten me? You’ve got some nerve, really.”
But Evalina’s voice stayed sweet and charming, ignoring Hugo’s warning. She even added a teasing tone. “Honey, if people found out your wife was being picked on, they’d be shocked. I mean, you’re such a great guy.”
“You…” Hugo’s face was stern, his eyes blazing with anger. To him, Evalina was saying that if he didn’t help her today, she’d spill the beans about their relationship.
