Jason usually had a low tolerance for alcohol and was quite restrained when it came to drinking. However, tonight he had already downed some white wine with Ethan and Julian at Fortune Manor, followed by red wine in Midnight. The mix of both drinks was wreaking havoc in his system, leaving him dizzy and uncomfortable.

Hearing that he was heading back to the office, Tyler urged, “Sir, you’ve had quite a bit to drink. Miss Brooks isn’t in the office at this hour to take care of you. Why not head back to 9Bliss Garden and let ma’am—”

“You told Evelyn I was at Midnight?” Jason cut in, rolling down the car window.

The cold northern wind rushed in, chasing away the heat within him and providing a moment of relief.

“I wouldn’t dare say anything if you hadn’t forbidden me. She came to me herself,” Tyler replied, recalling something. “I’ve done my research. Mrs. Brooks didn’t go to West Lake to see Adrian; she went to sign a lease. Adrian returned to Lycheeville early yesterday and hasn’t seen her.”

“Evelyn rented a place at West Lake.” Jason's arm tensed on the car window.

“Building 16, seventh floor, a studio apartment,” Tyler responded cautiously. “She may not even know the Johnson family has property in West Lake.”

Jason’s eyes suddenly lit up with intrigue. “Back to 9Bliss Garden.”

“Yes.” Tyler slowed the car, making a turn at the next intersection, heading towards 9Bliss Garden.

Meanwhile, Evelyn returned to 9Bliss Garden, taking two emergency contraceptive pills before indulging in a hot bath. In the past, she would have taken a chance whenever Jason hadn’t been drinking, hoping to get pregnant. But with a barrage of recent troubles, her heart had completely hardened toward him. Now, her façade of civility was only to protect Jean.

The sound of the door unlocking jolted her from her sleep. Before she could even turn on the bedside lamp, Jason was already lying beside her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You’re back.”

“I’ve booked the flight; we leave for Capital City at seven-thirty,” Jason said, ripping off his tie, his voice thick with fatigue and the remnants of intoxication. “I need to rest for a bit before packing.”

“Is it for my check-up?” she asked, resting her head against his chest, deliberately trying to get closer.

Their noses almost touched, their breaths mingling in the dim light. For a moment, it felt as if all of Jason’s sharp edges had softened, and Evelyn found herself lost in an illusion of tranquility, a luxury she had craved for a year but never quite attained.

After a brief silence, Jason abruptly got out of bed. “The check-up needs to be done early because I won’t place a sickly person in Mrs. Stark’s position.”

Evelyn’s heart, which had just begun to warm, instantly froze. Despite her anger, she dared not voice a complaint, returning his words with a composed, “I’ll follow your arrangements.”

After Jason took a shower, he settled into the guest room, while Evelyn set her alarm and climbed into bed.

On the way to the airport, Evelyn couldn’t stop yawning, her fatigue evident. Jason hadn’t slept much either, but he looked far more alert than she did.

Before boarding, she called Director Logan to request a day off. Once the plane took off, she barely had time to put in her earplugs before Jason removed them.

“Are you scared?” There was an unexplainable melancholy in his tone.

“What should I be scared of?” she asked, confused.

“If this check-up reveals something serious.”

“Whatever will be, will be.” She responded lightly, but inside, she was teetering on the edge of a breakdown. Just shy of her twenty-fifth birthday, in the prime of her life and with her career finally on track, the thought of a serious illness threatened to bring everything to a sudden halt.

Jason turned his gaze toward the window, falling into silence. Evelyn pulled out an eye mask from her backpack and pretended to sleep. In reality, during the hour-long flight, she hadn’t slept a minute. Instead, she was preoccupied with thoughts of how she would face the little time left in her life if the biopsy results came back malignant.

Once they landed, she discovered that Jason had meticulously arranged their schedule for the day. They were greeted by a designated driver who took them to the best hospital in Capital City, where they secured an appointment with the country’s most reputable breast specialist.

Before entering the examination room, Jason left with an excuse of his cravings were acting up and headed to the convenience store downstairs. Evelyn felt a pang of disappointment, especially seeing the woman ahead of her accompanied by her husband.

The specialist was a kind-looking middle-aged woman who, after briefly examining Evelyn’s affected breast, suggested a high-definition ultrasound instead of a biopsy.

With a nervous heart, Evelyn entered the ultrasound room. Lying down, her heartbeat raced out of control. She focused intently on the doctor’s face, trying to read her expression for any hints about whether the nodules were benign or malignant.

Perhaps accustomed to the joys and sorrows of her patients, the doctor maintained a calm demeanor even after finishing the examination.

“Doctor, is there a problem with the nodule in my left breast?” Evelyn asked, her voice wavering.

“Please consult the attending physician; I can’t say for certain.” The doctor pressed the button to call the next patient, and a middle-aged woman entered.

Feeling disheartened, Evelyn stepped out of the ultrasound room, scanning the area for Jason but finding him nowhere in sight. Just when she needed support and comfort, he had vanished!

Returning to the specialist’s office, she found the doctor examining the ultrasound images on her computer. Holding her breath, Evelyn felt her hands twitch nervously, unsure where to place them.

“The nodule has well-defined borders and measures 1.9 millimeters. Considering the blood flow in the area, we can completely rule out the possibility of malignancy,” the doctor explained slowly.

Evelyn almost thought she had misheard. “I’ve had two ultrasounds at Riverton People’s Hospital—one measured 2.0 millimeters, and three months later, it was 2.5. This one says 1.9; that’s a huge discrepancy.”

“There will be some margin of error, but it certainly isn’t on our end. This is clearly a benign nodule; I wouldn’t suggest a biopsy otherwise.” The specialist confidently handed Evelyn the ultrasound report. “If you still have doubts, you can make another appointment with me in three months.”

With a long exhale of relief, Evelyn accepted the report and bowed deeply. “I trust your diagnosis. Thank you so much.”

“Dear, it’s concerning for someone your age to have nodules, even if they are benign. As your doctor, I must advise you to regulate your lifestyle, eat healthily, avoid late nights, and don’t indulge in unnecessary mental strain,” the doctor added earnestly.

Evelyn thanked her again, feeling a lightness she had never experienced as she exited the office.

Standing at the stairwell, Jason had his back turned to her, puffing on a cigarette, taking long, deep drags. In that moment, she forgot all her grievances toward him; the only thought racing through her mind was to share the good news!

She rushed over, taking two steps at a time. As Jason turned to face her, his phone rang, and their eyes locked onto the flashing screen…

It was Cecilia.

Jason ignored Evelyn, lowering his head to answer the call. In an instant, all her excitement deflated.

As the elevator doors opened diagonally across from her, Evelyn tightly gripped the ultrasound report and stepped inside. As the doors closed, she glanced back to see Jason still on the phone, smiling widely, his charm overflowing, not casting a single glance in her direction.

For Jean’s sake, she had to endure.

Descending from the elevator to the hospital parking lot, she climbed into the black sedan that had brought them to the hospital.

On their way to Capital City, Jason mentioned he had to attend a press conference that evening and would be returning to Riverton afterward. Once she got in, she began searching for flight information on her phone.

Jason opened the passenger door and slid into the seat, glancing back at her. “My mother heard we were in town and reserved a table at a restaurant.”

Evelyn’s heart sank.

Just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did!