I stared at him blankly as he sneered, "So you were faking it."
"What?" I feigned confusion.
"Aren't you supposed to be over me?" Hugh Pei reached out, his thumb brushing roughly against my lower lip as he cocked an eyebrow. "Looks like you're just putting on a show for your friends. Playing hard to get now, Zoe Xu?"
So this was his test—and he chose such a humiliating method. My senses snapped back as I hastily pulled my half-undressed shirt closed, struggling to compose myself.
"Is this really necessary?" I looked up at him, a bitter laugh rising in my throat. "I'm not playing games, Hugh Pei. You're just not used to my indifference. It's like a loyal dog suddenly stops wagging its tail—naturally, you're annoyed. But you'll get over it."
"Are you the dog?" he taunted, unfazed by my bitterness.
"You already know the answer," I murmured, clutching my disheveled collar and lowering my gaze.
Hugh Pei wasn't some naive boy. He knew full well about my feelings—I'd confessed enough times. But he'd never taken me seriously. With so many women vying for his attention, the only thing setting me apart was my "luck" in marrying him.
He scoffed, satisfied with his little victory. "Go take a shower," he said cheerfully before exiting the bathroom.
I slammed the door shut and rushed to the mirror. My flushed cheeks made me want to slap myself. Pathetic! One little provocation and I nearly caved.
After three minutes of grounding myself in memories of the past, I finally calmed down. I showered quickly and retreated to bed. The sound of a revving engine downstairs told me Hugh had left.
Watching his car vanish into the night from my window, I felt restless. He wouldn't be back anytime soon—tonight's stunt had reassured him I was still under his control, free for him to toy with as he pleased.
To regain my sanity, I had Leo Li drive me to the hospital the next morning. I'd specifically changed into a slim-fitting champagne-colored bodycon dress, exuding elegant sensuality. I couldn't pull off Lila Wei's innocent charm, and Julian Qi had seen enough of that anyway.
At the hospital, I placed flowers by Julian's bed, softening my voice. "How's your leg, Julian?"
He scrambled to put away his phone. "Much better, Sis Zoe! The doctor says I can go home tomorrow and get the stitches out in a week."
"Good to hear." I sat down, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "Your girlfriend didn't visit today?"
"She's working—we're both on work-study to lighten the family burden." He grinned, radiating boyish warmth.
We chatted casually until I feigned alarm. "My phone died already?"
"I have a charger," he offered, pointing to the nightstand.
I leaned over him to plug it in, my body nearly hovering above his. The pose reeked of intentional seduction. When I resettled, Julian's face had turned beet red, his eyes darting away.
So innocent.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a figure at the door. Evan Yu stood there, his gaze piercing. How long had he been watching? Did he see that charged moment? My smile faltered. "Dr. Yu, what brings you here?"
"Covering a shift," he replied coolly, entering to examine Julian's injury. His brief instructions felt like a reprimand.
I fidgeted, guilt gnawing at me. Evan held a unique place—our only past interaction was briefly teaming up against Hugh, but he'd never wronged me. In fact, he'd once gone out of his way to find medicine for me.
"Step outside," he said abruptly.
Sighing, I followed him to his office. Alone, he flipped through patient files without looking up. "How's married life with Hugh?"
His jet-black hair fell perfectly in a 3:7 part, framing a sculpted nose. "Same as always," I mumbled.
"Marriage can be stifling—hence the temptation for shortcuts. But they often come at a steep price," he said evenly.
I frowned. "Why aren't you lecturing Hugh?"
"Tried. He doesn't listen." He closed the file, finally meeting my eyes.
"Then neither will I," I retorted, a petulant edge slipping into my voice. Evan's eyes flickered—even he was startled.
I quickly regained composure. "You know better than anyone what he's done. I've kept the peace, stayed dignified. Julian was just a... mishap. I came to apologize, nothing more."
I was acting out with Hugh to secure a divorce, but I couldn't afford to lose face with others. I still had a life to rebuild afterward.
Evan studied me intently, skepticism written across his face. Just then, other doctors returned, and he dismissed me with a wave. "He can be discharged tomorrow. That's all."
Why did talking to him feel more suffocating than Hugh? With Hugh, I had nothing to lose—divorce was my endgame. But with Evan, I felt caught, like a child caught stealing cookies.
I almost went back to Julian's room to continue my charade, but instead, I spun around and marched back to Evan's office. "Dr. Yu," I said, lowering my voice as I sat down. "Let's grab dinner. I... need to talk about Hugh."
Liar. My real goal? To orchestrate Evan's meeting with Lila Wei—before Hugh could.