Evelyn Grant finally understood why Ryan Sterling was in a full suit today.
When she got her hands on the marriage certificate, she saw his photo: handsome and dashing, his eyes brimming with a smile.
And her? She was in a blue prison uniform, her face pale and drawn.
Ryan Sterling put away the certificate with satisfaction, raising a dark eyebrow. "Evelyn Grant, do you regret it?"
This was the second time he had asked that question.
Perhaps afraid she would misunderstand again, this time Ryan Sterling clarified, "Choosing my brother."
Although she didn't know why he was so insistent on this question, Evelyn Grant answered dutifully.
"I regret it."
'How could I not regret it?'
'The man she'd longed for over the past ten years, from the time she was fifteen until she was twenty-five, had, in the end, only wanted her dead!'
'Heaven knows how overjoyed she'd been when she learned Julian had agreed to marry her!'
'Evelyn Grant had secretly vowed to make the marriage work, to take good care of him, to love him with all her heart, and to be a considerate and gentle wife.'
In fact, she had done just that.
In their three years of marriage, no matter how late Julian came home, there was always a hot meal on the table and a warm bath waiting for him.
He often had to drink at business functions, so Evelyn went out of her way to consult an herbalist on how to brew a soup to help him sober up and soothe his stomach.
Even when she was utterly exhausted from a long day at the law firm, she would drag herself out of bed in the middle of the night to make it for him.
She thought Julian was just not good at expressing himself.
She thought that sooner or later, she would win his heart.
Until Jane Jacobs came into the picture.
All of Evelyn Grant's efforts turned to dust. It was all a beautiful but empty dream, a complete joke.
Actually.
Ryan actually wanted to ask if she still loved his older brother, but he swallowed the words just as they reached his lips.
"You remember what you promised me, don't you?"
Evelyn Grant's throat tightened. "I remember."
Ryan Sterling had said he wanted this child to be born safely.
"Then you'd better eat well and sleep well. Leave the rest to me."
"Can I ask why?"
Her curiosity finally got the better of her. No matter how she thought about it, she just couldn't understand why he would make such a demand.
After all, Ryan Sterling never seemed like the type of person who would like children.
Besides...
"I remember you were in love with a girl."
Evelyn could still remember that day three years ago. It was Ryan's birthday.
Julian had been out of town on business, so she had gone to the party alone. One of Ryan's friends had teasingly asked him when he planned to get married. To her surprise, Ryan's smile had vanished, and he had answered seriously.
"I've found the one. We just haven't set a date yet."
But then, she chose Julian and they married soon after. After that, the subject of Ryan's own marriage was never mentioned again.
Not long after, he had suddenly moved to Eldoria.
He didn't even come back for the holidays.
"Oh, I was. And what a piece of work she was! A real scumbag. After taking my body and soul, she turned right around and married another man!"
Ryan scoffed. "Want to know her name?"
Evelyn paused for a moment before shaking her head gently. "No."
'She thought she understood what he was getting at.'
'He must have been deeply hurt by love and decided never to marry. But he was afraid he'd have no one to inherit his fortune, so that's why he wants a child! That must be it.'
But—
"Ryan, I was married to your brother, after all. Are you sure you want this child I'm carrying?"
'With his money and status, if he just wanted an heir, shouldn't there be countless women lining up for the chance?'
'Choosing her would only bring Ryan a lot of trouble.'
'For instance, if Julian found out, the relationship between the two brothers...'
"Evelyn Grant, are you trying to back out of our deal?"
The air around Ryan suddenly grew cold. "If anything happens to my child, I'll—"
"Then I'll tell your mother how you broke into my room and begged me to get you pregnant!"