254 The Suspect
254 The Suspect
Eventually, tes emptied, and the group prepared to leave.
A second SUV arrived to pick up Jimmy, Ryan, and Lisa. They washed their dishes, packed their things, and gathered by the door.
“Madam, Sir Oliver,” Jimmy said respectfully, bowing a little. “We’ll head back. If you need anything, call me. I’ll drive here fast.”
“Okay. Drive back safely,” Evelyn said.
“Jimmy,” Oliver added, “Don’t forget to go to bed early tonight. Tomorrow we ride.”
Jimmy nodded solemnly, even as heughed inwardly. “I won’t forget young master… I’ll prepare myself mentally, too.”
Ryan ruffled Oliver’s hair before stepping outside. “Young master, this is a very nice cabin. Please try not to burn it down.”
“We won’t!” Oliver grinned. “Unless an army of bears suddenly appears and attacks us.” Lisaughed. “There are no bears in these woods.”
“That’s what Mommy says, too,” Oliver whispered dramatically, as if revealing a government secret.
With final waves and cheerful goodbyes, the SUV slowly drove away from the cabin, disappearing into the forest road.
The cabin fell into peaceful stillness.
Just Evelyn and her son.
Oliver settled on the soft rug in the living room near the wooden stove, surrounded by his toys and little wooden animals. He hummed happily, asionally roaring his
wooden toy.
Evelyn smiled when she saw him begin to y with his wooden army. Then, she sank onto the couch and pulled out her phone. She nned to check work emails.
Several urgent things had piled up since morning in her inbox, but the moment she unlocked the phone screen, she froze.
The headline shing across her cell phone screen stole Evelyn’s breath.
254 The Suspect
<i>“</i><i>A </i><i>new </i><i>chapter </i><i>in </i><i>the </i><i>Walters </i><i>case </i><i>reveals </i><i>suspect </i>LS <i>tried </i><i>to </i>kidnap and nned <i>to </i>murder <i>William </i><i>Walters</i>‘ <i>daughter</i>.”
Evelyn blinked twice, stunned. Her brain needed a moment to catch up.
‘Axel… already released this? So fast?’
She had assumed he’d do it tomorrow, maybe even wait two days.
But seeing it sshed across every news site,plete with bold letters and dramatic captions, made her heart thump.
Evelyn tapped the article.
The report wasid out clearly…
The police had received an officialint from the Walters family, including evidence of the kidnapping attempt and the murder n. The suspect, LS, had been arrested. Photos showed Lana–hair a mess, eyes wide and frozen in a mix of shock and fright–as officers escorted her into the police station.
‘Wah, he really did it…‘
A smile emerged on her lips.
Evelyn continued reading the article: The Walters family requested a speedy investigation to ensure the suspect received appropriate punishment.
Once again, she was surprised.
Walters‘ family?
Her eyes narrowed.
‘Gosh, Axel… did he call Alice about this?‘
She checked her notifications, but nothing from Alicia.
If her stepmother had been called, she would have already sent twenty messages, three voice notes, and probably a long, dramatic rant about how she needed time to breathe.
Evelyn frowned.
‘Wait. He didn’t call my dad,
fight?<i>” </i>
254 The Suspect
The thoughtsted half a second.
‘No way. Axel would never contact my dad without telling me…
Her frown softened into a tiny smile.
“Then who did he mean by family…?‘ she murmured, but she already knew the answer. He meant himself or me.
Her chest warmed. She let the smile linger for a few seconds before scrolling back to the photo of Lana getting shoved into the police station.
A slow, satisfied grin spread across Evelyn’s face.
Seeing Lana handcuffed, scowling, surrounded by reporters–the same woman who tried to destroy her life, Alicia’s life, and Ste’s life–it filled Evelyn with a quiet, deep relief.
Evelyn’s smile widened. This was what she had been waiting for..
‘I should congratte my hubby…‘
Her mood instantly lifted. She closed the article and opened her messages with Axel.
Her thumbs hovered as she tried to keep herself from sounding too excited.
Then she typed:
<i>“</i>Axel, <i>I </i>just read the news online<i>. </i>Thank <i>you</i>, Hubby<i>!</i><i>” </i>
Her cheeks warmed. She reread it. Twice, before finally hitting send.
The message felt… sweet. Domestic. Almost like a newlywed teasing her husband.
She let out a slow breath, looking at Lana’s face once more. And mutters silently, “Serves you right…Bicth!”
However, she nearly dropped her phone when Oliver looked up and asked, “Mommy… what’s bitch?”
‘Oh God. Oh no. Did I seriously say that out loud?‘
Evelyn screamed inside her head while forcing every muscle in her face to carve a calm smile.
“Sweetheart, that’s… not a word you can say.”
“But Mommy said it.”
<
254 The Suspect
“No. No. Mommy absolutely did not say that… you heard wrong” she corrected him with pure confidence, even though guilt stabbed her right in the conscience.
“Oh. Okay…” he chirped, thoroughly convinced, and went back to ying with his toy.
Evelyn released a shaky sigh of relief, right as her phone lit up again.
It was Axel’s text:
<i>“</i><i>For </i><i>my </i><i>wife’s </i><i>happiness</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>will </i><i>do </i><i>anything</i>.”
A smile appeared on her lips, and her heart fluttered.
‘Geez…‘ She stared suspiciously at the words. ‘Why is this man suddenly more romantic than usual? And why has he been weird since morning?‘
She remembered at breakfast… his protectiveness, his careful tone, staring at her as if she might disappear.
the way
he kept
The thought of Axel’s possessiveness made herugh. Then she paused.
‘Pregnant? Was I really pregnant? My period is definitelyte… But No. Impossible. I wasn’t feeling sick. No cravings. No dizziness. No-‘
Her thoughts scattered when her phone suddenly vibrated again.
Another message from Axel appeared.
<i>“</i><i>Eve</i><i>, </i><i>tomorrow </i><i>morning</i><i>, </i><i>we </i>are going <i>to </i>the hospital.”
Evelyn froze.
Her smile vanished, reced by confusion.
Her eyes widened, and she re–read the line slowly.
‘Hospital?‘
Her heartbeat picked up. A hundred questions flew through her head.
‘Why? Is he sick? Did something happen? Why tomorrow? Why not now? Did he get injured and hide it from me? Did something happen at his office?’
Her pulse refused to calm.
And the more she thought, the worse it got.
‘No, no, Evelyn, calm down. He just texted that he will go to the hospital tomorrow.
<
254 The Suspect
Maybe he wanted to visit someone. Right!?‘
Her brain refused to listen to reason.
What if he had found a health issue in his checkupst month? What if he scheduled tests? What if—
Her stomach twisted.
Comment 0
L
Leave the firstment for this chapter.
Vote
Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.