301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
<i>“</i><i>My </i><i>love</i>… <i>It’s </i><i>better </i><i>if </i><i>you </i><i>don’t </i>know<i>. </i><i>Because </i><i>those </i><i>people </i><i>don’t </i><i>deserve </i><i>to </i>live in <i>your </i><i>mind</i><i>.</i><i>“</i>5
Axel’s words echoed in Evelyn’s head long after the lights were turned off.
Shey on her side, eyes open, staring at the faint outline of the ceiling.
Sleep refused toe, no matter how many
times she inhaled deeply and tried to steady her breathing.
Her heart felt restless, heavy with questions that refused to quiet down.
The room was unusually empty tonight.
Axel was not beside her. He had insisted on sleeping in Oliver’s bedroom after their son fell
10:34
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ill, iming it was just in case Oliver woke up ufortable again.
Evelyn knew better. If Axel were here, he would have noticed her tense breathing, the way her thoughts kept circling, and he would have scolded her gently for not resting.
She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, finally giving up on sleep.
Just then, her cell phone vibrated softly on the bedside table.
The sound cut through the silence, making her heart skip a beat.
She reached for the phone and frowned when she saw Oscar’s name shing on the screen,
followed by two messages.
<i>“I </i><i>know </i><i>it’s </i><i>the </i><i>middle </i><i>of </i>the <i>night </i><i>where </i><i>you </i><i>are</i><i>. </i>Can <i>I </i><i>call </i><i>you</i><i>?</i>”
“There’s something <i>important </i><i>I </i><i>need </i><i>to </i><i>ask </i><i>you </i>
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301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
<i>about</i>.”
Evelyn did not hesitate.
She slipped out of bed, padded quietly across the room, and stood by the window before dialing his
number.
The garden lights below were dim, softened by thete hour, but her mind was anything but
calm.
“Oscar,” she said the moment he answered. “What
is it?”
“Eve,” Oscar replied, sounding unusua” serious, “I wanted to ask you something.”
Her fingers tightened around the phone. She had a feeling she already knew what this was about. “Speak,” she said.
“I’ve found the rat behind the news about Oliver.”
Her heart tightened, “Really?”
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301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
“Yes,” he said, his tone sharpening. “Have you ever heard of the Martinez family?”
Evelyn inhaled sharply.
Of course, she had heard of them.
The Martinez family was well known in the capital, infamous even in certain circles. They owned several high–end entertainment venues, exclusive clubs, and recently, a fast–growing private security agency. Their reach had expanded quickly over the past few years, enough to make them noticeable even among old–money
families.
Although Walters Group had never done business with them, Evelyn had encountered their name more than once during her time in the corporate world.
And then there was <i>Natalie </i><i>Martinez</i>.
The memory of that woman’s cold smile surfaced
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instantly, followed by an ufortable
<i>$</i><i>77 </i>
tightening in Evelyn’s chest. Natalie’s gaze during theirst encounter had not been friendly. If anything, it had been sharp, calcting, and unmistakably hostile.
As a woman, Evelyn understood it all too well.
Natalie Martinez was not just another socialite. She was one of Axel’s die–hard admirers.
“Yes,” Evelyn replied calmly, though her heart was pounding. “I know them. Why do you ask?”
Oscar let out a slow breath. “After tracking the ced the first article uploaded about Oliver, I source. It wasn’t random. It came directly from Miss Natalie Martinez’s secretary.”
For a second, Evelynughed.
It was soft and almost humorless, but it escaped her lips before she could stop it.
Then theughter vanished.
301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
Her eyes narrowed as another thought crashed
into her mind.
How did Natalie know about Oliver?
Very few people were aware of her son’s existence. Their circle was small and carefully guarded. Everyone who knew had earned that trust, either through blood, loyalty, or years of friendship.
“So,” Oscar continued, “what do you think, Eve? Why would that woman attack you through
Oliver?”
sed her
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly and p forehead against the cool ss of the window. When she spoke again, her voice was steady, though something sharp hid beneath it. “It’s obvious.”
“Obvious how?”
“She’s jealous,” Evelyn said quietly. “She had <ol start="6"><li>6. </li></ol>
<
301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
feelings for Axel. Or maybe she still does. To her,
I’m the woman who took everything she wanted.”
Oscar whistled softly on the other end. “That woman is something else. She is another level of shamelessness!”
“Indeed. She has crossed a line,” Evelyn added, her tone hardening. “If she wanted to attack me, fine. But using my son for the sake of hurting me? That’s unforgivable.”
“I’m thinking precisely the same,” Oscar said firmly. “That’s why I’ve already secured screenshots, server logs, and timest <ol><li>DS. </li></ol>
Everything is being archived as we speak. If you want to sue, all you need to do is give me the green light, and I will crush them.”
Evelyn was silent for a moment. Her reflection stared back at her from the ss, eyes dark but resolute.
After a few moments of thought, Evelyn finally
301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
spoke. “Oscar,” she said, “Thank you for being so prepared. But please don’t move yet.”
“Excuse me?”
“Put whatever you’re doing to prepare, continue, but do not strike. Not yet,” she calmly continued. “I want them to keep talking. Let Natalie think she’s winning. The louder they are, the more evidence we collect.”
Oscarughed quietly. “You’re scary when you’re calm, you know that?”
Evelyn smiled faintly. “Well… The truth is, my
But just in husband already said he will handle case, show me all the evidence you have. I will give it to Axel.”
“Alright,” Oscar said. “I will send it to you right away. Let me know if you need anything else.” “Thank you,” she replied softly.
After ending the call, Evelyn remained by the
301 They Don’t Deserve to Live in My Mind
window for a long time.
The anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but it was no longer chaotic. It was controlled, focused, sharpened into something dangerous, to teach Natalie Martinez!
She nced toward the window, imagining Axel in Oliver’s room and hoping they might sleep peacefully now.
“They don’t deserve to live in my mind,” she whispered to herself, echoing Axel’s words.
A gentle smile yed on her lips as relief
d back enveloped her, and she gradually se into bed. She yawned a few times before sleep finally took over.
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.