Chapter 14

Evan looked at me, surprised. We hardly ever speak to each other and mostly just pass each other by, let alone share a meal. He was aware that my family and the Pelhams were intertwined. Evan agreed to have dinner with me after some consideration because it was related to his best friend’s marriage. “Alright. I’m free tonight.” “Great! I know a nice cafe that serves great coffee. It’s quiet and cozy, perfect for chatting. Do you use Instagram? I’ll send you the address.” I eagerly took out my phone and handed it to Evan so that he could type in his Instagram handle. Evan glanced at my phone and gave me a pen and paper instead. “No, just write down the address here.” What the hell? Was he a caveman? I looked at him in disbelief. Then I scribbled Rendezvous’ address on the paper. “Let’s meet at half past eight in the evening. See you later!” I smiled as I set down the pen and walked away. Evan would not be seeing me at Rendezvous at 8:30 p.m. He would just meet Laurel. I was excited because I had always wondered what would happen if Evan met Laurel first. Thus, I decided to disguise myself to witness this historical moment. Henry and Evan truly were best friends. They had similar tastes, even in women. However, I wasn’t sure if Evan fell in love with Laurel at first sight or if he only began liking her after interacting with her in my previous life. I might be disappointed tonight if it was not love at first sight. I put on a wig and changed into baggy black pants. Then I went to Rendezvous around 8:00 p.m. I didn’t go into the cafe. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I spotted Evan in my favorite corner seat. He was dressed simply in a plain white T-shirt, with his hair covering his forehead, making him look a few years younger. He just sat there quietly, drinking coffee and looking aloof. He wasn’t even looking at his phone. Where’s Laurel? I scanned the barista counter for her. I still couldn’t find Laurel after a while. Instead, my strange behavior caught Evan’s attention. When he saw me, he stood up and walked toward me. I wanted to run, but it felt wrong. “Zena, are you blind?” Evan greeted me “endearingly” when he saw me. “You’re a doctor. Shouldn’t you be more polite?” While I questioned him, I removed my wig. To be honest, it was extremely hot and uncomfortable wearing a wig. “You invited me out to dinner, but you didn’t show up and instead snooped around here wearing a wig. What do you mean by this?” Evan asked, frowning. I replied confidently, “Aren’t I here now? I just wanted to make sure you were inside.” Evan didn’t bother to argue with me. He pushed the door open and said commandingly, “Go in.” I reluctantly walked in, wig in hand. I scanned the barista counter carefully as I walked by and didn’t see Laurel. That was when I asked another waitress, “Where’s Laurel?” The waitress replied, “She’s off today!” I was disappointed to hear that because I had been looking forward to Evan meeting Laurel all day. I reluctantly sat across from Evan and habitually ordered a cup of black coffee, which I drank quietly. Evan stared at me. “Didn’t you want to talk to me about your problems with Henry?” I shrugged. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? This cup of coffee is on me.” As soon as I said that, I could feel the cold air emanating from Evan’s body. When he glared at me, his gaze was as sharp as Henry’s. “Are you kidding?” he asked impatiently. “No… I just feel like there’s nothing to say. You, of all people, should know that my love for Henry has been unrequited all these years. He didn’t like me then, and he probably won’t like me in the future, so what’s the point?” I replied angrily. “If you really want to help me, then you should persuade him to divorce me!” Evan looked at me, weighing my sincerity, until I became self-conscious and pretended to sip my drink. Finally, he said, “You should know better than I do that the marriage alliance between you and Henry is not like any other ordinary marriage. So, you two won’t get divorced unless there’s a serious problem. Henry will never agree to it.” I sighed. “You really are his best friend. He said the same thing.” Evan remained silent and sipped his coffee. I didn’t want to stay and chat with him anymore. I didn’t have to waste time with Evan today because Laurel was not at work. We sipped our coffee in silence for three minutes before I got up to get the bill. “I’ll pay.” Evan stood up and stopped me. “Okay.” I didn’t mind since a cup of coffee was nothing to him. While Evan was paying the bill, I quickly left the cafe and drove away. When I turned the corner at the intersection, I saw through the rearview mirror that Evan had just exited the cafe and was looking in the direction I had left. I shook my head and sighed. Evan was always going to be one step behind Henry. I tried to help Evan twice but failed both times. Henry and Laurel must be a match made in heaven, so pushing Evan toward Laurel would be a waste of time. I’d be better off resting at home. It was just 10 days away, so I could wait. As expected, Henry did not return home the following week, so we resumed our status quo of not interacting. I was relieved because it gave me more time to do my own things. When Zachary was discharged from the hospital, I picked him up and invited him and Laurel to lunch. I also practiced the cello rigorously because I had to brush up on the skills that I had lost over the past few years. I gained 1 kg by drinking the herbal remedy three times a day and eating Edith’s delicious cooking. “Zee, what have you been taking lately? You look so much healthier!” When we met, Krystal pinched my cheek and asked. “I’m on a naturopathic regimen, taking herbal remedies to regulate my body and eating more to gain weight. It’s quite effective!” I replied cheerfully. “Ugh, show off!” Yenna shouted indignantly. “We’re all trying to lose weight, but you’re going out of your way to do the exact opposite!” Tessa slapped Yenna on the arm. “You’re not fat. You’re just well-fed and contented!” Yenna’s boyfriend was an excellent cook who fed her well. Yenna flipped her hair smugly. “Are you jealous? This is one of the advantages of dating a regular guy!” Although her boyfriend was from a humble family, he was a decent man. He was handsome, intelligent, and honest, so Yenna’s family had no objections to her dating him. “Yenna, will you bring me along if there’s a suitable performance next time?” I suddenly remembered to bring this up. Staying at home was really boring, so I wanted to develop my career!