A pang of pity stabbed Finnick when he glimpsed Evelyn’s legs, which had shriveled up over time. When he got to the bottom of it, it was undeniable that his mistake had resulted in her paraplegia. He was the reason Evelyn had to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
“Your disability is a punishment for all your wrongdoings. I won’t hound you for what happened that year. From now on, we’re even. I don’t owe you anything, and neither do you, I. I have nothing to do with you starting today.”
Having said his piece, Finnick promptly turned to leave. Now that he had made things clear, he did not want to spend another second with the woman.
“You can’t do this to me! Finnick, you can’t abandon me!” Evelyn screeched. She lunged forward to grab Finnick, but his strides were so wide that he became out of her reach. The sudden momentum caused her to lose her balance, and she toppled out of her wheelchair.
Refusing to give up, Evelyn crawled forward on her arms, her limp legs dragging behind her like dead weight. She clung to the hem of Finnick’s trousers, crying, “Finnick, you can’t treat me this way! I have nothing without you. You’re all I have now. I’m begging you, don’t leave me. You can’t leave me. I lost my legs because of you. You’re the reason I’m in this pathetic state! You can’t just say that you’re done with me. How am I supposed to get through the rest of my life? How will I live…”
Weighed down by Evelyn, Finnick’s footsteps came to a halt. Although sympathy flashed across his face, his conviction stood firm. He could not let such a venomous woman stay by his side.
“Evelyn Morrison, I’ve given you five years of care, separation from Vivian, and my firstborn. These are the punishments I have to bear for my mistakes. You can’t guilt-trip with your disability. I’ve already paid my price. I don’t owe you anything anymore.”
Finnick took a strong step forward and left the office without a backward glance.
Evelyn bawled as Finnick disappear from her line of sight, her pain and heartbreak pouring out in wails.
All my years of hard work, gone in seconds. Indignance rose within her. This is not the end!
Evelyn’s cries penetrated the office walls and invaded Finnick’s ears. Irritated, he pulled out his phone and made a call to Noah.
“Evelyn’s in my office now. Do whatever it takes to make her leave. I don’t want to see her in the office when I return.”
With that, Finnick hung up and strode out of the building.
There was something else that demanded his attention. Mark’s behavior today was far too peculiar. He was not one to come clean about his wrongdoings without prompt, which meant that there was a deadlier secret lurking in the dark, and Finnick had to expose it quickly.
As things were today, he would die before he let anything harm Vivian.
Noah immediately understood the situation after receiving Finnick’s call. Only Evelyn’s heinous actions could spur such intense emotion from Finnick, which meant he had uncovered her secrets.
The juxtaposition of elation and distress caused unease to settle in Noah’s stomach. He was glad that Finnick finally saw through Evelyn’s facade, but at the same time, worry that Finnick knew about his involvement plague Noah.
He didn’t find out, did he? He wouldn’t have instructed me to deal with Evelyn if he did.
Reassured by his own rationale, Noah rushed to Finnick’s office, hoping to get to the bottom of things.
The first thing Noah noticed when he entered the office was Evelyn’s prostrate form on the floor. Her shoulder shook as she wept, overtaken by misery. The scene should have been one that garnered empathy, but satisfaction filled Noah instead.
Women like her deserve to be punished!
Evelyn could sense another presence in the room. She eagerly lifted her head, thinking that Finnick had come back for her. I knew that he isn’t so cold-hearted! I knew he would never abandon me.
The disappointment was a great fall from her high hopes. Dismay turned into fury when she realized that the person before her was Noah. “What are you doing here? Where’s Finnick? Bring him here! I want to see him!” she shrieked.
Disgust brimming in his eyes, Noah coldly relayed Finnick’s message, “Mr. Norton said that he never wants to see you again. I suggest you leave immediately.”
