After prison I changed

chapter 3

I woke up early the next morning and headed straight to the law firm.

The documents were ready for collection. I picked them up, checked that everything was in order, and returned home. I had already signed my portion. All that remained was Devonte's signature.

I found him upstairs in his study.

Josephine was sitting beside him, and together, they looked like the perfect couple.

Devonte glanced up when I entered and immediately stood to hug me.

"You're awake already?"

Josephine adjusted the oversized shirt she was wearing, making sure I noticed it. Devonte's shirt.

I looked her up and down. Her hair was a mess, and the shirt was barely buttoned, exposing more of her chest than necessary.

"I'm sorry, sister. I didn't have anything else to wear, so Devonte offered me his shirt."

Her voice trembled.

What a good actress.

"Are you angry with me?" Devonte asked, frowning. "Because I brought Josephine back?"

"No."

I held out the documents.

Instead of taking them, he grabbed my wrist. His eyes immediately fell on my bare finger.

"Where's your ring?" His brows furrowed. "You never take it off."

I pulled my hand from his grasp.

"I threw it away. It was ugly anyway."

And it was. Josephine had picked out the ring, and Devonte had bought it for me.

"Evelyn!" he barked.

"But I was the one who chose that ring," Josephine chimed in, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.

"Enough of this nonsense. These documents need your signature."

I shoved the papers toward him again.

"What's this?" Devonte asked, looking at the cover without opening the file.

"Nothing important. They just need your signature."

He glanced at the documents, apparently assuming they concerned the estate.

His expression softened.

He stepped closer and stroked my cheek as though I were some troublesome pet he could pacify with a little affection.

"The island in Rain Valley. You've always liked that place, haven't you?"

His hand moved to my shoulder.

"Would ten million be enough to buy it for you?"

I stared at him.

Of course.

He thought I wanted money. He thought I was simply an insecure wife throwing a tantrum because another woman was in her husband's arms.

In Devonte's eyes, I was a problem that could be solved with a generous cheque.

"Can you just sign the papers?"

Without reading the document, he reached for a pen.

Just as he was about to sign, Josephine stopped him.

"Wait, Devonte. You should read through them first."

He raised an eyebrow at her before flipping open the file.

Naturally, he listened to her.

Josephine had always known how to make him dance to her tune.

"Ma'am, Mr. Hartman is here to see you," Peter, the butler, announced from the doorway.

"My father?"

Before I could react, Josephine sprang to her feet.

"Father is here!"

She rushed out of the study before either of us could follow.

Devonte closed the file.

"I'll attend to this later. Let's go and see your father."

He took my hand, and we walked downstairs together.

In the living room, Richard Hartman sat stiffly on the sofa, his expression as cold as ever.

My mother, Matilda, stood beside him. Something complicated flickered in her eyes when she saw me, but she quickly looked away.

Josephine was already hovering around our father like an obedient little puppy.

Then Richard's gaze landed on me.

His face darkened.

The familiar glare told me everything I needed to know.

I had disappointed him again.

Two years.

It had been two whole years since I had seen my parents, and I had foolishly imagined that perhaps they might have missed me.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

"Mr. Hartman," Devonte greeted him politely.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Father. Mother."

My voice cracked on the second word.

Richard didn't even acknowledge my greeting.

"You haven't learned a single thing in prison!" he thundered. "You should be thrown right back in there!"

I froze.

What?

"What has Josephine ever done to deserve the way you treat her?"

"Father, I don't understand."

"Josephine called you last night and begged you to come and get her, but you ignored her calls! It was only after she contacted Devonte that someone bothered to help her. After everything she's done for you, how could you be so evil and heartless?"

His voice filled the room.

For a moment, I could only stare at him.

The accusation was so absurd that I almost laughed.

"Father, please," Josephine interrupted, clutching Richard's arm. "I'm sure Evelyn had her reasons for not answering. I don't want you to fight because of me."

Her voice was soft and trembling, perfectly suited to the innocent victim she loved pretending to be.

I looked at her.

She wouldn't even meet my eyes.

"She never called me last night."

Devonte turned toward me.

"Are you sure, Evelyn?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

"I'm asking you a question."

"I was with my phone all night! I didn't receive a single damn call from her!"

Anger burned through me. I was tired of this. Tired of Josephine's lies, tired of everyone believing her without question, and tired of being treated like the villain in a story she had written herself.

"Enough!" Richard roared.

I flinched despite myself.

"Will you ever learn, Evelyn?"

He gestured toward the two men standing near the entrance.

"Carry out the family punishment."

My blood ran cold.

"What?"

Devonte whipped his head toward Richard.

"Mr. Hartman, please. Can we just talk about this?"

"She needs to learn her lesson," Richard replied coldly.

Then he looked at the two men.

"Make sure she can't stand after you're done whipping her."

For a second, nobody moved.

Then the men stepped toward me.

"No."

Devonte immediately moved in front of me, blocking their path.

"Evelyn, just apologize, and this will be over."

Apologize?

For what?

For a call I had never received? For a lie Josephine had invented? For daring to defend myself against my own family?

I stared at the man standing in front of me.

The man who had once promised to protect me.

Even now, he wasn't asking his father-in-law to stop. He was simply asking me to bow my head, accept another humiliation, and make everyone else's lives easier.

Something inside me finally snapped.

I pushed past him and faced Richard.

"I didn't ignore Josephine's calls."

My voice shook, but I didn't lower my head.

"And if you have the guts to punish me for something I didn't do, then go ahead. Kill me."

Devonte stared at me, his face frozen in shock.