FATED HEIRS

Suspense

EVELYN'S POV

It was morning before I even realized how much time had passed. By the time I stepped into the living room, Charles and Ella were already seated there.

They were sitting on separate sofas, yet something about their reactions suggested they shared a secret. They looked almost like two people who had been caught doing something they shouldn't have.

I dragged my feet across the floor as I approached them. Charles, however, continued pretending to concentrate on the laptop resting on his lap, sitting upright with an expression of complete indifference.

Ella had her legs curled up on the sofa instead of resting them on the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin on them, her gaze fixed intently on Charles.

“What are you two doing here? Did you even sleep last night?”

I asked dramatically as I sat beside Ella. She immediately straightened her stiffened body, adjusted her rumpled blouse, and forced a smile.

Something about their distance and awkward reactions made me suspect they were hiding something from me, but Charles's expression gave nothing away. He remained focused on his laptop, behaving as casually as ever.

“Mrs. Evelyn, you're awake. How was your night?” Ella asked, turning toward me with a smile that seemed a little too deliberate.

Since nothing about their behavior made sense to me, I decided not to question them further. We continued talking until Marcus finally arrived.

I jumped to my feet and hurried toward him. The strong, unfamiliar scent clinging to his body was the first thing I noticed. It immediately filled my nostrils, and I couldn't help wondering where it had come from.

When I looked at his face, something about him seemed different as well.

Nevertheless, he smiled casually.

“How are you, darling?” he asked, pulling me into a hug.

The unfamiliar scent grew stronger as I held him. For a moment, it was all I could concentrate on, but instead of questioning him, I returned his embrace and followed him into our room.

As soon as we entered, he went straight to the bathroom and took a quick shower. I remained seated on the bed, wondering why he had been acting so strangely.

When he finished dressing, he returned to me with that same practiced smile on his face.

“Let's go home and have breakfast. We've already finished the wedding arrangements with your family,” he said, resting his hands on his waist.

“Where did you go yesterday? You left my family and me waiting for you. Is that how a responsible husband behaves?” My final words came out louder than I had intended.

He raised a hand to his forehead before turning toward me.

“Evelyn.” His expression hardened. “Are you going to start asking me these ridiculous questions again?”

“I told you I had somewhere to go. Am I a child who needs your permission before I can leave the house?” he snapped, his frustration evident in every word.

“Why do you always turn my movements into an argument?” he continued, stepping closer. “I love you. Trust me, you're the only woman I want. There's nobody else.”

For a moment, I believed him. Perhaps I had been wrong to suspect otherwise. Before I could stop myself, a smile spread across my face.

“I trust you, honey. I just want you by my side more often,” I admitted, my voice softening.

He leaned forward and kissed my forehead, as he usually did. He never kissed me directly on the lips, almost as though there were an unspoken rule forbidding it. Still, I accepted the gesture without questioning him.

“Now, are we going home?” he asked. “I want to spend the next few days preparing for our wedding without having to worry about work.”

His words lifted my spirits. At last, my husband would be spending more time with me before our wedding ceremony, which was only a few days away.

“No,” I replied firmly, standing up. “Instead, we need to go shopping for the wedding. Have you forgotten that it's happening in three days?”

He stared ahead for a moment before nodding.

“That's a good idea.”

We got ready and left the building. I instructed Charles to drive us to a jewelry store where we could select a few pieces for the wedding.

When we stepped outside, Charles and Ella declined to accompany us, so Marcus and I entered the shop alone.

The interior was fascinating. Countless pieces of jewelry were displayed in glass cases, their polished surfaces gleaming beneath the lights. As we walked past them, one particular display caught my attention. Inside it was a ring box. I hadn't even seen the ring properly yet, but something told me it would be exactly my taste.

I selected the ring, and when Marcus and I examined it together, I discovered that it was silver with gold accents. It was beautiful, and we eventually agreed on it.

As we moved farther into the store, I spotted a customized necklace with an elegant design. Excitedly, I picked it up and showed it to Marcus. His expression had already become impatient, as though he had no interest in being there any longer.

“Honey.” I turned toward him, holding the necklace out for him to see. “This would look wonderful on you. I'd love to see you wearing it every day.”

“There's no need for that. I don't want it,” he replied sharply.

“The ring is enough. Besides...” He paused, meeting my eyes with an expression that seemed to suggest something more, but he said nothing further.

“But why? Are you rejecting a gift from me?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

Marcus merely glanced at his wristwatch, appearing increasingly uninterested.

“We've been here long enough. Let's finish up and leave. Don't turn this into another argument. I just want us to enjoy some peace together this time, so please don't provoke me,” he said impatiently.

I tightened my grip around the necklace, hurt by his response. However, rather than putting it back, I decided to buy it anyway.

After completing our purchases, we left the store and returned to the car. Charles drove us home, and Marcus immediately headed to our bedroom.

When I entered the room a few minutes later, I found him already lying on the bed. His coat had been tossed onto the sofa, some distance from where he was resting.

I assumed something might be bothering him and started walking toward him, hoping to find out what was wrong. However, a brief glance at the sofa stopped me in my tracks.

A corner of paper was sticking out of his coat pocket. Curiosity immediately took hold of me, and I found myself wondering what he had left inside.

I slowly approached the sofa and pulled out the photograph.

To my utter shock, it was a picture of Marcus kissing another woman on the cheek.

For a moment, I felt as though something inside me had shattered. I struggled to contain the hurt and anger rising in my chest as I stared at the photograph.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips. I examined the image for several seconds, searching the woman's face for something that might help me identify her.

Rather than confront Marcus with the photograph, I slipped it away, deciding to investigate the woman's identity first.

I left him alone in the bedroom and returned to the living room, keeping the photograph and my newly purchased necklace with me.

Charles and Ella were deep in conversation when I arrived. Their exchange seemed so natural and effortless that I couldn't help feeling a little jealous. I had always wanted to share that kind of closeness with my husband, but Marcus never seemed interested in talking to me that way.

Instead of interrupting them, I joined their conversation and tried to put the photograph out of my mind.

“Mrs. Evelyn, my sister Maya will be attending your wedding,” Ella announced brightly, turning toward me.

My throat tightened, making it difficult to swallow.

The name she had just mentioned sent a shock through my entire body.