Fake Revenge Marriage

Chapter 5

No POV

Evelyn looked down at the cup of water right in front of her before lifting her eyes to Alias.

"So..." she began fidgeting . "How exactly did I end up here and why did you bring me to you ?"

Alias leaned back in his chair, his fingers locked as if thinking of what to say at that point.

"I found you."

Her brows turned .

"Found me?" She asked in confusion

"You were unconscious."

She looked at him, trying to remember what happened before she collapsed .

"I don't remember passing out."

"You probably wouldn't." His voice remained unbothered . "You had been walking for a long time ."

Images flashed through her mind as she remembered the deserted streets and also the restaurant where she had charged her phone.

The small meal she could barely afford.

The endless walking.

The tears and then the text too

Everything after that became a blur.

"I remember leaving the restaurant..." she whispered. "After that... nothing."

Alias nodded.

"My driver and I were returning from a business meeting. Traffic had slowed because people had gathered around someone lying on the roadside."

Her eyes widened.

"That was me?"

"It was."

A wave of embarrassment washed over Evelyn.

"Were there...a lot of people?"

"There were definitely. It was close of work."

She lowered her head in shame and embarrassment .

"They were recording me, weren't they?"

Alias didn't answer immediately.

"They were."

Her heart sank.

She could already imagine another headline.

"Disgraced fiancée found unconscious on the streets."

She swallowed with difficulty .

"I asked them to move."

"You did?"

"They refused."

His expression darkened.

"They were more interested in filming than helping."

"So you helped me?"

"You had a temperature increase ."

"You mean a fever ?"

"The doctor said your body was exhausted. You hadn't eaten properly, you were dehydrated and also malnourished , and you had pushed yourself far beyond your limit."

Evelyn looked away afraid to look into his eyes.

She hadn't realized just how badly she'd neglected herself.

"I couldn't leave you there."

His words were simple.

No sympathy.

No pity.

Just honesty.

"So... you got me here?"

"Yes."

"Why not a hospital?"

"You would've become tomorrow's headline before sunrise."

She knew he was correct.

Reporters would've surrounded the hospital within minutes.

"I had my family doctor come here instead."

She sat quietly, absorbing everything.

"You've been asleep for almost eighteen hours."

"Eighteen?"

"You kept drifting in and out of consciousness."

She frowned.

"Did I... say anything?"

Alias hesitated.

"You called your mother."

A lump formed in Evelyn's throat.

"I did?"

"You kept apologizing."

Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

"I don't even remember."

Alias looked away, pretending not to notice the tears threatening to fall.

"You also kept asking someone not to leave you."

Lucas.

The realization hit her like a blow to the chest.

She covered her face with both hands.

"I must sound pathetic."

"No."

"I begged in my sleep."

"You were scared.”

Silence filled the room.

For several moments neither of them spoke.

Finally Evelyn looked up.

"I don't know how to thank you."

"You don't have to."

"I do."

She smiled sadly.

"You saved my life."

Alias met her gaze.

"If I had arrived five minutes later anything would have happened”

He stopped himself.

"What?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing."

"No... tell me."

"You would've been hit."

Her breathing caught.

"A truck lost control just minutes after we carried you into the car."

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"I..."

"You were lucky."

No.

Alias knew it wasn't luck.

He had been searching for her all night after hearing the news of her disappearance.

But that was a truth he wasn't ready to tell.

Not yet.

Instead, he stood.

"You should get some rest."

As he walked toward the door, Evelyn called after him.

"Alias?"

He paused without turning around.

"Thank you... for choosing to stop."

For the first time in years, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Without another word, he left the room, leaving Evelyn with more questions than answers.

After leaving the dining room, Evelyn walked through the mansion with no place in mind.

The silence was almost disturbing

Unlike her home, where laughter from the staff, ringing phones, and business discussions filled every corner, this house was almost too quiet. Every footstep echoed through the marble hallway.

She wrapped her arms around herself as she continued walking.

She stopped in front of a large window overlooking a beautiful garden. Rows of colorful flowers danced gently in the morning breeze. A small fountain stood in the center, its water flowing peacefully.

For a brief moment, she smiled.

It reminded her of home.

Not the mansion her father owned...

But the afternoons she spent gardening with her mother.

Her mother had always loved flowers. Every Saturday morning, she would drag Evelyn outside to help water the roses.

"One day, when you have your own family," her mother would say, "plant flowers. A home without flowers feels lonely."

A small laugh escaped Evelyn before it quickly disappeared.

"My family..."

The words caught in her throat.

Did she even have one anymore?

Her father had disowned her.

Lucas had betrayed her.

May...

She couldn't even bear to think about May.

Her chest tightened.

Slowly, she pulled out her phone.

The battery had finally charged.

Hundreds of missed calls.

Thousands of notifications.

Her fingers trembled as she opened social media.

The first picture almost stole the air from her lungs.

Lucas.

Smiling.

Holding May's hand.

Another photo showed them kissing.

Another headline read:

"Business Tycoon Lucas Grand Announces Engagement to Longtime Love, May Suni."

Longtime love.

Evelyn laughed bitterly.

"So I was never the love of his life like he always said”

Her eyes scanned through the comments.

"She deserved it."

"Maybe she wasn't good enough."

"Lucas upgraded."

"Imagine being dumped on your engagement day."

"What a disgrace."

She quickly locked her phone.

Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.

"What did I ever do wrong?"

Her voice cracked.

She slowly slid down the wall until she was sitting on the cold floor.

Everything she had worked for...

Gone.

She remembered staying awake until two in the morning helping Lucas prepare business presentations.

She remembered using her savings to keep his first company alive when investors abandoned him.

She remembered cancelling business trips just because he said he missed her.

She remembered defending May whenever people spoke badly about her.

She had loved them both with everything she had.

Yet they had destroyed her together.

Tears streamed freely down her cheeks.

She didn't bother wiping them away.

She hugged her knees tightly against her chest.

"I wasn't perfect”

She whispered into the empty hallway.

"But I loved you."

The silence answered her.

Minutes passed.

Maybe an hour.

She had no idea.

Her stomach growled softly, reminding her that life hadn't stopped simply because her world had.

She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her oversized shirt.

"No” She whispered.

"I'm not dying because of them."

She slowly stood to her feet.

Her legs were weak, but she forced herself to keep standing.

"They took my heart” She inhaled shakily.

"But they won't take my life."

For the first time since everything happened, Evelyn made herself a promise.

She didn't know how.

She didn't know when.

But one day...

She would rebuild everything they had taken from her.

Not for revenge.

Not to prove them wrong.

But to prove to herself that losing everything wasn't the end of her story.

With one last glance at the garden outside, she squared her shoulders and walked back into the mansion.

She was still broken.

But somewhere beneath all that pain...

A small spark of determination had begun to grow.

Evelyn stood by the balcony, watching the fountain in the middle of the garden. The water flowed peacefully, almost mocking the storm inside her heart.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she said quietly.

Mrs. Bubbly entered with a smile, carrying a tray with tea and slices of cake.

"I thought you might need something sweet."

Evelyn managed a faint smile."Thank you."

Mrs. Bubbly placed the tray on the coffee table before taking a seat opposite her.

"You know," she began, "I've worked in this house for fifteen years and Alais is a son to me ."

Evelyn looked up.

"Alais rarely brings people here."

"Oh."

"In fact" Mrs. Bubbly chuckled. "You're the very first young lady to ever stay in this mansion."

Evelyn frowned."Really?"

Mrs. Bubbly nodded.

"He doesn't like people invading his space."

"Then why did he bring me here?"

The older woman hesitated.

"I suppose you'll have to ask him yourself."

Silence settled between them.

After a while, Mrs. Bubbly spoke again.

"If I may ask"

Evelyn nodded.

"what happened to you?"

The question reopened wounds Evelyn had tried to suppress.

She looked down at the untouched tea.

"My fiancé." she whispered. "left me."

Mrs. Bubbly's smile disappeared.

"My best friend betrayed me."

Her voice cracked.

"My father threw me out."

She laughed bitterly.

"I lost my company."

"I lost my home."

"I lost everyone."

Mrs. Bubbly's eyes softened.

Without saying a word, she moved closer and gently wrapped Evelyn in a warm hug.

For the first time since waking up...

Evelyn cried.

Not because she wanted pity.

Not because she hoped someone would fix everything.

She cried because she had been trying to stay strong for too long.

Mrs. Bubbly gently rubbed her back.

"It's alright, my dear."

"It doesn't feel alright."

"I know."

"I'm tired."

"I know."

"I don't even know where to start anymore."

Mrs. Bubbly smiled kindly.

"Sometimes God closes one door because He's preparing another."

Evelyn wiped her tears.

"I hope so."

"You'll be alright."

"I don't think I will."

"You will."

Mrs. Bubbly squeezed her hand reassuringly before standing.

"I'll leave you to rest."

As she reached the door, she paused.

"Oh... Master Alias asked me to tell you not to worry about anything tonight."

Evelyn frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Mrs. Bubbly simply smiled.

"I don't know."

She quietly left the room.

Alais POV

Alias stood inside his office, staring out the massive glass windows overlooking the estate.

The rain had begun to fall.

Drops slid slowly down the glass, blurring the city lights in the distance.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in."

Dan walked inside carrying a thick brown envelope.

"It's ready."

Alias turned around.

His gaze fell on the envelope before slowly taking it.

He opened it carefully.

Inside were several neatly arranged documents.

At the very top...

MARRIAGE AGREEMENT

Dan folded his arms.

"Once she signs this”

Alias didn't answer.

"there's no turning back."

Still silence.

Dan sighed.

"I've known you long enough to know this isn't just business."

Alias finally looked up.

"I've spent years watching her give everything she had to people who never deserved her."

"And now?"

"Now."

He closed the file.

"it's my turn to protect her."

Dan shook his head.

"You know she might hate you for this."

Alias gave a small, unreadable smile.

"I'd rather have her hate me than watch her destroy herself."

Dan nodded slowly before walking toward the door.

Just before leaving, he turned back.

"When are you going to tell her?"

Alias looked down at the marriage contract resting on his desk.

His fingers brushed against the signature page.

"Tomorrow."

The office fell silent.

Outside

Unknown to both men

A shadow stood just beyond the slightly opened office door.

Evelyn.

She hadn't meant to eavesdrop.

She had only come looking for Mrs. Bubbly.

But one word had stopped her in her tracks.

Marriage.

Her breathing caught.

Marriage?

Who was getting married?

And why did she suddenly feel that whatever was inside that brown envelope

had something to do with her?