Evelyn Strikes Back!

CHAPTER 01 Evelyn's POV “Evelyn?” Logan is standing frozen at the door, staring at me like he’s seen a ghost. “How come you are back?” He voices out again, surprise marring his features. I’m taken aback by that ridiculous question from him. I don’t even know how exactly to feel. Hurt by the fact that I just returned from abroad after five whole years expecting to meet my husband waiting for me at the mansion but he was nowhere to be found when I came? Or the fact that he just walked in now and he’s so super shocked to see me like we didn’t talk about my return last night on the phone? Heck, he was so super happy when I told him I’m finally done with my practice as a surgeon in New York and I’ll be returning home today. According to him, he couldn’t wait to see me and I have fantasized about meeting a grand welcome party thrown by Logan on my behalf because I know how romantic he can be. But the reverse was the case the minute I walked into the mansion to meet an empty home. Even my daughter who I had expected would run right into my arms isn’t even in sight. “How come I’m back?” I ask Logan in utter astonishment, scoffing as I gulp down the glass of water in my hands. “Yeah, I didn’t expect you would be…” He starts with a confused laughter but then makes a sudden pause. The next minute his face lights up like something clicked in his memory. “Oh s**t! You told me you were coming today. Damn! How could I have forgotten that honey?” Forgot? For the entire seven years I’ve known Logan, he had always been swamped with work, being a top-tier fashion designer. But not once has that ever come in the way of our union. During the whole years I spent in New York, no day passed without Logan calling or texting. I never once felt distance from Logan and my daughter. He had always prioritized me over his work. So today of all days that I finally return, is when he chooses to get so busy? Doesn’t make sense. “I’m so.. happy you are finally here. How was your trip?” A radiant smile is splitting across Logan’s face and if it’s before now, I would be reeled by it but not when he forgot I would be back today!!! “My trip wasn’t bad.” I gave a dull response and asked for my daughter. “Where is Olivia?” Logan looks taken aback by that normal question. I notice his face strain. His eyes flicker with something, his entire mood changing and before I can say another word, he’s quick to ask. “Have you eaten anything?” He beams with an obvious fake smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “I haven’t. But where’s our daughter? She isn’t anywhere in the house.” I ask again, my eyes roving around and when it lands back on Logan, he’s averting his gaze. My heart throbs once. I know at once that something is wrong. I open my mouth to speak but Logan beats me to it. “You just came back from a long trip Evelyn. You should be resting while I make dinner for you. Yeah?” And then I sit back to eat without knowing where our daughter is? “Where is our daughter, Logan? Where’s Olivia.” My words come out harsher than intended. Logan’s face hardens with shock at my outburst. His lips parts open like he’s going to say something but he slams back shut. Panic hits me and I begin to lash out. “Logan, where’s our daughter? What are you trying to…” “She's sick.” He cuts me off and These words hit me like a thunder slap. Sick? He turns to me boldly this time. “She’s currently in a critical condition. But trust me, I’m just returning from the hospital right now and she’s responding well to treatment.” Nothing Logan says makes sense to me. Only one thing swirls in my head. CRITICAL CONDITION. My daughter is in a critical condition. How is that even possible? We spoke on video call yesterday and she was just fine. I ask Logan to take me to the hospital but he doesn’t move a muscle. Instead, he tells me to calm down and relax first. But how the heck do I relax when a child I haven’t seen for five years is sick? I don’t even know what sickness she has and I should just relax? Refusing to listen to Logan, he’s left with no choice but to take me to the hospital. To my surprise, The hospital Olivia is admitted to is the Calvary Health Center where the worst cases are being handled. The discovery alone makes my pulse rate increase at a maddening speed. And what knocks the life out of me is when we walk into the Doctor on our way to her ward. Logan has barely just asked him about our daughter’s recovery and his response is something I hadn’t prepared for. Something I will never prepare for. “I’m really sorry Mr. Logan, we lost her.” The world freezes around me. My heart stops, my lungs failing. My blood is running fast cold. The Doctor's lip is moving but I’m unable to make sense of what he’s saying until he strikes me with another shock. “She gave up the ghost yesterday. I tried calling to inform you but you didn’t answer the phone.” The doctor directed at Logan, making one thing clear. Logan had lied about being in the hospital today? He hasn’t come to see Olivia today as he claimed. I don’t know why Logan lied but it gives me a sick feeling. Different emotions rush me as the doctor left us. Shock. Disappointment. Pain. Hurt. It’s hard to believe the cold news of my daughter’s death until seconds later when Logan led me to her ward. Staring at the lifeless body of my baby in my hands, all I feel is intense pain. How the hell did we get here? It feels like yesterday when I was carrying Olivia in my arms as a baby. She was so full of life. I had fantasized about how I’m going to make up for the years I couldn’t watch her grow and now I’m right here carrying her dead body. Why has life decided to be so mean?! “What happened?” I ask in between tears, finally finding my voice. My eyes don’t leave Olivia for a moment. Logan doesn’t respond however until I have to snap my gaze at him and repeat the question. His eyes flicker with something I can’t place then says, “Cancer. She was diagnosed with cancer.” “Cancer?! Then how come I didn’t know about it?” To say I'm shocked is an understatement. Even though I was away, I kept in touch with Logan and Olivia. Yet I never knew she had cancer? “I couldn’t tell you Evelyn because I didn’t want you to get unnecessarily worried when I was handling it just fine.” Unnecessarily worried? Rage from nowhere pulses through my veins. “Logan, Olivia, is my daughter. How could you keep something like that away from me?” “What would you have done if I had told you?” He continued and scoffed. “Leave your schooling, a dream you had worked so hard for, and fly back to the country?!” His eyes move in all directions but me. “She is my daughter, Logan. I don’t care what would have happened. I would have done anything for her. Even though it meant quitting my dream career!” I bark with wobbling lips but I regret the effect of my words on Logan. Logan’s gaze hardened. “Are you saying I am the one who couldn't save her? That you would have done better?” Pain is evident in Logan’s tone of voice even though he’s trying to sound firm. And I can’t help the feeling of guilt that courses through me. I suddenly feel so horrible. For five whole years, Logan had been the one taking care of our daughter. He had watched her grow so if I am feeling this much pain from losing her, I can barely imagine the hell it is for Logan. Indirectly blaming him for not being able to save our daughter is the least he needs right now. “I am sorry. Logan. I just…” I trail off. All over again the pain hits me like a volcano and I burst into tears. Logan is quick to take me into his warm arms. He lets me cry on his shoulders while he pats my back gently. Later, Logan had to plead with me to leave the hospital before I could detach myself from Olivia. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to sleep… Die with her. But Logan didn’t allow that. He wanted me to rest my head. While the nurses tended to Olivia’s corpse, Logan guided me out of the ward. Out of the hospital. Throughout our drive home, we say nothing to each other. All I do is stare outside the window, Olivia’s loss clouding my head till we arrive home. Stepping into the mansion meets me with another shock of my life. A familiar face is sitting comfortably on our couch. And Not even the death of Olivia strikes me like the shock of meeting her here. Samantha… my Long dead sister! “Logan, You left your phone at my place…” she is saying when her eyes settle on me. Her entire feature morphs into surprise like she’s just seen a ghost. “Evelyn? You are back?”