The harsh reality of Augustus’s actions had slammed into Evelyn with such force that it left her utterly shattered. Her mind couldn’t process the level of cruelty she had just witnessed. It was as if all the small pieces of the hope she had carefully pieced together over the past few months had shattered into a thousand fragments.

The night had been so carefully planned—so carefully orchestrated by her, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she could break through his walls. She had expected nothing extravagant, just a simple gesture to show Augustus that they could still have a connection, despite everything that had happened. But instead, she had been met with anger, words that felt like daggers in her heart, and most painfully, abandonment.

The moment Augustus stormed out of the restaurant, Evelyn sat alone in the cold, quiet garden, the sting of his harsh words still echoing in her mind. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t think. She just sat there, waiting for the tears to come, but they didn’t. The shock was too great. She couldn’t even cry.

In that moment, she felt something inside her snap. She had spent so long trying to help him, trying to understand him, but nothing she did seemed to reach him. Nothing could break through the walls Augustus had built around himself. Not love, not compassion, not care. Just anger, pain, and the shadows of a past that would never let him go.

She didn’t want to be alone. She couldn’t bear the thought of returning to the mansion where she had been abandoned by the one person who was supposed to be her partner. So, with a trembling hand, she picked up her phone, her fingers shaky as she dialed the number she knew she could always rely on.

"Hello?" Hazel’s voice crackled through the line, groggy from what was likely a late night.

“It’s me,” Evelyn’s voice was small, almost lost in the vastness of the pain she was feeling. "I need to stay over at your place tonight… please."

Hazel was instantly awake. There was something in Evelyn’s voice—something urgent and broken. "Of course, Evelyn! You know you're always welcome. What happened? Are you okay?"

Evelyn felt a lump rise in her throat. She couldn’t even begin to explain everything that had happened. The words caught in her chest, but she managed to whisper, “I... I don’t know what to do anymore. I just can’t be alone.”

Her best friend didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be there in twenty. Just stay right there, okay?”

Evelyn didn’t answer, not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t know how to explain the devastation she felt. She had thought, in a way, that things between her and Augustus could still be repaired. But this? This was the final blow. She had put her trust in him—put her hope in him—and he had shattered it with one outburst.

After what felt like an eternity, Hazel arrived. She didn’t even ask what happened at first. She just opened the car door and pulled Evelyn into a tight hug, offering the warmth and comfort she desperately needed. The car ride was silent, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. Hazel knew that Evelyn was processing everything, her emotions too raw to be put into words.

When they finally reached Hazel's apartment, Evelyn slumped onto the couch, her body too exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the evening to fight anymore. Hazel handed her a blanket and a cup of tea before sitting down beside her.

“Tell me everything,” Hazel demanded, her tone fierce but gentle, her voice laced with concern.

Evelyn hesitated for a moment. Her eyes drifted to the floor, her hands nervously clutching the blanket. She had never been one to openly share her emotions, always preferring to keep things inside. But tonight, everything came spilling out. The date. The hope she had placed in it. The betrayal. Augustus’s anger. The abandonment. It all poured out in one chaotic mess, her words tumbling over each other.

Hazel listened, her face growing darker with each sentence. When Evelyn finished, there was a long, tense silence. Hazel’s fists were clenched, her jaw set. The anger was palpable.

“I swear to God, I’m going to kill him,” Hazel muttered under her breath, her voice cold with fury. “That son of a bitch had the audacity to do that to you? After everything you've done for him?”

Evelyn felt a bitter chuckle escape her lips, though it was void of humor. “It’s not worth it, Hazel. I’m fine. I just want to forget it ever happened. I’m not even angry at him anymore. Just... disappointed.”

“Disappointed?” Hazel practically spat. “He left you alone, in the middle of nowhere, with no way to get home? After all the shit you’ve done for him, you’re ‘disappointed’? No, Evelyn, that’s not just disappointment. That’s betrayal. That’s disrespect. And he needs to understand that.”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Evelyn said softly, wrapping her arms around herself. “It just hurts so much. I gave him everything, and he—he just doesn’t care.”

Hazel’s face softened. “He will regret it, Evelyn. You deserve so much better. You deserve someone who doesn’t treat you like you’re invisible, like you’re nothing. You deserve someone who sees you.”

Evelyn nodded but didn’t respond. She wasn’t sure if she believed that, but it felt nice to hear. For the first time in weeks, she felt like someone cared—truly cared—about how much this was hurting her.

---

Meanwhile, in the cold, desolate mansion, Augustus was a storm of emotions. The night had started with a small glimmer of hope, an effort to do something right, to fix the broken pieces of his relationship with Evelyn. But now, sitting alone in the dark, surrounded by the oppressive silence of the mansion, he was filled with regret.

The moment he’d stormed out of the date, he hadn’t even considered the consequences. His rage, his unresolved pain, had consumed him. And in the process, he had left Evelyn alone, stranded. He had acted impulsively, pushing her away just as he had pushed everyone else away in his life. He hadn’t even thought to bring her home. It was a careless act, a selfish moment that was now haunting him.

He stood in front of the bathroom mirror, water dripping down his face after a long, cold shower that had done little to quell the fury in his chest. The steam from the water had cleared his mind, but now, all he could think about was how badly he had fucked up.

How could he have been so stupid? Why had he let his anger control him? Why had he left her there alone, without her car, without anything? What kind of man did that?

As the realization hit him like a ton of bricks, his chest tightened. His pulse quickened. He had hurt her. He had abandoned her when she needed him most. And no amount of cold water or self-loathing could undo that.

His thoughts were a whirlwind of guilt and regret. He grabbed his car keys, not even bothering to change out of his suit. His mind was racing with a single thought: he had to find her. He had to make things right.

He rushed out the door, slamming it behind him and speeding down the dark streets in search of Evelyn. His heart was pounding in his chest, each second feeling like a lifetime. He drove to the restaurant, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

The parking lot was empty.

No sign of Evelyn.

Frantically, he called her phone. Again. And again. The call went straight to voicemail each time. He cursed under his breath and gripped the phone tighter, almost throwing it against the dashboard in frustration. Where was she? What had he done?

Without thinking, he drove to Samuel’s apartment. He needed to talk to someone. He needed answers. But more than that, he needed to apologize. And for the first time in months, Augustus realized that there was something in his life he wanted to make right—Evelyn.

He arrived at Samuel’s apartment, knocking frantically on the door. Samuel opened it, his face filled with confusion as he took in the sight of his best friend, disheveled, sweating, and looking like he was about to crack.

“Augustus?” Samuel asked, stepping back to let him in. “What the hell happened? You look like you’re losing your mind.”

Augustus ran a hand through his hair, his voice shaking. “I fucked up, Samuel. I—she’s gone. I left her. I left Evelyn in the middle of nowhere. She was alone, and I didn’t bring her home. I didn’t even think. I didn’t—”

Samuel’s expression softened, but there was also a quiet disappointment in his eyes. He sighed and gestured for Augustus to sit down.

“You really did it this time, didn’t you?” Samuel said quietly. “You’ve pushed everyone away, Augustus. Even her. And now you’re sitting here, panicking, because you finally realized it?”

“I didn’t mean to. I—” Augustus’s voice cracked. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I just... I need to fix this, Samuel. I need to find her.”

Samuel shook his head, disappointment lacing his voice. “You need to fix yourself first, man. You’ve been so lost in your own bitterness that you’ve pushed away the only person who’s tried to care about you.”

Augustus closed his eyes, his hands gripping the edge of the chair as if the words were physically hurting him. He had no defense. Samuel was right.