Mount Sinai Hospital

"Where's Evelyn?"

Liam woke up to find Evelyn gone and asked Jason urgently.

Jason frowned and sighed,

"She was waiting outside the room before you woke up, but she left after making sure you were alright."

Jason then explained everything to Liam, including Evelyn's attempt to kill him and how he had secretly replaced the poison with sugar.

He also explained that Liam's vomiting blood was not due to poisoning but because his emotional upheaval had caused his stomach ulcer to rupture, leading to acute bleeding.

Liam lay on the hospital bed, feeling as if his world was crumbling before his eyes.

He could hardly believe what he was hearing. His breathing became rapid, and his eyes filled with confusion and sorrow.

"Evelyn... you really wanted to kill me?"

His voice was almost a whisper, but it was filled with endless pain.

Jason looked at Liam, his heart aching. He knew how much Liam loved Evelyn, and the wonderful times they had shared seemed like only yesterday. But fate had other plans.

Liam stared blankly at the ceiling.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and hurriedly called Michael.

"Michael, I need you to help me check something..."

On the other end of the line, Michael could clearly sense Liam's urgency. "Liam, what happened? You sound off."

Liam took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Michael, I need you to check the specifics of Evelyn's father's company's bankruptcy and all decisions related to our company during that time. I need to find out what really happened."

"Jason, I need you to keep an eye on Evelyn and make sure she doesn't do anything extreme."

"Evelyn has moved out. It might be difficult to keep a 24-hour watch on her..."

"She moved out? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I just found out. She left with only her clothes and left behind all the jewelry you gave her."

Liam told Jason, "Leave me alone for a while."

After Jason left, Liam called Evelyn, but he found he had been blocked.

It was clear that unless he could prove he had nothing to do with Evelyn's father's death, there was no way to repair his relationship with Evelyn. He would lose her forever.

Evelyn felt surrounded by "helpful people":

When she was crying in the park, someone would come to comfort her and even offer to take her home. When she found herself without her wallet at the supermarket checkout, someone would immediately step in to pay for her. Even when she didn't realize her wallet had been stolen, it was returned to her.

Evelyn knew she was being "protected," or rather, monitored by Liam.

She hated this feeling of being watched, feeling her freedom was completely stripped away.

Every time she thought of Liam, anger and helplessness surged within her. She had once loved him deeply, believing they could face all challenges together.

But now, she felt trapped in an invisible net, unable to break free.

She hated this feeling!

She hated Liam!

And she hated herself for not being able to kill him!

But what could she do?

Would leaving the city free her from Liam's control?

As a billionaire, finding someone was easy.

She felt unprecedented helplessness and despair.

Just then, Evelyn's phone rang. Thinking it was another number Liam was using to call her, she was about to hang up but saw that the screen showed no number.

Instead, it turned black with blood-red letters: 13D.

On a whim, Evelyn answered the call.

Her expression shifted from initial wariness to surprise, and finally to calm. "I'll be there."

Despite not being fully recovered, Liam insisted on leaving the hospital. He urgently needed to find evidence to win Evelyn back. But so far, everything he found was unfavorable to him. He needed more information about what happened back then.

A voice inside him hinted: He might lose Evelyn.

He had to borrow someone else's phone to send Evelyn a message:

This is Liam. In three days, I'll show you the evidence proving my innocence. You promised you'd celebrate my birthday with me. You'll be there, right?

If he had evidence, why wait three days to show it?

Both Liam and Evelyn knew it was a delaying tactic.

"I'll be there."

To everyone's surprise, Evelyn agreed.

She told herself it would be the last time she saw Liam, a way to end their relationship.

Three days later.

"Do you think Evelyn won't come?" Jason checked his watch.

"She will. Evelyn keeps her promises," Liam said firmly.

"She's here! She's here!" Jason exclaimed excitedly.

Evelyn stepped out of the car calmly, like an old friend offering Liam birthday wishes.

"Happy birthday, Liam."

They exchanged looks, silently agreeing not to mention the evidence or ask any questions.

Liam had made special preparations for this day. Besides Evelyn, he hadn't invited anyone. The entire house was decorated simply and warmly, filled with elements they both used to love. The room was adorned with photos of them together, each capturing their cherished moments.

"I'm sorry, I didn't prepare a gift for you," Evelyn said softly.

"It's okay. I have a surprise for you."

At that moment, a whistle sounded, and an adorable golden retriever puppy came running over. The puppy joyfully circled Evelyn, wagging its tail and licking her hand with its wet tongue. Its big, curious, and trusting eyes began to melt the coldness in Evelyn's heart.

She crouched down, gently stroking the puppy's soft fur, feeling its warm body. The puppy rubbed against her hand excitedly, clearly fond of her.

"This is your surprise, a golden retriever," Liam said gently. "I remember you always wanted a dog like this. We had planned to adopt one together, but so much has happened since then."

"What's its name?"

Liam smiled, "You get to decide the name."

Evelyn looked down at the innocent puppy and softly said, "Let's call it Sunny, because it's as warm as the sun."

"Evelyn, can we play the piano together one more time?" Liam asked.

A familiar melody started playing, the same piece Evelyn had played the first time she came here.

"Did you know that I never really liked this piece? I've been lying to you all along. My favorite book isn't 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' it's 'Wuthering Heights.' Everything I've shown you, my understanding of art, my views on music, even my work style, all the things you thought we had in common, were meticulously crafted by me over three years to match your preferences.

From the start, my goal was revenge. But getting hired at TechNova through conventional means and working my way up to a position where I could access the information I needed would have taken about ten years, so I took a different path and applied to be your assistant. Liam, your love has been a lie from the beginning. The person you fell in love with is just a façade."

"No, I fell in love with a person's soul. I love her strength, her optimism, her selflessness, her humor, her kindness. I love her character and her qualities. None of that has anything to do with her favorite book or whether she can play the piano. And the person I love also loves me."

Liam's speech was persuasive, and Evelyn felt defeated once again. She forced herself not to waver.

"It's time for me to leave. Liam, forget about me."

"I hope this is the last time we meet."

Evelyn turned to leave as she finished speaking.

Liam's smile vanished, his eyes filled with confusion and unease. "Evelyn, what do you mean by that?"

Liam stood there, her words echoing in his mind. He felt a deep unease, as if something important was slipping away from him.

"Evelyn, wait!" Liam shouted, but she had already driven off. He quickly jumped into his car, started it, and followed.

Liam pressed the gas pedal hard, the speed increasing as he kept his eyes on the red taillights ahead.

Evelyn wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, took a deep breath, and sped up.

The traffic light ahead turned red, but Evelyn didn't slow down and drove straight through.

Liam gritted his teeth and followed closely. "Evelyn, stop! This is dangerous! We need to talk!" Liam shouted, but his voice was lost in the wind, the outside silent.

Evelyn didn't seem to hear him and kept speeding ahead.

As the speed increased, Evelyn's vision blurred, and her heart raced.

She kept telling herself it would all be over soon, that she'd soon forget all the pain and love. But deep down, she felt a twinge of regret and sadness.

Suddenly, a truck appeared at the intersection ahead. Evelyn's car was too fast to stop in time.

She swerved to avoid it, but the car went out of control and crashed into the roadside barrier.

Liam slammed on the brakes, but his car still collided with the side of Evelyn's. His head hit the steering wheel, blacking out for a moment, but he quickly regained consciousness.

Liam struggled to undo his seatbelt, the pain in his head making it hard to think. He staggered out of the car and ran towards Evelyn's. Her car's front was badly damaged, glass shattered, and the engine was smoking.

"Evelyn!" Liam shouted with all his might, his voice filled with despair and fear. He forcefully opened the car door, seeing Evelyn slumped in her seat, eyes closed, her face marked with cuts.

"Evelyn, wake up!" Liam's voice trembled as he carefully lifted her, feeling her faint breath. She was alive, but in bad shape.

Liam glanced at the smoking hood, his heart tightening, knowing the car could explode any moment. He had to get her out quickly.

"Please, hold on. I won't let anything happen to you," Liam murmured, his hands trembling.

He painstakingly pulled Evelyn from the car, her body fragile in his arms. Just as he pulled her out, the car exploded with a loud bang, flames engulfing it instantly.

The explosion's force made Liam's heart race. He shielded Evelyn's head, using his body to protect her from flying debris and sparks.

"Evelyn, don't be afraid. I'm here," Liam's voice shook, tears silently falling.

His heart filled with regret and guilt. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't chased you, this wouldn't have happened. I wish I were the one unconscious."

Paramedics arrived quickly, placing Evelyn on a stretcher and into the ambulance.

Liam was also checked, his head heavily bandaged from the injury, and his back burned by debris and flames. His clothes were torn, skin charred, blood seeping through. But he paid no mind to his injuries, his eyes fixed on Evelyn, concerned only for her safety.

He recalled their happy times, every smile, every hug, now like knives, piercing his heart deeply.