hapter 42 

“Evangeline, are you leaving already?” 

Hearing Poppy’s voice, Evangeline turned around. 

With the Fawkes family gone, Poppy dropped her mask. She approached like a general basking in victory, pride and satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. 

Evangeline detected the hostility and challenge in Poppy’s gaze. She’d expected to feel just as antagonistic in return. 

But, surprisingly, she didn’t. All she felt was relief. 

Honestly, the tension between them had always been about Soren. Now that she and Soren were getting divorced, there was no reason for her and Poppy to be at each other’s throats. 

Evangeline nodded. “Yes, I’m heading out.” 

Poppy smiled slyly. “It’s not because I’m here, is it?” 

The bluntness caught Evangeline off guard. She hesitated, then shook her head. “No, I-” 

“It’s fine if it is,” Poppy cut her off briskly. “I might have been living abroad, but I’ve heard all about you and Soren. He never liked you, and he was never happy in your marriage.” 

“He’s complained about you to me plenty of times. So, me being with Soren now isn’t about stealing him from you. I’m just restoring things to the way they should 

be.” 

She stopped beside Evangeline, lips curving into a smug smile. 

The truth was, Soren rarely even mentioned Evangeline when he was with Poppy. The few times she’d tried to probe, he’d shrugged it off lazily, changing the subject 

in a heartbeat. 

Poppy had no idea what Soren truly thought of Evangeline. She’d heard plenty of complaints from Flora, though. As Soren’s sister, Flora had plenty to say, and Poppy guessed Soren probably felt the same way. 

Evangeline stayed silent, offering no protest. 

Seeing this, Poppy’s confidence swelled. Her voice grew mocking. “So, Evangeline, take my advice–leave Soren sooner rather than later. Spare yourself the 

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embarrassment. No need to give everyone in Serenity City more gossip to laugh. 

about.” 

“But hey, just a friendly suggestion. If you insist on clinging to him, that’s your choice.” 

“After all, by now you must be used to being Serenity City’s favorite joke.” 

She finished with a hand over her mouth, laughing cruelly. 

Evangeline looked at her, momentarily stunned–not by the transformation, but by something she’d realized listening to Poppy’s tirade. Poppy didn’t know she and Soren were already planning to divorce. 

Soren hadn’t told her? 

Evangeline had assumed that, the night they signed the papers, Soren would have rushed to tell Poppy. Or maybe he was waiting until the divorce was finalized, wanting to surprise her. 

Then it dawned on her: Poppy’s birthday was coming up in a month. It wasn’t something Evangeline had gone out of her way to remember. It was just that the passcode to the house–and Soren had set nearly every door in the place to Poppy’s birthdate–made it impossible to forget. 

She didn’t know what Soren was thinking, but she didn’t bother explaining. She simply nodded, her tone calm and steady. “I’ll leave.” 

Her answer was direct, her gaze unwavering, not a hint of resentment, 

This seemed to throw Poppy off. 

Evangeline noticed the surprise in her eyes but didn’t explain further. She was about to walk away when Poppy’s expression shifted, a flash of triumph and provocation 

in her eyes. 

Suddenly, Poppy grabbed Evangeline’s hand and shoved it against her own shoulder. 

It happened so fast. 

By the time Evangeline realized what was going on, Poppy was stumbling to the floor, eyes rimmed red, looking as if she’d just been wronged. 

In that instant, Evangeline understood exactly what she was up to. 

Chapter 43