Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 21

Before the man even entered, his booming voice echoed through the hallway, loud enough to make the entire Capital Research Institute tremble.

Hazel Garrison looked up at the man storming through the door. In an instant, she recognized his face—it was the same man she had seen in Julian Hayes’s office the other day. Evelyn Vance’s soon-to-be ex-husband.

His face was flushed red, and his eyes were completely bloodshot, making him look like he had been on a days-long drinking bender. He stumbled inside, but as if guided by radar, his gaze immediately locked onto Evelyn standing by her computer. His expression twisted into a vicious snarl.

"You shameless bitch!"

He lunged forward, grabbing Evelyn’s wrist with such brutal force that she nearly toppled over.

"We aren't even divorced yet and you're already screwing around! You've been sleeping with everyone, you whore! Get your ass back home right now!"

Evelyn’s face drained of color as she fought desperately to break free. "Let go of me! We're already divorced!"

"Divorced?"

The man sneered, tightening his iron grip. "The court hasn't even ruled yet, and you have the nerve to claim we're divorced? Keep dreaming! What did I tell you before we got married? There is no divorce for us—only death! I'm telling you, even as a ghost, I'll haunt you. Did you think you could just kick me to the curb because you found yourself a richer sugar daddy?"

Evelyn’s wrist was bruised red from his grip, and tears of pain welled up in her eyes. Despite her terror, she stubbornly raised her chin, her voice echoing clearly enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"I'm divorcing you because you abused me. It has nothing to do with anyone else! I am capable and independent. Why should I be trapped in a miserable marriage with you?"

Standing off to the side, Hazel suddenly felt a flicker of solidarity toward her.

Even though her own relationship with Julian was a messy, unresolved nightmare, being trapped in an abusive marriage wasn't Evelyn's fault. No woman deserved to be treated like this.

But the man wasn't listening. Her defiance only fueled his rage. "Bullshit!"

He grabbed Evelyn by the collar and started dragging her toward the door. "Capable? If I hadn't thrown money at you, what kind of research institute could you have possibly gotten into? You want to climb the social ladder and then dump me? Dream on!"

Evelyn stumbled as she was dragged toward the exit, fighting with everything she had, but she was no match for his brute strength.

A complex wave of emotion washed over Hazel. She knew exactly what awaited Evelyn if this man dragged her out of here.

A severe beating.

Or much worse.

As a fellow woman, regardless of her personal disdain for Evelyn, they were allies in this moment.

She couldn't just stand by and watch her be dragged away to endure more domestic violence.

"Stop right there!" Dr. Queenie Finch's sharp voice suddenly cut through the chaos.

She had already dialed her phone and was glaring coldly at the man, hoping to intimidate him into backing down.

After all, this was her research institute. Having a brawl break out here would be a scandal. "I've already called the cops. Let her go, immediately."

The man shot her a dark glare and scoffed. "The cops? Let them come! This is a domestic dispute. The police have no right to interfere!"

Queenie was momentarily speechless at his sheer audacity, her face pale with fury.

But he wasn't wrong. When it came to domestic abuse, the police often only offered mediation. Unless Evelyn pressed charges and took it to court herself, there was little anyone could do.

Evelyn’s wrist was completely raw, and her struggles were growing weaker by the second. She cast a desperate, panicked look around the room before her eyes landed on Hazel.

"Hazel!"

She screamed, her voice breaking with absolute desperation. "Hazel, please help me!"

Hazel furrowed her brows.

Panic spiked in Hazel's chest, but before she could regain her footing, Queenie's furious scream tore through the room.

"Evelyn! What the hell are you doing?!"

Before Hazel could even turn her head, the man's fist was flying straight at her face.

*Smash!*

The heavy punch landed squarely on her cheek. Hazel was knocked backward, her vision exploding into black spots as a deafening ringing filled her ears.

Amidst the chaotic shouting, her blurry gaze instinctively shifted toward the entrance.

A figure came sprinting through the doors.

She blinked hard to clear her vision. It was Julian.

He was wearing his gray overcoat, looking breathless and frantic, clearly having rushed over at top speed.

Looking at him, a tiny, foolish spark of hope flared in Hazel's chest.

She was right here. He was going to save her, right?

But in the very next second, Julian’s gaze swept over her battered face, lingered for a fraction of a heartbeat, and then he sprinted right past her.

Hazel’s heart shattered into a million jagged pieces.

Evelyn was crouched on the floor, trembling violently.

"Evelyn!" Julian dropped to his knees and pulled her tightly into his arms, his voice laced with raw agony. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"