Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 54

Hazel scoffed. He had a lot of nerve calling anyone else a bastard.

She was officially done wasting her breath. It didn't matter what evidence she presented; he would always blind himself to the truth just to protect his precious Evelyn.

"You can pretend she's innocent," she said, erasing the smile from her face as she looked dead into his eyes. "But I have every right to pursue this."

Julian's frown deepened. "Who exactly are you going to pursue?"

Hazel just stared at him in silence. The answer was painfully obvious.

Julian sighed heavily. "Honey, Evelyn was dragged into this just like you. It's just a misunderstanding between the two of you. Can you please be reasonable? Blowing this out of proportion won't do anyone any good. I'm just trying to protect you. Stop being so vindictive."

Hazel dug her nails into her palms. She stared at the man standing in front of her, entirely at a loss for words.

She didn't know if this had always been his true nature, if he had changed overnight, or if he had simply spent the last five years putting on the performance of a lifetime.

Was this really the man she had loved for half a decade? The man she had planned to spend the rest of her life with? Looking at him now, she realized just how catastrophically blind she had been.

She spoke with absolute finality, shooting Julian a look of pure ice. "If I have the truth on my side, why should I show any mercy?"

Without waiting for his response, she yanked the door open and marched out without a backward glance.

Left behind in the dim room, Julian stood rooted to the spot, watching her silhouette disappear down the hallway. A sudden, sharp wave of irritation crashed over him.

She rarely ever looked at him like that—like he was nothing more than a stranger. He absolutely despised the feeling.

He stood there for another minute, pushing down his frustration before finally stepping out of the breakroom.

Evelyn was already waiting by the laboratory doors. The moment she spotted him, her eyes lit up, and she hurried over to seamlessly loop her arm through his.

Pressed against his chest, a subtle, victorious smirk curved her lips, though her voice remained heartbreakingly fragile. "But what about Hazel? Maybe it's better if I just move into my own place as soon as it's ready. I don't want to cause any more problems for your marriage."

She fully expected him to say, "Absolutely not, you're staying with me."

Instead, Julian actually paused to think about it before nodding. "You have a point. I'll help you get settled into the new place when the time comes."

Evelyn's smirk vanished instantly. She kept her head down, masking the irritation in her suddenly stiff voice. "Okay."

She was genuinely stunned that he had actually agreed to let her leave.

Julian affectionately patted her head. "Come on, let's get you home."

The two of them walked over to the Maybach. Julian opened the passenger door, and as Evelyn slid into the plush seat, she glanced back at the towering Institute building. She quickly looked away, all traces of her sweet, innocent smile dead and gone.