Chapter 130: Evelyn’s husband
"What are you doing out here alone?" Elena walked closer. "The guests are all inside."
She studied his face carefully. "Are you feeling alright?"
Elias looked away. He lifted the glass and took a small sip before replying casually, "I’m fine. I just wanted some fresh air."
Elena wasn’t convinced. She rested a hand on his shoulder.
"If something is bothering you, you can tell me."
Elias looked into her clear, searching eyes. After several seconds of silence, he finally spoke.
"Why did you stop me?" His voice was calm but unusually quiet. "You know Noah spread those rumors about me. He damaged my reputation. The company suffered losses because of that. He deserved to pay for it."
He paused. "But you stopped me. Why?"
He wanted to ask if she still loved Noah. But the words refused to leave his lips.
Elena immediately understood he was disappointed with her. Her heart tightened. She hadn’t realized her decision had affected him this deeply.
"He has already been punished," she spoke softly. "The truth about Tessa destroyed everything he believed in. He is already paying the price. There was no need to destroy him further."
She gently intertwined her fingers with his. "And my real concern wasn’t Noah. It was Uncle Richard and Aunt Catherine."
She looked at him sincerely. "They worked hard to build Sinclair Group. I didn’t want them to lose everything because of Noah’s mistakes. Besides, they treated me like family. I didn’t want my husband to hurt them."
Her fingers tightened around his hand.
"I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just couldn’t bear to see them suffer."
Elias quietly listened. The knot in his chest slowly loosened.
It had never been about Noah. It had been about Richard and Catherine.
Relief washed over him. A genuine smile finally appeared on his face.
"You made the right decision." He gently squeezed her hand. "I won’t touch Sinclair Group as long as Noah stays away from my wife."
~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, at the hospital...
Elena stayed by Evelyn’s side as the ophthalmologist completed a thorough examination of her eyes.
After reviewing the test results, the doctor removed his glasses and looked at Evelyn gravely.
"You should undergo the surgery as soon as possible," he said in a solemn tone. "The longer you delay, the lower your chances of recovery."
Evelyn pressed her lips together, unable to answer immediately. She still remembered what another doctor had told her before.
Regaining her eyesight wouldn’t be easy. Even the surgery couldn’t guarantee it.
"Will I regain my eyesight after the surgery?" she asked cautiously.
The doctor glanced at the scans once more.
"The accident damaged your optic nerves. At this stage, the chances of recovery are about fifty-fifty." He looked at her. "That’s exactly why you shouldn’t postpone the procedure."
Silence filled the room.
Evelyn clasped her hands so tightly that they hurt. Her thoughts were in complete disarray.
She wanted to see again. She wanted to watch her son grow up, to see his smile, his first achievements, and every milestone in his life. But she was terrified.
What if the surgery failed? What if she remained blind for the rest of her life?
The thought alone made her chest tighten.
Noticing the fear in her face, Elena reached over and gently held her hand.
The warm touch pulled Evelyn back from her thoughts.
"You should have the surgery," Elena said softly.
Evelyn forced a faint smile, but it disappeared almost instantly.
"I’m scared," she admitted in a trembling voice. "What if something goes wrong?"
Tears shimmered in her eyes.
Elena squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don’t think that way. I believe you’ll be fine."
"It’s not a high-risk surgery," the doctor added. "And with timely treatment, you still have a fifty percent chance of recovering your vision."
"Evelyn," Elena said gently, "don’t overthink it. Delaying won’t improve your chances. Say yes."
Evelyn lowered her head in thought. After several long moments, she finally let out a quiet sigh.
"Alright." She nodded. "I’ll have the surgery."
A smile spread across Elena’s face.
"That’s the right decision." The doctor checked his schedule. "We can perform the operation two days from now. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait another week."
"Two days later is fine."
"Very well."
He wrote down several medications on a prescription pad before tearing off the sheet and sliding it across the desk.
"Take these medicines until the surgery. I’ll see you in two days."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Elena picked up the prescription and tucked it into her handbag. She helped Evelyn out of the consultation room.
"Evelyn, I need to collect your medicine from the pharmacy. Wait here for me."
She guided her to one of the chairs lining the hallway. "Sit here."
Evelyn obeyed with a nod. "Okay. Go ahead."
"I’ll be back soon," Elena smiled. "And don’t wander off."
Evelyn laughed softly. "I’m not a child. Don’t worry. I won’t get lost."
Elena chuckled before walking away.
The smile gradually faded from Evelyn’s face once she was alone.
’Will I ever be able to see again?’
She unconsciously tightened her grip on her clutch.
"Evelyn?" A deep male voice sounded above her. "What are you doing here?"
Her body stiffened. She recognized that voice instantly.
It belonged to her ex-husband, Ian Whitmore.
She lowered her head, unwilling to face him.
Ian let out a dry chuckle. "So... you heard I started working here and came looking for me?"
Evelyn slowly shook her head. "No. I didn’t even know you worked here."
She kept her voice calm. "I came for a checkup."
Ian’s jaw tightened. He had expected her to smile at him the way she always used to, to eagerly seek his attention, and to throw herself at him without thinking whether anyone was watching them or not. Instead, she wouldn’t even look at him.
Her indifference unsettled him.
"You expect me to believe that?" he scoffed. "You’ll come up with any excuse just to get close to me."
His eyes hardened. "But don’t forget, you were the one who asked for the divorce."
He folded his arms across his chest. "What is it? Regretting it now?"