Chapter 2
She took out her phone and called the lawyer from earlier.
“Philip, the divorce agreement has been signed. When can I get the divorce certificate?”
Philip sounded surprised but kept it professional. “The process will take about a month.”
With that settled, Evelyn handed everything over to him. After hanging up, she set a 30–day countdown on her phone.
That night, Martin stayed in the study.
The next day, when Evelyn walked out of her room, she saw him in a suit, ready to leave.
When he saw her, his movement paused for a moment, then he returned to normal.
“I have some business today, so I won’t go with you to the prenatal check–up. Can you go by yourself? I’ll bring you your favorite strawberry cake when I return.”
Prenatal check–up?
Evelyn sneered inwardly. The child was gone; what was there to check?
But she just nodded, saying nothing.
He didn’t leave right away, though. Instead, he pointed to his cheek.
She pretended not to understand, standing still. When she didn’t move, he finally spoke.
“Goodbye kiss. Forgot already?”
It was a tradition they’d started during their honeymoon phase. Every time he left, she’d kiss him goodbye.
But at that moment, she just shook her head. “Aren’t you in a hurry? Go ahead.”
“You’re getting less clingy as you grow up,” Martin chuckled, but didn’t insist on the goodbye kiss. He just walked out the door.
Not long after he was gone, Evelyn changed and headed out–not to the hospital, but to a lecture by Steve Lloyd.
She’d heard he’d just returned to the country and was speaking at the university today.
By the time she arrived, the lecture was wrapping up. Crowds streamed out of the auditorium, their chatter filling the air.
“Mr. Steve is amazing, right? So young and already won the Nobel Prize, his research results are incredible!”
“Totally worth coming today.”
Evelyn moved against the flow, slipping into the auditorium.
14.13
47.4%
Cleared for Departure: So Is My Love
12:12 Sat, 17 May
A few stragglers lingered, clustered around the man of the hour–Steve.
She watched for a moment, but the crowd showed no signs of thinning. Just as she turned to leave, a voice called out.
“Evelyn!”
She turned to see Steve pushing through the crowd, a wide grin on his face.
“Long time no see.”
She smiled back. “Steve. It’s been a while.”
They exchanged pleasantries, and then, hesitating, Evelyn got to the point.
“Steve, I want to join your research institute. Is that possible?”
His eyes lit up. “Of course!”
“Evelyn, you were the department’s prodigy back then. But your family thought it was too hard, so they didn’t let you pursue research. If you hadn’t left back then, that spot would have been yours, and the Nobel Prize would have been yours too.”
He paused, a hint of concern in his voice. “But the institute’s overseas. Will your family be okay with that?”
Evelyn smiled faintly. “Back then, my parents thought girls shouldn’t work too hard, so they married me off to a ‘reliable‘ man. But now… I’m getting a divorce. It’s time I live the life I want.”
Steve’s expression shifted, a mix of surprise and excitement. “When can you leave?”
“A month from now.”
He grinned. “I’ll be waiting.”
“Evelyn!”
Just as they were talking, a familiar voice called out from behind her. She turned, and her heart sank.
It was him.
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