"If you don't want to let her go, it's okay." Evelyn took a deep breath. "I can understand. I was just asking."
She regretted as soon as the words left her mouth.
The thought of Sheffield's feelings hadn't even crossed her mind when she opened her mouth.
Before she could think more about it, Sheffield sent her a carefree smile. "Now that you've mentioned, I have to agree. If I don't, I'll end up humiliating you."
Evelyn's heart jumped when she heard his flat tone. She knew she had hurt him, but his tone was so emotionless that she couldn't tell what was going on in his mind.
She glanced at him awkwardly. "No, it's not like that..."
"You don't have to explain. If I don't let Dollie off the hook, wouldn't I look like a hostile person?" Sheffield paused for a while, only to give her a faint smile. "After all, she was only a child back then." He despised the phrase "she was just a child" so much that he felt his vomit crawling all the way to his throat. Sheffield hated saying it.
This was when Evelyn was able to sense a touch of irony in his tone, and she panicked. "Sheffield," —she grabbed his big hand in a hurry—"it doesn't matter. I will support you, no matter what." She paused and licked her lips in anticipation. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I just feel bad for Savannah. From now on, I won't do anything to cause you more pain."
His gaze lingered at the intertwined fingers for a long time, and his expressions melted. "Evelyn, you're my love. Of course, I will listen to you." There was a hint of disappointment in his eyes that Evelyn didn't fail to see.
She was the woman he loved the most.
He hadn't doubted the feelings he held in his heart. His eyesight darted in Evelyn's face. Was he the man she loved most?
After all, she had never said she loved him.
Evelyn had already guessed what was going on in his heart, and a flush of guilt flashed on her pale face. She didn't know what to say. Sheffield sighed and pulled her in his embrace without letting go of their intertwined hands.
"Well, I know what to do, but..." He buried his face in her shoulders. "Evelyn, I'm so disappointed in you."
Still, he would not blame her. After all, she was the love of his life.
It was Sheffield who fell in love with her first. The person who had fallen in love with someone first was destined to be humble.
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat when she heard his words. She could still hear his warm breath against her sensitive skin that made her heart beat faster. "Sheffield," —she was anxious enough to tighten her hand that interlaced with his fingers, but she didn't let go of his warm embrace—"I'm sorry. I take my words back."
Sheffield smiled against her skin, and after giving her a gentle squeeze, he took a step back. "It's okay. Get in." His voice was as tender as usual when he let go of her hands only to open the door for her.
Evelyn's hands that had been warm a second ago went colder the moment he let her go. Her breath quickened at that. She felt as if someone had pinched her heart so terribly that she could feel twists and turns of the pain in her chest.
This was the first time that he had taken the initiative to let go of her hands, even though it was for the sake of opening the door. He had never done that in the past, which made her even more anxious.
She lowered her head and entered the car. Only when she heard him shut the door, she raised her head to stare at the retreating figure until he disappeared in the corner of a street.
Evelyn closed her eyes sadly and covered her eyes with her hands. Why did she have to do that? This was the most regretful thing she had done in the past twenty-nine years.
She didn't deserve his love at all.
Sheffield didn't show up in her office again, and it had been three days. Evelyn was uneasy enough to pace most of the time.
She had a feeling that everything had changed from the day she didn't go to the airport. The tension between her and Sheffield gradually increased.
Even though Sheffield was gentle to her, things had been different from before. His subtle moves and stiffness gave himself away in front of her that day. Still, she was reluctant to accept this aspect, but her doubts were confirmed by her anxious heart when he failed to approach her after three days.
Only when she received a text from him, her heart calmed down. The message made her feel embarrassed because of what she was thinking. Of course, she was overthinking. He hadn't forgotten about her yet. Instead, he had been at the research and development center, so busy that he had eaten and slept there for the past few days.
She was replying to Sheffield when another notification popped up showing Savannah's message. "Thank you, Evelyn. The people who have been investigating Dollie withdrew already. Now she is going to school again. Her career as a model is completely ruined, but she can still continue to study. Thank you very much!"
Evelyn stared at the message for a long time.
When ten days passed by without having Sheffield around, even Carlos felt uncomfortable.
It was almost noon. Carlos walked into Evelyn's office, finding her frowning at her computer. "Evelyn, what have you been busy with?"
Evelyn was stunned by his question and paused her work only to gaze at Carlos for a moment, resuming it a second later. She waved the file in her hand before him. "The cooperation with the Theo Group."
"Okay." Carlos nodded and gazed thoughtfully at the document in her hand. "Don't you have to go out today?"
Life seemed to be back to normal and peaceful again, but he felt like something was missing.
Evelyn didn't even give him a second glance. "No, I don't need anything right now."
Sheffield and Evelyn had been to shopping the day before her birthday and got her almost everything she needed. Why would she head out only to get something she already had?
Carlos stayed silent, but he didn't budge, only to stare at Evelyn with narrowed eyes. Evelyn could feel his gaze on her, and when she couldn't handle it anymore, she put the pen in the file and looked up. "Dad, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing." Carlos walked silently only to sit opposite her. At first, he pretended to play on his phone before clearing his throat to gain her attention. "Where's that boy, Sheffield? Has he been pestering you lately?"
"No!" Evelyn frowned and cast her curious gaze at him. "He's been so busy lately that he couldn't find time to see me." She paused for a moment to ponder over the reason why her father had been worrying about Sheffield so much. "Dad, you don't need to keep an eye on him all the time." She could only think that her dad came here to catch Sheffield.
"I don't." Carlos snorted. "What are you thinking about? I'm here to ask you what you want to eat for lunch."
"Well, Dad, you decide. I have canceled the appointment for lunch."
"You don't have any appointments for lunch?" Carlos's ears perked up at that.
Evelyn sighed helplessly and rubbed her forehead. "No. Dad, what do you want to say?"
"Nothing." He shrugged. "I'll have lunch delivered to my office. Remember to have lunch upstairs." Carlos stood up and walked towards the door.
Evelyn swept her gaze at her father's stubborn back. "Okay, I will."
In the Y City First General Hospital
Sheffield was able to catch a breath after two weeks of continuous work. At least he wouldn't have to eat and live in the lab anymore. He leaned on the wall only to flip through his phone when his phone buzzed. The frown was back on his forehead again. It was from the department director of the hospital. "We have got a patient with a complex condition here, and you need to come to the hospital to participate in the afternoon's consultation."
Sheffield heaved a helpless sigh and went home. He took a shower and changed his clothes before hurrying to the hospital.
When he opened the door to the department, everyone greeted him with a bright smile. The nurses saw him again, and their eyes brightened. "Dr. Tang, you're finally here!"
"Long time no see, Dr. Tang!"
Sheffield leaned on the counter. "You really missed me," —he sent a wink at them—"didn't you?"
The nurses stared at the flirtatious face for a long time. A hint of blush appeared on their cheeks. Gosh! He was so good at flirting. "D-Dr. Tang, are you going to stay in the hospital?" a nurse stuttered.
By that time, most of the nurses had already recovered their functioning brain. "Yes, Dr. Tang, if we don't see you, we will have no motivation to come to work!"
Sheffield straightened up and put his hands into the pockets of his white coat. "I'm not sure yet!"
"Dr. Tang," —a younger nurse paused when her eyes shifted to the pen in his pockets—"your pen looks very precious."
The corners of his lips curved up, and he fondled with the pen. "Of course, this was a gift from my beloved woman."
The nurses didn't seem to focus much on the tenderness that his voice held the moment they heard his words. "What? Your beloved woman?" They stared at the doctor in shock. "So, Dr. Tang has a girlfriend?" The young nurse's face turned gloomy after she heard that the man in front of her was in love with someone else.