A Stray Earring

I never expected to run into Evan in such a messy, disheveled state.

Evan was James' senior from school. Back when James started his business from scratch, Evan had helped him a lot. But Evan had another identity. To me, he was my boss.

The first time I met Evan was at my wedding with James. Evan stared at me for a long time before finally blurting out, "James, you're lucky that you get to marry such a beautiful wife."

His words made me blush.

Later, when I was looking for a job locally, the HR department at Rochester Group reached out to me. They told me that I was a good fit for the company and invited me for an interview.

As one of the leading local businesses, Rochester Group was the dream employer for many.

I went in out of curiosity, not expecting to be hired. But Rochester Group hired me, and I joined them the moment I arrived in the city. I had been working there for five years now.

Evan was a good boss. Not only did he take good care of me, but he also helped James a lot.

I wasn't dense. I could feel the intense pursuit in Evan's gaze.

So, I once talked to James about it and even considered quitting the job, but James immediately shut me down. "Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how much help Evan has offered to my company? He hasn't done anything inappropriate to you, has he? Why blow it out of proportion?"

I couldn't come up with a reply to that.

Besides, while Evan treated me well, he always showed me respect and never crossed any boundaries.

I never expected him to see me in such a state.

Evan helped me toward the car and handed me a bottle of water for me to rinse my mouth. He gently patted my back to help me breathe.

"That's it, breathe.

"Don't worry, I'm here.

"Drink some more water."

He comforted me for nearly half an hour before I started to calm down.

My phone rang. James was calling.

Tears streamed down my face again, and Evan looked down at me. His voice was hoarse. "Did you fight with James? Did he bully you?"

I nodded through my tears. All my pent-up frustration suddenly flooded out.

Sally—the one person I thought I could confide in—had betrayed me. I had no family here. Who could I turn to now?

"James… He and Sally… They…"

I cried so hard I could barely speak, but Evan immediately got it. He sighed and gently wiped my tears away.

"It is what it is. No point crying over spilled milk. What do you plan to do?

"I can help you get a lawyer. Get him to sign the divorce papers and place everything under your name, for example, the house, the car, and his company. If divorce is not what you seek… Well, I can help you break his legs."

His words made me look up. We locked eyes.

Evan stared at me. His gaze was unwavering and focused as always.

I was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of reluctance and impulsiveness.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed the collar of his black shirt and pulled him in for a kiss.

Evan froze. He wasn't expecting this at all. I hadn't anticipated that things would play out this way either.

But before I could process what was happening, Evan snapped into action. He leaned in, forcing my head back and kissing me fiercely.

Unlike my tentative kiss, his was aggressive, domineering, and decisive.

I could barely breathe under the intensity of his kiss. I desperately tried to push him away, but I couldn't budge.

It took him what felt like an eternity to finally pull away.

He gazed at me. His eyes were burning with desire and a dangerous passion.

"Mel, do you even know what you're doing?"

I stubbornly met his gaze. "I do."

"You do?"

"Do you understand what's gonna happen next?"

I bit my lip. Tears were streaming down my face.

"They were doing it in the car today… Evan, you have a car too."

His breath hitched, and in an instant, he swept me off my feet and carried me into the car.

Evan's car was a huge and spacious SUV. As he lay me on the backseat and straddled me, he looked down at me. His voice was thick with desire. "Mel, I'll ask for your consent one last time. If you don't stop me now, you won't get the chance to."

James hadn't hung up yet. The loud ringtone blared in the space. It was my and Sally's favorite song.

I didn't answer the call. Instead, I reached up to wrap my arms around Evan's neck and kissed him again.

I thought, "James, this is the price you'll pay for betraying me. I'll get even with you over the pain you've inflicted on me."