In a car, Matteo Gallagher kisses Evelyn Walsh until she's breathless and entranced. She's been stripped, but he's still fully clothed. The stark contrast makes her blush.

Matteo wraps an arm around Evelyn's waist and pulls her close. He chuckles and whispers, "The soundproof divider is up, so the driver can't hear you. He wouldn't dare listen in, anyway. Why are you so shy?"

She watches as he intensifies his ministrations on her and throws her arms around him. Love fills her eyes, and she's about to reach her climax.

Just then, a phone rings, interrupting them.

Evelyn Walsh was completely lost in Matteo Gallagher's kiss inside the car.

Her clothes had been stripped away while he remained impeccably dressed. The stark contrast between them made her flush with embarrassment.

Matteo wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer as he whispered with a low chuckle, "The partition is up. The driver can't hear anything, and he wouldn't dare to, anyway. What are you so shy about, hmm?"

Evelyn's heart swelled with affection as she watched the usually reserved man's movement grow rougher. Just as waves of pleasure surged through her, sending her to the edge, an unexpected ringtone shattered the moment.

Being interrupted like this made Matteo frown in irritation, but when he saw the caller ID, he still answered.

Through her ragged breaths, Evelyn caught sight of the name on the screen. It was his closest friend, Alex Hall.

"Matteo, have you lost your—"

Matteo's expression darkened as he cut him off in perfect Haranese. "It's inconvenient now. Speak in Haranese."

There was a deep inhale on the other end before Alex finally responded in Haranese, "Did you really get legally married to Rebecca? What are you thinking? Years ago, you went blind saving her, and she repaid you by leaving you at your lowest and running off with another man.

"She nearly ruined you! And now you're getting back together with her?"

Evelyn's mind instantly translated the unfamiliar words.

As she processed them, an unbearable chill spread through her body, making her feel like she had fallen into an ice-cold abyss.

Matteo didn't notice her reaction. "If I don't marry her, the Pittman family will force her to wed some old man. I can't stand by and let that happen to her."

"Then what about Evelyn? She was the one by your side when you were blind. She's been with you for years, loving you so much that she might as well have handed you her heart. All of us have seen it!"

Alex's barely concealed fury was evident in his tone, but Matteo remained indifferent. "I'll find a way to keep it from her. She'll never know."

"How long do you think you can hide it? Forever? Isn't Evelyn expecting you to marry her?"

The more Alex spoke, the more irritated Matteo became. His voice turned sharper. "Keep this marriage a secret. Don't tell anyone. I'll prepare a fake marriage certificate for Eve in a while."

With that, he ended the call without giving Alex a chance to say more.

Lowering his gaze, Matteo tossed the phone aside and resumed his activity on Evelyn's body.

Evelyn trembled uncontrollably. When their passion finally peaked, and they began dressing, she parted her lips to speak.

However, before she could, his phone buzzed again.

It was a distinct notification sound.

Matteo picked up his phone, glanced at the screen, and then instructed the driver to stop.

"Eve, something urgent came up at the company. I need you to get out and take a cab home, okay?"

She didn't say a word. She only nodded silently and opened the car door.

The sleek black Maybach sped off like a bolt of lightning.

Standing on the sidewalk, Evelyn stared blankly at the busy street. Unable to hold back anymore, tears poured down her face.

No one knew that she had already learned Haranese long ago, just to bridge the gap between her and Matteo.

So, she understood every single word he and Alex had exchanged. Each sentence echoed in her ears like a sharp dagger piercing her heart.

Along with the shattering of her love, long-buried memories came rushing back.

Matteo was born into wealth and power while she was the maid's daughter.

That year, she had followed her mother into the Gallaghers' grand mansion for the first time and saw him playing the piano in the sunlight.

She had never heard such beautiful music before or seen such a breathtakingly handsome boy.

With just one glance, Matteo's name became permanently etched in her heart.

She never told anyone about the person she secretly loved, and it wasn't just because of the impossible gap between their social statuses but also because she knew Matteo already had someone he loved.

Her name was Rebecca Pittman. She was his childhood sweetheart.

He had never hidden his feelings for her, treating her like the most precious treasure, keeping her close to his heart.

At 17, he even lost his sight in a car accident while saving Rebecca.

But from that day on, Rebecca disappeared. She never set foot in the Gallagher estate again, choosing instead to date someone else.

The Gallaghers had other heirs, and Matteo's parents were too busy with their business empire to care for their newly blind son.

He was sent to the old estate and left to fend for himself.

It was Evelyn who volunteered to transfer there, tending to him day and night for seven years.

At 23, she even knelt outside a renowned doctor's house for three days and nights, begging him to come out of retirement and cure Matteo's blindness.

When Matteo regained his sight, he soared back to the top, reclaiming his position as the heir to the Gallagher Group.

She was the only one by his side through every season. She was the one who stayed up with him through endless nights. She was the one who endured those difficult seven years with him.

She was the one he kissed, the one he held, the one he slept with.

However, she never expected that once he regained control, the first thing he would do was marry Rebecca, the woman who had abandoned him!

For years, she worked tirelessly to keep up with his pace, to become worthy of standing by his side.

Yet, no matter how much she changed, his parents still thought she wasn't good enough for their son. They had tried to pay her off multiple times to make her leave.

Matteo always fought against his family for her. Wanting to stay by his side, she never once considered leaving.

That was all until today.

Evelyn didn't want to stay anymore.

So, she wiped her tears, took out her phone, and dialed a number.

"Mrs. Gallagher, I'll take the five million dollars. I'll leave Matteo forever."

On the other end of the line, Caroline Olsen was instantly thrilled to hear those words.

"You've finally come to your senses? Good. It's about time. You're just a maid's daughter. How could you ever be worthy of marrying my son, the heir to the Gallagher family? Where are you now? Get over here immediately so we can sign the contract."

Evelyn glanced at the address Caroline sent in a rush and let out a self-mocking smile before hailing a cab.

When she arrived at the café, Caroline bombarded her with questions.

Evelyn answered each one calmly. Satisfied, Caroline pulled out an agreement and slid it across the table.

"We'll put this in black and white. Once you sign, there's no turning back. After you sign, I'll immediately wire half of the money into your account. You'll get the other half the day you leave.

"But you have to promise that once you take the money, you'll never, ever appear in front of Matteo again. Do you understand?"

Evelyn trembled slightly as she stared at the staggering amount written on the document.

She had no intention of ever showing up in his life again.

Not in this lifetime. Not in the next.

So, without hesitation, she picked up the pen and signed her name in one swift motion.

Only then did Caroline finally relax. She put away the contract and stood up, giving a final reminder. "I'm giving you two weeks. You can change your name, leave the country, or do whatever you want. Just make sure Matteo never sees you again."

"I understand, Mrs. Gallagher. You don't have to worry."

After watching Caroline leave, Evelyn headed home.

Ensuring Matteo never saw her again would be simple.

The Gallagher family had a long history of political and military ties, and because of their unique background, three generations of the family had been barred from leaving the country.

If she immigrated, he would never be able to find her.

She spent half the night researching immigration options before finally deciding on moving to Algaria.

Once her decision was made, Evelyn picked up her phone to check the time, only to see a new social media notification.

She clicked on it.

Rebecca had just posted a photo collage.

The first three images were of her holding a bouquet of roses, the center ones displayed three marriage certificates, and the last set showed two interlocked hands, fingers tightly intertwined.

Evelyn knew that if Matteo wanted to keep his marriage a secret, he would never have allowed Rebecca to post these.

But she had.

And she had made sure that only Evelyn could see it. It was a deliberate taunt.

Evelyn played along and liked the post.

As soon as she exited the app, she received a message from Matteo.

"Eve, I have to go on a business trip. I won't be home for the next few days."

She replied with a simple "Okay," put down her phone, and went to freshen up.

The next morning, Evelyn got up early to start her immigration paperwork.

Since she was in a hurry, she paid for expedited processing.

The immigration officer assured her that everything would be finalized within two weeks, and she finally let out a breath of relief.

As she got into the car, another post from Rebecca popped up on her feed.

This time, Matteo was partially in the frame.

The two of them were holding hands, touring what appeared to be their new home.

The caption confirmed it. They had just settled on a house in Southborough Heights.

Evelyn liked the post, just as she had done before.

On the third day, she went to the office and officially resigned.

When she returned home with her belongings, she checked social media again.

Rebecca had posted yet another update. This time, she was wearing a wedding dress, a massive diamond ring glinting on her finger.

Like clockwork, Evelyn tapped the heart icon and then buried herself under the blankets.

By the fourth day, she woke up to yet another post.

This time, it was a close-up of a framed wedding photo hanging inside their new home.

Evelyn stared at it for a long moment before finally snapping out of it.

She liked the post again, then got dressed and went out for a farewell dinner with her closest friends.

That evening, she returned home with several suitcases and began clearing out everything related to Matteo.

She threw away every gift he had given her, their matching toothbrushes and mugs, and the countless photos they had taken together.

By the time she was done, it was already past midnight.

She was just about to turn off the lights when Matteo unexpectedly returned.

The moment he stepped inside and saw how empty the place was, he froze, frowning deeply.

"Why does it feel like half the stuff is missing?"

"I didn't like them anymore, so I threw them out. I'll buy new things later."

Matteo nodded and tossed his jacket onto the couch. As he did, his eyes landed on the suitcases.

"You quit your job?"

His gaze then shifted to the document resting on the coffee table.

"Why do you have your residence registry out?"

"I'm exhausted. I just needed a break, so I resigned. And as for the residence registry, I have some paperwork to take care of," Evelyn answered casually as she put her things away.

Seeing how calm she was, Matteo didn't overthink it. He pulled her into his arms, his voice gentle.

"I've been busy these past few days and haven't had time for you. Your birthday is coming up soon. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the auction and let you pick out a gift."

Evelyn didn't refuse.

The next day, as soon as they took their seats in the auction hall, Evelyn spotted Rebecca.

She sauntered over confidently and took the seat right next to Matteo.

All night, Matteo kept his head turned toward Evelyn, speaking only to her.

Not once did he glance at Rebecca.

When the event ended, he didn't linger. He took Evelyn's hand and led her straight out of the building.

Before heading home, Evelyn stopped by the restroom.

As she exited, she saw Rebecca trapped in the stairwell, surrounded by a group of leering men.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Pittman. You ditched Matteo when he needed you the most and now look at you. Maybe it is karma."

"I heard your father is marrying you off to some old fossil on his deathbed. But hey, you've still got a pretty face. Why not come with us instead? We'd be happy to—"

Before the man could finish his sentence, he was cut off.

Matteo appeared at the top of the stairs, his face dark with fury.

The next second, he kicked the guy straight to the ground.

Matteo pinned the group's leader to the ground and landed punch after punch, showing no mercy until they were all bloodied and begging for forgiveness.

"We're sorry, Mr. Gallagher! We messed up! Please, have mercy and let us go!"

"Get lost! If I ever catch you near her again, you'll regret it!" he barked, his fury sending them scrambling away, practically tripping over themselves.

A crowd had gathered in the stairwell, watching the scene unfold.

Ignoring the prying eyes, Matteo helped Rebecca to her feet. "Are you hurt?"

Rebecca threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down her face like a damsel in distress. "I twisted my ankle. It hurts so bad."

Matteo's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms, pushing through the crowd as he strode away.

In his haste to shield Rebecca, he accidentally shoved Evelyn aside.

Her head slammed against the hard stair, and a gash opened up, blood trickling down, shocking the onlookers.

"You're bleeding! Someone call 911!"

Pain shot through Evelyn's body, cold sweat breaking out across her skin.

The warm blood seeped between her fingers, dripping onto her lashes, feeling unbearably heavy.

She watched Matteo leave without so much as a backward glance, and bitterness filled her mouth.

She thought back to when she used to cut her fingers while making soup for him. He would fuss over her endlessly, insisting on calling a doctor, afraid that she would have a scar.

She used to laugh at how dramatic he was, but he would always kiss her hand softly and say, "Eve, you're the one I cherish the most. If you get hurt, it hurts me even more. Our life is better now. You don't need to do these things anymore. Your hands should be wearing the ring I give you, not covered in scars."

Now, she was hurt, and he didn't even see it.

And the ring he had promised her was now on someone else's finger.

The ambulance took Evelyn to the hospital.

She checked herself in, got treated, picked up her medication, and finally made it home in the dead of night.

That night, the pain kept her awake, tossing and turning.

Matteo never came home.

The next morning, as she dragged herself out of bed to change her bandages, she saw Rebecca's new social media post.

It was a video of Matteo kneeling on one knee, gently massaging her ankle and applying medicine.

Evelyn watched it over and over, her eyes turning red. Before she realized it, she had fallen asleep.

By the time she woke up, night had fallen.

Her phone buzzed nonstop on the pillow beside her.

As soon as she answered, Matteo's voice came through. "Riverdale, Room 703. Get here now."

Evelyn hesitated for a moment before getting up.

She freshened up and headed over.

The moment she stepped into the private room, her eyes landed on Rebecca.

Rebecca's eyes were red, making her look like a fragile little bunny, all pitiful and wronged.

Matteo sat there in silence, watching Evelyn with an unreadable expression.

The tension in the room stretched until Evelyn finally broke it.

"You called me here. What do you want?"

Matteo straightened his posture, interlocking his fingers with an air of authority. "Eve, were those thugs last night sent by you to mess with Rebecca?"

Evelyn froze.

She instinctively glanced at Rebecca, catching the fleeting smirk in her eyes.

In that instant, she understood everything. Rebecca had staged it all.

A bitter smile curved her lips. "It wasn't me. I don't know them, and I have no interest in doing something like that."

Matteo's face didn't soften at her denial.

He lowered his gaze and spoke evenly, "Eve, the moment Rebecca abandoned me all those years ago, I let her go. You've been with me for seven years. You should know who I care about now.

"The Pittman family has fallen, and anyone can kick them while they're down. But that person shouldn't be you. You don't have to stoop to this."

Evelyn felt like she had been punched in the gut.

She thought back to the nights he had poured his pain into her arms, the days they had run from doctor to doctor searching for a cure, the moment when he had been wrongly told he would be blind for life.

She still remembered the despair in his eyes. A man who had once stood above the rest was now utterly broken over a woman.

Seven years.

They shared seven years of struggles. Now, he dismissed it all as if it had never happened.

Her mind flashed to the image of his marriage certificate with Rebecca and that stamp sealing away all their years together. Tears welled in her eyes.

"Yeah," she murmured, her voice trembling. "Seven years… and I'm just now realizing who you really care about."

Matteo's gaze sharpened. "What do you mean by that?"

Evelyn shook her head, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. "I mean, I'm just a maid's daughter. How could I possibly have the power or connections to send those guys after her?"

Even as she laid it all out in front of him, Matteo still didn't believe her.

Evelyn was exhausted. She took a deep breath and gave up. "If you don't believe me, then let's cut to the chase. What do you want me to do?"

Matteo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Apologize, Eve. If you've done something wrong, you should say sorry."

Before Evelyn could respond, Rebecca, who had been sitting there looking pitiful, suddenly spoke up. "Forget the apology. If you really feel bad, then just drink all this alcohol."