Chapter 8 After a fun evening with colleagues, I took my dog downstairs for a walk. I'd barely made it a block when a familiar figure blocked my path. 'Eva." Lucas's eyes immediately welled up. "I've been looking for you forever." Three months later, he'd lost a lot of weight, with dark circles under his eyes. yanked the leash tight and stepped back: Don't come any closer." tung by the coldness in my eyes, Lucas kept advancing anyway. The moment he opened his mouth, my guard dog went into attack mode, snarling and snapping at him viciously. .ucas acted like he didn't even see it, backing me against the wall step by step. We need to talk." frowned: We have nothing to talk about." He slammed his fist against the wall next to my ear, trapping me in the narrow space. Eva Mitchell, have you forgotten our three years together? You just disappeared from our wedding, think you can end everything vith some divorce papers? What the fuck do you take me for?" aced with his demands, I couldn't even be bothered to explain. shoved him hard again. My dog was barking like crazy, but he wouldn't budge an inch. eeing more and more people gathering, I had to give in. it the riverside café, Lucas pushed an unsweetened iced americano toward me. See? I remember what you like." couldn't help but laugh bitterly. 'd always hated bitter things. Only kept black coffee at home because he liked it. The extra ice was just to dilute the unbearable bitterness. Before I could speak, he continued rambling: When you were falsely accused of seducing that student, I should've protected you immediately. I'm sorry. I was an idiot for believing Chloe. I never thought you'd get beaten so badly you'd miscarry..." Those sex toys-if you don't like them, we won't use them anymore." Lucas hung his head as he spoke. I scoffed. He still couldn't tell the truth. "I specially bought you a gift you'd love." He pulled out a velvet box from his pocket. Inside was a pair of custom diamond rings. The exact style he'd promised me during our wedding planning. I picked up the ring, spun it around my fingertip twice, then let it drop into the river. Splash. The symbol of eternity vanished. Lucas shot to his feet, eyes full of disbelief. Only then did I notice his pants were torn to shreds, his calves covered in bloody scratches. "I don't like it." I looked up. "Anything else?" He gripped his coffee cup until it warped. This man with his usual obsession for cleanliness didn't even notice the coffee stains on his sleeve. Lucas's gaze locked onto the men's coat I was wearing. He grabbed it frantically. Who is he?" His voice shot up. "What's your relationship?" I smacked his hand away. "None of your business." Lucas looked murderous. "Eva! We've only been apart three months!" Suddenly he grabbed my shoulders and kissed me hard. A sharp slap echoed across the waterfront. His left cheek swelled red immediately. After a long silence, the disbelief in his eyes slowly turned to despair. 'Eva, what the hell do I have to do to make you happy?" 'I've already cleared your name! The moment you come back, I'll promote you to associate professor! I fired Chloe and handed her over to the police. I promise I'll never contact her again for the rest of my life! Isn't that enough?" He yanked my wrist closer, then realized with shock that my eyes held only disgust. I couldn't be bothered explaining, but Lucas wouldn't give up. 'Eva, as long as you stop seeing that guy, I can-I can pretend none of this happened." No anger, no tears. I just stated calmly: "That night at the pool hall, you thought I was completely unconscious. Actually, I just couldn't move my body, but I was aware of everything..." Chapter & "Lucas Grant, I'm not coming back to the school. Next time we meet, let's just pretend we don't know each other." I got up and ordered a sweet milk tea to-go from the counter. Hailed a cab and left. As I got in, I heard a splash behind me and commotion on the riverbank. I didn't ask the driver to turn back, watching the crowd in the rearview mirror get smaller and smaller.