Felix

"Hey, can you pull over my Dad's office for a minute? I need to collect some files from him." Evelyn mumbled next to me as we drove our way back home after dropping Owen for school.

"Why do you need files?" Grumbling, I pulled over as I bit back a smile having annoyed her.

"Oh, I'm applying for President. Those are the files I need." Passing me a quick sarcastic response, she unbuckled her seatbelt as we walked into the building.

"Hey Sarah!" She greeted the receptionist in a voice so sweet, I almost gasped. The woman is complete devil around me. "Did my Dad drop by some files for the new brand?"

"Good Morning Ma'am." Sarah chirped along. "Yes he did. Here you go." Just as she handed Evelyn the file, we were interrupted by a cough. Turning around, we came across her father, standing with a hand over his hip with a smile tugging across his lips.

"Were you tryin' to escape meeting your Dad, huh?" Noticing him, she ran over to hug him.

"Dad!" She mumbled behind him. "Of course not, I just expected you to be busy."

"Never busy to not have time for my princess." He ruffled her hair as if she was a child-I mean yes she's childish but that's different-and she grumbled.

I admire the guy, not just professionally but personally as well. He's been handling this business since years and yet is such a family man. Probably the only sane person in her family, given that her mother is always trying to get a grandchild from us and her brother, well, I never really come across him.

"Princess." I couldn't help but snicker.

"Did you say anything?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Who? Me? Nope." Pushing my hand ahead, I took his for a handhake.

"Anyways, did you get the invitation for the Smith's charity event tomorrow?"

"I-I don't know." Mumbling in confusion, I pulled my phone out of my the pocket, swiping to see the e-mail. "Ah, yes I got it."

"Charity event!" She giggled like a child who had been told about being taken to an amusement park. "I love the Smith's Charity event! We'll go right?"

No, just refuse.

It was the Smith's event, the lady was a pretty good friend to Stella, meaning she would definitely be there, given that she's in the city. There's no way in hell she would ever miss the opportunity to flaunt a dress or jewellery or just her very perfect life.

To my right, I glanced at Evelyn, looking at me with expectant eyes and a smile still tugging across her lips while her father stood smiling at us. Come on, she has done so much for us-Owen and I. Couldn't I just fulfill one tiny wish of hers?

"Of course," Gingerly placing my hand on the small of her back, I smiled. "We'll go." About Stella, we'll take care of that later.

×■×

Evelyn

Something was definitely troubling him, I could sense a trouble lurking behind his eyes. I wouldn't dare to break the peaceful silence in the car in order to ask him and instead get a sarcastic reply about being Owen's mother, not his wife blah blah.

Felix stopped the car outside a mall instead of dropping me back home. Turning towards him, I opened my mouth to question only to get cut off.

"Get yourself a dress-for the event." Before I could question, he was on my side of the door, opening it and practically dragging me out of the car.

"But I already have-"

"I don't care." Pulling his wallet out from his pocket, he tried to hand me a credit card. "Here, I have to attend a meeting. Call me when you're done, I'll send you a driver."

"I can pay for myself." Scoffing, I turned around and stomped my way into the mall.

Within an hour, I was done shopping contently. Having done with the shopping, I called Felix to send me the driver. As I stood flipping through social media, I noticed someone make way to me through the corner of my eye. Dropping my phone in my purse, I straightened myself. Just then, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

Turning to my side, I saw a rather petite woman standing next to me, just a little shorter than me but probably an year or two older. She flinged a leather from one shoulder to another, looking at me from my toes back to my head. But that's not what intrigued me-her features, those made me shiver. She looked so much like Owen-oh God, it's Stella.

"You must be Evelyn." She pursed her full lips, a forced smile tugging across them.

"Yes, I am." I mirrored her smile.

"Stella." She forwarded a hand bearing rings in all fingers, I shook it hastily, trying to cover up my nervousness.

"Ah, good to see you finally," I tried not to flinch at the idea of finally speaking out loud the name I dread hearing. "Stella."

"Who are we lying to, Evelyn?" She raised her eyebrows dramatically, waving a hand between us. "Both of us do not find it 'good' to cross paths."

"Then why are you here?" If she could be straightforward, so could I. A muscle tightened in her sculpted heart-shaped face.

"You took everything I had." She seethed, her voice almost a whisper.

"Correction." I crossed my arms. "You

gave me everything you had. And I didn't even ask for it."

"My son wouldn't call me his mother but he clinges to you-who even are you? Just an outsider trying to take my family away from me?"

The audacity of this woman made me laugh out loud and bawl my eyes at the same moment. All the decisions have been hers, she chose not to keep Owen, she chose to leave behind Felix, she chose to give up that family and home. And now that I have it, she's suddenly back?

"Family? Would you call that a family, Stella?" I shifted my weight from one leg to another, cleared my throat. "You left a young child alone for another man, you decided it. He could've stopped you, but he let you go. What did I do? I just gave Owen all that he had desired, all that he had been deprived of."

"The two of you really need to shut up with the same nonsense over and over again." Her lip twitched.

"It seems repetitive nonsense to you, but that's the absolute truth." I shrugged. "I never stole it from you. You decided to leave their lives broken, I decided to mend them."

For a second, I almost breathed a sigh of relief as she was left speechless. God, she must hate me. Fortunately, I saw a car I recognised, the driver was here. With a small smile plastered on my face, I turned around, ready to walk away.

"See you at the charity event, then." She mumbled.

She'll be at the charity event?

The rest of the day passed by in a blur, given the amount of paperwork I had. At least work could keep me occupied, save me from having all sorts of unwanted thoughts. The more I would think about it-about her, the more I would be anxious.

"May I go watch the show now, Mommy?" Owen questioned after dinner, as we took care of the dishes.

"Yes, sweetie." On hearing my words, he skipped his way outside, leaving us alone in silence, other than the clinking of the dishes. I started washing them and he grabbed a cloth, ready to help me dry.

"You've been distant lately." I murmered questionably, my attention focused on the dish in my hand.

"So have you." He shrugged his broad shoulders, making his arm brush against mine. "After you came back from shopping at least."

"Yeah about that." Sighing, I stood away from the sink, leaning against a chair close to me. "I've been meaning to talk to you-"

"I'll go first." He spoke hastily, running a hand through his blonde hair. "Stella-she'll be at the event tomorrow. I know I should've told you sooner, but don't worry we'll look to it an-"

"I know." My words stopped him from blabbering, as he looked at me dumbfounded.

"I met Stella today, at the mall."

Before I could continue, I heard a clatter as the spoon he had been holding fell from his hands and he charged himself off towards me, holding my shoulders. His voice rose an octave as he bombarded me with questions.

"Did she say anything? Did she try to blackmail you? Are you-"

"Felix." Whispering, I held his arms from where they held my shoulders, rubbing them assuringly. "I'm fine, I'm right here. Nothing happened, stop worrying."

"You don't know the woman-she could-"

"Shh." I cut him off, standing straight. "If anything happened, I would tell you. We just talked-her talking about all the 'you took all I had' and me explaining her what she's supposed to know. We don't have to go to the event, it's alright."

"No." He shook his head in disapproval. "Of course we'll go. She can't cause a scene in public."

"Why?" I held the chair behind me. "It's not that big of a deal, just a charity event."

"You've always loved it."

"I have, but-"

"No interruptions, Mrs. Anderson." He walked back to the dishes. "We are going to the event tomorrow."

~