Chapter 53: No Return
Evie was perched on the couch in her apartment, wearing a hoodie and short tights, her hair pulled into a messy bun and her face bare. She half-heartedly glanced at the TV, which Ruby had switched on, insisting she should do something to pass the time.
The apartment was silent except for the rain tapping against the windows. The curtains were drawn, allowing only a muted light to filter through as the television droned on, but Evie was lost in her own thoughts.
It was mid-afternoon, and it felt like the day would slip away without any purpose.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a notification, and she tapped on it out of habit.
The earlier blankness in her expression shifted to narrowed eyes as she zeroed in on the headline that caught her attention.
**Breaking: Ezra Thorne confirmed as father to four-year-old Noah.**
Evie’s heart stumbled as she read the headline again.
She then scrolled to see the side-by-side photos of Ezra and the child. The influx of tweets was overwhelming.
’what in the world? Ezra already has a child!?’
’is he a deadbeat, why are we just knowing this now?’
’oh my God, does evie know about this? What’s she to do now? Poor girl’
’Why didn’t Ezra tell Evie before? He’s a walking red flag,’ someone commented.
’Sis dodged a bullet.’
’Evie deserves better.’
At first, Evie felt somewhat validated by the comments. ’Is Evie still with Ezra? We haven’t heard anything from her.’
’If it were you, would you wait? Ezra’s ex is back with a child; Evie needs to leave for peace of mind,’ one person retorted, attacking the commenter who questioned her status with Ezra.
’At least he’s owning up to the child,’ another added.
Then, the tide shifted. ’So Evie just walked away? Did she never have feelings for Ezra? Is it that simple to walk away from someone you love because of a problem?’ one user questioned.
’You’re right; she’s weak. She couldn’t even fight for her place. She’s his girlfriend, isn’t she?’ someone else chimed in, backing the previous comment.
’Queen Dawn knows how to make a comeback,’ another mentioned, clearly supporting Dawn.
’Couldn’t Evie have stayed back to support Ezra? She’s not the ideal girlfriend,’ read yet another comment.
’I miss Dawn and Ezra’s era; they were such a cute couple. Are they really back together with a child now?’ someone exclaimed.
’Are Ezra and Evie’s relationship over?’
’Finally, Evie won’t be acting big and proud in the spotlight she doesn’t even deserve... It was all because of Ezra.’
Evie’s lips parted in disbelief as she processed the barrage of opinions. She gripped her phone tightly, feeling the urge to throw it across the room.
"The internet is unbelievable," Ruby remarked as she stepped inside, a bag in hand. She halted upon seeing Evie’s intense focus on her phone.
"I told you not to check your phone," Ruby muttered, striding over to snatch it from Evie’s grip.
Evie looked at her, surprise evident on her face, her hands instinctively reaching for her phone until Ruby’s pointed look made her retreat. She slumped back against the chair, her exhaustion evident.
"I said no phone, Evie," Ruby reiterated, glancing at the screen before turning it off in irritation and tossing it back onto the couch.
"I got the medicine you need," Ruby finally said, her tone softening. She had gone out to pick up medication for Evie’s fever.
"Take this," Ruby instructed, handing over the medicine and explaining the dosage. Evie barely listened, preoccupied with her thoughts.
"Did you hear me? This one is twice a day..." Ruby trailed off, then called out again, "Evie." When their eyes met, she noticed Evie’s gaze was glassy, as she tried to hold back tears.
Evie wrapped herself in a blanket as if to shield herself from everything.
"I’m fine, Ruby. I just need to be alone," she insisted, turning away to avoid Ruby’s scrutiny.
Ruby placed her hands on her hips. "No, you’re not fine. Have you forgotten how you were shivering all night? You were running a fever!"
"You’re not taking care of yourself, do you want to die, Evie!?" Ruby questioned.
Evie remained turned away on the couch. "How could I die from a fever?" she questioned skeptically.
"My dear, why not Google how many lives have been lost to fever?" Ruby suggested, her tone firm as Evie remained curled up, reluctant to engage.
With a sigh, Evie replied, "Just hand me the medicine. You’re such a nag," she complained, trying to mask her irritation. Ruby placed the medicine in Evie’s palm, and she swallowed it down with water.
"You’ll feel better soon," Ruby assured her, throwing Evie an approving look. Evie rolled her eyes while Ruby began packing the medicine into her bag.
"And no phone checking, alright?" Ruby ordered, pointing at Evie to emphasize her point.
Evie stayed silent for a moment, then interjected, "Did you see it?"
"It doesn’t matter," Ruby stated, her tone resolute. "People will always talk. That’s the price of fame. Understand that when you’re in the spotlight, everyone will insert themselves into your life and have opinions."
Evie already knew that, but it still nagged at her. "It just blows my mind how quickly they turn. One minute they act like they love you, and the next they judge you harshly. It’s unfair."
"Are you referring to the idiot who said you just walked away without looking back?" Ruby asked, and Evie nodded quietly.
"Don’t let those people get to you," Ruby scoffed. "They’re hypocrites. They don’t even understand that your content is all about empowerment, about knowing when to walk away and protect your peace. Were they really expecting you to stay? He has a wife and a kid now!"
Evie frowned at this, but Ruby pressed on. "Okay, maybe she’s not officially his wife yet, but she’s the mother of his son. They’ll make it official eventually—it’s how the wealthy operate." Ruby turned to Evie, making sure her point was clear.
"It was smart to leave quickly to safeguard your heart. What if you had stayed, fought for nothing, and ended up ridiculed? Those same people would’ve dragged you for not living up to your own advice about knowing your worth. So, Evie, you’re not at fault at all. If anything, you’re strong for walking away."
Holding Evie’s hand, Ruby affirmed, "To me, you’ve made the right choice. You’re my best friend, and I’ll always stand by you, no matter what. You don’t have to face this alone."
Evie’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Anytime, babe," Ruby replied, moving in for a hug.
As Evie rested her head against Ruby’s chest, she felt the weight of her situation. She had thought leaving Ezra immediately was a rash move, but what explanation was there to seek? He hadn’t informed her that Dawn was in the picture or that he had a child.
Walking in on them with Dawn in his arms had been a gut punch. What was she supposed to do—congratulate him? Despite her feelings for Ezra, she was angry with him. He had made her look foolish, claiming ignorance about his child.
Now that it was clear, was she supposed to remain and become a mother figure for Noah?
Ruby was right; eventually, Ezra and Dawn would reunite for the sake of their child, and Evie would fade into the background, as if she’d never existed.
Yet, a small part of her wanted to believe Ezra’s claim—that he genuinely didn’t know. That all of this just happened.
Even if that was the case, she had no reason to stay.
Their relationship was built on pretense anyway.
And with Dawn back in the picture, it was clear that they had their path laid out, and if she had remained, she would have been branded the villain—an interloper in their family dynamic.
She wasn’t weak for leaving; she had chosen to protect herself.
Evie’s mind wandered back to moments with Ezra—sitting in the bathtub, feeling the warmth of his arms around her, and wishing it could last forever...
Or those dinners where his dark grey eyes locked onto hers, leaving her breathless...
Or those surprising moments when he would sweep her into his arms, or when he’d touch her, igniting a spark that sent electricity coursing through her.
She had fallen in love with everything about him: the way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her, and the closeness they shared.
She wanted to embrace those feelings, to start something genuine with him, but now everything had changed.
There was absolutely no chance for a return to what they once had.