Chapter 68: Just a tool.
Eva.
I finally got discharged from the hospital later that evening and honestly, throughout the entire process, I had expected Alex to remain by my side.
But he wasn’t there, not even once.
The thought left an uncomfortable feeling in my chest, though I quickly tried to suppress it.
He probably had urgent work to attend to at the company. After all, he had spent most of his time in the hospital because of me earlier.
I exhaled softly as I walked slowly toward the car waiting outside.
Still...No matter how much I tried to ignore it, memories of the way he had cared for me and the baby earlier kept flashing through my head.
The way he panicked after I hit the wall, the concern in his eyes, the way he stayed beside my hospital bed and most especially...the way he touched my stomach while speaking softly to the baby.
My fingers tightened slightly by my side and dangerously, a part of me wished things were normal between us.
That maybe none of this chaos existed, that maybe...we could truly become a proper family.
I froze briefly at my own thoughts before shaking my head sharply.
What was wrong with me?
"Get it together, Eva," I muttered to myself instantly under my breath. "Alex is of no use."
I inhaled deeply before continuing internally.
"All you need to do is play the role of the perfect wife and Luna without exposing yourself."
That was the plan from the beginning. There should be nothing more and nothing less.
Falling in love with Alex was never part of the bigger picture.
And yet...the more he pulled away lately, the more restless I became.
I hated it.
I hated how much his attention affected me.
But then again...at this moment, I was legally married and mated to him.
He was my husband.
So missing him wasn’t exactly wrong...right?
I pressed my lips together thoughtfully.
The driver opened the car door respectfully for me.
"Careful, Luna," he said politely.
I nodded slightly before stepping into the car carefully, making sure not to strain myself.
The soft leather seat barely welcomed me when my phone suddenly vibrated in my hand.
My brows furrowed instantly, and I lowered my gaze toward the screen as a notification appeared immediately.
And the moment I saw the sender, my expression shifted. It was from one of the spies I had instructed to secretly keep watch on Ella.
My heartbeat quickened slightly, and without hesitation, I tapped on the notification instantly.
A strange feeling settled in my chest, as both curiosity and unease, found its way. And something dangerously close to jealousy.
Because despite everything happening recently...Ella still remained a problem.
No! She was more than a problem, because she was the only person capable of completely taking Alex away from me and that was something I could never allow to happen.
Alex must never find out about their child.
I sat properly in the car, and the driver shut the door carefully behind me before walking toward the front seat.
The soft silence inside the car should have been comforting, but the moment my gaze dropped to my phone screen again, I completely lost it.
Without hesitation, I tapped on the message curiously, and immediately, several images appeared on the screen.
My brows furrowed slightly.
I became impatient almost instantly as the pictures slowly loaded one after another.
I had specifically instructed them to contact me only when something significant happened.
Not for something meaningless, and because of that, my heart started beating faster unconsciously.
I had sent different people to monitor Ella separately at different locations. That way, she wouldn’t suspect she was being watched.
Because one thing I knew for certain was this...Ella was very smart. If only one person kept appearing around her, she would definitely notice eventually.
The pictures finally finished loading completely and the moment I opened the first image, my expression darkened.
Then the second.
And the third.
My fingers tightened around my phone immediately. The more I looked through the images, the angrier I became.
Alex hadn’t gone to the company after leaving the hospital, he had gone looking for Ella...and worse at his enemy domain.
What a jerk.
A painful ache spread slowly through my chest as I clenched my fists tightly beside me until my knuckles turned pale.
My breathing became heavier.
"How dare you still want her when I am right beside you?" I muttered inwardly bitterly.
Without thinking further, I tossed the phone roughly beside me on the seat.
My chest rose and fell heavily.
What exactly was Alex thinking?
I thought he cared about me—No—I thought he loved me.
I mean how else did he fall for me and then into my trap?
"I thought you said you love me," I whispered softly to myself, my voice barely audible inside the quiet car.
Then I paused, slowly, I turned my gaze toward the window beside me. The moving streets outside suddenly felt blurry.
"Was it all a lie?" I asked quietly again.
The question lingered painfully inside my chest and the more I thought about it, the darker my heart became.
Because suddenly, everything started feeling insulting.
Had he been pretending all along?
Was I merely convenient to him while his heart remained with Ella?
"Arrrrrrgggghhh!" I screamed inwardly. "You were also pretending, Eva." I tried coaxing myself.
My jaw tightened painfully.
I refused to become pathetic over a man.
Especially not Alex—He is just a tool.
"There is no need to go easy on you anymore, Alex," I said firmly this time, the softness in my expression disappeared completely. "The bigger picture will have to come first."
That was what mattered most, not these unnecessary emotions and attachment, not this stupid ache spreading through my chest.
I inhaled deeply before straightening my posture slowly inside the car.
Then, little by little, a smile spread across my face.
But this time, the smile held no warmth, only calculation and only cold determination.
"Just you wait," I whispered quietly, my eyes darkening as the car drove forward.
