Chapter 78: No need.
EVA.
I brought out my phone carefully, keeping my movements slow and controlled, and silently texted him again, making sure no one around me—especially Alex—noticed what I was doing.
My fingers hovered for only a second before I typed.
> What’s the update with what I asked you to do?
I sent it quickly, my thumbs moving faster than usual as I stole a brief glance in Alex’s direction.
He was still standing there and still completely absorbed.
Lost in whatever quiet misery he had been carrying around as though the world around him didn’t exist.
That only gave me enough time.
I waited, impatience creeping in almost immediately as the seconds dragged.
Not long after, his reply came through.
> It hasn’t been easy, didn’t know your best friend was such a hard nut to crack.
I exhaled sharply through my nose and rolled my eyes before I could even stop myself.
Of course.
That was his excuse.
Always something.
I typed again without hesitation, my irritation now clearer in my movements.
> She is not my best friend, now get your acts together and get your job done.
I pressed send and tightened my grip around the phone for a second longer than necessary.
Honestly, I was starting to lose patience.
How difficult could it possibly be to carry out something so simple?
This wasn’t supposed to be complicated—especially not for him.
Not after everything he had already done in the past.
Because he had promised me—He had said he would do anything.
Anything.
So why was he dragging this out?
Why was he hesitating now of all times?
My jaw clenched slightly as frustration built up in my chest.
He had carried out far worse tasks before without blinking an eye, so why was this suddenly becoming an issue?
Why now?
"Argh..." I groaned inwardly, barely holding back the urge to let my frustration spill out physically as I lifted a hand to rub my temple without thinking.
I was still trying to steady myself when a soft notification chimed from my phone again.
A message.
My fingers paused mid-motion.
I glanced down at the screen, and immediately, something in my chest shifted uncomfortably.
The sender’s name appeared clearly.
Thomas.
For a second, I didn’t move and I didn’t open it, as I just stared. Then I slowly locked the screen without reading further.
I slipped the phone back slightly, keeping it out of sight just as I lifted my gaze again.
And when I did, Alex was not looking at me. His attention had already drifted elsewhere.
I breathed out a small sigh of relief before tapping on the message instantly, my fingers moving almost on instinct as I opened it.
> My lady, aren’t we going for the checkup?
I paused.
The words stared back at me, reminding me of something I had almost pushed out of my mind.
The hospital appointment.
Right.
I had almost forgotten that the doctors had specifically asked me to return for a follow-up checkup today after my discharge.
And Alex...he had actually promised he would accompany me, when I told him earlier.
My eyes lingered on Thomas’ message as uncertainty crept in quietly.
I didn’t want to make a rushed decision.
So I slowly lifted my head.
"Alex," I called out carefully.
Almost immediately, he turned to face me.
His expression was unreadable as always, calm in a way that made it hard to tell what he was thinking.
"Are you still accompanying me for the checkup?" I asked, watching him closely.
There was a brief pause and then he spoke.
"I don’t have time for that, Eva. I will have Philip accompany you."
His tone was flat and detached, and he didn’t even bother to look properly at me while saying it.
I let out a quiet, almost inaudible hiss through my teeth, forcing myself to swallow whatever reaction wanted to come out.
What was I even expecting?
Of course that was his answer.
Still, I managed to keep my voice steady.
"There is no need to stress Philip. I would go on my own," I said calmly, though the words felt slightly heavier than I intended.
Alex only gave a small nod, as if that settled the matter completely–no further discussion, no hesitation...just acceptance.
And that was it.
Without wasting another second, I lowered my gaze back to my phone and began typing quickly in response to Thomas, my fingers moving with practiced speed as I tried to keep my expression neutral.
The message appeared on the screen before I even thought too deeply about it.
> Of course we are, my love. See you there! And our baby is craving pie.
For a second, I stared at it, then sent it immediately.
A small, teasing chuckle slipped out of me almost involuntarily as the message went through, my tone deliberately light, almost playful, almost convincing—like nothing about it carried any weight at all, like it meant nothing.
But the moment I lifted my head again, the atmosphere shifted, subtly at first and then unmistakably.
I felt it before I even confirmed it.
Alex’s attention had moved.
Fully.
His eyes were now fixed on me, steady and unblinking, as though he had been waiting for that exact moment to look up.
"And who are you chatting with?" he asked again, his voice calm and controlled on the surface.
But beneath that calmness was something sharper—subtle, restrained, and far more dangerous than outright anger.
The kind of tone that didn’t need to rise to be felt. It simply pressed down on the air between us, heavy and unsettling.
My throat tightened almost immediately at the sound of it.
For a brief moment, I didn’t move.
I froze completely, just long enough to feel the weight of his gaze fully settle on me, like it had locked me in place.
Then I swallowed hard, the motion slow and deliberate, as I tried to steady myself.
My expression remained carefully controlled, even though my pulse had already betrayed me, beating a little too fast, a little too loud in my chest.
I forced my hands to stay still, refusing to let any sign of hesitation show.
And yet, I could still feel his eyes on me—watching, waiting, and reading far more than I was willing to admit.
