Chapter 168

Evelyn was completely stunned. Everything she’d believed for the past three years—it was all just her own assumptions. None of it was real. Eli had never forced her, never tried to mess with her or torture her. In fact, he even arranged for her mom to be taken care of in the best hospital with top-notch medical staff. "Still got questions? Just ask. I’ll explain everything," Eli said calmly, gently patting Evelyn’s head. But beneath that cool front, he was holding back a storm of emotions. Evelyn bit her lip, not sure how to face this man or what to make of what they had between them. After a long pause, she finally whispered, "So… are we really married?" "We are." "But I never went to the civil affairs office…" She always thought he was lying about that. And those maids at the Sullivan house, though polite to her face, used to gossip behind her back that she wasn’t Mrs. Sullivan at all. They called her Eli’s little plaything. Said he'd get tired of her one day and kick her out. "With