Dating Someone Who Runs to Another Man

The third time Queenie Stone meets Evan Sutherland's parents, she receives another message from her childhood friend, Joel Lodge. "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland. Something came up. I have to go," she says. Evan reaches out and catches her wrist, frowning. "You have to leave right now? My parents have been preparing for this all day. At least stay and finish dinner." Queenie sets her phone down in front of him. In her chat with Joel are four simple words—"The fog's rolling in". "This is my code with Joel," she explains. "He has depression. Whenever he starts spiraling, he sends me this. We agreed that no matter what I'm doing, I'll drop everything and go to him when I see those words. No exceptions." She sounds so serious, as if Joel will drop dead if she doesn't leave that very second. "Can't you wait until after dinner?" Evan asks. "At most, you'll just need to stay for two more hours." "Evan, Joel doesn't send that code lightly. If he has, it means he's at his limit. If I'm late and something happens to him, I'll never forgive myself. I'm sorry." Queenie turns to Evan's parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland, I need to head out. I'll come by another day to apologize properly." She leaves without another look back. The front door slams shut, making Evan's parents jump. "Did something happen?" his mother asks. "Queenie left in such a hurry." Evan stares at the untouched dishes on the table and forces a stiff smile. Over the last five years, Joel has sent Queenie that code over 700 times. She could be on a movie date with Evan, yet the moment Joel's message comes in, she'll walk out halfway through the film. On New Year's Eve, before the fireworks even go off, she'll ditch Evan to go to Joel. Even when Evan has a 104-degree fever and is lying in bed needing someone to care for him, she'll still rush over to Joel in the middle of the night. Chapter 1 Evan Sutherland loved Queenie Stone, so he put up with all the crap. But sometimes, Joel Lodge was upset because he had a bad day at work and had gotten chewed out by his boss. Sometimes, it was just a sad song that made him want to cry… Evan had gotten jealous and lost his temper before, but Queenie always looked him straight in the eye and said, "Evan, I've known Joel for 15 years. There's nothing between us. He's just my most important friend. He's depressed and could hurt himself at any time. Can't you be a little more understanding?" He'd been more than understanding. But this time, he was done. "Mom, Dad, I'm gonna check on her. You two go ahead with dinner." It was pouring outside. Evan didn't have an umbrella, but he didn't feel like going back for one. He just dashed through the rain and grabbed a cab home. When he opened the door, he was hit by a blinding scene. Queenie and Joel were curled up in each other's arms on the couch. Her hand rested on his back, patting it absently, as if she were soothing him. It was exactly how she used to comfort Evan. Evan's clothes were soaked through. The chill seeped from his chest through the rest of his body. He didn't know how to put what he was seeing into words. All he finally got was that, between the three of them, he was the one who had never really belonged. If that was how it was, he would step aside. He had no idea how long he stood there before Joel finally noticed him. Joel jolted and instantly pushed Queenie away. He was wearing Evan's pajamas, and his voice carried a thin thread of guilt. "Sorry, Evan. I only just found out that today was the day Queenie was supposed to meet your parents. I'm sorry I had another episode. I told Queenie to go back to your place first, but she didn't want to leave me alone. That's why she brought me here." Evan didn't move from the doorway. He simply asked, "Why are you in my pajamas? And what exactly were you two doing just now?" Chapter 2 Joel explained, "I got soaked, so…" "Evan, don't interrogate him like he's some criminal." Queenie stood up, shielding Joel behind her. "I barely managed to calm him down. You have no idea what happened. When I got to him, he was sobbing his eyes out over a movie—" "What did you say?" Evan stared at her, his chest suddenly feeling as if something were jammed in it. "You ditched my parents and me to rush back here… just because he was crying over a movie?" Queenie faltered. "Yes, I did. Evan, you don't get it…" "Damn right I don't." Evan nodded. "I don't get anything. You two are soulmates who are perfectly in sync, and everything between you is pure and innocent, right? So it's perfectly fine that he's wearing my pajamas and holding my girlfriend in his arms!" He turned to Joel. "But has it ever crossed your mind that what you're doing is no different from being a homewrecker?" As soon as the words left Evan's mouth, Joel broke down. "Enough! Just stop! Evan, why are you saying that about me? I've only ever seen Queenie as a friend, someone who really gets me! Am I not even allowed to have one friend I can turn to for help? "Just because you two are dating, I'm not allowed to talk to her anymore? Fine, then! I'll leave! Queenie, I'll never come to you again. From now on, we're no longer friends!" He turned to charge into the bedroom to change out of the borrowed clothes, but Queenie grabbed his arm. "Don't go. It's so late, and it's pouring outside. Where are you even gonna go?" Joel let out a bitter laugh. "Anywhere's better than here. I'm not staying just to be called a homewrecker. Just leave me alone, Queenie. I don't wanna ruin things between you and Evan. As for our promise… just forget about it." "Calm down, okay? I'll handle this." Queenie's voice was unbearably gentle when she faced him. But the second she looked at Evan, her tone turned ice-cold. "Evan, apologize." "What for?" "For calling Joel a homewrecker. Don't you think you owe him an apology?" Evan stared at her, his gaze frosty. "I'm not wrong. I'm not apologizing. Queenie, we're over." He turned to go back to the bedroom, but Queenie grabbed his wrist, her eyes devoid of warmth. "We can talk about breaking up later. Right now, I want you to apologize to Joel." Her grip on his wrist hurt. Evan asked, "And what if I don't?" "Then get the hell out! Don't stand here and make things worse for Joel. Can you live with yourself if he spirals and hurts himself?" Outside, the rain beat down, and thunder rumbled overhead. Queenie knew Evan hated thunderstorms more than anything, yet she told him to get out. They'd been together for five years and had lived together for three. Even now, he remembered the day they moved in as if it were yesterday. She'd keyed in the new lock code on the door and said, "The code's your birthday. This will always be your home. I love you, Evan. I'll love you for the rest of my life." "What if we fight someday? Will you kick me out?" "Of course not. We'll be together forever." Evan's thoughts were shattered by another crack of thunder. He nodded. "Fine. I'll get lost." He went into the bedroom, quickly packed his things, and dragged the suitcase toward the door. Just as he was about to shut the door behind him, he heard Joel's small, guilty voice drift from the living room. "Queenie, isn't this kinda harsh? Evan's gonna be really hurt." "It's fine. He'll work through it on his own. Your feelings matter more. Are you still feeling bad?" "A little. My chest feels tight." "Then let me hold you a bit longer. Didn't you say my hugs help you calm down?" Evan turned back and saw Queenie and Joel wrapped in each other's arms again. In that moment, something inside him died for good. After the door closed, he pulled out his phone and called his boss. "Mr. Wood, do you remember the overseas assignment you wanted to send me on? I've made up my mind. I'll go." "Seriously? Aren't you worried your hotshot CEO girlfriend won't let you go?" "We broke up. I only have one condition—I'm taking my parents with me." "Alright. Consider it done. Get ready to leave in three days." Chapter 3 After he hung up, Evan walked out of the villa into the pouring rain. The place was so remote that no matter how many times he tried, he just couldn't get a cab. He dragged his suitcase along the road for what felt like forever before he finally came across a cab. Once he got in, the driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror, worried. "Kid, it's this late, and you're walking around out here? Aren't you afraid something might happen? You gotta watch yourself when you're out alone." The emotions Evan had been barely holding back finally crashed over him. He buried his face in his hands and broke down. Five years together, and in the end he still couldn't compete with a childhood friend. "Where are you headed, kid?" the driver asked. Evan couldn't answer. For a moment, he genuinely didn't know where he could even go. He couldn't go back to his parents' place right now. He knew that showing up like this would only make them worry. He thought of his best friend, Colin Lane. "Take me to Montesso Residences, please." "Got it." By the time they pulled up at the complex gate, Colin was already waiting there with an umbrella. He frowned when he saw Evan soaked to the bone and dragging a suitcase. "What the hell happened to you? How'd you end up like this?" "I broke up with Queenie." "Huh?" Colin was taken aback. "That bad? You two have been together for five years, and it's over just like that? Why?" "I'll tell you inside." After Evan showered, Colin brought him a glass of hot water. "Drink this and warm up a bit. You don't wanna catch a cold." Evan was so moved that he pulled him into a hug. "Thanks, man. I'm really lucky to have you." "No biggie. Don't be so sappy. Honestly, Queenie's been pretty good to you. I'm sure that guy you saw her with really is just a friend." Evan shook his head. "You don't get it." "Yeah, I don't. But hey—I'm your friend, and I'll always take your side. It's late, so try to get some sleep." Evan lay in bed for a long time. His head was spinning, and he felt awful. In a daze, he heard voices right by his ear. "Hey, you're here. Queenie, what the hell? How could you let Evan catch you two in each other's arms like that? If you're gonna cuddle, at least be careful. He was bound to find out sooner or later with you two doing it out in the open like that!" It was Colin's voice. What was he talking about? Bound to find out what? Queenie sighed. "I got impatient. Joel was in a bad place, and I just wanted to comfort him. I didn't think Evan would come home right then." Joel kept his head down. "I'm sorry, Queenie. Maybe we should just stop this. I really don't wanna be the other man. I don't want everyone to be hurting like this." "Don't talk like that," Colin said, trying to comfort him. "You're sick. You can't always control yourself. And come on—you and Queenie have been together for over a year now. Are you really willing to walk away just like that?" Evan went rigid. For a second, he wondered if he was hearing things. Queenie and Joel were actually together? And for over a year? Colin knew, and he'd been helping them hide it from him? Evan had known Colin for almost 20 years. Colin had always been Evan's best friend, the first person he thought of whenever something went wrong. And he'd been lying to Evan this whole time. Evan slowly opened his eyes. "Colin… so you betrayed me, too?" "Evan, I can explain!" Colin panicked when he realized that Evan was awake. "We kept it from you because we were afraid you couldn't handle it. You know Joel's depressed. He can't handle aggravation. Look, it's been over a year, and you never suspected a thing. Just… just pretend you still don't know." Evan laughed. "Joel, you're disgusting. I can't believe you had the nerve to say you're not a homewrecker. You make me sick, too, Queenie. You knew he was the other man, and you still made me apologize to him!" "Evan…" Queenie's heart ached when she saw his eyes redden. "I never meant to lie to you. Joel told me he'd liked me for a long time, and he only asked to be by my side. He didn't want anything else. He's sick, and I can't just abandon him. Can you understand that? "Look, don't worry about it. You're the one I love most. We're getting married next month, remember? If you're willing, the wedding will go on as planned. You'll always be my husband." Evan lifted a hand and pointed straight at Joel. "Fine. We can get married as long as you promise you'll never see Joel again." Chapter 4 Queenie fell silent. After a long moment, she asked, "Can I ask for a different condition?" "Then we're over," Evan said. He crawled out of bed, about to leave. Colin asked, "Where are you going? You're burning up and weak right now." "Where I go is none of your business. Colin, starting today, we're not even friends anymore." "Evan, don't go! I admit I was wrong, but just give me a little time. I'll end things with Joel once he gets better!" Queenie cried. The second she said she would break up with him, Joel fell apart. "This is all my fault. I deserve to die! I'm sick, so I shouldn't even be alive and ruining other people's lives. Evan, please, don't break up with Queenie. I'll just kill myself instead, okay? Once I'm dead, you'll all be free of me!" The words had barely left his mouth before he bolted toward the balcony. "Don't! Joel!" Queenie looked aghast as she took off after him. But she was still one step too late. Joel jumped without hesitation. There was a sickening thud as his body slammed into the ground. Blood quickly pooled beneath his head. Queenie tore downstairs like a madwoman. "Joel!" "Oh, my God." Colin slapped a hand over his mouth, looking stunned. Evan was also frozen. He hadn't expected Joel to actually jump. He stumbled downstairs after them and saw Queenie kneeling beside Joel, helping him up from the ground despite the blood coating him. "Joel, don't be scared. I'm taking you to the hospital right now," she said. Joel weakly raised a hand and touched her face with bloodstained fingers. "Queenie, I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, you guys wouldn't be fighting like this… This is on me. I'm sorry…" "Stop talking!" she snapped, losing control. "I'm not letting anything happen to you. We're going to the hospital. Right now!" She rushed off with him. Colin changed his clothes and prepared to follow. On his way out, he shot Evan a look. "Are you happy now that you've blown everything up, Evan? Do you know why we kept this from you? Because you're petty as hell. You turn the whole world upside down over the most trivial thing. Someone like you doesn't deserve a girlfriend. You don't even deserve friends!" Then he left too. Only Evan remained in the now-empty apartment. He stared down at the pool of blood on the ground, Colin's words echoing in his head. So apparently he wasn't even allowed to be angry after catching his own girlfriend cheating. Otherwise, he was petty. And apparently, in his so-called best friend's eyes, he didn't deserve friends at all. Fine. In that case, he didn't want that friend either. The entire city was practically drowning in rain. Evan left Colin's place, dragging his suitcase behind him. On the way, his phone wouldn't stop ringing. Queenie called him repeatedly, but he didn't pick up. Then Colin started calling. Evan had already given up on both of them. There was no way he was going to answer. He wandered until he looked up and realized he had somehow ended up outside his parents' place. He hadn't wanted to worry them, but right now, he had nowhere else to go. He rang the doorbell. No one came to open the door. Thinking his parents were asleep, he took out his key and let himself in. He drifted off into a hazy sleep, only to be jolted awake again by his phone. This time, his father, Arthur Sutherland, was calling. Evan snapped awake and answered immediately. "Dad?" "Evan, get to the hospital, now! They're trying to force your mother to donate blood!" Chapter 5 The moment Arthur's panicked shouting came through the phone, Evan jolted upright in bed. "Dad? What blood donation? Who's forcing Mom to donate blood?" "Queenie! I was worried about you two after you left yesterday, so I followed you. I called Queenie, and she told me to bring your mom to the hospital to find her. As soon as we got here, she started forcing your mom to donate blood for some man! I'm not saying I don't want your mom to help, but she's getting on in years. She can't do this!" Arthur cried. Evan's heart clenched hard, and his mind went blank. Queenie was forcing his mother, Grace Bronson, to donate blood to Joel? She was insane! Grace was already 62—way past the age where anyone should be giving blood. On top of that, she wasn't the healthiest. The doctor had said that she absolutely couldn't donate blood. Without a second's hesitation, Evan jumped in the car and tore off toward the hospital. He was still running a fever, but he couldn't care less. He sped like a madman, blew through three red lights, and reached the hospital in under ten minutes. When he got there, Arthur was on his knees in the hallway, clutching Queenie's pant leg and pleading with her. "Queenie, for Evan's sake, don't force Grace to donate blood! She's old. Her body can't take it!" "Mr. Sutherland, it's not like I want to force her. Blame Evan for this. He's the one who pushed Joel to jump and suffer major blood loss. I called Evan over and over, but he wouldn't pick up. I know Mrs. Sutherland has Joel's rare blood type. Don't worry—I won't take that much. Just 2 pints." Arthur almost blacked out on the spot. "2 pints? She can't handle that!" No matter how much he begged, Queenie wouldn't budge an inch. Evan finally got it. All those calls last night weren't because Queenie and Colin had realized they were wrong and wanted to apologize. They hadn't been trying to patch things up. Instead, they'd wanted him to give Joel his blood. "Dad, get up! Stop begging her!" Evan rushed forward and hauled Arthur up. "Evan, beg her! Beg Queenie to stop!" Arthur sobbed, his eyes swollen from crying. Evan's own eyes burned red as he stared at Queenie. "Where's my mom?" Her gaze went ice-cold the moment she saw him. "She's inside, donating blood." "Inside, huh?" Evan stalked to the door and pounded on it like a man possessed. "Open up! Open the door! My mom didn't agree to this! She's 62 years old. She can't donate blood, let alone 2 pints! This is attempted murder! Open the damn door!" He hit the door with everything he had, fists slamming so hard that the frame rattled. Colin couldn't take it anymore and hurried over to pull him back. "Evan, stop! Joel's in there getting emergency treatment. You're gonna distract the doctors! Do you want him to die in there?" "So his life counts, but my mom's doesn't? Do you have any idea what 2 pints means for an old woman? My mom was always good to you, Colin. Have you forgotten all about that? And now you're taking some stranger's side over hers…" Evan's voice cracked, the rest of his words dying in his throat. He went right back to slamming on the door. "Open up! Open the door, or I'm calling the cops! I'll make sure this hospital gets shut down!" "That's enough!" Queenie strode over and grabbed his arm in a hard, punishing grip. "Are you done causing a scene? If it weren't for you, would Joel have jumped? If it weren't for you, he wouldn't even need a transfusion right now. "Instead of trying to make things right, you're actually trying to stop your mom from saving him? You really are cold-blooded!" Evan was already weak from his fever. Her sudden yank sent him stumbling back a few steps before he crashed to the floor. Arthur saw him go down and snapped. He lunged at Queenie. "Don't you lay a hand on my son, Queenie! You came to my house swearing you'd treat him well for the rest of your life. It's barely been a few days since then! Why are you doing this? Who the hell is that man in there?" "Dad, drop it." Evan gritted his teeth and pulled out his phone. "I'm calling the police. I'll make them pay for this!" Chapter 6 The moment Evan pulled out his phone, Queenie snatched it and hurled it to the floor. It broke with a loud crack, and the screen went dark. Evan froze. That had been a gift from Queenie on their third anniversary. On the back, she'd even personally engraved the words, "Queenie Stone loves Evan Sutherland." And now, she'd smashed it with her own hands. "Cooled off yet?" Seeing him go completely still, Queenie calmed down as well. "I know Mrs. Sutherland's too old to donate blood, but I had no choice if I wanted to save Joel's life. Once he pulls through, I'll make it up to her, no matter the cost. And I'll buy you a new phone. You've been eyeing the latest model, right? I'll get it for you." Evan slowly lifted his eyes to her, hatred burning in them. "Queenie Stone, I hate you." The look in his eyes made her jolt. She started to say something when the operating room doors swung open. The doctor walked out. "The patient has lost too much blood. 2 pints still isn't enough!" Queenie frowned. "Then what are you waiting for? Keep drawing!" "But Mrs. Sutherland is elderly. If we keep taking her blood, I'm afraid—" "I'll only say this once more. Keep drawing. I'm not letting Joel die!" Queenie had lost her mind over Joel. Evan dragged himself across the floor and weakly grabbed her pant leg. "Take mine. Don't take my mom's blood. Take mine…" She looked down and saw tears spilling from the corners of his eyes. Her heart wavered, but she still bent down, lifted his chin, and said softly, "Good. See? You should've done this earlier. You screwed up, Evan. You should be doing everything you can to make it right, shouldn't you?" He nodded. "Yeah. I'm begging you, let my mom out. Let her rest. Take my blood. As much as you want." "How could I bear to take that much?" She pulled him up and gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Relax. It'll just be a little." She turned to the doctor. "Take him inside. As for the woman inside, move her to a VIP ward so she can rest. Do everything you can to get her back on her feet as soon as possible. She can't suffer any lasting damage from this. She's my future mother-in-law. Got it?" "Yes, Ms. Stone." Future mother-in-law? Evan almost laughed at those words. Queenie would never be his wife. Not in this lifetime. He was shoved into the blood donation room, and the nurse started drawing his blood. As he watched the blood flow out of him bit by bit, he closed his eyes. They could take as much as they wanted. In just one more day, he and his parents would leave this place for good. … When Evan woke up, he was already lying in a hospital ward. Arthur sat beside him, sobbing. "That damned woman drew so much blood from my boy. Look at how pale he is now! And my wife's still unconscious. We don't even know when she'll wake up. What did we ever do to deserve running into a monster like her?" Seeing Arthur bawl his eyes out like that made Evan feel like his heart was being sliced open. He glanced at Grace in the next bed. Her complexion looked even worse than before. She still hadn't woken up. Had something gone wrong? "Dad—" He opened his mouth to call out to Arthur when the monitor at Grace's bedside suddenly blared. Evan panicked and immediately slammed his hand on the call button. Arthur hurried over to check on Grace. "What's happening? Why are the machines going off like crazy all of a sudden?" Evan could only try to calm him down. "Dad, calm down. Don't worry. It's gonna be okay." "Quick! Get in here!" "This is Ms. Stone's mother-in-law! Move it, people!" "Dr. Walker, the patient lost too much blood in one go. Her heart and kidneys are completely shot. I'm afraid—" "Afraid of what?" Arthur shook his head wildly and grabbed the doctor's hand. "Afraid of what? Answer me! What's wrong with my wife? What happened to her?" As soon as the words left his mouth, the heart monitor flatlined. Evan stared at Grace. Just a couple of days ago, she'd been eating with him and talking about how he had to live a good life with Queenie. Now, she'd slipped away right in front of him. His eyes slowly turned bloodshot. "I'm sorry. We did everything we could. Please accept our condolences." Chapter 7 Arthur let out a howl of despair and passed out on the spot. "Dad!" Evan caught him, his whole body shaking violently. "Mom! Dad! No!" Grace was dead, and Arthur had fainted from grief and wouldn't wake up. Evan stared blankly at the scene, feeling like his whole world had gone dark. The doctor told him to handle the arrangements for Grace's body. Evan moved forward one heavy step at a time and accidentally bumped into someone. He didn't even look up. He stepped aside, ready to keep going, when that person called out to him. "Evan." The familiar voice made Evan halt. He slowly lifted his head. Finally, his red, swollen eyes focused on something. "I heard you and your mom donated a lot of blood to save me. Thanks, really. But honestly, you kinda owed me that. I only jumped because of you, after all," Joel said smugly. Evan glared at him, hatred practically spilling out of him. Joel was unfazed. If anything, he looked even more pleased with himself. "You must really hate me, huh? You know, there's actually something I've been dying to tell you." He stepped closer, leaned in to Evan's ear, and said, "Here's a secret—I never had depression. I made all that up to string Queenie along. I honestly didn't expect something so simple to screw up your relationship so badly. "It's your turn to be frank with me now. Do you seriously still not get it? In Queenie's heart, I'll always be her top priority. I mean the most to her." Rage churned in Evan's chest, and he finally snapped. His hands shot out and clamped around Joel's throat. He roared, "Shut up! Just shut the hell up!" "Stop this! Evan, what are you doing?" Queenie showed up at the perfect moment. She rushed over and shoved Evan away. His back slammed hard into the wall, but he barely even felt it. "Queenie, I'm scared. I just wanted to thank him and his mom for saving me, but he suddenly turned rabid and tried to strangle me," Joel said, hurrying to her side. She gently patted his back. "Don't be scared." She turned to Evan. "Didn't I already promise to make it up to your mom? Once Joel's discharged, I'll visit her and your dad personally. I'll get her the best rehab specialist and slowly make up for the blood I took. "Haven't they been pushing for us to get married? I'll move that up, too. Joel's still really weak right now. Can you stop picking on him?" "Me, picking on him?" Evan laughed, the sound bitter and hollow. "Relax. I won't lay a finger on him ever again." He turned away and walked toward the morgue, one heavy step at a time. He was exhausted. He didn't want to be tangled up with Queenie or Joel anymore. When Arthur finally woke up, his mind was no longer sound. He couldn't even remember that Grace had died. Evan handled Grace's cremation on his own. He didn't hold a funeral; he just quietly brought her ashes back home. Arthur, already slipping into dementia, pointed at the urn and asked if Evan had brought back a jar of flour. Evan didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out three plane tickets and waved them in front of Arthur. "Dad, how about I take you on a trip tomorrow?" "I don't wanna go. Your mom won't be able to find us." "We'll bring Mom with us. The three of us will always be together. We'll never be apart." Early the next morning, Evan led Arthur onto an international flight. Right before takeoff, Queenie called him. But he didn't pick up. Another call came in from an unknown number. This time, he answered. "Mr. Sutherland, I got what you wanted. Are you sure you want me to deliver this information to Queenie Stone in three days?" "Yes. Thank you." After paying the other party, Evan removed the SIM card from his phone and tossed it into the trash. The plane finally took off. As the city below grew smaller and smaller, Evan tucked a blanket around Arthur, then hugged Grace's urn to his chest and closed his eyes. He thought, "Queenie, I'm leaving. I hope we never cross paths again in this lifetime, and I hope that you won't regret everything you did when you finally learn the truth."