As she spoke, she fumbled in her bag for her phone.
Her sudden movement dislodged several items, which she ignored, her hands trembling as she attempted to unlock the device.
Evan snatched it away. "Do you not understand what I'm saying?"
Jocelyn broke down in helpless sobs.
He made a call, and within moments, his assistant arrived.
Amidst her desperate cries, she was whisked away to the hospital.
The commotion downstairs was too loud to ignore.
If she had to hear it, then so be it. At least she didn't have to see it.
Before long, Evan returned, pulling her into his embrace.
See, he truly was a heartless man, sparing not even his own flesh and blood.
Zoe's eyes drooped wearily, uninterested in looking at him.
"Do you want to go somewhere fun?" he asked.
No response.
"Shall we go to W city? You always wanted to go there. I'll take you tomorrow."
He continued talking, needing no reply from her.
"Alright, we'll go to W City, see your beloved place, and anywhere else you want, alright?"
Snow began to fall heavily, despite the approaching spring.
Night had fallen, and as he opened the window, he was delighted to see the world outside turn white.
"It's snowing, dear."
Evan turned to look at her, eyes resting on her form leaning against the headboard with eyes shut.
"Would you like to see it?"
He loved snow, and so did she, though he would never know she loved it because of him.
"Alright, I'll carry you to see it." He lifted her effortlessly in a princess carry, the lightness of her body nearly bringing him to tears.
She opened her eyes, gazing quietly at the snow outside, her lashes fluttering gently.
Zoe struggled to get down and suddenly headed for her suitcase.
It was obvious someone had rummaged through it.
She turned around.
Evan opened the drawer of the bedside table, his nostrils flaring subtly.
He handed her the box.
Inside, beneath a thick notebook filled with memories of their past, lay reminders of what they once had.
He kept them to cherish.
Zoe opened the box, glanced inside, then closed it and returned it to the drawer.
She climbed back into bed, closing her eyes.
Evan stepped out, smoking an entire pack of cigarettes, choking himself several times with rapid inhales, tears streaming down his face.
Clad in his thin pajamas, he slumped on the sofa, roughly ruffling his hair.
He felt as if he were encased in ice.
How did things end up like this?
He couldn't comprehend.
After a while, he roughly rubbed his face and tiptoed back into the room, climbing back into bed by the moonlight.
Zoe was asleep, her breaths steady.
Drawing her into his arms, tears slipped down his cheeks.
She was so cold, as was he, and it took a while to warm her up.
Evan couldn't sleep, his thoughts drifting to the sleeping pills he'd noticed in the drawer.
They must be hers, the bottle nearly empty with only four pills left.
Ah, how many times had he found her awake in the dead of night, assuming she had simply slept during the day.
Little did he know it was insomnia, damn it.
His Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes bloodshot as he carefully got out of bed to fetch the pills.
He swallowed the four pills dry, the bitter taste spreading wildly in his mouth, his brows uncreasing.
Back in bed, he held her tighter than ever before.
Tomorrow, tomorrow will be better.
He would take her to all the places she used to talk about, see them all, make up for what he had missed giving her.
