Save Her Lose Us (Evangeline and Soren) novel Chapter 54

Poppy sensed the shift in his mood.

Almost absentmindedly, her gaze drifted to his phone screen, catching the name "Evangeline" glowing among the latest messages.

Evangeline. Again.

A wave of irritation rippled through her.

She was confident she could sweep aside any obstacle that stood between her and Soren—except, perhaps, for Soren himself.

She could never quite decipher how he truly felt about Evangeline.

By now, Soren had already locked his phone and spoke in a cool, distant tone, "I have things to handle. I can't keep you company tonight. It's getting dark—don't stay out too late. I'll have the driver take you home."

"Is it because of Evangeline?" Poppy asked quietly. "She still hasn't moved back into the manor, has she?"

The question hung in the air, and she saw Soren's brow knit even tighter.

He didn't answer, but the truth was obvious.

Poppy lowered her voice. "She's being a bit headstrong this time, I'll admit. But honestly, I envy her. She gets to be your wife, your grandmother dotes on her… Only people who are truly loved get to act so fearlessly."

"Soren, don't be so stubborn. If you really want to make things work with Evangeline, then sometimes you just have to swallow your pride and take the first step."

Soren's gaze flicked to her freshly bandaged hand, his expression unreadable. "After the way she treated you, you're still defending her?"

"Well, she's a woman, too. I don't like being at odds with other women. Besides…" Poppy paused, fixing her eyes on him. "Soren, I do love you. But the way I love you is… I want you to be happy—even if it's not with me."

"We were too young back then. Too reckless. That's why we broke up."

"All these years, I've regretted it more times than I can count."

As she spoke, a faint mist clouded her eyes.

Five years ago, people liked to say it was the Fawkes family who tore them apart. But the truth was, she and Soren already had their share of issues.

"It's all in the past. Don't dwell on it. Get some rest."

His calm, almost detached reaction left her strangely hollow. Still, she forced a smile and nodded. "You too. Get home safe."

When she got in the car, the driver was about to set the navigation for her apartment.

Poppy interrupted, "Take me to Fawkes Manor."

The driver hesitated. "But Mr. Fawkes said I should take you home. I don't want to overstep. Maybe I should check with him first?"

"No need." Poppy gripped Soren's jacket tighter, breathing in the sharp, clean scent of cedar clinging to the fabric. "Sooner or later, that place will be my home."

Not long after Poppy left, Gregory arrived, pulling up in a hurry, nerves and anticipation written all over his face. "Mr. Fawkes, where to?"

Gregory was Soren's right-hand man at the company, usually handling business matters, not driving at this hour. Soren rarely called on him for personal errands this late at night.