Eleven Years All to the Wrong Man novel Chapter 18

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she fell for him in a second. From that day on, besides the monotony of studying, Emma's life had a new focus: Evan.

How they got together was rather cliché. It was a story of a relentless pursuit on her part and a distant, aloof response on his. He would occasionally give her a few words of acknowledgment, and just when Emma felt it was hopeless and was about to give up, Evan finally agreed to date her.

For Evan, the relationship started casually. He had agreed with the intention of just having some fun, but he hadn't expected to be so thoroughly entangled by Emma. She acted as if she loved him completely, loved him enough to abandon her family and leave Riverside Millford for him.

In his seventeen years, no one had ever loved him the way Emma did. It was in that moment that Evan secretly vowed to be good to her, to love her forever. But somewhere along the way, it seemed he had forgotten that promise.

***

Emma's eyelashes fluttered. She was still half-asleep, but the sound of bustling voices reached her ears.

The seventeen-year-old Evan from her dream slowly faded away. As she gradually opened her eyes, he was replaced by the man who had shed his boyishness and grown into a composed adult.

Seeing her awake, Evan took a step forward. "You're awake?"

Emma hadn't fully processed her surroundings yet. Her eyes were unfocused, staring blankly at the harsh white fluorescent light on the ceiling.

The surface beneath her was hard. Her throat was sore, and her head was still spinning.

"Ma'am, are you feeling any better?"

An older female officer approached first, gently helping Emma sit up.

"You collapsed on the street just now, do you remember? A gentleman kindly brought you to the police station. This man behind me claims to be your husband, but since you were unconscious and had no ID or phone on you, we couldn't confirm."

She turned to Evan, frowning. "Listen, sir, since this young woman is your wife, how could you let her be out alone in the middle of the night? And dressed like that, walking on the side of the road! Don't you know how important women's safety is these days? She was lucky a kind person found her tonight and brought her to the station. If she'd run into someone with bad intentions, let me tell you, you'd both be in for a world of regret!"

"Yes, you're right. I understand."

Facing the officer's scolding, Evan accepted all of it.

He then asked, "Officer, do you happen to have the contact information for the good Samaritan who brought my wife here? I'd like to thank them in person someday."

"No, he left right after dropping her off. Didn't leave a name or number."

"Oh, is that so? That's a real shame..."