The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 342

Evelyn’s life had been a mess recently. In her desperation, she had even gone to see Fletcher. It was from him that she’d heard Vivica had gotten together with the lawyer who handled her divorce and that they were planning to get married.

The news had shocked Evelyn, and she’d bitterly cursed the girl’s good fortune.

Now, as she followed Vivica, her stream of complaints was like the buzzing of a fly, and Vivica simply ignored it.

Originally, Joseph had planned to drive somewhere nicer to eat, as there were no decent restaurants right by the hospital. But with Evelyn there, he changed his mind and found a small restaurant nearby. It wasn't fancy, but it had private rooms.

Once they were seated in a room, Joseph picked up the menu. Before he could even open it, Evelyn snatched it from his hands. “You’re buying, so I’m ordering.”

Like a starving refugee, Evelyn frantically flipped through the menu and quickly ordered seven or eight dishes.

Vivica frowned. “Have you been starving or something?”

Evelyn shot her a look but said nothing, then told the waiter to add a basket of dinner rolls.

Understanding dawned on Vivica. “You’re planning to pack up the leftovers, aren’t you?” she said mockingly.

Evelyn’s face flushed with embarrassment. She remained silent, her expression confirming Vivica’s guess.

The waiter left, closing the door behind him.

Evelyn’s lips thinned, and her eyes darted around evasively. “I fell,” she mumbled. “Fell down the stairs.”

She was too embarrassed to admit the truth: she had been seeing an older man from her community dance group, and his wife and children had shown up at her apartment and given her a brutal beating. In her haste to escape, she had tripped and tumbled down the stairs.

Her phone had been broken that day, too, stomped to pieces on the floor. She had called the police, but since she had thrown the first punch, their retaliation was considered self-defense. After an investigation, the police determined they had used excessive force, and they paid her a symbolic compensation of fifteen hundred dollars.

But before she could even spend the money on herself, she received news from the prison. Her husband, Zebulon, and their son, Zahar, were miserable. They weren’t getting enough to eat, their clothes were inadequate, and they were utterly wretched.

Zahar, in particular, had been spoiled his entire life and couldn’t handle the hardship. He was used to a life of excess and had grown soft and pudgy. The strictly portioned prison meals left him ravenous. He felt like he was living in a nightmare and begged a guard to contact his mother, pleading for Evelyn to send him money.