### **A Misunderstanding That Broke Trust**
After arriving at the office, Ethan wasted no time—he called Evelyn in an angry tone.
"Evelyn, come to my room immediately," he demanded.
Evelyn hurried to his office, knocking on the door before entering.
"Yes, come in," Ethan said, his voice sharp.
She stepped inside and noticed the proposal papers in his hands. Her face lit up.
"Sir, you got the proposal successfully!" she said cheerfully.
But Ethan's expression remained furious.
"Do you even understand how I got it?" he snapped. "I trusted you completely. Do you know how important this deal was? I worked tirelessly—without eating, without sleeping—and yet, you leaked the quotation price!"
Evelyn was stunned. "What are you saying, sir? I didn't do anything!"
Ethan wasn't listening. His anger clouded his judgment.
"You and I were the only ones who knew the bid amount," he accused. "Do you still think I should believe you? You're the same person who agreed to pretend to be my girlfriend—for money. If you needed more, you could have just asked me! Why did you do this?"
His voice dropped coldly. "I don't want to see you. Get out of my sight."
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears. Without another word, she turned and left the room abruptly.
Ivy, noticing Evelyn's distress, rushed to her. "Evelyn, what happened? Why are you crying?"
Evelyn wiped her tears. "It's nothing, Ivy. Just a headache. I'm going home."
She gathered her things and left the office.
Meanwhile, Ethan sat at his desk, his mind replaying the confrontation. *Did I speak too harshly?*
---
### **A Shocking Truth**
After finishing work, Ethan went home.
His father greeted him. "Ethan, did you get the proposal?"
"Yes, Dad," Ethan answered. "Thank you so much for making this happen. If you hadn't done what you did, I wouldn't have won the bid. How did you apply for it without telling me?"
John smiled. "Congratulations, son. But don't thank me—you should thank Evelyn."
Ethan froze. "Why should I thank her for this? I don't understand, Dad. Please explain."
John sighed. "Yesterday evening, Evelyn called me. She was worried about how hard you were working—without eating or sleeping—just for this business deal. She told me that if you lost, you'd be devastated.
Then she suggested an idea. She brought me empty proposal papers and asked me to fill them out with an amount slightly higher than yours. I signed them and handed them back to her, and she sent them in along with yours. Because of her, we won the bid."
Ethan's stomach twisted with guilt. He had lashed out at Evelyn, accused her without proof, when she was the very reason he had won the deal. He quietly walked to his room, ashamed.
At that moment, his phone rang.
He answered immediately. "Did you find out how my bid amount was leaked?"
His office worker responded, "Yes, sir. It was Mr. Aiden—the businessman who came in second place. He worked with an employee from the company to get access to your quotation price."
Ethan's heart sank further. Everything had gone wrong because of his own assumptions. *I misjudged Evelyn. I hurt her with my words.*
The weight of his mistake crushed him. *She's the reason I got the proposal, and I treated her like a betrayer.*
Determined to make things right, Ethan called Evelyn to apologize. But she didn't answer.
Feeling desperate, he sent her a message:
**"I am truly sorry, Evelyn. My dad just told me everything. I should never have doubted you. I can't imagine how hurt you must feel after being falsely accused. I realize my mistake, and I'll do anything to make it up to you. I promise this will never happen again. Please forgive me."**
Moments later, Evelyn received the message. She read it slowly, then replied:
**"Sir, I had respect for you. But today, you proved that you're just like any other man—not special. If your father hadn't told you the truth, you wouldn't have believed me. You saw me as someone who would do anything for money.
You thought you were offering me a contract out of good intentions, but I accepted it out of necessity. I come from a middle-class family—I don't have the privilege of broad-minded forgiveness.
I can't quit this job because, as you said, I'm here for money. But don't expect me to forgive you."**
Ethan's chest tightened as he read her words.
**"Evelyn, I am truly sorry,"** he replied. **"I know my words hurt you deeply, and I feel ashamed. From now on, I will think before I speak—not just with you, but with everyone. I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart."**
Evelyn read the message but didn't respond.
For now, she was at least relieved that he knew the truth—that she wasn't the one who betrayed him.
But forgiveness? That was something Ethan would have to earn.
---
### **Can Ethan Mend Their Relationship?**
Ethan had broken Evelyn's trust. Would he be able to repair it, or was their bond damaged beyond repair?
---
### **A Lingering Distance**
The next morning, Ethan anxiously waited for Evelyn, hoping to apologize. But Evelyn intentionally avoided crossing paths with him, still deeply hurt by his words.
Instead, she confided in Ivy, recounting everything that had happened.
---
### **Ethan's Attempt at Communication**
A while later, Ethan approached Ivy.
"Ivy, I'm attending the party for the winning proposal," he informed her. "Please convey this to Evelyn."
With that, he left, unable to face Evelyn directly.
Shortly after, Evelyn arrived at Ivy's desk.
Ivy glanced at her with a knowing expression. "Evelyn, Ethan sir wanted me to tell you—he's going to the winning proposal party."
Evelyn sighed in frustration. "Ivy, you know everything that happened. Why are you doing this?"
Ivy spoke gently. "Evelyn, he's been searching for you all morning. His face looks sad—he feels guilty for how he treated you. He made a mistake, but he didn't know the truth at the time. Can't you forgive him?"
Evelyn's voice was firm. "Ivy, you're supporting him, just like everyone else."
She lowered her gaze. "Whenever I see him, his words replay in my mind. I need time to forget this. But… the only relief is that he realized his mistake, didn't hesitate to apologize, and didn't let his position stop him from admitting fault to his employee. That, at least, has increased my respect for him."
---
### **Will Evelyn Eventually Forgive Ethan?**
Ethan was eager to make amends, but Evelyn wasn't ready to move past the pain. Would time heal the wounds between them? Or would their relationship remain distant forever?
---
### **A Crisis Unfolds**
Ethan returned to his company after the celebratory party lunch, resuming his work as usual.
Later that evening, Ivy approached Evelyn. "Evelyn, have you finished your work? Let's go—I need to leave early."
Evelyn shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, Ivy, I haven't finished yet. It'll take another half an hour. You go ahead."
Ivy nodded. "Alright. Bye, see you tomorrow."
---
### **Unexpected Illness**
After finishing her work, Evelyn prepared to head home. As she stepped out of her office, she heard an unusual sound coming from Ethan's room nearby.
She hesitated, then walked toward his office door and knocked.
Silence.
Concern growing, she slowly pushed the door open.
Inside, she heard the unmistakable sound of vomiting coming from the restroom.
Without a second thought, she rushed in and found Ethan slumped forward, struggling. She gently held his forehead, supporting him as he emptied his stomach.
Once he was done, Evelyn quickly cleaned the area and helped him back to his seat.
"Are you alright, sir?" she asked, worry evident in her voice. "Should we go to the hospital?"
Ethan weakly shook his head. "No need, Evelyn. I'll be fine. At the party, I ate seafood without realizing it—I'm allergic. I think it gave me food poisoning. I've vomited more than six times since eating it."
He let out a faint chuckle. "Maybe this is God punishing me for making you feel sad. Or… are you cursing me?"
Evelyn sighed. "You're joking even in this situation."
She quickly grabbed her phone and called Ethan's driver.
"Sir, please come to his office immediately," she instructed.
Within minutes, the driver arrived.
Evelyn and the driver helped Ethan into the elevator and got him into the car.
"What should we do now, ma'am?" the driver asked hesitantly.
Evelyn recalled what Ethan's mother had mentioned—he had a deep fear of hospitals, injections, and medication.
She glanced at Ethan, seeing how pale and weak he was. His body slumped in the seat, barely conscious.
She made her decision.
"Sir, drive fast to the nearest hospital," she ordered.
The driver hesitated. "Ma'am, Ethan sir is afraid of hospitals…"
Evelyn shook her head firmly. "We have no other choice right now. Just drive—I'll handle him."
The driver obeyed, speeding toward the hospital.
---
### **A Critical Condition**
Upon arrival, Ethan was admitted immediately.
The doctor examined him carefully.
Evelyn stepped forward. "Doctor, how is he?"
The doctor sighed. "He ate something he's allergic to, causing a severe reaction. On top of that, has he been skipping meals and sleep for the past two days?"
"Yes, doctor," Evelyn confirmed. "He's been consumed with his business work."
The doctor nodded knowingly. "That explains it. The combination of stress, exhaustion, and food poisoning has severely affected his body. I've given him an injection to stop the vomiting and put him on drips to stabilize his condition. He'll need rest. I'll check on him in the morning—if his condition improves, he can be discharged."
---
### **A Call for Help**
Evelyn wasted no time—she called Ethan's father.
"Uncle, Ethan has been admitted to the hospital," she explained. "He had a bad reaction to seafood and hasn't eaten or slept properly for two days. He's weak, but the doctors are taking care of him."
John's voice was filled with concern. "What hospital is he in?"
"I've sent his car to pick you and Aunt Maria up," Evelyn assured him. "Please come as soon as possible."
Turning to the driver, she instructed, "Sir, go to Ethan sir's house and bring his parents here."
The driver nodded and left immediately to fetch them.
---
### **Will Ethan Recover Quickly?**
Evelyn had stepped up to take care of Ethan despite everything that had happened between them. Would this incident bring them closer again?
And more importantly—would Ethan finally learn to take better care of himself?
---
Endless Love continues...