Evelyn quickly got dressed and booked a drive to the cafe. She had 'let herself go' even more after leaving Nathan's house.
Now she was dressed in black sweatpants and a black hoodie. Her hair was packed in a loose ponytail and her face, makeup free.
She stopped at the cafe and went in, immediately spotting Lydia who was dressed to the nines and decked in jewelry.
Evelyn slid her hands into her pockets and swaggered forward. When she sat down, Lydia frowned and was about to say that she was waiting for someone but one look at Evelyn's face made her stunned.
She looked over at the distasteful outfit Evelyn was wearing. Wasn't this announcing to the world that she didn't take her as a mother-in-law seriously?
She struggled to push down the displeasure in her heart.
"Evie, you're here."
Evelyn spread both her arms.
"Well, you can see me can't you?"
Lydia gritted her teeth. Why didn't she realize Evelyn was this annoying previously? She forced a laugh.
"You're right that was an obvious question."
She looked over Evelyn's outfit again, this time with obvious worry.
"Are you okay? Do you have enough money? Nathan mentioned you didn't take anything when you were leaving. Oh you poor thing."
Evelyn yawned and only covered her mouth at the end, not missing the displeasure that flashed through Lydia's eyes.
"No need, I have more than enough."
Lydia obviously didn't believe her.
"You don't have to be embarrassed. Your clothes are obviously lacking and are so plain. This isn't what a proper lady should wear."
Evelyn laughed, showing her pointy canine teeth. It was quite cute but Lydia felt a chill run up her spine.
Seeing that Lydia didn't say anything, Evelyn became impatient.
"Speak. What did you call me out here for? I don't have all day."
Lydia's face turned green. The blatant disrespect was appalling to her. She took a deep breath.
"Like I said before, I don't know what happened between you and Nate but you should talk it out. There's no overnight feud between husband and wife."
Evelyn thought to herself that Lydia really wasn't the right person for this message but she kept those thoughts to herself. For now.
"I know that. And that's why this wasn't a decision promoted by something happening overnight. Your son is not worthy of being my husband so I left. What's the harm in that?"
Lydia could tolerate almost anything but could not bear to hear anyone say her dear son wasn't the epitome of perfection.
She reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"EVELYN CARTER!! I'm trying to talk to you nicely and you dare to insult my son? Who do you think you are? Being able to marry my son is a blessing you cultivated in several lifetimes and you dare to say he's not worthy of being your husband?"
Compared to her fiery attitude, Evelyn was completely calm.
"I said what I meant. Nathan is an absolute bastard and thr the fact that I could tolerate him for so long is a mystery."
Lydia's chest heaved up and down in anger and she pointed a shaking finger at Evelyn but couldn't make out the words so she just let out a 'pei!'
"These young girls that think divorce us the way to go. My precious son didn't dislike you for not giving him a son after two whole years of marriage and you think you can dislike him?"
Evelyn now found it amusing.
"I think your son knows more about why I couldn't take in than I do. You should ask him sometime."
Lydia paled and looked at Evelyn in horror.
"Are you trying to say he's the reason you two don't have any children yet? You are such a poisonous woman how dare you curse my son?"
Evelyn didn't mean it like that but felt it would be a waste of breath to try and explain to Lydia so she just shrugged.
"Whatever you say."
Lydia felt more and more that Evelyn was very different from before but she couldn't afford to offend her yet. She still had those shares in her hand.
"Evie, think about it first, you see, your father-in-law and I have had our own share if troubles over the years but we're still standing strong aren't we?"
Evelyn felt even more strongly that there must be some benefits Nathan would get from marrying her that she wasn't aware of.
But that aside, she looked at Lydia like she was crazy. Who didn't know that Nathan's father Roman Hale had many mistresses and illegitimate children outside which has been a cause of Lydia's headaches for years.
Because if this, there were small quarrels every three days and big quarrels every five days. And she dared to say they were standing strong? It's no wonder Nathan has such thick skin, it's obviously inherited.
Evelyn was disgusted at the thought of having to live like that.
"I'm nothing like you okay so don't compare us. What you choose to endure, I'll walk out of. My life is too short for me to spend it hung up on someone undeserving."
Lydia. was stunned by her sharp words. She didn't think there was any problem with the way she lived.
It was a business marriage and there was bound to be some cheating here and there but she was still Romans's legal wife. But the way Evelyn looked at her as though she deserved pity unnerved her.
She did not need to be pitied by a fool who didn't know how to gauge benefits. Her face turned cold and she stood up abruptly.
"Since you're unwilling to listen to me, then don't come back begging because you will never be allowed to enter the doors of my Hale family again."
Evelyn watched her leave calmly. She came here hoping to discover something and apart from finding out that Nathan had a purpose for marrying her, nothing important was found out.
She didn't try to hold Lydia back. There was no need. She confirmed her conjecture already.