Chapter 257
If Evangeline chose not to believe him, a hundred phone calls wouldn’t change her mind. It would only make him look desperate.
With that thought, Soren tossed his phone aside and walked into the kitchen for a glass of water. He opened the kettle and found it empty. He then went to the water cooler, only to find the large plastic jug was empty as well.
He searched the kitchen. There was no bottled water in the fridge, and the only other jugs stacked against the wall were also empty. Arranging for the monthly water delivery was something Evangeline had always handled. In fact, whenever he was home, she always made sure a glass of water was waiting for him.
This was the first time he’d ever had to deal with this himself.
He considered messaging Evangeline to ask her what to do, but remembering her dismissive tone, he decided against it.
Soren went upstairs, washed up, and lay down in bed. The silence in the room was so profound he could hear his own heartbeat. Staring at the ceiling, he felt the familiar tendrils of insomnia creep in. His sleep had been terrible for the past month, ever since she’d left. His insomnia had returned with a vengeance.
After half an hour of tossing and turning, he sat up, grabbed two sleeping pills from the nightstand, and swallowed them dry.
The night deepened, and a sliver of moonlight crept under the curtains, painting a pale stripe across the floor. He didn’t know how much time had passed before he found himself sitting up again, his throat painfully dry.
“Evangeline,” he called out instinctively.
It took him a few moments to clear the fog from his mind and remember that she was gone. She didn’t live here anymore.
He got out of bed and checked the time. It was only three in the morning. He’d been asleep for less than three hours. His throat felt like sandpaper. He stumbled to the bathroom to splash some water on his face, but stopped short at the door. The floor was covered in an inch of water. A pipe under the sink had burst, soaking the floor and everything inside the vanity.
Already grumpy from lack of sleep, the sight of the flood sent a wave of irritation through him. He slammed the door shut. When Evangeline was here, these kinds of chaotic accidents never happened. Now, it felt like the entire villa was conspiring against him.
Soren rubbed his temples, his frustration mounting. Finally, he gave in and dialed her number.
The phone rang for nearly thirty seconds before she answered. Her voice was drowsy and soft, as if he’d just woken her up. “What’s wrong p>
Hearing her voice, Soren felt an unexpected pang in his chest. His Adam’s apple bobbed.
“There’s no drinking water in the house,” he said, his voice raspy.
“Oh… there’s a magnet on the fridge with the delivery service’s number,” she explained patiently. “But they only work during the day. You can just boil some tap water for now. Use the small faucet on the sink p>
He could hear the unspoken words in her tone: *You called me in the middle of the night for this p>
Soren felt a complex mix of emotions. A problem that had completely stumped him, she had solved in seconds.
When he didn’t respond, Evangeline yawned. “Is there anything else? If not, I’m going back to sleep p>
“The pipe in the bathroom burst,” he blurted out.
She paused, thinking. “It’s probably the old pipe under the sink. There are spare parts in the cabinet. You just need to find the right size and replace it p>
“It’s too complicated. I can’t do it,” he cut her off, knowing full well she was right.
Evangeline knew he just didn’t want to get his hands dirty. He handled business deals a hundred times more complex than this without breaking a sweat.
“There’s also a plumber’s number on a sticker inside the bathroom door,” she said, her patience clearly wearing thin.
“It’s the middle of the night. No one’s going to come out at this hour p>
“You could offer to pay them extra p>
“Evangeline,” Soren’s voice was sharp, cutting her off with an almost desperate edge. “I’m coming to get you. You’re coming back p>