Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 497 The Truth

"Alaric, if you're determined to drag that woman into this mess with you, then let's see what happens."

Alaric clenched his teeth and said, "Evelina, you're out of your mind. We ended things ages ago. I didn't change the password because you said you were coming back to collect your stuff! Why are you doing this? What's the point of destroying me for your gain?" The call ended abruptly, and there was no further reply.

Alaric was extremely angry.

If he had known how things would turn out, he would have never been involved with Evelina.

Carmel observed his distressed state and realised that this situation was likely beyond repair.

However, he knew Alaric better than the rumours.

So he understood that Alaric wasn't the type to be deceitful.

"When did you end things with her?"

"A while back, but it officially concluded about four months ago," Alaric responded.

"Four months ago?"

"Yes."

In reality, Alaric had ended his relationship with Evelina much earlier.

...

In Evelina's lengthy post, besides some exaggerations and attempts to play the victim, there was also some truth.

In other words, she and Alaric were indeed together for seven years.

They started dating in high school and stayed together until they made their debut.

Those seven years were undeniably Evelina's youth.

But didn't Alaric's seven years also his youth?

Evelina came from a poor family. She didn't have money for living expenses during high school, and her family prioritised boys over girls. They believed she should leave school and work to support her younger brother, rather than spend time in education. Alaric met her during their second year of high school, and they soon began a relationship.

Alaric came from a relatively wealthy family, and from their second year of high school, Evelina depended on him for her lunch and dinner costs, as well as her school fees.

She had to work on weekends and holidays.

Alaric, feeling sympathetic, would willingly give her money.

When they went to college, Alaric had many admirers who were better than Evelina, and he admitted that he had had moments of doubt. However, he never acted on those feelings to betray her.

Since they attended different universities, there was a distance between them.

The biggest gap happened during the summer break of their third year.

Alaric drove Evelina home and unintentionally overheard a conversation between her and her cousin.

It was then that he discovered their high school meeting had not been a coincidence.

It turned out that everything had been part of Evelina's carefully planned strategy!

While she seemed innocent, she was actually quite manipulative.

From the start, she was aware that Alaric was from a rich background. She ignored her family's suggestions to get a job and instead aimed to replace a wealthy boyfriend at school, which led her to focus on Alaric.

BUMS

From their first encounter to her attempts to win his favour, Alaric believed he had met a wonderful girl.

However, he was unaware that what he admired about her was merely a facade.

Following that event, he was left with a lingering sense of hurt.

Eventually, Eveline secured a role in 'The Lies in Winter' and landed the coveted female lead spot that many newcomers aspired to. Alaric wanted to celebrate her success, but she turned down his offer.

He assumed she was still occupied with her studies.

However, much to his astonishment, his close friend happened to spot Evelina at a bar, socialising with other men.

She had turned him down only to hang out with the male lead from the film crew.

His friend even took pictures to show him.

In the end, Alaric saw Evelina for who she really was. He never imagined that the girlfriend he had been with for so long would turn out to be like this.

The family arranged for someone to help him get in touch with the crew and set up his debut role.

Alaric then officially ended his relationship with Evelina.

However, Evelina didn't accept it. She cried and pleaded with Alaric to reconsider, insisting that she loved him deeply.

Alaric remained firm, as the pain in his heart was too deep, but he underestimated how persistent she could be.

Evelina had initially believed that landing the female lead in 'The Lies in Winter' would launch her to stardom. She dreamed of achieving instant fame with her debut.

However, when 'The Lies in Winter' was released, it didn't generate the dramatic success she had hoped for. Although the outcome was positive, it fell short of her expectations.

Her shattered dream of stardom made her cling even more desperately to Alaric. He was her best option at the time.

Even though Alaric no longer had any feelings for her, they had been together for several years, and she had accumulated many belongings in his apartment.