The money she earned in a single day was more than many people's lifelong savings.
Like many others, she thought everything she had could protect her.
But in the end, she found that everything she relied on and pursued was just a joke.
She almost died from a single cyberattack, and all the money she had saved, all her so-called connections, none of them worked.
Even the savings she earned from selling her body were stripped clean by the Clouds club in the blink of an eye, and her business acquaintances remained indifferent.
But in the end, it was her best friend, Judy, who saved her.
When she first opened her eyes, she saw the anxious concern in Judy's eyes.
At that moment, Evelyn knew who truly cared about her in this world.
So, as if crossing an invisible threshold, Evelyn bid farewell to the past and stepped into a new world.
Nothing from her past could stir even a ripple in her; at this moment, her heart held a calm as still as water.
Perhaps her first half of life was ridiculous, but she still had a chance to correct it, to experience a new life, to cherish the truly valuable things she had never noticed before.
So, looking at Judy, Evelyn's emotions grew heavier.
Although the food was a failure, she was confident she had other ways to comfort Judy.
Judy was still deep in thought when she suddenly felt a cool sensation; someone gently turned her face with their hand.
"Evelyn..."
The first thing Judy saw was the tumultuous emotions beneath Evelyn's calm eyes; she instantly understood the other's intention.
Without resisting, Evelyn wrapped her arms around Judy, her soft body pressing tightly against her, burying her head and intimately licking Judy's neck, making soft, wet sounds.
They were best friends, but occasionally they had that kind of relationship too.
Best friends confiding in each other, what's wrong with occasionally indulging in physical intimacy?
This was the unique characteristic of Night City's best friend relationships; that's how it worked.
Judy was no stranger to this and had always enjoyed it.
Because this kind of entertainment was considered the least harmful in this day and age.
But today, Judy couldn't find that old passion.
Passively receiving Evelyn's intimate caresses, Judy frowned as she endured it all.
And, an increasing sense of irritation welled up in her heart.
Because an inexplicable discomfort arose within her.
As if embedded in her mind, she suddenly thought of the figure she had hugged on the back of the motorcycle.
Their scent, the sensation of black hair brushing against her face, became even clearer due to her current situation.
In a trance, it even felt somewhat hazy, as if it wasn't Evelyn in front of her who was doing these things to her.
Judy was in a state of confused distress.
And as Evelyn tried to go further, a sudden movement startled Judy, like someone drowning suddenly waking up.
"Wait, Little Eve! We can't do this."
The ambiguous mood was abruptly broken. Judy felt a sudden surge of strength in her body and pushed Evelyn away.
"Judy..."
Looking at the confusion and bewilderment in Evelyn's eyes, Judy guiltily averted her gaze.
"Sorry, Evelyn, I'm... not feeling well right now, I don't really want to do this."
Judy gripped the edge of the bed and spoke while looking down at the floor, her words clearly reaching Evelyn's ears.
"Judy..."
Evelyn, suddenly rejected, was at a loss, unsure what she had done wrong, until she saw the look in Judy's eyes, which seemed to conceal something, and only then did she realize.
"Alright, then... maybe later."
Evelyn clenched her hands, eventually letting go.
Neither of them spoke again. This awkward silence lasted for a while, as both were preoccupied with their own thoughts, which they found difficult to share.
"Is our relationship... ending here?"
Finally, it was Evelyn who broke the silence, uttering the sentence lightly, as if by accident.
Evelyn hadn't added any preceding or subsequent words, but Judy heard them clearly, and they weighed heavily on her heart.
She wanted to open her mouth and say no.
But when she opened her mouth, the words wouldn't come out.
The final answer was silence.
Judy also felt suffocated, as if her mind was clogged with weeds, many thoughts tangled by winding vines, preventing her from forming a clear idea.
But one thing she could confirm was that, in her heart, she could no longer muster the vague, nascent feelings she once had for Evelyn.
"Okay, I understand."
Seeing Judy like this, Evelyn's face was pale, and she gave a faint, weak smile, understanding everything.
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