Chapter 314

Lily and Henry dashed to the front entrance, their small faces pressed against the digital screen of the door security system. The man's chiseled features were unmistakable even through the pixelated display.

"Mommy! It's him! The man who broke your heart!" Lily shrieked, her voice a mixture of terror and exhilaration as she sprinted toward Evelyn.

Evelyn untied her apron with deliberate slowness, then scooped up her trembling daughter. "Don't be frightened, darling. Go with your brother to your playroom," she murmured, exchanging a meaningful glance with Henry.

Henry's jaw clenched visibly as he led Lily away, their small footsteps echoing down the hallway.

After ensuring the children were safely behind closed doors, Evelyn marched through the sunlit living area and yanked open the heavy oak door.

Dominic Blackwood stood framed in the doorway, the dying embers of sunset casting long shadows across his sharp cheekbones.

"Sophia's disappeared. Her caretaker last saw her near your property," Dominic stated without preamble, his voice tight with controlled urgency. "I've searched every residence in this neighborhood except yours."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around the doorframe. "So you're suggesting I might be harboring your precious sister?" Her laugh was brittle as winter frost.

Dominic's gaze never wavered. "I'm here to locate a missing person, not rehash our personal history."

"And if she's not here?" Evelyn challenged, swinging the door wide open.

Dominic took a threatening step forward, his cologne mixing with the evening air. "What exactly are you proposing?"

The sudden proximity made Evelyn stumble backward. "If Sophia isn't in my home, you swear never to darken my doorstep again!"

A muscle twitched in Dominic's jaw as he considered her ultimatum. Instead of responding, he raised his voice.

"Sophia! Come out now! Your brother is here!" His commanding tone filled the vaulted ceilings of the foyer.

When no response came, he tried again, softer this time. "Sophia, sweetheart, can you hear me? It's time to go home."

The endearment twisted like a knife in Evelyn's chest. The way he said "brother" with such tenderness—as if they shared blood rather than just a last name.

Yet there were no records of Sophia in the Blackwood family archives. What man would prioritize a non-blood relative over his own wife?

"Enough," Evelyn snapped. "She's not here. Search if you must." She gestured dramatically toward the interior.

Dominic moved with predatory grace through each room. The master bedroom. The study. The guest quarters.

When they reached the children's playroom, his steps faltered. Henry stood protectively in front of Lily, his small face contorted with hatred.

"Why do your children despise me so thoroughly, Evelyn?" Dominic asked quietly. "Have you poisoned them against me?"

Evelyn's laugh was sharp enough to cut glass. "Children have excellent instincts. You radiate the kind of energy that makes them recoil instinctively. You're hardly worth discussing at bedtime stories."

Dominic's hands curled into fists, but he said nothing—perhaps remembering the abortion he'd forced upon her years ago.

"Last time Sophia went missing, you were hysterical," Evelyn taunted. "What's different now? Expecting another Good Samaritan to deliver her to the emergency room?"

Dominic absorbed her venom with surprising patience. "Her cognitive abilities were severely impaired during that incident. She's made remarkable progress since then."

"How fascinating," Evelyn drawled. "Tell me, Dominic—if she becomes fully functional, will you love her more... or less?"

"That's enough." Dominic's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Your cruelty knows no bounds."

Evelyn tilted her chin. "To you, she'll always just be that simple-minded girl you're obsessed with!"

The words struck like a physical blow. Dominic's entire body went rigid, his expression turning thunderous. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away, his expensive shoes crushing fallen leaves on the pathway.

When his silhouette finally disappeared into the twilight, Evelyn sagged against the doorframe. He hadn't found Sophia. So why had he dredged up all those painful memories? The past should have stayed buried.