Chapter 360

The nail salon was nestled inside an exclusive luxury boutique. Evelyn had only known it as a high-end brand for handbags and couture, so discovering they'd ventured into nail artistry was a delightful surprise.

"Evelyn! Adrian and I are getting married in May!" Sophie squealed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And you absolutely must be my maid of honor! Lily and Henry can be our ring bearers!"

Evelyn sighed, shaking her head. "The kids would love to be ring bearers, but I can't be your maid of honor. You should ask someone else."

As a divorced mother, tradition dictated she wasn't suited for the role.

"I already talked to my parents and Adrian! They all agreed it's fine." Sophie tugged Evelyn down beside her. "Now, let's get matching manicures!"

"Matching nails, sure, but the maid of honor thing is a hard no." Evelyn lowered her voice, her fingers tracing the edge of the polish display. "Unlike me, I want your marriage to be perfect, Sophie. I'm content with where I am, but I want more for you."

Sophie's bright smile faltered for a second before she squeezed Evelyn's hand. "Fine, I won't push. But mark my words—you'll find someone incredible, and you'll be happier than you ever imagined."

Evelyn nodded, glancing at Sophie's half-finished nails. "How much longer? You've been here a while."

"Since this morning. I picked intricate designs, so it's taking forever, but look how gorgeous they're turning out!" Sophie admired her nails with satisfaction.

"I'll just do a simple polish. I brought the kids, and they’ll get restless if this takes too long." Evelyn glanced toward Lily and Henry, who were peering curiously at the array of colors.

"Mommy, I want pretty nails too!" Lily stared wide-eyed at Sophie's glittering fingertips.

"Not yet, sweetheart. When you're older."

"Mom, we won’t get bored." Henry gently pulled Lily back. "You should get the same design as Aunt Sophie."

Sophie beamed at him. "Henry, you think my nails are pretty?"

He nodded solemnly.

"See? Your son has excellent taste! Just match mine. I’m almost done anyway, and if they get antsy, I’ll take them out for ice cream."

True to her word, once Sophie finished, she whisked the kids away, leaving Evelyn to enjoy her pampering in peace.

Sophie, always full of energy, completely lost herself in spoiling the children. She took them shopping, treated them to decadent desserts, and then—to Evelyn’s shock—ended up at a theme park halfway across the city.

When Evelyn finally finished her nails, she called Sophie. Upon hearing their location, she groaned. "You’re kidding! That’s practically another time zone. At this rate, I might as well go home and nap."

By the time she reached them, it’d be dark.

Sophie’s laughter rang through the phone. "Go sleep, then! Lily told me Dominic kidnapped you last night and you didn’t come home until dawn. True story?"

Evelyn’s cheeks warmed. She hadn’t expected Lily to spill everything. "He didn’t kidnap me. I went willingly," she muttered.

"Oh? So he came crawling back after Zoe lost the baby? That snake! Block him and never speak to him again!" Sophie huffed.

"Blocking his number won’t stop him. He knows where I live. Avoiding him won’t solve anything."

"True, but what’s the point of him harassing you? You didn’t push Zoe, and even if you had, she definitely started it. It’s not like you can magically give him back his baby," Sophie pointed out.

Evelyn stepped out of the salon, phone in hand, weaving through displays of designer handbags. As she glanced up, her breath caught.

There, in the distance, stood a figure she’d never forget—the woman she longed to see burn.

Maybe her stare was too intense, because Margaret noticed her almost instantly. Their eyes locked, and Margaret’s lips curled into a mocking smirk. Beside her stood a man carrying her shopping bags—Zoe’s father.