Chapter 266

Christmas Eve had arrived, and the entire family was gathered at Whitmore Manor, planning to stay the night.

Ethan Caldwell, knowing full well that Alexander Whitmore and Evelyn Carter would be there, deliberately delayed his arrival until late in the evening.

The thought of seeing them together twisted something inside him, a dull ache settling deep in his chest.

Thankfully, after dinner, Harold Whitmore called Alexander into the study, leaving Evelyn alone.

Fresh out of the shower, Evelyn towel-dried her hair and reached for her phone. A new message blinked on the screen.

[I’m waiting for you in the garden downstairs. We need to talk.]

She recognized the number instantly. Even though she had deleted Ethan’s contact long ago, the digits were seared into her memory.

Evelyn ignored it. Given everything that had happened, meeting him in private—especially here at Whitmore Manor—was reckless. Too many eyes watched, too many ears listened.

Ten minutes later, another message buzzed through.

[Are you coming? It’s cold out here. Bring a coat.]

Her fingers hovered over the screen, torn between irritation and an old, stubborn pull she refused to acknowledge.

But she didn’t reply.

Instead, she set the phone down and walked to the window, peering into the darkness below.

Somewhere in the shadows, Ethan was waiting.

And she had no intention of going to him.

Evelyn frowned, her fingers tightening around her phone.

She moved to the window, pushing aside the sheer curtains just enough to peek outside.

There he was—Ethan Caldwell, standing beneath the moonlight, his gaze fixed on her window.

Their eyes locked for a brief, charged moment before Evelyn snapped the curtains shut.

Her heart pounded as she quickly turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness.

She typed out a reply with sharp taps: [Go home. I'm going to bed.]

It was only 9:30 PM, but she climbed under the covers anyway, her mind too restless to sleep.

Scrolling through Twitter, she barely registered the holiday trends flooding her feed.

Then her phone buzzed again.

[If you don’t come out, I’ll stay here all night. Evelyn, would you really let me freeze out here until dawn?]

She exhaled sharply, irritation flaring.

Emotional manipulation. Classic Ethan.

She and Alexander were supposed to be enjoying a quiet evening in their cozy guest cottage.

But instead, there was Ethan, lurking outside like some tragic romantic hero.

Unbelievable.