Chapter 391

Evelyn's voice was sharp as she demanded, "Do you really intend to keep me locked away forever? Ethan, do you honestly believe that's sustainable?"

Ethan remained silent, his fingers twitching toward the cigarette pack in his pocket. He flicked open the lighter, the flame casting shadows across his tense features.

His agitation was palpable.

Noticing Evelyn's disapproving frown, he exhaled sharply and strode out into the garden, the cigarette dangling unlit between his fingers.

Evelyn finished her spaghetti in silence, the fork clinking softly against the porcelain. Then, with deliberate steps, she followed him outside.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked, her tone icy.

Ethan turned, immediately shrugging off his coat to drape it over her shoulders.

She sidestepped, her gaze frosty. "Ethan, have you considered what will happen when the Caldwells discover you're holding me against my will?"

His jaw tightened.

"You have a family," she continued. "And so do I. You—"

"Evelyn," he cut in, his voice rough. "All I want is this—just you and me, without the rest of the world interfering. Can we please stop bringing them into this?"

Evelyn couldn't make out his expression clearly in the dim light.

His voice was low but firm. "I've thought this through. If the world won't accept us, I'll take you far away. We can leave everything behind—my family, my name, all of it."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around the edge of the table. "And Vanessa? What about the child she’s carrying? Don’t you want your own flesh and blood?" Her voice cracked slightly. "I'm pregnant with Alexander's baby, Ethan. Do you expect me to just... get rid of it?"

"I'll raise it as my own."

Ethan’s gaze burned into hers, unwavering. "If you choose me, I’ll be that child’s father in every way that matters."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

She exhaled slowly, shaking her head. "You’d abandon your own unborn child just to play father to another man’s? Ethan, what kind of twisted logic is that?"

His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"I love you," he whispered hoarsely. "And because I love you, I’ll love your child too. Evelyn, I’m begging you—don’t shut me out. Just think about what we’ve shared these past seven years."

He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"Give me a chance to prove myself," he pleaded. "Please."

Ethan's piercing gaze locked onto Evelyn's.

Each word he spoke carried undeniable weight.

"Whether I'm the one you truly want—feel it with your heart first. Then answer me."

Humans were peculiar creatures.

During the years Evelyn had loved Ethan, she had desperately longed for his affection in return.

But now that he had finally repented and laid his emotions bare, she felt nothing.

The Evelyn who had once loved him so fiercely no longer existed.

She had moved on long ago, leaving their past behind like discarded pages of an old book.

The irony wasn't lost on her—Ethan, who had once betrayed her without hesitation, now clung to the hope that she might love him again.

Yet Evelyn remained silent.

Ethan wouldn’t hear her truth anyway.

If she wanted to escape, she had to play along—at least for now.

She needed to placate him, lull him into complacency.

Only then could she find a way out of this gilded prison.

Being trapped in this isolated villa, waiting helplessly for rescue, was not an option.

She refused to be that powerless.

After a long pause, Evelyn lifted her gaze to meet Ethan's intense stare.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she clutched the edge of her sweater.

The air between them grew thick with unspoken words.

"Tell me the truth," she whispered, voice barely audible.

Ethan's jaw tightened, shadows flickering across his face in the dim light.

He took a step closer, the scent of his cologne wrapping around her.

"Would you believe me if I said yes?" His deep voice sent shivers down her spine.

Evelyn swallowed hard, memories flashing through her mind.

The betrayal.

The pain.

The empty promises.

Yet here he stood, looking at her with those piercing eyes that always saw too much.

She turned away, staring at the rain-streaked window.

"Why now?" The question hung between them like a blade.

Ethan reached out, his fingers brushing her wrist.

"Because I can't pretend anymore."

Her breath caught at the raw honesty in his tone.

The grandfather clock in the corner ticked loudly, counting the seconds of silence.

Evelyn closed her eyes, fighting the tears threatening to fall.

When she opened them again, Ethan was still watching her, waiting.

Always waiting.

"Stay," she finally said, the word tasting foreign on her tongue.

A slow smile curved his lips, lighting up his entire face.

It was the same smile that had stolen her heart years ago.

And just like before, she was powerless against it.