Chapter 428

Sophia Ellis’s husband, an illegitimate son, had never known much warmth. Seizing the opportunity, Sophia tried to mediate, hoping to gain Harold’s favor.

"We’re all family here. Why escalate things? Let’s all take a breath. If we can’t resolve this now, maybe it’s best to move on. No need for lingering resentment."

Audrey Mills, ever the diplomat, nodded in agreement. She didn’t want to alienate anyone, so she backed Sophia’s words. "Sophia has a point. Let’s all step back for a moment."

Eleanor was desperate for this matter to disappear. Her outburst had been calculated—meant to sow confusion and shift focus away from Ethan’s imprisonment of Evelyn.

Now that Evelyn hadn’t mentioned the abduction, Eleanor felt a wave of relief.

"Fine, fine. Let’s just consider Ethan’s injury an unfortunate accident. We’ll drop the matter. Evelyn, don’t keep harping on trivial things!"

Evelyn smiled, but her eyes glinted with mischief. "Trivial? Ethan, why don’t you enlighten everyone about what really happened? I’ve given you the floor."

Ethan stiffened. Though Evelyn’s lips curved upward, the sharp mockery in her gaze was unmistakable.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Eleanor was desperately shaking her head, urging him to stay quiet.

Ethan Caldwell stood frozen, torn between two impossible choices.

Seeing his silence, Evelyn Carter understood his hesitation all too well.

He claimed to care for her, to hope she would reconsider—yet every move he made only drove her further away.

Evelyn counted herself lucky that she had long since stopped believing in him.

"Step back? I've already retreated a thousand steps out of respect for what we once had, and still, you demand more."

She lifted her chin, her voice steady. "The truth isn’t hard to uncover. The man who attacked Alexander is still in custody. His phone records will show every call, every message exchanged with Ethan. A simple check will prove whether they conspired together."

Her gaze shifted to Harold Aniston, the family patriarch.

Harold had always treated her with kindness, but Evelyn wasn’t foolish enough to think he would choose her over his own grandson.

But this wasn’t just about her—it was about Alexander.

Alexander Whitmore was Harold’s youngest son. The real question was, who would Harold side with—his son or his grandson?

Since the day she married Alexander, Harold had seemed to care—but now, she would see where his loyalty truly lay.

Evelyn couldn’t comprehend why Harold had sent Alexander away to live with a rural family right after his birth, then neglected him for years.

Alexander had never known the privileges of the Whitmore name. They only reclaimed him when he was useful.

As Evelyn’s position didn’t permit her to challenge these decisions, she still needed to know—did Harold truly care for his son?

When she mentioned Ethan’s threats against Alexander, Harold stayed silent.

Evelyn pressed her lips together, a sharp ache blooming in her chest for Alexander.

She could endure her own suffering, but she refused to let him share that fate.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Alexander’s icy voice cut through the tension behind her.

“Evelyn. Come here.”

She turned, meeting his piercing gaze.

Her breath hitched. She’d intended to handle this alone—she hadn’t meant to drag him into it.