Chapter 447

"You shattered three of his ribs. Isn't that enough? Or do you intend to drive him out of the family entirely? He's still your nephew, Alexander. Do you want him dead? Let this go. For everyone's sake."

Harold's voice was firm, his expression unreadable. He knew the scandal would be catastrophic if word spread.

Alexander clenched his fists, ready to argue, but Evelyn's fingers curled gently around his wrist. A silent plea. Not now.

Ethan lay in the ICU, ribs fractured, old wounds reopened. If Alexander pushed for his expulsion now, Evelyn feared Vincent would retaliate. And she couldn't bear the thought of Alexander in danger.

Outside the hospital, the evening air was cool. Alexander hesitated, his gaze heavy with unspoken words. Evelyn understood.

"Alexander," she whispered, stepping closer. "What happened to me doesn’t matter. Only you do."

She would endure anything—humiliation, pain—if it meant keeping him safe. He was everything.

He pulled her into his arms, his breath warm against her skin. "I won’t let him near you again."

His voice was a vow, dark and unyielding. And Evelyn believed him.

Alexander's warm breath tickled Evelyn's neck, sending shivers down her spine. She instinctively leaned into him, craving his closeness.

"Alexander, all I want is to focus on my health and our baby." Her voice trembled slightly. "But I'm terrified—what if Ethan and Vincent go too far? What if they hurt our child?"

That was her greatest fear.

Alexander's hand rested protectively over her stomach, his touch gentle yet firm. "They wouldn't dare. If they even try, I'll make sure they suffer for it."

Later that evening, Evelyn returned to Hawthorne Estate for dinner. When Margaret heard about the twenty days Evelyn had been trapped with Ethan, her face darkened with fury.

"What kind of monster is Ethan? First, he betrays you, then regrets it and tries to win you back—only to turn around and do this?" Margaret's hands clenched into fists. "Locking you up for weeks? If word gets out, your reputation could be ruined!"

She hesitated, then lowered her voice. "And Alexander… how is he handling this? Is he angry?"

Margaret's concern was obvious—she feared Alexander might blame Evelyn. Being held captive by an ex-fiancé was the kind of scandal that could breed distrust.

Evelyn shook her head firmly. "Alexander knows the truth. He hasn't blamed me at all."

Margaret exhaled in relief. "Good. He's a good man."

As someone who had been through it all, Margaret had wisdom to spare. Looking back at her own life, she saw the signs of Richard’s betrayal clearly now. If he had been faithful, Vanessa wouldn’t even exist.

Evelyn noticed Richard’s prolonged absence and frowned. "Has Dad been avoiding us lately?"

Margaret shrugged, her voice steady. "I don’t know where he is, and frankly, I don’t care. If anything happens to him, the estate remains ours. Men can be so childish—refusing to divorce just to prolong the misery."

Just as the words left her lips, a sharp knock echoed through the room, cutting their conversation short.

Secret Longing: A Second Chance at Love After Prison (Evelyn) novel