Chapter 461

Ethan Caldwell's face was deathly pale. Having just recovered from a severe illness, his breathing was shallow and uneven.

His gaze remained fixed on the two figures entwined by the window, their passionate kiss burning into his vision. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, as if punishing himself with the sight.

In the shadows, he was nothing more than a voyeur. His heart shattered, yet his lips curled into a twisted, bitter smile.

The moment he had regained consciousness, he learned of Vanessa Hart’s miscarriage—caused by Evelyn Carter’s reckless driving. A dark thought flickered in his mind: Was it jealousy?

Ignoring the doctor’s protests, Ethan had rushed back to Whitmore Manor, only to witness Alexander Whitmore and Evelyn in the throes of passion.

His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Then, as if reaching a decision, he pulled out his phone and dialed. "Are you absolutely certain that woman means that much to Uncle Alexander?"

"Without a doubt!" Trevor Moss’s confident voice crackled through the line. "You’re my closest friend—why would I lie? She found him at his lowest, saved him from starvation. Their bond is as deep as yours and hers ever was."

Ethan didn’t argue.

His attention snapped back to the window, where Evelyn now leaned against the sill, her silhouette framed by moonlight.

Only a woman deeply in love would dare to do such a thing!

Ethan clenched his fists, his face turning ashen. "Find her. Bring her to Cresthaven immediately."

Trevor nodded but couldn't resist adding, "Ethan, most women don’t respect men who worship them. Remember how untouchable you used to be? Confidence is what attracts them. Maybe... you should stop indulging her so much."

Ethan remained silent, finding the term "worship" amusing in this context.

When no reply came, Trevor hesitated before asking, "Ethan... are you angry?"

"No. Just follow my orders. Quickly." He ended the call.

Leaning back, Ethan shut his eyes briefly, exhaling slowly.

Nathan glanced at him from the driver’s seat. "Would you like to step out for some air?"

"Take me back to the hospital," Ethan commanded.

He wasn’t officially discharged yet and needed to return.

Nathan complied without another word, turning the car around toward the medical center.

Vanessa was waiting in his private ward.

Her eyes were still puffy from crying—she’d undergone an abortion earlier that day. Her face was ghostly pale, her usual vibrancy drained away.

"Ethan, our baby is gone. Please, don't leave me too. Evelyn took everything from us... I have no one but you now..." Vanessa's voice trembled as tears streamed down her bruised cheeks.

Ethan wordlessly reached for the tissue box on the coffee table, pulling out two sheets and handing them to her. The simple gesture made her breath hitch—this was the first kindness he'd shown her in months.

"Does it still hurt?" His voice was low, detached.

Vanessa blinked in confusion. "What?"

His gaze dropped to her abdomen. "Your stomach. From the procedure."

The memory of Eleanor's slap across her face after the abortion flashed in her mind. The humiliation, the physical pain—it all came rushing back.

A choked sob escaped her lips when she realized he was asking about her wellbeing. "N-no... It's better now. But Ethan—" She clutched the tissues tighter. "I can't lose you too. If anything happens to you, I'll—I'll make them pay! Even if it's your uncle, I swear I'll—"

Ethan's piercing stare cut her off. His fingers brushed the swollen mark on her cheekbone where Eleanor had struck her. "Who did this to you?"

The tenderness in his touch made fresh tears spill over. The red imprint stood out starkly against her pale skin, a brutal reminder of her suffering.

Vanessa hesitated. This was her chance. If she played this right, she could turn his sympathy into something more. Something permanent.

She let her lower lip quiver. "It doesn't matter. Nothing matters except you." Her fingers crept toward his wrist. "We've both lost so much... but we still have each other. Don't we?"

The grandfather clock in the corner ticked loudly in the heavy silence. Somewhere in Whitmore Manor, a door slammed shut.

Ethan's expression remained unreadable as he studied her face—the tears, the bruises, the desperation.

Then his phone buzzed.

Vanessa's heart plummeted when she saw the name flashing on the screen: Evelyn Carter.

The woman who'd destroyed everything.

The woman who still held Ethan's heart.

The guilt weighed heavily on my shoulders. I should have protected my baby. No wonder she was furious with me.

Ethan's voice cut through my thoughts. "Vanessa, why are you so determined to stay when all I want is a divorce?"

His question hung in the air, sharp and unrelenting.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The pain grounded me, kept me from crumbling.

"You know why," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

The truth burned in my chest, but I couldn't say it. Not yet.

Ethan's expression darkened. "No, I don't. And I'm tired of guessing."

The tension between us was suffocating.

I took a shaky breath. "Because I still love you."

His eyes flickered with something unreadable.

It was a dangerous confession. One that could either break us completely—or change everything.