Chapter 8

Evelyn's phone vibrated silently in her pocket.

She didn't notice the three missed calls.

Margaret saw and paled instantly.

Watching Evelyn down the drink, she feared poison—feared her daughter might drop dead right there.

Panicked, Margaret ordered someone to call 911.

Then, a kitchen maid rushed forward. "I added something to Ms. Vanessa Hart's drink. She said she felt faint, so I mixed in vitamins."

The maid bore an uncanny resemblance to Evelyn. The misunderstanding became painfully clear.

But the chaos wasn't over.

Evelyn suddenly seized Vanessa's wrist and yanked her toward the grand staircase.

Her movements were wild, unhinged—like madness had taken hold.

Vanessa struggled, but when she saw Ethan Caldwell sprinting after them—

The idea struck her suddenly. Evelyn followed Vanessa up the staircase, her heart pounding.

"What are you doing? Vanessa, if you want to ruin yourself, do it alone! Let go!" Ethan's voice was sharp as he grabbed Vanessa and yanked her back.

His icy stare locked onto Evelyn.

Then, he froze.

Tears streamed down Evelyn's cheeks.

A flicker of unease twisted in his chest before shock swallowed it whole.

At the top of the stairs, as Evelyn and Vanessa struggled, Evelyn suddenly lost her balance.

She was so light—just a small push sent her tumbling backward.

Ethan could have caught her. His hand even twitched forward.

But then Vanessa cried out.

His attention snapped to her, and by the time he turned back—

Too late.

Evelyn's injured ankle gave out completely.

In that split second, as Ethan chose Vanessa over her, something inside Evelyn shattered.

The fall was merciless. Her body slammed against the metal railings, each impact sending waves of pain through her skull.

Yet she bit her lip, refusing to make a sound.

She deserved this.

Loving Ethan had been her mistake. Now, she was paying for it.

As she hit the ground, a cold clarity settled over her.

The crowd erupted into chaos, scrambling to call an ambulance while Evelyn lay motionless.

Margaret rushed forward, panic in her eyes, but Evelyn weakly pushed her away.

After a moment, Evelyn forced herself up.

Her vision swam, but she stayed silent, swallowing the pain.

This was nothing new. Three years in prison had taught her how to suffer quietly.

Her gaze, once warm and tender, now held a chilling detachment—as if Ethan were nothing more than a stranger.

Ethan noticed the shift but dismissed it.

He assumed her coldness was just anger over his failure to—

Evelyn could feel her pulse hammering in her throat as she fought to keep her composure. She had always been the strong one—the one who didn’t need coddling or empty reassurances. But tonight, the weight of betrayal was too heavy to carry alone.

The birthday party had ended abruptly, the guests scattering like startled birds after the confrontation. Now, only the hollow silence of the Hawthorne Estate remained.

As the last car pulled away, Evelyn finally let the tears fall.

"I'm breaking off the engagement."

The words sliced through the quiet like a blade.

Richard and Margaret froze, their expressions twisting in shock.

"What did you just say?" Richard's voice was sharp, edged with disbelief.

Evelyn clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. She forced herself to speak again, louder this time. "I'm calling it off. Ethan and Vanessa deserve each other. I won't stand in their way."

Richard's face darkened. "Have you lost your mind, Evelyn? You can't just throw away years of planning like this! Do you honestly think you can walk away unscathed?"

Margaret reached for her daughter, but Evelyn stepped back, her resolve hardening.

"I already have."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Evelyn turned on her heel and strode toward the staircase, her heart pounding. She didn’t look back.

Because if she did, she might crumble.

And Evelyn Carter never crumbled.

Not even when her world was falling apart.