Chapter 462

The first time Evelyn Carter and Nathan Blackwood met was thirteen years ago at Mount Evercrest National Park.

That was the place where Nathan saved Evelyn's life.

"Oh? So you're Frederick Whitaker's student?" Evelyn's eyes sparkled at the mention of an old friend.

"Yes, Frederick is retiring next month. He's doing his final rounds this month. Once the handover is complete, he'll return to his hometown."

Zachary Prescott sighed. "I saw your name in his contacts, so you must mean a lot to him. He wants a quiet retirement, but I was hoping you could visit him one last time. Frederick has pancreatic cancer. We don’t know how much longer he has."

"What? Frederick has—" Evelyn straightened, her heart twisting.

"By the time he was diagnosed, it was already stage four. You know how aggressive pancreatic cancer is." Zachary's voice cracked.

"I see."

Evelyn's chest tightened. "I'll make time to see him."

"Please don’t tell him I told you. He’s proud. He doesn’t want pity."

"I’ve known Frederick for thirteen years. I understand."

After the call, Evelyn sat motionless on the swing. Moments later, tears welled in her eyes.

"Theodore," she whispered, voice thick. "Who is Frederick? What’s wrong?"

Theodore Winslow knelt beside her, pulling out a handkerchief to gently wipe her tears.

"An old friend."

Her lips trembled. "Contact the best gastroenterologists in Crestview and Fairhaven. I want to do everything I can for him."

"Of course." Theodore nodded solemnly, respecting her silence.

Another call came—this time from her fiery apprentice, Rosalind Walker.

"Evelyn!" Rosalind’s shriek nearly shattered her eardrum. "You liar! You’re Evelyn Carter, heiress of Monarch Group, and Alexa, the legendary jewelry designer! How could you keep this from me? I should report you for fraud!"

"You just found out? That’s slow."

Evelyn scoffed, snatching Theodore’s handkerchief to blow her nose. "Since I’m such a trickster, maybe I should prank you more often."

Meanwhile, Penelope Whitmore’s humiliation didn’t end with Nathan. Her confrontation with Leonard Blackwood shattered her carefully crafted image of the devoted, gentle wife.

Furious, Penelope dragged a sobbing Cassandra Blackwood to the Blackwood estate in the dead of night.

"Useless," Penelope hissed, jabbing her red-painted nail into Cassandra’s forehead hard enough to draw blood. "First, you sided with Victoria Sterling because you thought that scheming bitch would be your sister-in-law. You thought you could control her."