Chapter 490

The instant Evelyn Carter stepped into the room, the Blackwood family erupted into chaos before scattering in disarray.

She wasn't in the mood to explain anything to Reginald. The truth would reveal itself in time.

Besides, she had learned long ago from Harrison and Lillian about Lawrence Pembroke's ruthless methods. If he could get Cassandra Blackwood released from police custody, it meant he had already eliminated any loose ends.

Even if she knew he had coerced Julian Whitmore into taking the blame, the case was officially closed. The authorities wouldn’t reopen it anytime soon.

Lawrence was as dangerous as his charming smile suggested.

Still, Reginald had no intention of making things difficult for Evelyn. He trusted her character implicitly—he had witnessed her sincerity firsthand.

If he couldn’t trust Evelyn, who in this world could he trust?

She personally wheeled Reginald back to his room.

Nathan Blackwood followed closely behind her, his presence suffocating.

Evelyn was thoroughly annoyed.

But tonight, Reginald was in high spirits, watching the young couple fuss over him with a delighted grin. His smile stretched so wide that every tooth showed.

It wasn’t just love that nourished the soul. Watching a couple he shipped interact was just as fulfilling!

"I'm sorry, Grandpa Reginald. I’ve been so busy lately that I couldn’t visit. You must be upset with me, aren’t you?" Evelyn looked guilty.

"What nonsense, child! Just remembering this old man makes me happy."

Reginald squeezed her hand warmly before shooting Nathan a pointed look. "You're young—you should be out enjoying life, meeting good men. I hear Julian Montgomery and Alexander Whitmore are quite close to you. What do you think of them? Any other gentlemen catching your eye? Bring them to meet me—I’ll vet them for you!"

Nathan’s eye twitched. It felt like his grandfather had just swung a sledgehammer into his chest.

This meddling old man, confined to a wheelchair, still playing matchmaker!

Wasn’t he afraid Evelyn would bring home a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Nathan’s breathing grew ragged, his eyes darkening with agitation.

Evelyn blinked in surprise. "Grandpa Reginald, how did you know about Alexander?"

"Oh, I know everything without even leaving this house," Reginald boasted.

"Ah. We’ve known each other since we were children."

"Childhood sweethearts, then?" Reginald asked nervously.

"Hmm..." Evelyn smiled faintly. "More like an older sister and a little brother. He was so frail back then—I had to take care of him!"

She tilted her chin up slightly, one hand resting on her hip, her smile radiant.

Nathan stared at her, transfixed.

Then, abruptly, his vision blurred. A sharp pain lanced through his skull.

He turned away quickly, pressing a hand to his temple as cold sweat drenched his back.

Somewhere in the depths of his memory, her smile overlapped with the blurry face of a little girl.

He had always felt like he’d known Evelyn far longer than he could recall.

But why couldn’t he remember?

"Is that so? You never mentioned being so close to the Whitmore boy before," Reginald mused.

"We lost touch when he moved to Serenia with his mother. We only reconnected recently by chance."

Evelyn was completely transparent about her relationship with Alexander.

"Ah... I heard he donated a rare collector’s necklace to support your charity auction. Seems he holds you in high regard."

"He probably just did it out of gratitude—for old times’ sake."

"Well, then, the youngest Whitmore heir is clearly a man who repays kindness."

Reginald shot Nathan a disdainful look, growing more irritated the longer he stared at him.

Hmph! Far better than this block of wood!

He wasn’t siding with an outsider—he was just frustrated with Nathan’s inaction and hoped to provoke him into stepping up.

"Grandpa Reginald, please don’t blame Mr. Blackwood for our divorce. It was mutual. I bear him no ill will."

Evelyn glanced back, her calm gaze making Nathan’s chest tighten.

"Mr. Blackwood isn’t as cold as you think. He knows how to repay kindness, how to love... how to cherish someone."

Nathan’s heart twisted violently. His throat constricted with remorse, his broad shoulders trembling faintly.

He did know how to love.

But all his passion had been wasted on the wrong person. Only after crashing into a wall, bloodied and broken, did he realize his mistake.

Yet he refused to be compared to Alexander Whitmore.

In Evelyn’s eyes, he would never measure up.