Chapter 54

Evelyn wasn't in the mood to return to the hotel. With a heavy sigh, she turned the car around and headed home instead.

Theodore remained silent for a long while before finally speaking. "Ms. Carter," he began cautiously, "does Nathan not know... that you're the heiress of Monarch Group?"

Evelyn exhaled softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "No, he doesn't." She leaned back against the seat, exhaustion evident in her posture.

Theodore finally understood. That explained why Evelyn had arranged for a stand-in when Nathan unexpectedly showed up at her office that day.

"Teddy, I didn’t mean to keep it from you—"

"I understand."

Evelyn looked up, startled by his response.

"Painful memories aren’t something anyone wants to revisit," Theodore said gently. "It’s only natural to bury them deep. I’m just worried about how your father will react when he finds out. It’ll break his heart." His grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles turning white, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

The Kingsley family adored Evelyn. And Nathan had destroyed her.

If Harrison ever discovered the truth, he’d likely tear Nathan apart.

"I’ll keep it hidden as long as I can," Evelyn murmured. "After this failed marriage, I think I’m done with love forever."

She closed her eyes, Nathan’s cruel words replaying in her mind. A bitter smile touched her lips. "Marriage is such a farce."

"If you don’t marry, then neither will I," Theodore vowed.

Evelyn’s eyes flew open. "No! Absolutely not! You’re my secretary, not a monk! If word gets out, people will think I only hire celibates. You’ll ruin my reputation!" She waved her hands frantically, horrified by the idea.

Theodore chuckled awkwardly, though his heart ached.

He knew he wasn’t worthy of her, but he’d stay by her side—always.

"Ms. Carter," he ventured carefully, "why did you marry Nathan in the first place?"

Evelyn’s gaze grew distant, a storm of emotions swirling in her eyes.

"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked—"

"When I was eleven," she began softly, "my class went on a hiking trip. That’s when I lost the sapphire pendant my mother left me. I didn’t care about the teacher’s warnings—I went back alone to search for it in the dark. I retraced every step, but I couldn’t find it. Then I got lost."

Her voice grew quieter. "That night, a hurricane hit. I was trapped in the mountains with no phone signal. I was sure I was going to die there."

She swallowed hard. "Nathan happened to be working as a ranger in Mount Evercrest National Park that summer. Despite the storm, he led a search team to find me. He found me behind a boulder, nearly frozen to death."

Evelyn’s voice was barely a whisper now, lost in the memory.

"I opened my eyes and saw him in his climbing gear, soaked to the bone. Even drenched, he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. His eyes—they were brighter than the stars."

She smiled faintly. "He carried me down the mountain, telling me terrible jokes the whole way to keep me awake. He was awful at it."

Theodore listened, stunned.

"What’s your name, little girl?"

"If you don’t tell me, I’ll just keep calling you ‘little girl.’"

"I’m not little! I’m growing faster than the other girls!"

"Well, you shouldn’t go telling boys that."

"Why not?"

"Because some of them might take advantage of you, silly."

Evelyn’s breath hitched, her heart pounding as if she were eleven again.

Nathan had been seventeen then—not as tall or as strong as he was now—but she’d felt safe in his arms.

Later, they nearly fell off a cliff. But Nathan held her tight and saved her life.

Then he vanished for three years. The next time she saw him, he was on TV, attending a charity gala with the Blackwoods.

From that moment, Evelyn chased him everywhere.

When she heard he was going to war, she joined Doctors Without Borders just to be near him.

She had loved him against all odds.

Now, that love was gone.

Evelyn smiled bitterly. Thirteen years of devotion, ending like this.

Theodore was silent, regret twisting inside him.

"But Teddy," she murmured, "I can’t bring myself to hate him."

She stretched her hand out the window, feeling the wind slip through her fingers—just like the love she could never hold onto.

"I loved Nathan willingly. I don’t regret it. I’ve repaid my debt to him."

Meanwhile, Nathan stood in the grand halls of Cliffside Manor, his mind a chaotic storm.

He felt like a boulder was crushing his chest.

Suffocating.