Chapter 2

My fork froze mid-air. I looked up at him.

Okay? Not even close. I had been crawling through hell, suffering every waking second.

Yet when I parted my lips, all that came out was:

"I’ve been fine."

I reached back out to cut my food.

My sleeve slid back slightly, exposing a gaunt, skeletal forearm. It was covered in a horrifying patchwork of old and new scars—some from blade cuts, others from burns, glaring under the banquet chandeliers.

My mother’s eyes instantly welled with tears. Carter turned pale as a ghost and instinctively reached across the table to grab my hand.

I pulled away before he could touch me, looking up with a mild warning:

"Eat your food, Carter."

"You and Hailey must be starving."

Carter froze, staring at me with wide eyes, stunned by my distant tone.

Then Hailey burst into tears.

"It’s all my fault... If I hadn’t insisted on going to that neighborhood back then, Evelyn wouldn’t have been taken by those criminals for five years."

"Can you ever forgive me?"

The moment she cried, my parents and Carter immediately forgot all about me. They crowded around her, dabbing her tears with napkins and whispering gentle comforts.

Carter frowned deeply, scowling at my cold demeanor.

"Evelyn, Hailey is crying her heart out. Can't you comfort her a little?"

My parents looked at me with reproach.

I let out a tired sigh, pulled two tissues from the box, and gently dabbed Hailey’s tears.

"Stop crying. I forgive you."

I was so obedient it left everyone speechless.

Even Hailey forgot to keep crying, staring at me blankly.

"It’s getting late," I said softly. "You should go see off your guests."

Snapping back to reality, they scrambled to their feet to greet the departing guests.

I didn't follow. I stood in the shadow of a corner, quietly watching the four of them acting like a happy, picture-perfect family.

I watched for a while, feeling that it was enough.

I had seen them one last time. There was nothing left to regret.

I turned to leave, but someone suddenly grabbed my wrist in a vice-like grip.

It was Carter.

"Evelyn, where are you going?"

"Come back home with us to the Vance manor. I swear, from now on, we won’t let you suffer ever again!"

My parents rushed over, nodding eagerly.

"Yes, Evelyn. You’ve suffered so much out there. We just want to love you and make it up to you."

I pretended to believe them and walked out to the car.

When we reached the vehicle, Carter hesitated.

Excluding the chauffeur, the Rolls-Royce could only seat four people comfortably.

One person would have to be left out.

Hailey spoke up meekly:

"Dad, Mom, Carter... how about I take the security SUV behind us? Evelyn just got back, we can't..."

They cut her off in unison:

"The seats in that SUV are stiff as a rock, and the ride is too bumpy. You'll get sick, Hailey."

"Exactly. What kind of family puts the bride in a security van?"

None of them mentioned my name, yet every single pair of eyes shifted toward me.

A bitter smile touched my lips.

One second they swore they’d make it up to me; the next, I was the one tossed aside.

Without saying a word, I walked over to the security SUV, pulled open the door, and got inside.

When we arrived at the manor, I told them I wanted to head to my bedroom to rest.

Hailey suddenly tugged at my sleeve, her voice trembling timidly:

"I'm so sorry... While you were gone, I really loved the view from your room, so I turned it into my music room. You’ll have to stay in the guest bedroom for now. You're not mad at me, are you?"

I looked at my parents. They gave awkward, guilty chuckles.

"You were gone for so long, and Hailey loved the natural light in there..."

"I can have the maids clear it out right now, but there's so much stuff. You won’t be able to move in until tomorrow."

The faint, polite smile on my face vanished.

Seeing my expression harden, Carter immediately stepped between us, terrified I would attack Hailey.

He snapped defensively:

"Evelyn, it’s just a bedroom! What are you throwing a fit for?"

"Did five years overseas teach you nothing? If you lay a hand on Hailey, I swear—"

My parents quietly shifted their weight, stepping beside Hailey to shield her.

I felt a profound, bone-deep exhaustion wash over me.

"Am I throwing a fit?"

"Did I say a single word of objection?"